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Mount Lindsey

snow North Couloir
Difficulty Class 2 
Snow Steepness: Moderate 
Ski/Board: Advanced, D5 / R2 / II  
Risk FactorsExposure: Moderate
Rockfall Potential: Moderate  
Route-Finding: Considerable  
Commitment: Considerable  
 
Start10,700 feet
Summit14,055 feet
Total Gain3,900 feet with a high-traverse to the couloir
4,400 feet if climbing the entire couloir
RT Length8.75 miles
Last UpdatedApr 2025
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Snow Only Route
This route should only be climbed with consolidated, stable snow, usually in spring or early summer. In mid-winter, many snow routes have frequent risk of avalanche.

Trailhead

From the town of Gardner, located northwest of Walsenburg, take Colorado 69 west for approximately half a mile, then turn west onto County Road 550. The trailhead is 22+ miles from this point. Start measuring mileage here:

  • At 7.0 miles, the road turns to dirt.
  • At 11.8 miles, stay left on Forest Road 580.
  • At 15.7 miles, stay left at the entrance to the Singing River ranch. The road becomes narrow, but usually still 2WD with good clearance.
  • At 16.7 miles, pass the entrance to the Aspen River ranch.
  • At approx. 20 miles, reach the the west side of large, landslide area where the road was re-routed in 2016. After this point, there's a steep section that requires 4WD.
  • Continue 2 miles on the rough, narrow road to reach the Lily Lake TH. There are dispersed camping spots along this section.

Route Description

Taken from far to the north,  1 and  2 show Mt Lindsey's north face. First, follow the Mt. Lindsey - North Face Route to the 13,150-foot saddle between Iron Nipple and Mt. Lindsey -  3. The north couloir is not visible from here. To reach it, you must drop east ( 4) into the basin between 13er "Huerfano Peak" and Mt. Lindsey. Here are two options to reach the couloir:

1) From the saddle, hike slightly left (north) before dropping right into the drainage ( 5) which runs east from the saddle between Iron Nipple and Mt. Lindsey. Follow the drainage for 3/4 of a mile to reach the base of the north couloir, near 12,300' ( 10).

2) For a higher traverse to the couloir, continue another 50+ yards southeast on the standard route, drop left (east) off the ridge ( 4) and zigzag down the slope to reach easier terrain near 12,800' ( 6). Continue east, at an elevation of 12,800'; ( 7), for 1/2 mile to intersect the north couloir ( 9). This option saves you 500 feet of elevation loss but the traverse involves crossing several shallow gullies.

 8 looks back on both options. Enter the couloir and begin climbing ( 11,  12).  13 and  14 show the middle of the couloir. Near 13,800' ( 15), the couloir becomes steeper and you reach the final pitch ( 16). Pick your line and climb to the top of the couloir and summit ( 17). For the descent, the standard (#1) route is probably the best option.

Skiing?

With good snow coverage, the north couloir can provide nearly 1,900' of skiing. Remember, you'll have to ascend back to the 13,150-foot saddle on your way out.

Notes

IMPORTANT: This route enters the Sangre De Cristo Wilderness area. Designated wilderness areas have special regulations and restrictions for party size, dispersed camping, campfires, etc. Also, dog owners should read the wilderness information carefully because some wilderness areas prohibit dogs to be off-leash and/or limit how close dogs can be to lakes and streams. If you have questions about the wilderness area, please contact a U.S. Forest Service office for the National Forest(s) listed above.
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17

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