North Maroon Peak

Cindy McCloskey, Chris Broyles, and myself attempted North Maroon Peak on July 23rd.  After a stream crossing, we lost the primary trail and were side-tracked up a new trail that will eventually bi-pass an area of dense brush.  After realizing our mistake, we back-tracked and regained the correct path.  Soon after, Cindy began to experience nausea, and decided to turn around.  Chris and I continued on toward the Rock Glacier, and then trekked across a ledge system which gave access to the first gully.  As we ascended up the gully, Chris decided that he had enough with the unrelenting exposure, and to my dismay, decided to turn around.  I now found myself climbing one of the hardest 14ers in Colorado solo.  Regardless, I felt good about my chances of summiting, and so continued upwards.

I eventually reached the point where a traverse is required across a ledge in order to gain the second gully.  This second gully felt more exposed than the first...with a 50-60 degree slope, and a sweeping void located below your feet that leads directly to the valley floor.  With much effort and carefully tested hand-holds and foot placements up occasional 3rd class rock, I reached the top of the second gully.  However, I was off-route and reached a dead end beneath a 20-30 foot rock wall that was slightly overhanging in places.  It looked like low class 5 climbing, which I could easily tackle...except for the fact that the rock is incredibly loose and rotten, and one wrong move would likely have serious consequences.  Later I learned that I needed to scramble toward the right of the second gully up to the northeast ridge, which by-passed the rock wall that I encountered.  Unfortunately, I did not realize this at the time, so I had to turn around near 13,000 feet. 

Despite the dramatic exposure, at no point did I encounter anything that felt scary. With that being said, I don't want to come off as brash.  Tragically, a 31 year old paramedic from New York fell 500 feet while descending North Maroon a few days before my climb.  His body was found on the 24th of July.  In addition, two climbers became stranded on North Maroon while descending during a thunderstorm just a few hours after I hiked back to the trailhead.  They were rescued on the 24th as well.  More information can be found online at the Aspen Daily News website:

http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/154076