The Four Pass Loop is an iconic 26-mile circumnavigation around the Maroon Bells that, as the name suggests, climbs four passes that top out above 12,000 feet. People complete the loop in as little as a few hours of trail running but more commonly, complete it as a backpacking trip over 2-3 nights.
Unfortunately, the secret is out about this stunning loop. In the last few years, overcrowding in the delicate environment that the trail traverses reached a breaking point. The United States Forest Service implemented a reservation system that has made it much less crowded but harder to secure a permit unless you book months in advance. Fortunately, Aspen Expeditions has all the permitting covered if you book through us.
Last August, I had the pleasure of guiding a great guest around the loop over my preferred, relaxed timeframe of 4 days and 3 nights. Join me for a recounting of this stunning trip.
Day 0:
The day before, we meet at our guide shop at the base of Aspen Highlands. We go through our group and individual gear, discuss the route, and most importantly, review the food we will be bringing. We decide that we will meet at 11am the next day to set off for our adventure.
Day 1:
After one last review of our packing list, we jump into my car and drive up the winding road to the Maroon Bells Wilderness portal. Dodging the numerous E-bikers heading up to the Maroon Bells poses a challenge while driving up the 9-mile road from the base of Aspen Highlands. Parking is heavily restricted at the Maroon Bells so most people reserve a spot on a shuttle bus or bike, as no reservation is needed for bikers. Fortunately for us, we are able to drive straight to the trailhead.
Once we arrive to Maroon Lake, we park and shoulder our packs. My back adjusts to the weight of the freshly packed backpack and I remind myself that it will only get lighter as we hike and eat our way through the trip.
We deploy our hiking poles and stroll along the shore of the iconic Maroon Lake. The views of the Maroon Bells and Pyramid are stunning, it’s no wonder they are claimed to be the most photographed peaks in the lower 48. Around the lake the trail is a wide gravel path and there are swarms of people enjoying the late morning views.
We then start the rocky, heavily used mile and half trail up to Crater Lake. As we hike through the Aspen covered trail, we pass numerous people who marvel at our backpacks.
We reach Crater Lake and take in the even more magnificent views of the Bells. They jump straight up above us with their snow graced peaks. As we walk past Crater Lake, the crowds begin to thin out as we pass most of the day trippers turn around points.
After Crater Lake, we begin the trek up the West Maroon Trail. The trail winds up the long gradual valley. We cross the river a few times and wind through thick willow bushes. We start sweating as the climb continues up and up steadily gaining elevation at a relaxed pace. We take multiple breaks to enjoy the view of the valley behind us. It is stunning.
As we continue to climb, the trees get smaller and we near our first campsite. Quickly, the last grove of trees appears and our campsite comes into view. It is a beautiful spot nestled above the trail with a calming brook running through it. The campsite has a striking view down the valley towards the Maroon Bells and views going up the valley towards West Maroon Pass.
We set up camp and I help my guest figure out her tent and sleeping pad. Once camp is set up, I begin to cook our Pad Thai dinner. It is a homemade recipe that I’ve perfected over numerous backpacking trips. It includes fresh scrambled eggs, sautéed peepers, and a protein packed peanut sauce. As we eat, we spot a moose across the valley enjoying its dinner as the sun sets. We both turn in for the night and think excitedly about tomorrow.
Day 2:
I wake up around 6:30am and get some coffee started. As that is heating up, I get the water filtering so we are prepared for the day. Then, I make some fresh breakfast burritos with fresh eggs, shallots, peppers, hash browns, and sausage. The smell wakes up my guest and it’s ready once she appears from her tent. We eat as the cool morning air washes over us. We quickly pack up camp and get our bags ready for the day!
We quickly rise above treeline and the first pass of the day towers above, West Maroon Pass. The trail cuts across the beautiful grassy covered slope we must summit. The pass is accented with bright red rocks jutting out of the green grass. It is a short, two hours from our camp to the top of the pass. The views are stunning looking back at the Bells and over the other side towards Treasure Mountain and into Crested Butte.
Descending the pass leads us into stunning meadows of wildflowers that remind me of the Sound of Music. We drop a few hundred feet through the meadows and stay high as the trail quickly traverses to the next pass, Frigid Air Pass.
The next pass is a steep climb up to a stunning, almost fairy tale-like valley on the other side. The wind rips across the top of the pass as the name suggests. We don’t spend too much time there before descending into the next valley. We have lunch once we hit the trees and relax under their shade.
We continue descending the valley and pass a stunning waterfall before we come to another larger creek crossing that requires us to take off our shoes. We then have another half mile of descent before we begin a grueling climb up to our camp spot for the next evening. We switchback across the dusty trail until we reach a creek and take a sharp right turn. After one last push, we reach a flat bench with a small lake. The top of the third pass looms above us as we wander into our camp.
That evening we make a delicious meal of pre-cooked Indian curry with rice. As we finish our meal, a short hail storm forces us into the cooking tent for shelter. Once the hail clears, we see a stunning sunset and retreat to sleep for the night.
Day 3:
We wake up to the beautiful sun and I make us some cheesy grits for breakfast. After packing up camp, we begin the second half of the third pass and we reach the top just as the day begins to warm up.
At the top of the third pass, Trail Rider, there is a stunning view of Snowmass Lake below us and the Maroon Bells to our right. We make quick conversation with a trail runner that is speeding along the loop. We enjoy a snack at the top of the pass and descend to the lake below.
After a few hours, we reach the shores of Snowmass Lake. It is a stunning lake with crystal clear water and steep cliffs rising up from the opposing side of the lake. Snowmass Mountain towers above the lake on the other side. We take some pictures and enjoy the view before returning to the trail. We then cross a beautiful, forested valley that is bisected by a pristine mountain stream. As the valley opens up in spots, we can see the backside of the Maroon Bells and we know we are getting closer to completing our loop.
We begin the final pass; it is a relaxed but long climb up through the forest. We stop for lunch at treeline and assess the weather. The clouds are far in the distance so I make the call to go for the pass today.
We make the ascend the pass quickly due to the well-crafted trail. At the top of Buckskin Pass, the final pass, we take in the stunning, 360-degree views of Pyramid, the Maroon Bells, Snowmass Mountain and Capitol Peak. It is a true highlight of the trip. A cute, little pika begs for some of our snacks at the top but we have to refuse it.
After enjoying the view, we make a quick descent to our third and final camping spot. It is nestled right at treeline next to a wildflower dotted mountain stream. We enjoy our final meal of fancy macaroni and cheese with a stunning view that reaches all the way down to the lake we started at three days ago.
As the darkness settles in, I whip up the fried Oreos I saved for the last night of our trip. With our bellies full we fall into a deep sleep.
Day 4:
We eat a quick breakfast of granola and pack up camp. We enjoy the last views and we make our final descent to close the loop. It is bittersweet to leave such an amazing trail behind us, but the call of porcelain toilets and a hot shower grows stronger. As we draw closer to the lake, we begin to pass more and more people as we return to the land of day hikers.
We reach the car around 11am. We are a bit dirtier than when we started but our smiles are deeper and our eyes twinkle from the amazing four day adventure we just experienced.
By Zach Benevento-Zahner
