Chicago Basin 14er Grand Slam

Dogs Leashed

Features Fall Colors · Lake · River/Creek · Swimming · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers · Wildlife

This truly epic run summits all four Chicago Basin 14ers in one fell swoop. While similar in distance and elevation gain to many Sawatch 14ers or to 14er quadruple DeCaliBron, this run is a whole other beast. All of these peaks are at least somewhat technical, so it's slower going and with added risk. Starting at camp in Chicago Basin, the Grand Slam begins the Twin Lakes Approach, up Sunlight and Windom, back down and over to the Eolus Group, and finally back down from Twin Lakes. Between 14er finishers, completing all these mountains in one day is a big deal, and offers some pretty awesome bragging rights. This is a heck of a trip.

Access: The route GPX starts at Needleton, and you'll need to take the train in in order to start from here. Book your tickets in advance! Alternatively to taking the train, you could hike all the way in from Purgatory, adding a day or two to your trek.
Camping: Permits are not required, but some rules apply. Camping high in the basin is generally frowned upon. See Twin Lakes Approach for further information; camping along the end of Chicago Basin Trail is preferred.
Dogs: While portions of this run can easily be explored by fit dogs, the peaks above it are generally too technical for them.

This is a mixed bag of terrain, better for hiking fast than for truly running. Twin Lakes Approach is absurdly steep and in some parts rocky, but largely runnable. Sunlight and Windom are rocky and technical, and basically impossible to run. The Eolus Group's lower trail is very runnable, for about 2 miles, before reaching the more technical upper portions. Overall, this isn't a bad trip for a runner who's open to some technical scrambling and slower hiking for much of the journey.

From camp off the Chicago Basin Trail, start up Twin Lakes Approach. From here, it's recommended you summit Sunlight and Windom first, as the rock on Sunlight is slightly more technical and prone to getting slippery. It's easier to escape from the Eolus Group should the weather change later in the day.

So, climb Sunlight and Windom. Then come back down to the Twin Lakes and climb the Eolus Group next. From here, all that's left is a descent back down Twin Lakes Approach.

If you don't want to take the train and want an epic multi-day backpacking experience, start from Purgatory. Starting from Purgatory means you don't need to worry about a train ticket, plus you get some extra mileage out of the deal. For this route, consider at least two nights; run in and camp the first day, summit all four 14ers on the next day, and run out the following day. Add in an extra day if you want to enjoy the basin a bit more!

From world class alpine views and vegetation to unique alpine critters, Chicago Basin's got it all. Wildflowers down low are stunning. Marmots and pika are everywhere, and mountain goats love it up high, especially near Twin Lakes.