However, this hike is easier overall and much less crowded. West Maroon Pass is straight ahead. We called it a day early, high in the West Maroon Basin, with the pass an arm’s length (~1 mile) away. The West Maroon Trail is also a great way to have an extended backpacking trip in this wilderness on the Four Pass Loop. East Maroon and more popular. West Maroon Trail is a 20.4 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Aspen, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as difficult. Trip Overview: The Four Pass Loop in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness is one of the premiere backpacking loops in Colorado. Why you should go: It’s part of the famous West Maroon Pass trail that takes you from Crested Butte to Aspen Distance: 5.2 miles Elevation Gain: 1,560 feet Difficulty: Moderate; The West Maroon trailhead is off Gothic Rd., about an hour outside of Crested Butte. The West Maroon Pass Trail is a world class wildflower hike which climbs out of Aspen, passes by the spectacular Maroon Bells, and reaches a pass at 12,500 feet with sweeping views of the West Maroon Creek valley and the Crystal River East Fork basin on the Crested Butte side. Dogs are allowed but must be leashed . The popular West Maroon Pass also follows the first part of this trail. Given a round trip hike would entail 22 miles and over 5000 feet of elevation gain, an entire industry of shuttle vans has cropped up to ferry hikers back to their original point of departure. Ideal hiking months: mid-June to mid-October . Notice the lack of other hikers in these photos taken near the pass. Just past there is also where the trail forks. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from April until September. We recommend doing this hike clockwise. Hiking from Crested Butte to Aspen is easier than Aspen to CB. Camped just above kings falls on day 2. At the next signed junction for Frigid Air Pass [3] , take a left continue on the mellow ascent back in the opposite direction (or hike up West Maroon Pass first for the 3 Pass Loop) . From here the trail gets steeper as you get closer to the pass . Great experience! From where we slept the first night to the top of the pass was about 2.5 miles and took exactly 2 hours. This long but moderate trail follows East Maroon Creek to its origin just below the pass, and continues down the west side into Copper Basin and on to Gothic near Crested Butte.. In season the East Fork is … When you reach the first traffic circle take the third exit to Castle Creek Rd. Buckskin Pass - 9.2 Miles Round-Trip Buckskin Pass (12,462') is located 4.6 miles from Maroon Lake in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. Trailhead to West Maroon Pass. The pass is small with dramatic rock pinnacles on either side. West Maroon Pass is displayed on the Maroon Bells USGS quad topo map. First Backcountry Campsites (Mile 4) to West Maroon Pass: 2.5 miles, 2000 feet elevation gain. I was new to hiking in the Rockies when I hiked the West Maroon Trail in early summer 2005. Round-Trip Length: 26 miles Elevation gain & loss: 7,400′ Starting elevation: 9,655’ Trailhead Location: Maroon Lake Trailhead – 6.5 miles west of Aspen, Colorado on Maroon Creek Road. As I mentioned in my preview report on this trip, my son and I did this backpacking trip with his Boy Scout trip several years ago in mid July in the Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wilderness area of Colorado. This popular 13-mile (RT) hike features imposing peaks, pretty waterfalls, stunning lakes, a scenic alpine basin and a 12,500-ft. pass with panoramic views of the Treasure Mountains, Pyramid Peak and the Maroon Bells. Aspen snow-safety pioneer killed in avalanche west of Crested Butte Sheriff’s report: developer violates protection order, faces DV charge New … Unfortunately, it's popularity leads to large, noisy, inconsiderate groups greatly diminishing your experience from this unique trail. As you follow the trail around Maroon Lake, it ascends roughly 1.5 miles up to Crater Lake. From the East Maroon Trailhead to the parking lot near Gothic is 19 + miles, with 12 water crossings (2 needing water shoes and time for feeling to return to your feet due to cold water), at least 3 wide scree fields and 11,800 top elevation. I was the last hiker of the day heading to West Maroon Pass. East Maroon over West Maroon back This 2 day hike was the hardest physical experience I have ever done. The trail starts winding through forest next to Crystal River .A decaying cabin is near the end of the forest. Anyone who is interested in visiting West Maroon Pass can print the free topographic map and street map using the link above. Here you’ll find 11 first-come-first-serve campsites that make a great base camp for those looking to tackle North Maroon Peak. East Maroon Pass - 19.4 Miles Round-Trip East Maroon Pass is located 9.7 miles from East Maroon Portal in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. The route gains over 5,400 feet of elevation over its course. Day 1: Starting at picturesque, glacier-sculpted Maroon Lake, we’ll ascend West Maroon Creek Valley on a rocky, uneven trail through thick aspen forest.Starting at 9,580 feet elevation, our group will be breathless yet exhilarated by the beauty and stark relief of the 14,000+ foot Maroon Bell’s north and south peaks ahead and the surrounding rugged mountainside. From the pass, the trail descends the East Snowmass Trail to the trailhead. Head west from Aspen along Colorado 82. The trail is primarily used for hiking and backpacking and is best used from June until September. 4-Pass Loop - Aspen Snowmass Wilderness area July, 15th 2017 Day 1- 12 miles and 3800' of elevation gain Maroon Lake TH > West Maroon Pass > Frigid Air Pass > Fravert Basin So the 4-Pass loop has been on Anastasiya's bucket list ever since she heard about it. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Round-Trip Length: 26 miles Elevation gain & loss: 7,400′ Starting elevation: 9,655’ Trailhead Location: Maroon Lake Trailhead – 6.5 miles west of Aspen, Colorado on Maroon Creek Road. Frigid Air Pass - hiking trail near Crested Butte, CO - Hikers ascending the beautiful East Fork Valley to Frigid Air pass are rewarded with stunning views of the Maroon Bells, Snowmass Mountain and the nearby peaks of the Elk Mountains. The cutoff is found just before Capitol Lake at mile 10. This project is rated as a challenging project. It offers magnificent views of the Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wilderness area and vast fields of wildflowers. While not quite as busy as the Four Pass Loop, this loop stills see a fair amount of people. Hiking counterclockwise allows for a more gradual climb out of the gate. Take the second exit onto Maroon Creek Road. West Maroon vs. East Maroon Pass There are three routes hikers can take between Aspen to Crested Butte, but the two most common are West Maroon and East Maroon Pass, which are both equally scenic. I was always curious, but backpacking isn't strictly my "thing". Elevation gain: 2,920 feet . Cross a wildflower-filled meadow below the pass and hike over Frigid Air Pass, below which more camping can be found. East Maroon Trail to Copper Basin is a 20.9 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Aspen, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as difficult. Beautiful campsite next to the river. The trail from CB to the West Maroon Pass is only 4.5 miles and is a gradual climb with few rocks on the trail. Trail Map | Photo Gallery. Accessed from West Maroon Creek Trail at miles 35-36. The last quarter mile is particularly strenuous, but the effort is well worth the reward. Start off with the route description from the West Maroon Pass hike. Dogs are … The trail ends at Schodfield Park, 14 miles from Crested Butte. Buckskin spans a divisive ridge between Minnehaha Gulch (east) and the Snowmass Creek drainage (west). Distance: 6.5 miles (one-way) to West Maroon Pass (12,500-ft.). Go for a hike to West Maroon pass or Frigid Air pass, fish, view wildlife, wildflowers, or snag some photographs! Hiking trail near Aspen, Colorado. Starting elevation: 9,580 feet . West Maroon Pass Summit: 12,500 feet . The 11 mile one way trail connects the towns of Crested Butte and Aspen via a steep, winding trail that crests at 12,500 ft at West Maroon Pass. For this trip, you’ll keep hiking past these campsites, up towards West Maroon Pass. A high-clearance AWD or 4WD vehicle is highly recommended to get there as the road gets extremely steep and narrow around Emerald Lake. While West Maroon is the more common popular of the two, it is a bit steeper compared to the East Maroon … Trail Map | Photo Gallery. Follow Highway 82 west to the roundabout. At 28 miles in length, this loop is typically hiked over the course of 3 to 5 days depending on your fitness level. Maroon Peak – multiple options for class 3-5 climbing. Capitol Peak – out and back class 4 route that will add about 2,500 ft of elevation and 4 miles. West Maroon Pass Trail near Aspen, Colorado - Imposing peaks, pretty waterfalls, stunning lakes, a huge alpine basin and panoramic views from a 12,500-ft. pass encompassing Treasure Mountain, Pyramid Peak and the Maroon Bells are the scenic rewards on this 13-mile (RT) hike to West Maroon Pass. The new plan was to sleep long and deeply and be transformed into well-rested machines for the 13 mile, 4,000 vertical foot hike to … Follow this road for 19.3 km, until you see signs for the Cathedral Lake Trail.The sign is very small so, set your odometer at the traffic circle. From Aspen to WMP it's 6.5 miles with the first 5 miles being up/down, up/down with plenty of rocks on the trail and sometimes all rocks. West Maroon Pass Trail Hiking Detail. Hiked about 5 miles on 10/3 to below West Maroon pass. 3) East Maroon-West Maroon Loop Posts about West Maroon Pass written by linhartb. It's one of nine passes over 12,000' in the wilderness, and arguably easiest to reach. 4 Pass Loop - 26.8 Miles Round-Trip The 4 Pass Loop runs 26.8 miles through the heart of the Elk Mountains and Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. Follow the directions up the valley [1] and to the right at the small signed Hasley Basin junction [2] . Frigid air was steep and more difficult than expected with a 40lb pack (probably about 6-8lbs too heavy). Campsites for backpackers can be found in the woods between the two river crossings described in the West Maroon Pass trail guide. Getting Here and There From Aspen . This challenging trek scales four passes over 12,400' with stunning views and long stretches of open alpine travel. Day three into Favert Basin and up trail rider pass. From the summit, enjoy breath-taking views in every direction. Elevation gain/loss: 2,920-ft. Few trails can surpass the stunning views from the start of the Four Pass Loop at the foot of Maroon Lake. During the trek you hike over four high elevation mountain passes, reach a peak altitude of ~12,500 feet, and climb nearly 9,000 feet of elevation. The latitude and longitude coordinates of West Maroon Pass are 39.0358232, -106.9975454 and the approximate elevation is 12,408 feet (3,782 meters) above sea level. Day 2 was west maroon pass and frigid air. 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