Grayback Mountain, a truly outstanding 4x4 adventure
Grayback Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.853m (12,641ft) above the sea level, located in Rio Grande County, in the state of Colorado, in USA. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of Colorado. Great views of the surrounding mountains.
Located within the Rio Grande National Forest, the road to the summit, also known as Greyback Mountain, is totally unpaved. It’s a single lane road that does two hairpin turns before reaching the summit. Accessibility is largely limited to the summer season. The site is not drivable until snow drifts melt off the access road so visitors should not attempt to go here until at least mid-July at the earliest. Temperatures here in the winter are brutally cold. Weather can change very quickly, so stay alert to cloud build-up. A radio tower is situated at the summit.
The road to the summit is pretty steep. Starting from Summitville Road, at Indiana Pass, the ascent is 2.84 km (1.76 mi) long. Over this distance the elevation gain is 214 meters. The average gradient is 7.53%. A high-clearance 4x4 vehicle is recommended, but the road may be accessible by a 2x4 vehicle. The journey offers superb views. It is a great place to get a 360-degree panorama of the San Juan Mountains. The road is not difficult as it is the access for maintaining the radio equipment on top.
Pic: Ryan Butler