Creede or Lake city

[HeartFire]

I have one last decision to make for my CT thru hike - where to send a mail drop/spend the night - Creede or Lake City. Any recommendations between the two?
Thanks

[SawnieRobertson]

When will you be doing the hike?--Sawnie

[On Track]

Both great towns. With residual of fires, might be clearer skies in Lake City, dunno.

[Mags]

Hikers speak very highly of the Raven Rest's Hostel in Lake City.

The hostel is run by an AT thru-hiker IIRC.

[HeartFire]

Thanks Mags, I think that makes the decision, planning is all done, I fly to Denver on Monday.

[Cookerhiker]

Are you allowing time to acclimate? When is your actual hike start day?

[HeartFire]

Cooker, I live half way up there - it's Krewzer that needs to acclimate - we're staying in Denver a few days before we start!

[Dogwood]

I have one last decision to make for my CT thru hike - where to send a mail drop/spend the night - Creede or Lake City. Any recommendations between the two?
Thanks

I've gone through the area on 3 hikes CDT, CT, and a trip to one of the Wilderness areas. I'm yet to go into Creede. Not because Creede is a a bad option but because 1) I didn't do the Creede cut off which is what some CDTers choose to do which prolly makes going into Creede a better option if doing the cut off. And, you can hike into Creede by taking a side trail. Creede is what people mostly know and so gets the majority of the ink IMO 2) I like exploring towns that don't get the ink. Besides when I was preparing for my CDT and CT thrus I read where MAGS said it was a hard hitch from Spring Creek Pass. When someone tells me something is difficult I'm wired to think that makes it all the more worth doing so I aimed to go into Lake City from the pass. GLAD I did! I ENJOYED two full zeros in Lake City. It was an easy hitch FOR ME both into and out of LC. Your situation may be different!

I can't help you with anything in Creede but I can with LC. You can check out the resupply info by Mags, Yogi, Spirit Eagle, etc about amenities and services in Creede. LC has Ravens Rest Hostel where I stayed for two nights. Well run, fair priced, clean, decent amenities(kitchen and hiker box too) and it's centrally located in the small town of LC. As the owners are hikers they are accommodating as can be and MAY provide a ride back to the trail. The ride isn't a definite but do inquire. I think they just had bunk houses but may have been planning on creating private rooms(I'm not 100% positive though). Everything is within about a 3/4 mille or less walk once in town. The Hostel has/had some loaner bicycles. The PO(I mailed a box here, they have/had limited sat hrs too), small grocery store(certainly able if not overly picky to purchase trail food for 4-5 days), newly opening restaurant, two other restaurants, Welcome/Visitors center, laundromat, hardware store, etc are on the far end of town(1/2 mile from the hostel all close to one another). Next to the Hostel is a good little coffee shop with decent sandwiches and bakery goods(when you stop in make sure to leave a note by writing it on the wall). There's a fly shop with maps and possibly some canisters as well as possibly canisters in the General Store which is practically across the street from the Hostel. It's the kind of General Store where you might find anything, everything, or nothing you might want! There's also a small Health food store, Italian Restaurant/ /Pizzeria, ice cream shop, small bookstore, Historical houses, small hotel, and an OK trail walk on the river across the street from the Hostel. Near the Hostel is an RV Park that allows tenting(I assume at a cost, I didn't ask) and has showers(you would have to inquire about that). There are more small stores on the historical Main st which is about 1 blk off the road you come into town on.

Personally, even though I haven't been to Creede LC makes a nice little town stop for a hiker. It's not a very short hitch but vehicles going that way go by LC. That's the best I can do for you. Hope it helps.

[Different Socks]

Stopped in both, so either one.

[Dogwood]

BTW, I flip flopped the CT(Salida Sobo/Salida NOBO) and SOBOed the CDT. It's a bit of a hump getting up to and just beyond Snow Mesa from Spring Creek Pass going that direction. Might figure that into resupply options. I would also inquire from Ravens Rest Hostel if they'll hold a box for ya. I think they prolly would though.

http://www.theravensresthostel.com/

[Cookerhiker]

Creede is generally harder to access because of the one-mile side trail followed by the 8 mile 4WD road. The question is how long does it take to get a ride on that road? We started walking and got a ride in about an hour. I've heard of those who managed to luck into a ride right away. And then I'm sure some have walked for hours.

Once you're there, Creede doesn't have a hostel but the small motel was reasonably priced for 2 of us sharing a room. Restaurant selection was OK given the size of the town but the grocery store was pretty good for resupplying.

Creede features a nice outfitter in San Juan Sports. The owner has a 4WD and offers shuttles back up to the side trail. There's another shuttler in Creede as well who can take you to/from Spring Creek Pass. So by staying in Creede on a SOBO hike, you can slackpack the 15 mile Segment 21 to Spring Creek Pass and get a return shuttle. And since Creede is the first town for over 90 miles after Salida, staying there saves you one day's worth of food in your packs.

[Hole-In-The-Hat]

I took a zero in Lake City - I really enjoyed the town. I haven't spent as much time in Creede, but I doubt it could top Lake City!

[On Track]

Here's a newspaper article in support of visiting Creede where visitor numbers are down because of the fires. Creede skies are apparently clear blue!

http://www.alamosanews.com/v2_news_a...story_id=30707