{"id":10870,"date":"2018-03-22T05:00:18","date_gmt":"2018-03-22T10:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/traun-photo.com\/dan\/?p=10870"},"modified":"2018-03-26T08:15:47","modified_gmt":"2018-03-26T13:15:47","slug":"independence-pass-rocky-mountain-high-colorado","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/traun-photo.com\/dan\/independence-pass-rocky-mountain-high-colorado\/","title":{"rendered":"INDEPENDENCE PASS – Rocky Mountain High #Colorado"},"content":{"rendered":"

INDEPENDENCE PASS<\/h1>\n

Independence Pass was originally known as\u00a0Hunter Pass.\u00a0 It is a high\u00a0mountain pass\u00a0in the\u00a0Rocky Mountains\u00a0of central\u00a0Colorado\u00a0in the\u00a0United States. The elevation on the\u00a0Continental Divide\u00a0in the\u00a0Sawatch Range is 12,095\u00a0ft. The pass is midway between\u00a0Aspen\u00a0and\u00a0Twin Lakes, on the border between\u00a0Pitkin\u00a0and\u00a0Lake counties.\u00a0\u00a0State Highway 82\u00a0traverses it.\u00a0 The is the highest elevation of a paved Colorado state highway on a through road.\u00a0 ~wikipedia<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Map<\/p>\n

The land around the summit is flattish, windswept, lonely, and covered by sparse vegetation of grass and delicate tundra plants – the treeline is a thousand feet lower down – and yet all around are higher mountains, especially to the south and east. Several shallow pools line the road around the pass, and patches of snow are likely to remain for most of the summer. There are no visitor facilities at the summit, just a large carpark and a short, paved loop path leading to two overlooks of Lake Creek valley and surrounding peaks.\u00a0 <\/span>A longer trail (2 miles) heads southwest, following the continental divide, to an unnamed peak 700 feet higher up.\u00a0 ~<\/span>http:\/\/www.americansouthwest.net<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Aside from traversing Trail Ridge Road in RMNP, Independence Pass is my favorite to drive.\u00a0 The road gets a wee bit narrow in spots, but the views are incredible.<\/p>\n

\"Independence <\/a> <\/div>
\"Independence <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Independence <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

[Past trip photos:\u00a0September 2016 Independence Pass<\/a>]<\/p>\n

Independence Lake Trail Head<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
1: N39 07.484 W106 34.909 \u2014 0.0 miles : Independence Lake Trailhead<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2: N39 07.577 W106 34.996 \u2014 .15 miles : Linkins Lake Trail split + Wilderness Boundary<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3: N39 07.833 W106 34.889 \u2014 .48 miles : Cross Roaring Fork River to east side of valley<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4: N39 08.205 W106 34.694 \u2014 1.0 miles : Steady climb in expanding upper valley<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5: N39 08.543 W106 34.189 \u2014 1.8 miles : Independence Lake (12,487′)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6: N39 08.920 W106 34.035 \u2014 2.35 miles : Lost Man Pass (12,810′)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7: N39 09.119 W106 34.048 \u2014 2.75 miles : Lost Man Lake (12,482′)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

We returned for another look and hike.\u00a0 This time we made it a wee bit further up the path amidst the thin mountain air.\u00a0 Our previous trip in 2016 we made it to the Roaring Fork River crossing (3) and this trip we made it to the upper valley (4).\u00a0 Some day we’ll make the entire journey round trip.<\/p>\n

\"Independence <\/a>
Roaring Fork River <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Independence <\/a>
water flow from Linkins Lake above <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Independence <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Independence <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Independence <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Independence <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Independence <\/a>
Upper Valley <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Independence <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

EXTRA<\/h3>\n