Knowledge (XXG)

La Veta Pass

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29: 54: 220:, elevation 9,220 ft (2,810 m), lies about 7.7 miles southeast of Old La Veta Pass. When the Denver and Rio Grande Railway decided to convert its line over the Sangre de Cristo from narrow gauge to standard gauge, it elected to follow a new route over Veta Pass, completing the project in 1899. In 2003 the 197:, and later on a wagon road and then highway following the same alignment. The route featured two tight curves on the eastern approach to the summit, making the grade feasible for railroad operation, but leaving the route less than satisfactory as a highway. It is now an unpaved and lightly traveled back road. 207:), elevation 9,413 ft (2,869 m), lies about 1.6 miles northeast of the old pass and is now the principal highway route through this part of the mountain range, carrying 324: 284: 256: 388: 403: 398: 393: 194: 383: 109: 221: 332: 292: 264: 146: 102: 211:. While this new route is slightly higher, it has no sharp curves and is thus better suited to modern highway traffic. 225: 208: 156: 95: 61: 57: 172: 168: 75: 71: 352: 214:
These two passes should not be confused with yet another Sangre de Cristo crossing having a similar name:
190: 39: 311: 233: 229: 185:), elevation 9,380 ft (2,860 m), was at one time a main travel route between the 186: 141: 90: 377: 164: 83: 124: 111: 16:
Low point in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, southern Colorado, United States
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La Veta Pass is the name associated with two nearby mountain passes in the
28: 160: 79: 236:
over the pass before it went into receivership in 2019.
140: 101: 89: 67: 48: 38: 21: 329:, USGS 7.5 minute topographic map via Topoquest" 289:, USGS 7.5 minute topographic map via Topoquest" 261:, USGS 7.5 minute topographic map via Topoquest" 8: 353:"Rio Grande Scenic Railroad in receivership" 312:La Veta Pass, Colorado at Colorado Webcams 18: 389:Rail mountain passes of the United States 228:operated steam excursion trains between 33:Two signs on the south side of the pass. 245: 404:Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad 399:Landforms of Huerfano County, Colorado 394:Landforms of Costilla County, Colorado 251: 249: 224:took over operation of the line. The 167:, both lying on the boundary between 7: 14: 222:San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad 52: 27: 359:. Alamosa, Colorado. 2019-11-26 1: 195:Denver and Rio Grande Railway 193:, first on the narrow gauge 384:Mountain passes of Colorado 420: 226:Rio Grande Scenic Railroad 157:Sangre de Cristo Mountains 96:Sangre de Cristo Mountains 62:Rio Grande Scenic Railroad 26: 327:McCarty Park, Colorado 287:La Veta Pass, Colorado 259:La Veta Pass, Colorado 125:37.61389°N 105.18917°W 314:accessed May 2, 2013 130:37.61389; -105.18917 121: /  205:North La Veta Pass 44:9,413 ft (2,869 m) 159:of south central 153: 152: 411: 368: 367: 365: 364: 349: 343: 342: 340: 339: 321: 315: 309: 303: 302: 300: 299: 281: 275: 274: 272: 271: 253: 209:U.S. Highway 160 201:New La Veta Pass 179:Old La Veta Pass 136: 135: 133: 132: 131: 126: 122: 119: 118: 117: 114: 56: 55: 31: 19: 419: 418: 414: 413: 412: 410: 409: 408: 374: 373: 372: 371: 362: 360: 351: 350: 346: 337: 335: 323: 322: 318: 310: 306: 297: 295: 283: 282: 278: 269: 267: 255: 254: 247: 242: 187:San Luis Valley 129: 127: 123: 120: 115: 112: 110: 108: 107: 53: 34: 17: 12: 11: 5: 417: 415: 407: 406: 401: 396: 391: 386: 376: 375: 370: 369: 357:Valley Courier 344: 316: 304: 276: 244: 243: 241: 238: 151: 150: 144: 138: 137: 105: 99: 98: 93: 87: 86: 69: 65: 64: 50: 46: 45: 42: 36: 35: 32: 24: 23: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 416: 405: 402: 400: 397: 395: 392: 390: 387: 385: 382: 381: 379: 358: 354: 348: 345: 334: 330: 328: 320: 317: 313: 308: 305: 294: 290: 288: 280: 277: 266: 262: 260: 252: 250: 246: 239: 237: 235: 231: 227: 223: 219: 215: 212: 210: 206: 202: 198: 196: 192: 188: 184: 180: 176: 174: 170: 166: 165:United States 162: 158: 148: 145: 143: 139: 134: 106: 104: 100: 97: 94: 92: 88: 85: 84:United States 81: 77: 73: 70: 66: 63: 59: 51: 47: 43: 41: 37: 30: 25: 20: 361:. Retrieved 356: 347: 336:. Retrieved 326: 319: 307: 296:. Retrieved 286: 279: 268:. Retrieved 258: 217: 216: 213: 204: 203:(officially 200: 199: 183:La Veta Pass 182: 181:(officially 178: 177: 154: 149:La Veta Pass 49:Traversed by 22:La Veta Pass 128: / 116:105°11′21″W 103:Coordinates 58:US 160 378:Categories 363:2020-11-24 338:2013-06-04 298:2013-06-04 270:2013-06-04 240:References 191:Walsenburg 175:counties. 113:37°36′50″N 78:counties, 218:Veta Pass 40:Elevation 173:Huerfano 169:Costilla 161:Colorado 142:Topo map 80:Colorado 76:Huerfano 72:Costilla 68:Location 234:La Veta 230:Alamosa 163:in the 91:Range 333:USGS 293:USGS 265:USGS 232:and 189:and 171:and 147:USGS 380:: 355:. 331:. 291:. 263:. 248:^ 82:, 74:/ 60:, 366:. 341:. 325:" 301:. 285:" 273:. 257:"

Index


Elevation
US 160
Rio Grande Scenic Railroad
Costilla
Huerfano
Colorado
United States
Range
Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Coordinates
37°36′50″N 105°11′21″W / 37.61389°N 105.18917°W / 37.61389; -105.18917
Topo map
USGS
Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Colorado
United States
Costilla
Huerfano
San Luis Valley
Walsenburg
Denver and Rio Grande Railway
U.S. Highway 160
San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad
Rio Grande Scenic Railroad
Alamosa
La Veta


"La Veta Pass, Colorado, USGS 7.5 minute topographic map via Topoquest"

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