Pyramid Peak

Route: view from a watchtower ridge
Posted On: 6/1/2025, By: WillRobnett
Info: Snow coverage through the Ampitheater and above. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 5/10/2025, By: Will_E
Info: Started at the road closure, easy 5 mile walk, took me a hair over 90 minutes. First mile or so up the trail is dry, I put snowshoes on just before branching off towards Pyramid. Didn’t really follow the trail, I made my own way to the amphitheater, snow in the trees was great in the morning, not so great in afternoon. I kept snowshoes on until reaching the ridge, worked well up the steep parts. I used crampons and axe the rest of the way to summit, fortunately the snow was good. Ridge snow was narrow and had some exposure, hardest part was after the notch, I had to kick step everything hard for security. 

Route: lake hike with a view!
Posted On: 3/31/2025, By: WillRobnett
Info: A lot of snow still out there! Photos from hiking the road to Maroon Lake. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 9/30/2024, By: jtfoss1
Info: Dry on all aspects except north. There are viable alternatives on the east, but the snow is easily passable. Should be good as long as temps remain high and there's no significant snow. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 9/26/2024, By: montysep
Info: All clear. Had no need for microspikes axe nada on standard route. What you see from the saddle looking to the summit is what you get. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 9/23/2024, By: Laxer04
Info: The peak got about 3/4 inches of snow Saturday night but it is melting fast. We wore spikes and they were super helpful beyond the amphitheater. I brought my axe and crampons but didn't need them. Saw a family of 5 curious mountain goats. Almost peak fall colors in the aspen area 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 9/15/2024, By: awalters
Info: Absolute perfect conditions, no snow and not a cloud in the sky. Im 5 foot 2 and was nervous about being able to make it over the leap of faith, and was able to not a problem. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 9/9/2024, By: fmv093042
Info: Summer conditions! No snow to cross, even in the amphitheater. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 8/30/2024, By: doeeth
Info: Was following someone else on lead towards the last 1/3 of the scrambling. We acquired a few extra class 4 moves with one brief class 5 move. Would recommend sticking closely to the standard route if possible. Could be kept mostly class 3, as we went down a much easier route. All in all a fantastic day, but if youre not comfy with some difficult moves, take your time up to and above the green wall. Also was a good reminder not to blindly follow another person up a route, as I got pretty scared for a sec. One of my favorite 14ers! Also bring all water you intend to drink, the creek was too deep in the rocks of the amphitheater for one to filter. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 8/19/2024, By: rmcpherson
Info: Extremely enjoyable climb, one of our favorite 14er climbs yet ( 53/58 ). It has everything 14er climbs offer: switchbacks up a headwall through firs, talus hopping, a scree-filled gully, and fun class 4 scrambling through the last 1000 feet of climbing. Definitely appreciated our trekking poles in the gulley, talus hopping, and over the thin snow band in the amphitheater. Amazingly, there were only 4 other people climbing on a Sunday in August, testament I assume to all the road blocks put up to accessing this peak via the Maroon Lakes Trailhead. We had a reservation but never checked in as the office is not open at 4:45 AM. Due to the dearth of climbers, we had no issues with human-caused rockfall, although a mountain goat triggered a major rockfall near the summit as we were ascending, sending several lethal basketball-sized rocks hurtling down the east face, happily not directly above us. Route finding was fairly trivial for this route as it's well-cairned with few false trails. We only referred to the 14ers.com beta once on the ascent. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 8/6/2024, By: the_hare
Info: What a fun route with incredible views!! Note that there are two entrances to the Pyramid turn-off, one closer to Crater Lake and one closer to the Maroon Lake TH, both marked with large cairns. Poles were very helpful for ascending the steep dirt path up to the amphitheater ridge, stashed them at the saddle and used them and microspikes for the trip down. Cairns were plentiful enough for us during the climb up until the last part of the upper ridge where it was just find the most feasible and apparently traveled scramble up. I didnt find any of the problems too crazy at all as one comfortable with bouldering & climbing. Sketchiest part was the green wall, had several grapefruit-sized rocks whiz within feet of us dislodged by careless climbers above. I really do think it is feasible to avoid sending any consequential rocks down at all without sacrificing much time; theres plenty of solid rock to carefully step on and mantle up on, and the most loose rock is very obviously sitting on top of solid rock. It was not difficult to avoid touching these larger loose rocksthis should be made an absolute priority when others are below. Havent seen this mentioned as much but the hike out of the amphitheatre was the second sketchiest part of the whole day. On the way up we navigated to the start of the steep trail to the saddle pretty effortlessly. On the way back, however, the boulderfield seemed much less stable and even the dirt trail west of the rocks was loose and gravelly. Everyone in our party fell multiple times on this terrain. This area seems like the highest risk for injury of the whole route since so many boulders are deceptively unstable and harder to test than potentially loose rocks in class 3 terrain, youre usually off-balance with your body weight moving downhill, its towards the end of a big climb, and it just seems to go on forever. Not sure what a better alternative to these damn rocks would be. Otherwise, this was really a premier climbIm a bit limited in my experience but I havent hiked another 14er with this fun and engaging of an ascent with this great of views! 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 7/28/2024, By: ColoNativeGal
Info: Summer conditions. As reported previously, there is still a snow patch that stretches up the amphitheater and you cross it twice. Simple crossings. Didn't use spikes, but be careful early in the morning for ice depending on storms & overnight temps. I had microspikes and would have preferred to go up the snow in the morning vs talus hopping, but my partner did not. Coming down the snow is soft enough on the top layer, but firm underneath that I don't think the spikes would have helped; crampons for sure would work, but not worth the weight to carry unless you want it. Had several goat guides along the way. Got off route at the beginning of the green wall, ended up too far climbers left in red loose crap. We made our way back to the green wall, found the route and pretty solid (compared to the loose crap) rock. The gpx wasn't exact and it's easy to get off route going up b/c the cairns are hard to see, just remember to stick to the green wall. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 7/24/2024, By: dgriff
Info: Overall the peak is clear and good to go without spikes / ax - there is one very small snow crossing (~20ft) and unfortunately the snow is quite firm so if you slid you could go pretty far but you are able to cross on a very shallow grade (< 5%) where it feels quite comfortable. Overall, the peak is excellent as long as you don't mind grueling vert. Lots of vert going up to the amphithere which is stunning but on nice trail, then on talus but a decent trail throughout, then the 1000ft climb which is unpleasant going up as it is down. The technical section is something to take serious but certainly a tier below Capitol or the Bells and shorter lived. We ended up taking some decently technical terrain on the green wall upwards but just because we couldn't find the cairns -- they were quite easy to follow on the way down which made it significantly easier. Careful with the goats - they are awesome but one definitely intentionally kicked some large rocks. All in all - go have fun if you have the weather window! 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 7/23/2024, By: skeater912
Info: Summer conditions. We carried microspikes and used them in the morning to enable walking up the snow that remains top-to-bottom in the amphitheater, which was more pleasant than the scree - on the descent we walked on the trail in the grass/scree on the hikers left of the snow until near the exit of the amphitheater. Party on Pyramid with quite a few climbers and a buncha goats. IMO the beta on 14ers makes the climbing on the green rock seem like a more substantial part of the climb - we climbed too high on the way in and had a more tedious traverse back onto the route than necessary, as we figured out on the way down. You should be looking to bail left out of the green rock after the initial headwall to gain the cairns high and left. Great day, cool climb. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 7/7/2024, By: happyallyy
Info: Theres still snow once you enter the Amphitheatre and that lasts mostly until you enter the gully to gain the ridge. Spikes and poles were sufficient, I would definitely have spikes as long as the snow is still there. The gully has one little snow patch that is easily avoidable, then from the ridge to the summit is 99% summer conditions. A few inconsequential snow patches that can be avoided or easily crossed. 8 hours RT car to car