View Full Version : Twin lakes TH transportaion
Sirsnappy09
10-25-2016, 10:07
I am looking for some information on transportation logistics from Denver to Twin lakes. I am pretty sure there is a bus that runs to Leadville, but how easy is a hitch/ride from Leadville to The Twin lakes TH?? I believe it is about 18-20 miles from Leadville to Twin lakes if memory serves me correctly. I am not in any rush and plan on spending a night or two camping in/around the twin Lakes/Leadville area.
thanks
Slo-go'en
10-25-2016, 10:17
There is a $12 bus from Denver which goes to Frisco. From Frisco there is a free bus which goes to Leadville. I'm not sure about the last leg, maybe just get on the trail and walk?
Sirsnappy09
10-25-2016, 11:55
Thanks. I was thinking walk/hitch to twin lakes. Crash there and then start in the eastern side
hikeandbike5
10-25-2016, 13:08
there is no transportation to twin lakes. your options are to hitch from leadville, ask around for a ride, or use a taxi service (cloud city transportation in leadville).
The Leadville Hostel gets a +1 if you're in need. My experience was that it was an easy hitch to and/or from Twin Lakes.
saltysack
10-25-2016, 16:23
I did 2 one way car rentals (hertz)cheap from Denver to Leadville airport and Leadville airport to Denver less than $130.00 total for both plus lil gas....besides dogs not being allowed on busses I wanted to check out a few places on way as well as drop my cache atop cottonwood pass. I stayed at Leadville hostel first night then returned car to Leadville airport in morning. It took me 2 hitches to get near twin lakes TH and about 3-4 hours....tougher than I thought would be...I had my lil dog so maybe that hurt or could have been my big serial killer looking self....dunno....Chaffee shuttle is an awesome resource if you need a ride but only runs from near BV to Salida area....all rides only $10!!! I used them twice...once when needed to get to poncha springs to drop off my hurt pup then back to chalk creek TH......again to get back up to cottonwood pass due to my unexpected resupply stop in BV when my food cache had vanished......taxi from Salida/poncha springs to Monarch crest was about $35....
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Sirsnappy09
10-25-2016, 17:02
Thanks for the info all. I will probably do the bus from Denver and then stay at the hostel in leadville. I see that they advertise a shuttle service, so I am going to call them tomorrow and inquire.
Sirsnappy09
10-25-2016, 17:03
Salty what is the story with the cache?? How?Where? What happened to it???
Can take the arrow/black hills stage bus from D to Buena Vista. I've easily hitched fromBV to twin lakes and vice versa several times although if you research it, and although i've never done it, there may be bus service between Lville and BV where the driver may be able to drop you off at the hwy 24/82 junction from where you'd hitch up 82 to twin lakes. hwy 24 is well traveled. hwy 82 less so but I've never as a backpacker had to wait long thumbing it. pull up the maps and you'll see it. BV is an outdoorsy town where lots of people will connect with you hitchhiking as a backpacker. hitching is no less harder or easier if you hitch south to TL from Lville or BV north to TL. I've done it both ways with little wait. so if you don't mind hitching shouldn't be a huge issue from either Lville or bv to the hwy 82 junction.
i'd also rec the extremely well managed Lville hostel for a stay in that area. For tenting on the ct not really within walking distance to lville facilities at tennessee pass within a few hundred yds in each direction. For a stay in the Twin lakes area i'd rec the twin lakes inn which may be able to pick you up in lville or bv with a overnight stay. make sure to check on this pre hike. There are several tenting options around the reservoirs with a CS on the south side near the historical interlaken hotel or on the north side at lakeview CG on the CT. there are other cg options too. you never said what your hiking plans were.
much of this is being regurgitated from well known widely available ct and cdt sources like the CTF Guidebook, NG TI maps, CTF Datebook, previous threads, and from my personal experiences.
http://www.chaffeeshuttle.com/Bus-to-Denver-and-Gunnison
https://www.thetwinlakesinn.com/fine-food.html
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Buena+Vista,+CO+81211/@39.0835413,-106.3338555,13.99z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x87152e524b4cf5ad:0x7d84a1e7aae75 537!8m2!3d38.8422178!4d-106.1311288
http://www.recreation.gov/camping/lakeview-campground/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=70290
Sirsnappy09
10-25-2016, 17:29
Thanks dogwood. I am doing the collegiate loop
You know there are several options to where you begin/end the loop? from bv it's not hard getting a ride to Mt Princeton Hot springs and vice versa. i've taken the bus into bv and walked to the 321(rodeo rd)306 junction and quickly received rides to MPS and also hitched easily to the 285/chalk creek rd junction(from salida)and quickly got another ride to mps. the bus goes past this 285 junction as well and even though i didn't do it the bus driver upon some cajoling did drop off a two party backpacking couple at this junction one time when i was on the bus. IMO the MPS location which the loop goes right by is a busier location than where it goes by in twin lakes. MPS can be a bit pricey and perhaps touristy but the resort has always treated me well as a considerate backpacker even without a lodging reservation. i'm sure there are some type of shuttles or group trips that MPS might clue you in on that could get you to the resort. it could be worth a call. MPS could be another nice place to begin/end the loop HYOH.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mount+Princeton+Hot+Springs+Resort/@38.8327387,-106.1263675,14.79z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x147a13f020f4afab!8m2!3d38.73 26015!4d-106.1626326
saltysack
10-25-2016, 18:44
Salty what is the story with the cache?? How?Where? What happened to it???
After getting my rental car in Denver I dropped off my resupply box at MPHS and then drove up to Cottonwood pass where dropped a camo 50 cal ammo can lined with an odor barrier bag hidden in what I thought was good spot a lil ways before the road...when I got there looking forward to some food....yea I was ship out of luck....damn thing was gone!!! It took hour or so to get hitch from what was mainly tourist into BV. I'll never do that again as it was only 1.5 days of food.......Leadville hostel and Simple hostel in Salida were great!!! I'll be back!!!
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easy enough taking the bus from DIA to salida too where the simple hostel could shuttle you up to and back from monarch pass agreed upon as part of your stay. salida is another good place to begin/end the loop. I've never use the hostel's shuttle service though as i'm more likely to do the hitch between town and the pass. options
I found hitching very easy in that area. I wouldn't hesitate to hitch from Leadville down to Twin Lakes. If you are doing the Collegaite loop then you can start near the inspection from where the road goes to twin lakes.
saltysack
10-25-2016, 20:25
easy enough taking the bus from DIA to salida too where the simple hostel could shuttle you up to and back from monarch pass agreed upon as part of your stay. salida is another good place to begin/end the loop. I've never use the hostel's shuttle service though as i'm more likely to do the hitch between town and the pass. options
I guess I'm a piss poor hitch hiker....my mom would be proud...no luck out of Salida and took several hours from Leadville to twin lakes for me....guess it's hit or miss and I'm impatient esp when on a tight schedule.....
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Were you hitching with a dog? You've posted pics of yourself. You look stable, non homeless, and not a serial killer to be offered a hitch if you know to work your getting a ride mojo.
Hitching out of Salida to Monarch on Hwy 50 is easy once you get past the Hwy 285 junction @ Poncha Springs. I've asked at the junction at the gas station/convenience store.
Might want to loosen up your schedule? You must always microwave your Pop Tarts.:p
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8kThoZpF_U
aaronthebugbuffet
10-26-2016, 03:45
When are you going?
saltysack
10-26-2016, 06:06
Were you hitching with a dog? You've posted pics of yourself. You look stable, non homeless, and not a serial killer to be offered a hitch if you know to work your getting a ride mojo.
Hitching out of Salida to Monarch on Hwy 50 is easy once you get past the Hwy 285 junction @ Poncha Springs. I've asked at the junction at the gas station/convenience store.
Hitched with dog out of Leadville but across from the gas station @ Hwy 50 without dog. I bummed a ride from guy at the simple hostel to Poncha to drop pup back off at kennel after he stayed with me at Simple on second night after I bailed due to weather. I hitched twice quickly from the MC store into Salida....think people felt sorry for me freezing my balls off in my ballet wind pants...[emoji51]
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Sirsnappy09
10-26-2016, 09:41
End of August next year. I still need to firm up daes with work as I am scheduled to fly out to Palm Springs area around July/August .
Sirsnappy09
10-27-2016, 13:43
I spoke with Leadville Outdoors and they said they have provided a shuttle to twin lakes on several occasions this year.
Here's a thought. There's a CT/CDT TH near Leadville at the southwestern end of Turquoise Lake. It is only 1 1/2 CT segments north of Twin Lakes. I'll ballpark the additional RT 'stick' mileage at about 45. Instead of confining yourself to the Collegiate Loop only you could do a short stick lollipop hike beginning and/or ending near Lville. In summer it's not hard getting a hitch to this TH and vice versa as Turquoise Lake is quite popular with popular established FS CG's near this TH. If you don't like hitching shuttles can be arranged with Lville Outdoors and Lville Hostel. This way you get to go by Mt Massive and closer/different perspective to Mt Elbert. This is what one Collegiate Loop hiker did who I stayed with at the L Hostel summiting both mountains on his loop turned into a lollipop hike.
Hitched with dog out of Leadville but across from the gas station @ Hwy 50 without dog. I bummed a ride from guy at the simple hostel to Poncha to drop pup back off at kennel after he stayed with me at Simple on second night after I bailed due to weather. I hitched twice quickly from the MC store into Salida....think people felt sorry for me freezing my balls off in my ballet wind pants...[emoji51]
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he he he It wasn't the ballet wind pants. People were willing to pull over because they wanted to hear the story of why you were wearing pink ballet slippers and a backpack. :jump
Easier getting a ride from MC into Salida then Salida back to MC. My experiences were the same.
With the down time in Salida did you hike up to the lookout tower? Night view is spectacular. Makes for a good easy day hike. Or, various rafting kayaking companies could have rented you a boat, shuttled upstream on the Arkansas River, and floated back to Salida all only several blocks from the Simple Hostel. Grab a micro and some slices post hike or float.
saltysack
10-27-2016, 18:17
he he he It wasn't the ballet wind pants. People were willing to pull over because they wanted to hear the story of why you were wearing pink ballet slippers and a backpack. :jump
Easier getting a ride from MC into Salida then Salida back to MC. My experiences were the same.
With the down time in Salida did you hike up to the lookout tower? Night view is spectacular. Makes for a good easy day hike. Or, various rafting kayaking companies could have rented you a boat, shuttled upstream on the Arkansas River, and floated back to Salida all only several blocks from the Simple Hostel. Grab a micro and some slices post hike or float.
Unfortunately no.....first day in Salida was late getting in and HUNGRY....straight to Moonlight pizza...few IPA and a damn good pizza! Second day I bummed ride to MC mid morning and headed back out in the whiteout conditions...should have listened to the sobo CDT hiker who I passed just a mile in....he said your F@&$"!? nuts If you push on as he had just walked through it.......I turned around lil past 5 miles in........got back to Salida and weather was crappy in town also so picked up the pup for the night and just bummed around and went back to Moonlight.....the best pizza I've had! I'll definitely be back to Co......one of these days I'll move out west! In 7 years my son will be off to college......early retirement for sure...my plan is to scale back and retire in 8 years @ 50.......life's to short! To many places to go and see. My wife's nephew has it figured out.......graduated FSU few years back and since then he's....
Spent a few months on the AT, few months on PCT, biked PCH, bartended in Key West, worked on a dive boat and now he's biking around the world for a few years!!!!
rolling the earth.com is their blog.
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There's a chance I'll meet Josh and Jason. Have to mend a broken clavicle and some stitched lacerations from a bicycle accident and overcome a Brown Recluse bite and resulting fatiguing bacterial infection first.
Carpe Diem. Make everyday your Masterpiece.:)
Sirsnappy09
10-27-2016, 19:37
I like the idea of hitting Elbert and massive on the trip as well. Thanks
aaronthebugbuffet
10-27-2016, 20:43
I'll probably be out there by Sept 1. If you need a lift around that time send me a message.
handlebar
10-28-2016, 11:14
Have hitched Salida to Monarch Pass in and out twice with no problems. Also u might check mountain bike shop in Salida. They do shuttles to Monarch so MTBers can joy ride down hill.
Sirsnappy09
10-28-2016, 13:57
Awesome Aaron..... I really appreciate that offer. I am still nailing down my plans but I was looking for August 28 or so , so that Sept 1 might work out. Again-- I appreciate everyone's input on this.
hikeandbike5
10-28-2016, 13:59
if your hike is next august, i wouldn't get ahead of myself worrying about transportation options now.
In Salida, Chuck who owns Roy's Bottle Shop shuttled me to Monarch Crest. In September, I was the 68th hiker he had taken up the mountain this year. No charge. Great trail angel!
Correction: Roxy's Bottle Shop.
saltysack
10-28-2016, 20:32
In Salida, Chuck who owns Roy's Bottle Shop shuttled me to Monarch Crest. In September, I was the 68th hiker he had taken up the mountain this year. No charge. Great trail angel!
Wish I new that earlier!
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