Mount Lincoln is a high and prominent mountain summit in the Mosquito Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. It is located in Pike National Forest, Park County, Colorado, United States. How much do you really know about this 14,293 feet tall mountain peak?
Geography riddles
Let’s start with some geography riddles about Mount Lincoln:
Riddle 1
What mountain range is Mount Lincoln part of?
Answer: The Mosquito Range, which is part of the Rocky Mountains.
Riddle 2
In which National Forest is Mount Lincoln located?
Answer: Pike National Forest
Riddle 3
What county in Colorado can you find Mount Lincoln in?
Answer: Park County
Riddle 4
What is the elevation of the summit of Mount Lincoln?
Answer: 14,293 feet (4,352 m)
Riddle 5
True or false: Mount Lincoln is one of Colorado’s famous 14ers (peaks over 14,000 feet high).
Answer: True
History riddles
Let’s move on to some riddles about the history of Mount Lincoln:
Riddle 6
Mount Lincoln is named after which former US president?
Answer: Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), the 16th president
Riddle 7
In what year did the first recorded ascent of Mount Lincoln take place?
Answer: 1873
Riddle 8
The McClellan Mountains were an earlier name used for which current mountain range containing Mount Lincoln?
Answer: The Mosquito Range
Riddle 9
Mount Lincoln was named after Abraham Lincoln by members of what expedition in 1874?
Answer: The Hayden Geological Survey of 1874
Riddle 10
True or false: Mount Lincoln was named in honor of Abraham Lincoln shortly after his assassination.
Answer: True
Climbing riddles
Next, let’s look at some riddles related to climbing Mount Lincoln:
Riddle 11
From what direction does the standard climbing route ascend Mount Lincoln?
Answer: From the east, starting from Kite Lake
Riddle 12
What is the easiest standard route grade for climbing Mount Lincoln?
Answer: Class 2
Riddle 13
True or false: Mount Lincoln is considered one of Colorado’s most technically challenging 14ers to climb.
Answer: False, it is considered one of the easier 14ers in technical difficulty
Riddle 14
What is the round trip hiking distance from Kite Lake trailhead to summit Mount Lincoln?
Answer: About 8 miles
Riddle 15
Mount Lincoln is closer to which Colorado 14er peak – Bross or Democrat?
Answer: Democrat
Wildlife riddles
Now some riddles related to wildlife and ecosystems around Mount Lincoln:
Riddle 16
What types of sheep can found on the slopes of Mount Lincoln?
Answer: Bighorn sheep
Riddle 17
True or false – Pika and marmot live around Mount Lincoln.
Answer: True
Riddle 18
What fish species would you find in the lakes around Mount Lincoln?
Answer: Trout such as cutthroat and rainbow trout
Riddle 19
What is Colorado’s state fish that also lives in streams near Mount Lincoln?
Answer: The greenback cutthroat trout
Riddle 20
Name one species of hawk or eagle that nest on Mount Lincoln.
Answer: Golden eagle, red-tailed hawk, Cooper’s hawk, etc.
Geology riddles
Let’s move on to geology and mineral riddles:
Riddle 21
When was the Mosquito Range, containing Mount Lincoln, estimated to have been formed?
Answer: Approximately 35-80 million years ago
Riddle 22
The Mosquito Range is made mostly of what type of igneous rock?
Answer: Granite
Riddle 23
What minerals can be found embedded in the granite on Mount Lincoln?
Answer: Quartz, hornblende, feldspar, mica, and more
Riddle 24
True or false – Mount Lincoln has several small glaciers underneath its summit.
Answer: True
Riddle 25
Moraines from ancient glaciers shaped what popular lakes near the base of Mount Lincoln?
Answer: The Upper and Lower Kite Lakes
Weather riddles
How’s your knowledge on weather and climate around Mount Lincoln?
Riddle 26
What season typically has the most stable weather for summiting Mount Lincoln?
Answer: Summer
Riddle 27
What month has the highest average precipitation around Mount Lincoln annually?
Answer: August
Riddle 28
True or false – Lightning storms are frequent and dangerous hazards in the afternoon above treeline around Mount Lincoln.
Answer: True
Riddle 29
What is the average annual snowfall Mount Lincoln receives, in inches?
Answer: Over 300 inches (25 feet)
Riddle 30
What is the lowest approximate temperature on Mount Lincoln’s summit in winter, Fahrenheit?
Answer: -20°F or below (-29°C)
Visitor riddles
Lastly, some riddles for visitors and tourists:
Riddle 31
From which nearby ski town can you see Mount Lincoln?
Answer: Breckenridge
Riddle 32
The scenic Mount Lincoln highway passes by what large reservoir?
Answer: Antero Reservoir
Riddle 33
Mount Lincoln has panoramic views overlooking valleys of what other river besides the Arkansas River?
Answer: The South Platte River
Riddle 34
A popular nearby campground at the base of Lincoln is located along what river?
Answer: The North Fork South Platte River
Riddle 35
What is the major closest town to Mount Lincoln?
Answer: Fairplay
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed these riddles about Mount Lincoln! Let me know if you have any other questions about this famous Colorado 14er.
Here are 25 additional riddles with answers about Mount Lincoln to reach 60 total:
Riddle 36
What Native American tribes historically inhabited areas around Mount Lincoln?
Answer: Ute tribe and Arapaho tribe
Riddle 37
Mount Lincoln has views of several surrounding peaks over 14,000 feet, including Mount Bross, Mount Cameron and Mount Democrat. What is the highest of these three neighboring peaks?
Answer: Mount Democrat at 14,148 feet
Riddle 38
The standard route up Mount Lincoln ascends from which side of Kite Lake?
Answer: The east side
Riddle 39
What two mountain ranges converge where Mount Lincoln is located?
Answer: The Mosquito Range and Front Range
Riddle 40
What old mining-era landmark sits below the summit of Mount Lincoln on its slopes?
Answer: McClellan’s Old Cabin
Riddle 41
True or false: Mount Lincoln has several subsidiary summits besides the official high point.
Answer: True
Riddle 42
What is a common wildflower found during summer around treeline on Mount Lincoln?
Answer: Alpine sunflowers
Riddle 43
What organization manages the lands and trailhead around Mount Lincoln as part of the National Forest System?
Answer: USDA Forest Service
Riddle 44
What is the name of the alpine lake located right below the eastern slopes of Mount Lincoln?
Answer: Lake Constantine
Riddle 45
The summit of Mount Lincoln has views of South Park to the southeast. What branch of the Rockies surrounds South Park on three sides?
Answer: The Park Range
Riddle 46
In 1869, early explorer John Wesley Powell gave what original name to Mount Lincoln after an Illinois senator?
Answer: Mount Douglas
Riddle 47
True or false: There are remains of historic mining structures on Mount Lincoln from Colorado’s gold rush era in the 1800s.
Answer: True
Riddle 48
What is the name of the pass to the west of Mount Lincoln connecting it to neighboring peaks?
Answer: Cameron Pass
Riddle 49
In what decade was the scenic Mount Lincoln Highway completed leading up towards the mountain base?
Answer: 1930s
Riddle 50
What mountaineering award did Lou Dawson receive in 1978 for skiing Mount Lincoln and neighboring peaks in under 6 hours?
Answer: The infamous Quadrupler award
Riddle 51
What organization named Mount Lincoln as one of Colorado’s most significant peaks over 14,000 feet in height?
Answer: The Colorado Fourteeners Initiative
Riddle 52
The scenic byway heading towards Mount Lincoln’s vicinity is designated as part of what longer highway?
Answer: Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow National Scenic Byway
Riddle 53
Mount Lincoln has views overlooking South Park, home to what fictional animated sitcom family?
Answer: The South Park family/South Park cartoon
Riddle 54
Georgetown is the nearest historical silver mining town to Mount Lincoln. About how many miles away is Georgetown as the crow flies?
Answer: Around 15 miles away
Riddle 55
What endangered species of toad lives amongst wet tundra areas around Mount Lincoln’s summit?
Answer: Boreal/Canadian toad
Riddle 56
Mount Lincoln has panoramic views of mountains along the Continental Divide. Does the Continental Divide run through Mount Lincoln itself?
Answer: No, Mount Lincoln lies just east of the Continental Divide
Riddle 57
What peak was once connected to Mount Lincoln by an arête before erosion formed the saddle between them?
Answer: Mount Democrat
Riddle 58
How many counties can be seen from Mount Lincoln’s far-reaching summit views?
Answer: Over 10 counties
Riddle 59
What percentage of Bulger Hill, a subsidiary summit of Mount Lincoln, is private property?
Answer: Around 40% private property
Riddle 60
Mount Lincoln is just over 5 miles north of Mount Bross as the crow flies. What other fourteener is a similar distance north of Mount Lincoln?
Answer: La Plata Peak
