Base camp for the San Juans.

Off-grid, wired for gear prep, and fifteen minutes from trailheads into some of the highest-elevation elk, mule deer, and bighorn country in Colorado. This is what you need to know before you apply.

10,400

Lodge elevation, ft

Legal big game species

Apr 7

CO draw deadline

LODGE · 10,400 FT
KENDALL MTN · 13,066 FT
ANIMAS RIVER VALLEY

Application Strategy

Easiest to hardest draw

Colorado runs two different systems depending on species. Here’s how the San Juan units stack up, easiest tag first.

Species	Draw system	Difficulty here	Notes
Elk OTC units	No draw	EASIEST	Most non-resident elk hunters in Colorado hunt OTC tags — no application needed at all.
Black Bear	Preference points	EASY–MODERATE	True preference system — highest point holders draw first, no randomness.
Mule Deer	Preference points	EASY–MODERATE	Buck tags in most San Juan units draw with a handful of points or fewer.
Mountain Lion	Draw / OTC varies	MODERATE	Check unit-specific season structure — some units are OTC, others limited.
Elk trophy limited units	Preference points	MODERATE–HARD	GMU 76 in particular has outstanding trophy potential but tough non-resident odds.
Mountain Goat	Weighted points	HARD	Very limited tag numbers statewide; San Juan herds are no exception.
Moose	Weighted points	HARD	Max 3 preference points, then weighted-point random draw. Top units can be a coin flip after decades.
Bighorn Sheep	Weighted points	HARDEST	Marquee San Juan sheep units can leave you under 50% cumulative odds after 30 years of applying.

Elk, deer, bear, pronghorn

Straight preference points. Whoever holds the most points gets the tag first — no randomness, aside from a small random slice (up to 20%) in units that require 10+ resident points. Apply every year to keep your file active and your points climbing.

Sheep, moose, mountain goat

You bank up to 3 preference points, then move into a weighted random pool — more points mean more entries, not a guarantee. Desert bighorn (not the San Juan subspecies) is pure random with no points at all. Miss 10 consecutive years without applying and you lose your points.

Colorado’s primary draw deadline is April 7 at 8:00 p.m. MST. Leftover and OTC licenses go on sale after the draw closes for hunters who didn’t apply or didn’t draw.

Where You’ll Hunt

Game management units around the lodge

Silverton sits inside GMU 74, with 75, 76, 71, and 72 all within a short drive. Terrain runs from manageable timber and rolling hills to genuinely rugged high country above treeline.

GMU 74

Home unit — Silverton

Elevation 6,400–13,000 ft. Rolling hills and snow-capped peaks over canyons and valleys. Healthy elk and deer herds with better-than-expected draw odds for the terrain — the physical demand keeps pressure down.

GMU 76

Trophy country

San Juan mountain country with outstanding trophy elk potential. Tough non-resident draw odds — build points if you’re chasing a big bull rather than just a tag.

GMU 71

Telluride to Dolores corridor

2,800 square miles from the Uncompahgre Plateau to the Utah line. Long-standing reputation for record-book mule deer and elk out of the San Juan National Forest.

GMU 81

South San Juan Wilderness

For hunters willing to walk away from roads. Quality holds up longest here, especially in early season before weather pushes animals toward refuge areas.

The Basecamp

Built for the pack-out, not just the photo

01

Off-grid, always onSolar and battery power means no generator noise to spook game near camp, and no worrying about outages during a storm week.
02

Minutes from the trailheadShort drive to San Juan National Forest access points in GMUs 74, 75, and 76 — more daylight hunting, less windshield time.
03

Room to process gameSpace to hang, quarter, and pack meat before the drive home.
04

High-elevation acclimationSitting at altitude before opening day matters. Arrive a couple of days early and let your body adjust in comfort.
05

Starlink on siteCheck weather, confirm draw results, or call the outfitter — connectivity without leaving the mountains.

2555 CR 33, Silverton, CO
San Juan County

Nearest unitGMU 74
Elevation10,400 FT
PowerOFF-GRID SOLAR
ConnectivitySTARLINK
Season fills fastSEP–NOV