7/5/2018 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 7/7/2018, By: jonandmalia Info: No problems all the way up. Snow at chimney is a non-issue. Excellent views! |
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6/23/2018 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 6/23/2018, By: yaktoleft13 Info: Route is nearly in summer condition. Three snowfields above 13.3k, including one that leads to the base of the crux chimney. I didn't use traction or an ice axe. Otherwise, route is in great shape |
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5/26/2018 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 5/28/2018, By: Zach Eiten Info: Bell Cord Couloir is in pretty good condition. Large sunups and the runnels are about 4-5 ft. deep in areas. There are also some bergschrunds to be aware of that are large enough for you to be swallowed up by if you aren't careful. Now the traverse on the other hand.... the three difficulties are all dry which is nice, but a few parts of the ruminating ridge are covered by absolutely garbage sugar snow. Caution should be taken crossing any snow covered areas. The snow is deep enough to conceal the loose rocks beneath, but not consolidated at all which leads to it sloughing off completely iff you look at it wrong. This includes the descent down the North Ridge Route of North Maroon. The snow proved for extremely slow moving due to the dangerous runout in the case you fall/ slip. Know the North West Ridge Route to a tee before descending! Many areas were deceiving due to random cairns, goat paths, and snow fields obscuring the route. |
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5/26/2018 Route: Bells Traverse Posted On: 5/29/2018, By: Randy1983 Info: Leaving the saddle, continuing the route from South Maroon the rock is for the most part completely dry. Some shadowy areas have some snow but it is avoidable. Route is fairly easy to follow and nicely marked by cairns. There was one snow patch that we couldn't avoid right before heading up the head wall to the summit. Took our time here and made sure every step was solid before making the next moves. Snow here was very rotten and warm. Final ascent to the summit was easy to avoid the snow up the standard route. We descended the northeast ridge down the two gullies. The upper portion of the ridge is still heavily snow covered and we kept crampons on even down to roughly 11,000'. The snow on the ridge was stable enough to kick into in a few areas but many areas were very rotten. We were able to glissade a few sections of the gullies. Lots of melt and mud though all the way to treeline. Post-holing nightmare the lower we got until we reached the forest around 10,700' and started bushwhacking our way to camp 8. |
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5/25/2018 Route: Bells Traverse Posted On: 5/26/2018, By: ScreeSurfer Info: Climbed the Northwest ridge route by way of the Trigger Finger couloir followed by the traverse to South Maroon and descent of the Bell Ringer couloir. Approach is pretty much dry until the Minnehaha Creek crossing and then you will be on snow until the ridge. The snow conditions were perfect with crampons on the snowfield below the North Face and up the Couloir. The traverse was dry except for one ten foot section of snow which did not require traction. The summit of South Maroon is covered with snow and there is some snow with cornicing as you descend to the South. The snow on the descent couloir was softening up at 10am but was very supportive the entire way down using crampons and and downclimbing facing into the mountain. Went directly through the short canyon midway down as it contained firm snow through out. In my opinion, the Bells are in great condition for Memorial day weekend. Photo 1: Evening view from Maroon Lake Photo 2: Looking up near creek crossing Photo 3: Trigger Finger and Gunsight Couloirs Photo 4: Looking down from top of Couloir on ridge Photo 5: Traverse towards South Maroon Photo 6: Traverse looking back towards North Maroon Photo 7: Looking at South Maroon descent from Pyramid West Gully |
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5/18/2018 Route: Traverse, NW Ridge, others Posted On: 5/18/2018, By: Eli Boardman Info: Traverse: I did the traverse this morning, leaving S Maroon around 7:30 and summiting N Maroon around 9. All 3 crux rock bands are more or less dry. However, passing the 2nd tower requires traversing 45+ degree snow in a no-fall zone. This section is serious right now and should not be underestimated. I only used crampons and axe on that section of the traverse. The final climb to N Maroon is also dry. Northwest Ridge: I descended the northwest ridge to the gunsight couloir. The ridge has enough snow to make crampons and an axe a good idea. The gunsight couloir is in decent condition except for a sizable cornice. I don't recommend this route until the cornice falls. I descended it around 10:30 and the snow was just right for kicking steps. Other routes: I saw a boot track on the N face, not sure when it was put in. The NE ridge (standard route) is very snowy and looked sketchy; I didn't see any tracks going that way yet. |
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12/28/2017 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 12/29/2017, By: soloclimber97 Info: Road to Maroon lake is completely packed down from all the snowmobiles, so no need for snowshoes to get to the lake. Getting to the trail junction just before crater lake would be tough w/o snow shoes (a lot of post-holing). I made it past the rock glacier and continued across the face of N Maroon, I ended up turning around before entering the first gully around 12k. Snow was not in good shape and I felt it wasn't worth continuing. I'll probably go back and take Bell Cord. |
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9/24/2017 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 9/26/2017, By: bmcqueen Info: It snowed a few inches Saturday afternoon, so we found 2-3 inches in the first and second gullies and up to 6" on the north slopes up high on the ridge Sunday. The crux was giving me problems, so went to the Class 3 bypass on the right. That was tougher in snow also. Without crampons, it would have been a no go. |
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9/12/2017 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 9/12/2017, By: Elkmtns17 Info: The Bells got some new snow last night. I was hoping that North Maroon may still be hike able today. I set out around 530am. The initial approach had some puddles but nothing serious. I hiked through the first gully which had some wet rock and mud but nothing I couldn't hike through. Upon completing the first gully and traversing to the second gully I passed a guide and his client on their way down. He told me that the second gully was really wet. He said hiking up it may be manageable but going down would be the problem. He said they had decided to turn back at that point. I took his advice and kept on hiking with the idea in mind that I would be turning around. Around 12,600 feet I was at the second gully. It was covered in snow and melting fast. The conditions were less than ideal and looked very hazardous. I decided to take the guides advice and turn back myself. Going down the first gully was pretty slick and muddy. At that point I knew I had made the right choice. The trail conditions are less than ideal. |
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8/19/2017 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 8/21/2017, By: Kevo Info: Ideal conditions. The route is dry and in good condition the from the stream crossing to the summit. N Maroon felt way more solid than Pyramid in terms of rock quality. |
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7/16/2017 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 7/17/2017, By: PeteHunter83 Info: NE standard route can now be done without bringing traction. Water crossing before the boulder field is a bit deep but can be done without water past the ankles. A pole is real helpful. The snow at the traverse out of the rock glacier is easily avoidable. May have to make 1 or 2 steps in it at the narrow spot. Gully 1 and 2 are clear of snow (1 itty bitty patch climbers left near the top gully 2). There is snow leading up to the crux and a small patch of ice at the start. Snow is mostly avoidable but your feet may be wet for the start of the crux climb and will have to start on the ice. The precipice has snow on it still but it is flat and easy going. The few patches of snow from there to the summit are avoidable. |
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5/24/2017 Route: North Face Posted On: 5/25/2017, By: sstratta Info: Very thin conditions in the second cliff band and weird snow from the most recent storm, but still skiable |
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4/13/2017 Route: N face Posted On: 4/14/2017, By: lodgling Info: N face is in great condition -- still holding cold stable snow. Punk rock band easy to navigate around on skis. Road still gated at the ranch and dry for the first few miles. |
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12/22/2016 Route: NW Ridge Posted On: 12/24/2016, By: Yikes Info: Very long hike in, but good conditions on the mountain. While the Sawatch apparently has deep sugar, Aspen snow is pretty manageable. |
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9/28/2016 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 9/29/2016, By: crazymarmot Info: "Technical" season has started. Below 13k was plenty of mud which made it for a slippery climb. Above 13k snow/ice started. Snow consistency was sugar with depth anywhere from 3" to mid-calf deep. Due to consistency and depth, crampons are little help since you sink right to the ground, while without them it is very slippery. Ice axes were really nice. Punk rock band crux: Technical - All the holds are covered in ice/snow. Downclimbing is nearly impossible at this time, and due to it's shady location I do not see a possibility of the ice leaving till next spring. Rope is a must for most (unless you can downclimb using tools - not recommended), and highly suggesting to pitch out this section on the way up. I did climb it without a rope with a spotter, I would have been a lot more comfortable pitching this out. New sling is placed on top of this section. Please remember to inspect it for integrity and animal/weather/abrasion damage. BONUS: Downclimbed a good section (about 400-500 vert) of the ridge between the summit and "Gunsight". Snow amount was negligible, easy to avoid. Can not report on the rest of the route, but my gut feeling tells me there probably isn't much snow/ice on this ridge. Not sure on the full beta of the route, make sure you can climb up/down to Gunsight. Good luck! |
