Of the Grueling Four-Pass Hike Around the Maroon Bells, Part the First

The Maroon Bells claim to be the Most Photographed Peaks in North America. (Or rather, the Aspen Tourism Board claims that they are. Exactly how they claim to know this remains a mystery. As does why, in the face of an inherently unverifiable claim, they wouldn't just go for it and say the Most Photographed Peaks in the World, other than perhaps to make it seem like Science had determined the Matterhorn to be More Photographed. Then again, it's also a bit mysterious where the line is between the Aspen Tourism People's desire to instill a yearning in others to come visit Aspen and their desire to have you people just stay away and quit wrecking their town. Life is full of mysteries.) Anyway, the staff photographer took several pictures of the Bells before we casually strolled around them. The above picture fits nicely in this publication, but I think this other picture is actually better.