DEN to Crested Butte (Denver, Colorado Springs: how much, live, pricing)

[amymcf]

What are your recommendations on a route from Denver Airport to Crested Butte? Google Maps says to take 285 to 50 (approx 4 hours 50 minutes). How is this road in the winter? Would you rather recommend taking 70 over to one of the other roads and heading south, etc into CB?

[Dunknd4345]

I've been to Crested Butte 6 times in my life and in many different seasons. Whatever you do, try to avoid Monarch Pass in the Winter. It is brutal and slow. I'm sure you will have to head over some type of pass. Just be very very carefull

[COflower]

If you take I-70 to Glenwood then head south towards Delta then west on 50, that's a 6 hour drive under "ideal" conditions. The road from Glenwood to Delta can be pretty iffy in the winter but it's a pretty drive.

I would suggest checking the pricing for a flight into Grand Junction (Walker Field - GJT) as it's only a little over 3 hours drive (under ideal driving of course) to Crested B. It's a smaller airport but GJ has all that most small metro areas have.

Grand Junction has connections from both DIA and from Salt Lake. Last I heard, connecting through Salt Lake is cheaper but I think they have added some connections from DEN to GJT I think in part because Aspen's airport is out of commision right now.

[amymcf]

Originally Posted by Dunknd4345

I've been to Crested Butte 6 times in my life and in many different seasons. Whatever you do, try to avoid Monarch Pass in the Winter. It is brutal and slow. I'm sure you will have to head over some type of pass. Just be very very carefull

Which route is Monarch Pass on?

[jazzlover]

Plenty of misinformation posted above. If you are going from Denver to Crested Butte, there really are only one or two practical routes. First is US 285 from Denver to Poncha Jct., then US 50 over Monarch Pass to Gunnison, thence CO 135 to Crested Butte. It's the shortest fastest route if roads are decent. I've driven the road from Denver to Gunnison probably close to a thousand times (and I am not exaggerating here). The biggest winter risk on that drive is blizzarding in South Park, and bad conditions on US 50 over Monarch. I worry about the former more than the latter. Monarch can be bad in a winter storm, but it is no worse than Vail or the Eisenhower Tunnel as far as road conditions go, and you don't have to deal with 20,000 ignorant fools trying to drive over Monarch, like you do on I-70.

To avoid blizzarding in South Park, you can take I-25 south to Colorado Springs, then CO 115 to Penrose, then US 50 to Gunnison--I've done this many times, too. I don't like I-25 in bad weather (another 20,000 ignorant fools looking to run into you), 115 can be interesting in snow, and US 50 from Canon City to Salida can be icy at times--but that is an alternative. One can also drive I-70 to Copper Mountain, then CO 191 to Leadville, south on US 24 to Buena Vista, then back on 285/50 to Gunnison (or I-70 to Dowd Jct., then US 24 over Tennessee Pass to Leadville--more I-70, more passes--uh, uh). I don't recommend that--too many passes, too many idiots on I-70.

Driving around to Gunnison via I-70 through Glenwood or Grand Junction makes no sense, unless you are coming from the west. It nearly doubles the length of the trip, exposes you to the whole I-70 mess (which I try to avoid like the plague), and you still have to deal with Cerro Summit and Blue Mesa on US 50 west of Gunnison--both of those can be bad in winter, with Cerro particularly prone to getting very icy.

One alternative to consider if Monarch is really bad is to drop south on US 285, over Poncha Pass to Saguache, thence westward over Cochetopa Pass (pronounced "Coach-uh-tope" in case anyone is interested--the "a" is silent) on CO 114. Cochetopa is lower than Monarch, has generally shallower grades, and usually gets less snow than Monarch. It does have spots prone to blizzarding, though, and is not a heavily traveled highway. It is winter-maintained, but may not see much plowing at night--I would avoid driving it between dusk and dawn.

Finally, whatever route you take, make sure your car is thoroughly winterized. Temperatures in Gunnison/Crested Butte regularly drop to 20 below or lower in winter. A car with a less than perfect battery may not start at those temperatures. Make sure your cooling system is protected to at least -40 F., too.

I've been driving in the Colorado mountains for close to 40 years--over virtually every mountain road in the state in every season and under all conditions. If you want more specific info, PM me and I'll try to answer your questions. You may also query some of my other posts in the subject.

You could also fly to Gunnison--not cheap, but another alternative . . .

[klhilborn]

Hi. Just read your advice on Monarch Pass. I have a 2-door Honda Civic and are heading to CB from Breckenridge this Tuesday and there is supposed to be a snow storm during that time.

If I took 114, about how much extra drive time would that add to my trip? Also, if I bought chains, do you think Monarch pass would be okay in my car?

Thanks.

[DOUBLE H]

I've been over Cochetopa Pass many times in my day. That is state hwy 114. From Poncha Springs and taking 114 out of Saguache you're talking about 120 miles. That does NOT mean a two hour drive even in good driving conditions, it would actually be near 3. It doesn't have any dangerous hairpin curves but it is just slow going in general with lots of curves 10 miles each side of the summit. going northbound after the 10 miles you can open it up for a ways, but 15 miles or so from hwy. 50 you run into more curves at the speed drops to 30 m.p.h. again. No 14,000 ft. mountains, just a pretty hilly climb.

The problem with going this route is that during the winter the road gets secondary coverage from the highway dept. Hwy 50 and 285 will get worked on first because 114 gets only local traffic from working ranches. The road in general is not in the best of shape and you'll be dodging chuckholes here and there. The state patrol goes through there but not often, with the budget shrinking their coverage will drop some. That road can be dangerous enough in the summer as I have had more close calls hitting animals on that road as much as any other road in the state.

You DO have good highway crews out there, though. Workyards are in Salida, Gunnison, and Saguache. They do darn good work! Edited this a bit ago and noted Jazz's post has been some time ago.

Just be careful. Jazz, if you're reading, have they improved Cochetopa lately? Last time I went through was Fall 2006.

[jazzlover]

I've been over Cochetopa several times in the last few months. They did some repaving on the east side not too long ago. Also, they have banned hazardous material-carrying trucks from Saguache to US 50, which has cut the truck traffic a lot (a lot of truckers used it because it was a shorter route from Oklahoma and Texas to western Colorado). If lonely roads suit you (they do me), then Cochetopa is a good route. If you are a "newbie" that is scared by driving lonely roads in adverse weather conditions, it may not be very comfortable.

Oh, and I'll still take Monarch and its challenging winter conditions over "mixing it up" with the multitudes of winter-driving morons on I-70.

[DOUBLE H]

Same with me. A lot of times I go that way anyway as I like to stretch my legs at Stevens Point at Blue Mesa and do a half hour of spin casting. Both my sisters live south of Larkspur so scooting up 115 from 50 is no problem as I try to avoid I-70 altogether anymore. We've had 3 road closures the last week at varying spots; it gets old.

Thanks for the heads up on the paving. Your right about the truckers short cutting through there.

[lalahartma]

I'm always nervous about Monarch Pass, but have never had any problems. Just take your time and you'll be ok. Now, Rt 50 past Blue Mesa Res is a different story!