• Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

FITaspire

Health & Wellness

  • Health & Wellness
  • Nutrition
  • Recipes

Maroon Bells Hike in Aspen

May 28, 2014 By Heather Blackmon

.

The past weekend, we decided to take advantage of the Memorial Day holiday to spend some time in Aspen. We visited briefly for a few hours in the winter to see the X Games, but didn’t really see the city. Our goal for the weekend was to get away, relax, and recharge from everyday life. We booked the Aspen Meadows resort for the weekend (they offered a great Colorado resident rate) and headed West for the weekend!

We started the trip by driving over Independence Pass, the highest paved road crossing the Continental Divide. It had opened for the season the previous weekend and we watched the weather change dramatically as we climbed to the summit. The temperature was in the 30s when we reached the pass and we watched skiers finishing their backcountry runs, while I was in flip flops & a light shirt. Funny how quickly weather changes here!

Independence Pass

As soon as we started descending, the scene quickly changed back to Spring as we neared Aspen. Exactly as the name suggests, there were forests of Aspens all around. You might remember our trip to Crested Butte in the Fall to enjoy the aspens in their peak yellow color, so this was a fun comparison! The spring aspen color are bright, lime green – exactly as you see in the photo below.

Aspens in Spring

We had no actual plans for the weekend, although we had heard that the Maroon Bells were something to experience. I had no idea how incredibly beautiful this location is – we ended up visited these mountain three separate time during our trip. We started with a brief scouting trip to see how the trail looked (as there is still a good bit of snow on the mountains. We returned the next morning for the real hike – where Kirk captured this iconic photo with the reflected mountains in Maroon Lake. You can see my version, taken with my camera phone, on Instagram.

Maroon Bells Hike in Aspen

I got my new pack for backpacking last week, so we loaded it up for our weekend hikes to get practice hiking with extra weight. After (literally) not being able to carry my own weight on our backcountry hut trip in April, I am determined to be prepared the next time we take an overnight hike.

The trail was dry for the first half mile, but quickly transitioned to snow pack. It was fairly well packed from frequent hiking, so we didn’t have too much trouble hiking without snowshoes from Maroon Lake to Crater Lake. The views along the way were stunning, with the mountains shooting out of the ground around us.

MaroonBells

Maroon Bells Hike in Aspen

 

During the hike, we would periodically hear what sounded like thunder, although there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. With the melting snow, there were fairly frequent avalanches happening on the back mountains. Don’t worry, this wasn’t the mountains we were hiking on, but once we could see Crater Lake you could watch the avalanches spill down the mountains behind the lake. We watched an avalanche directly behind me while taking the picture below.

Maroon Bells Hike in Aspen

After a snack break, we started the hike back to the base. It was a bit trickier (slippery!) on the way down on the snow, we could have used spikes to make our trip a little easier. This was a moderately difficult hike, with just a little extra effort from the snow. There are three 14ers in the area that are accessible a little later in the year (once the snow has melted), which are class 3 climbs. If this hike is any indication, they are hikes we can’t wait to conquer in the future.

[Tweet “Add to your list >> #hiking the Maroon Bells in Aspen, Colorado. #fitfluential”]

Maroon Bells Hike in Aspen

We enjoyed our time at the Maroon Bells so much, Kirk had the great idea to come back for sunset! We were one of only a few couples to brave the colder evening temps to enjoy the sight. Unfortunately, the nearly cloudless sky didn’t make for the spectacular sight we were expecting. But I’ll take any excuse to stare at these views. Did I mention we brought some wine to enjoy?

Sunset at the Maroon BellsSunset at the Maroon Bells

This was easily the most beautiful hike we have done in Colorado, and may be one of the most beautiful sights we have seen period. The mountains here have a very European feel, reminding me of the Alps in Austria. I would happily head back for another hike (there are so many other trails to be explored) and we’ve already talked about this being a trip we’d love to repeat.

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to do another amazing hike – but I’ll have to save those photos and recap for another day.

*******************

Questions for you:

  • Where was your last hike?
  • Have you ever witnessed an avalanche on a hike? Hopefully from a safe distance!

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: Colorado, Fitness, hiking, Lifestyle

« Learning How to Race a 5K
Did you Win the Nutrex Hawaii Hawaiian Health Kit? »

Search the website

Welcome

Hi! I’m Heather, a yoga & wellness teacher based in Colorado... Read More…

Which is more YOUR thing - camping near an alpine Which is more YOUR thing - camping near an alpine lake or shredding on a local trail? ⬇️

In both cases, we need to protect the land we enjoy on our adventures. And Leave No Trace is one program that helps with that - especially those that have a high rate of degradation through a program called Hot Spots. 

I'm excited to be partnering with @leavenotrace and @onxbackcountry to celebrate and preserve all these beautiful outdoor places. And for all of June, $10 of every onX Backcountry membership is being donated towards Leave No Trace’s Hot Spot program. A great way to get access to my favorite backcountry app AND support LNT! 

I added a link in my bio if you're interested in learning more, so you can help #ExploreandRestore!
.
.
.
.
.
.
#vailcolorado #vailcolorado #coloradooutdoors #coloradoinstagram #coloradoproud #womenwhoexplorecolorado
"Do one thing every day that scares you." - Eleano "Do one thing every day that scares you." - Eleanor Roosevelt

What scares me is probably different than what scares you.

I am admittedly a timid mountain biker - but getting better every day.

I'm afraid to face plant, but still working on crow pose in yoga.

⬇️ What is one thing that scares you & how are you working on it?
.
.
.
.
.
#mountainbiking #mtbiking #mtbdaily #mtblife #seemyadventures  #allaboutadventures #sheisthewild #mountainlife #liveyouradventure
Am I the only one still (basically) living in yoga Am I the only one still (basically) living in yoga clothes?

For at least part of the day, it's just easier to put on yoga pants, sports bra, and a "zoom-appropriate" top. Or a button-up layered over my workout tank. It makes it SO much easier to squeeze in a workout when I have time.

Tell me I'm not the only one who's not going back to work clothes?!
.
.
.
.
.
.
#vail #yogalifestyle #yogaliving #vaillife #vailcolorado #mountainlife #vailvalley #outtherecolorado #mountaingirls #womenofthewilderness #womenwhoexplorecolorado  #lovethelifeyoulive #vaillive
Wait, should I look at the camera? 📸 But reall Wait, should I look at the camera? 📸

But really, keep your gaze straight ahead to keep your neck safe in bridge (or Setu Bandha Sarvangasana). It's rare that a version of this pose isn't included during cooldown in my classes.

Do you love bridge as much as I do?
.
.
.
.
.
.
#asana #goodvibes #bridgepose  #energy #feeltheyogahigh #happymindhappylife #myyogalife #letyourlightshine #letyourpranaflow #coloradoyogalove #coloradoyoga #practiceyoga #yogajourney #yogalifestyle #yogaliving #yogamakesmehappy #yogapractice #yogatime #ipreview via @preview.app
Follow on Instagram

Connect with FITaspire:

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
© 2021 FITASPIRE, LLC · TICKLED PINK THEME BY RESTORED 316