Climb the West Ridge of Snowdon Peak; a super fun 3rd and 4th class alpine scramble to a summit with world-class views
An often quiet climb and summit, Snowdon Peak sits near the top of Molas Pass and is a fantastic beginner to intermediate snow climb in the spring or fantastic rock scramble in the summer. Sitting at 13,077ft Snowdon stands alone with incredible panoramic views of the Grand Turk to the North, Engineer Mountain to the West, and Vestal and Arrow (among many others) to the East.
Snowdon is a fantastic climb for those looking to spend a fun day hiking through alpine meadows in the morning and then ramping up the adventure by roping up to begin the climb of the classic West Ridge.
Trip Details
Duration
1 Days
Difficulty
Some climbing experience necessary
Maximum Guide Ratio
2:1
Included
- AMGA and SJE trained/certified alpine guide
- All technical equipment (helmet, harness, climbing equipment, ropes, packs, etc.)
- Federal land usage surcharge (USFS/BLM)
Not Included
- Lunch/snack food & water
- Guide gratuity
Trip Itinerary
Your guide will reach out to you in advance to let you know where the best location to meet will be.
On the morning of the climb, you will head to Crater Lake Trailhead at the top of Molas Pass where we will begin the hike to Snowdon Peak.
Based on your prior conversations with your guide and SJE we may have climbing equipment (harness/helmet) for you to add to your pack so be sure to save a little space for those items.
The trailhead is the last opportunity to use a designated restroom for the day so take advantage if necessary. Once everyone is ready to take off we will begin the approach to Snowdon.
The hike to the base is roughly 2 miles and gains 1,200ft of elevation as the trail weaves its way through high alpine meadows with Snowdon in view the entire time.
Once at the base, the terrain shifts from a designated trail to a steeper slope with rock all the way to the summit.
The round trip can take anywhere between 3 – 5 hours.
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