Colorado Mountain Passes
 

Our travel plans include going from Leadville, CO to Aspen, CO traveling over Independence Pass. Also we will be traveling from Durango to Ouray over Red Mountain Pass. As novice mountain drivers (and a little worried), how bad are these passes for the somewhat inexperienced?? Thanks! <BR>

I consider myself to be an experienced Colorado mountain pass driver. I have been over all of the ones you name more than once. I have even driven over some of the passes, like Cumberland and Cottonwood, on dirt roads. <BR>If you go over Independence Pass from east to west, it is not too bad. But coming the other way, Aspen to Leadville, I advise above average caution. The east side of the pass is a modern highway. The west side, the downhill side headed toward Aspen, is not. <BR>Molas and Red Mountain Passes are not bad at all with normal prudence. I would not advise any of the mountain dirt roads however in a low-slung car, unless they have been recently graded. <BR> <BR>I will tell a story on my wife to show you how a little experience can change the picture. She once acquired a fear of Wolf Creek Pass on our first trip. Thereafter, we went to Colorado several summers, and she drove over various passes. On our next to last trip there, she was driving as we approached Wolf Creek. After she drove over it, she stopped and said, "I think you should drive over Wolf Cree Pass." <BR>My reply was "You just drove over it." <BR>She laughed and said, "That was Wolf Creek Pass???" Yep. After Loveland, Cottonwood, Cumberland, and a couple of others, Wolf Creek did not seem that formidable. Just be sure that you shift down, even with an automatic transmission, on the more steep sections and don't constantly ride your brakes because they will overheat. But I think you will gain confidence quickly. <BR>

Have been over Independence Pass several times. It seemed that there was always enough traffic slowing down the pace, that it wasn't scary. Try and enjoy how beautiful the scenery is and don't dwell on how high up you are. I am fearful on roads that appear as though they are right on the edge of a drop off. I did not feel this way on Indep. Pass. Hope it's a wonderful trip - you are going to some beautiful places!

Forgot that I wanted to mention that you should stop at the ghost town of Independence on the Pass. There are signs for it and trails to walk on. It isn't much, but it's kind of neat & eerily (sp?) quiet to walk around a place that was once inhabited so high up in the mountains over 100 yrs. ago and so far from anything else.

Just drive carefully. We drove the routes with no special thoughts or actions other than driving carefully. As others said, just enjoy the view, which is magnificent.