Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness HikeReally fun and strenuous summit hike in silverthorne CO. About 200 feet under 13,000 feet! Nice smooth trail, however not a lot of shade 360 views at the top. This trail has both high positives and negatives. Only about 10 mostly little sections of snow to climb over as you approach the top. hbbd```b``"T"YH2H4dt"N xw9H) $hA"& vX:JxeL@N E&@ fc The Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness is located in the Williams Fork Mountains, which rise from the Blue River Valley east and north of Silverthorne. Both of these events have greatly reduced the shade cover that existed on this trail when I hiked it 9 years ago. Pike National Forest 1.1 million acres, located near Denver Includes numerous wilderness areas, including the 106,000-acre Lost Creek wilderness Excellent trout fishing and big game hunting opportunities Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest 2.9 million acres in north-central Colorado Extends into Wyoming grasslands habitat Cowiche is a unit that gets high in a hurry, to around 6,000 feet, and it gets heavy spring and summer rains, so it's real lush. Plan to hike this weekend. Ran into a bear on the trail. Keep your eyes open on the north ridge for the resident elk herd. As you climb higher, the views become more panoramic until you have a 360 deg view at the summit. Peaks of Colorado. The Thompson Divide comprises large tracts of roadless land in the White River National Forest west of Aspen. I've led a few hundred people to see ptarmigan both summer and winter. Hiked on June 25. Each map displays Wilderness Boundaries as well as Unit (GMU) boundaries. Wilderness elk hunting altitudes range from 9,000-11,000 ft. Wildflowers are prolific if start from Ptarmigan Trail parking lot. In our Eagles Nest Wilderness, this includes camping at least 100 feet from lakes, streams and trails, and complying with fire restrictions: no campfires above 11,000 feet, within a quarter-mile of lakes or within other areas closed to campfires. Gourmet meals with a cook at every camp, deluxe camps, quality sleeping quarters, and transportation to and from the hunting camps via horse. The Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness is home to many different species of wildlife, including ptarmigans, bighorn sheep, and elk. $18.15 $15.43 (Save 15%) Like. Buttle Lake is a popular destination for swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing. 7:07 p.m. The range runs for approximately 60 miles (100 km) northwest-to-southeast, through western Grand and Summit counties, and eastern Routt and Eagle counties. The terrain varies from slightly less than 12,000ft to about 8,000ft. Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness White River National Forest Date Hiked: October 4, 2019 Distance: 6.8 mi (RT) to pass / 7.9 mi (RT) to Pt. Fires Campfires need to be at least 100 feet from streams and trails. It is the backbone of the local ranching economy, the most frequented national forest for outdoor recreation anywhere in the country. (1), Climber's Log Entries My dad and I are planning an archery elk hunt in September in Unit 74, specifically in the Hermosa Creek Wilderness Area. (10). Most of the trails have spectacular views of the Gore Range which dominates the skyline on the other side of the Blue River Valley. United States government. Keep your eyes open on the north ridge for the resident elk herd. Hunting License. All of this wilderness is located in Colorado and is managed by the Forest Service. Second, the San Juans include over-the-counter (OTC) game management units. The hunt includes everything you need to make your archery hunt a success. endstream endobj 8 0 obj <> endobj 9 0 obj <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/Type/Page>> endobj 10 0 obj <>stream One guy was trail running it in shorts. Although, you cant beat the views which are visible at the parking lot. Also we clocked in 12,5 miles around trip. There are also licenses for disabled hunters, hunting with a falcon, guides and outfitters, hunting clubs, and junior hunters. ptarmigan and a few wily wapiti. %PDF-1.6 % Wyoming state law requires nonresidents to hunt with a resident guide in designated wilderness areas. Eagle and Summit counties, which contain the tracts covered in the bill, are skiing hotbeds, and backcountry skiing as well as snowshoeing, mountain biking and other recreational activities would be highlighted in a special management area along the Tenmile Range west of Breckenridge. The Hunting and Fishing division of the Sierra Club is dedicated to the american tradition of hunting and fishing. Summit Daily is embarking on a multiyear project to digitize its archives going back to 1989 and make them available to the public in partnership with the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Congress, which designates federal wilderness areas under the terms of the 1964 Wilderness Act, designated the Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness in 1993. It would also establish two wildlife conservation areas totaling nearly 12,000 acres near Loveland Pass and in the Williams Fork Mountains, protecting habitat in a section of the central Rocky Mountains that contains key migration corridors for wildlife moving from Canada to Mexico. Encountered people most of the way but it didnt feel to overcrowded. All donations made in 2023 will go directly toward this project. Parks and Wildlife issues tags for specific game management units, types of animals and seasons. South Louisiana. 181.212.136.34 A few open spaces provide great views of the Gore Range or the lower Blue River valley. Offering a true cowboy experience, Gore Range Outfitters features deer, elk, moose, mountain goat, and bighorn sheep hunting trips in the White River National Forest. Ease your mind and the load on your back by hiring locals who know their way around. Box 948Glenwood Springs CO 81602970.945.2521, View Ptarmigan Peak Image Gallery - 1 Images. Please refrain from having campfires near or above tree-line, or in areas without dead and down firewood. Also in the park is Della Falls which, at 440 m in height, is widely considered the highest waterfall in Canada. Tags are available for elk, deer, and fowl. It is also advised to be aware of environmental "leave no trace" practices. 2 Day Cow Elk Hunt -2023 Oregon, United States 9.2 Package price $2,000 for 2 days, 1 hunter. The four proposed Wilderness additions encompass approximately 6,876 acres of . This still wild swath of lung-busting country is nearly 90 miles long and 50 miles wide with 1.3 million acres of designated wilderness and roadless areasone of the largest tracts of high elevation wildlands left in the United States. Exiting nps.gov. Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness Mount Evans Wilderness Holy Cross Wilderness Lost Creek Wilderness Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Buffalo Peaks Wilderness Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Raggeds Wilderness West Elk Wilderness Fossil Ridge Wilderness Mount Sneffels Wilderness La Garita Wilderness Lizard Head Wilderness Greenhorn Mountain . Give us a follow if you want to be kept up to date about whats happening! Off-leash dogs can look or sound like game animals and draw fire not only in their direction but in yours, as well. The resident guide does not have to be a professional; a Wyoming resident who holds a big game or trophy game hunting license is able to obtain a Resident Guide License to guide . Went up the shorter steep way and there were around 4-5 fallen logs, but this is typical since there are a lot of dead trees near trail. About a mile of snow left in segments. It's a rare moment when you bump into another hunting group because there's so much accessible area from which to choose. A sharp crack shattered the silence of the woods, bringing me to a halt. Went 15 minutes past the stick which is about 1/2 mile past saddle. If you spend time on the tundra and pay attention you will encounter White-tailed Ptarmigan. The Ptarmigan Trail climbs steadily through various ecosystems including sagebrush meadow, lodgepole pine, aspen, spruce-fir, and alpine tundra. On the way, we met a group of hunters from Kansas who had a large camp and horses. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. 2006-2021 SummitPost.org. Cancel Wapiti Talk featuring elk hunting discussions for all elk hunters whether veteran or novice. Click to reveal Jan 1, 2022. The Williams Fork Mountains leap up and away into Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness from just below the western entrance to the Eisenhower Tunnel on Interstate 70. Where to go Hunting First, you need to call us to discuss your options. Timber interests insisted on shrinking the western side of the Ptarmigan to allow future timbering. The positives are the gorgeous views of the Gore Mountains to the west and the wildflowers on encountered in the first 1.0-1.5 miles. I really enjoyed this hike. If you start by 6 am, it is a pleasant 37 degrees and plenty of parking. Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. Trail is awesome. The bill safeguards a number of cherished spots for skiing, climbing and other activities. Connect the Ptarmigan Peak Trail to the Ute Peak/Pass trail, and run the Alpine ridge for 12 miles, almost entirely above tree line. connected to the .gov website. Views at the top were great! A typical lodgepole fir forest rises to Engelmann spruce and sub-Alpine fir and then to Alpine tundra above tree line. Choose just the GMU boundaries or add the elk concentration data as well. Quite challenging as always up but a good one. PTARMIGAN PEAK WILDERNESS AREA This area was designated Wilderness in 1993 and has a total of 12,760 acres. Contact the Silverthorne Forest Service Office at 303-291-7227 for more information about hunting licenses and practices. Visitors can also camp and attempt to climb the over twelve thousand-foot Ptarmigan Peak. Felt like a steady incline all the way up. The bill includes new federal wilderness areas in the Williams Fork Mountains, Tenmile Range, and Hoosier Ridge, and expanded protections for the existing Holy Cross, Eagles Nest and Ptarmigan Peak wilderness areas. They said they'd seen some elk but they weren't bugling as much as normal. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock endstream endobj startxref There may be no better salute to that legacy than its inclusion in a proposal that preserves such a diversity of well-loved wildlands. The Elk Mountains rising above the Thompson Divide, Colorado, The Thompson Divide area of the White River National Forest is one of Colorados crown jewels, boasting nearly 220,000 acres of mountain peaks, clear trout streams and aspen groves. Licenses are required for hunting, as is the hunter education course. One of my most valuable introductions to the rigors of elk hunting in Colorado's high and wild San Juan Mountains was climbing fifty-five of our state's fourteen-thousand-foot peaks (14ers) between Aug. 14, 1999 and Aug. 17, 2003. . Activated in 1943, the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division made a name for itself fighting through the rugged contours of the North Apennine mountain range--just the sort of terrain that was their specialty. The first 0.5 miles of the trail is pretty steep where in gained ~465. The San Juan Mountains region is renowned for camping, backpacking and big-game hunting alike and harbors a vital watershed providing clean water to the surrounding communities. m|HzH`sAWqa! Last Chance I've had Byers Peak Wilderness on my list for some time now. Eagles Nest Wilderness Colorado Trucker Hat. The Eagles Nest Wilderness is full of promise when it comes to hunting and fishing opportunity, if you can beat the crowds and survive the hike. Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness Unit 37 Colorado Contributors to this thread: LL2FF 01-Apr-16 Stix 01-Apr-16 Marmot Eater 04-Apr-16 From: LL2FF 01-Apr-16 Full disclosure I will not be bow hunting but rifle hunting I hope that's OK for this forum. One of the few creatures that live on alpine mountaintops almost their whole life, the white-tailed ptarmigan is the smallest bird in the grouse family. ) or https:// means you've safely Although small, the Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness offers year-round rewards and fine vistas for those willing to explore its reaches. I turned around after 4.5 miles, just a hair past the Ptarmigan Wilderness sign (elevation gain at this point was ~2550'). The southern half of the Williams Fork Mountain Range is filled with wet meadows and beaver dams. The trail itself is in good shape and relatively smooth, allowing for a pretty quick pace if you're in good shape. Let us do the planning and you can focus on your hunting. (970)945-2521, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whiteriver/recarea/?recid=81117, Williams Peak and Ginright (Fourmile)Timber Sale Project Area Restrictions, CPW: hunting and fishing, OHV and boat permits. The trail is well marked and the surface generally smooth, with some rocky bits here and there. Although Parks and Wildlife were combined into one agency in 2011, the Parks and Wildlife sections are required to maintain separate budgets. Containing just 12,760 acres, its the fifth-smallest of Colorados 44 wilderness areas. The CORE Act, which has yet to pass through both houses of congress, would include environmentally important additions to the Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness into the lower elevations and extensions farther north along the Williams Fork Ridge. Lot of wildflowers on whole trail, but especially at bottom. Part of the Gore Range in the White River National Forest, this area makes for some difficult hiking, due to the vertical nature of the region. There are waiting lists for certain licenses and we can fill you in on all the information we have available. CO Peaks - List by County. These two trails merge after several miles to reach the summit, providing spectacular views of several 14ers, the Gore (Nuchu) Range, the lower Blue River Valley, and Dillon Reservoir. Because much of the Wilderness Area is west or south facing, carpets of Alpine wildflowers emerge here earlier in the year. Hunt planner. Backcountry skier in Proposed Tenmile Special Mangement Area, White River National Forest, Colorado. Details are on the Parks and Wildlife website, CPW.State.co.us. This includes part of theContinental Divide National Scenic Trail, a product of a decades-old campaign that has been calledone of the largest conservation efforts in U.S. historyand still draws hikers and horseback riders from around the country. Not as dramatic as the views from Buffalo Mountain across the valley, but beautiful nonetheless. "This legislation would protect some of the best that Colorados public lands have to offer, including pristine watersheds and key wildlife habitat along the Continental Divide, three popular fourteeners, and the rugged mountains and ranching heritage of the Thompson Divide," said Jim Ramey, Colorado state director for The Wilderness Society, in a statement. Will definitely have to come back! FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. The Silverthorne Town Hall, located at 601 . Good hike with lots of beautiful views and trails. Della Falls, the highest waterfall in Canada, is accessible via a 15.5-km trail. Lots of wildflowers. Read boundary descriptions, biologist notes, population and harvest statistics, management objectives and more. Almost made it to the top, but thunderstorms were threatening so we turned back. Created Date: 20140413130415Z . Hunting in Summit County can be facilitated by local hunting guides and outfitters. Since 1995, we've built travel guides that promote great outdoor destinations. A few open spaces provide great views of the Gore Range or the lower Blue River valley. The range is dominated by Ptarmigan Peak (12,458 feet) on the southern end and Ute Peak (12,297 feet) on the northern end. The second third passes through evergreens, some of which have been affected by beetles and fire. A IL'030"^d6%9TjAz3mZU}&~[5{@ We relocated nearly a thousand feet higher at 8,700 feet. The last 1.4 miles to the peak is like a never-ending meadow. But Summit County also hosts a smaller and less famous Wilderness the Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness. My knees were definitely ready to be back at the car by the time I wrapped up. Not super steep, but the distance and altitude will wear on you! Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness is located near Silverthorne. The sensory delights of the Continental Divide are varied and bracing--from dramatic mountain peaks and the snowmelt they channel to rushing creeks in the valleys below to regal, dark-jacketed spruce-fir stands harboring wild elk, lynx and peregrine falcons. Beautiful views and gorgeous flowers. Near McClure Pass high on the Thompson Divide, Colorado. Did it Saturday 5-22-21. Elk, mule deer, moose, and other big game are plentiful in this region. President Lyndon B. Johnson, on the signing of the Wilderness Act of 1964, Map showing recreational areas. . Then there's the Little Naches, where the Norse Peak Wilderness Area lies. Out of Steam Once I got to the alpine meadow just below the lake I finally spied some game, likely spooked by the poor trail runner I startled by hunting off trail. The views at the top make it totally worth it. Gore Range Outfitters Inc. operates under special use permit from the USFS DillonRanger Districtwithin the White River National Forest and is an equal opportunity provider.Copyright 2017 Gore Range Outfitters, Inc., all rights reserved. The terrain varies from slightly less than 12,000ft to . Generally, September is archery and muzzleloader season, followed by four different rifle seasons in October and November. It may not display this or other websites correctly. The Colorado Outdoor Recreation & Economy Act would protect some of the Continental Divides most stunning landscapes from damaging development, new road building and other threats in a region that has lately seen explosivepopulation growth. Permits: For specialuse permits for outfitting, commercial filming, recreational events, firewoodcutting and hazardous tree removal, please contact the Dillon Ranger District. New lush green undergrowth carpets still-standing blackened aspen trees. 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