Loveland Pass

Loveland Pass is a high mountain pass in the western United States, at an elevation of 11,990 feet (3,655 m) above sea level in the Rocky Mountains of north-central Colorado.

Background

It is located on the Continental Divide in the Front Range west of Denver on U.S. Highway 6. The twisty road is considered to be especially treacherous during the winter months. A steep, steady 6.7% grade, along with numerous hairpin turns on either side, make it difficult to snowplow the road regularly.

Loveland is the highest mountain pass in the world that regularly stays open during a snowy winter season. When the Eisenhower Tunnel opened in March 1973, it allowed motorists on Interstate 70 to avoid crossing the pass directly. Trucks that cannot pass through the tunnel (those carrying hazardous materials and those over 13 ft 11 in (4.24 m) in height) must still take US 6 across Loveland Pass, 800 vertical feet (244 m) above the tunnel. The same is true for bicyclists, pedestrians, and those drivers who wish to stop along the road to admire the scenery.