Backcountry hunting via a river

dingleberns

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 3, 2017
Messages
135
Location
Colorado
Anyone ever do this in Colorado? I'm interested in planning a trip in the next few years for elk. Example would be Animas river and peel off into the high country (I know there's a train there too).
 
Joined
Aug 25, 2015
Messages
536
Location
Wyoming
Anyone ever do this in Colorado? I'm interested in planning a trip in the next few years for elk. Example would be Animas river and peel off into the high country (I know there's a train there too).

You’ve been watching those Gritty bear videos huh?

Looks cool but to me it seems like a significant amount of extra logistics for little extra gain.


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Poser

WKR
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
5,033
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Durango CO
The upper Animas is not raftable in the Fall. The water is way too low in way too many places -your ass would get chewed up by rocks. Also, there’s no way out downstream without negotiating one of the longest sections of wild, 5th class river in North America and having to do a mandatory rappel with your raft to get around an incredibly massive, permanent log jam. Rafters either take out on the train at Tacoma station or trespass (which the RR hates, BTW and at a minimum you need to know the timing of the trains and if there are work trains out because it’s over the “Highline” section which is blasted out and there’s not room in some spots for a person to stand and the train to pass) on the tracks to Rockwood.
 

Gobbler36

WKR
Joined
Dec 6, 2015
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2,352
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None your business
You’ve been watching those Gritty bear videos huh?

Looks cool but to me it seems like a significant amount of extra logistics for little extra gain.


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if they do it on youtube it must be cool, i mean you cant find elk unless theyre 10 miles in and up on a scree slide at 12,000 ft
 
Joined
Jun 11, 2017
Messages
550
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Weminuche
The upper Animas is not raftable in the Fall. The water is way too low in way too many places -your ass would get chewed up by rocks. Also, there’s no way out downstream without negotiating one of the longest sections of wild, 5th class river in North America and having to do a mandatory rappel with your raft to get around an incredibly massive, permanent log jam. Rafters either take out on the train at Tacoma station or trespass (which the RR hates, BTW and at a minimum you need to know the timing of the trains and if there are work trains out because it’s over the “Highline” section which is blasted out and there’s not room in some spots for a person to stand and the train to pass) on the tracks to Rockwood.
I will second poser on this one.
I have been a safety boater up the animas for more than 10 years. There will be no water. It would be more than the worst experience you could imagine. Not sugar coating anything, just the truth.
I also have hunted archery off the train in elk creek bc I had a free train ticket. I hauled coolers and everything to the train stop, hiked up to tree line, and tried to hunt only to realize elk creek is on the colorado trail. Crazy amounts of traffic and no elk for 10 days. If it isn’t hunting competition, it’s hikers or peak baggers. The outfitter who used to hunt that compartment has totally pulled out roughly 8 years ago. The San Juan’s are just screwed nowadays. Hunting quality has suffered immensely.
Also beware, Archery draw Tags did nothing to curb our Issues either. If you look at previous years otc hunter participants before this years new allocation You will see that they issued as many tags for archery as participants before. The only difference is that the tags are species specific. So, has anything changed? It’s gonna be just as crowded as always, go pick up a unit specific tag if you want one. Plenty Will be leftover after the second draw.
 

ColoradoV

WKR
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Messages
509
Bakers or pandora’s box might be running - if it rains. Good fun in there but the “box” nature of the canyon might make it hard to hunt much from the Rio lol... Local guide is needed (as well as solid class v+ skills)..

Yea the upper A will be petty low easier have the train drop you where you want in there.
 

Poser

WKR
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
5,033
Location
Durango CO
I will second poser on this one.
I have been a safety boater up the animas for more than 10 years. There will be no water. It would be more than the worst experience you could imagine. Not sugar coating anything, just the truth.
I also have hunted archery off the train in elk creek bc I had a free train ticket. I hauled coolers and everything to the train stop, hiked up to tree line, and tried to hunt only to realize elk creek is on the colorado trail. Crazy amounts of traffic and no elk for 10 days. If it isn’t hunting competition, it’s hikers or peak baggers. The outfitter who used to hunt that compartment has totally pulled out roughly 8 years ago. The San Juan’s are just screwed nowadays. Hunting quality has suffered immensely.
Also beware, Archery draw Tags did nothing to curb our Issues either. If you look at previous years otc hunter participants before this years new allocation You will see that they issued as many tags for archery as participants before. The only difference is that the tags are species specific. So, has anything changed? It’s gonna be just as crowded as always, go pick up a unit specific tag if you want one. Plenty Will be leftover after the second draw.

There is outfitter still operating out of elk park. I don’t know where they are hunting though. The CO Trail up Elk Creek is completely blocked by 2 avalanche debris fields and there is 0 chance of getting horses through them. There is actually still compressed snow from 2018 under all of the trees. Supposedly the Forrest service was going to try and dynamite them to clear the path. I saw a guy in a FB group complaining that he paid a bunch of money to hunt there last year and a moose thrashed their tent and camp and ran their horses off. Unless they are taking clients down the railroad tracks a few miles and just using horses for access, there’s really nowhere for them to hunt.

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D

dingleberns

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 3, 2017
Messages
135
Location
Colorado
Good info guys thanks, any other river besides the Animas that would be a viable option?
 
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