Loveland Pass
Loveland Pass | |||
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Loveland Pass in late March |
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Compass direction | west | east | |
Pass height | 3655 m | ||
US state | Colorado ( USA ) | ||
Valley locations | Dillon | Georgetown | |
expansion |
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Mountains | Front Range ( Rocky Mountains ) | ||
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Coordinates | 39 ° 39 '49 " N , 105 ° 52' 45" W |
The Loveland Pass with an altitude of 3655 m is located in the Rocky Mountains in the area of the US state Colorado . US Highway 6 runs over the pass in the Front Range . Since the construction of the Eisenhower Tunnel in the 1970s, most of the traffic has no longer been directed via this pass road, which is quite treacherous in bad weather, but via the I-70 motorway . However, dangerous goods transports that are not allowed to enter the tunnel must continue to use this pass as long as it is not closed due to the weather.
A drive on Route 6, which branches off the Interstate Highway east of the tunnel at Georgetown and meets it again at Dillon , offers a scenic alternative to driving through the tunnel when the weather is nice. The drivers of the tanker trucks on the route prefer average speeds, which some tourists find dangerously high on the tight curves of the pass road.
At the east end of the pass is the Loveland Ski Area , a popular ski area that is easily accessible from Denver.
Only in extremely adverse weather conditions in winter ( blizzards ) will the pass be closed to traffic, then the restrictions on tunnel passage (see above) will be lifted.
The pass was named after William AH Loveland , former president of the Colorado Central Railroad . The town of Loveland , although named after him, is not near the pass.