An old mining road to the summit of Mosquito Peak in Colorado
Mosquito Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 4,165m (13,664ft) above sea level, located in Lake County, in the US state of Colorado. It's one of the highest roads in the USA.
Where is Mosquito Peak?
The peak is located north of Mosquito Pass, in the central part of Colorado.
Is the road to Mosquito Peak unpaved?
The road to the summit is totally unpaved and very eroded. It’s an old mining road. It’s one of the highest roads in Colorado.
How long is the road to Mosquito Peak?
The old mining road to the summit is very steep. Starting from Mosquito Pass, the ascent is 2.95 km (1.83 mi) long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 139 meters. The average gradient is 4.71%.
Is the road to Mosquito Peak worth the drive?
The summit offers superb views. You’ll enjoy delightful views ranging from nearby neighbors in the Mosquito Gulch Basin out to numerous Continental Divide summits and beyond.
Is the road to Mosquito Peak open in winter?
Set high in the Mosquito Range of the Rocky Mountains, accessibility is largely limited to the summer season. It is not generally snow-free until late June or even July in some years. This range is always windy, so dress for it.
Can I drive to Mosquito Peak?
According to the information provided by colorado-chelsea.com, "There’s an old mining road to the summit that I believe is gated off from vehicles. Regardless, they are very eroded and wouldn't be safe for driving anyways, and I don't believe they go up to the summit at all. There is some old equipment up there. And we did see evidence that someone had driven (or tried to drive) up there at one time. It was really far away, so I didn't get a picture, but a vehicle had rolled off one of the eroded roads a few hundred feet down the slope. I'm not sure if they gated the road after that happened or if that person came in from a different way, but it didn't look like a good time. You could easily hike either to the summit of Mosquito Peak or to the mine equipment from Mosquito Pass, however. It's not very far and shouldn't be terribly difficult, except for the altitude."
Pic: Kristofer Carlstedt