elk park train stop to needleton

Route Standard route up to Twin Lakes, ascended Windoms West face. we get old because we stop hiking" on the back. DRGW.Net | Elk Park, CO 09-23-2015, 12:45 #12. There were no other campsites nearby and extremely close to the trail leading up to the three 14ers in Chicago Basin: Windom Peak, Sunlight Peak, and Mt. He mentioned a possible shortcut to get up here from the Colorado Trail, by going up the drainage. Early morning at the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad station. We followed Bear Creek down to the Rio Grande by following the 4wd road and used our sat phone to arrange for transportation to Silverton. Today was going to be almost all uphill, heading over Columbine Pass and down into Chicago Basin. Length: 7.9 mi Est. The trail follows Elk Creek, and I believe it was called the Elk Creek Trail. You can use this file with your GPS unit, or load it in caltopo.com (or your favorite mapping website or application). Done over 5 nights and 6 days. When we visited in September, the days were hot and the nights were cold. Check out my AWESOME DIY stealth camper van build project! The sun was shining on the Twin Lakes now, and it was beautiful. Never miss a new post! It's mainly visited for hikers departing on overnight backpacking trips into Chicago Basin. Actually, mid May. Your email address will not be published. I feel like my extra efforts in training before this trip really made the difference in my knees. Top things to do in Durango, Colorado - Uncover Colorado The Elk Park to Needleton backpacking loop near Silverton, Colorado, covers over 40 miles and features stunning mountain vistas. TR: Elk Park/Needleton Loop with extras - WhiteBlaze Miles Hiked 7.4 Getting close to the top of Hunchback Pass. We just finished this trail. There were tons of waterfalls everywhere, many more than our hike in the Maroon Bells last year. I recommend bringing a trekking pole to help support and steady yourself on the trail. You write quite well. The altitude will affect water filters and food cook time, which is usually explained on the packaging. Highly recommend! In summer, you may want to bring along a bug net to fit over your hat to protect yourself from mosquitoes, gnats and black flies. Make sure everyone in your party books the train together. We chatted for a while and took turns taking pictures of each other before they headed down. The train kept on going though, as this one wasnt scheduled to stop here. Discover this 6.9-mile out-and-back trail near Silverton, Colorado. We changed clothes in the car and tried to mask our stench with deodorant and cologne/perfume before setting off into the city in search of food. In the morning, I headed down to the railroad, and caught the train to Silverton, then rode back to Durango. I dont trust the skies and just assume it will rain later today. I have backpacked in the Weminuche three times, all in September, and each time we encountered some bad rainy weather. Miles Hiked 10.4 While it did have some beautiful parts, Particularly at the top of the Continental Divide and Columbine Pass, I was disappointed by the avalanche debris in the first 6 miles and the lack of trail maintenance on the section below hunchback pass to the Vallecito Bridge. San Juan National Forest. What a place for a cabin! As with the other days, we passed many streams and waterfalls on the way up. This time, we were sure to be acclimated to the elevation. Either way, it was going to be another short day with only about 6 miles to cover. Getting down to the water and going through the process of purifying the water was a bit of a pain here, but I wanted to get it out of the way in case it started raining again. tnmule20 68 Posted February 10, 2022. tnmule20. What a morale booster it was. Hey Trey, Its been many years since I did this hike so pardon my memory here. Your email address will not be published. I followed the lake to its drainage, which for reference was directly south of the Miners Cabin. I packed a peanut butter sandwich, some jerky, and a Metrx bar to eat later, as well as 2 liters of water. I only saw a steep trail consisting of loose rock. We also saw more people this morning than the rest of the trip combined! After crossing the bridge over the Animas River to the train tracks on the other side, we spotted an abandoned shack. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The only stop on the southbound trail in the afternoon is Elk Park. Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. We also brought along these touch-screen activewear gloves, Buffs to help protect us from sun (or keep our ears warm), silk thermals for a base layer, and a balaclava to keep warm at night. However, after the first couple of miles and adjusting to altitude, I love it! Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 20 h 6 min to complete. On the Elk Park to Needleton loop, the emergency outs are limited. I just completed this route the July 11-15, 2022. On the train, make sure to talk to the train staff! It has a mesh frame that holds the weight of the pack slightly off your back. . I was very surprised that there were no seats available, the train was pretty packed. There were also a lot of flowers alongside the trail, and there were tons of butterflies on them. If you are open to suggestions, maybe have a look at the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico. It was a dream and once in a lifetime trip! Whitewater trips for more experienced adventurers. I decided to head downhill in a hurry. There was an insane amount of biting flies and mosquitoes by the river here though, and I was regretting my decision to leave the bug spray and mosquito head net behind. There were cairns here and there marking the way as well, which could be seen since the Twin Lakes. Wed been in Colorado a week now, doing other cool stuff like the Colorado National Monument, Mesa Verde National Park, Denver & Boulder, Rocky Mountain National Park, Telluride, etc. Elk Park Stop Elk Creek Trail This trail travels east from the railroad, climbing into the upper reaches of the Needle Mountains. Go figure, good weather on the last day. This route climbs 8,523 ft with a max elevation of 12,843 ft then descends -9,174 ft. Local Trail Association The best times to visit this trail are May through September. A Garmin InReach is one of the pricier emergency options, but there are also less expensive satellite emergency locator beacons (with less functionality). And what a campsite that would be, killer views! Completed this loop early July 2021. Weve also been testing this Deuter Aircontact Ultra 45 + 5 pack and love it. On day three, we made our way up and over the Continental Divide and into the beautiful meadow just below Hunchback Pass. We settled for this spot and set up camp by 4pm or so. It moved away pretty quickly, but I could tell it was not a rattlesnake. We passed many more campsites along the trail shortly after leaving our camp this morning. It was around 1:45pm when we rolled into camp today. I love being above the treeline, and I was excited to hike today. Excellent views all around. Although it was monsoon season during our trip, we were told that the coal cinders often start forest fires. He had camped in this area, not by Eldorado, and thus had left the trail to set up his camp. I like these Sunski polarized sunglasses and Shady Rays sunglasses. After checking our gear and getting set up, we were on our way. Because of this we consider it to be a hard trail but the views were worth every single second. In fact, there wasnt a single cloud in sight now, just a beautiful deep blue sky in all directions. Elk Park to Needleton Loop, plus side trips including:-Vestal Basin . You can purchase a ticket to or from Elk Park onboard as long as space is availableno reservations are taken for this flag stop. Thanks for sharing. Obviously I skipped this route on our way up here, opting to go the traditional way up the switchbacks to the CDT, but I was curious if it was doable. There were tons of mines dotting the mountainside, some of which looked pretty difficult to get to. I purified some more water for todays hike and ate breakfast, a Metrx bar and some granola & almonds. Needleton Bridge Trailhead // Colorado 13ers It also didnt hurt that we pampered ourselves a little afterwards with a leisurely day at Pagosa Springs. Your email address will not be published. The Durango-Silverton railroad heading north to Elk Park. The skies were cloudy all around us though. The second day we did ~13 miles which included two peaks with kite lake in between. Now back on the trail, we started gaining elevation en route to Hunchback Pass. I was awestruck with the beauty of those mountains. However, the clouds were building now and threatened to block the sun for the first time today. Great hike! We didnt take the train so we started at Molas Lake and walked to Needlestop. Very good tip report. Just as I hit that switchback, a few hikers came into view on the way down from the CDT. Great backpacking experience!! Hikers can be seen on the Continental Divide Trail, above on the ridgeline, The path up to the CDT is a long, winding series of switchbacks. This hike is definitely a good one! Yes there is. He sure did look delicious, haha. Tips for Camping With Your Kids in Durango, Colorado. I dont know which to trust, but it was a long day regardless. . I missed the shortcut from Eldorado Lake to Hunchback pass , many years ago.Im headed there in 2 wks and hoping to find itAny suggestions, This time I will have a GPS when looking from Hunchback pass I was pretty sure I could see a trail to Eldorado Lake , but wasnt positive so I didnt give it a try. I did this loop in Late August in the mid 90s and must have gotten a lucky dry weather window. They were just ahead of me on the trail, but again, I was able to scare them off by simply throwing my arms in the air. Elk Park/Needleton Loop, Colorado. Passing through a colorful meadow on the morning of day 2, Nearing the treeline, the views start improving. They really wanted to be right there, and werent taking no for an answer. Hello, solitude. The trail is always very clear and easy to follow. I ended up spending an hour and a half up here just hanging out. We had a lot of rain, starting everyday around 1 pm and lasting for a couple of hours. So far my knees have been doing great this hike, but an entire day going downhill worried me. We hiked from the Elk Park train stop to Needleton, which includes about 43 miles of hiking in the San Juan mountains. Parking is available at the Silverton Depot at no charge. They watched as I hiked right past them, which I did after taking a few pictures. Everyone in the shack jumped up immediately, rushing to put on boots and grab their gear as we rushed towards the tracks. (We didnt see any, but we heard they were plentiful.). Bob Marshall. I dont like to sit in the tent if I dont have to. Save on outdoor activities, tours & rentals. Clothes and gear is now dry (mostly), and we wreaked of smoke. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Eric Poulin, long distance hiker and outdoor adventurer, Greenland Hike/Packraft Expedition (2022) *Coming Soon Some pretty sections, but a bit disappointed overall. Por lo general, se considera una ruta moderada, que se tarda una media de 20 h 5 min en recorrer. None of them seemed very dry though. Many jokes were cracked regarding the stench of ones self or others in their group. Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk Two friends of mine and I did this backpack in 1995. As always, questions and comments are welcome! Seeing the fog rise from the mountains and engulf the peaks around us was incredible. My wife and I completed this hike in September of 2016 and loved it. What a place for a cabin though! Finally below the clouds after descending Hunchback Pass, These deer practically walked right up to us while we ate lunch. Weminuche Wilderness National Geographic map, Black Diamond Alpine carbon trekking poles, MSR PocketRocket Deluxe backpacking stove, Sea to Summit Thermolite sleeping bag liners, Elk Park to Needleton Backpacking Loop (Silverton, CO), Supplemental Privacy Notice For California Residents, Supplemental Privacy Notice For Nevada Residents. Also, A creek ran through the area and created an interesting looking gorge that I wish I had more time to check out, but we really wanted to get to camp right now. The skies were pretty blue now and there was abundant sunshine. The nature back there is unbelievable. Subscribe to receive an emial notification when new content is added, Sawtooth Mountains Idaho Landscape Photography Canvas Prints, Seeking Lost Logo Shirt - Unisex Softstyle T-Shirt, Basin and Range Trail Planning Kit: Guidebook, GPX, Maps, Waypoints, Water Chart, Vanadinite Mineral Specimen (North Geronimo Mine, AZ), Wulfenite on Fluorite Mineral Specimen (Red Cloud Mine, AZ). Lisa spent the morning chasing away mountain goats. At 2:45, we heard a train approaching that sounded its whistle. We were thrilled when a ranger who had just cleared out the trail told us the three 12,000-foot passes on our route were free of snow. Miles Hiked 14.5 Recent avalanche activity over the winter/spring created several debris fields that required us to do some significant trailblazing. I just forwarded the link so he get get psyched up! I made it to the top before Lisa and snapped a few pictures before the rain returned moments later. If you found my trip report useful, please dont hesitate to leave a comment! Very isolated in the middle of the trail, we only saw 1 other person each day. Not this time though! This is a popular trail for birding and hiking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. I put my poles away now as I found it necessary to use my hands a little here and there going up some of the boulders. We kept the food bags in our packs too, which is kept in OPsaks. There was another group who did this, and the train staff didn't seem to have any problem with it (we had paid for a RT ticket anyway). We had been told by the forest service that we would encounter more avalanche debris fields in the basin. Fortunately it was all downhill, so we could cover some serious ground, which I assumed would be at the expense of my knees. We got off the train at elk park ~11:45am and hiked ~6 miles uphill the first day. Again, a lot of trees were down that we had to circumnavigate. Are there fishing opportunities along this route? I have done this one twice!! However, Im sure you could find a clearing to put a tent somewhere. It resides at 8,277 feet of elevation in San Juan County. It was very quiet once the train left Elk Park. Continental Divide Trail At the Divide, the trail connects with the Continental Divide Trail. It even had some rails leading in and out of it. That's $100 bucks round-trip for a train ticket! For example, early access to youtube videos, stickers, t-shirt, behind the scenes info on my new thru hiking route creations, special thank you card and more! Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). Highly recommend. Everything was still pretty wet from the rains overnight, and it was cold. More jokes were cracked to the effect of mines smaller than yours and isnt it usually the other way around?. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 11 h 10 min to complete. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 19 h 35 min to complete. Youll be hiking in a wilderness area. The trail wasnt too steep most of the way up this morning. For suggestions, see my guides to the best womens hiking boots and hiking gear for men. The weather started clearing up after about mile 4. Lots of flowers, waterfalls, and views. All of our gear was dry and life was good. We also packed an MSR PocketRocket Deluxe backpacking stove to boil water for all our freeze-dried meals, our hand-pump espresso machine, and a lightweight hatchet multitool to help with campfires. Still a good ways from the pass, we pushed on as the rains started in their usual off and on fashion. The views were awe inspiring, but of course, it began to rain. The only way to combat them is it cover up your skin with long sleeves, jacket hood, etc. How bad was the narrow passage near Chicago Basin? We hardly saw any other hikers until Chicago Basin. 2023 Best 10 Trails and Hikes in Silverton | AllTrails During the summer months, May-October, adventurers can access the wilderness from the Durango train. As crappy as the weather has been all day, I havent seen any lightning yet. There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. However, after she mentioned it a few times I could tell she really wanted one, so we gathered the driest firewood we could find and used our garbage to start the fire. drops you off in the middle of the wilderness (no car access) and do a loop that is absolutely beautiful. By now, there were clouds brewing in all directions, but nothing serious yet. Required fields are marked *. See the beauty of the San Juans on a guided tour. Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). We met others that were completing this 36-40 mile trip as we were walking into the wilderness from Needleton. There was a lot of toilet paper and poop laying around near some of the campsites though, evidence of heavy usage. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. Parking for the train is available in Durango and Silverton. Miles Hiked 5.4 Seeking Lost: Thru-Hiking & Backpacking Adventures, Complete Weminuche Wilderness Photo Gallery, Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, 8 Day Rockhounding & Mineral Collecting in the Santa Teresa Mountains, AZ (Nov 2022), How Much Did It Cost?? I have a trip report on the Mogollon Mountains in the Gila Wilderness, but the popular side is the east side with all the rivers. There were no signs of private property here, so we hung out here while we waited for the train. Since youll be hiking in the Rocky Mountains, you should be Bear Aware. I was happy we brought along puffer jackets and rain coats. This satellite powered device is able to track your location on a digital map, share your location with friends/family, send basic text messages, and (most importantly) it has an emergency SOS button to get help. You could see burnt trees the entire train ride, so I guess its a pretty real threat. Reddit - Dive into anything I had also been considering a climb up Sunlight Peak as well, but it was so nice up here on Windom Peak that I decided to relax, and just enjoy the beautiful view. Especially considering the status of cell phone service (which well discuss below). Cachanilla83. The water in Elk Creek was super clear, so I didnt have to pre-filter any of it before using my Steri-Pen Opti UV water purifier. I hit the trail around 6:15 with full rain gear on. I reached the summit of Windom Peak (14,087ft) by around 8:30. It was cloudy and grey though, so pictures werent coming out good. Columbine Lake Trail #509 in San Juan National Forest is a difficult and steep trail with 16 discernible switchbacks but it's worth the effort. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. This seemed pretty pointless though, because we just stood around until about 7:50. As another hiker had told me earlier today, there were a lot of rodent holes in this area, and I could see mice running around everywhere. So, they suggested to take train from Needleton to Silverton, wait for 1.5h and then return back to Elk Park for the price of full ticket Durango-Silverton . Farther downstream revealed a tall but tiny waterfall before the land leveled out near the lake. However, if you can afford it, the train ride is fun, and it sure is nice once you reach Elk Park and realize you don't have to make that 1,700' climb back up to Molas Pass. In good weather it should not be a problem. Were planning to do this trip in September 2022 and Ive got a couple of questions for you. Twin Lakes, still waiting for early morning light to hit tis waters. Today we slept in to 6am. Hikers exchanged stories about their experiences in the Weminuche Wilderness and beyond to kill the time. The rocks were still icy and required some careful footwork in some spots to negotiate. Its relatively easy to walk over/around them, but be patient and expect a slight delay. Caltopo is pretty awesome if you havent used it already. Needless to say, our rain gear would be used heavily on this trip. I do regret getting the open-cart seats though, because it was raining and it was not dry inside. After setting up camp, I decided to go down to the creek to purify some water. Great report, how can I get your waypoints? Sunlight Peak via Needle Creek Trail | Map, Guide - Colorado | AllTrails I modified my workout regimen before this hike to try and strengthen certain parts of the leg muscles that support the knee function, some intense stair climb sessions (45lb pack), as well as doing a lot more stretching. Morning of day 2, climbing up the Colorado Trail, Going up a funky section of the Colorado Trail, below the Miners Cabin. The ones that did look edible werent ripe yet. The times we've done this, the train departed Silverton about 2:45 PM and dropped us of by 3:45 PM. I asked one of the train workers if we could sit in the covered carts even though we had tickets for the open cart, and he said sure, if theres a seat available. Finally, the weather is cooperating! Before reaching the trails down to Kite/Eldorado Lakes, we had to hike over a 100ft rocky ridge, just as the clouds looked their worst. Here are our top tips on preparing for a successful and safe loop from Elk Park to Needleton in the mountains of Colorado! Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a9fc6034fcd46f19ce6730fcccb725d8" );document.getElementById("b86db021e5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi, I'm Sarah! Climb aboard and make memories youll cherish forever by planning an outdoor adventure that starts on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Recommended Posts. The skies did not look good and I was not sure whether or not I would be climbing tomorrow. Elk Park to Needleton Backpacking Loop - Champagne Tastes Sad to see all the beetle damage. One slice was probably between the size of a small and medium pizza at most places, but it was extremely thin. Weminuche Wilderness, CO - Elk Park/Needleton Loop Hike A mine along the trail leading down into Chicago Basin. Sometimes 2 to a flower. 2/21/22 12:55pm. Bugs were pretty bad this year. For some reason, the mileage the GPS reports to me in the field is always more than the mileage it gives me at home when I am reviewing the final data. We reached the drop off at Elk Park (about . Weminuche Loop - The JimmyJam Hiking Club You have to make the backpacker train reservations by phone, not online. The altitude on this backpacking loop varies from around 8,000 to nearly 13,000 feet above sea level. To reach this trail on foot, some hikers make a longer loop from the Molas Trail (about four miles). Our morning routine is a little more polished now, and we were on the trail by 7am. Would you advise camping at Columbine Lake? The bridge at Vallecito Creek, near Johnson Creek, is still good. Elk Park is a wide spot in the Animas River canyon located at milepost 490.5 on the Silverton Branch of the San Juan Extension. I was mainly happy to dry out my boots. By tnmule20, February 10, 2022 in Camping & High Adventure. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton | Map, Guide - Colorado | AllTrails Clearly has not been maintained for a few seasons. The stars were barely visible now that the morning light was fast approaching, but this was the most Id seen of stars the entire trip. PDF Trip to Weminuche Wilderness, San Juan National Forest, Colorado Food takes longer to cook at high altitudes. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. Are you planning a backpacking adventure in the Weminuche Wilderness of southern Colorado? One of the biggest drawing points of the Elk Creek trail is the unique opportunity to combine a Wilderness trip with a ride on a steam locomotive. Maybe not a traditional campsite, but it was by far the driest campsite Id seen on this trip yet. Be prepared for a lot of bugs and rain. This will be especially helpful during creek crossings and on downhill areas with loose pebbles. They ran downhill and out of sight, and I kept moving. I forced myself to get out of the tent and go explore the area. As the evening progressed, we saw several deer both near our camp and off in the distance. Eventually, I was able to scare them off pretty good by simply throwing my arms up in the air. One of the things that makes this loop so special is that the trailheads can both be reached via the Silverton-Durango Narrow Gauge Railroad, a tourist train pulled by a steam locomotive that has been used in dozens of . Not today, it gre more and more intense as time went on. We set our packs up on a rock ledge with rain covers on, hoping thats be enough to keep them dry. Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk Park - Needleton Loop - YouTube Backpacking trip in the San Juan Mountains in July 2022. At what point along your route could you hike out and call it quits (or hike out for help)? A really incredible trip with unbeatable views! Lisa really wanted a fire, and although I knew we could get one going, but I didnt want to go through the effort of gathering wood only to have it rain again . Happy trails! We knew that the odds were pretty good that goats would wander near us too, eventually. Maybe, MAYBE in a low snow year but from what I can tell the west is getting quite a bit of powder this year so my guess would be July before the route is fully snow free. At Twin Lakes, the terrain is a bit less hospitable, and fewer campsite options with all the rocks and stuff. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. Thats how I do it these days. See this list of my favorite freeze-dried meals if youre curious about what theyre like. The low clouds were back, engulfing Mount Kennedy southwest of us. However I'm looking forward to making another trip here soon. To board at a flagstop, you must be on the east side of the tracks. Patreon is a service that allows you to provide monthly financial support to your favorite content creators. The best times to visit this trail are May through September. They were finally able to scare the goats away for good by barking at them like a dog. Keep a close eye on your belongings: these feisty critters can chew threw packs quickly. Also, if youre looking for a GPX file, you can download that here http://metalbackpacker.com/gpx-files/. I highly recommend it. We did the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Loop which was 36 miles. Next stop: Wilderness. There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. Hiked from elk park to needleton 7/1/2022-7/4/2022. Going down always looks much harder! Im sure the views would have been great here in the absence of the clouds, but this was still pretty cool. The hiker who told me about the mice up here had camped here last night. This is where Eldorado Lake drains off the mountainside and down to the Miners Cabin area we passed earlier today, Looking up at 13,627ft White Dome from the Eldorado Lake drainage. It filtered a little more slowly than usual because we were at high elevation, but still worked well. The people were yelling at them and throwing rocks to try and scare them away, but the goats were pretty stubborn. Campsite in Chicago Basin for nights 4 and 5. You would think that they would just find another place to hang out with no people nearby, but they kept trying to make their way down to our area. I used a Garmin InReach Mini 2 to track our location, and any time we came to an unmarked trail junction, we knew which way to go. The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. We ended up eating at Diorios Pizza which was pretty good. The free version of caltopo only allows 5 pages max in your pdf, so just break it up into blocks of 5 pages or less and print out the entire map that way. It is a fairly difficult hike, but not one that isn't doable. As the sun went down, the goats headed back up the mountainside for the evening. It was nice to know that we had a day off of hiking coming up tomorrow, at least for Lisa anyways. It was almost comical how many people waved at us as the train chugged through town. Would that be too early in the season? Looking down on Columbine Lake near the top of Columbine Pass. Miles: 45 Days: 6-8 Difficulty: Strenuous. It was only 11:45, so we had 3:45 to wait. Purgetory was the popular trailhead of choice for non-train riders. Trail Name - Elk Park/Needleton Loop Location - Weminuche Wilderness in the San Juan National Forest, CO Park Type - National Forest, Wilderness Area Fees & Permits - None Length Of Time Hiked - 6 days, 5 nights Trail Type - Semi loop - Train drops you off and picks you up Miles Hiked - 48 Trail Difficulty - 8

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