We backpacked the Maroon Bells Four Pass Loop..

Holy moly, I truly feel like it's been ages since I was able to sit down and get something out for you guys. This summer has been incredibly busy for me between working, road-tripping, hiking, camping and preparing for Europe in the next couple of weeks, but finally I've got some time set aside to get to telling y'all about my Maroon Bells backpacking trip!

This trail truly has to be the hardest hike I've literally EVER done to date. With that being said, the accomplished feeling that I had at the end of it had to be the most rewarding that I've felt at the same time.

We started off by going up to Crested Butte a couple of days before the trip. We checked out the wildflowers on some new trails I didn't get to check out last time I was there, explored the area and found a few more dispersed camping homes for next time we visit, checked out the town a bit more and really just enjoy being out in the mountains.

The night before the trip we made sure to have everything nice and ready for when we woke up in the morning, had dinner and chilled by the fire. I was going to get my pack totally ready and packed down but truthfully after the hike we did that day and then filling the belly with some warm fajitas, I was ready for bed, so I packed up in the morning at the TH (which was no big deal and honestly much easier in my opinion).

The next morning was awoken with excitement. Excitement to leave my car. Excitement put my phone on airplane mode and carry everything I would need for survival in the next coming days on my back. Excitement to be hiking the next four days without a care in the world besides to make it to our camp spots that night and eat a boat load of food I'd immediately burn off.

My only other multi-day thru hike that I've done was for my backpacking trip on the Colorado Trail last year, and let me say that coming off that, the Four Loop Pass is so much more than I was expecting. The closest comparison I've been able to bring to peoples mind is to do the Manitou Incline, twice a day, for four days in a row. Exhausting.

True, the entire Loop is only 25.7 miles and 7,752 ft in elevation with some of the inclines reaching as high as 57 degrees. From where we started, 2.2 miles before East Fork Trailhead and including Geneva Lake Loop it ended up being (roughly) 39 miles and 9,948 ft in elevation gain.. because apparently we're crazy.

I got us permits for three nights/four days to be out on the trail, which I will say was incredibly lovely. We saw an abundance of wildflowers, waterfalls, and to my surprise, lady bugs. Fun fact, apparently lady bugs love high elevations and summits, but nobody knows why and it's a big mystery. People speculate about it but there's no scientific knowledge to bring truth to any conclusion. *I thought this was hilarious*

Starting the trail that day I saw the scientist that I had met weeks prior out on a whole different trail in CB. The day we met we shared flower pictures and she gave me a run down of every family, genus and species of butterflies that we surrounding us. It was a wonderful surprise to see her getting out of the car to start a hike the morning we were about to go on ours and for her to remember Renni and I so clearly. *The trail works out that way sometimes*

As I said, hardest trail I've done to date and though I've said I wouldn't do it again, I probably would. but here's what I'd do differently: Pack way lighter.

Though I don't ever think I'm really bringing anything unnecessary on the trail, there's definietly a few things that I used on the CT that wasn't needed by any means on this trail. Deck of cards, solar pannel charger and honestly food was my top three. The deck is nice on a longer duration of hiking when you have more time to do things, but with this one being such a challenge that it is, we didn't have any game nights or hangout leap-frogging new friends that we might take up a game with the next time we saw them along this trail. Solar pannel chariging is great when you're unsure how much juice you can really get from a battery pack, you can almost always soak up the sun. For just a couple days out on the trail I definitely could've simply gotten by with a much lighter battery pack though and I will be doing that next time. The food part was a hard realization for me, because ya girl loves to eat, but I honestly didn't need all that I brought for only four days. Yes, my body is burning a boat load of calories and I need to eat more to make up for those calories lost, but I really didnt get "trail hungry" on this trek. Thinking back to it, I remember that I really didn't appreciate my trail food until the first few days into the CT.

Honestly that's kind of it.. We did see a bunch of people going at it just for the day (assuming they entered through crater lake and only did the 25.7 mile route) but that packing situation would be a whole different story and a whole lot less. The only other thing I would change would probably to actually wear a pair of long pants since I insist on going hiking in only my biker shorts and the bugs, twigs and long grass had a hay day with the bareness I was rocking. Anyone else?

Overall, even though I had to take a mental break for gratitude on along the trail on the last day, the experience was 10/10. The views were phenomenal, the wildflowers were just lovely and the entire experience was strengthening to who I am and what I can accomplish.

*PRO-TIP*If you're going to be doing this trail, I highly recommend getting permits to do the loop clockwise. Counter clockwise encountered more treacherous paths of snow and mud (which we preferred glissading down instead of hiking up) and we found that the North sides of the passes were just much steeper.

Don't Forgets! (:

- Bring a rain jacket for those random peak storms

- Keep your furry friends on a leash at all times

- Bring sandals for the river crossings (I think we encountered four or five that we needed to change into water shoes for)

- Sunscreen is a must

- Bug spray, even if your against it. With all the rain we've gotten this year those mosquitos are out and possibly carrying diseases you definitely don't want to catch.

- Permits are required so make sure to snag those before entering maroon-snowmass wilderness areas.

- On big inclines, slow your pace but keep moving. Tiny, slow steps are your friend.

- Bring your can-do attitude, you're going to need it!