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Monarch Pass, Colorado
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Monarch Pass is located in south-central Colorado, on
US Hwy 50, just to the west of the Monarch Ski Area. At an elevation of 11,312
feet (3,448 m), the pass sits directly on the Continental Divide of the Americas. The
pass is generally open year-round; however, 7% grades exist, and the area is prone to heavy winter snowfall, often resulting in temporary closures during severe winter storms. Ramps for runaway trucks are located about halfway down both the eastern and western sides of the pass. Much of the highway over the pass is three-lane.
The pass is widely considered one of the most scenic in Colorado, offering a panoramic view of the southern end of the Sawatch Range from the summit. During the summer, an aerial tram from the parking lot at the summit carries visitors to the top of Monarch Ridge above the pass (at approximately 12,000 feet (3,700 m) above sea level), allowing a wider view of the surrounding peaks. During the winter, visitors enjoy skiing at
the Monarch
Ski Area. Monarch Mountain Lodge is located about 5 miles from the summit of the pass.
The current Monarch Pass is the third location on the Continental Divide to carry that name. The Original Monarch Pass is just 1.6 miles (2.6 km) northwest of the present pass. A road traversing this first Monarch Pass was constructed in 1880 and served as an important wagon and stage road connecting the town of South Arkansas City (later Salida) on the east side with booming mining camps and the city of Gunnison on the west side. In 1922, the road was improved and rerouted to better accommodate motor vehicles. The new road, today known as Old Monarch Pass, crossed the divide 0.6 miles (0.97 km) northwest of the present pass. It remained an important unpaved crossing of the divide until 1939, when yet another highway realignment was made to accommodate increased traffic.
The old dirt road to Old Monarch Pass is still open today and cool to check out,
if you have the time to do so.
In September 1938, state engineers decided to
upgrade the Monarch Pass route, with significant reconstruction and rerouting to reduce grades, minimize tight curves, and keep the roadbed up on sunny slopes where winter snow would be easier to manage. To achieve these objectives, the road was rerouted over what was then called Agate Pass or Agate-Monarch Pass, which now serves as the third Monarch Pass.
The climate on Monarch Pass features a harsh, high-alpine climate characterized by long, freezing, and snowy winters, with over 350 inches of annual snowfall. Summers are cool and dry, with daily highs
averaging around 62°F / 17°C. Temperatures rarely exceed 72°F / 22°C or drop below -5°F /
-21°C in winter, thanks to the very high winds that frequent in the area, and
which stops the normal process of nighttime radiational cooling, but the wind
chill that comes with high winds, makes the temperature feel much colder, anyway.
During the day in the winter, daily high temps rarely reach freezing.
On February 17,
2016 at 7:36 p.m. the weather station recorded a wind gust from the west of 148
mph, the highest official gust recorded to date in the state of Colorado by the
National Weather Service (NWS). It broke the previous record of 147 mph from
January 25, 1971 recorded by the Center for Atmospheric Research. These
measurements were confirmed by the Colorado Division of Aeronautics and the NWS
office in Pueblo, Colorado.
Monarch Pass, U.S. Hwy
50 - looking
west
Monarch Pass, U.S. Hwy
50 - looking east
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