Twilight Creek (Durango)

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Raps:‌1-3, max ↨200ft

Metric

Overall:	6.5-7.5h	⟷5mi
Approach:	3h	⟷2.7mi	↑1850ft
Descent:	1-2h	⟷500ft	↓400ft
Exit:	2.5h	⟷2.2mi	↑890ft

Red Tape:‌

Shuttle:‌None

Vehicle:High Clearance

Start:

37.6376, -107.7453

Parking:

37.6434, -107.7648

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Condition Reports:

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Weather:

Weather forecast

Waterflow

Best season:

Jun-Oct

winter				spring				summer				fall
Dec	Jan	Feb		Mar	Apr	May		Jun	Jul	Aug		Sep	Oct	Nov

Regions:

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Introduction[edit]

Skip this one. It looked better on Google Earth, but the trail-less approach and choked creek return make it not worthwhile. It's also uphill both ways.
It does have a small, south-facing catchment and will likely come into season sooner than others.

Approach[edit]

Drive Old Lime Creek Rd 3.8 miles from Highway 550. Park before the dirt bumpy road turns north to parallel Lime Creek.

Hike 1.1 miles -940ft on an old overgrown trail down to cross Lime Creek. Hike up the trail-less hillside to the north of Twilight Creek for 1 miles +1700ft to the top of the series of waterfalls.

Twilight Creek from the West side of Lime Creek
Purgatory Ski Area seen from the approach

Descent[edit]

Twilight Creek starts with a rappel through rock jumbles, a narrows and a fanned out section. A 200ft/60m rope should be sufficient.

The rest of the short waterfall sequence is at a lower angle and also contains several rock piles. Beware of sticking ropes when pulling them down.

A second rappel may be required. Trees and large boulders appear abundant enough.

This has not been rappelled. Descent time listed here is a guess.

The first falls (R1) are the steepest after a narrow chute
(R1)
(R1)

Possible (R2)
(R2)
(R2)
(R2)

Low Angle below R2
Low Angle below R2
Lowest Chute (downclimb in lower water?)

Exit[edit]

From the bottom of the waterfalls, follow Twilight Creek down to Lime Creek through choked willows, spikey plants and angled hillsides. If lucky, finding a faint game trail on the north side may expedite the bush-bashing.

Overgrown Twilight Creek
Overgrown Twilight Creek
Overgrown Twilight Creek)

Red tape[edit]

Beta sites[edit]

Trip reports and media[edit]

8Jul2023 "We did it, so you don't have to"

Background[edit]

Incidents

Credits

Information provided by automated processes. KML map by (unknown). Main photo by (unknown). Authors are listed in chronological order.

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