Backpacking Chicago Basin Loop - Planning Questions

[rxmarcus]

Hello everyone, a few friends and I are headed to the Weminuche Wilderness in late-July for 5 night backpacking trip. We are experienced very backpackers, both east and west, but have virtually no experience with climbing. The basic idea is to the do the Elk Creek/Needleton loop, but with 5 nights we can hike more than the 37 miles of the basic loop. Am looking for anywhere from 50-60 miles of hiking. I've been researching side trips and route extensions. It looks like the extending the loop with the rock creek trail will get us to a 50 mile loop. But I also think that the ruby creek basin area looks spectacular, especially the Turret and Peak 15 area.

Looking at Caltopo, its difficult to determine the route for connecting the ruby basin trail network to the main loop. Is it possible to connect the two without some class 3-4 scrambling? If so, would we even want to? Based on the maps, it seems like it would be either the ruby creek trail or the main trail. So we would be skipping the main trail, from Needleton to the Mt Elous side trail, correct? The chicago basin amazing, so I don't want to miss anything that is particularly scenic along the main trail either.

If ruby basin doesn't work out logistically for us, are there other side trips/trails besides rock creek that you would recommend? We love big views, jagged peaks, green meadows, lakes...the same stuff everyone else likes, haha.

Extra info that may be helpful, we're hiking Saturday-Thursday. So I was thinking of starting at Elk Creek and going clockwise, so that we hit the Chicago Basin mid-week when it will likely be less crowded.

Thanks for any advice and tips!

[seano]

You've got lots of options. Ruby Basin is indeed spectacular, with a decent use trail up from Needleton. I have no idea how easy it is to cross over to Noname and Tenmile Creeks, but it looks doable on the topo. There's a decent trail up Sunlight Creek from people doing Jagged, and that's another really nice area. It's also fairly pleasant to go up Stormy Gulch and down Vestal Basin as an alternative to the Elk Creek trail, and that's more spectacular country. Emerald Lake is the biggest natural lake in the area, and well worth a visit, though it's a bit out of your way.

One thing I've always wanted to do is check out Lake 13,100' east of Windom, which is the highest lake I know of in the US. No trails there...

[randalmartin]

Just a note to be aware of the elevation gain/loss you are mapping out in the mileage. 10+ miles/day over 5 straight days if each of those days has significant elevation gain would be a big physical commitment and perhaps less enjoyment.

[justiner]

Crossing over to any of the basins N <-> S is quite difficult (entering the basins from the west would be much easier). Not to dissuade anyone from doing it, but I'll echo a similar idea of not using mileage as an indicator of overall effort/time needed. NoName to Ten Mile via Balsam Lake could take half a day, but is only a few miles in length. I really have a hard time classifying it as "Class 3", as there's no real exposure... but there's route finding, there's endless fields of talus, endless fields of willows, the creeks aren't always easy to negotiate across (well the creeks are easy to cross, it's the canyon the creek sits in that's not), and you may hit the area at peak monsoon time. It's quite amazing country for sure. Haven't found anything else even remotely like it in CO.

If you go off-trail in the Wem. consider doubling or even tripling your ETA.

[rxmarcus]

Thanks for the advice everyone. The elevation profile of the main loop doesn't look too intense for 10+ mileage days, but it is good to keep in mind for sure. I'm not planning on an itinerary that is heavy on off-trail/scrambling miles. We prefer mostly on trail hiking and then picking the best spots for mixing it up with side trips, scrambles, etc.

It definitely looks like there is a ruby creek route to be had east-west that involves no-name, jagged, and sunlight, but it seems like a lot of off-trail and route finding. Honestly, for my first trip to the area, will it really that much more spectacular than the chicago basin/twin lakes-windom/johnson creek areas? Those are mostly on-trail and easier to plan, and I can scratch the scrambling itch and summit windom.

The Vestal/Stormy gulch alternative to elk creek looks interesting, and the Grenadier range looks amazing. Looks like we would start out on Elk creek trail for a few miles, then head south to the vestal basin, skirting east of electric peak and north of arrow? Then over an unofficial pass to trinity lake and creek, and out to vallecito trail via stormy gulch? Is the route fairly easy to follow and hike along? How difficult is the unofficial east trinity pass?

[rxmarcus]

Another potential alternative to entering via elk creek that I've looked at is starting at Highland Mary Lakes trailhead and hiking south on the CDT to connect to the vallecito creek trail. We'll likely have two cars, so we could park one in silverton, drive the other to mary lakes TH, eventually hike out of the chicago basin to take the train back to silverton. Looks like a simple 30 minute drive from silverton the the highland mark TH.

How would hiking around Highland Mary area and south along the CDT compare to the elk creek trail, in terms of scenery, etc?

[d_baker]

It definitely looks like there is a ruby creek route to be had east-west that involves no-name, jagged, and sunlight, but it seems like a lot of off-trail and route finding. Honestly, for my first trip to the area, will it really that much more spectacular than the chicago basin/twin lakes-windom/johnson creek areas? Those are mostly on-trail and easier to plan, and I can scratch the scrambling itch and summit windom.

The Vestal/Stormy gulch alternative to elk creek looks interesting, and the Grenadier range looks amazing. Looks like we would start out on Elk creek trail for a few miles, then head south to the vestal basin, skirting east of electric peak and north of arrow? Then over an unofficial pass to trinity lake and creek, and out to vallecito trail via stormy gulch? Is the route fairly easy to follow and hike along? How difficult is the unofficial east trinity pass?

You can access upper Noname from Ruby by going up to saddle with Pk 12 and Monitor Pk. From saddle, go NE and descend, but there is route finding semi-off trail (i.e., there's a vague old trail in there that one can find lower down as it gets close to the drainage).

It's been 13 years since I've been in Stormy Gulch, coming from Vallecito en route to Vestal Basin, and we screwed up our route finding to the Trinity saddle.
Coming from the Vestal side, I'm not sure if you would have more success finding the "trail."
Maybe there's a stronger climbers trail now though?

Sounds like a cool trip you have planned...one that I would love to do someday as well.
I've always thought of coming up Vallecito from Durango side, and taking Johnson Creek into Chi-Basin and from there try to drop into Sunlight Basin (via saddle between Windom & Sunlight Spire, I think) and go out that drainage back to Vallecito.
I also think Elk Creek to Beartown, down Vallecito would be great too. From Vallecito, there's plenty of trails to hit up different drainages.
I would expect some off trail on parts of the trip I have thought of.

[seano]

The Vestal/Stormy gulch alternative to elk creek looks interesting, and the Grenadier range looks amazing. Looks like we would start out on Elk creek trail for a few miles, then head south to the vestal basin, skirting east of electric peak and north of arrow? Then over an unofficial pass to trinity lake and creek, and out to vallecito trail via stormy gulch? Is the route fairly easy to follow and hike along? How difficult is the unofficial east trinity pass?

The trail in Stormy Gulch is faint in places, and peters out before the pass to Vestal Basin, but it's pretty easy to pick up at Trinity Lake. See this map for my route when I used it: https://caltopo.com/m/Q5P4

[wombat]

One thing I've always wanted to do is check out Lake 13,100' east of Windom, which is the highest lake I know of in the US. No trails there...

Seano if you get to lake 13,100 maybe you swim to the island. I was right there last year but didn’t know it was the highest “island” in the US. Its not the highest lake but probably the highest island. This guy has a pretty cool older site about the U.S highest lakes. Lake bagging is the best!

http://www.highestlake.com/highest-lake-usa.html

As for the OP Chicago basin to Sunlight lake Basin goes by way of Windom-Sunlight Spire Saddle. By July most of the snow on the north facing descent from this saddle will be long gone in this light snow year. You can parlay chicago basin-climb the 14ers-then transit to sunlight basin- then heading West climb over the peak10/knife point saddle to no name basin. Not nearly as many miles and will be challenging with a pack on but climbing opportunities all along!

Photo Caption: Lake 13,100; Regrets

[rxmarcus]

Thanks so much for all of the info so far everyone! I need lots more research time on caltopo and google. Maybe campsites will help break some ties. Does anyone have any fantastic campsites in the area that they're willing to share?

[rxmarcus]

So my buddies aren't as hip on off trail travel as I am, so we're going to mostly stick to the main semi-loop trail and do some side trips in the Chicago Basin.

One last questions remains, should I start at Elk Creek (via the train) or Highland Mary Lakes? Which one is more scenic and interesting?