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| There are at least four different
mountain passes between Crested Butte and Aspen, but there are two
that are best for hiking because they are the shortest and most direct.
These two routes are over the East and West Maroon passes. A short
description of both follows (all distances and elevations are approximate).
And a map of the area is a useful tool for understanding this information. |
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This trip is the longer of the two choices
and would be best done in two days, with an overnight at Copper Lake.
From Crested Butte, one would start at the Copper Lake/Judd Falls
Trailhead, about 1/4-mile north of the
town of Gothic.
This trail starts out as an old road, wandering up to Copper Lake (5 mi) by way
of Judd Falls, and entering the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness after
about a mile. There are several creek crossings along this section
which are not dangerous, but may require wading at normal water levels.
East Maroon Pass (11,800 ft) is reached after gaining a total of about
2000 ft in 6 miles. The Pass itself is flat and wide on top and is
particularly scenic. If the weather is right, it can be a great place
for photos or a picnic. The wildflowers are usually abundant and spectacular.
Because it is above timberline, the Pass can be quite windy or stormy
if the weather is bad.
From the top of the pass, the trail down continues to be easy to negotiate with
a few more creek crossings. The creeks here are usually larger than
the ones on the way up. In fact, as late as mid-July, one of the crossings
closest to the Aspen side has been known to be impassable without the
use of ropes. Once down from the Pass, the trail down the Aspen side
is relatively flat, following East Maroon Creek. Most of the 3000-ft
elevation loss on this side occurs just after the Pass. This section
of the trail is also scenic, with the Pyramid Peak (a 14er) on the
left and a range of 13,000-ft peaks on the right. After hiking 11 miles
from the top of the Pass, the hike ends at the East Maroon Portal Trailhead
on the Maroon Creek Road. |
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This route is the most popular for summer Aspen/Crested
Butte hikers and can be done by many people in one long day of
hiking.
From Crested Butte, the trailhead is about 6.5 miles beyond
the town of Gothic and about 1/2-mile beyond Schofield Pass. There
is often avalanche debris across the road near Emerald Lake until
mid summer (July) which keeps one from reaching the trailhead by
car and adds approximately 1.5 miles to the hike. The trail enters
the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness almost immediately and follows
an open valley most of the way up to West Maroon Pass. This valley
boasts one of the best displays of wildflowers in the state of
Colorado.
West Maroon Pass (12,550 ft) is reached after gaining
a total of about 2300 ft in 5 miles. In the last half mile to the
top, coming from either direction, the Pass is accessed by a fairly
steep and exposed single track trail. There is not a lot of room
at the top, although there are rocky crags to perch on while taking
in the superb views. West Maroon Pass is above tree line and affords
views of both the Maroon Bells Wilderness, as well as the Ragged
Wilderness to the southwest.
From the Pass, it is all downhill
to Crater Lake and then to Maroon Lake. There is at least one creek
crossing on the Aspen side which usually requires a cold wade across,
even in low water, and is often impassable without ropes early
in the season (before mid-July). This area is the most photographed
in Colorado, due to the striking and majestic beauty of the Maroon
Bells on the left and Pyramid Peak on the right, all over 14,000
ft. The Trailhead is at the upper end of Maroon Creek Road, about
6 miles hike from the Pass. |
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From Crested Butte to the East or West Maroon
Trailheads
One
must travel by car. If you choose to drive your own vehicle, the following
information is pertinent.
The East Maroon Trailhead is approximately
1/4-mile past the town of Gothic, which itself is about 8 miles
from Crested Butte. You can access this parking area with a 2-wheel
drive car. There is a parking area at the junction of the road and
the trailhead.
The West Maroon Trailhead is 6.5 miles beyond the East Maroon Trailhead,
with the road getting progressively harder to negotiate. Conditions
vary with rainfall; sometimes a front wheel drive car is capable of
making it, and sometimes it is only possible with 4wd. Frequently,
in mid-summer (late-July), there is avalanche debris across the road
just before Emerald Lake and parking must be found where possible along
the side of the road. When the road is not blocked, the Trailhead is
just beyond Schofield Pass. There is a stream crossing just before
the parking area which is sometimes not drivable, in which case parking
must be found along the road and hikers must cross the stream on foot
to reach the trailhead.
If you need a ride to either trailhead, call
Dolly's
Mountain Shuttle, which is currently the only shuttle service in
town. Be aware that reservations must be made! Although they
might be available on-call, that is not their general policy. Dolly's
operates June 1 through October 31, accessing terrain as far as their
vehicles will go. We had an epic winter in 2007/08 and as of June 5,
there is still alot of snow at higher elevations. |
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From Aspen to the East and West Maroon trails
Both trails end on Maroon
Creek Road in Aspen. Most of the summer (mid-June through mid-September)
this road is closed to private cars from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Before
and after these times, cars can travel this paved road. There are parking
areas at both trailheads, and overnight parking is permitted. |
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| A public bus service run by the Roaring
Fork Transit Authority travels
Maroon Creek Road from Aspen daily in the summer during the hours in
which the road is closed to other vehicle traffic (8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.).
This is a great public transit system and is the best way for hikers
to travel to/from the trailheads. Busses run 3 times an hour with
the following schedule: 9 a.m. First bus leaves from Aspen to the
Maroon Bells Trailhead. 5:30 p.m. Last bus leaves from the Maroon
Bells Trailhead to Aspen. |
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| Hikers arriving at the East Maroon Portal must walk to the road and
flag down a passing bus heading in to Aspen. If the bus does not stop,
it is too full and the next one will come soon. Busses are FREE when
traveling from the trailheads in to Aspen. A bus ride from the town
of Aspen to the trailheads costs about $5 per person. |
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| High
Mountain Taxi can do trailhead shuttles as well, but are restricted
in travel between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., just like personal cars. It
is best to arrange your taxi ride in advance, but there is also a
phone at the Maroon Bells Trailhead. It is about 20 minutes to/from
Aspen. The ride is around $35 per person each way (970-925-8294). |
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| Many people spend a couple of days
in Aspen and then hike back either the way they came or via the other
pass. If you rent a car from Aspen and drive over Kebler pass the drive
takes approximately 2.5 hours. If Kebler is closed, it's about 3-4
hours. |
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| Gunnison
Valley Aviation will fly into the Crested Butte airport
and charge approximately $250 per flight and can carry up to 5 people.
Flight departures are weather dependent, but on a clear day
you can count on awesome views of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. |
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| Horseback riding is an option as well. Fantasy
Ranch provides rides
from Crested Butte to Aspen and sometimes back again (call for pricing).
Most horseback trips go over East Maroon Pass, and can take anywhere
from 6-8 hours. |
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| And of course you could always mountain bike to/from Aspen. Neither
East nor West Maroon Pass is open to bikes, as they are both within
the boundaries of the Maroon-Bells Snowmass Wilderness Area. Most bikers
take either Pearl Pass or Taylor Pass, both of which are around 40
miles on rocky, rough roads and take the strongest rider most of the
day. |
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| Everyone should consider the variability
of mountain weather when planning this trip. Most years the trails
are not passable until mid-July, and it's not unusual to encounter
snow in any month, including August. Both passes are above 11,000 ft
and wind and weather can be quite different from the weather at the
trailhead. Be prepared for wet and cold weather with a piece of mid-layer
clothing and a waterproof shell coat. There are several creek crossings.
Water sandals and/or a trekking pole(s) would be helpful. Suitable
footwear for the rest of the hike is a must. The trail is very rocky
in places and can be unavoidably wet. Plenty of water, food and appropriate
first aid materials should not be forgotten. The water along the trail
is not suitable for drinking without treatment. |
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| Hiker's Insurance is a good idea and can be purchased
for a few dollars from any place that sells Fishing/Hunting Licenses.
If you have this certificate, Search and Rescue costs will be covered
if you need their services. |
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| Guide services are available for hiking or mountain
biking. Both Crested Butte
Mountain Guides and Colorado Backcountry
offer hiking and backpacking trips as well as guided mountain bike
rides. Prices vary based on group size. Call to arrange custom trips. |
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| Latitude 40 Aspen/CB/Gunnison Map |
$9.95 |
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| USGS Map: Gothic |
$6.00 |
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| USGS Map: Snowmass Mountain |
$6.00 |
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| USGS Map: Maroon Bells |
$6.00 |
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| Trails Illustrated #128 - Maroon Bells |
$9.95 |
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| Timber, Talus, Tundra by Mary Anne Tarr |
$19.95 |
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| Mountain Bike Crested Butte, Gunnison & Salida Singletrack by Holly Annala |
$14.95 |
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