LA through Colorado via US 550 in January (Durango, Montrose: eat, cars)

[jazzlover]

Lizard Head Pass can be as miserable in a winter storm as US550. I used to travel CO145 and CO62 a lot as a winter alternative to US550 before Telluride got popular and filled the road with weather driving idiots from places like Arizona and California. Dallas Divide can also present its own set of hazards with a lot of blowing snow and ice during winter storms.

[CosmicWizard]

US 550 is known as the million dollar highway. I recall reading an article that mentioned three reasons for the million dollar moniker.

* It cost a million dollars per mile to build it

* It offers million dollar views

* Faint-hearted tourists are often heard saying, "I wouldn't drive that highway if you gave me a million dollars".

[jazzlover]

I've also heard flatlanders refer to it as the "Million Holler Die-way."

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

Lizard Head Pass can be as miserable in a winter storm as US550.

Who's talking about Lizard head pass? The route I suggested bypasses the mountains completely. It goes from Durango to Cortez, from Cortez to Dolores, and from Dolores north to another highway that you then take east to Ridgway. You stay in the desert the whole time.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by 80skeys

Who's talking about Lizard head pass? The route I suggested bypasses the mountains completely. It goes from Durango to Cortez, from Cortez to Dolores, and from Dolores north to another highway that you then take east to Ridgway. You stay in the desert the whole time.

You're talking about going up through Dove Creek, then to Norwood, thence to Ridgway. You are by no means "in desert the whole time." Well, that is a fairly slow route at its northern end. East of Norwood, heading down Norwood Hill, it also traverses a very steep north-facing slope very prone to black ice in winter. Then you still have to traverse Dallas Divide, which, at nearly 9,000 ft. elevation, can be very prone to bad winter driving conditions. Of course, one can take the long tortuous trip down CO141 through the canyon country to Gateway, thence over the ridge and down Unaweep Canyon to US50 at Whitewater. Some black ice possible there in winter, too, and slow-going because of the curvy road no matter what the season.

You see, most people opining on this forum talk about these highways from a frame of experience of probably only driving them a few times in their lives. I've driven these highways for over 40 years--many of them thousands of times in nearly every kind of road condition, and in all different types of vehicles--from large trucks to economy cars.

[Westcliffe]

Is it not economically feasible to put guardrails, is there a physical inability to place them along those cliffs, are the avalanches and masses of snow that would be pushed into them just ridiculous, or is the road some regional test of grit that the population enjoys? I opted to take this road one March after heavy wet snow fell in feet across the San Juans. I was too impatient to go around through Moab or Dove Creek. I gave it due respect, cringed as we made it through the ascent out of Ouray, and then crept along the mostly inside portions for the rest of the way to Durango. My kids couldn't believe that there were literal inches between our tires and the cliff on the passenger side. Not much room for error..... Actually it wasn't too bad as every other drivers were petrified to use it so the traffic was almost non-existent. Certainly there are a handful of spots where even a minor snows slide would mean the end. That isn't too comforting as a person could still die even after driving correctly and prudently Just about the most amazing country though. Many portions of state look so average after seeing what appears to be the Alps in Colorado!

[jazzlover]

Most places without guardrails on US550 are that way because there is a) no practical space available to put them and/or b) the guardrails are an impediment to removal of snow and snowslides from the highway. It is really spooky to watch those snowplow drivers plow with their outside wheels literally at the edge of the dropoff, with the "wing" of the plow extended fully over nothing but thin air. Saw that just last week up there. Just another "day at the office" for them.

By the way, I know several people who drive or drove (until they retired) US550 on a daily basis for decades. They have some pretty interesting (and sometimes hair-raising) stories to tell about that road. I have some of my own, too.

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

You're talking about going up through Dove Creek, then to Norwood, thence to Ridgway. You are by no means "in desert the whole time."

Uhh ... yeah you are ...


https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=D...ia=1,2&t=m&z=9

Durango, CO to Ridgway, CO - Google Maps

[proveick]

I wouldn't drive it at night in the winter.
Lots of these.

[Idunn]

Picture of more than a thousand words.