Recommended Route
Chicago Basin Route—use of this route will help to reduce impacts to this Fourteener’s fragile alpine environment. For detailed information on the Chicago Basin Approach including pictures and maps, click here. NOTE: this link describes the Chicago Basin Approach to Eolus, Windom, and Sunlight Peaks. Other than the brief description listed below, CFI does not currently have pictures, maps, or other details related to hiking Eolus. Detailed information on the route past Chicago Basin leading up to Eolus will be posted when available.
Route Information and Additional Resources
Two approaches are available to the Chicago Basin. The first approach involves an 18-mile backpack from Purgatory Trailhead off Highway 550 near the Purgatory Ski area. The second approach is to take the Durango & Silverton Railroad to the Needleton Stop. From the Needleton stop, you hike another 6.5 miles east to the Chicago Basin.
For Eolus Peak, gain the Twin Lakes Trail out of the Chicago Basin. From Twin Lakes, head west-southwest to Eolus. The route is fairly complex, and contains loose rock hazards and exposure. Consult a guidebook for information on safe hiking. After gaining the saddle between Eolus and North Eolus, follow the ‘catwalk in the sky’ southwest to Eolus.
Contact the Durango & Silverton Railroad, at 970.247.2733 for tickets, departure schedules and reservations. Check backpacker policies in place at that time.
The above information does not replace the need to consult additional maps and Colorado Fourteener Guidebooks for more detailed route descriptions. We suggest checking multiple resources before departing on any hike. Keep in mind that not all guidebooks list this recommended route and that each guidebook’s description or route name may vary slightly.
Peak Specific Environmental and Safety Concerns
No wood fires are allowed anywhere in the Needle Creek Drainage.
No wood fires or camping are allowed in the Twin Lakes Basin.