CO 77/78 - Weminuche Wilderness

[Zeke6951]

Is the Weminuche in 77, 78? I have always thought it was in 76.

 

[Poser]

Is the Weminuche in 77, 78? I have always thought it was in 76.

74,75,76,77 and 78

 

[Tobe_B]

I had talked to Ty Smith, the CPO in that area, about some other surrounding units and he did tell me that although the trip into the Weminuche is long, most trails are easily accessible and to expect people.


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There’s only one somewhat tough trail in to the weminuche that I’m aware of. All the rest are easily traversed and full of people. And even that one particular trail has quite a bit of traffic on it.


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[Poser]

There’s only one somewhat tough trail in to the weminuche that I’m aware of. All the rest are easily traversed and full of people. And even that one particular trail has quite a bit of traffic on it.


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Yeah, That’s a curious take. The vast majority of the Weminuche access requires less than an hour. I’m headed into the area tomorrow morning for some weekend backpacking: it’ll be a cruiser 3 miles to the boundary.

 

[Tobe_B]

Poser, I thought about day riding in tomorrow. But I don’t really feel like trying to find a parking spot and deal with all the people and their dogs on the trail tomorrow.

I certainly haven’t traveled all of it. Or even come in through all the trails. But I’ve accessed it from several different locations in several different areas. There’s certainly trails on the interior that get a little technical. But every trail seems packed with people. It definitely spreads out the farther you go. But I’ve never gone in and not seen anyone. Even out in the middle of the wilderness.

As far as the elk hunting goes. There certainly are elk in there. We pack them out every year. But it’s not like there’s droves of them in every meadow. And I’d bet a fair number of guys on this forum wouldn’t want to venture up to where the elk are.


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[Poser]

Poser, I thought about day riding in tomorrow. But I don’t really feel like trying to find a parking spot and deal with all the people and their dogs on the trail tomorrow.

I certainly haven’t traveled all of it. Or even come in through all the trails. But I’ve accessed it from several different locations in several different areas. There’s certainly trails on the interior that get a little technical. But every trail seems packed with people. It definitely spreads out the farther you go. But I’ve never gone in and not seen anyone. Even out in the middle of the wilderness.

As far as the elk hunting goes. There certainly are elk in there. We pack them out every year. But it’s not like there’s droves of them in every meadow. And I’d bet a fair number of guys on this forum wouldn’t want to venture up to where the elk are.


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Rolled up to a Weminuche TH at 8 AM Saturday morning and I got the last available parking spot. The trails haven’t even been cleared yet and there were already 50-60 cars parked there.

 

[tdhanses]

Rolled up to a Weminuche TH at 8 AM Saturday morning and I got the last available parking spot. The trails haven’t even been cleared yet and there were already 50-60 cars parked there.

How are the fires in the area, last I checked they didn’t seem too big but my parents are ready to boogy just incase it comes further south towards Pagosa, the fire by the 4 mile trail head had me think it could go north fast.

 

[jkilburg]

Rolled up to a Weminuche TH at 8 AM Saturday morning and I got the last available parking spot. The trails haven’t even been cleared yet and there were already 50-60 cars parked there.

Wow…..


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[Poser]

How are the fires in the area, last I checked they didn’t seem too big but my parents are ready to boogy just incase it comes further south towards Pagosa, the fire by the 4 mile trail head had me think it could go north fast.

I’m not sure on the containment of the fire near Pagosa. We had one immediately on the edge of town in Durango just last week. Grew to 100 acres in 20 minutes. Thankfully, it got air support within the hour. I was out by Vallecito this weekend and there was no noticeable smoke in the air.

 

[tdhanses]

I’m not sure on the containment of the fire near Pagosa. We had one immediately on the edge of town in Durango just last week. Grew to 100 acres in 20 minutes. Thankfully, it got air support within the hour. I was out by Vallecito this weekend and there was no noticeable smoke in the air.

Last update I saw it looked like 30% contained and only around 800 acres burned, it might be under control.

 

[mossyoak52]

Strap on your boots download on x and start burning boot leather

 

[Hondo0925]

How are the fires in the area, last I checked they didn’t seem too big but my parents are ready to boogy just incase it comes further south towards Pagosa, the fire by the 4 mile trail head had me think it could go north fast.

The fire is pretty much out. Can’t even see smoke from pagosa here any more. Strongly suggest no one go camping around here and have a fire or throw your cigarettes on the ground. We don’t want to be like New Mexico!! Forests are closed down there.

 

[Tobe_B]

Rolled up to a Weminuche TH at 8 AM Saturday morning and I got the last available parking spot. The trails haven’t even been cleared yet and there were already 50-60 cars parked there.

That trail head is like that all through archery season. I work with the outfitter that’s runs both of those trails up by the lake. He and another friend had cleared the first 15 miles of that trail a few weeks ago. But none of us have bothered with going up the left turn after the bridge. Last year there was about 380 trees down on that trail. We figure we can let the forest service handle that one.


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[Poser]

That trail head is like that all through archery season. I work with the outfitter that’s runs both of those trails up by the lake. He and another friend had cleared the first 15 miles of that trail a few weeks ago. But none of us have bothered with going up the left turn after the bridge. Last year there was about 380 trees down on that trail. We figure we can let the forest service handle that one.


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There was easily another 380 downed trees on the “left turn” to the lake. I did encounter a guy cutting some under his own initiative, but it’s going to take a full crew to deal with that stretch and maybe a few reroutes.

I had always avoided that area because it’s so popular, but with the early Meltloff this year, I figured it was a unique opportunity to check it out. There were still a surprising number of folks camping up there, in large groups, too. Many of them hiked in wearing sandals. On the plus side, I think the 380 trees wore them all out because we didn’t see anyone North of the “big lake”.

Looks like early July up there.

 

[Poser]

Side note: where are all those archery hunters going? It’s 10 miles minimum before you hit (hypothetically) huntable terrain on either trail, but in both cases, you are going to get there and find horse camps and backpackers galore.

I have to imagine there are a lot of broken hearts and busted up feet at those THs.

 

[Tobe_B]

Last year Ty and the outfitter cleared everything to the lake by themselves. The crew they sent in worked around the lake. Took them three weeks to get their part cleared.

We pack in a few archery guys to the north end of the lake, mostly deer hunters. Then at least one sheep hunter every year. We drop people anywhere they want along the each trail. But the majority go in a minimum 9 miles on each trail. We have one permanent camp on each trail. One at 14 miles and one at 15 miles.

We see a lot of depressed and tired hunters every year. Especially when I come cruising by with a pack string. We hand out a lot of cards on the trail.


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[Poser]

Last year Ty and the outfitter cleared everything to the lake by themselves. The crew they sent in worked around the lake. Took them three weeks to get their part cleared.

We pack in a few archery guys to the north end of the lake, mostly deer hunters. Then at least one sheep hunter every year. We drop people anywhere they want along the each trail. But the majority go in a minimum 9 miles on each trail. We have one permanent camp on each trail. One at 14 miles and one at 15 miles.

We see a lot of depressed and tired hunters every year. Especially when I come cruising by with a pack string. We hand out a lot of cards on the trail.


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Is that “Vallecito Lake Outfitters”?


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[cuerro viejo]

V

vRock?

Harris and buckles it’s A huge party spot… RV’s, tents, UTV’s

 

[cuerro viejo]

If you unit the tri-unit area get a bear tag, calf recruitment is down. Bears are a huge reason.

I’ve been hunting those units for couple decades off and on, as I grew up there. I have no issues finding animals. It’s not a big bull unit, I’d say average bull age is lower at +- 2 years old. Those three units cover a lot of area.

You can get away from people, getting in is easy, getting a bull out not so much.

My advice don’t over think it. Toss a dart and go there, hunt two days toss another dart. Biggest bulls tends to come out of the high country northeast of a town

 

[Tobe_B]

Is that “Vallecito Lake Outfitters”?


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Yes it is.


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