Once through it rises sharply into a coniferous forest that breaks across an avalanche-cleared slope to the second ford back to the east side (6.45 miles : 10,235’). Article from 14erskiers.com. if (typeof adsbygoogle.requestNonPersonalizedAds === 'undefined') { Once the aspen groves have been explored, hiking along Maroon Creek is one of my favorite things to do on the trail. East Maroon Pass is located 9.7 miles from East Maroon Portal in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. In approximately 1 mile is Aspen Highlands, turn left here for the shuttle. The shuttle runs Friday-Sunday as described above. The end of the East Maroon Pass section ends at a trail head just above the small town of Gothic, so we had arranged a pick up with Alpine Express to take us into Crested Butte at the end of the hike. Views from the pass extend west to Treasure Mountain. .main-inner .columns { Stay vigilant, as the trail braids in several places and makes a key right turn at a potentially unmarked point (7.7 miles : 10,935’). (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); You can contact ProTrails directly through our Facebook or Instagram accounts. // See https://www.blogger.com/go/adspersonalization _width: 930px; Visitors from 9am - 5pm must park at Aspen Highlands Village Parking Lot and take the Shuttle Bus to the trailhead. Group size is limited to 10 individuals (or 15 with people +. right: 360px; Trail Map .content-outer, .content-fauxcolumn-outer, .region-inner { East Maroon Pass Gap. Get all the details you need about hiking East Maroon Pass, a lesser traveled route! The Maroon Bells Scenic Area is a recreation fee area; there is a mandatory fee. Get all the details you need about hiking East Maroon Pass, a lesser traveled route! We also lost the trail a number of times due to large debris fields. adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []; The trail continues steadily in a pleasant but nondescript subalpine forest on sections of the old road. Vehicle shuttles between Crested Butte and Aspen for recreation on West Maroon Pass, East Maroon Pass, Pearl Pass or for any other reason you need to get a car between these two towns. Campfires are not permitted above or within .25 miles (440 yards) of treeline, or within 100' of any trail, lake or stream. body { min-width: 930px; East Maroon Pass: We talked to folks back in early July that were hiking East Maroon Pass around the same time that some of the first folks were hiking West Maroon. 11827 ft. (3605 m.) Topographic Map. The shortest option between Mt. East Maroon Trail over East Maroon Pass in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Aspen, CO – Hard – 10.5 Miles – Hike, Run, Horseback Ride, Dog Friendly – Rocky/Dirt East Maroon Trail #1983 is a difficult trail you can hike, run, and horseback ride that is dog friendly. This trail is a moderate climb through the valley below Pyramid Peak. .main-inner .fauxcolumn-center-outer { Veering left keeps you on a clear path that fades above treeline on the east side of the valley, heading toward Copper Pass. Anyone who is interested in visiting East Maroon Pass can print the free topographic map and street map using the link above. .main-inner .column-left-outer { East Maroon Pass is located in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area of the Gunnison National Forest near Crested Butte, Colorado. } Hiked it on 8-6-19. min-width: 930px; I would check with the forest service to see if they plan to clear any more of the debris fields this season. .main-inner .fauxcolumn-left-outer { While West Maroon is the more common popular of the two, it is a bit steeper compared to the East Maroon route. } Print Trail Locality Latitude Longitude Distance Bearing; High & Mighty Occurrence, Elk Mountain Mining District (Snowmass Mountain Mining District), Gunnison Co., Colorado, USA It climbs steeply to a long, open arc across a talus slope (7.0 miles : 10,605'). Things got better when we got close to the pass, but we lost about 3-4 hours getting through all the debris. Cross a small stream and continue heading right on the main trail as several false trails go off to the left. width: 360px; Look for moose in beaver-dammed oxbows below. The $10 access fee still applies. East Maroon Pass (11,820 ft) is a mountain pass in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness accessed along the East Maroon Trail. The pass is located on a ridge at the head of the valley above a huge basin rimmed with maroon cliffs and clad in emerald meadows sprinkled with wildflower. margin-left: -0; Follow Maroon Creek Road to the turnoff for East Maroon Portal. On your first day, hike over East Maroon Pass, to East Maroon Creek. Bears are active in this berry-lined corridor. Trailhead access is by shuttle bus with fee from mid-June to early October with some exceptions (eg horse trailers and people with babies in car carriers). GPS Coordinates. From Highway 82 in Aspen, follow the roundabout 1 mile NW of town onto Maroon Creek Road. } Hikers looking for a longer, less crowded option can take the 14-mile route over East Maroon Pass. I bet conditions are similar to West Maroon. This is a … The trail to West Maroon Pass starts at the East Fork trailhead. } min-width: 0; right: 100%; East Maroon Pass is displayed on the Maroon Bells USGS quad topo map. North America Travel . Timber thins as you turn NW and cross the top of East Maroon Creek (8.5 miles) to a large basin under the pass (8.8 miles). If you can drive your own vehicle up there is a fee but it is waived with the National Park Pass. min-width: 0; Tell us when your experience with this trail happened. Comments. Trip Reports Directions from Aspen: From mid-June through September, Maroon Creek Road is closed to vehicle traffic from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., you will need to take a shuttle. Keep right at all braids and forks that lead NW across the valley. } The shuttle lea All photos and maps may be freely used for non-commercial purposes when accompanied with a caption giving credit to gjhikes.com. Slideshow of the hike up to East Maroon Pass in the Maroon Bells Wilderness Area of the Gunnison National Forest near Crested Butte, Colorado. Prices start $250 for each vehicle. width: 0; width: 0; The trail provides passage between the towns of Crested Butte and Aspen by connecting the Copper Creek trail, on the Crested Butte side of the mountains, with the East Maroon trail on the Aspen side. Look for a short wooden sign underneath the brush and take the right fork toward West Maroon Pass. You will pass Aspen High school and Aspen Highlands Ski Area on the way to the Maroon Bells Welcome Station, Independence Pass (Highway 82) is normally open from Memorial Day through mid-October, weather dependant. It also joins Triangle Pass (via Copper Basin) and the Conundrum Creek valley to form a compelling backpacking loop. 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. This is the longest hike of the trip, and features the most breathtaking scenery as well. East Maroon Pass is arguably the easiest thru-hike route to Crested Butte, though it lacks the high alpine charisma of West Maroon Pass (12,465’). --> min-width: 0; One of the best valleys I've ever hiked from Maroon Lake to the Pass You can cutoff about 1.2 miles if you get dropped off early in the morning in a left pullout around a large bend in the road before Maroon Lake (see the map). max-width: 930px; Find raspberries tucked in the rocks, and good views of Pyramid Peak and adjacent ridges that form the west valley wall. If you are planning an event during these … Though maps indicate a clear split, it’s very easy to miss. This is a great option if seeking solitude apart from the busy 4 Pass Loop network. .main-inner .fauxcolumn-right-outer { but separates from the main trail about 3 miles before Maroon Lake. For acclimation purposes its' about 10.5 miles up to East Maroon Pass which is about 11,800 ft, so a more gradual climb to the pass. margin-right: -360px; 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. adsbygoogle.requestNonPersonalizedAds = 1; } Use the self-pay station just past the Welcome Station if no attendant is on duty. The Interagency, Senior & Golden Acess Passes are honored. Follow the trail as it heads east through spruce trees along the north side of the East Fork of the Crystal River. Ask the bus driver to drop you off at East Maroon Trailhead. parseInt("360px") + 'px'); width: 800px; Mild grades and terrain make this is a great trail run, and an ideal place to train for more challenging runs such as the 4 Pass Loop. Get all the details you need about hiking East Maroon Pass, a lesser traveled route!. West Maroon Pass is straight ahead. Volume can be swift across each at peak runoff – anticipate knee high+ water. The same parking rules and car fees apply for the East Maroon Creek trailhead. The East Maroon Creek - East Maroon Portal Trailhead is located 6.2 miles west of Highway 82 on the south side of Maroon Creek Road. Trail: East Maroon Creek #1983 Region: Maroon Creek Valley Difficulty: difficult ... Take the right fork to East Maroon Pass (the left goes to Copper Pass, Triangle Pass and Conundrum Hot Springs). Be bear-aware, especially late summer and early fall along the first 3 miles. 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