Poncha Pass
Mountain pass in Colorado, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Poncha Pass (9,010 ft; 2,750 m) is a mountain pass in South-Central Colorado (USA). It lies between the San Luis Valley to the south and the valley of the Arkansas River to the north.[1] It is in the saddle between the Sangre de Cristo Range, lying to the southeast, and the Sawatch Range, lying to the west and northwest. The small town of Poncha Springs lies about 6 miles (9.7 km) north of the pass. The pass has a mild approach on the southern side and a moderate 5% approach from the north. It remains open all year round and does not normally cause problems for vehicles in winter.
US 285| Poncha Pass | |
|---|---|
Looking west at Mount Ouray from the north side of Poncha Pass before the highway curves north. | |
| Elevation | 9,010 ft (2,746 m) |
| Traversed by | US 285 |
| Location | Chaffee / Saguache counties, Colorado, United States |
| Coordinates | 38°25′20″N 106°05′13″W |
| Topo map | USGS Poncha Pass |
 Interactive map of Poncha Pass | |
Poncha Pass lies on the border between Chaffee County and Saguache County, and on the border between the San Isabel National Forest and the Rio Grande National Forest.
Transport routes
- U.S. Highway 285 presently runs over the pass, linking the cities of Alamosa to the south and Salida to the northeast.
- Until 1951, a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge rail line operated by the Denver & Rio Grand Western Railroad ran over the pass linking Mears Junction to the north with Alamosa to the south.[2]
