High and Wild on the Continental Divide Trail, South San Juan Wilderness, Colorado

The Trip

Designated by the U.S. Congress in 1980, the South San Juan Wilderness covers about 160,000 acres, with 180 miles of trails and elevations from about 8,000 to 13,000+ feet. The San Juan Mountains are one of the largest distinct mountain systems in the U.S. They stretch from the San Luis Valley on the east side to beyond Durango and Telluride on the west. Four ecosystems dominate the San Juans: alpine (above 11,000 feet); volcanic subalpine forest (between 9,000 and 11,000 feet, and on volcanic rock); crystalline subalpine Forest (between 9,000 and 11,000 feet, where the underlying rock is granite and gneiss); and volcanic mid-elevation forest (less common). ColoradoWilderness.com claims that this area is considered to be Colorado’s “wildest corner,” and it has “…some of the most exemplary backpacking in the state.” (The last known Colorado grizzly bear was killed here in 1979.) Forty-two miles of our 51-mile hike will be on the Continental Divide Trail (CDT), which goes through the heart of this wilderness area. Volcanic and glacial activity has sculpted the area into broad U-shaped valleys, steep slopes, high peaks, cliffs, and jagged ridges. Because much of our trip will be above 11,000 feet, we should see many open alpine meadows, sparse and stunted Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, and limber pine.

Pre-trip: Because this area is not as well known or as frequently used as other wilderness areas, there is no car shuttle service available. Hence, we will need to shuttle cars before the trip; this shuttle will be about two hours one way.  

Day 1: We will meet at 1:00 p.m. at the Ponderosa Campground, which is about 15 miles from Cumbres Pass. We will shuttle cars to the Elwood Pass trailhead. When we return, we will have dinner, which will be the first meal of the trip. We will get to know each other, have an orientation about the trip, go over our equipment, refine our packing, weigh our packs, etc. 

Day 2: Leaving the trailhead at Cumbres Pass, we will hike through some forests and past Wolf Creek for about 6 miles to Glacier Lakes.

Day 3: This will be our longest day (to ensure we have water at camp). We will hike about 9.5 miles to the Dipping Lakes.  We will hike near Flat Peak and should see Conejos and Summit peaks.

Day 4: This day will be above treeline, following cairns over this open plateau. We should see Gunsight Pass as we hike about 8 miles to a high plateau with scattered small lakes.  

Day 5: Lake Ann is our destination today with about a 9-mile hike.

Day 6: This will be a layover day at Lake Ann, where you could day hike or relax in camp.

Day 7: We hike to the Adams Fork River with an 8.4-mile hike.

Day 8: We leave the trail at Elwood Pass with about a 9-mile hike.

Wilderness travel can go as planned or unforeseen conditions or circumstances can necessitate a change in plans, so please bring a flexible attitude with you on the trip.

Getting There

For flying in, Denver is about 300 miles, Albuquerque is about 200 miles, and Durango, CO is about 135 miles from the Ponderosa Campground. Detailed information on the campground will be sent in a future bulletin. Ride-sharing is strongly encouraged on Sierra Club outings, and a roster of trip members will be provided ahead of time to facilitate this. Our first night’s campground is at an elevation of 10,000 feet; much of the trip and camping sites will be above 11,000 feet. It is highly recommended you arrive a day or two before the trip to acclimatize. Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

The trip price includes meals from dinner on day one through lunch on the last day, as well as use of cooking gear, stoves, fuel, first-aid kit, and scale. All group gear will be weighed and distributed each morning to ensure that everyone carries his/her fair share. 

A nutritious, high-energy diet is planned. Any food allergies or limitations should be indicated on your trip application. There will be chicken and fish on the menu, and summer sausage/beef jerky may be included in a couple of lunches. Vegetarians can be accommodated. Trip members will be divided into cook crews so everyone will have a chance to prepare meals during the trip. 

Trip Difficulty

This trip is rated a 5. There will be six moving days (six to nine miles each) and one layover day. The elevation is generally high (often above 11,000 feet), and a couple of days have significant elevation gain and loss. It will be a strenuous trip. Backpacking at elevation will also seem more tiring until you are acclimatized, so arriving a couple of days early to get in some hikes before our trip begins will be especially helpful. Our toughest hiking day (day 6) will be after a layover day. You will need to be in good physical condition to carry 25 pounds of your own gear plus up to 15-17 pounds of group food and commissary. Proper preparation will enhance your wilderness experience as well as being considerate of your fellow hikers. 

Equipment and Clothing

A detailed equipment list will be sent to all registered trip members in a future bulletin. Participants are expected to furnish their own backpack and camping gear, as well as good raingear (including backpack cover), layers of clothing to keep you comfortable between 30-75 degrees, broken-in medium-weight waterproof boots, and other personal gear, eating utensils, toiletries, etc. Your personal backpack gear should come to no more than 25 pounds as we will give you up to about 15 pounds of commissary gear. You may also find hiking poles helpful for stream crossings, steep downhills, and difficult terrain.

References

Books:

Our hike is described in Hiking Colorado’s Weminuche & South San Juan Wilderness Areas by Donna Ikenberry. Plants of the Rocky Mountains by Linda J. Kershaw, Andy MacKinnon, and Jim Pojar; Rocky Mountain Wildflowers by David Dahms (a pocket guide); and Birds of Colorado by Stan Tekiela provide information on possible flora and fauna in the area.

Maps: 

We will be using the following 7.5 minute USGS topographic maps: Cumbres, Archuleta, Victoria Lake, Elephant Head Rock, Summit Peak, and Elwood Pass. These are available by download or purchase at http://store.usgs.gov. Both leaders will be carrying these maps (or parts of them), so it would not be necessary to bring these except for your own interest and curiosity.

Conservation

We will discuss the Sierra Club’s role in protection of wild and wondrous places; the Wilderness Act, which set aside areas such as the South San Juan Wilderness area; and some of the dangers and assaults on our natural environment, particularly as it relates to Colorado (since this is where we are recreating).  Participants are urged to share their experiences from their local activities, so we call all learn about new areas.  

We will travel lightly upon the land by learning and practicing Leave No Trace principles throughout the trip. Reducing our camp footprint by sharing tents, camping in designated campsites to limit impact, and packing out all that we pack in (including food scraps) will help keep the wilderness as pristine as before so that those who come after us will have the same sense of discovery that we will have.