Moving to Colorado, we found something new to collect: passes. These are places that a road or hiking path was created at the lowest point between two mountains. You will find 166 mountain passes over 7,783 feet (2,372 m). Of those passes, 107 are actually drivable; however, there are only 61 of those are paved while the rest are either gravel or unimproved. Of the 61 roads that are drivable with an ordinary car (meaning low clearance and not a 4×4), 30 of them are over 10,000 ft (3048 m). Stat wise, this is a very collectible project.
If you would like to learn about what a pass is and how Colorado keeps travelers safe, please read our post We're Gonna Pass, Thank You - Colorado Passes and How To Traverse Them.
To view the article for the first Colorado Pass we visited, Kenosha Pass, CLICK HERE
Wolf Creek Pass is 10,857 feet (3,309 meters) above sea level and it is said to be one of the most dangerous passes in Colorado. On the Colorado Department of Transportation website, they say " BEWARE THE WOLF" because it may look beautiful, but it can also be deadly. From 2015 to 2019, just four years, 47 semi-trucks crashed and 3 truck drivers were killed; most of these occurred on the switchback near Treasure Falls.
Before 1911 this road was a two-lane road, but by 1915 it was widened to a four-lane due to the traffic need. Today it is used to travel to Utah, New Mexico, and Wolf Creek Ski Area. Here you will find an Avalanche Shed and plenty of twists and turns that will provide lots of blue sky views. This pass was named after the Wolf Creek that begins near the pass and flows down to the San Juan River.
Not only will you find the Continental Divide here, but you will find an amazing waterfall called Treasure Falls. We were lucky enough to find it frozen which a person was climbing! This activity really surprised us, it is called ice climbing and it is an outdoor activity here. In the two photos below, you will see a person midway. We later saw more people climbing Box Canyon Falls near Ouray, but this was only our second time to see something like this. We watched for a while and walked away amazed.
Screenshot of Wolf Creek Pass' location from Google Maps.
This was a very important pass for me. My dad's brother, Uncle Bruce, was one of the snowplow drivers on this pass. This pass gets an annual 435.6 inches (1,106 cm) of snow on average, making it the area of Colorado with the most snow. It is because of the bravery of these men and women driving the snowplows that make Wolf Creek Pass passable. There have been many times my uncle had found cars pulled over to the side covered in snow; saving the drivers' and passengers' lives.
This is one of the reasons it was such an important place for me to visit. It was on this pass my uncle lost his life. He had been plowing when a mangled side rail grabbed the plow and caused him and the plow to be tossed over the side. However, because of this, they were able to find a car that had gone over the side. They saved the young woman; she never would have been found if it would not have been for my uncle's accident. He is listed on a plaque at the Colorado Department of Transportation's office in his honor.
This was a very impressive pass. The drive up had many interesting features like a tunnel, an avalanche shed, and plenty of overlooks. While at the top of the pass you can find trails, the Continental Divide, and an interesting historical marker. Between these, the drive down, and Treasure Falls, we had an amazing journey. If you ever find yourself in the Southwestern area of Colorado, be sure to drive Wolf Creek Pass and BEWARE THE WOLF.
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How wonderful that you were able to go there and pay tribute to Uncle Bruce. 💜 That certainly looks like an amazing place! And I've never heard of "ice climbing" 😱
Right! We were driving along I-70 one day and there, along the side of the road, was a guy climbing an ice wall! It was startling.
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Hello. The snow is lovely. You can tell just by looking at the area that it is a bit dangerous. How thoughtful of you to tell the story of your uncle's incident and the resulting find of the woman in need. The incident could have happened on any stretch of road; but through him, she was located. Appropriate to have an acknowledgement in his honor.
Your travels are always interesting with local information.
Thanks for sharing.
The snow is beautiful and it was SPRING!!! Not sure I would ever get used to that.
My uncle was an amazing person and I am so happy that the woman was found.
I agree. The now is a lovely white. I can feel the love you have for your uncle. We never know the inner workings of how things come into play.
Hope you are doing well both of you. Have a lovely week ahead, take care, and stay safe.
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