The Maroon Bells Scenic Area is short on staff and amenities following funding cuts from the federal government. 

As a direct result of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency cuts, the U.S. Forest Service didn’t  hire any seasonal workers for the summer, according to Peggy Jo Trish, who managed the Maroon Bells Scenic Area for 10 years and worked at the area for 28. She retired in January 2022.

“It’s huge for day-to-day,” Trish said of the loss.

During her time in charge, she would typically hire between six and nine seasonal employees. 

Unlike past seasons, the area’s facilities are without running water and electricity, according to Trish.

“I had people tell me they drank out of the lake because they ran out of water,” said Donna Thompson, a former volunteer at the scenic area, of the early-season visitors.

The Maroon Information Center — which has historically provided guests area information, a place to find reprieve from the elements, and access to emergency communications devices — is also out of service.

The 12-stall bathroom at the bus turnaround of the scenic area, which in total provides 12 toilets and four urinals, is not operating. There are six toilets (in four outhouses) still available for public use.

Trish worries that the Forest Service won’t have the resources to empty the outhouses once they reach capacity since they are already short on funding. During her tenure, they would typically empty the outhouses three times per year.

But budget cuts to the Maroon Bells are nothing new. In past years at the scenic area, Trish would bring on volunteers to make up for funding shortages.

“Volunteers are so happy to help in (the) situation that we’re in right now,” she said. “But they’re being turned away.”

Current management did not hire anyone to run the Maroon Bells micro-hydro system, which provides water and electricity to the scenic area, given the budget cuts, according to her.

“But there are plenty of people who know the system who would go up and turn it on,” she said, adding, “If it just sits there, it’s going to deteriorate, and you’re not going to be able to get it back.”

White River National Forest Public Affairs Officer David Boyd said the U.S. Department of Agriculture could not respond to a request for comment by deadline given their large volume of requests.

Kevin Warner, district ranger for the Aspen-Sopris Ranger District of the White River National Forest, was not available for comment.

He told the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners in May, however, that the district would have only one-third of the “field-going” staff this summer as compared to the past couple years. He added that with a smaller field staff, the Forest Service’s ability to allocate resources to volunteers will be reduced.

“I think there was about 400-ish volunteer hours that we had to say ‘no’ to this year,” Warner told commissioners.

The Forest Conservancy and the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps will continue to have volunteers at the Maroon Bells. Aspen Center for Environmental Studies naturalists will also be on site daily leading free nature walks.