North Maroon Peak

North Maroon is among the most difficult and dangerous standard 14er routes. You should approach it with serious preparation and only attempt it if you have strong Class 3 climbing skills. This climb should not be taken lightly or attempted simply to check it off your list. If you are unsure whether you have the necessary skills or qualified partners, consider hiring a professional guide from Aspen Expeditions. Be cautious of individuals on social media claiming to be guides but lacking proper certifications or affiliation with a reputable guide company. Call the professionals.

Drive to Aspen and locate the start of the Maroon Creek road at a roundabout just west of town. Measuring mileage from there, drive 3.2 miles where you'll pass a ranch. At 4.7 miles, reach the U.S. Forest Service entrance station. Reach the trailhead at 9.5 miles. During summer, the road past the entrance station is closed to cars between 8am and 5pm so if you have a parking permit or getting dropped off, make sure it's outside these hours.

Much of the route up North Maroon can be seen from Maroon Lake ( 1). Start at the trailhead and follow the trail west along the edge of Maroon Lake ( 2). Pass the lake and ascend the Crater Lake trail for about 1.75 miles until you reach a trail junction ( 3). Turn right onto the Maroon-Snowmass trail and continue for another 0.75 miles to the trail junction for North Maroon ( 4). Turn left and descend into Minnehaha Gulch ( 5). Cross the creek and follow the well-defined trail as it zigzags through talus fields ( 6). Near 11,100', turn left beneath cliffs and continue to another talus field ( 7). Around 11,500', reach an open grassy area where North Maroon returns to view ( 8). Continue to the rock glacier at the base of the north face ( 9).

Follow cairns and trail segments onto the rock glacier, aiming for a break in the cliffs on the opposite side ( 10). As you cross, avoid significant elevation changes while following cairns. Beyond the rock glacier, locate a more-defined trail and follow it south around a corner ( 11). Shortly after, turn right and climb 200 feet below cliffs. At 11,950', reach a corner where you can see the next section of the route—a broad gully leading to the northeast ridge ( 12 and  13). From this point forward, this gully will be referred to as the 1ST GULLY . Enter the gully and begin climbing its left side ( 14). Over the next 600 feet, ascend steep Class 2 terrain before exiting left, below the white cliffs visible in  13. Above 12,600', follow the trail left and exit the gully ( 15). Turn another corner and traverse across ledges to reach the entrance to the 2nd GULLY near 12,700' ( 16).

The route becomes more demanding and time-consuming from this point onward. If the weather begins to deteriorate, turn back! The 2nd GULLY is steeper than the 1st, with loose rock and scrambling required near the top. Descend slightly to reach the center of the gully before beginning your ascent ( 17 and  18). Above 12,900', the gully steepens. Follow the faint trail along the left side of the gully, aiming for a notch in the ridge, just left of a prominent hump of rock ( 19). At the notch, turn left and climb through cliff bands ( 20 and  21) to reach the ridge crest near 13,300' ( 22).

From here, continue a short distance to a rock band at 13,500' ( 23). The rock band is the crux of the route and requires climbing a short Class 4 chimney. An alternate Class 3 route exists to the right, but it is longer and involves looser rock, so most climbers prefer the direct route. To identify the chimney, look for two leaning blocks just above it ( 24). Carefully climb the chimney ( 25 and  26). Once above it, turn right and navigate easier terrain before climbing left back to the ridge crest ( 27 and  28). Ascend onto a precipice where you'll see the final 300 feet to the summit ( 29 and  30). Leave the precipice and climb the ridge's exposed edge, navigating steep ledges ( 31). Back on easier ground, finish with a short Class 2 section that takes you to the summit ( 32,  33, and  34). From Pyramid Peak,  35 provides a view of the east side of North Maroon and the route between the 1st and 2nd gullies.

IMPORTANT: This route enters the Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness area. Designated wilderness areas have special regulations and restrictions for party size, dispersed camping, campfires, etc. Also, dog owners should read the wilderness information carefully because some wilderness areas prohibit dogs to be off-leash and/or limit how close dogs can be to lakes and streams. If you have questions about the wilderness area, please contact a U.S. Forest Service office for the National Forest(s) listed above.