Four Pass Loop
A demanding high-country circuit crosses four passes above 12,000 feet around the Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness. Plan clockwise or counterclockwise camps around pass timing, water, and recovery—not just equal daily mileage.
Artwork inspired by John F. Carlson
Four Pass Loop crosses four passes above 12,000 feet through the Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness, linking long climbs, exposed tundra, stream crossings, and camps that demand careful daily sequencing.
A permit does not settle the route plan. Snowpack, lightning timing, food storage, acclimatization, campsite rules, and transport to the chosen trailhead determine whether a three-to-five-day circuit remains viable.
- Route
- Four passes above 12,000 feet
- Prepare for
- Three-to-five-day wilderness circuit
- Allow
- 3–5 days
Quick guide
- Begin
- Sequence all four pass crossings before choosing camps
- Do not miss
- Plan food storage, tundra care, and exit options
Four Pass Loop: build each day and watch cumulative effort
- Build each day
- Place the exposed pass crossing early, then locate legal camps and water sources without assuming the strongest day will repeat.
- Watch cumulative effort
- Reassess pace after every pass; altitude, pack weight, and delayed recovery can make the next climb substantially harder.
- Protect wilderness
- Stay on durable surfaces, secure food exactly as required, and avoid widening camps or tundra routes in this heavily used corridor.
- Keep an exit plan
- Carry navigation and bailout options, and turn back before weather or injury removes the ability to cross the safest remaining pass.
Good to know
Reserve both wilderness permits and the applicable Maroon Bells access or transportation. The loop is normally snow-free only during a short season, and afternoon lightning makes late pass crossings hazardous.
Notice these
- A demanding high-country circuit crosses four passes above 12,000 feet around the Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness.
- Cross exposed passes early, protect tundra, and keep food secured; the loop’s popularity does not reduce wilderness hazards.