Hey guys, we're heading out to Unit 54 in CO in just under 2 weeks....just curious to see what the weather's been at high altitude and what the elk have been doing? Talking much, moving much? This is our first year in this area and have 3 cow tags so hopefully we can find some elk. Anyone around the area have any suggestions on any roads to watch out for that might be bad in hairy weather?
Anyone around Unit 54 CO?
- Thread starter Iowahunter
- Start date
Got good snow up high and even 1 inch in Gunny. Melted around lower elevations. Elk have been hit and miss as far as bugling. Seems to change with just a few miles of travel. Had some on private that would talk about every 10-15 minutes and some down the road 2 miles that were sounding off every 10 seconds. Got a good freeze . Don't know exactly where you are going in 54 to answer on the roads.
Hey, thanks! Well, we are "planning" on doing 1 of 2 things, of course, that could change as well but we plan to either go up Soap Creek Rd and head back up as high as we can, Soap Basin or below the Baldies? Or we are thinking going up 730 or Ohio Pass Rd(I think that's what it's also called) and hiking back in towards the Baldies. Not sure if there's anywhere to put a base camp anywhere off of 730 or not but that would probably be our back up if Soap Creek is crappy. Heard there's a bad hill on that road?
Flatlander54
New Member
Hi- its been a few years since I hunted 54 (and probably after your hunt now for the information) but we went up Soap Creek for 5 years in a row clear to the trailhead, backpacked in several miles, and spike camped for a week. We saw a few elk (and shot a couple over a few years) but just weren't that many around- not enough to justify that steep climb with a backpack on! I think the hill you're talking about is Commissary Hill- very nasty! Steep with lots of boulders and a heckuva dropoff on one side! Major pucker factor! All that said- I still would consider going back to 54 and spike camping just for the experience. Not many hunters where we were at- I think we were the only ones dumb enough to go into stuff that steep and nasty- not even the elk liked it! Good luck on your hunt from a fellow Iowan!