GC3VX13 Maroon Bells and Maroon Valley
Type: Earth | Size: Other | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: RocketMan @ | Hide Date: 08/31/2012 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N39° 05.891 W106° 56.532 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0
             

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Standing at the listed coordinates, you will be looking up Maroon Valley at the Maroon Bells with Maroon Lake in the foreground.

The beautiful scene before you was created by several important geological events occurring over millions of years.

Formation of The Maroon Bells
Unlike other mountains in the Rockies that are composed of Granite and Limestone, the Maroon Bells are composed of sedimentary mudstone. It took millions of years for streams, lakes and inland seas to deposit layer upon layer of sediments 10,000 feet thick. Under the extreme pressure created by the thickness of the sediments and over millions of years, the sediments hardened into sedimentary rock.

To create the Rocky Mountains and the Maroon Bells, the sediment had to be pushed up to form the mountains. This was caused by something called Plate Tectonics. The Earth's surface is made up of a series of large plates (like pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle). These plates are in constant motion travelling at a few centimeters per year. The image below shows how the Pacific plate is pushing below the North American plate (this is called subduction) causing mountains to be formed.

Formation of Maroon Valley, Erosion and Glacial Activity
Two million years ago, the climate in North America was much colder and the mountains were covered with glaciers. These glaciers would flow at a very slow rate through valleys already formed by erosion taking large amounts of material with them. The U-Shape of Maroon Valley, sometimes called a glacial trough, is typical of valleys that have been formed by glacial movement. Also, the pointed peaks of Maroon Bells are known as glacial horns. Erosion caused by wind, water, snow and ice continue to shape the Maroon Bells and the Maroon Valley today.

To Claim a Find on this Earthcache

A. Email the answers to these questions to the cache owner (Required)

1. The red color of the Maroon Bells results from the weathering of what iron based mineral?
2. How many years did it take nature to form the Maroon Valley?
3. Looking at the east end of Maroon Lake, how many distinct outflows does it have (dry or wet)?
4. Looking at the base of the hill across the outlet of the lake from the cache coordinates, what do you see? What do you think caused this?

B. Take a picture of you and/or your team at the cache coordinates and post it with your log (Optional)

Note: You can drive your car up to the parking waypoint, very close to the posted coordinates, before 8:00 am and after 5:00 pm any time of the year that the road is open. There is a $10.00 fee per car as of this posting. After 8:00 am and before 5:00 pm in the summer months, you must take the bus up to the cache area. You can find more information/full details here.

Don't forget your camera!

Additional Waypoints

PK3VX13 - Parking
N 39° 05.920 W 106° 56.414

07/03/2019 By fishercacher
Visiting the Maroon Bells today. We hiked both lakes and had a great time. Thanks for the fun earthcache to add to our fun! Answers have been send.

10/05/2018 By ludo394
Today, it's my 13th day of my trip.

My travel today will be Grand Junction - Aspen - Maroon Bells - Independence Pass - Buffalo Bill's Grave - Denver.

I wake up early this morning, I wanna started by the Maroon Bells. So I need to drive a little time before arriving here. I took my ticket and take the bus until this area.

Unfortunately, when we arrive at the Maroon Lake. The weather was bad. It was raining and there is some fog. So I just do the small loop around the lake, the scenic loop.

I saw sometime a little bit the maroon bells but it was difficult with the clouds and the fog.
Unfortunately, it was just here because when we come back to Aspen there was a clear sky.

Even like it's a beautiful place, I enjoy the little even with the rain. I took the info for the cache and send the answers to the owner.


Thanks for discovering this place and for the earth cache.
Greetings from Belgium !

09/30/2018 By Kennon136
Awesome views and awesome site!! Love it. Absolutely stunning! Enjoyed coming here and also hiking to crater lake afterwards. Or should I say Crater Lake minus the lake! It was all dried up. Completed the answers and sent along. Thanks for the earth cache!

Kennon136 - RI Geocacher

09/14/2018 By ClanMagee
A fun afternoon hiking around the Maroon Bells. Great weather, golden leafed forests, mind-blowing vistas... Who could ask for more?

Answers sent by email. TFTC and greetings from Melbourne, Australia.

08/12/2018 By JWalkerJr
So beautiful

08/06/2018 By broberts436
Me, on top of Buckskin pass, me and my group of friends hiked the 4 pass loop from the 3rd week of July. One of the most amazing experiences of my life. Can’t wait to go back!

07/10/2018 By team salford
visiting colorado from new hampshire. we stayed in both estes park as well as aspen over a week. i was able to find 20+ virtuals and earthcaches in addition to 80 regular caches. answers or pics will be sent along the way by week's end. TFTC's.

07/01/2018 By Hitch0705
Awesome hike! TFTC.

06/22/2018 By Postpile
Was able to get to the lake on a beautiful Friday. We split up into several groups here. The views were great as always. Several years ago I was here for the fall colors. Still beautiful during the summer months. Thanks for creating the earthcache.