Solo Backpack Ute Creek Weminuche Wilderness Colorado June 2020

The Mountains are calling, and I just go....that may be the theme for this summer, as it looks like all of our Canada trip is or soon will be canceled as the US/Canadian Border remains closed.  So off I head to SW Colorado and a three day, two night backpack up the Ute Creek drainage in the Weminuche Wilderness (the largest in Colorado).  The stats:  7 miles in, 1300 feet elevation gain; ten mile RT with another 600 feet of elevation gain beautiful day hike on day two, and then 7 miles back out on day 3.  1300 feet of elevation gain in 7 miles is pretty easy by mountain standards, but I’m an old sucker now, and throwing a backpack on (only 34 pounds, I travel fairly light, but not ultralight) and hiking all day...embarrassingly it took me around 6 hours to get in.

So the good:  Beautiful, total solitude (actually saw a couple on my day hike and talked for 5 minutes..they were just as surprised to see as I was them; they were back in for two nights and had been in here several times before,,,(they are retired, live in Santa Fe and own a cabin in this general area), 3 moose sightings, numerous elk, gorgeous campsite in beautiful big meadow surrounded by peaks, one of the more enjoyable day hikes I’ve ever had backpacking, and gorgeous weather.  The negatives:  I had to ford the Rio Grande River right at the beginning, and it was up to mid thigh in one place and a rapid current, and I had left my wading shoes back at home,,so I did it my hiking boots, socks, pants. Dicey but I made it.  Many, many dead trees across the trail, which made the going slow and difficult, and a nasty fall on to my back and side onto a rock down a hill crossing one of those spots, with my full pack, in other words BAD.  I bruised my left hip a bit, but was able to pick myself up, dust myself off and keep plodding uphill.  And in general it was spectacular but as is the case across North America, mostly dead lodge pole pine trees...thank you pine bark beetle, which has been ravaging western North America for the last 25 years or so.

The weather was picture perfect, no threat of rain all three days, lows did get into the 20’s overnight....slept in my long underwear, ski hat and socks...pretty comfortable, and early sun by 6 AM on the tent.

A great no pain no gain and beautiful adventure.