Hi everyone, me and my father have drawn first season rifle tags for unit 54. We are both from from Oklahoma but have many years of experience in Colorado sking, and fishing. We are both in better than average shape so I don't think the altitude will be a major problem for us. This will be our first elk hunt ever and we are in need of some advice. We spent this past weekend in the unit driving and scouting and don't feel any better about the hunt then we did before we went. We drove up 726 road first went all the way to the top where trail ends at the wilderness boundary and got out and hiked down the mountain to beaver creek. All I can say is that is some rough country an we only seen one elk. It was moving pretty fast though the woods. We talked to some bow hunters and they said they had not seen any elk. We also checked out the areas up 723(rainbow lake) and up 724 road. We both were courious as to where elk might be found that 1st rifle season will they be way back in the wilderness area, or will there be lot of snow by then that pushes them down the mountain onto national forest land. We are taking pack animals and are willing to go pretty far in to set up camp. We are looking at the mill creek trail head as an option Any info would be greatly appreciated

There should not be much snow if any, but always be prepared.

The Mill Creek Trail head has a pretty nasty trail if you don't go straight up the valley and that road gets a lot of dispersed camping. It gets used fairly heavy in summer also, which the elk don't like. I don't expect you would see many elk just driving around

I'd look at going into Soap Creek Basin, further west.

There has ben a lot of rain in the last few weeks and the forage up high should be good. Down lower, the elk head for private land along the valley floor as soon as the crowds arrive, or get driven back into Unit 53.

You might look at going up around thru Crested Butte and down to Horse Park . Take the trail in towards Beckwith Pass thru Unit 53 to the back side of 54.

There are always elk in the West Elk Creek Gorge. But your statements above better be true as it is rough country that makes Beaver Creek look pleasant.

KC

We are heading to 54 for 2nd rifle this year. Should we expect a good amount of snow that time of Oct? Also any info on road conditions on 721, 724 or 726 would be greatly appreciated. Been reading ya'lls posts on this site going back years. Tremendous amount of great information and advice. Thanks!
FJ

A few years we had 2ft+of snow on opening day, a few we aha zip and a few we had 5-6 inches. Wish I could predict it, but I have found you just prepare for the worse. A couple of times I was sure glad I did.

KC hunts 54 every year, but third season. Could be lots of snow or none. Right now it is looking like early snow, but you just never know until you get there. Plan for the worst.

No snow yet.

If you are horse packing in you can access the Beaver Creek area through the State Wildlife area, park and ride in from there. (You may have driven in there before you headed up the dirt road- 726 road you mention.) Bring Bino's and spend the days using them. If its hot the big bulls will be high on the Baldy's, there is a chance you could be at the end of the rut. It takes quite a bit of snow to get them moving out of there. There are elk where you drove thru but a little more scattered this time of year. Good luck.

Being from lowland, I would suggest you spend a few days in town to acclimate before riding in . Several visitors off this site have gotten altitude sickness rushing up to 10k. Booze it up on the way home, stay hydrated.

54 is a tough unit (as well as 53)� better be in REALLY good shape. I tend to find the bulls in places that hunters aren't, and that are TOUGH to get them out of. Good luck, be safe.

supercrewd:

Has something changed recently? I drove a Jeep Cherokee down the April Gulch Road about twenty years ago. Has the April Gulch Road been closed? If it's been turned into a trail, it would still be great for horses. Was it washed out in those floods a couple of years ago?

If I was riding horses into Beaver Creek, I would park at the corral at the top of the April Gulch Road and ride in from there. That's a lot shorter than riding in from the Wildlife Area.

KC

I have not been down that road for a few years myself (and it was an ornery b*&^$^), but describing an entrance for a guy from OK would be a stretch. Honestly I forgot about it.

I'm from Oklahoma, too, and my dad and his buddies hunted 54 almost every year for the better part of 30 years.

We always hunted up 723 towards rainbow lake, but always hunted the later 3rd and 4th seasons. There was always elk in the Willow Creek drainage, but you had better be in good shape and prepared to hump them out of that hell hole! I recall it taking 7 guys 3 days to get a rag horn 5 point out of there, but without the use of pack frames the last time we hunted the unit.

The last time I bow hunted that unit, I found elk up the trailhead at Rainbow Lake. They were above timberline and certainly off the beaten path.