Mendicant Ridge

Mendicant Ridge is a massive 12 mi long high mountain located about 9 mi east-southeast of Crawford, Colorado, in the Gunnison National Forest, Gunnison County, Colorado, United States. The ridge marks the western edge of the West Elk Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America and dominates the eastern skyline of the adjacent valley with about 5000 ft of vertical relief above Crawford State Park. Trending roughly northeast, Mendicant Ridge has four distinct summits that are often confused in the reference literature. From Castle Rock summit at 11205 ft on the southwest, the ridge rises to Mendicant Ridge South summit at 11425 ft, then to a higher central summit at 11603 ft, and finally to the Mendicant Ridge High Point located on the northeast end at an elevation of 11841 ft.