Maroon Bells 4 Pass Loop (45 hrs vs 4 days)
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Completed my dream trip in Colorado's Maroon Bells 4 pass loop north of Aspen CO taking approximately 2 days instead of the 4 for backpacking the loop thru.
Intro picture of range:
Route which I did counterclockwise:
I tried this trip in July 2001 but lightning forced a retreat, so I've been waiting and planning with ultralight gear*. I started at 5:30pm Wednesday (13 April) intending to go clockwise but was informed of an aggressive bear plundering food sacks, ripping apart packs, and raiding multi-person camps like Boy Scouts.
Rangers were still allowing in people, including kids, … so no danger, but not the best way to get a good nights sleep.I switched to a counterclockwise route vs the trad clockwise loop and ascended Buckskin pass 13,370 ft. with other unaffiliated hikers in the remnants of a rain storm. Acclimating at Estes park (Rocky Mtn) helped a bit but still I was running out of daylight, so set up my first night at the base of the pass after other hikers said a passing bear just ignored their tent (though I did have a close call with a marmot or maybe a skunk entering my vestibule and slept in – visions of a furry striped tail ruining my sleep). The next day started gorgeous and after drying everything out, I started up at a leisurely 8:30 with no plans. The sun didn't last long though and it was time to hike.
Clouds and rain following me up Buckskin pass.
Buckskin Pass offered some outstanding views for many pictures and videos before the weather socked it in. Strangely I did not care to put on my rain gear (wore heavy synthetic shorts, a Pata merino wool 1 base, and an REI Sahara tech LS throughout except for breakfast) and descended the pass, passing trad hikers on the way up, hunched under heavy rain gear.Eating a hot lunch at "beaver ponds", I seriously entertained finishing the "loop" as even more hikers streaming in clockwise from Snowmass lk. and everyone had heavy packs. Started thinking the 4 day circuit was mandated by pack weight? It was fairly boggy until I skirted Snowmass Lk., and climbed Trailriders pass (12,400 ft.), with long switchbacks.
(All my closer photos are panoramas so here's one from halfway up trailriders pass)
Snowmass lake:
Lots of hikers going to camp there so I went further – did see a cpl trail-running the loop in a (hopeful- her words) day a little further up from the above pic.
I took the north fork official cut-off to Fravert valley and started down. Part of the trail is new but part is unstable; coming off a switchback, a rock under the soil gave away and pitched me downhill into some rocks. The sharp rock that hit my jaw was slow motion and I braced to lose some teeth. Somehow I only received an abrasion and cut – no loose teeth (makes you think, though it could happen regardless of gear weight). I dusted myself off and ensured no gear came loose before continuing – at this point I was committed and any pain quickly subsided. Plenty of campsites on the banks but I chose the top of the falls overlooking Fravert valley, arriving in the nick of time for sunset. I hastily put up my tarptent, applying some antibiotic ointment sans mirror, and forced down half a clif bar. Guess my adrenalin overcame my hunger I don't know.Well my sunset pics sux, so here's sunrise …
Being close to the river was cold and spent last night pulling my quilt around me. I woke up cold this morning at 6 and after oatmeal and devouring the rest of the clif bar, made my way up the forested valley toward Frigid air pass, passing other campers drying their tent flies. Up Frigid air, I rationed the last of my candy chews but then remember a sugar-filled muffin I meant to eat earlier. Powered, I went up Frigid Air pass(12,380 ft.) and down to the intersection below the last pass of my loop, West Maroon pass (12,500 ft.), encountering more mostly overladen young backpackers and yakking while saving my strength (and last piece of candy – ok I still had another clif bar but didn't really care for it) for the last pass. It was shorter but more a grunt. I only hung out for a bit before thinking of downhill …. and fresh food.
Top of west maroon …
Talking with newly backpackers doing the trad clockwise route, the bear was still at it, …started accosting campers where I spent my first night, so another stroke of luck. Bear 25(?), Primates 0,.. Got back at 2:30 pm and cleaned up in overflow parking. After some food nearby, tiredness set in.So I completed a goal I've had for 14 years but despite stretches, I started getting sore immediately afterwards…. but with a big sense of accomplishment doing big days with tall, steep mtn passes. This is NOT the place for solitude in "high season" but the scenery is "big" enough that numbers cannot spoil the view. There were many more younger backpackers so maybe it's fortunate they had heavy loads.
Improvements: could have spent less time taking video and photos … but it is the Maroon Bells. Maybe the pics were an excuse to catch my breathe?
*Main gear: Zimmerbuilt 60L pack with frame removed and replaced by Exped UL 7. Old Moment tarp tent and Enlightened equipment down quilt. Snowpeak Gigapower with small canister.
** admin note: I came in via aspen and the curvy Independence Pass from Estes Park (Rocky Mtn NP), and if dropping a vehicle, parking is only during certain hours and checking permits in the way out. Maroon and Crater lakes are not fun on minimalistic footwear either. If I ever did this again, I may go with the entrance closer to Crested Butte. Aspen is very popular with a lot of traffic so that may be a factor. Did see one cpl trail running the loop in a (hopeful) day and a number of shuttled day hikers if that interests you
ed: mostly photo
Rangers were still allowing in people, including kids, … so no danger, but not the best way to get a good nights sleep.
Buckskin Pass offered some outstanding views for many pictures and videos before the weather socked it in. Strangely I did not care to put on my rain gear (wore heavy synthetic shorts, a Pata merino wool 1 base, and an REI Sahara tech LS throughout except for breakfast) and descended the pass, passing trad hikers on the way up, hunched under heavy rain gear.
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