14er Ski Descents - South Maroon Peak

Route: Southeast Face

Partners: Christy, Dirk Bockelmann

Saturday’s ski of North Maroon was really smooth. This begged the question: maybe we should go for South Maroon, too? We all felt some momentum from the day, so by the time we were driving home after North Maroon, the three of us agreed to attempt South Maroon Peak the next day.

Christy Mahon nearing the top of the Bell Cord Couloir. — Nearing the top of the Bell Cord Couloir.

A large group of friends had just skied South and said it was great, so we figured all we needed was to rally some tired legs.

We planned to ascend the Bell Cord Couloir, summit, and ski the east/southeast, following Chris Davenport’s line from February 2006. Some people skied the line the day before and said it was good, though steep.

Christy Mahon nearing the summit on South Maroon Peak. — Nearing the summit.

Gaining the summit from the Bell Cord is the hardest part of the climb. The angles steepen, and all route variations require some travel on loose Maroon Bells rock.

On the summit of South Maroon Peak — Here we are on South Maroon’s summit. North Maroon can be seen in the distance. It was around 10 am.

After navigating through a cliff band just below the summit, we made our way into the couloir and descended quickly as the temperature was rising fast. At one point Christy was hit square on the head by a falling chunk of ice around the size of a brick. It exploded into pieces upon impact; had she not had a helmet on, she might have been knocked out. Soon after, a second icy curtain broke a little lower down.

Tired legs from the day before that put us in a precarious spot, we should have been up there earlier.

Christy Mahon ski South Maroon Peak — It’s very steep terrain.

Christy Mahon skiing off the summit of South Maroon Peak. — Eventually, it connects to the Y Couloir, below.

Dirk Bockelmann skiing South Maroon Peak — Dirk

We definitely had late spring conditions.

The ski route on South Maroon Peak — The climbing route (dots) and ski line are in red. It’s a cool tour of the mountain.

With this descent, I’ve skied all six Elk Range 14ers in a single season, a feat first completed by Davenport in 2006. If there was a year to try for it, I think 2008 was it. More on the topic later (read here), after the Lincoln Creek Road opens, and I can get into Grizzly Peak.