Sandy's Fort Pass
Sandy's Fort Pass allows the cyclist to get away from it
all, traffic, towns, even other cyclists. I suppose some
would even include scenery in the list, although I don't
count myself among them. The pass is a low crossing in
breadloaf shaped hills that have experienced a recent
forest fire. The pass crosses between the desolation of
Dry Creek Basin to the westernmost San Juan foothills in
the area of Lone Cone Peak. The pass is not marked on
National Forest maps. It is named in BLM and topo maps,
and also identified in Helmuth's "Passes of
Colorado".
click on profile for more detail
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1.(6750ft,mile00) START-END WEST:
Basin School, junction of U29rd and rdU31
2.(8323ft,mile09) TOP: Sandy's Fort Pass
3.(7720ft,mile13) Miramonte Reservoir, another dirt
road heads left towards Norwood
4.(7730ft,mile16) Both forks go to 31.00rd. Profile
continues to righ, which is the shorter route to
Lone Cone SWA summit(u)
5.(8100ft,mile17) START-END EAST: junction with
31.00rd; connects to Lone Cone SWA summit(u)
profile.
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Approaches
From West. Leaving Basin, the map designation for a
sporadically open store, the initial miles on 31U road are
paved, as they make their way through scrub forest up shallow
hills. The top through an extensive burn area is surprisingly
steep and the surface quite smooth. Much of it is hard
medalled. On top state wildlife area land changes to private
land and good distant views of the Sneffels range appear.
Shortly later Lone Cone Peak appears to the right, to take its
role as prime orientation point of south west Colorado.
From East. A number of possible approach routes
converge at Miramonte Reservoir in order to share the final
miles to the top. Among them is 33.2rd from east of
Norwood. It is partially paved, leads through an extensive
burn area, crosses Naturita Canyon and has good views in
direction Sneffels Range.Yet another possible approach is
39.0rd from north of Norwood.
The approach suggested in the dayride and the profile
however is different. It does not drop below the altitude of
Miramonte reservoir but instead regains elevation leading to
the unofficial Lone Cone
SWA summit(u). The climb from Miramonte Reservoir offers
increasingly better views of Lone Cone Peak and the Sneffels
range. In August 05 a new gravel layer was being deposited on
the road, which made riding more difficult than on the west
side.
Tours
Dayrides. A circular dayride beginning at Lone
Cone SWA summit(u), following a dirt road through
Disappointment Valley to Co141, crossing Gypsum
Pass and returning via Sandy's Fort Pass measured 84 miles
with 5220 feet of climbing over 6.5 hours, using a Cateye 100A
cycle computer.
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Colorado Pass Tables Page
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