RMdaytripsgrl - Aug 2, 2009 3:48 pm Date Climbed: Jul 29, 2009
NE Ridge
The route was surprisingly good if you were selective in your path. Planned on doing the N to S traverse, but the weather wasn't cooperating. Thankfully we got well below treeline before the lightning started. Next time it's S to N!
COhawkeye - Mar 18, 2009 1:45 pm Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2008
Traverse
Bells traverse and NE ridge descent. Awesome time on the traverse.
Gareth - Aug 17, 2008 4:21 pm Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2008
NE Ridge
September 2004: I aborted my solo attempt to climb N Maroon at the traverse to the second gully due to the snow falling up high, the rain down low, the upper mountain being obscured in clouds...and a rumble of thunder overhead. I didn't feel like dying that day.
July 2006: Aborted my second attempt, this time with my sister, in the first gully due to the rain that was falling, and the fact that the upper mountain was shrouded by clouds.
August 2008: I returned with my sister and finally made the summit in perfect weather. As we were on the upper NE Ridge, we were dive-bombed by what was likely a golden eagle. This mountain haunts me no more.
vanhorne - Jun 24, 2008 2:16 pm Date Climbed: Jun 21, 2008
bell cord
Perfect weather. Getting down off North maroon was interesting due to the large amount of snow still covering the trail.
Eric Holle - Jun 11, 2008 12:44 am Date Climbed: Jun 9, 2008
What Tim said.....
great training climb with team DBL.
Timothy Pearl - Jun 10, 2008 3:54 pm Date Climbed: Jun 9, 2008
Wow
Climbed the Bell Cord (40-45 degrees)and proceeded to traverse to the N summit with Jim, Eric, and Ben. This traverse was so hairy with snow and ugliness we decided it was best to down-climb the 2000 ft North Face. Ben returned to the Bell Cord with Weston to snowboard down. North face is steep and required face in down-climbing and traversing (50 degrees?). LOCO and stressful but fun. Wow, see my pics before attempting this time of year.
SarahThompson - Mar 28, 2008 9:44 pm Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2005
4x, One of my favorite 14ers
9/11/05 - Climbed the standard route on a chilly day. Took a spill on the way down the steep grassy ledges and bashed my shin worse than I ever have before. I was just happy I didn't start tumbling! Got my adrenaline pumping!
7/29/06 - Re-climbed this peak when I did the classic Maroon Bells traverse.
1/5/13 - 3 day expedition up Snowmass Creek. Climbed west facing couloir to Gunsight Notch and then more or less the NW Ridge to summit. Hell yah!
A lot more enjoyable than its sister to the south. I think I'll return to attempt the traverse.
MountainHikerCO - Feb 13, 2008 9:28 pm Date Climbed: Aug 31, 1997
Weather
This was my second time climbing North Maroon. Some weather came in which drove away thoughts of doing the traverse. We used our rope to rapel a chimney on the way down. That same spot was no problem when it was dry on the way up.
MountainHikerCO - Feb 13, 2008 9:25 pm Date Climbed: Sep 14, 1991
Snow on top
This was my first time climbing North Maroon. The top few hundred feet were covered with snow, which made it easier.
tomlauren - Feb 1, 2008 10:21 pm Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2007
Bells Traverse
From camp at Crater Lake, climbed the South Ridge of South Maroon Peak, performed the traverse to North Maroon Peak, then descended North Maroon's Northeast Ridge back to camp with my friend Keith. Descending North Maroon wasn't too bad except for one gnarly section of down climbing. We stood above that section for a while thinking, "that can't be the way".
Found North Maroon and the traverse to be relatively easy. I rappelled once, not out of necessity, but more because I'd have hated to carry a rope and not use it. Surprisingly, descending South Maroon was the hard part. I must've been off route. There were cairns around me, but the grass was so steep and slick I felt like I needed a "grass axe" to stop myself if I fell.
We did this a few years ago and had a great perfect day. Both of my buddies bagged out before the top. But I climbed with a couple other guys. I have to admit I was pretty scared as the mountain kept getting harder and steeper. But it was well worth it!! We avoided the chimney crux by skirting to the right on the scree field and doing some class 4 ledges. We made it off the mountain before the afternoon rain hit.
we did both the bells on the normal route. My buddy B-fro got sick within a matter of minutes on our way down... he was looking really bad and said that he wouldnt go any further. So we snuggled up under some brush and low lying trees and spent the night right there. felt fine in the morning.
cp0915 - Sep 4, 2007 10:24 am Date Climbed: Sep 2, 2007
Traverse and NE Ridge Descent
With Andy. Quite fun.
There's gravel everywhere along the route, but the climbing rock itself wasn't bad at all. We stayed damn-near true to the crest along the entire traverse, car-to-car'ing the route in 9.5 hours. Solo'd everything.
Oh yeah, route-finding our way off of North Maroon wasn't nearly as bad as we were led to believe. There's an obvious trail for 90% of it.
Talked to a couple of guys who'd done the traverse the day before. Took them 15.5 hours in what they described as perfect weather. Not sure how that's possible.
Gahugafuga - Sep 1, 2007 3:41 pm Date Climbed: Aug 31, 2007
Traverse and NE Ridge Descent
I located the secret 4th class option on the traverse - took 80 minutes w/ very considered route-finding, but way less exposed than the standard crux. Barely beat a storm off N. Maroon - it began to lightly rain as I was downclimbing the crux. I couldn't figure out which slot was the "dihedral", so I downclimbed some easy 5th class arete in the center of the cliff band.
Woodie Hopper - Aug 27, 2007 12:29 am Date Climbed: Sep 26, 2007
South to North Traverse
Took 90 minutes for the traverse. Didn't take a rope. Great weather too- a necessity here. Climbed with Dave and Steve Donaldson.
bernardhohman - Aug 12, 2007 11:00 am Date Climbed: Aug 11, 2007
Fun, fun, fun
Climbed via the traverse. Very busy on the summit--at one point there were about 20 people up there!
sdhager - Aug 2, 2007 12:02 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2007
RMdaytripsgrl - Aug 2, 2009 3:48 pm Date Climbed: Jul 29, 2009
NE RidgeThe route was surprisingly good if you were selective in your path. Planned on doing the N to S traverse, but the weather wasn't cooperating. Thankfully we got well below treeline before the lightning started. Next time it's S to N!
COhawkeye - Mar 18, 2009 1:45 pm Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2008
TraverseBells traverse and NE ridge descent. Awesome time on the traverse.
Gareth - Aug 17, 2008 4:21 pm Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2008
NE RidgeSeptember 2004: I aborted my solo attempt to climb N Maroon at the traverse to the second gully due to the snow falling up high, the rain down low, the upper mountain being obscured in clouds...and a rumble of thunder overhead. I didn't feel like dying that day.
July 2006: Aborted my second attempt, this time with my sister, in the first gully due to the rain that was falling, and the fact that the upper mountain was shrouded by clouds.
August 2008: I returned with my sister and finally made the summit in perfect weather. As we were on the upper NE Ridge, we were dive-bombed by what was likely a golden eagle. This mountain haunts me no more.
vanhorne - Jun 24, 2008 2:16 pm Date Climbed: Jun 21, 2008
bell cordPerfect weather. Getting down off North maroon was interesting due to the large amount of snow still covering the trail.
Eric Holle - Jun 11, 2008 12:44 am Date Climbed: Jun 9, 2008
What Tim said.....great training climb with team DBL.
Timothy Pearl - Jun 10, 2008 3:54 pm Date Climbed: Jun 9, 2008
WowClimbed the Bell Cord (40-45 degrees)and proceeded to traverse to the N summit with Jim, Eric, and Ben. This traverse was so hairy with snow and ugliness we decided it was best to down-climb the 2000 ft North Face. Ben returned to the Bell Cord with Weston to snowboard down. North face is steep and required face in down-climbing and traversing (50 degrees?). LOCO and stressful but fun. Wow, see my pics before attempting this time of year.
SarahThompson - Mar 28, 2008 9:44 pm Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2005
4x, One of my favorite 14ers9/11/05 - Climbed the standard route on a chilly day. Took a spill on the way down the steep grassy ledges and bashed my shin worse than I ever have before. I was just happy I didn't start tumbling! Got my adrenaline pumping!
7/29/06 - Re-climbed this peak when I did the classic Maroon Bells traverse.
1/5/13 - 3 day expedition up Snowmass Creek. Climbed west facing couloir to Gunsight Notch and then more or less the NW Ridge to summit. Hell yah!
8/4/2017 - Traverse from South Maroon.
astrobassman - Mar 20, 2008 8:09 pm
Much better than South MaroonA lot more enjoyable than its sister to the south. I think I'll return to attempt the traverse.
MountainHikerCO - Feb 13, 2008 9:28 pm Date Climbed: Aug 31, 1997
WeatherThis was my second time climbing North Maroon. Some weather came in which drove away thoughts of doing the traverse. We used our rope to rapel a chimney on the way down. That same spot was no problem when it was dry on the way up.
MountainHikerCO - Feb 13, 2008 9:25 pm Date Climbed: Sep 14, 1991
Snow on topThis was my first time climbing North Maroon. The top few hundred feet were covered with snow, which made it easier.
tomlauren - Feb 1, 2008 10:21 pm Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2007
Bells TraverseFrom camp at Crater Lake, climbed the South Ridge of South Maroon Peak, performed the traverse to North Maroon Peak, then descended North Maroon's Northeast Ridge back to camp with my friend Keith. Descending North Maroon wasn't too bad except for one gnarly section of down climbing. We stood above that section for a while thinking, "that can't be the way".
utclimber - Jan 13, 2008 11:24 pm
Bells TraverseI climbed both Bells in a day, doing South Maroon first. The route finding wasn't too hard, and we left the rope in the pack all day.
MattGreene - Dec 1, 2007 9:06 pm
Rang the BellsFound North Maroon and the traverse to be relatively easy. I rappelled once, not out of necessity, but more because I'd have hated to carry a rope and not use it. Surprisingly, descending South Maroon was the hard part. I must've been off route. There were cairns around me, but the grass was so steep and slick I felt like I needed a "grass axe" to stop myself if I fell.
hans.schenk - Sep 23, 2007 12:10 pm
A Perfect scary day...We did this a few years ago and had a great perfect day. Both of my buddies bagged out before the top. But I climbed with a couple other guys. I have to admit I was pretty scared as the mountain kept getting harder and steeper. But it was well worth it!! We avoided the chimney crux by skirting to the right on the scree field and doing some class 4 ledges. We made it off the mountain before the afternoon rain hit.
dr_gonz - Sep 5, 2007 1:40 pm
night on the hillwe did both the bells on the normal route. My buddy B-fro got sick within a matter of minutes on our way down... he was looking really bad and said that he wouldnt go any further. So we snuggled up under some brush and low lying trees and spent the night right there. felt fine in the morning.
cp0915 - Sep 4, 2007 10:24 am Date Climbed: Sep 2, 2007
Traverse and NE Ridge DescentWith Andy. Quite fun.
There's gravel everywhere along the route, but the climbing rock itself wasn't bad at all. We stayed damn-near true to the crest along the entire traverse, car-to-car'ing the route in 9.5 hours. Solo'd everything.
Oh yeah, route-finding our way off of North Maroon wasn't nearly as bad as we were led to believe. There's an obvious trail for 90% of it.
Talked to a couple of guys who'd done the traverse the day before. Took them 15.5 hours in what they described as perfect weather. Not sure how that's possible.
Gahugafuga - Sep 1, 2007 3:41 pm Date Climbed: Aug 31, 2007
Traverse and NE Ridge DescentI located the secret 4th class option on the traverse - took 80 minutes w/ very considered route-finding, but way less exposed than the standard crux. Barely beat a storm off N. Maroon - it began to lightly rain as I was downclimbing the crux. I couldn't figure out which slot was the "dihedral", so I downclimbed some easy 5th class arete in the center of the cliff band.
Woodie Hopper - Aug 27, 2007 12:29 am Date Climbed: Sep 26, 2007
South to North TraverseTook 90 minutes for the traverse. Didn't take a rope. Great weather too- a necessity here. Climbed with Dave and Steve Donaldson.
bernardhohman - Aug 12, 2007 11:00 am Date Climbed: Aug 11, 2007
Fun, fun, funClimbed via the traverse. Very busy on the summit--at one point there were about 20 people up there!
sdhager - Aug 2, 2007 12:02 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2007
Route Climbed: NE RidgeAwesome day! Great climb!