Car at Schofield/CB side -- for West Maroon Bells hike

[skochgj]

Is one allowed to leave a car a the TH on the Maroon Bells side of Schofield Pass to start a hike/camp from there for a few days? I don't know if there is a posted "no overnight parking" sign. And regarding Mileage, I'm having a hard time getting a mileage estimate from this East Fork/West Maroon Bells parking/Trail Head to the trail connecting Frigid Air Pass to West Maroon Pass (the traditional 4 pass loop). Does anyone have a good mileage count between TH/intersections/passes?
Thank you!
Happy hiking

[Timothy]

A couple years ago a buddy and I backpacked into the Maroon Bells Wilderness over a long 4th of July weekend and there were lots of vehicles parked on the west side of Schofield including ours. Probably wouldn't hurt to call the Gunnison County Sheriff's office just to make sure nothing has changed.

[skochgj]

A couple years ago a buddy and I backpacked into the Maroon Bells Wilderness over a long 4th of July weekend and there were lots of vehicles parked on the west side of Schofield including ours. Probably wouldn't hurt to call the Gunnison County Sheriff's office just to make sure nothing has changed.

Thank you, great idea!

[jerseybrian]

Is one allowed to leave a car a the TH on the Maroon Bells side of Schofield Pass to start a hike/camp from there for a few days? I don't know if there is a posted "no overnight parking" sign. And regarding Mileage, I'm having a hard time getting a mileage estimate from this East Fork/West Maroon Bells parking/Trail Head to the trail connecting Frigid Air Pass to West Maroon Pass (the traditional 4 pass loop). Does anyone have a good mileage count between TH/intersections/passes?
Thank you!
Happy hiking

Call the forest service for CB. We did the loop 2 weeks ago and they told us we could park on the side of the road. They said there was significant trees blocking the road though so we might need to park at emerald lake and hike up. We ended up starting in Aspen so I can't say about the connector exactly. Gf has the topo which I recommend (natgeo). I think it's 4.5 miles to West Maroon Pass from Schofield pass. I want to say Frigid Air Pass was around 2 miles from West Maroon. Going clockwise you have the advantage of bypassing Buckskin pass as your first with a heavy pack. Trail Rider pass was harder clockwise even as the 3rd pass in my opinion. Have fun! Really great camping in between Figid and Trail Rider!

[rmattas]

"They said there was significant trees blocking the road though so we might need to park at emerald lake and hike up."

Yes. If you're coming up from gothic, you have to park approx. 2 mi. from the west maroon TH.

[rmattas]

I'll walk, thank you…Gothic road last week...

[DenverMiner]

And regarding Mileage, I'm having a hard time getting a mileage estimate from this East Fork/West Maroon Bells parking/Trail Head to the trail connecting Frigid Air Pass to West Maroon Pass (the traditional 4 pass loop). Does anyone have a good mileage count between TH/intersections/passes?

From the East Fork Trailhead, it's 3.1 miles northeast along the West Maroon Pass Trail to the North Fork Trail trail junction (i.e. connecting with the 4 Pass Loop) at which point you can go left/northwest along the North Fork Trail towards Frigid Air Pass or continue right/southeast on the West Maroon Pass Trail to West Maroon Pass.

[pmeadco]

Regarding the blocked road near Emerald Lake, does anyone know if the Paradise Divide road is open? That route is only slightly more difficult to drive than Gothic.

[RJ_Greenhorn24]

I'll walk, thank you…Gothic road last week...

Was this taken just before Emerald Lake coming up the CB side? That road's always been narrow but that's a whole new level!

[rmattas]

<Was this taken just before Emerald Lake coming up the CB side?> yes. That one part has been terrifying me for years...

[theglobalguy]

Dolly's mountain shuttles are running a dual shuttle system for coming into CB from the West Maroon hike. They've got a 4x4 van going from the trailhead to the blockage pictured above, and then you walk down the road 10 minutes to another regular 15 passenger van. They've had that system for about two weeks now.

[skochgj]

Dolly's mountain shuttles are running a dual shuttle system for coming into CB from the West Maroon hike. They've got a 4x4 van going from the trailhead to the blockage pictured above, and then you walk down the road 10 minutes to another regular 15 passenger van. They've had that system for about two weeks now.

Thank you! Do you know how far it would be to park (I guess off the side of the road)?) at the blockage and then walk to the TH?