Slumgullion Pass (elevation ) is a mountain pass in southwestern
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
traversed by
State Highway 149 east of
Lake City. The north side has the steepest grade of any continuously paved road in Colorado (9%), but the pass does not close often in winter because snowplows clear the route regularly during this season. It has a few switchbacks and tight spots, but other than that, most travelers will find it an easy, scenic route.
Technically speaking, the current highway does not traverse the true Slumgullion Pass, which lies just off the highway on the ridge between Cebolla Creek and the
Lake Fork of the Gunnison River, at an elevation of about .
As a result of a realignment several decades ago (evident by comparing USGS topographic maps of different vintages), the road now takes a shorter but somewhat higher route as it travels east and south from this spot toward
Spring Creek Pass. The road sign at the high point refers to Slumgullion Summit rather than Slumgullion Pass in order to reflect this. This is analogous to the usage of the terms
Donner Summit
Donner Pass is a mountain pass in the northern Sierra Nevada, above Donner Lake and Donner Memorial State Park about west of Truckee, California. Like the Sierra Nevada themselves, the pass has a steep approach from the east and a gradual a ...
and
Cajon Summit in California. However, in all three cases, the more familiar but slightly inaccurate name is routinely used.
Slumgullion Slide
Slumgullion Pass is named for the nearby
Slumgullion Earthflow
The Slumgullion Earthflow is a remnant of a landslide in the San Juan Mountains in Hinsdale County, Colorado. It was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1983. It is also a Colorado Natural Area and an Area of Critical Environmental Conce ...
, a gigantic landslide whose yellowish soil reminded early settlers and miners of slumgullion stew.
The Slumgullion Slide began about 700 years ago when weak volcanic tuff and breccia on the southern flank of Mesa Seco slumped several miles down the steep mountainside. Approximately 300 years ago, a second earthflow started from the top of the mountain and is still active, moving as much as twenty feet (six meters) per year. Trees growing on the newer slide are tipped at odd angles.
The first flow was so large and cataclysmic that it blocked the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River and created
Lake San Cristobal, Colorado's second largest natural lake.
Climate
See also
*
Colorado mountain passes
References
{{reflist
Mountain passes of Colorado
Landforms of Hinsdale County, Colorado
Transportation in Hinsdale County, Colorado