This is the most dramatic and awe-inspiring trail I've ever been on -- even better than Peru's Macchu Picchu or New Zealand's Routeburn and Greenstone Treks. The views are stunning from beginning to end:* the Maroon Bells
* West Maroon Pass
* fields of wildflowers so beautiful that Linda and Tom dubbed them "Monet's Meadow"
* willows, tundra, conifer forest, yellow-bellied marmots, spectacular lakes .....
West Maroon Trail photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vickijbrown/sets/72157622232770538/
The trailhead is at the West Maroon Wilderness Portal outside of Aspen. The edge of beautiful Maroon Lake is a popular spot for daytrippers and tourists alike, who come to view and photograph the stunning Maroon Bells -- North Maroon Peak (14,014' high) and South Maroon Peak (14,156' high).
Hikers and backpackers start the West Maroon Trail at about 9,500 feet, walking 1.8 miles and climbing about 500 feet to reach stunning Crater Lake (10,076').
After Crater Lake, the trail follows the course of the West Maroon Creek for about 3 miles, going through forest, a rocky scree field, several stream crossings, willows, then tundra. Along this stretch, while in the forest, we actually hiked past the Maroon Bells on ourright (to the West), but we couldn't see them from this angle.
When we hit treeline, it started thundering and lightning and pouring heavily. We suited up and put on our pack covers and entered the open area, hoping for the best. The rain eventually ceased as we were within eyesight of the pass. Here the trail climbs steeply. The last portion of the trail can be a killer if you're suffering from the altitude as I was (I half-jokingly dubbed this section "The Long March" as I had difficulty catching my breath at
that altitude).The views from the pass are spectacular all around. We met Andy and his sister, who were training for the Pike's Peak marathon in a few weeks. They were running the trail!
The wildflowers on the Aspen side of the pass were plentiful. We saw fireweed, paintbrush, lupine, larkspur and many varieties of aster. But the wildflowers on the other side of West Maroon Pass (the south side) were exceptional. So much so that we dubbed it "Monet's Meadow". The profusion of flowers was simply breathtaking. We seemed to catch it at just the right time. It's said that prime wildflower season in the Snowmass-West Maroon Wilderness area is the 2-4 weeks between mid-July and mid-August.
Special thanks to my good friend JC Brigham who planned and organized the trip! She not only picked the perfect time of year for wildflowers, but also wisely arranged for us to rest for a day in the quaint western town of Crested Butte before doing the hike all over again, in reverse, to get back to our car in Aspen.
We arranged our taxi at trail's end in Crested Butte through Alpine Express in Gunnison. The driver and former mayor of CB both helped us find the house we rented (we mysteriously had the incorrect address, but thanks to smartphone technology and email, pulled up a photo of the front of the house, which the ex-mayor immediately recognized!). Sweet sweet people!
A word of advice -- take a break for a day or two before doing the return trip. Your body will thank you! Plus, Crested Butte is a delight!
12 miles, ~3,400 foot elevation gain
Summit: West Maroon Pass, 12,050 feet
Route: West Maroon Trail
7-1/2 hrs. total (5-1/2 hrs to pass; 2 hours from pass to end of trail)
