As expected, the “improvements” have diminished the fun of Cottonwood Pass. On the other hand, a lot more bikers will now ride this pass.
Ever since I heard last fall that they had finished paving Cottonwood Pass over on the west side I’ve been wanting to get up there and see it. Part of my eagerness, however, was trepidation about the “improvements.”
We’ve all seen how so-called improvements can often diminish the appeal of a road like this. They don’t just come in and lay asphalt over the existing road, with all its twists and turns. Whereas the old road was built to the contours of the land, the “improved” road reshapes the land to the contours of the road. And inevitably they straighten out a lot of the curves.
As you can see in the photo above, the inevitable happened here. Those bare streaks show clearly how the old road used to go, and you can see how the curves have been straightened. Don’t get me wrong, they’ve done a beautiful job on the road. It just can’t help but be a bit disappointing if you know what the road was like before.
And a lot of bikers did ride this road before. I’ve even seen Harleys on the old road, so while it was rough in places it was very doable. But there are plenty of riders who would never have taken it and now they will.
Of course what all this means is that I now need to revamp the Cottonwood Pass page on the website. I already had it on there because it had been paved on the east side for a long time and, as I said, some riders were doing it even then. But now revisions are in order.
So if you’re looking to get between Buena Vista and Gunnison, you really want to consider Cottonwood Pass now. I’m sure it’s shorter than heading south from Buenie to Poncha Springs and over Monarch Pass to Gunnison, and there’s much less traffic. Do be aware, however, that this is a summer only pass and is closed in winter.
Biker Quote for Today
We know you’re a poser if you’ve never seen a sunrise from two wheels.
