Little Bear Peak is a mountain in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, standing at 13,043 feet tall. It’s part of the Sangre de Cristo Range and located in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. Little Bear Peak is a popular hiking and mountaineering destination, known for its steep, rocky terrain.
In this article, we’ve compiled 60 riddles related to various facts and features of Little Bear Peak, along with the answers, as a fun way to learn more about this iconic Colorado mountain. From geography and geology to history and wildlife, these brain teasers cover a wide range of topics sure to stump even seasoned hikers of the peak. Test your knowledge of Little Bear Peak with these 60 mysteries and their solutions revealed below!
Riddles about Geography and Landmarks
Riddle: What two 14ers does Little Bear Peak connect to?
Answer:
Blanca Peak and Ellingwood Point
Riddle: What is the name of the glacier-carved valley found below Little Bear Peak’s West Face?
Answer:
The Hourglass
Riddle: About how many miles long is the Little Bear Peak Trail from the trailhead to the summit?
Answer:
6.5 miles
Riddle: What is the name of the saddle between Little Bear Peak and Blanca Peak to the south?
Answer:
Stone City
Riddle: True or false: Little Bear Peak is the highest point in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness.
Answer:
False (Blanca Peak is higher at 14,351 feet)
Riddles about Geology and Climate
Riddle: Little Bear Peak is composed primarily of what type of igneous rock?
Answer:
Granite
Riddle: What term describes the shape of Little Bear Peak’s summit pyramid?
Answer:
Cairn
Riddle: On average, in which month does Little Bear Peak typically receive the most snowfall?
Answer:
March
Riddle: How many glaciers can be found in the area surrounding Little Bear Peak?
Answer:
3 (the North Slope, Hourglass, and Ellingwood glaciers)
Riddle: In which direction does the Hourglass Couloir drainage run down from Little Bear Peak?
Answer:
West
Riddles about Hiking and Climbing
Riddle: What is the easiest standard hiking route up Little Bear Peak?
Answer:
Southwest Ridge
Riddle: About how much elevation gain is there from the South Colony Lakes trailhead to Little Bear Peak’s summit?
Answer:
Approximately 5,000 feet
Riddle: What technical climbing rating does the West Face route have?
Answer:
5.7
Riddle: True or false: Lightning is a significant danger when climbing Little Bear Peak.
Answer:
True
Riddle: To access Little Bear Peak, one must obtain a permit from which government agency?
Answer:
United States Forest Service
Riddles about History
Riddle: Who made the first recorded summit of Little Bear Peak in 1877?
Answer:
H.G. DuBois
Riddle: Little Bear Peak was previously known by what Native American name meaning “little bear”?
Answer:
Ya-ta-hey-so-wa
Riddle: About how many mountaineering deaths have occurred on Little Bear Peak over the years?
Answer:
Over 60 deaths
Riddle: Which famous American mountaineer disappeared while climbing Little Bear Peak in 1926?
Answer:
Norman Clyde
Riddle: In 1955, who was the first woman to summit Little Bear Peak?
Answer:
Jean Giono
Riddles about Plants and Animals
Riddle: What species of pine tree can be found at lower elevations around Little Bear Peak?
Answer:
Bristlecone pine
Riddle: The yellow-bellied marmot makes its home in which type of habitat found on Little Bear Peak?
Answer:
Alpine tundra
Riddle: What is the name of the organization that introduced mountain goats near Little Bear Peak in the 1970s?
Answer:
Colorado Division of Wildlife
Riddle: Which fish species can be found in lakes below Little Bear Peak such as Lake Como?
Answer:
Cutthroat trout
Riddle: What red wildflower blooms on Little Bear Peak in July and August?
Answer:
Alpine avens
Riddles about Seasons and Visibility
Riddle: In which season is the dry “monsoon” weather pattern most likely to occur around Little Bear Peak?
Answer:
Summer
Riddle: What phenomenon causes a “moon shadow” on Little Bear Peak just after sunset?
Answer:
The mountain’s shadow cast on cloud cover below the peak
Riddle: When is the best time of day to climb Little Bear Peak in terms of lighting conditions?
Answer:
Early morning
Riddle: True or false: It can snow on Little Bear Peak even during the summer months.
Answer:
True
Riddle: On average, how many days a year is the summit of Little Bear Peak Obscured by clouds?
Answer:
200 days
Riddles about Blanca Peak
Riddle: How tall is neighboring peak Blanca Peak?
Answer:
14,345 feet tall
Riddle: What Native American tribe considers Blanca Peak a sacred site?
Answer:
Navajo tribe
Riddle: Which valley can be seen from Blanca Peak’s summit over 1 vertical mile below?
Answer:
San Luis Valley
Riddle: True or false – Blanca Peak has year-round snow and glacier ice cover due to its height.
Answer:
True
Riddle: What is the main rock composition of Blanca Peak similar to Little Bear Peak?
Answer:
Granite
Riddles about Ellingwood Point
Riddle: What is the elevation of Ellingwood Point?
Answer:
14,042 feet
Riddle: Ellingwood Point was named after whom – the first ascent party leader in 1893?
Answer:
Albert Ellingwood
Riddle: How far is Ellingwood Point from Little Bear Peak’s summit?
Answer:
About 0.4 miles
Riddle: What technical climbing route goes from Little Bear Peak to Ellingwood Point?
Answer:
The Jagged Ridge
Riddle: True or false – Ellingwood Point is considered a “walk-up” by mountaineers?
Answer:
False, technical climbing required.
Riddles about the Hourglass Couloir
Riddle: What is unique about the Hourglass Couloir on Little Bear Peak?
Answer:
It resembles the narrow waist of an hourglass shape.
Riddle: The Hourglass Couloir is known for having what kind of rock terrain?
Answer:
Loose, crumbling rock
Riddle: How wide is the Hourglass at its narrowest spot?
Answer:
Only 5 to 10 feet wide
Riddle: Which season offers the best chance to climb safely through the Hourglass?
Answer:
Late summer
Riddle: True or false: There are anchors installed to protect climbers through the Hourglass Couloir.
Answer:
False
Riddles about Weather and Climate
Riddle: What causes the sudden thunderstorms that frequently develop over Little Bear Peak on summer afternoons?
Answer:
Heat and moisture rising off the San Luis Valley floor below
Riddle: On average, how much snow falls on Little Bear Peak each winter?
Answer:
Over 20 feet
Riddle: True or false: Calm, clear weather can persist for days in a row on Little Bear Peak.
Answer:
False, weather changes frequently and rapidly
Riddle: What useful weather phenomenon happens on Little Bear Peak most often right before sunrise?
Answer:
Temperature inversion
Riddle: What causes the loud booming sounds that mountaineers sometimes report hearing near Little Bear Peak’s summit?
Answer:
Exploding ice formations
Riddles about Geology
Riddle: What distinct bands can be seen running through the granite on Little Bear Peak?
Answer:
Black biotite bands
Riddle: About how old is the granite that forms Little Bear Peak?
Answer:
1.8 billion years old, formed during Precambrian period
Riddle: True or false – Fossils can be found within the sedimentary layers around Little Bear Peak.
Answer:
True, mainly marine fossils from over 300 million years ago when area was underwater
Riddle: Which geological process created the Hourglass Couloir drainage on the West Face of Little Bear Peak?
Answer:
Glacial erosion during past Ice Ages
Riddle: Which mineral gives granite rock its pinkish hue on mountains like Little Bear Peak?
Answer:
Feldspar
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed testing your knowledge of Little Bear Peak with these 60 riddles and their answers revealed! Let me know if you have any other questions about this iconic Colorado fourteener. Little Bear Peak presents fun mysteries to solve for hikers and climbers exploring its slopes. Make sure to climb safely and pack warm layers – the weather on Little Bear changes fast!
