Deep in the heart of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness lie many peaks of epic renown, peaks which jut far and away into the azure skies. We didn’t climb any of those peaks on this hike. Rather, we decided to hike to Copper Lake, a body of water in the wilderness area just below East Maroon Pass.

The journey started just past the ghost-town-turned-research-station of Gothic, Colorado. The trailhead, at a rousing 9592′ in altitude, was crowded when we arrived on the morning of October 8th. Lucky for us, most of those people were headed towards some overcrowded hot springs, and would not be on the same trail as us. Despite there having been snow earlier in the week, it looked as if the route would be clear. Gothic Mountain stood sentinel over our departure.

We passed only a few pairs of hikers in the first mile. They had been on the trail to view the nearby Judd Falls, and were already on their way out. We caught a brief look at the waterfall as well, but didn’t linger for long.

There was a stand of aspen trees, already bereft of their fall colors which we went through. Thereafter, we were surrounded by pine forest. The first mile or two stayed relatively flat, and went along beside Copper Creek. The first creek crossing was made difficult by the absence of a bridge, sturdy logs, or even well-placed rocks. Water-proof boots are only useful so long as the water level is below the top of the boots.

The route shifted to steep uphill after that. Some small snow patches saddled the trail under long shadows, but for the most part the way stayed clear. The uphill continued through several more water crossings, none of which were particularly easy. There were two marked forks on the way. One was a turn off for Triangle Pass, and the other for East Maroon Pass. There was also an unmarked fork, with a side trail to an old mine. We made it to Copper Lake after a few hours, and found that we had it all to ourselves. The arrival came rather abruptly, as one cannot really see the lake until they’re beside it. At least, that was true for our approach.

Copper Lake is a popular fishing area during the Summer months, and the fish were jumping. There was ample water for them, as a beaver dam had caused several low-lying campsites to flood.

Enjoying the view, but feeling dissatisfied with the amount of work we had put in, Skyler and I decided to continue up the trail towards East Maroon Pass. There was no more snow on the trail past the lake, but also no more tree cover. We climbed up a rocky slope on the side of the basin, and found ourselves in a green meadow. It was pleasant, and made me wish I had the time and fixings for a picnic.

The top of the pass itself didn’t provide much in the way of breathtaking views, but was cozy nonetheless. Skyler was able to navigate around some rocks and get a view of Pyramid Peak.

The sun was starting its descent at that point, and we started downhill. Skyler circled Copper Lake via the Western shore and met me on the far side.

We finally made it back after several miles and recrossing all of those streams. The sun was just dipping below the horizon. All in all, we had hiked about 12 miles that day, and had reached a max altitude of 11,824′ at East Maroon Pass. It wasn’t a bad way to spend a Sunday, though I suppose some people would have preferred sitting on the couch and drinking beer. To each their own. For Skyler and I, the intoxication of a good view is just that much stronger.

~Sky and Ty

(Pictures courtesy of Skyler Stanley, words courtesy of Tyler Brant)