Mosquito Range · Colorado 13er · No. 438 of the 13ers
West Ridge
London Mountain, 13,199'
DifficultyClass 2
Round trip5 mi
Elevation gain1,700'
TrailheadMosquito Creek
Trailhead elevation11,560'
Conditions on the summit
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—Summit temp now
—Sustained wind
—Gusting to
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Afternoon storm risk is the line that matters. Everything else is comfort. In summer, plan to be off the ridge before the build-up starts, not as it starts. Forecast for the summit point, adjusted for its elevation · data from Open-Meteo.
Colorado 13er · West Ridge
Overview
London Mountain rises right above the Mosquito Pass road west of Alma. This route follows the road to the London-Kuss saddle and climbs London's west ridge, getting around two rock towers on their right side.
It is Class 2. The towers look harder than they are: you climb partway up each one and then slip around its right side.
The round trip is about 5 miles with 1,700 feet of gain, usually 3 to 4 hours.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 6:30 a.m.
Turnaround
Be past the towers by 10:30 a.m.
Crux
The two rock towers on the west ridge. Bypass each on the right.
From Highway 9, about a mile south of Alma, turn west on Mosquito Gulch Road (County Road 12). Drive about 6.8 miles to where the road bends left and crosses Mosquito Creek, then starts climbing toward Mosquito Pass.
Park in the area about 0.1 mile past the creek crossing. Any car can get this far in dry weather. Above here the road to the pass is rough, rocky 4WD.
RidgeTundraExposed to lightning
The line is elevation, the band underneath is the ground, and the numbered dots match the steps below. Mileage and elevations are approximate.
1
Mosquito Creek trailhead 11,560' · 0 mi
Walk up the Mosquito Pass road past the North London Mine.
2
London-Kuss saddle 12,650' · 1.6 mi
Turn left (east) at the saddle and pick up the path that climbs London's west ridge.
3
First tower 12,800' · 1.8 mi
Climb most of the way up this rock formation, then go around the last part on the right.
4
Second tower 12,900' · 1.9 mi
Again, climb partway and look for an easy way around on the right.
Watch for: Keep it Class 2 by bypassing; don't climb the tops.
5
Upper ridge 13,000' · 2.05 mi
Walking is easier from here. Stay on or just right of the crest. The summit is still almost half a mile away.
6
Summit 13,199' · 2.5 mi
Follow the ridge and a last steep pitch to the top.
Getting down
Reverse the route, using the same right-side bypasses around the towers.
If things go wrong
Head back down the ridge to the saddle and the road.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
We haven’t traced this route yet; the ridge has two rock towers to bypass. A flyover only works when there is a set trail to trace. Without one, the line would be a guess, and a guess could send you the wrong way on the mountain. Use the step-by-step route with a good map and GPS track instead.
See the trail on video
No video yet
We haven’t found a good video of this route that matches the way we describe it. The route strip, junctions and 3D flyover show the way in the meantime.
Other routes
Every way up London Mountain we list, with its class.
This describes the route on a dry summer day. Most 13ers see few people, so there may be no one along behind you. Check recent conditions the week you go, carry a map, tell someone your plan, and turn around when the day tells you to.