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This peak was worthy of a trip report - what a fantastic hike!
As last week progressed, we formulated a plan to hike past Crater Lake and camp near the turnoff for Maroon Peak's standard trail higher up in the valley. We planned to meet the Yukmans (a couple I had met on the Wetterhorn trail earlier in the summer) there after they had hiked North Maroon that day. Everything worked out great, we rolled in around 5 and they told us about their day on North Maroon. Apparently there was good amount of snow near the summit on the Northeast side of the peak. They said it was a very challenging hike. We had some food and crashed out for the night.
The next morning we started up the trail around 640 with headlamps. By 7 it was light enough to hike without them. From the moment you leave the valley trail to the point when you gain the ridge, you are hiking straight up (with a couple very brief exceptions)! Roach's book says this slope lasts from 10.5k to 13.3 - 2,800 ft of tough work.
The next section of the hike involves the final 900 ft between you and the summit. It contains various chutes, ribs and ledges that make for some fun route finding and scrambling!
I think we were on the main route for most of the way up, but we came down a slightly different way near the top. I guess my general comment about this section is that you could do it MANY different ways. However, it's helpful to follow the cainins if possible. Also, the trip down is nearly as grueling as the trip up (minus the heartpounding workout). We had the peak to ourselves and spent maybe 20 minutes enjoying the tremendous views from the summit!
We saw some goats near the ridge on the way down and then a couple more further down the slope.
Overall, it was a great mountain! I've never been in the Maroon Bells area to see the aspens turn color. It's everything it's cracked up to be.
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
Like your shot of the snow. I assume that was near the summit. We‘re you able to avoid the snow or were crampons and an ice axe required?
I was up there on Sunday. Took the wife for a trip to the mountains to see the colors. That was my first time to see the Bells and Wow! That is a stunning area. One of the most scenic and masjectic places. Glad you had such great weather for the climb.
Kzar, thanks for the comment! We did not need crampons or an ice axe for the standard route on Maroon Peak, however we hiked with a couple who had done North Maroon the day before and they said an ice axe would have been helpful for the upper section.
Somehow we popped out from a ledge crossing at the back of the only snowfield on the SW side of Maroon Peak. There was a cool natural snow cave there!
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