Hoosier Pass
Hoosier Pass (elevation 11541 ft) is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado. Hoosier Pass is located on the continental divide at the northern end of the Mosquito Range, in a gap between Mount Democrat (west) and Hoosier Ridge (east). It sits on the boundary between Park (south) and Summit (north) counties. Hoosier Pass provides a route between the headwaters of the Blue River (tributary of the Colorado River) to the north and the headwaters of the South Platte River in South Park to the south. It is traversed by Colorado State Highway 9 between the towns of Breckenridge (north) and Fairplay south.
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The highway over Hoosier Pass provides an alternative route from Denver to the ski areas near Breckenridge and Keystone. It is generally open all year round, is traversable by all vehicles in good weather, but is occasionally closed during winter storms. The road over the pass has a smooth approach on the south side but has several switchbacks on the north side with a grade of 8%.
The Mosquito Range, with Hoosier Pass at its northern end, is a high mountain range with an elevation of approximately 14,000 feet. The peaks of the range form a ridge running north-south for approximately 40 miles (64 km) from southern Summit County on the north end, then along the boundary between Lake and Park counties. The ranges forms a high barrier separating the headwaters of the Arkansas River near Leadville from South Park and the headwaters of the South Platte River near Fairplay. The highest peak in the range in Mount Lincoln at an elevation of 14,286 ft. Other fourteeners in the range are Quandary Peak (elevation 14,265 ft), Mount Bross (14,172 ft), Mount Democrat (14,148 ft), and Mount Sherman (14,036 ft).
The high ridge of the range forms a relatively difficult barrier between South Park and the Arkansas headwaters. Several of the high peaks of the range are prominently visible from the southern side of Fremont Pass along Colorado State Highway 91 between Climax and Leadville. The range is not traversed by any major highway, but only in two places by back roads over high passes: Mosquito Pass and Weston Pass. Much of the range is located within the Pike National Forest.
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