Wow, what a red mountain. Dec 19, 2014 - Photo-sharing community. The Million Dollar Highway was completed in 1924. Why it’s dangerous: Another, perhaps worse, segment of the Million Dollar Highway is Red Mountain Pass. The thing that so impressed me was Red Mountain. [7], North of Durango, the highway passes by Trimble Springs, hot springs that have been open for visitors since the late 19th century. The winding US highway 550 is also known as The Million Dollar Highway, running all the way from New Mexico to Colorado. Except for sections passing through the above listed towns, U.S. 550 in New Mexico has been upgraded to four lanes, offering a high-speed (70 mph) connection for Farmington, New Mexico and Durango, Colorado to Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Images & Notes About the Story's Setting. Once you crest the top of the road you’ll start to descend on one of the most hairpin curves of the whole highway! No other paved pass in Colorado stands out and is more well known than Red Mountain Pass. The highway then goes through a series of steep grades and hairpin turns before reaching Lookout Point, which offers a view of the town of Ouray.[7]. The nearby area is home to the Red Mountain Mining District, which contains several mines that are now mostly available as hiking locations. As you leave Ouray, don’t forget to stop at Lookout Point, take a breath, and take in the entire town of Ouray. (The other route is US 491.) Red Mountain Pass, CO. Photo: Red Mountain Pass, CO. Photo. Next is Molas Pass, which offers a panoramic view of Molas Lake, the Animas River Gorge, and Snowdon Peak. Views are terrific along the entire stretch. via US-550 N. Route: from Silverton to Ouray. Weather And Avalaches. Red Mountain Pass summit is at 11,018 feet. Play As. It is traversed by the Million Dollar Highway (aka U.S. Highway 550) between Ouray and Silverton. Travel north from Silverton to Ouray allows drivers to hug the inside of curves; travel south from Ouray to Silverton perches drivers on the vertiginous outside edge of the highway. Filmed June 11th 2020Mike PierceP O Box 2443Granby CO 80446 At one point a cog railroad was proposed, but it never made it beyond the planning stage. Today the entire route is part of the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway. But this is about the Pass. It is one of the roads on the Trails of the Ancients Byway, one of the designated New Mexico Scenic Byways.[4]. The view from the Pass area is wonderful. Silverton over Red Mountain Pass to reach the lucrative mining districts around Discover the world through photos. This drive climbs up 3 high mountain passes: Coal Bank Pass (10,640 ft), Molas Pass (10,970 ft), and Red Mountain Pass (11,018 ft). Didn’t find any portion of the drive particularly hairy. More. And stay so red after all the millennia (doesn't it fade or something?!). A Novel By Terry Cunningham. Another toll road was built over Red Mountain Pass from Ironton to Silverton. Million Dollar Highway Description. As a result, U.S. 550 was extended approximately one mile northwest to intersect with the new U.S. 50 alignment. Large RVs travel in both directions, which adds a degree of excitement (or danger) to people in cars. Red Mountain Pass. This stretch through the gorge is challenging and potentially hazardous to drive; it is characterized by steep cliffs, narrow lanes, and a lack of guardrails; the ascent of Red Mountain Pass is marked with a number of hairpin curves used to gain elevation, and again, narrow lanes for trafficâmany cut directly into the sides of mountains. One of the coolest (and most daunting in the winter) features of this highway is it crosses three different mountain passes: Coal Bank, Molas and Red Mountain. US Hwy 550 on the "Million Dollar Highway" between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado The snow season starts in October, and snow will often close the road in winter. In 1934, Highway 550 was extended through Farmington to Shiprock, New Mexico. Highest point: 3,358 m (11,018 ft)- Red Mountain Pass. Just be sure to keep your speed down throughout the many sharp curves. Red Mountain Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.358m (11,018ft) above the sea level, located in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. Although the road may be both treacherous and intimidating, adventurous drivers are rewarded with breathtaking views from the top. Just sticking up there. Just be sure to keep your speed down throughout the many sharp curves. In 2009 US 50 was re-routed onto the San Juan Avenue bypass to avoid downtown Montrose. The Million Dollar Highway or U.S. route 550 is located in the State of Colorada, U.S.A. It’s a special highway built in the late 1880’s as part of the San Juan Skyway. The stretch between Silverton and Ouray, the section of this … Named after the Red Mountain (set of three red rock peaks) on the northeast side of the pass. The ruins of the Longfellow Mine are visible along the way. https://youtu.be/o1QIZXOVWVQ Luv 2 Drivelapse? The original portion of the Million Dollar Highway was a toll road built by Otto Mears in 1883 to connect In 1989, the western end of US 550 was replaced with US 64 between Farmington and Shiprock. [6] The road is kept open year-round. In 2000, US 550 was extended further south from Aztec to Bernalillo to replace the newly upgraded NM 44 and NM 544, at which time all of US 550 in New Mexico was four lanes. Another toll road was built over Red Mountain Pass from Ironton to Silverton. Most of U.S. 550 in Colorado is two-lane mountainous highway. At an elevation of 11,018 feet, it’s one of the highest passes in Colorado and is traversed by U.S. 550 (Million Dollar Highway), but do you know the history behind this famous high mountain pass? Also named the Million Dollar Highway from the silver boom in 1882-1893. Great Highway. The Author. Red Mountain Pass elevation 11,018 ft (3,358 m) is a mountain pass in the San Juan Mountains of western Colorado in the United States. In the early 1920s, the original toll road was rebuilt at considerable cost and became the present day US 550. In the late 1880s Otto Mears turned to building railroads and built the Silverton Railroad north from Silverton over Red Mountain Pass to reach the lucrative mining districts around Red Mountain, terminating at Albany just eight miles (13 km) south of Ouray. Chains may be required to drive. New Mexico Geologic Highway Map, New Mexico Geologic Society, New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, 2005. Though the entire stretch has been called the Million Dollar Highway, it is really the twelve miles (19 km) south of Ouray through the Uncompahgre Gorge to the summit of Red Mountain Pass which gains the highway its name. [7], The highway leaves Silverton and proceeds up Mineral Creek Valley before ascending to Red Mountain Pass. Red Mountain Pass is the highest point, at a shade over 11,000 feet, on the Million Dollar Highway. Just sticking up there. Red Mountain, terminating at Albany just eight miles (13 km) south of Ouray. The highway runs north along the Animas River, under the Hermosa Cliffs. Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Road Trip America â Million Dollar Highway, The Cultured Traveler-Million Dollary Highway, "Keep Your Hands on the Wheel and Don't Look Down", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=U.S._Route_550&oldid=999679911, Transportation in Sandoval County, New Mexico, Transportation in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, Transportation in San Juan County, New Mexico, Transportation in La Plata County, Colorado, Transportation in San Juan County, Colorado, Transportation in Montrose County, Colorado, Infobox road instances in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 11 January 2021, at 11:23. The Book. Didn’t find any portion of the drive particularly hairy. Reviews. Red Mountain Pass If you have ever driven to Ouray from the south, you have undoubtedly traveled over Red Mountain pass on your journey to Switzerland of America. 1groc1 > Land/Sea > 'Million Dollar Highway-Red Mountain Pass(CO)' by Steve Martin. But this is about the Pass. Summer temperatures can range from highs between 70â90 °F (21â32 °C) at the ends of the highway to 50â70 °F (10â21 °C) in the mountain passes. Drivers pass by Engineer Mountain and Twilight Peak before crossing Coal Bank Pass. Red Mountain Pass is the stunning 11,018-foot summit of the Million Dollar Highway in Southwest Colorado. Highways in Colorado which runs west of the Continental Divide. Red Mountain Pass novel by Terry Cunningham. The thing that so impressed me was Red Mountain. See more information for Red Mountain Pass Views are terrific along the entire stretch. The so-called Million Dollar Highway is actually a small, 12-mile stretch of US 550 (a road worthy of many road trips in its own right). Red Mountain Pass was constructed with the rest of the Million Dollar Highway, which was built in 1883 by a man named Otto Mears. The most dramatic sections are within 6 miles of Ouray heading south. Make sure the person on the passenger side of the car is ready with their camera to capture how twisted the road is – it’s definitely unique! Red Mountain Pass is my #5 Must-See spot on the Million Dollar Highway! Red Mountain Pass Road Workers Memorial. Wow, what a red mountain. The remaining eight miles (13 km) were considered too difficult and steep for a railroad. Read More Providers These companies can get you there The remains of the operation are visible from the Million Dollar Highway, north of Red Mountain Pass, between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado. The remaining eight mil… It enters the San Juan National Forest and goes past Haviland Lake and Electra Lake. How can it be so red. The section from Silverton to Ouray is frequently called the Million Dollar Highway. Red Mountain Pass remains closed indefinitely after weekend avalanche mitigation brought down more snow than anticipated, ... also known as the Million Dollar Highway. Rather see a slower, real-time version of this drive? Red Mountain Pass, elevation 11,018 ft (3,358 m), is a mountain pass in the San Juan Mountains of western Colorado. I usually take this pass from Ouray over to Durango. Red Mountain Pass...or The Million Dollar Highway Southwest Colorado. The images and descriptions on this site will provide readers of Red Mountain Pass with more detail about. [3] Operating times: throughout the year. Part of the San Juan Skyway, this highway was built in the late 1880's, and it is one of the most spectacular drives in the USA.The Million Dollar Highway section connects Ouray and Silverton and is lined with many small adventure towns … Red Mountain Pass Information. U.S. 550 begins just north of Albuquerque at Bernalillo and passes through the towns of San Ysidro, Cuba, Bloomfield, and Aztec. Despite being among the most beautiful passes in the United States, the Red Mountain Pass is known to Red Mountain Pass, the actual “Million Dollar Highway” is truly an awesome drive. [7] Northbound travelers then pass through the town of Silverton, elevation 9,320 feet (2841 m), surrounded by 13,000 foot (4000 m) peaks Sultan Mountain, Kendall Mountain, and Storm Peak. U.S. 550 ends at the corner of Townsend Avenue and San Juan Avenue in Montrose, Colorado at the junction of its parent route U.S. Highway 50. There are several legends, though, including that it cost a million dollars a mile to build in the 1920s, and that its fill dirt contains a million dollars in gold ore.[3], There are seventy named avalanche paths that intersect Highway 550 in the 23 mi (37 km) between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado.[8]. Red Mountain Pass is a notoriously dangerous stretch of road between Ouray and Silverton that winds up and down steep grades with a massive ... frequently called “the Million Dollar Highway. Ouray and Ironton. The area around the pass, however, is what holds the most history. Its twisting Million Dollar Highway section is filled with hairpin turns, exposed sections without guardrails, and some of Colorado’s most spectacular views as it spirals over Coal Bank Summit, Molas Pass, and Red Mountain Pass. (The tunnels of the Idarado extend some 5 miles west under 13,000 foot mountains to the Pandora Mill near Telluride, a trip of more than 60 miles by highway, which the two RV Gypsies did not drive.) And stay so red after all the millennia (doesn't it fade or something?!). This section of the route passes over three mountain passes: The origin of the name Million Dollar Highway is disputed. How can it be so red. [3] Sure, the car commercials make it look like cake, but the lack of guardrails at an altitude above 10,000 feet in the winter is enough to make anyone put their hazards on. Red Mountain Pass is the highest point, at a shade over 11,000 feet, on the Million Dollar Highway. The view from the Pass area is wonderful. U.S. Route 550 (US 550) is a spur of U.S. Highway 50 that runs from Bernalillo, New Mexico to Montrose, Colorado in the western United States. The Million Dollar Highway stretches for about 25 miles (40 km) in western Colorado and follows the route of U.S. 550 between Silverton and Ouray, Colorado. Home. Its twisting Million Dollar Highway section is filled with hairpin turns, exposed sections without guardrails, and some of Colorado’s most spectacular views as it spirals over Coal Bank Summit, Molas Pass, and Red Mountain Pass. Mike drove our 35’ RV (2020 Newmar New Aire) on U.S. Highway 550 between Durango and Ouray, including the section referred to as the Million Dollar Highway. Million dollar highway, ourary colorado. The original portion of the Million Dollar Highway was a toll road built by Otto Mears in 1883 to connect Ouray and Ironton. On any standard map, the drive appears to be little more than a thoroughfare connecting the two tiny towns of Ouray and Silverton, Colorado. US 550 was part of the original 1926 federal highway system. It is one of only two northâsouth U.S. We drove from Ouray to Durango on the Million Dollar Highway. Between Durango and Silverton the Skyway loosely parallels the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. The original highway extended 110 miles (177 km) from Montrose, Colorado at U.S. Highway 50 to U.S. Highway 450 (now U.S. Highway 160) at Durango, Colorado. Great Highway. The mountain pass is transversed by a segment of US Highway 550 that stretches from Silverton to Ouray and the Million Dollar Highway, which are part of the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway. In the late 1880s Otto Mears turned to building railroads and built the Silverton Railroad north from My perspective is from traveling the pass going this direction. We drove from Ouray to Durango on the Million Dollar Highway. During this ascent, the remains of the Idarado Mine are visible. The route travels north through the San Juan Mountains. A little more than an hour from Telluride, Red Mountain Pass is the summit of the iconic “Million Dollar Highway” and the sight of unusual but spectacular red-drenched peaks. Uncover Colorado - Vacations, Travel & Tourism | Sitemap | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer. It is part of the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway. And descriptions on this site will provide readers of Red Mountain Pass, elevation 11,018 ft ( 3,358 m 11,018. 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