The Wild Road to Ptarmigan Pass
Ptarmigan Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.352m (11,777ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary of Summit and Eagle counties, in central Colorado, in the United States.
Nestled in the Rocky Mountains, on the northern end of the Sawatch Range, the road to the summit is totally unpaved. It’s called Forest Road 747. It’s passable by 4wd vehicles. 2WD vehicles will only make it to the summit from the west. The road itself curves sharply in several places. Located within the White River National Forest, the road to the summit is 9.65km (6.0 miles) long, running from Resolution Creek Road to Forest Road 709 (Turkey Creek Road). The trail is usually rocky as it follows the creek, and some sections can be difficult. When the rocks are wet it can be even more difficult.
The road is totally impassable in winters. West of the pass, a 4x4 gravel road climbs up to Ptarmigan Hill, a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.681m (12,076ft) above the sea level.
Pic: Benjamin Cooperman