Colorado Elk Unit 49

GMU 49 is a vertical alpine fortress in Chaffee County, where the Sawatch Range and Collegiate Peaks Wilderness throw fourteen-thousand-foot summits like Princeton, Antero, and Shavano over glacial drainages, demanding 4,000 to 6,000 vertical feet of gain inside a five-mile push. Elk shift with the seasons here, climbing to north-facing dark timber early, sliding onto mid-mountain benches between 9,500 and 11,000 feet in the gold-aspen transition, then dropping to the sagebrush and piñon-juniper slopes above the Arkansas River when snow shuts the high passes. Water is reliable off Chalk and Cottonwood Creeks, with forage from Gambel oak mast to alpine willow. The pack delivers Unit Overview and Topography, Vegetation and Hydrology, Seasonal Expectations, Logistics and Access, and a one-page Essential Recon summary. Study the unit on our interactive map, then export the points you choose into onX or your favorite hunting map.