The Aspen Times
August 23, 2010, Paul Andersen

If you hiked West Maroon Pass to Crested Butte this summer, you'll know I'm not exaggerating when I say the trail was like a conga line. You simply merged into the procession and marched. If you stopped, you lost your place and had to wait for a perch at the summit. Rain or shine, huge crowds convened on this most popular mountain pass in the Elk Range. I crossed West Maroon four times this summer and I've never seen such traffic. On one picture perfect Saturday a Forest Service volunteer, with counter in hand, tallied almost 200 hikers crossing West Maroon in both directions. There were at least 30 people crowded onto the pass at any one time. Photo ops looked like class pictures as rows of hikers lined up on tiers of rock at 12,500 feet. ...

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100823/COLUMN/100829955/1021&parentprofile=1061