North Maroon Peak Northeast Ridge

North Maroon Peak is exceptionally dangerous, and one could easily justify calling this the most difficult and dangerous standard 14er route in Colorado. This climb demands serious preparation and should only be attempted by individuals with solid Class 3 and Class 4 climbing skills. Due to constant threats of loose rock, severe fall hazards, and complex route-finding, there is absolutely no room for error. Do not take this peak lightly, and never attempt it as an introduction to mountaineering or Class 4 climbing. 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  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  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  21 to reach the ridge crest near 13,300'  22.

From here, continue a short distance to a rock band at 13,500'  23. This band blocks your easy progress up the ridge, forcing a choice. You can either climb the traditional Class 4 chimney, or opt for a Class 3 line that climbs through a break in the band, roughly 150 feet to the right (west). Many climbers choose the Class 4 chimney, although it has become slightly harder since 2025 because a helpful rock disappeared from the upper portion. To identify the chimney, look for two leaning blocks just above it  24. Begin climbing it  25. If you get partway up and feel uncomfortable, descend and use the Class 3 bypass instead. If you successfully pull through the chimney  26, turn right  27 and walk a short distance before climbing left back to the ridge crest  28. If you choose the Class 3 bypass, remember to turn left after climbing through the rock band. Ascend back toward the ridge crest and onto a precipice, where you'll see the final 300 feet to the summit  29  30. Leave the precipice and climb the ridge's exposed edge, navigating steep ledges  31. Back on easier ground, finish with a short, rocky walk to the summit  32  33,  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.