Pueblo CO to Montrose CO - Monarch Pass

Your only problem will be weather. Monarch pass is fairly gentle by Colorado standards. It will be slow going for you with your TV but that is to be expected with a gas vehicle and that rear end ratio.

Agree. Moderate pass compared to others in Colorado. Many places for traffic to pass on the climb. Just be sure to hold speed down on the descent. Be sure to stop by Gunnison after the pass, and if you have a chance visit Ouray south of Montrose. From Montrose you will have no problems, but I would advise to come back out the same way. Probably not advisable to continue south out of Ouray.

revmouse wrote:
Hey everybody! Long time reader, first time poster here. I am going to be traveling at the end of March from Pueblo CO to Montrose CO through Monarch Pass and was wondering your thoughts about the route and my towing rig. My towing vehicle is an gas-sucking '99 Suburban K2500 V8 454 7.4L (3.42 gear ratio) pulling a Keystone Outback 312BH (around 8200 lbs). Think I'd have problems pulling on this route?

Geared a little high but you will make it.
I pulled that in 1969 with a Cad. 2.79 gears, pulling a 29ft. trailer, lots of gas, low gear alot.

We've been over that pass with an F250 V10 6.8L 4.3 gear ratio towing a 32' Komfort TT at 11K. Slow up, stopped at the top for chili, then slow down towards Salida. Kept it in low gear, intermittent brakes and still heated them up, but rode it out slowly to Salida for the cool down. Followed a trucker. Take it slow and you'll be fine.

Monarch tops out at 11,300 or so, and as others have noted, as passes go in Colorado, it's moderate. Grade is 7% in places, there's runaway truck ramps on both sides of the pass, it's really not that difficult. If you have the time, and the weather is cooperative, stop at the top; the views are incredible and there's a gift shop up top. They may or may not be open, however, due to weather. As others have also said, weather can be a problem, and in late March, there's a good probability of snow up there. But CDOT works hard to keep that one open, it's one of the few passes for E/W traffic in that general area that's open year round.

At 6.4%, Monarch is indeed about average for CO passes. (Link to list of CO passes, their elevation and grade). Plenty of passing zones on both sides so you won't hold up traffic too much.

Another option is to head south out of Poncha Springs, down to Sagauche, then west on CO 114 back to US 50. About 50 miles further, but I find to be an easier pass. There tends to be lsss snow in the Cochetopa Hills than the southern Sawatch Range where Monarch Pass is. Likewise, the CO 114 route crosses the Continental Divide at 1200' lower than Monarch.

As noted, one must keep an eye on the weather in late March and even through April. The good news is that late spring snow storms tend to be followed by lots of sunshine that helps melt the roads off quickly.

Yes watch the weather.Last year got caught in the May 1 snowstorm at Colorado springs,6500 ft.After 33 years in sunny Ariz,wife was not enjoying it.