Texan's first trip up the [REDACTED] headwaters (CO 78 SJW )

[Clumsy1589]

Heads up guys! Some mountain greenhorns are heading up the [REDACTED] this year during 2nd rifle.

Experienced with elk and big game but not backpacking or mountains. Looking for advice about the [PAGOSA AREA & SJW]. Water resources? 2nd rifle weather? Hunter pressure? Packers in the area? Dead and Down?

Not committed to any specific areas but some sure look pretty from above. Especially the [REDACTED] between [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] Creeks; looks like quite the glassing spot.

Any locals here?

PS. First post here and I just want to say thanks to all of you that participate and make learning from this forum so easy.

EDITED: to redact specific location details

 

[rhaas90]

Good luck to you! Post the results of your trip. Being a fellow Texan, this is a bucket list type of trip for me one day soon!


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[11boo]

Just go and have fun.

 

[bradyhunt]

No one is going to spoon-feed you info that they've likely worked incredibly hard to obtain themselves.

Sounds like you've got some areas identified as jumping off points. Put some miles on the tires and boots, and howdy at the hundreds of other Texans you come across while you figure out the area.

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[Ucsdryder]

Experienced with elk hunting but not mountains? That seems like an oxymoron! You’ll feel right at home down there!!! Lots of your neighbors!

 

[Dos Perros]

I was trying to come up with a more offensive thread title and the only one I could come up with was:

"Calfornian's buying land in Wyoming for wolf wintering grounds"

 

[Clumsy1589]

Experienced with elk hunting but not mountains? That seems like an oxymoron! You’ll feel right at home down there!!! Lots of your neighbors!

It does, doesn't it. I worked for over a decade managing an exotic game ranch in Texas Hill country.

 

[Clumsy1589]

No one is going to spoon-feed you info that they've likely worked incredibly hard to obtain themselves.

Sounds like you've got some areas identified as jumping off points. Put some miles on the tires and boots, and howdy at the hundreds of other Texans you come across while you figure out the area.

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Ah shoot... guess I'll be learning it the hard way. Some phone #s of local packers would be handy though; hopefully a feed store bulletin board will spoon feed me that bit.

Any rules of thumb for mountain weather? Ex. If Pagasa is 50 degrees, then it'll be 30 degrees at 12k or something like that? I'm not looking for someone's honey hole - like you said I have some jumping off points - just need some local mountain knowledge.

 

[fngTony]

Ah shoot... guess I'll be learning it the hard way. Some phone #s of local packers would be handy though; hopefully a feed store bulletin board will spoon feed me that bit.

Any rules of thumb for mountain weather? Ex. If Pagasa is 50 degrees, then it'll be 30 degrees at 12k or something like that? I'm not looking for someone's honey hole - like you said I have some jumping off points - just need some local mountain knowledge.

Once you read the entire BOAL thread we might open up a bit more

 

[11boo]

There are more elk down there than you ever had on the “Exotic game ranch”,
so you’ve got that going for you, which is nice.

And if you really want a meat packer check with USFS and find out who the outfitters are in that area and contact them. Be aware you will not be their priority even if you have meat on the ground and cash in hand. Be ready to haul it out on your own, or don’t kill it.

 

[Clumsy1589]

There are more elk down there than you ever had on the “Exotic game ranch”,
so you’ve got that going for you, which is nice.

We shall see... however as mentioned before, I am more concerned about the mountain than the elk. My elk hunting experience so far has been pretty easy and I don't think the mountain will give up the goods as easily. So, I came here to ask questions. I don't mind being humbled by the mountain, but I'd rather not be destroyed by it.

 

[S-3 ranch]

We shall see... however as mentioned before, I am more concerned about the mountain than the elk. My elk hunting experience so far has been pretty easy and I don't think the mountain will give up the goods as easily. So, I came here to ask questions. I don't mind being humbled by the mountain, but I'd rather not be destroyed by it.

Conejos River (North Fork) - ropewiki

ropewiki.com

nothing easy about the mountains for a low elevation guy like me

 

[Clumsy1589]

Conejos River (North Fork) - ropewiki

ropewiki.com

nothing easy about the mountains for a low elevation guy like me

Thanks for the link. Looks like a rough entrance to the headwaters.

 

[11boo]

Just hunt areas you can get the meat out of before it spoils. It tends to be pretty warm early September. Don’t even think about sticking one in some hell hole.
Have fun, take a fishing rod and enjoy the trip.

 

[Clumsy1589]

Just hunt areas you can get the meat out of before it spoils. It tends to be pretty warm early September. Don’t even think about sticking one in some hell hole.
Have fun, take a fishing rod and enjoy the trip.

I hope to do some Septembers in the future but this one will be 1st week of November.

 

[11boo]

Might skip the fishing rod then.

 

[Poser]

I hope to do some Septembers in the future but this one will be 1st week of November.

Difficult to Mae hard plans for Nov as things could be snowed out. A lot of FS gates get shut and locked on Nov 15. Probably going to be a dry fall/winter given the La Niña pattern, but you never know as it could be completely snowed out above 11k.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Packers in the area?

Check the Forest Service's permitted outfitter list and start marking calls.

San Juan National Forest - Event/Commercial Permits

San Juan National Forest - Event/Commercial Permits

www.fs.usda.gov

 

[Clumsy1589]

Difficult to Mae hard plans for Nov as things could be snowed out. A lot of FS gates get shut and locked on Nov 15. Probably going to be a dry fall/winter given the La Niña pattern, but you never know as it could be completely snowed out above 11k.

How does one handle water when snowed out and below freezing?

 

[Clumsy1589]

Once you read the entire BOAL thread we might open up a bit more

made it to jlhois arrow pic, didn't make WKR status though. Too funny