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Cottonwood Pass
An abandoned highway is a beautiful thing. They come in two
categories. Usually they parallel a newer road, on which traffic
roars by unimpeded between utilitarian white lines. Meanwhile, off
to the side, the crumbly pavement of the abandoned road is just
perfect for a peaceful ride on a fat tire bike. Then their is the
second category of an abandoned road. A route that follows an
entirely different course than modern traffic, a road that lends
itself to speculation of what might have been if this alternative
route to circumnavigate a natural obstacle would have been chosen
today.
This Cottonwood Pass is that kind of abandoned highway. It is an
often forgotten connection to Aspen's Roaring Fork Valley from the
northeast, bypassing Glenwood Canyon. The road is well used by
locals. But chances are, that almost none of the hurried I70
travelers ever heard of it. The pass comes back into conscious
memory when the main flow of Aspen bound traffic through Glenwood
Canyon stops. This happens regularly through a forest fire,
mudslide, or accident such as a spontaneously combusting truck
hauling natural gas, caused by a driver who fell asleep at the
wheel. All of these things have happened over the last two years,
and the driver, familiar with local roads, all of a sudden
remembers Cottonwood Pass. Luckily cyclists don't have to wait for
such an "act of God" to explore this interesting ride.
From North. Hundreds of thousands of people travel the I70
corridor through Gypsum. Only a tiny fraction ever get to cast an eye
on the stair step topography rising above the Colorado River towards
the flattops to the north. This approach to Cottonwood Pass is ideal
to get an overview of the Colorado Valley. The well used dirt road (
no crumbly pavement here ) leaves Gypsum along Valley road. The
turnoff to Cottonwood Pass at point 2 is marked by a road sign. After
the rectangular turns of the farming valley turned suburban real
estate bubble disappear behind low forested ravines, the larger
landscape picture also becomes clearer. The Sawatch Range terminates
towards the east with with the abrupt shapes of large fish trunks.
North of the Colorado Valley a geologic staircase rises from crumbly
low badland steps to a rolling high plateau. The views become obscured
by the ravines the road uses to wind to the top. From South. A large scale map gives the impression that much
of this approach is through public land. In recent years however, most
of the land on this side of the approach is taking on the appearance
of a subdivision containing very large parcels of land. There are many
ways to approach the summit from this side. The profile shows the most
direct route from the valley. After leaving the valley, views of the
Elk Range behind Aspen become quite impressive, and at times you can
even avoid the foreground of somebody's flaunting real estate. The
picture below was taken on that option and predates the Roaring Fork
housing boom.When connecting the pass with a circle through Glenwood
Canyon, a more direct approach using unimproved roads north of Co82 is
a more scenic option. For this option far views of Mount Scopris make
up the scenery.
Sidetrip. From the top of Blue Hill, about 8 and a half miles
from Gypsum, a double track trail leads to two viewpoints which are
not only perfect vantage points onto the confluence of the Eagle and
Colorado Rivers, but also the west entrance of Glenwood Canyon. This
vantage point is right between what is and what might have been, as
far as highways are concerned. See history section below.
Tours Overnight Tour. Several routes between Dotsero and New
Castle ( or Glenwood Springs ) lend themselves to overnight tours. The
day from Dotsero over Cottonwood Pass to New Castle, also including
the sidetrip described above, measured 68 miles with 5400 feet of
elevation gain in 6.2 hours. The reverse direction was used to
traverse the White River Plateau
summit(u).
Dayrides. (paved+unpaved) Here is a long
dayride that could also be done in two days: Gypsum > Crooked
Creek Pass > El Jebel > Cottonwood Pass > Gypsum, 92
measured miles with onboard odometer (m1:87.10.05). Cottonwood Pass can also be combined with the bikepath
through Glenwood Canyon in a dayride: Glenwood Springs > Glenwood
Canyon > Gypsum > Cottonwood Pass > Red Canyon road >
Glenwood Springs: 68 miles, 4600ft climbing in 5.39 hours
(m3:06.08.13). History A wagon road crossed this old highway already in 1883, only three
years after Independence Pass was used to get supplies into Aspen
mining camps. Modern Highways With the opening of a feasible highway over Loveland
Pass and Vail Pass in 1940 a direct
westbound route through the state became feasible. It was at this time
that Cottonwood Pass carried the Denver - Grand Junction traffic. But
before the decade was over, US24 was designated to run through
Glenwood Canyon instead, commencing a large construction project of a
much different kind. But Cottonwood Pass remained on the planning table as a major traffic artery. The pass was considered for improvement as a temporary highway, when US24 became I70 through the canyon. However local business interests were afraid that the temporary solution could be just a little bit too perfect. A paved highway over Cottonwood Pass would in effect cut off Glenwood Springs from the Denver - Aspen traffic, not a desirable goal for expensive Glenwood Springs Spa merchants. The fact that it would also save much gasoline was not so important. A positive sideeffect for today's cyclist is what is arguably the state's most fascinating canyon cycling route, the bike trail through Glenwood Canyon. Thank you - Glenwood Springs overpriced knick knack merchants. Glenwood Canyon can be cycled with an extensive variety of tire
sizes, from little girls pink colored tricycle 16 inch tires to sew
ups on trendy pink-rose colored Pinarello thoroughbreds. Getting a
road bike over Cottonwood Pass is also viable during dry conditions.
But the sidetrip remains the territory of the supersize-me fat rubber.
It would truly be a shame to wait until the next truck driver falls
asleep in Glenwood Canyon and his tanker combusts spontaneously.
Cottonwood Pass and especially the sidetrip up Blue Hill are worth
exploring without a traffic accident reminding us of its presence. If Cottonwood Pass had been developed as paved road, the present
would look different. Glenwood Springs' role as a developing market
place would be in doubt.(Dec/05). Today throngs of shoppers follow
Glenwood Canyon to Glenwood Springs, but more importantly follow the
Roaring Fork Valley to Glenwood Springs in order to shop the newly
built businesses. These days it's the same scene as up and down the
Front Range. A few token towers that look like italian rennaissance
from 20 miles distance - but not from 5 miles distance - adorn the Big
Box stores. They seem to call "come hither and spend your
money". Once you come closer you realize that they are nothing
but a cheap stage set. There is no need to distract potential shoppers
with too much architectural detail, while they're still traversing the
parking lot to the local Bed Shoe Bath Paradise.
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