Sievers Mountain Reflections

Maroon Bells Rec. Area, White River NF, CO - Maroon Valley was formed by glacial erosion followed by stream erosion and landslides. Evidence of erosion is everywhere- from bare and treeless avalanche chutes, to rocky talus slopes, to the layered terraces of gravel in road cuts, to the glacial “hanging valley,” which is about 4 miles down the road on the west side of the valley. Maroon Lake was formed by mud and debris slides from Sievers Mountain (to the west). These massive earth slides dammed West Maroon Creek, forming the lake. Debris slides still occur in the upper valley. The most recent slide, in 1989, destroyed two campsites in the old Maroon Lake Campground. Unlike avalanches, which are primarily snow, and which generally occur before the road is opened in May, debris slides can occur during any prolonged period of moisture. You can see evidence of these slides as parallel ridges of earth running down to the road. 

Description Source: http://www.fs.usda.gov/