Best way to do the Bells/Pyramid in a Weekend?

[peter303]

The billionaires who have vacation homes in Castle Valley and lower Maroon Valley have security to root out dispersed camping. I got "busted" some time ago following outdated info in an old Roach book. They said to move on,

[zootloopz]

This reminded me to grab a few of those 60 hour permits. Thanks!

As far as dispersed camping for hitting them as day hikes, I've utilized the Cathedral Lake / Castle Creek TH (~45 minute drive)

Also camped at the South Maroon trail junction and it's a great spot to hit the Bells early the next day if you can't get a permit or early morning ride and need to shuttle in the afternoon before. This was wonderful with the fall colors in September.

[markf]

I camped at Crater Lake for Pyramid simply because I didn't want to pay for a hotel, I was able to get a permit midweek, and Crater Lake seemed more pleasant than looking for a dispersed camping site and getting rousted by some billionaire's security crowd, or making the drive and looking for a parking spot the day of the climb. For the Bells, I camped at the southernmost of the numbered campsites around Crater Lake, which put me fairly close to the start of the Bell Cord couloir for my climb. I got a nice early pre-dawn start up the Bell Cord for good firm snow, and I had lots of daylight for the traverse itself. Hauling my ice axe and crampons for the rest of the day was a little bit of a drag, but the Bell Cord was more fun than the standard route up South Maroon.

[Scott P]

I'm with the camp at or near Crater Lake crowd. Since it's popular though, be extra careful to practice LNT.

Trying to find a place to car camp in the area or driving from a hotel would waste more time then simply walking to Crater Lake and dropping a tent.

[Buckie06]

Thanks everyone, seems like backpacking in is the best option. How likely is it to get a campsite on a friday in August?

[Skimo95]

Correct me if I’m wrong, all of the maroon bells campsites (for backpacking) are by reservation only. There’s a fairly small number of sites, unless you hike waaay past crater lake. I enjoyed getting a hotel room when I did pyramid\traverse back to back. I’d do it that way again, but don’t see any issues if you’re able to reserve a campsite.

[markf]

I reserved a parking spot for my car, but I did not reserve a campsite. Backcountry permits are done by self-registering at the trailhead. The idea seems to be that limiting parking at the trailhead limits the number of people looking for campsites. I did end up waiting for another party to leave the campsite I wanted.

Reservations are now being accepted for the Maroon Bells parking lot: https://aspenchamber.org/plan-trip/trip ... servations

[Gene913]

A short backpack and camping always works for me.
In addition to dispersed camping sites around Crater Lake, there are dispersed campsites past Crater Lake heading toward West Maroon Pass (for climbing the Bells) and dispersed camping sites heading toward Buckskin Pass (for climbing Pyramid). https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 542652.pdf

[dwoodward13]

Correct me if I’m wrong, all of the maroon bells campsites (for backpacking) are by reservation only. There’s a fairly small number of sites, unless you hike waaay past crater lake. I enjoyed getting a hotel room when I did pyramid\traverse back to back. I’d do it that way again, but don’t see any issues if you’re able to reserve a campsite.

This was going to be the plan for 2022 for areas including Crater Lake, the 4PL and Geneva Lake, but the USFS delayed implementation of the reservation/permit system until at least 2023. There's another forum thread on the delay decision.

[Buckie06]

Just an update: I have a 60hr permit for next weekend that starts Friday morning, entry is between 6am-8am or after 5pm. We're hoping for the traverse on saturday and pyramid on sunday. Any thoughts on the chances of getting a backpacking tent spot Friday after 5pm?

[nyker]

Before the current permit situation I camped in the area a couple times and it rained buckets two to three nights each time and the wind made me nervous of tree blowdown, together not making for a good night sleep. Another time I was hiking to the trailhead there was a bull moose that was apparently bothering people and a ranger came out and told everyone to back off and stay away from the area for a few hours.

Since those peaks are on the more difficult side I opted to abandon the camping idea and just get a cheap motel in town and get a good rest before doing them each as day trips since they aren't that long. I know travel has increased overall so I don't know if "cheap" rooms even exists anymore...maybe with Airbnb.

There is more than one person on this site that has done them all as a Herculean day trip together fyi if you have the stamina and interest.

[yaktoleft13]

Correct me if I’m wrong, all of the maroon bells campsites (for backpacking) are by reservation only. There’s a fairly small number of sites, unless you hike waaay past crater lake. I enjoyed getting a hotel room when I did pyramid\traverse back to back. I’d do it that way again, but don’t see any issues if you’re able to reserve a campsite.

The campsites aren't reservation only, just designated spots only, and just the ones around Crater Lake. Before and after Crater Lakes is good to go, as are spots up N maroon trail and toward Buckskin pass. I always thought it was super restrictive, but it's really only the Crater Lake area.

The best way to do the group would be get one of the early campsites near Crater Lake, hit the traverse, them day 2 hit pyramid (or switch the days). But even a campsite away from the lake adds a mile at most each way, so not bad