Boreas Pass
Boreas Pass is a favorite MTB pass in the Breckenridge
resort area, attracting a large variety of cyclists. Its
gentle railroad bed grade makes it suitable for family
outings. But its stunning scenery attracts all sorts of
riders. In many ways, Boreas Pass is to mountain biking
what Vail Pass is to road biking. The closeness of a
heavily commercialized resort with good cycling
infrastructure, and last but not least - scenery -
conspire to make this a route that is preceded by its
reputation.

click on profile for more detail |
1. (9594ft,mile00) START-END NORTH:
Breckenridge
2. (10363ft,mile04) beginning of Boreas Pass railbed
trail
3. (10854ft,mile07) Baker's Tank watertower for
steam engines
4. (11481ft,mile10) TOP: Boreas Pass
5. (10093ft,mile17) continue to left downvalley
6. (9800ft,mile20) START-END SOUTH ALTERNATE: Como
7. (9681ft,mile21) START-END SOUTH: junction with
US285 |
Approaches
From North. The description above really refers to
only part of the northern approach shown in the profile. The
steepest part on this side is actually the paved road from
Breckenridge to the point where many of the bikers park their
cars to access the trail. This is also where the railbed
starts. It traverses above North Taryall Creek, slicing trough
rock outcrops like no biketrail, that had not been a railroad
in a former life, could ever do. Along the way it passes a
watertower and log structures hinting at a bygone era.
From South. The lower part of today's dirt road does
not follow the railroad grade, but was built by army engineers
in training. The road may be quite sandy and exhibit washboard
characteristics. Only a fraction of the cyclists starting out
in Breckenridge reach this part before turning back.
Tours
Dayrides. Riding up, partly over and back over the
pass makes a great family outing. But many longer options
exist. Because of the multitude of passes pioneered by miners
across Hoosier ridge, Boreas Pass can be part of several, long
circle day rides, crossing Hoosier Ridge twice. Boreas Pass
can be combined with the paved Hoosier
Pass and insignificant Red
Hill Pass. This option measured 54 miles with a mechanical
on board odometer (m1:88.06.26).
Boreas Pass can also be combined with the partial single
track French Pass. The whole
circle contains about 10 miles of hard top along route 285.
Such a ride measured 67 miles with 4700ft of climbing in 6:7
hours (m2:98.08.23).
A shorter but rougher route uses a short section without
trail on Hoosier Ridge. A ride starting on Co9 near French
Gulch, north of Breckenridge, crossing Boreas Pass to Como,
then returning over the unrecognized Hoosier
Ridge summit(u): North Tarryall Creek - Pennsylvania Creek
back through Blue River and Breckenridge to the starting point
measured 45 miles with 3800ft of climbing (m2:98.08.20)
History
Colorado Gold Rush of 1859/60 (<Red
Hill Pass|Georgia Pass>):
In the late summer of 1859 the gold rush of Colorado was still
in its first year. The major center of gold activity in this
area was Clear Creek in South Park, centered around Tarryall
Creek on the south side.
In the warm weather of late summer, gold seekers became
more mountain happy and crossed over to the Blue River,
calling the crossing Breckinridge Pass, after Buchanan's vice
president. The time for choosing sides between the confederate
slave owning south and the union north was getting closer. The
town's union republicans learned that vice president
Breckinridge had joined the confederate army. In an attempt to
change the name of the town but keeping the recognition factor
on their side, they renamed the town Breckenridge, replacing
an i with e. By August of next year the route had been
improved to a wagon road.
Railroads (<Cumbres
Pass|Fremont Pass>) :
The major markets to be served by the railways had already
been divided amongst the victors. The DRG ( Denver Rio Grande
) ruled Leadville, Gunnison and Durango. The DSP ( Denver
South Park ) was now controlled by the UP (Union
Pacific). After successful hasty construction to control a
majority of the markets by the DRG, the DSP wanted to build
something too. If nothing else it would generate business for
the parent, the UP, on which the DSP was heavily dependant for
construction materials
Furthermore, mining prospects were bright on the other side
of the mountains, the area south of the rim around South Park.
In the Kenosha Pass page we saw
how the DSP had conquered that pass, in what seems half an
eternity ago. Now business was waiting on the other side of
Breckenridge Pass. The new name Boreas Pass was instituted
during the construction of the rail bed. It was chosen for the
north wind howling over the top. The pass was also another
step towards a competing railhead in Leadville. It was not too
long ago, that the UP had helped the DRG to keep the DSP away
from that source of income (see Weston
Pass). Now that the UP controlled the DSP, it had to cross
not only Boreas Pass on its way to Leadville, but also Fremont
Pass.
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