Dallas Divide (el. 8,983 feet (2,738 m)) is a high mountain pass in the United States state of Colorado located on State Highway 62 about 12 miles (19 km) west of the town of Ridgway .
24-777: The pass is a saddle between the San Juan Mountains to the south and the Uncompahgre Plateau to the north and divides the Uncompahgre River watershed from the San Miguel River watershed and Ouray County from San Miguel County . The pass takes its name from Dallas Creek which drains the basin on the north side of Mount Sneffels into the Uncompahgre River. The divide's namesake is George M. Dallas , 11th Vice President of
48-605: A high and rugged mountain range in the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico . The area is highly mineralized (the Colorado Mineral Belt ) and figured in the gold and silver mining industry of early Colorado. Major towns, all old mining camps , include Creede , Lake City , Silverton , Ouray , and Telluride . Large scale mining has ended in the region, although independent prospectors still work claims throughout
72-496: A major resort project proposed by Texas billionaire Red McCombs has been causing controversy in the area. The proposed resort would be situated near the summit of the pass and support over 8,000 people. People familiar with the high alpine environment and water issues in the area question the wisdom of a resort style village at 10,000' elevation. McCombs has been working with the Forest Service to acquire highway access to
96-607: A popular destination for endurance sports like trail running and mountain biking; Silverton is home to the Hardrock 100 Endurance Run one of the most difficult and technical ultra-marathons in the world. The Rio Grande drains the east side of the range. The other side of the San Juans, the western slope of the continental divide , is drained by tributaries of the San Juan , Dolores and Gunnison rivers, which all flow into
120-599: A result, facilities in the towns and cities of the region are among the highest in the nation. Telluride Airport , at an elevation of 9,070 feet, is the highest in the United States with regularly scheduled commercial service. Human history at the eastern edge of the San Juan Mountains dates back thousands of years. Smithsonian archaeologists have identified paleo-Indian sites that are about 5,000 years old, located near Great Sand Dunes National Park and at
144-699: A view of a mountain waterfall. The main route of the Continental Divide Trail (CDT), which reaches from Mexico to Canada , passes through Wolf Creek Pass. North bound "thru hikers" usually hike through Wolf Creek Pass in June. The pass was named for Wolf Creek , which starts near the top of the pass and flows down its western side to a confluence with the West Fork San Juan River in Mineral County . For decades,
168-447: Is a major part of the regional economy, with the narrow gauge railway between Durango and Silverton being an attraction mostly in the summer and fall. Off-roading is popular on the old trails which linked the historic mining camps, including the notorious Black Bear Road . Visiting old ghost towns is popular, as is wilderness trekking and mountain climbing . Many of the old mining camps are popular sites of summer homes . Though
192-509: Is also home to Wolf Creek ski area located on the eastern side of the Continental Divide on Highway 160. Also on the eastern side is one of the largest RV parks in the United States, located just a few miles west of South Fork, Colorado . Wolf Creek Pass is also an attraction for tourists, as it is known for the natural beauty of the wilderness the highway passes through. Just west of the pass, Treasure Falls offers passersby
216-412: Is heavy, averaging 392.1 inches (995.9 cm), one of the highest in the state, usually beginning by late September and not ceasing until early June. March averages the highest snowpack of the year at 67 inches 170.2 cm). The Upper San Juan SNOTEL weather station is situated nearby, to the south of Wolf Creek Pass's summit. Upper San Juan also has a subarctic climate ( Köppen Dfc ), but with
240-519: The Colorado River . The San Juan and Uncompahgre National Forests cover a large portion of the San Juan Mountains. The Continental Divide Trail , a long-distance hiking trail follows the crest of the San Juan Mountains. The Weminuche Wilderness , Colorado's largest wilderness area, with an area of 499,771 acres (202,250 ha) is in the San Juans. The San Juan Mountains are also distinctive for their high altitude plateaus and peaks. As
264-482: The Continental Divide , in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado . It is the route through which U.S. Highway 160 passes from the San Luis Valley into southwest Colorado on its way to New Mexico and Arizona . The pass is notable as inspiration of a C. W. McCall song. The pass is significantly steep on either side (6.8% maximum grade) and can be dangerous in winter. There are two runaway truck ramps on
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#1732782355659288-558: The Rio Grande watershed. Proponents claim the "Village" would improve the economics of the region. Wolf Creek Pass was made famous in 1975 by country music artist C. W. McCall 's spoken word song of the same name, in which the pass is described as "37 miles o' hell – which is up on the Great Divide." The song describes the truck careening down through a "tunnel" (during which process several crates of chickens stacked on
312-473: The 1990s when the liner of a cyanide -laced tailing pond began leaking heavily. Summitville is in the Summitville caldera , one of many extinct volcanoes making up the San Juan volcanic field . One, La Garita Caldera , is 35 miles (56 km) in diameter. Large beds of lava , some extending under the floor of the San Luis Valley , are characteristic of the eastern slope of the San Juans. Tourism
336-511: The San Juans are extremely steep and receive much snow, so far only Telluride has made the transition to a major ski resort . Purgatory Resort , once known as Durango Mountain Resort, is a small ski area 26 miles north of Durango. There is also skiing on Wolf Creek Pass at the Wolf Creek ski area . Recently Silverton Mountain ski area has begun operation near Silverton. The range is also
360-481: The United States. A toll road was first constructed over Dallas Divide in 1880 linking the town of Dallas near Ridgway with Telluride . In 1890 the Rio Grande Southern Railroad was built over the divide from Ridgway to Telluride. This Colorado state location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . San Juan Mountains The San Juan Mountains is
384-594: The back of the truck are inadvertently lost) and eventually into a feed store in Pagosa Springs. Wolf Creek Pass has a subarctic climate ( Dfc ) with substantial precipitation year-round, though it may be called a subalpine climate due to it having a different climate than other climates on a similar latitude due to its high elevation. Summer usually consists of mild days and chilly nights. Winter consists of cold days with nightly lows close to zero lasting from early November to sometimes into April. Annual snowfall
408-467: The eight-hour day , which had been approved in a referendum by 72 percent of Colorado voters . The new association consolidated the power of thirty-six mining properties in San Miguel , Ouray , and San Juan counties. The SJDMA refused to consider any reduction in hours or increase in wages, helping to provoke a bitter strike. Wolf Creek Pass Wolf Creek Pass is a high mountain pass on
432-714: The northern edge of the San Luis Valley, close to Poncha Pass. This suggests that early human presence in the region dates back to ancient times, long before the establishment of modern landmarks. Mining operators in the San Juan mountain area formed the San Juan District Mining Association (SJDMA) in 1903, as a direct result of a Western Federation of Miners proposal to the Telluride Mining Association for
456-475: The property, which is an inholding . Over several decades the Forest Service has been the target of multiple lawsuits from community groups for incompletely assessing the environmental impacts of approving a highway access point to the property and withholding information requested through the Freedom of Information Act. Following the most recent lawsuit, the developers reached agreement not to break ground at
480-630: The range. The last large-scale mines were the Sunnyside Mine near Silverton, which operated until late in the 20th century, and the Idarado Mine on Red Mountain Pass , which closed in the 1970s. Famous old San Juan mines include the Camp Bird and Smuggler Union mines , both located between Telluride and Ouray. The Summitville mine was the scene of a major environmental disaster in
504-457: The site until the case is resolved in court. Opponents of the "Village" state that the development would likely harm a vital wildlife corridor between the Weminuche and South San Juan Wilderness areas, alter backcountry experiences on Wolf Creek Pass, compete with local businesses in nearby Pagosa Springs and South Fork , adversely affect rare fen wetlands, and stress water supplies in
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#1732782355659528-432: The state, as all remaining overland routes require lengthy detours through New Mexico or over Lizard Head Pass , near Telluride , or the intimidating Red Mountain Pass , a two-lane road winding along sheer cliffs from Ouray to Silverton . The creation of the first road along Wolf Creek Pass began in 1911 and finished construction in 1916. The project's engineers were J. E. Maloney and Ed Riley. The 12 feet wide road
552-408: The westbound side for truckers that lose control of their brakes. Wolf Creek Pass, once a two-lane road winding through the San Juan Mountains between South Fork, Colorado , and Pagosa Springs , has been expanded into a multi-lane highway, greatly increasing the traffic capacity of the pass and making it more navigable in bad weather. It is the easiest access to southwest Colorado from the rest of
576-470: Was doubled in width in 1930 and was paved 20 years later. A 900-foot (270 m) tunnel on the eastern portion was opened November 5, 2005. Construction was completed in the Summer of 2006, with the highway fully widened and drainage projects along the route completed. The Lobo Overlook, at 11,760 feet elevation on the north side of the pass, provides commanding views of the continental divide. The pass
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