The Maroon Bells, the line of several purplish peaks in the
Elk Range southwest of Aspen, are probably the most iconic image of Colorado . I
agree that they’re one of the most beautiful views in one of the prettiest
areas of the state. They are, in fact, so popular that nowadays in summer the
road to the viewpoint at Maroon Lake is blocked off just above Aspen and you
can only get there by shuttle bus, a system that’s also started to be used in
some national parks. Then in winter the road is closed for the season and the
only way in is via snowmobile or cross country skis. The area around the Maroon
Bells, though, is part of White River National Forest rather than a national
park, but the land away from the roads is preserved as Maroon Bells Wilderness
Area.

I’ve been up the road to where it ends at Maroon Lake at
least once before. The time I recall best was on a summer road trip in 1994
with my parents back before the shuttle bus system was instituted. I recall it
as being very pretty, but the problem with the summer months in the mountains in
Colorado is that significant cloud cover builds up by noon on most days and
there are frequent afternoon thunderstorms . I find you don’t get the full
effect when the mountains are in the shadow of clouds.

That makes Autumn a great time to go to the area. The skies
are typically clearest and the changing colors of the aspens and willows create
an especially sharp contrast against the blue sky, purple mountains, and deep
green conifer trees. And yes, this may be where “Purple Mountain Majesty” comes
from. The Maroon Bells get their name because they actually do have a somewhat
purplish hue to them. And that’s the case all the time in sunshine or cloud and
at all times of day, not just in low light at sunset when many mountains take
on that appearance.

The Maroon Bells Wilderness is popular for backpacking
because several four to five-day loop trips are possible over the passes and
into several other valleys. I’m not quite that adventurous on this trip, but
doing so might be an option for the future. 
My plan is just for a long day hike – to see how far I can get up the
valley toward West Maroon Pass while still being able to get back to my car
within daylight .

The area is also popular for mountain climbing and having
three of Colorado’s 54 fourteeners- Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak (the two Maroon
“Bells”) and Pyramid Peak across the valley. They’re three fourteeners I have
not climbed and perhaps never will because they’re considered to be among the
most difficult of the fourteeners and potentially the most dangerous because of
exposure and weak crumbly rock. I have to admit I’m not all that much of an
adventurer.

Anyway, I drove up to the end of the road at Maroon Lake
around mid-morning on what must have been one of the most gorgeous days ever at
the peak of fall color season. The first part of the hike climbs up quite
steeply for a mile or two and at least 500 feet elevation gain to the shores of
Crater Lake, mostly through brilliant aspen groves. This stretch of the trail
was fairly busy at a naturally popular time of year. Crater Lake sits directly below
the Maroon Bells and perhaps offers the most classic photo spots of the peaks .

As I hiked farther up the West Maroon Creek Valley I had it
mostly to myself, passing only a few backpackers and a handful of the more
adventurous day hikers. Although not
technically above timberline (there are trees on the slopes above the valley
floor) the valley is mostly quite open with stunning views all along the way. I
love hikes with a view and particularly those high up on a ridge, but walking
through an open valley in good weather surrounded by high peaks can be almost
as an ethereal experience.

I think it was around 3:00 or so in the afternoon when I
stopped in a willow grove somewhere short of the pass to have my last snack
before turning around. It probably walked about six or seven miles up valley,
so if I wanted to get back to Maroon Lake before dusk it would necessarily be
time to turn around. And that would be a smart idea even though I had my
headlight with me. Walking in the woods in the dark is not fun!

This little day hike convinced me that one of the things I
really need to do in Colorado is return to the Maroon Bells Wilderness and do a
full four or five day “grown up” backpacking trek . I may not ever climb the
Maroon Bells, but I’m certainly capable of a long distance trek around them.