Cochetopa Pass is a
mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of south-central Colorado. It lies on the
Continental Divide
A continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, no ...
between the city of
Gunnison to the northwest and the town of
Saguache to the southeast. It also lies on the boundary between the Gunnison and Rio Grande National Forests. Its name is taken from the Cochetopa Hills that it lies within, Cochetopa being the Ute Indian word for "pass of the buffalo".
[Cochetopa Pass Looking up Sahwatch aguacheCreek. Unknown Date. Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum. 29 Mar. 2008. http://cprr.org/Museum/USPRR-Wm_Husson-PANZOOM/07coo.htm] The original pass is traversed by Saguache County Road NN14, a maintained gravel road. Another crossing, sometimes called North Cochetopa Pass and more often simply
North Pass
North Pass (elevation: ) is a mountain pass over the Continental Divide
A continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other ...
, is located nearby on
State Highway 114
The following highways are numbered 114:
Canada
* New Brunswick Route 114
* Prince Edward Island Route 114
Costa Rica
* National Route 114
Germany
* Bundesautobahn 114 (A114)
India
* National Highway 114 (India)
Japan
* Route 114 (Japan)
...
, which is paved and reaches a slightly higher elevation.
History
The area of the Cochetopa Hills was a hunting ground of the Ute Indians. The area of the pass would be explored by many men in search of a route over and through the Rocky Mountains. Many expeditions would end in disaster.
1848
In 1848, St. Louis businessmen, in an effort to have the transcontinental railroad pass through their city, financed an expedition to find a route over Cochetopa Pass. The explorers set out with
John Charles Fremont
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second ...
leading them. The expedition crossed over the San Juan Mountains at Bill Williams Pass, but soon after reaching Pool Table Mesa in mid-December, the men and mules began freezing to death. After one rescue party failed to reach help and began resorting to cannibalism, Fremont, with the help of the Ute Indians, led the men out to Taos, New Mexico. Fremont left the men behind in Taos and ran for California. It took until January to rescue the remainder of the party from the mountains. All told, the expedition was a failure and took the lives of 10 men.
1853
In the fall of 1853,
Captain John W. Gunnison also explored and surveyed the area in search of a route for the transcontinental railroad.
[Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean:. 1855. University of Michigan 29 Mar. 2008. http://name.umdl.umich.edu/AFK4383.0002.001] Not long after exploring the area, Captain Gunnison was killed by Indians, and his second in command, Lt. Edward G. Beckwith, took over and decided that the best route for the railroad would be further north through Wyoming across the
Great Divide Basin.
Notes
External links
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{{Colorado, state=collapsed
Mountain passes of Colorado
Landforms of Saguache County, Colorado
Transportation in Saguache County, Colorado