Lediville to Creede

imported
#1

I plan on doing section 11 to Creede next summer starting probably on July 1st or 2nd.

I did the first 10 sections last summer and want to do a little more this summer.

I’m taking my wife with me this time. She is not as strong a hiker but has experiance and should have no problem handling 10 to 12 miles a day. Her only worry is altitude. We plan on taking two to three days to aclamate before heading off.

We plan on taking the shuttle into Ledville and a taxie to the trail head.
Then a 0 day in Buana Vista, Salida, and finish at Creede.

Is the trail real difficult through that area? How pretty is it? Is Crede an easy exit point in other words does it have a bus stop or shuttle service? How is the weather in July at that point?

Me and my wife just want to take our time and have a nice easy 150 mile hike :slight_smile:

Thanks for any help.

Professor

#2

There is no public transportation of any kind in or out of Creede. Probably not a good spot to end your trip unless you leave a car there or have someone meet you. Salida would be a better spot and has lots of transportation options.

Wandering Bob

#3

yeah I was afraid of that.

I know there is a cab company in Ledville that supposedly transports you anywhere you want to go on the CT for a price.

I did use them last year to get from Ledville to Denver for around $100 dollars.

I was just hoping for something local.

Professor

#4

Creede is a very long ways from anywhere. It got nice reviews as a town stop from prior CDT and CT hikers, but I’d hate to get stuck there.

The 10 mile side route from San Luis Pass drops about 3100 feet to town. According to Mags, the alternate 33 mile hitch from Spring Creek Pass is notoriously very hard.

Stop at Salida.

Wandering Bob

#5

New plan,;
bus from dever to salida. hike to silverton [about 150 miles].bus to denver. contact Mags or Trailguy for other advise. G/L also contact apple who will hold a mail drop {i think?}so you can skip creede.

jcw

#6

My only issue is that I haven’t done the leg from Ledville to Salida.

Am I missing anything really?

Professor

#7

I hate to pour cold water on you again, but there is no bus service from Denver to Silverton either. Getting out of there can be very expensive.

Other than a private limo from Durango (> $100) or your own car, the only way in and out of Silverton is the Durango-Silverton railroad. Yes, the RR also runs a bus between the two towns, but it is not open to the general public per se. It is only for their customers. You have to purchase a round-trip between Silverton and Durango; ride the train either direction and the bus the other. I asked them that last summer.

Sorry.

Wandering Bob

#8

There is a bus from Montrose to Durango that stops in Silverton if there are people who want to. There is no ticket office in Silverton so the arrangements must be made in advance. It is also a fairly easy to hitch from Silverton to either Durango or Montrose.

bearcreek

#9

I noticed a number of taxie services in Creede.

I don’t mind paying a $100 dollars for someone to take me to Ledville where I know I can get out of.

Has anyone tried this option?

Just curious…

Its looking like me and my wife will do Breck to Salida but i was hoping to start in ledville and finish in Crede in 2 weeks.

Professor

#10

Professor - A few thoughts. If you stay at the Hostel in Leadville, they’ll shuttle you to the trailhead. They’ll also pick you up as far away as Monarch Pass and bring you back to town.

If you’re not used to hitchhiking, you might consider it. It’s pretty user-friendly in this part of Colorado. Creede to Gunnison is very doable. You could then take the bus from Gunnison to Buena Vista, again where the Hostel would get you (or you could make an easy hitch north.)

Lastly, what about hitching south to South Fork, and then west to to the Durango airport? A lot of miles, but based upon experience, I’d bet you’d get it done in an afternoon. If I were available, I’d even pitch in and tote you from Pagosa Springs, west.

Matt

#11

How hard is it to get out of Salida?

I noticed that gray hound has a bus stop there, however, I could not find any schedules.

I’m assuming it can’t be to hard but any ideas will be nice.

Is a taxie to ledville possible?

thank you for the help

Professor

#12

Take the Black Hills Stage Line bus route BHL 126) from Salida to both the Denver Amtrak station or the Denver Greyhound station. Both are downtown. Walk over to the 16th and Market station and catch the SKYRIDE bus directly to the baggage claim area at Denver International Airport.

Note: reservations can ONLY be made via the Black Hills web site and you MUST have a printer attached so you can print the required boarding pass. You CAN NOT buy a ride from the driver.

The bus leaves Salida from the Chaffee Shuttle at 54 Jones Avenue at 07:55 am. Arrive Denver Amtrak 11:05 am and Greyhound 10 minutes later. That’s a 3 hour and 10 minute trip. Bus stops in Buena Vista on the way.

Wandering Bob