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Welcome to Wag Week!
We will be in the Chicago Basin for the next five days, but in spite of the name, it’s not in Chicago, it’s in Colorado. I’m excited!
Albatrossity and BillinGlendale will be back next week, as usual.
Wag
As many of you know, my wife and I are on a journey to climb all 58 of Colorado’s 14,000 ft high peaks. I have posted previously about individual peaks in stand alone posts with OTR, however this summer we had a trip that deserves so much more.
We traveled to the San Juan Mountains to climb a set of four peaks in the Needle Mountains, an isolated range in the Weminuche Wilderness. The Weminuche is the largest wilderness area in the Colorado, and is ¾ the size of Rhode Island. The Wilderness is bisected by the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway, an historic railway that dates to 1882. IT connects the mining town of Silverton to the town of Durango at the base of the San Juan Mountains. The railway follows the Animas River through a rugged canyon in a trip that takes about four hours.
All aboard!
About halfway through the canyon, the train makes a stop at a small siding at the former site of the town of Needleton. The train drops climbers and backpackers off at a suspension bridge that provides access to Needle Creek and the spectacular Chicago Basin.
While crossing the suspension bridge, we looked down and saw a rock stack on the edge of a small island in the river. The stack is about 6 feet tall.
The trail to the Chicago Basin is 6 miles long. It is generally a gradually climbing smooth trail. typically with few obstacles. Along the way are multiple waterfalls that make the climb go quickly.
That is, until you hit mile 4, and encounter a massive blowdown of trees. The trees had been weakened or killed by a recent massive pine beetle infestation, and the tress blew down, blocking the trail for the last couple of miles in to the Basin, necessitating climbing over, scorching under, or hiking around the trees. On our way out I counted about 175 trees blocking the trail. The Forest Service sent a trail crew in a week after we were there. The crew used double handed crosscut saws to clear the trail. Being in the Wilderness, no motorized chain saws allowed.
We set up camp next to Needle Creek, near to a series of beautiful waterfalls.
Another waterfall next to our campsite
After setting up camp, we went to explore our route for the morning. We were camped at about 10,600 feet altitude. Camping is allowed up to a split in the trail at 111.200 feet. The meadows were filled with wildflowers. If you look in the background, you can see stands of Beetle killed pine trees. The trail will require crosscut saw maintenance for years to come.
More foliage and wildflowers.
As we climbed, we finally got a view of Sunlight and Windom, the two peaks that we were planning to climb the next morning.
GeoWHayduke
I think I got to 25 this summer. I’ve done most of the FR, all of mosquito, and most of Sawatch so far
JeanneT
Nice photos! I’m glad we’ll get to see the rest of the trip.
Wag
and as I read this I see that I missed a date when I proofread the post The railroad dates to 1882, not 1982
@GeoWHayduke: Nicely done!
Betty
The train looks like fun. The waterfalls are so refreshing.
cope
Thanks for these wonderful, evocative pictures.
During what was probably the most idyllic period of our family life, my wife and I bought a house on the northern outskirts of Durango with our young daughter. Separated from the Animas only by a dirt street and empty lot, we saw the train pass every time it headed up to Silverton or came back down to Durango. This was forty years ago and I indulged my passion for mountains and wild places with great enthusiasm. However, I never made it to the Chicago Basin so thanks for taking me there vicariously through your pictures. I swear I can smell that clear mountain air while viewing them.
Thanks again and I look forward to more.
WaterGirl
@Wag: fixed!
cope
Just curious why there isn’t a steam engine pulling the train in the YT video. I know there was a fire and change of ownership a few years ago but thought they were still using the old engines.
Wag
@WaterGirl: Thanks! My proofreading skills aren’t what I’d like them to be. I do a very good job on other’s writing, but I suck when it comes to proofing myself.
Mustang Bobby
I have done Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park twice: 1964 at the age of 11, and went up the now-closed cable route, and 1981 at the age of 28, leading hikers from my camp up the Fried Egg trail. Alas, I have no pictures of either journey, but I did pocket a pebble from the summit (in violation of park rules) both times.
Wag
@cope: They have a few different engines, a mix of steam and diesel. You’re right that there was a huge fire in 2018, the 416 Fire, that was started my embers from one of the coal fired steam engines. I think the company is phasing out the steam engines as a result. Sad to see, but understandable
susanna
Colorado is so beautiful and your pictures, particularly of the waterfalls, is appreciated. Good to know you’re posting more.
cope
@Wag: Absolutely understandable. I always thought running steam engines through mountain forests was pretty untenable, especially once the beetles began killing the pines.
Now days, I don’t feel sad about progress, however. Things used to be one way, now they are another. That steam whistle would sure get your attention, though.
Kevin Jenness
About 1980 I hiked into the Chicago Basin from Vallecitos Reservoir to the SE in November. Fine weather. Not another soul did I see. Got up fairly high on Windom Peak. I’m laid up now and my hiking days are pretty much over but this brings back good memories of footloose days in the wild country. Thanks for the photos.
Steve from Mendocino
It shows that you’ve put some effort into the framing of your photos. A pleasure and thank you.
Victor Matheson
I am a veteran of all of Colorado’s 14ers. While I have some personal favorites, there is no question that the train to the climb to the Needles is really a highlight of the journey. Congrats! A totally awesome trip for you.
tom
Gorgeous pictures, thanks!
JanieM
So evocative, both of memories and of a sort of nostalgia for places I’ve never been. There’s a nice variety in this set, but if I had to pick a fave it would be that last one.
Wag
@Victor Matheson: It is an adventure. I’ve got more posts on other peaks coming up. We’ve got one more to go!
@Steve from Mendocino: Thanks!
@JanieM: More to come!
Paul in St. Augustine
@Wag:
fwiw, when I proof read my writing, I start at the end and read backwards, forcing me to look at each work individually.
tom
@Paul in St. Augustine: “each work” :)
StringOnAStick
I’m a CO native but moved to OR last year. We kept meaning to ride the train and just didn’t get around to it since tickets are high demand items. We’ve summited a number of the CO 14,000ers but mainly to ski them in the spring. I’m proudest of skiing La Plata peak, rated as an extreme plus ski descent; we had perfect conditions, icy would have been terrifying. Long, long hike up and back.