North Maroon Peak

On Friday August 27, EB, Jon, and I set off to do the Maroon Bells Traverse. It turned out to be perhaps the most treacherous climb I've ever done. This time I took pictures as compared to my 24 hour Dreamweaver climb. On that climb, when things got desperate I stopped taking pictures and have been kicking myself ever since. "The only thing worse than a desperate climb is a desperate climb without pictures."

	Jon is caught red handed eating pop tarts and getting ready for the climb.
	Not aware of what awaited us, we are smiling. Notice something missing? I noticed it 6 hours later when it looked like we'd be hiking down in the dark. I typically don't take one of these, but on technical terrain it's a must have.
	As the sun comes up, it is cloudy. Hopefully it will burn off so we have nice views on top.
	PBJ Time. Here at about 10,800
	Maroon Lake in the distance, Crater Lake closer up.
	At the meadow.
	At the meadow. Pyramid Peak in the background.
	That's the Northeast ridge in front of us. We went around the back, hooked a right and headed up.
	Just clouds to the North.
	Pyramid Peak, another 14er.
	Heading up
	These spots were part of the rock, not lichen or from a bird.
	We were in somebody's way. They waited, tried to go around us, climbed above us and kicked rocks on us, then decided they couldn't budge us. After we finished eating and left, they went to where we were sitting and grazed a bit. We must have picked the best lunch spot on the mountain.
	Punk goats trying to dislodge us by dislodging rocks onto us
	EB and Jon gone off the front. I was pretty weak from a cold I had all the previous week. I had to ask EB to carry the rope for us.
	Climbing one of the ledges. Just starting to snow. Should we turn back? Naaa
	Jon climbing the same rock. It's snowing harder. Should we turn back now? Naaa
	At the summit. Ok, now it's snowing really hard. We have to turn back because we're at the top (not because of good judgement - let me make that clear.) We won't get to traverse to South Maroon Peak today. We'll have to come back another time for that one.
	Problem -- this snow is slippery and I can't walk without slipping. My sticky shoes aren't sticky on the snow. Just the opposite - they are the slipperiest things I've ever had on snow. Ever been ice climbing in bedroom slippers? That's what this felt like.
	Ok, no chance of downclimbing -- the tops of the rocks are covered with snow, must rappell. We looped the rope around a rock and slid on down. Here a medium sized rock dislodged and fell on EB's femur. It hit hard, but didn't break anything. Left a nice bruise. However we did get a good 'blood curdling scream' out of EB
	After downclimbing the 2nd ledge. This one was covered in snow and I slid half my way down it. This slope was way slippery. EB short roped me down this part. I was a sled ready to take off.
	Our treacherous slope with peaceful green below. If we could only skip this part and get down there. We knew it would take hours to descend through this steep slippery snow. At this point we were mentally preparing ourselves for a cold miserable night. Notice Jon down below in red. His shoes had better traction so he was able to hike in front to kick snow off the route. EB's also had decent traction, I was the main liability.
	Past the steepest part, the slope is now just muddy and slippery. No more thoughts of dying on the mountain or spending the night with no warm clothes.
	One last goat to meet us.
	Off the steeps and on an almost flat trail. A nice break before sliding down the last muddy slope on our butts.
	The Bells (note I didn't say Belles)
	North Maroon Peak on the right, (South) Maroon Peak in the middle.
	Our route
	Maroon Lake The End!