Black Canyon of the Gunnison - Hiking the Tomichi Route
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- čas přidán 30. 11. 2021
- parkjunkie.com/parks/black-ca...
#blackcanyonofthegunnison #nationalpark #tomichiroute #colorado
An October visit to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park provided a perfect opportunity for a cool trip to the banks of the Gunnison River via the rugged Tomichi Route.
This route is just over one mile each way, but descends some 2,000 feet to the canyon floor, where hikers must retrace their steps back to the rim.
Any venture into the wilderness of Black Canyon requires a wilderness permit, which can be acquired free of charge (as of 2021) at the visitor center with little complication.
Footing on the route is sketchy, as there is really no trail at all. The route is just that: a route... and a rugged one at that.
Check out the video and if you're planning a trip to the Black Canyon, check out the Park Junkie guide to the park.
parkjunkie.com/parks/black-ca...
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There are much better trails leading down into the Canyon but at the end of the day ,no matter how you descend, the ascension is the ultimate ass kicker. Just did it myself a month ago, with two broken ribs(not from the hike) and mid sixties. My kids were so proud of me and I am proud too. Be sure to visit Paonia if you are in the area. It is truly beautiful.
Yeah, I did the Gunnison Route last time. It is a bit easier, but you're correct, they all require the ascent back out! The beauty of the trip is that it's literally only a mile back out! 😂😂😂
I was at Black Gunnison in 95 and was at the observation deck. Never made it to the river floor and now I remember why... Thks for the hike down and up (Sketch).
Yeah, it's a ways down there! 😳
Awesome- scenery
Thank you!
Nice Dr.
You’re da man Mr Chopemup…
Wow... impressive. I’m a city boy... born and raised in the rat race. But always loved nature.
Words can’t explain my appreciation for you taking me in a trip into Gods beautiful creation.
New subscriber. By the way, I’m a retired clinical psychologist and have spent decades helping people journey deep into self. Hence, I see you as my guide taking me on a deep journey into Mother Nature.
Keep up the good work and know I’m taking that journey (vicariously) with you.
Peace be upon you
Welcome aboard! Sorry for the delayed response, been on the trail... 🤷♂️
We'll have a blast with Mother Nature!
Good video! Props on not sliding down the trail it looked a bit sketchy I was out in the Aspen area in August
We’ll just call it a sketchy scree run…. 🤠
Man that hike back up in the rain is a killer. I’m from Hotchkiss which is only a few minutiae away from black canyon. I’ve been up and down the gunnison many times. The music in this video was great as well as the editing. Great job!
And the rock doesn't look that forgiving if you stumble.
The climb back up must be hell, lol...
I wonder if he's ever said to himself, "Have to climb up there, set up the camera, scramble back down, then climb up again. Well, screw that, video is long enough..."
Thanks! Yeah, that hike was awesome! But I did have slight concern when the rain began, & I was at the bottom... 😳
I did this route into the canyon 2 years ago. by far the toughest trek i have ever been on! good job! i just watched the video of your ascent to the summit of wheeler peak in great basin, a climb i am undertaking in 2 weeks...love your videos man!
Awesome! Yeah, that route was much more grueling than the Gunnison Route, I've done it too... Either run is super short. Next time I wanna get that route out at the end of the drive, I can't recall the name, but next time... You're gonna LOVE Wheeler & GBNP. That place is phenom.... Glad to have you in the club!
Pretty accurate description.
Went to black Gunnison, May 8, May 9 May 10. 2022 It was just absolutely beautiful. Would recommend everybody walking down to the river
Well done! New Subscriber :)
Thank you! Enjoy the show….
Visited the canyon a couple years ago and was amazed by the beauty. Not in shape enough to do a hike like that but did follow a rim trail for a good bit.
Later that night we stayed at a campground near the Blue Mesa Reservoir & slept so deeply to the sound of bats feeding on the plethora of insects swarming the night sky.
Would love to revisit one day, but that list is most of the NPS properties in the lower 48! (Other than the overseas Territories, we only have the Alaskan parks left to conquer.)
No kidding! You've been traveling! I too only have the Alaskan parks remaining, along with NP of American Somoa. Not sure when I'll be able to check these off, but I'm making some vague plans... Thanks for joining us!
@@theparkjunkie
Oh man...I'm even more envious! VI, PR, American Samoa, Guam & N. Marianas Islands parks are probably bucket list, Make-A-Wish destinations (unless I win Power Ball lol). I'm fairly confident I'll get the one on Molokai, originally missed because Kid was only 12, when Hono'uli'uli is finally opened. (We've been to Manzanar, Tule Lake & Minidoka - a priority when Kid was in school since there was NO mention, at all, of internment. I think the new one will be especially important to see.)
Hoping to mark off as many in Alaska as possible. It's such a big area and some are hard to reach. I'll need to start planning soon. Probably already should have if we want to go summer 23.
Anywho, thanks again for a great vid. Not that I could do it this well, but with every one I see, I wish I'd done more filming - not just photos. If for no other reason than relive the experiences!
I got two problems. One, I've lived near sea level my entire life and have a hard time when I get to a place that has no oxygen, and two, I have this irrational fear of heights.
Black Canyon smashed both buttons at once for me, lol. The new world trade center in NYC is almost the exact same height as the canyon is deep. Might give someone an idea of how deep this canyon really is. And it's a narrow canyon.
I wasn't expecting the walls of the canyon to be so... VERTICAL. My GF was proud of me because I actually got to the railing at Painted Wall to take some images and video. Good thing I went to the bathroom at the visitors center on the way there...
I did go down to the river, but I drove. 😁 There was an Escalade that was tailgating me so close down the portal road that I had to pull over before he rear ended me. He was riding his brakes aaallllll the way down, lol. I was ready to get my fire extinguisher out in case one of this wheels caught on fire, but they didn't. I'll bet those rotors were glowing. They should give some basic instruction to people that buy big vehicles, lol.
Anyway, I was driving the Million Dollar Highway (US-550) from Durango to Montrose, CO (And yes, the drive is worth it), so stopping in was a no-brainer. Was pleasantly surprised at how scenic it was, even though a lot of places scared the hell outta me... 😁
Yes, that Million Dollar Highway is a fun road! (some cool backroads around there too... jus sayin Backroad Junkie!)
The Black Canyon is a vertical park, so the height thing is a valid concern, cause one step too far is probably not going to end well!
It is absolutely vertical! I was surprised too, cause I had never really heard much about it. But from what I understand, this park has the third tallest actual rock wall in the lower 48. I think Yosemite's El Cap is #1, Zion's West Temple's east facing wall is #2 and a wall here is #3...
I read that somewhere, so I hope I'm accurate with my memory... 🧐
I'm surprised that you got in the river. Giardia is a common and dangerous thing in Rocky Mountain waters. You don't want to mess with it.
The water is coming directly out of the Curecanti National Recreation Area, which is a huge reservoir. There isn't a lot of places where an animal can go and crap in it, so I assume it would be pretty safe.
Shouldn't matter. Every tributary downstream from the dam is potentially contaminated.
Yeah, if the water were more stagnant, or slower flowing, I may have a bit more concern, but after spending a couple of decades canyoneering in Zion and the surrounding areas, where swimming in stagnant desert waters is a everyday necessity, I don't really have much worry with fast flowing Colorado rivers. I don't drink the water and make sure not to ingest any during my swim, but I don't stress it.
After tomichi, the others are easier. The fishing is good there and you probably won’t see anyone but kayakers the whole time . Spent over 1 and a half years in the bottom of the canyon . About 6 tomichi hikes and camps included .
Very few kayakers.
Four minutes 33 seconds in looks like an ankle twisting kinda hike. Is Ibuprofen for dessert? Ha-Ha
It’s that way the entire route… Whisky my friend, bourbon neat… 🥃
@@theparkjunkie And there he is, a man of taste. Any particular kind of bourbon, or will anything higher than 80 proof do? Lol...
I'd wear knee-length socks (prob. ski-socks) in a boulder-strewn area like that in case of bumping a sensitive shin. But perhaps you can goat-hop about!
I often wear tall socks, but it's more to keep the sun off of my skin. There are sections of this hike where a "goat-hop" would be a bit sketchy... 😳