Maroon Peak, with an elevation of 14,156 feet, is Colorado's 24th highest Fourteener. It and North Maroon Peak are separated by about a
third of a mile, and are referred to as the Maroon Bells, but the saddle between the two peaks doesn't drop enough in elevation for North
Maroon to be counted as a separate Fourteener. The Maroon Bells are two of the most challenging, yet picturesque, peaks in Colorado
(the view of the Bells from the Maroon Creek Valley to the northeast is reputed to be the most photographed image in Colorado).
A climb of Maroon Peak involves steep climbing on downsloping, loose rock and seemingly solid mudstone which fractures easily - a National
Park Service sign refers to the Bells as "The Deadly Bells." This nickname was earned in 1965, when eight climbers died in five separate
accidents in a single year. Afternoon thunderstorms are a frequent occurence, and cell phones do not work in the area.
Sources: peakware.com, wikipedia.org
