Semi-loop in SW Colorado: moose, flowers, a bear, and some smoke

[Dan]

Companion forum thread to: Semi-loop in SW Colorado: moose, flowers, a bear, and some smoke

The whole family took a 5-day trip in the Wem. Wilderness in SW Colorado last week. This is the largest wilderness in the state, and the most spectacu

[Matthew / BPL]

Gorgeous photos. I haven’t backpacked in CO yet and I’m going to bookmark this thread for future reference. Thanks for sharing your trip report!

[George W]

Thank you for the report. I like Colorado, I hiked part of the Colorado trail last year and it was a bit too crowded for me. This looks like a great option for next year. My dog now at 15, just got too old to do much hiking, I loved backpacking with her.

[Dan]

Thanks for the comment, George. I agree about the CT, that kind of thing is not for me. Most people who come to Colorado congregate along a few famous routes. Fortunately, there are plenty of remote and isolated areas that are even more spectacular, and you can often go a day or two without seeing anyone.

I hope you will enjoy every remaining moment with your dog in her retirement, 15 years is amazing. I just said good-bye to my long-time hiking companion Zelda (the dog in my avatar) a few months ago. At 10 years of age she was still strong and athletic, and then cancer suddenly took her down.

[Dustin V]

This looks like an awesome trip to take to avoid the usual crowds in CO. I definitely want to look into this area for next year.

We were in RMNP Sunday and Monday which really reinforced for me that ‘you don’t move moose; moose moves you’. We were moved by cows with calves three times, and by groups of bulls twice.

[Alex Wallace]

Wonderful photos! Thank you for sharing.

[Dan]

I’ve explored various parts of the Weminuche, Dustin, and I’d be happy to share my experiences if you’re interested. Send me a message when you’re ready. In that part of the sate, the South San Juan and Uncompaghre wildernesses are also worth consideration, depending how long a trip you want to do.

[Philip Tschersich]

Lovely! The animals are great. They are one of my favorite parts of my trips in AK. Scenery is wonderful, but it’s even better when you get to share it with your furry neighbors.

[Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear]

Fantastic photos!  Thanks for sharing.

[AK Granola]

Beautiful! were you lucky with the weather, or is that fairly reliable this time of year?

[Dan]

We were lucky to have perfect weather. Colorado weather is generally pretty good, but it’s common to have scattered afternoon storms, and the SW part of the state can occasionally get into a rainy pattern in late summer. Some people call it “monsoon season” but in my experience it’s not nearly that common or predictable. There was rain in the previous week, but we had some flexibility in our schedule.

[Glen L]

That is a gorgeous area. I can see why you backpack there. The dogs look like they are having the time of their lives.

[phil g]

Thanks for the trip report; I myself am considering a loop hike in the Weminuche first week of September. Thinking of Williams Creek/Palisade meadows/Divide.

[Dan]

Thanks for the trip report; I myself am considering a loop hike in the Weminuche first week of September. Thinking of Williams Creek/Palisade meadows/Divide.

I have not been in that particular area. I have been north of there, in the Squaw Pass/Squaw Creek area, and I wouldn’t bother to go back. On a different trip, I explored the area to the east of there. Window Lake was extremely nice and the Palomino Peak area was very scenic. I would like to go back there.

 

[jscott]

what stunning country! and what a great trip. When I meet Europeans out on the trail in the Sierra or Washington Cascades, they all tend to be astonished by the wildlife and remoteness available. There’s fabulous scenery in the Alps and elsewhere. Remoteness? not so much. and yes even in  the Sierra you can easily lose the crowds–even on trail–if you know what you’re doing. So thanks, Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir for establishing the notion of preserving wilderness! This trip report shows  a bit of why wilderness is essential to the American character.

[Author]

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