View Full Version : Resupply: Creede vs. Lake City
I am putting together a resupply plan for an upcoming thru hike. From what I gather, both of these towns are about the same in terms of distance from the trail, available services and reported difficulty of access. I know hitching is mostly luck driven, but that aside is there any real benefit of picking one town over the other? My resupply plan at this point is just a quick in-and-out to buy food and get a warm meal.
bearcreek
05-07-2011, 16:20
There is more to do in Creede if you decide to spend a night. (Highly recommended - you will probably be ready for a break) You can also access Creede two different ways - from San Luis Pass at the end of Segment 20 or Spring Creek Pass at the end of 21. If you do San Luis Pass and time it on a weekend to return, it is fairly easy to get a ride back most of the way in a Jeep or on the back of a 4 wheeler. Spring Creek Pass is on a highway but it's not a very busy route. It might take an hour or two to get a ride but you will get one if you are patient.
Lake City has a very well stocked market around the corner from the visitor center. I am dropping into Creede myself on this hike. There is also a RV cmpground, used to the "bear" something or other. I talked to the owner last summer and he has no problems with camping/showering there.
Regards,
John
I have to mention, if thruing the CDT if AT ALL POSSIBLE do the San Juans. It's one of the highlights of the CDT in CO. IMO, it's a shame some CDTers miss this part of the CDT! Even with the snow last yr, timing issues, differing start dates etc several NOBO CDTers made it through the San Juans ahead of other NOBOers who claimed they couldn't do it who were NOBOing behind them.
Don't believe me ask Mags who has hiked quite extensively in CO and is a CO resident. IMO, he's a respected source on CO hiking and thru-hiking. I can't quote him directly but he has said something to the effect that it's one of his favorite places to hike in CO.
Be ready for CO CDT hiking though! It's a challenge. I throw in some of Ley's harder CO CDT alternates at higher elevations along exposed ridges and it was an arse whooper, for me!
Don't believe me ask Mags who has hiked quite extensively in CO and is a CO resident. IMO, he's a respected source on CO hiking and thru-hiking. I can't quote him directly but he has said something to the effect that it's one of his favorite places to hike in CO.
Thanks for the kind words Dogwood.
Luckily, most Colorado Trail people do get to see the San Juans when it is snow free! I do indeed love the San Juans (and the Sangres, the Indians Peaks..and so on. :) )
Lake City is a 'cute' town (Northern Exposure was almost going to be filmed there. But, the logistics were too hard!) that is rather cool but can be difficult to get in and out of.
Creede, as mentioned, may be easier if you time it right. There are shuttle services available in town (see my doc (http://www.pmags.com/colorado-trail-end-to-end-guide-2)) that making getting out of Creede relatively easy esp during prime hiking season. Creede is a small town, but has a decent sized grocery story and an outfitter if you need to get new gear (socks or shoes perhaps?)
There are a fair number of peak baggers doing San Luis peak at this time as well. So sticking your thumb out to the road that leads TO Equity Mine in the earlier morning hours may make for an easy hitch back to the two mile approach trail to the CT/CDT.
I've done a fair amount of hiking over the years, and Spring Creek Pass is STILL the worse place I've hitched! :D
Thanks for the input everyone. I am leaning toward Lake City but I image it will be a last minute decision depending on information I pick up along the trail.
spelling corrected from above.
Thanks for the input everyone. I am leaning toward Lake City but I imagine it will be a last minute decision depending on information I pick up along the trail.
Spirit Walker
05-07-2011, 23:07
Creede is much easier to get around since it is very compact. Lake City is spread out so you end up doing a lot more in-town walking. OTOH, there are a lot more options for places to stay in Lake City.
Thanks Spirit Walker,
"OTOH" is a term I used frequently when comparing the two resupply options. Creede does look a little smaller, end to end. While Lake City is not huge, all the necessities - market, shower, laundry, post office, bakery, visitors center - are centrally located around 8th Street and Hwy 149. Definitely want to check out the "Soup Kitchen" with their AYCE soup and bread buffet; though I will probably pass on the "Cannibal Grill".:D A complete listing of diners can be found here (http://www.lakecity.com/index.php/business-directory/dining-and-food/restaurant).
Hole-In-The-Hat
05-08-2011, 10:14
I vote for Lake City -- it was my favorite break on the CT. And I had a really lucky hitch -- I met a couple in the parking lot at Spring Creek Pass in the early afternoon, and they took me to town.
I would go with Creede and hike the two miles off the trail and try to get a ride down the remaining 8 miles. I should have done this when I thru-hiked. There were several peak-baggers heading down that trail when I hiked through.
Instead I hiked on to Spring Creek Pass thinking I would get an easy hitch with traffic on the 4th of July. Wrong in a big way. I stood there for 3 hours, got passed by at least 400 vehicles and never got a hitch from any one on that road. A hiker coming off the trail with a vehicle there finally hooked me up with a ride.
Everybody driving through there is on vacation or in a summer home, and they are NOT stopping for a hiker. There were very few Colorado plates on the cars passing by. 75% were from Texas. My experience is that locals are the folks who will most likely pick you up. There aren't any there.