Colorado mountain passes
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The following tables list some important mountain passes in the Rocky Mountains of the U.S. State of Colorado.
[edit] High elevation Colorado highways not on a pass
| Rank | Highway | Elevation | Grade | Surface | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Evans Scenic Byway[1] | 14,160 feet 4316 m |
15% | asphalt | SH 5 |
| 2 | Pikes Peak Highway[2] | 14,110 feet 4302 m |
8% | gravel | toll road |
| 3 | Trail Ridge Road[3] | 12,183 feet 3713 m |
5.4% WB | asphalt | US 34 |
| 4 | Eisenhower Tunnel[4] | 11,158 feet 3401 m |
7.0% EB | concrete | I-70 |
| 5 | Grand Mesa Summit The highest point on Grand Mesa, the highest flat-topped mountain in the world.
Colorado Highway 65 (Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway) traverses this mountain and conditions can be quite severe in winter, though it generally remains open. |
10,839 feet 3304 m |
6.4% NB | asphalt | SH 65 |
[edit] Colorado mountain passes traversed by paved highways
| Rank | Mountain Pass | Elevation | Grade | Surface | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Independence Pass[5] | 12,103 feet 3689 m |
6.0% | asphalt | SH 82 |
| 2 | Loveland Pass | 11,990 feet 3655 m |
6.0% | asphalt | US 6 |
| 3 | Hoosier Pass | 11,541 feet 3518 m |
8.0% NB | asphalt | SH 9 |
| 4 | Slumgullion Pass | 11,361 feet 3463 m |
9.4% NB 7.9% SB |
asphalt | SH 149 |
| 5 | Fremont Pass | 11,318 feet 3450 m |
5.7% | asphalt | SH 91 |
| 6 | Berthoud Pass | 11,315 feet 3449 m |
6.1% NB 6.0% SB |
asphalt | US 40 |
| 7 | Monarch Pass | 11,312 feet 3448 m |
6.4% | asphalt | US 50 |
| 8 | Juniper Pass[6] | 11,130 feet 3383 m |
6.5% | asphalt | SH 103 |
| 9 | Red Mountain Pass | 11,018 feet 3358 m |
7.2% | asphalt | US 550 |
| 10 | Molas Divide | 10,910 feet 3325 m |
7.0% | asphalt | US 550 |
| 11 | Spring Creek Pass | 10,901 feet 3323 m |
7.5% | asphalt | SH 149 |
| 12 | Wolf Creek Pass | 10,850 feet 3307 m |
6.5% | asphalt | US 160 |
| 13 | Milner Pass[3] | 10,758 feet 3279 m |
5.4% WB | asphalt | US 34 |
| 14 | Vail Pass | 10,666 feet 3251 m |
7.0% | asphalt | I-70 |
| 15 | Coal Bank Pass | 10,640 feet 3243 m |
6.5% NB | asphalt | US 550 |
| 16 | Tennessee Pass | 10,424 feet 3177 m |
6.0% | asphalt | US 24 |
| 17 | Cameron Pass | 10,276 feet 3132 m |
3.8% EB 3.1% WB |
asphalt | SH 14 |
| 18 | La Manga Pass | 10,230 feet 3118 m |
5.2% | asphalt | SH 17 |
| 19 | Lizard Head Pass | 10,222 feet 3116 m |
4.1% | asphalt | SH 145 |
| 20 | North Pass | 10,149 feet 3093 m |
6.0% | asphalt | SH 114 |
| 21 | Cumbres Pass | 10,022 feet 3055 m |
6.3% | asphalt | SH 17 |
| 22 | Kenosha Pass | 10,001 feet 3048 m |
5.3% EB | asphalt | US 285 |
| 23 | Red Hill Pass | 9,993 feet 3046 m |
6.0% | asphalt | US 285 |
| 24 | Cucharas Pass | 9,941 feet 3030 m |
5.9% NB 5.4% SB |
asphalt | SH 12 |
| 25 | Squaw Pass[7] | 9,807 feet 2989 m |
6.0% | asphalt | SH 103 |
| 26 | Willow Creek Pass | 9,621 feet 2932 m |
6.3% | asphalt | SH 125 |
| 27 | Gore Pass | 9,527 feet 2904 m |
6.3% | asphalt | SH 134 |
| 28 | Wilkerson Pass | 9,507 feet 2898 m |
5.8% | asphalt | US 24 |
| 29 | Rabbit Ears Pass | 9,426 feet 2873 m |
6.8% | asphalt | US 40 |
| 30 | North La Veta Pass | 9,413 feet 2869 m |
6.0% | asphalt | US 160 |
| 31 | Trout Creek Pass | 9,346 feet 2849 m |
5.2% | asphalt | US 24 US 285 |
| 32 | Ute Pass | 9,165 feet 2793 m |
5.6% | asphalt | US 24 |
| 33 | Wind River Pass | 9,150 feet 2790 m |
asphalt | SH 7 | |
| 34 | Poncha Pass | 9,010 feet 2746 m |
2.9% | asphalt | US 285 |
| 35 | Dallas Divide | 8,970 feet 2734 m |
6.4% EB 5.0% WB |
asphalt | SH 62 |
| 36 | Muddy Pass | 8,772 feet 2674 m |
5.6% | asphalt | US 40 |
| 37 | McClure Pass | 8,755 feet 2669 m |
8.0% | asphalt | SH 133 |
| 38 | Douglas Pass | 8,268 feet 2520 m |
7.0% | asphalt | SH 139 |
| 45 | Cerro Summit | 7,958 feet 2423 m |
asphalt | US 50 | |
| 46 | Raton Pass | 7,834 feet 2388 m |
asphalt | I-25 | |
| 48 | Monument Hill | 7,343 feet 2238 m |
asphalt | I-25 | |
| 49 | Unaweep Divide | 7,048 feet 2148 m |
asphalt | SH 141 |
[edit] Colorado mountain passes traversed by improved roads
| Rank | Mountain Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cottonwood Pass | 12,119 feet 3694 m |
| 2 | Fall River Pass | 11,762 feet 3585 m |
| 3 | Guanella Pass | 11,660 feet 3554 m |
| 4 | Boreas Pass | 11,499 feet 3505 m |
| 5 | Shrine Pass | 11,086 feet 3379 m |
| 6 | Marshall Pass | 10,882 feet 3317 m |
| 8 | Cochetopa Pass | 10,200 feet 3109 m |
| 9 | Kebler Pass | 10,003 feet 3049 m |
| 10 | La Veta Pass | 9,426 feet 2873 m |
[edit] Some Colorado mountain passes traversed by unimproved roads
| Rank | Mountain Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentine Pass | 13,205 feet 4025 m |
| 2 | Mosquito Pass | 13,179 feet 4017 m |
| 3 | Imogene Pass | 13,117 feet 3998 m |
| 4 | Black Bear Pass | 12,840 feet 3914 m |
| 5 | Engineer Pass | 12,795 feet 3900 m |
| 6 | Pearl Pass | 12,713 feet 3875 m |
| 7 | Cinnamon Pass | 12,615 feet 3845 m |
| 8 | Hagerman Pass | 11,925 feet 3635 m |
| 9 | Weston Pass | 11,921 feet 3633 m |
| 10 | Ophir Pass | 11,789 feet 3593 m |
| 11 | Ptarmigan Pass | 11,777 feet 3590 m |
| 12 | Rollins Pass | 11,677 feet 3559 m |
| 13 | Georgia Pass | 11,585 feet 3531 m |
| 14 | Schofield Pass | 10,722 feet 3268 m |
| 15 | Hayden Pass | 10,712 feet 3265 m |
| 16 | Medano Pass | 9,931 feet 3027 m |
[edit] Some Colorado mountain passes traversed by trail
| Rank | Mountain Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electric Pass | 13,494 feet 4113 m |
| 2 | Elkhead Pass | 13,245 feet 4037 m |
| 3 | The Keyhole | 13,163 feet 4012 m |
| 4 | The Notch | 13,035 feet 3973 m |
| 5 | Hermit Pass | 13,015 feet 3967 m |
| 6 | Blue Lake Pass | 12,969 feet 3953 m |
| 7 | Denver Pass | 12,907 feet 3934 m |
| 8 | Triangle Pass | 12,907 feet 3934 m |
| 9 | The Window | 12,877 feet 3925 m |
| 10 | Trimble Pass | 12,874 feet 3924 m |
| 11 | Fall Creek Pass | 12,848 feet 3916 m |
| 12 | Conundrum Pass | 12,779 feet 3895 m |
| 13 | McHenrys Notch | 12,736 feet 3882 m |
| 14 | Coffeepot Pass | 12,726 feet 3879 m |
| 15 | Sunnyside Saddle | 12,677 feet 3864 m |
| 16 | Columbine Pass | 12,674 feet 3863 m |
| 17 | Richmond Pass | 12,667 feet 3861 m |
| 18 | Stony Pass | 12,592 feet 3838 m |
| 19 | Willow Pass | 12,556 feet 3827 m |
| 20 | Whiskey Pass | 12,549 feet 3825 m |
| 21 | Pawnee Pass | 12,542 feet 3823 m |
| 22 | Venable Pass | 12,539 feet 3822 m |
| 23 | Halfmoon Pass | 12,523 feet 3817 m |
| 24 | Copper Pass | 12,510 feet 3813 m |
| 25 | Stone Man Pass | 12,506 feet 3812 m |
| 26 | Hunchback Pass | 12,500 feet 3810 m |
| 27 | Arapaho Pass | 11,905 feet 3629 m |
| 28 | Buchanan Pass | 11,837 feet 3608 m |
| 29 | La Poudre Pass | 10,175 feet 3101 m |
[edit] See also
- Colorado mountain peaks
- Colorado mountain ranges
- Mountain pass
- State highways in Colorado
- State of Colorado
- Wikimedia Commons: Mountain passes of Colorado
[edit] References
- ^ The state highway up Mount Evans ends about a quarter mile (400 m) from the summit. The Mount Evans Scenic Byway is the highest paved highway in North America. The road is closed during the winter, and the upper section from Summit Lake, at an altitude of 12,836 feet (3,912 m), is closed after Labor Day.
- ^ The toll road up Pikes Peak ends at the summit of the mountain. Pikes Peak is the most visited mountain summit in North America.
- ^ a b Trail Ridge Road (U.S. Highway Route 34) crosses the Continental Divide at Milner Pass but reaches its highest point several miles northeast of the pass. Trail Ridge Road is the highest paved through highway in North America. The road is closed during the winter.
- ^ The highest elevation in the Eisenhower Tunnel is a short distance inside the West Portal. The tunnel passes under the Continental Divide a few miles west of Loveland Pass. The Eisenhower Tunnel is the highest elevation on the Interstate Highway System of the United States.
- ^ Independence Pass is closed during the winter.
- ^ The high point near Warrior Mountain is the highest point on State Highway 103.
- ^ State Highway 103 passes by, but not through, Squaw Pass.
