colorado mountain passes

Most of us who live in SW Colorado have to use 550 and 160 all the time. We try not to sweat it, but we DO use caution and intelligence. And trucks, big semis, use these roads all the time, too. The Lizard Head route around via Dolores and Telluride is long and tedious and most people, except during winter weather (when that route can be just as demanding) don't choose to add the extra time and mileage to their trips. There was a terrible truck wreck on the west side of Wolf Creek Pass on Wednesday (we were among the first folks through after the highway was closed) and the newspaper article afterwards pointed out that almost ALL of the accidents on the pass are caused by first timers. Almost never by veteran pass drivers. And almost always because of using brakes that overheat instead of the gearing systems. The guy's brakes were still smoking when the state trooper arrived on scene half an hour after the crash. The driver, by the way, miraculously escaped with minor injuries. His tractor was upside down and crushed (and his 45,000 pounds of lumber were scattered everywhere). It made me cry when I saw it, so finding out the guy was okay was a huge relief. We've never gone over Red Mountain Pass without seeing numerous semis. It's how we get our groceries here in Durango!!