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Slumgullion Pass alternate summit
Slumgullion Pass is marked on Co149 between Lake City and
Creede on state highway maps. Helmuth's "Passes of
Colorado" points out that topo maps place the divide
1/4 mile to the north east on FR788. It identifies the
pass as divide between the Lake Fork of the Gunnison to
the west and Mill Creek to the east. Yet other maps are
ambiguous about the true location of the pass, placing a
name in the general area without accompanying pass symbol.
The fact remains that separate summit locations are
published, even if they are only 1/4 mile apart. Since
this is a matter of different summits, not different
approaches to the same summit, this spot gets a separate
page.
click on profile for more detail
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1.(8510ft,mile00) START-END EAST:
Cebolla Creek campground
2.(8920ft,mile07) Cathedral. Los Pinos Pass turns
left. Stay right.
3.(11320ft,mile23) TOP: Slumgullion Pass alternate
summit. Shortly later road merges with paved Co143.
Profile continues to right.
4.(10850ft,mile24) turnoff to Windy Point overlook
is on right.
5.(8660ft,mile32) START-END WEST: Lake City
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Approaches
From East. The approach to this summit is entirely
separate from the Co149 Slumgullion Pass approach. It begins
where Co149 crosses Cebolla Creek and follows a dirt road
along the creek instead of Co149 all the way to the top.
Initially the road leads through a flat bottom valley, rimmed
by layers of caprock that appear to be the perfect natural
fences for keeping in cattle. The valley seems to contain just
as many tourist ranches as real ranches. Camping in the lower
valley is only practical in a single national forest
campground. After this the road begins to climb and this is
also where the profile starts.Seven miles later, at the
settlement of Cathedral, the road meets up with Spring Creek
and the Los Pinos Pass road. The
route enters national forest land and follows pleasant open
forest land, interspersed with sporadic wildly shaped rock
outcrops to a forested top.
From West. This approach is identical to what is
described as the northern approach to Slumgullion Pass on the Slumgullion/
Spring Creek Passes page, and the picture below is taken
on this side. The alternate summit is reached by turning left
onto FR788, shortly before the point of highest altitude on
Co143. FR788 climbs a short distance before reaching an
unmarked spot of highest elevation in dense forest.
Tours
Dayrides. A ride starting at the top of nine mile
hill (located on Co149 several miles south of its junction
with US50), continuing through Powderhorn and the Cebolla
Creek road to the top of this summit, leading to the low point
between the Co149 Slumgullion Pass, Spring Creek Pass summit,
they turning around and leading back to the starting point
through Lake City on Co149, measured 94 miles and 7500 feet of
climbing in 8.0 hours.
History . This separate approach to the alternate
summit of Slumgullion Pass seems like a very practical
historical route at first. The combination of Pinos
Pass, and the northern approach described above, forms a
direct connection between the old well worn Cochetopa
Pass and the top of the alternate Slumgullion summit. In
spite of this the Cebolla Creek road is not a very old
route. Otto Mear's toll roads reached the preeminent
destination, Lake City, by descending Cebolla Creek instead of
ascending it. The early road followed a longer, lower route
over Cerro Summit and Blue
Mesa Summit instead. Besides, the top of Slumgullion Pass
was utilized by Otto Mear's competitor, who had built a toll
road from Del Norte to reach Lake City. The headwaters of
Cebolla Creek cross the historic Del Norte - Lake City toll
road, and the name "Cebolla Pass" was applied to the
route prior to the toll road. But in spite of its name, the
route did not descend Cebolla Creek
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Colorado Pass Tables Page
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