Len Shoemaker Peak
Skiing the unnamed summit locals refer to as Len Shoemaker Peak, in the Maroon Lake area of the Elk Mountains.
Thunder Pyramid – 13,932 ft.
Skiing the West Face of Thunder Pyramid was every bit as exciting as I expected it to be. Wow.
The Daly Grind
Well actually, skiing 13,300 foot Mount Daly is almost always a great day, as it was for us last Saturday. In fact, I think it would probably be a hugely popular Aspen objective, much like Mount Hayden, were it not for the drawn out approach. So I say "grind" half-seriously, because the climbing and skiing is usually really fun and worthwhile once up in the basin, it’s just that more...
Buckskin Benchmark
Spring is here. At least according to the calendar. And though it isn't a tradition to try to get out on the first day of the new season, with Christy and I both free this past Sunday, we set our sights on an objective we've had for some time- Buckskin Benchmark's Southeast Face. The 13,370 foot summit just north of Buckskin Pass sits between the giants of the Elk Range...
Four Passes on the Fourth
On Saturday of July 4th weekend, Lissa, Ted and I hit the Four Pass Loop, one of our favorite long runs through the Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wilderness. We started from Maroon Lake and ran the loop counter clockwise, tackling Buckskin Pass first. With the Hardrock 100 only days away, Ted planned to come along for just Buckskin Pass but couldn't resist tagging along, down the other side to Snowmass Creek, before...
A Birthday Trip to the Mall
On Sunday, my 37th birthday, Christy and I ran a trail linkup that started at Maroon Lake and finished with a beer and pizza at the Snowmass Mall. Rather than find ourselves in yet another grand birthday outing that's both physically strenuous and technically elaborate, involving multiple summits and excessive vertical gains, we opted for something a little more chill. It's been busy lately and we're tired. After all, as...
North Maroon – Sans Piolet!
This is a quickie, both in the day and the write-up. Here's the debrief: Neal had the morning free and wanted to go do something fun. I'll be at Hardrock next week and was looking for more than a routine trail run. Very direct and in parts runable, we both agreed a fast lap on North Maroon's Grassy Gully sounded good. So up we went. Even though we knew we...
Current Conditions – Buckskin and the Bells
Hitting the trail for a quick jaunt up towards Buckskin Pass on Saturday was our first visit to the area since ski season. Some useful route beta for the Maroon Bells area was learned. Here's the report: Buckskin Pass and the Four Pass Loop The only news from down low is that as you pass the wilderness boundary sign there are four new trail washouts from the recent rain. Higher...
The Four Pass Loop
This connection of trails that circumnavigates the Maroon Bells crests four passes greater than 12,000 feet and resides entirely within the Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wilderness. It's one of those reminders as to why we live here. Completed in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction, its reported distance and elevation gain varies a bit depending on who you ask and where you start but definitely qualifies as a must-do. Outings can commence from...
Thunder Pyramid with the Dalai Lama
His Holiness the Dalai Lama was in Aspen this past weekend.
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About Christy & Ted
We met in Aspen in 2000 and have been happily stuck in the rockies ever since, getting out in the mountains every day we can, in every season and by all means possible. Read More
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