Begin this route at the intersection of Colorado 69 and FR559; it is marked by a "Medano Road" National Forest Access sign. The first seven miles or so is a light drive that a 2WD vehicle could venture through, but from the intersection with FR412, the four-wheeling begins. The pass narrows, but the ground isn't too rocky. On the descent are several creek crossings that are shallow enough to cross yet diverse enough to create variety to the trail. If it has rained, the road can get a little muddy.
At the end of the descent, the Great Sand Dunes National Monument provides another reason people enjoy this trail. There are a number of pull-offs to stop and see the dunes or even venture up them, but the sand can be treacherous. As you travel deeper into the monument, the sand gets progressively worse and may require you to deflate your tires to about 20 pounds. An air compressor station is located near the end of the trail; it is open during the peak season months.
This trail begins from an east side approach on US Highway 550, which is about five-and-a-half miles north of Silverton. This is the only part of the pass that is snow-plowed. As with the Medano Pass trail, the beginning of this route is the most effortless. The road, which is known as Forest Service Road 569, goes through the Middle Mineral Creek area to a rocky summit. In 1994, the road in the San Juan National Forest was opened to travel in both directions.
From the summit, Forest Service Road 630, is a shelf road and should be traversed with caution. Part of the way down the mountain, hundreds of feet below the road, a wrecked vehicle is a reminder of what a moment of carelessness could produce. Near the bottom of the pass is the town of Ophir, a once-abandoned mining town that is enjoying a new era of popularity. Before reaching Colorado 145, Ophir Loop is a site to see because of a double-level loop of elevated railroad track built on trestles up to 10 stories high.
At 13,186 feet, this is the highest pass road in Colorado that is open to travel. This route begins at Alma Junction at the intersection of Colorado 9 and County 12 (aka Mosquito Pass Road). The 16.7-mile route is deceptively trouble-free for the first five miles or so other than a number of turnoffs; you want to stay on County 12. About four-and-a-half miles into the trail, you can make a left onto FR 696, which will go around the south side of London Mountain and reconnect to the pass, but this road is usually closed to through traffic. It is best to stay on County 12, which turns into FR 12. About eight miles in, a couple of turnoffs, several rivers and lakes come into play. If you turn off 7.8 miles into the trail, a road will take you to Cooney Lake, which has several creek crossings, and it passes through the water at the bottom tip of the lake. The water at these crossings can be over 18 inches deep, so tread with caution.
From the summit, which is the continental divide, a look west reveals 15 fourteeners, including the three highest peaks in the Rockies. As you descend toward Leadville, the steepness will make the trail seem more difficult than it is. About 1.5 miles from the summit, you can turn off once again to Birdseye Gulch road, which heads north to Colorado 91. If you decide to take this route, make sure you have a winch (possibly an extension strap as well) to avoid damaging the terrain. The main road will leadi right into Leadville.
