Snowmass Mountain Trip Report 08/12/2016

Peak(s):	Snowmass Mountain - 14,105 feet North Maroon Peak - 14,022 feet
Date Posted:	08/12/2016
Date Climbed:	07/23/2016
Author:	Stiffler_from_Denver

Bagging Some Elks by Buckskin
Ascent party: Stiffler_from_Denver; Exiled Michigander; BCNPatrick Itinerary: Day 1: Left Snowmass Creek Trailhead at elevation 8,400 ft. at 4:15pm and hiked 8 miles and camped about a 1/4 mile below Snowmass Lake by 8:30pm at 10,800 ft. Day 2: Left camp at 5:30am and summited Snowmass via the East Slopes around 11:30am. Day 3: Broke camp near Snowmass Lake at 10am and hiked over Buckskin Pass and started up the standard approach to North Maroon and made camp. Day 4: Left camp at 5am and summited North Maroon at 9:30am. Descended via Maroon Lake and drove back to Snowmass Creek Trailhead to pick up Jeep and got to Aspen Brewing by 3pm. A few miles into the standard Snowmass Creek Approach you will hike through some beautiful Aspens. About 6 miles up the approach to Snowmass Lake you come across the log jam. There were some good camp spots around this location. If you are tired of hauling a heavy pack, this is a good place to camp. Otherwise you need to push another 1.5 miles up some steeper switch backs before you get to other viable camp sites. In the morning of day two, we hiked up to Snowmass Lake and filtered water and got some great photos of Hagerman Peak, Snowmass, and Snowmass Lake. The next photo shows the route up the East Slopes of Snowmass taken from Snowmass Lake. We climbed with ice axes so we were able to take a more direct line up the snowfield near the summit. This allowed us to bypass a lot of the loose dangerous rock on the ridge. The path through the willows around the left side of the lake requires some patience in the early morning because there are a few trails that lead away from the Lake. We actually were a little higher than we needed to be on one of those trails and had to down climb back toward the lake at one point on the ascent. The next photo looks back down to Snowmass Lake near the steep, loose section of the climb. There isn't a good sustainable trail during this steep section. So you'll have to push through this part. The steep scree from 11,300 to 12,000 feet was the least enjoyable section of this route. The next photo shows Stiffler_From_Denver gaining the ridge below the summit by climbing the snow field. When you take the more direct variation route up the snow field, you don't have much of the ridge to navigate before you're on the summit. Here's the obligatory Snowmass summit shot of Exiled Michigander and Stiffler_From_Denver. We met a group of climbers what had various skill levels between them: some with many 14er summits and one young lady who had only done one easy class 1 summit before attempting Snowmass. We were disappointed to see that the so-called experienced hikers that brought her up Snowmass quickly hiked ahead and left the newer hiker to route-find and tackle Snowmass's loose exposed ridge on her own. So just a reminder to climbers out there to stay together and be cognizant about introducing new climbers to the rotten Elk range rock. The next photo shows the Exiled Michigander beginning his descent down the steep snowfield with an ice axe. Again, this route should only be done with an ice axe. Here's Exiled Michigander starting to descent the top of the snow The snowfield gave up some good spots to glissade safely with our axes. Exiled Michigander takes a break and admires the scenery and wild flowers. After a successful summit of Snowmass, we chilled around the lake for bit before heading back to camp for some dehydrated beef stroganoff and some camping. The next day we broke camp and made the trip over Buckskin Pass to position ourselves for a summit attempt on North Maroon for the following day. Here's a great view looking back at Snowmass from Buckskin. You get great views of Maroon from Buckskin Pass. We had to drop down below 11,000 feet to reach the turn off for the North Maroon trail. We continued up to about 11,500 where there are a few good places to camp and a lot of intrigued mountain goats. The steep talus section around 11,200 has a number of very well-constructed stone stairs. Camping this high up allowed us to start at the boulder field first thing and get to the first gulley and the real climbing very early on. The following morning, we met BNCPatrick at our camp at 11,500 feet at 5am who had left the parking lot at Maroon Lake at 3am. So we were crossing the boulder field in the dark and made the turn to start up the first gulley right around 6am. This photo looks down the second gulley. After route-finding up the first and second gulleys, there is still a lot of fun climbing remaining before the summit. Above the second gulley you'll discover the class 4 chimney move. Above the chimney move you still have to contend with that loose Elk rock but you get great views of Capitol and Snowmass. Summit photo of BNCPatrick, Stiffler_From_Denver, and Exiled Michigander with Snowmass and Capitol in the background. Some more photos of the steep descent Thoughts: Snowmass and North Maroon were my 42nd and 43rd 14ers. Of all my 14er trips, this one left me feeling the most accomplished because I had been nervous about these two for some time given each's ability to cause injury or worse. It's hard to find more breath-taking views than the beautiful sights I saw on Snowmass, Buckskin Pass and North Maroon. This was a great way to knock out two Elk Range 14ers and get to see part of the 4-Pass Loop trail. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Bagging Some Elks by Buckskin

Ascent party: Stiffler_from_Denver; Exiled Michigander; BCNPatrick

Itinerary:
Day 1: Left Snowmass Creek Trailhead at elevation 8,400 ft. at 4:15pm and hiked 8 miles and camped about a 1/4 mile below Snowmass Lake by 8:30pm at 10,800 ft.
Day 2: Left camp at 5:30am and summited Snowmass via the East Slopes around 11:30am.
Day 3: Broke camp near Snowmass Lake at 10am and hiked over Buckskin Pass and started up the standard approach to North Maroon and made camp.
Day 4: Left camp at 5am and summited North Maroon at 9:30am. Descended via Maroon Lake and drove back to Snowmass Creek Trailhead to pick up Jeep and got to Aspen Brewing by 3pm.

A few miles into the standard Snowmass Creek Approach you will hike through some beautiful Aspens.

About 6 miles up the approach to Snowmass Lake you come across the log jam. There were some good camp spots around this location. If you are tired of hauling a heavy pack, this is a good place to camp. Otherwise you need to push another 1.5 miles up some steeper switch backs before you get to other viable camp sites.

In the morning of day two, we hiked up to Snowmass Lake and filtered water and got some great photos of Hagerman Peak, Snowmass, and Snowmass Lake.

The next photo shows the route up the East Slopes of Snowmass taken from Snowmass Lake. We climbed with ice axes so we were able to take a more direct line up the snowfield near the summit. This allowed us to bypass a lot of the loose dangerous rock on the ridge.

The path through the willows around the left side of the lake requires some patience in the early morning because there are a few trails that lead away from the Lake. We actually were a little higher than we needed to be on one of those trails and had to down climb back toward the lake at one point on the ascent.

The next photo looks back down to Snowmass Lake near the steep, loose section of the climb. There isn't a good sustainable trail during this steep section. So you'll have to push through this part. The steep scree from 11,300 to 12,000 feet was the least enjoyable section of this route.

The next photo shows Stiffler_From_Denver gaining the ridge below the summit by climbing the snow field.

When you take the more direct variation route up the snow field, you don't have much of the ridge to navigate before you're on the summit.

Here's the obligatory Snowmass summit shot of Exiled Michigander and Stiffler_From_Denver.

We met a group of climbers what had various skill levels between them: some with many 14er summits and one young lady who had only done one easy class 1 summit before attempting Snowmass. We were disappointed to see that the so-called experienced hikers that brought her up Snowmass quickly hiked ahead and left the newer hiker to route-find and tackle Snowmass's loose exposed ridge on her own. So just a reminder to climbers out there to stay together and be cognizant about introducing new climbers to the rotten Elk range rock.

The next photo shows the Exiled Michigander beginning his descent down the steep snowfield with an ice axe. Again, this route should only be done with an ice axe.
Here's Exiled Michigander starting to descent the top of the snow

The snowfield gave up some good spots to glissade safely with our axes.

Exiled Michigander takes a break and admires the scenery and wild flowers.

After a successful summit of Snowmass, we chilled around the lake for bit before heading back to camp for some dehydrated beef stroganoff and some camping.

The next day we broke camp and made the trip over Buckskin Pass to position ourselves for a summit attempt on North Maroon for the following day. Here's a great view looking back at Snowmass from Buckskin.

You get great views of Maroon from Buckskin Pass.

We had to drop down below 11,000 feet to reach the turn off for the North Maroon trail. We continued up to about 11,500 where there are a few good places to camp and a lot of intrigued mountain goats. The steep talus section around 11,200 has a number of very well-constructed stone stairs.

Camping this high up allowed us to start at the boulder field first thing and get to the first gulley and the real climbing very early on.
The following morning, we met BNCPatrick at our camp at 11,500 feet at 5am who had left the parking lot at Maroon Lake at 3am. So we were crossing the boulder field in the dark and made the turn to start up the first gulley right around 6am.

This photo looks down the second gulley.

After route-finding up the first and second gulleys, there is still a lot of fun climbing remaining before the summit. Above the second gulley you'll discover the class 4 chimney move.

Above the chimney move you still have to contend with that loose Elk rock but you get great views of Capitol and Snowmass.

Summit photo of BNCPatrick, Stiffler_From_Denver, and Exiled Michigander with Snowmass and Capitol in the background.

Some more photos of the steep descent

Thoughts:
Snowmass and North Maroon were my 42nd and 43rd 14ers. Of all my 14er trips, this one left me feeling the most accomplished because I had been nervous about these two for some time given each's ability to cause injury or worse. It's hard to find more breath-taking views than the beautiful sights I saw on Snowmass, Buckskin Pass and North Maroon. This was a great way to knock out two Elk Range 14ers and get to see part of the 4-Pass Loop trail.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

Exiled Michigander	Closing In 8/12/2016 4:13pm There's a Basho poem that goes: In Kyoto, hearing the cuckoo, I long for Kyoto. That's exactly how I feel about this part of Colorado . . . even when I'm there I long to be there. Oh, and I think Basho was also the guy who said a flute without holes is not a flute and a donut without holes is a danish. Great trip, old friend.
BCNPatrick	Hmmmm... 8/12/2016 8:11pm I thought a flute without holes was a churro? Great climbing with you guys...looking forward to the finale next year!
gwheel9	Snowmass 2/17/2017 10:19pm When camping at Snowmass, what would you say the temp was over night? I'll be there in late August, wondering how cool it may get for sleeping. Thoughts on best place to camp the night before climbing Snowmass? Enjoyed your write up, thank you for sharing.

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