Alamosa CO to Steamboat Springs Co 8/15,24' motorhome

[dukiebluedoc]

We are planning a summer 2015 trip from AZ to Steamboat Springs Co. We know the route from AZ to Grants NM to Alamosa, but are wondering about Alamosa to Steamboat.
We do not want to go north via I-25 if we can avoid it.
Mapquest routes us north from Alamosa via Buena Vista to Leadville and then north from Silverthorne.
I have driven parts of this route in a car years ago, and have some concern about driving an RV (Winnebago Navion IQ 24G) over the mountains from Buena Vista to Silverthorne, since I remember the roads around Leadville as paved but challenging and winding.
I wonder if anyone else has taken an RV over that route.
I have driven from Silverthorne to Steamboat more recently so I have no misgivings about that part of the route.
I suppose the longer and less scenic way would be to cross over to I-25 at Buena Vista, take I-25 to Denver and west to Steamboat from there, but I would prefer going via Leadville if it is not too narrow or twisty.
Thanks for any input or advice!
Caroline

[padredw]

You have been given excellent advice. I just 'pop in' to say that the area between Salida and Leadville is worthy of a stop, even a destination. We have made the routes suggested many times. Have stayed in Alamosa and Buena Vista--Buena Vista more times than I can count. I hope you can spend some time there.

[dukiebluedoc]

Thanks for quick and helpful reposes--I'll try to give some feedback on my experiences when I return from this trip in August.
Caroline

[jrp]

I would agree with 17-285-24-91-70-9-40
When I lived in SBS and lead whitewater trips on the Arkansas River, that was my preferred route (as far as BV) with a school bus full of clients, rafts & kayaks. Yes it has some steep climbs & descents, but you can't travel through that part of Co with out going up/down the mountains.
These days my summer homebase is just west of Alamosa (South Fork) and I take the MH up to visit friends in SBS once a summer via the same route, except I hit 285 coming from the W via 160/112

[Thom02099]

dukiebluedoc wrote:
We are planning a summer 2015 trip from AZ to Steamboat Springs Co. We know the route from AZ to Grants NM to Alamosa, but are wondering about Alamosa to Steamboat.
We do not want to go north via I-25 if we can avoid it.
Mapquest routes us north from Alamosa via Buena Vista to Leadville and then north from Silverthorne.
I have driven parts of this route in a car years ago, and have some concern about driving an RV (Winnebago Navion IQ 24G) over the mountains from Buena Vista to Silverthorne, since I remember the roads around Leadville as paved but challenging and winding.
I wonder if anyone else has taken an RV over that route.
I have driven from Silverthorne to Steamboat more recently so I have no misgivings about that part of the route.
I suppose the longer and less scenic way would be to cross over to I-25 at Buena Vista, take I-25 to Denver and west to Steamboat from there, but I would prefer going via Leadville if it is not too narrow or twisty.
Thanks for any input or advice!
Caroline

MapQuest gave you a good route, if it routed you on CO 91 from Leadville to Copper Mountain and I-70. Outside of Leadville there is a minor climb to Fremont Pass by the Climax Mine, and then a goodly downhill to Copper Mountain, but it's not overly twisty or narrow.

You may have previously taken US 24 from Leadville to Vail. There's a bit more twisties there than on CO 91. Plus it takes you quite a bit out of the way, and puts you on the west side of Vail Pass, having to go EB over it.

The drive north from Alamosa to Leadville is not challenging at all, and is quite scenic. Presumably, you'll take CO 17 north out of Alamosa and join up with US 285 north of Moffat. This is a long drive and can be a bit boring, depending on your take on high desert. The vistas are grand, however.

You'll have Poncha Pass on US 285 outside Poncha Springs/Salida area -- it's barely noticeable as Colorado passes go. Yes, it's an incline/decline, but it's not difficult and is a good road up and over.

On US 285 from Poncha Springs north to Buena Vista, you're in the Arkansas River Valley and it's an easy drive, no challenge at all...except to stop and take pictures of the magnificence of the mountains all around. It's an incredibly beautiful drive!

At Johnson Village, you'll take US 24 north to Leadville. Again...vistas! Again...easy!

Once you get down CO 91 and join up with I-70, it's good driving from Copper Mountain down to Summit County and then your trek north to Steamboat.

I'm sure some of the members here who live over in that area will give you some additional input on the drive. I've done it a number of times and wouldn't hesitate to do it again.