Backpacking Maroon Bells - Four Pass Loop | Day 4 | Frigid Air Pass

This video describes day 4 of my 4-day backpacking adventure in the Snowmass Wilderness hiking the Maroon Bells Four Pass Loop. I am backpacking with my wife, and we will be hiking one pass per day averaging about 7-8 miles per day. I think this is the best backpacking loop in all of Colorado and you should put it on your bucket list.
Day 4 started off with a severe hailstorm and lightning storm. The lightning storm made us a bit nervous since we needed to get over Frigid Air Pass that morning to get back to our trailhead. Luckily, it only lasted about an hour and skies began to clear around 6 am. So, we quickly packed up and hit the trail as there were still some threatening clouds in the distance, potentially coming our way.
We had about 3 miles to cover before getting to the top of Frigid Air Pass. It is a nice, gradual ascent, which I think makes it the easiest pass to hike over, if you are going counterclockwise. And as usual, the Four Pass loop continues deliver every single mile of this trail is beautiful. Walking through this valley with wildflowers, wildlife (only deer), and the viewing the backside of the Maroon Bells, with far off waterfalls cascading down the mountainside.
We got over the pass with no trouble. The storm that was threatening was headed in the direction of Aspen and not Crested Butte. Once we crossed over the pass, it was sunny blue skies, and it was like night and day the difference from what we experienced this morning.
We then hooked up with the West Maroon Trail. That left us about 3 miles back to the trailhead. This was the easiest 3 miles I've hiked at the end of a long trip. We were mainly downhill and the wildflowers were amazing. I have never seen a trail with so many wildflowers for the length of the trail. Absolutely stunning. I think a trip out to the West Maroon trailhead is worth the visit for a day hike if that was interests you. I have never seen wildflowers like this before in my life. This is definitely my new starting point anytime I backpack the Four Pass Loop.
This was an amazing trip and easily one of my favorite backpacking trips of all time, definitely the best in Colorado. If you love big mountain views, mountain passes, green valleys and meadows, beautiful lakes, adventurous water crossings, wildlife encounters, and if you visit late July/early August then you will experience some of the best wildflowers in the country.
Thanks for watching!
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