Berthoud Pass
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Berthoud Pass (pronounced: ['bɝθəd]/ BIRTH-ud), elevation 11,307 ft (3446 m.), is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado in the United States. The pass is located west of Denver, and provides a high route between upper Clear Creek Canyon to the upper valley of the Fraser River in Middle Park to the north. The pass sits at the continental divide in Front Range, on the border between Clear Creek County and Grand County.
The pass is named for Edward L. Berthoud, the chief surveyor of the Colorado Central Railroad during the 1870s. Accompanied by Jim Bridger, Berthoud discovered the pass in July 1861 while surveying a possible route for the railroad. Berthoud reported that the pass was suitable as a wagon road, but not as railroad. The pass today is currently the route of U.S. Highway 40, north of its junction with Interstate 70 in Clear Creek Canyon. It provides the most convenient road access to Winter Park and Steamboat Springs from Denver and the Colorado Front Range. The pass is one of the most notoriously difficult passes in the Colorado for motorists, however, based on its height as well as the large number of switchbacks on the southern side of the pass.
Once home to the now-defunct Berthoud Pass Ski Area, the pass is a destination for local backcountry skiers due to its abundance of steep and challenging terrain and plentiful snow. The twisting road on both sides of the pass also makes "car shuttles" possible, eliminating the need for skiers and snowboarders to hike back to the top of the pass after each run.
The summit of Berthoud Pass is located at approximately 39°47'53.70" North, 105°46'36.88" West (39.79825, -105.77691)GR1.
