Wolf Creek Pass Colorado

It's no big deal, we went over it in bad weather (rain) and after sunset and had not problems. It is steep tho, a long 7 to 8% steady grade. You need to get the CW McCall song and play it repeatedly as you go down to Pagosa Springs.

I don't it's any better than Monarch Pass tho. That has 7% grades too.

BK

Yes, there is a good climb east of Pagosa Springs to the top of the pass. Switch backs and slow travel.
Rig in good shape should not have any problems. Just don't push it!

If you are going from Mesa Verde to Del Norte that's the route. About 168 miles and 4 hours.

It roughly 500' less in elevation then Monarch Pass

So keep the RPM's up and keep to the right. Enjoy the trip. Mountain passes have to be climbed and descended but it's not a race. Take it at the pace your vehicle can handle. And don't ride the brakes....downshift. Stab the brakes to quickly bleed speed and then get off the brakes.

Drove that with a loaded Ford Expedition V8,gas, pulling 4500 lb trailer both east and west. There are slow traffic lane pullouts often enough that you should not feel the need to strain your rig. Can't speak to your preferences but I was able to maintain 35-45 uphill without noticing a lot of engine/transmission groan. With the slow lane opportunities you should be fine. It's a very scenic route in many places and worth it. My best argument for that route is:....................At least it's not I-70 across Colorado! I-70 from Denver to Rifle is Awful.

Greg

You are going to be climbing the steep side of the pass. The west side is considerably steeper than the east side. But it is a very good highway. You will have two lanes all the way up. Just stay right and take your time and you should have no problem. There are a number of pull outs along the way that you can pull over to the side and let the engine cool if needed.

That highway is a virtual RV pipeline both ways in the summer months.

Going down the east side is not bad. BUT. Shortly after passing the ski area watch for the snow shed over the highway. And mind the speed signs. There is a curve inside the snow shed and you need to be going the speed limit or less when you go thru. Other than that it will be easy all the way down.

If you truly want to avoid the climb, you could take US 64 south from Pagosa to US 285, then north to Alamosa. Quite a few extra miles, but no high passes to go over. About 170 miles to Alamosa that way vs about 90 over the pass.

And between Alamosa and Walsenburg you will cross La Veta pass. Not nearly as bad as Wolf Creek pass. And in this case the east side is the steeper side. The west side is pretty easy climb. Be careful of speed going down the east side though.

We went through there last July heading west and had no problems. We were towing and yes we did have to go slower, but we got to see more and I was OK with that. As I get older I want to slow down and enjoy what we have. Never had a problem with overheating at all, but I am glad that I had installed brakes on my dolly. Take your time and enjoy your drive. JMO

If you did not like Monarch you will not like Wolf Creek.

We have been over both Wolf Creek Pass and Monarch Pass--several times each--towing a 34' fifth-wheel, and did not consider either to be a problem. These are two of the major passes in Colorado.

BUT . . . I agree with the previous post. you should not expect Wolf Creek Pass to be one bit "easier" than Monarch.

If you do decide to take that alternate route south from Pagosa Springs you will make one of our favorite drives: between Pagosa Springs and Chama. And Chama is worth a visit, even an overnight if you have time. You probably know about the Chama-Antonita narrow gauge train ride. And LaVeta Pass is one of the easier passes in Colorado.

So, for myself I would take the Wolf Creek Pass route without any hesitation, but that relates to my equipment and my experience. At least you have an alternative. And if you struggled on Monarach, maybe you should consider it.

We went over west to east with a 38' fifth wheel and did not have any problems. I believe there was an area you could stop at the top if you wanted to pull over before heading down the other side.

agesilaus wrote:
It's no big deal, we went over it in bad weather (rain) and after sunset and had not problems. It is steep tho, a long 7 to 8% steady grade. You need to get the CW McCall song and play it repeatedly as you go down to Pagosa Springs.

I don't it's any better than Monarch Pass tho. That has 7% grades too.

BK

Wrong direction - if you actually read the post and not just the Subject line.