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Cordova Pass
The Spanish Peaks are
unique set of mountains, especially for
Colorado. Their cone shape speak of
volcanic activity. But there are no
craters on top, even if it may look like
it from a few locations below. These
volcanic features originated under the
sea and never erupted. Instead molten
volcanic magma collected in two bulges.
Cracks developed in the surrounding
rocks. Magma filled these craks, and
after erosion did its job, today dikes
radiate outward from these ancient
undersea bulges like spokes on a bicycle
wheels. Since the magma was more
difficult to erode than the surrounding
sedimentary rocks. they lie exposed
today.
Two pass roads go near the peaks, this one and Cucharas Pass, which also serves as approach to the west side of this pass. Much of the beauty of Cordova Pass is in its isolation. The views of the peaks and the dykes radiating out from them are really better from the La Veta - Cucharas Pass section, that is the paved lower western side of the approach.
 Approaches From West. For some notes on the
section La Veta - Cucharas Pass, see the Cucharas Pass
page. From the top of Cucharas
Pass a good dirt road takes off to the
east across a high meadow. It heads for
the forest. The Spanish Peaks are not
really visible from here. After 2 or 3
level miles the road begins to climb. The
trees break open twice to reveal a partial
view of West Spanish Peak. No switchbacks
and just limited turns are required to get
to the summit. There still aren't any far
views from the summit either. Instead
there is a pay campground, a trailhead,
and two summit markers. Interestingly they
differ in elevation. The older, more
elaborate monument made from natural stone
with plaque commemorating Jose Cordova
states an elevation of 11005ft. The newer
generic national forest sign says 11248ft. Hiking .2miles to the south gets to a
good vantage point on the peak. For a
mountain bike it would be no effort at all
on this smooth, flat handicap accessible
thoroughfare. But where bicycles are
grouped with ATVs (like here) this is not
a legal option. From East. (described downwards)
The road continues in the forest in a
westerly direction. On the south side of
East Spanish Peak it finally engages in a
few extra turns, still with only limited
views of the peak and several dikes
through the trees. A interesting curiosity
is an a tunnel or arch that has been cut
through one of the dikes to accomadate the
road. Now leaving behind the peak the road
heads about as straight west as the
landscape will allow. After the first
ranch below the peaks, the road becomes as
wide as interstate highway for a while,
but the surface remains various variations
of dirt, but with little if any washboard. The peaks are now a decoration at the
horizon to the back, possibly with
monumental clouds above them. The road
becomes a fast dirt road, passing through
Gulnare, a collection of ramshackle
housings that not only sound but also look
new Mexican. Apishapa Canyon too, fits the
New Mexican definition of a canyon better
- it's just a small valley bordered by low
ravines. Finally the long dirt road treck
ends in Aguilar, a nice sleepy town with a
collection of buildings on main street
that speak of past importance. It even has
a small grocery store of sorts. Dayrides with this point as highest
summit Cordova Pass: CR46.0 south of Aguilar > CR46.0 south > Cordova Pass > Cucharas Pass(shp) > Cuchara > La Veta > Co12 > US160 east > Walsenburg > I25 south > CR53.7 south > Aguilar > CR46.0 west back to starting point: 87 miles. (m1:91.05.29) ( < FR401
Deer Peak Rd s(u) | Cucharas Pass
> ) History Modern Roads. If this route was
used by nomadic Indians and/or Spanish
traders is speculation. But this is one
road, the existence of which is not due to
a group of people seeking riches from
minerals, but the persistence of a single
man, the Las Animas county commissioner
Jose Cordova. The road was finished in
1934. In 1942 its official name became
"Apishapa", Apache for the "stinking
water" in Apishapa Canyon on the lower
eastern side of the pass. The name Cordova
was officially attached by the USGS board
on geographic names in 1978. Cycling. An early mountain biking guide, first published in 1987, mentions Cordova Pass as being suitable for mountain biking in its appendix, without describing it any further (William L. Stoehr's: Bicycling the Backcountry).
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