Triangle Pass - 21.0 Miles Round-Trip

Triangle Pass is located 10.5 miles from Conundrum Creek Trailhead in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. It spans a small notch in the west valley wall above Conundrum Hot Springs, with terrific views and continuing passage to Crested Butte (Gothic), Copper Basin and East Maroon Pass.

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While the Conundrum Creek Trail is among the most heavily traveled in Aspen, few continue two miles beyond the hot springs to the pass, which is removed from more popular backpacking routes such as the 4-Pass Loop and West Maroon Creek Trail to Crested Butte.

Triangle Pass offers comparable scenery without crowds. The hike in is distinguished by expansive meadows, aspen groves and moderate grades to the Hot Springs.

Travel steepens into the capacious upper valley topped by Cathedral Peak (13,943'), Conundrum Peak (14,022') and Castle Peak (14,265'), which share a similar geologic make-up and appearance to Maroon Bells (also visible from the pass). Visitors will enjoy miles of open valley travel and lightly used backpacking route options from Triangle Pass.

Important Camping Update: Conundrum Hot Springs will be transitioning to a permit-only system in 2018. All overnight users will be required to purchase and carry a permit when camping between Silver Dollar Pond and Triangle Pass.

Permits are available at recreation.gov.

See Camping, Rules & Regs and Worth Noting below for additional information on designated sites, bear canisters, fire restrictions, dog restrictions and travel tips:

The trail dips and rises across open space that funnels into conifer and aspen along the creek (1.0 miles : 8,970'). It emerges in a small meadow at 1.75 miles, then the first of several major meadows at 1.85 miles (9,240').

Travel is quick to a bridge leading to the west side of the creek (2.75 miles : 9,390'). The bridge is elevated and narrow - consider crossing in the water if slick or carrying a heavy pack. Mild grades continue across a second large meadow at 3.85 miles (9,550'), past which it steepens on rugged terrain above a deep gorge in the valley (4.5 miles).

The trail enters a third major meadow at 4.8 miles that stretches to a bridge leading east to the Silver Ponds (6.0 miles : 10,240'). Dogs are not permitted beyond this point.

The trail skirts marshy ponds to a marked creek ford back to the west side (6.55 miles : 10,320'). The ford can be voluminous at peak runoff, but is generally safe and easy. The trail opens across a talus field with your first clear view of the upper valley (7.2 miles : 10,455').

It steepens away in a cluttered forest to a sign on the hot springs perimeter (8.15 miles : 10,965'). Camping is only permitted in designated sites beyond this point, and fires are not permitted. There are several campsites just before this sign along the creek where fires are still permitted.

The trail hops a creek braid and opens past designated sites to the split for Conundrum Hot Springs and Triangle Pass (8.48 miles : 11,195'). The springs are just 100 yards away over the creek, and the main trail continues right past the last designated sites and clears treeline.

Here the valley truly opens with expanding views across the entire drainage. Grades steepen through willow mats that give way to rolling meadows. Scan this vast area for elk and goats as you go.

The trail climbs in short steep spurts with several deliberate bends toward the west valley wall (9.5 miles : 12,045'). There's a saddle on the valley headwall (due south) that appears to be your destination, but in fact that's Coffee Pot Pass.

The trail edges closer to the west wall before turning sharply up switchbacks across loose scree and till to Triangle Pass (10.5 miles : 12,919'). The pass is an unassuming col high on the valley wall, with panoramic views across Conundrum Valley. Maroon Bells and a line of peaks in the Elk Range can be seen to the north and west, where the trail tilts down a winding path to Copper Basin and on to Gothic north of Crested Butte.