Maroon Bells climbing

I want to climb north maroon peak this summer. Will be driving out from Indiana. Anybody done it? Do you have any tips, either for the climb itself or for where to park/how to get there?

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  1. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    Yeah, I have some info and advice

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      Ok, I'm listening.

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous
        • 1 year ago
          Anonymous

          Are there any local guide services that can bring me up, or should I just do it by myself?

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            I’ve been looking into doing one of the two pic related peaks this July after hiking the four pass loop.
            14ers .com has detailed info and route pictures of pretty much every 14er.
            Virtual Sherpa on youtube has also hike alongs on almost all of them including Maroon.
            From what I understand, the road to the main trailhead is only open to the public to drive early in the morning and evenings, and the parking lot fills quick on weekends.
            You also aren’t allowed to park there more than three nights I think.
            There are frequent and regularly scheduled shuttles from aspen to the trailhead.
            Bear canisters are required if camping, and rangers do frequent the area since the Bells is popular.
            Ursacks aren’t approved there unfortunately; I emailed about that

            • 1 year ago
              Anonymous

              North Maroon is a class 4, so if you haven’t done any class 3, you probably shouldn’t skip straight to 4.

      • 1 year ago
        OP

        Are there any local guide services that can bring me up, or should I just do it by myself?

        nice try, homosexual

  2. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    Your biggest concern will be lightning but if you're off the summit by noon you won't have a problem. The NE ridge of North Maroon isn't really class 4 (nobody ropes up for this route, and if they did it'd take a month to climb it) but it's got some loose rock. If you're in shape and can climb stairs you can easily do this route.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      Why do you say it’s not class 4?

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        Because everybody class 3's it. There's a fine line, usually indistinguishable, between class 3 and class 4. Unless you're a compleate gumby you won't rope up for a class 4, you'll just scramble up it. For all practical purposes, class 3 and 4 should be combined into a class called "hard hiking using your hands".

  3. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    Look at trip reports and GPS tracks here:
    https://peakbagger.com/climber/PeakAscents.aspx?pid=5699

  4. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    I don't think I'm going to have any problem with it being a class 4, if anything it will be the elevation but I think I will be fine. What I'm worried about is Aspen; I just want somewhere to park my car and some way to get to where the trail starts without spending a thousand dollars or dealing with any bullshit. I don't even intend to camp; I can happily sleep in my car.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      If you drive from flat land and don't acclimatize you're going to have a bad time.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      >Doesn't want to spend a thousand dollars
      >Doesn't want to deal with bullshit
      Chooses the most expensive and bullshit filled place in Colorado

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        they have the best mountain

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      >I just want somewhere to park my car and some way to get to where the trail starts without spending a thousand dollars or dealing with any bullshit.
      Well it’s not gonna be expensive to park your car somewhere, but you’re gonna have to deal with some bullshit no matter what.
      If you wanna park at the trailhead, you gotta deal with driving there when the road is open to the public, finding a parking spot that’s open, and registering for overnight parking if you’re gonna camp.
      If you park in Aspen, you gotta deal with scheduling pickup times with the shuttle service, since apparently it’s too busy to just simply hop on like a normal bus so they require a reservation.
      I doubt the shuttle will get you to the trail head early enough in the morning to climb and get back down by the afternoon storm, so if you take the shuttle that means at least one night camping is wise.
      And camping brings more bullshit since bear canisters are required for overnight stays.

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        Good point about the shuttle not being early enough. I read that storms often show up in the afternoon, but is it basically a sure thing? Does it happen most days?

        • 1 year ago
          Anonymous

          It’s consistent enough that you should count on it.
          Thunder, lightning, and even pea sized hail possibly at elevation.

        • 1 year ago
          Anonymous

          Until about 2002 you could set your watch by the afternoon t-storms and even though the 20 year drought (part of the normal climate cycle of the western US) has reduced the frequency of these storms, you'd be a fool to take the chance on a mountain like the North Maroon Bell.

          >t. long time Colorado mountain climber

  5. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    >Do you have any tips, either for the climb itself or for where to park/how to get there?
    Spend a few days acclimating or there is a very good chance that you will literally keel over and die from either an embolism or fluid in your lugs; every year some boomers come from out east to chase elk at 10,000' and end up going home in a box. You should also start your ascent as early as possible and then GTFO after you're done because there's a midday thunderstorm (albeit usually a pretty small one) at least five days a week and if it's a wet year then often more than one a day.

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