Monarch Pass

The pass is located on the Continental Divide at the southern end of the Sawatch Range along the border between Gunnison and Chaffee counties, approximately {{convert|25|mi|km|0}} west of the town of Salida. The pass carries U.S. Highway 50 over the Sawatch Range, providing a route between Tomichi Creek in the upper basin of the Gunnison River on the west and the South Arkansas River, a tributary of the Arkansas River, on the east. The pass can be traversed by all vehicles under most conditions and is generally open year-round; however, 7% grades exist, and the area is prone to heavy winter snowfall, often resulting in temporary closures during severe winter storms. Ramps for runaway trucks are located about halfway down both the eastern and western sides of the pass. Much of the highway over the pass is three-lane.

Ten curves have a 35 MPH advisory speed and one curve has a 30 MPH advisory speed. The East Descent has a 6% grade for 10 miles. The West Descent has a 6% grade for 9 miles.

Down hill from the summit, the maximum safe speed is 15 MPH for trucks with a maximum weight of 80,000 pounds. For trucks with a maximum weight of 50,000 pounds the maximum safe speed is 45 MPH.[https://www.crashforensics.com/monarchpass.cfm] Crash Forensics | Recommended maximum safe speeds from the grade severity rating system

The pass is widely considered one of the most scenic in Colorado, offering a panoramic view of the southern end of the Sawatch Range from the summit.{{cite web|last=Bedell|first=Kathy|url=https://leadvilletoday.com/intheville/more-in-the-ville/passing-names-in-the-ville/|title=A Pass By Any Other Name: Monarch vs. Vail|publisher=Leadville Today|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613202240/https://leadvilletoday.com/intheville/more-in-the-ville/passing-names-in-the-ville/|archive-date=13 June 2017|access-date=1 November 2017}} During the summer, an aerial tram from the parking lot at the summit carries visitors to the top of Monarch Ridge above the pass (at approximately {{convert|12000|ft|m}} above sea level), allowing a wider view of the surrounding peaks. During the winter, visitors enjoy skiing at Monarch ski area. Monarch Mountain Lodge is located about 5 miles from the summit of the pass.

The current Monarch Pass is the third location on the Continental Divide to carry that name. The Original Monarch Pass is just {{convert|1.6|mi}} northwest of the present pass. A road traversing this first Monarch Pass was constructed in 1880 and served as an important wagon and stage road connecting the town of South Arkansas City (later Salida) on the east side with booming mining camps and the city of Gunnison on the west side. In 1922, the road was improved and rerouted to better accommodate motor vehicles. The new road crossed the divide {{convert|0.6|mi}} northwest of the present pass. This second Monarch Pass is what is now known as Old Monarch Pass. It remained an important unpaved crossing of the divide until 1939 when yet another highway realignment was necessary.{{cite book| last1=Helmuth|first1=Ed|last2=Helmuth| first2=Gloria| title=The Passes of Colorado: An Encyclopedia of Watershed Divides| location=Boulder, Colorado| publisher=Pruett Publishing Company| year=1994|isbn=0-87108-841-X}}{{cite web| url= https://www.route50.com/history.htm| last=Edlund Jr.| first=Alvin| title= Coast to Coast on U.S. Highway 50: A Brief History of America's Backbone (aka 'The Loneliest Road in America') and How It Came To Pass in Central Colorado | publisher=Colorado Central Magazine|date=January 1999| access-date=2020-12-22}}{{cite book |last=Vandenbusche |first=Duane |title=The Gunnison Country |location=Gunnison, Colorado |publisher=B&B Printers |year=1980 |lccn=80-070455}}

During the 1930s, efforts were underway to complete the newly designated U.S. Route 50 across America. In Colorado, one of the more difficult challenges was the routing of the new highway over the Continental Divide. It was clear new road would need to be constructed, but there were three competing options for where to cross the divide. Marshall Pass and Cochetopa Pass, both to the south and at lower elevations, were under consideration as was Monarch Pass, the more direct route between Salida and Gunnison. In September 1938, state engineer Charles Vail decided to utilize the Monarch Pass route, but with significant reconstruction and rerouting to reduce grades, minimize tight curves, and keep the roadbed up on sunny slopes where winter snow would be easier to manage. To achieve these objectives, the road was rerouted over what was then called Agate Pass or Agate-Monarch Pass, which now serves as the third Monarch Pass.

The new U.S. Route 50 over the divide was completed, except for paving, in November 1939, and the new pass was initially designated ‘’Vail Pass’’. Area residents objected to the name, and in December 1939, Governor Ralph Carr officially designated the new pass as ‘’Monarch Pass.’’ Soon thereafter, a newly constructed pass on U.S. Route 6 crossing Colorado farther to the north was named Vail Pass.

Once a large wrecking truck overturned on the icy Monarch Pass highway. At least 100 vehicles were held up by that truck. The patrolmen called for volunteers from among the delayed motorists to lift the overturned truck back onto its wheels. In less than 15 minutes, about 50 people combined their muscle power and opened the Monarch Pass to traffic by putting the truck back on its wheels.[http://oism.org/nwss/] Nuclear War Survival Skills Updated and Expanded 1987 Edition | See page 40 of 317, Evacuating by Car | Cresson H. Kearny With Foreword by Dr. Edward Teller Original Edition Published September, 1979, by Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The Federal Aviation Administration installed an automated weather station (AWOS) atop Monarch Pass, broadcasting at 124.175 MHz. It provides pilots of small aircraft access to real-time weather conditions near the summit.

Aircraft accidents in the vicinity of Monarch Pass are frequent. The high terrain and frequent storms make this route difficult for light aircraft; the pass is steep and narrow, especially when approached from the east, with a sharp turn required at the summit. Many Colorado pilots therefore advise small aircraft to avoid Monarch in favor of the lower, flatter Marshall Pass just a few miles to the south.

On February 17, 2016 at 7:36 p.m. the weather station recorded a wind gust from the west of 148 mph, the highest official gust recorded to date in the state of Colorado by the National Weather Service (NWS). It broke the previous record of 147 mph from January 25, 1971 recorded by the Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). These measurements were confirmed by the Colorado Division of Aeronautics and the NWS office in Pueblo, Colorado.

Porphyry Creek SNOTEL is a weather station near the summit of Monarch Pass.

{{Weather box

|location = Porphyry Creek, Colorado, 1991–2020 normals: 10760ft (3280m)

|single line = Yes

|Jan high F = 27.7

|Feb high F = 29.6

|Mar high F = 36.3

|Apr high F = 43.3

|May high F = 52.0

|Jun high F = 62.3

|Jul high F = 67.0

|Aug high F = 64.2

|Sep high F = 58.0

|Oct high F = 47.2

|Nov high F = 34.7

|Dec high F = 26.8

|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 15.8

|Feb mean F = 17.3

|Mar mean F = 23.9

|Apr mean F = 30.2

|May mean F = 39.1

|Jun mean F = 48.7

|Jul mean F = 53.7

|Aug mean F = 51.9

|Sep mean F = 45.9

|Oct mean F = 35.5

|Nov mean F = 24.3

|Dec mean F = 15.3

|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 3.9

|Feb low F = 5.4

|Mar low F = 11.2

|Apr low F = 17.4

|May low F = 26.2

|Jun low F = 33.9

|Jul low F = 39.3

|Aug low F = 38.5

|Sep low F = 32.4

|Oct low F = 23.1

|Nov low F = 11.9

|Dec low F = 4.1

|year low F =

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 2.76

|Feb precipitation inch = 2.62

|Mar precipitation inch = 2.83

|Apr precipitation inch = 3.09

|May precipitation inch = 2.04

|Jun precipitation inch = 0.83

|Jul precipitation inch = 1.87

|Aug precipitation inch = 2.05

|Sep precipitation inch = 1.68

|Oct precipitation inch = 1.76

|Nov precipitation inch = 2.01

|Dec precipitation inch = 2.42

|year precipitation inch =

|Jan snow inch = 38.4

|Feb snow inch = 36.7

|Mar snow inch = 38.9

|Apr snow inch = 23.9

|May snow inch = 14.4

|Jun snow inch = 5.7

|Jul snow inch = 0.7

|Aug snow inch = 0.3

|Sep snow inch = 5.1

|Oct snow inch = 14.4

|Nov snow inch = 25.9

|Dec snow inch = 37.4

|year snow inch =

|source 1 = XMACIS2

{{cite web

|url = https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|title = xmACIS2

|access-date = October 10, 2023

}}

|source 2 = NOAA (Precipitation)

{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USS0006L03S&format=pdf

|title= Porphyry Creek, Colorado 1991-2020 Monthly Normals

|access-date = October 10, 2023

}}

}}

File:DSCN3692 monarchcrest e 600.jpg|Summit of Monarch Pass in early May

File:Monarchview.JPG|View of Mt. Aetna north of the pass

File:Monarchfall.JPG|Fall colors along the pass in late September

File:MonarchPassColoradoUSA Pano SeanButler CreativeCommons.jpg|Panoramic View from the Summit

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Monarch+Pass/@38.415777,-106.5863201,9.56z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x8715681fb59ef9fd:0xd63416da48ac2ca0 Monarch Pass, Colorado]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20081230154330/http://store.skimonarch.com/snow_report/ Current road and ski conditions]

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Category:Mountain passes of Colorado

Category:Landforms of Gunnison County, Colorado

Category:Landforms of Chaffee County, Colorado

Category:U.S. Route 50

Category:Great Divide of North America

Category:Transportation in Chaffee County, Colorado

Category:Transportation in Gunnison County, Colorado