Route 145 in Colorado

[Likes to tow]

How is Route 145 in Colorado from Cortez to Ridgeway?? My Mountain Directory shows Lizzard Head Pass could be an obstacle when pulling a 5th wheel. Anyone have any knowledge of this road? I have pulled over Monarch Pass and had no issues. I'm reasonably experienced in mountain driving but don't like surprises.

[Calnca]

If you are OK with Monarch, Lizard Head should pose you any issue.

Cal

[JCZhome]

A beautiful drive, single lane in each direction but much, much less traffic. There are a couple of places to pull over if you need to let er cool down but I don't think you'll need to. A much nicer drive, in my opinion, than Hwy. 50 over Monarch.

And my Momentum comes in at 21,025 lbs.......

[Likes to tow]

Thanks for your input. We are going to see Monument Valley and then need to head into Montrose Colorado. This looked like the least stressful route except for the grades over Lizzard Head Pass. I have a Ram diesel 2500 and the pull up is no problem but the drive down the other side can sometimes be stressful. In West Virginia our home state we recently ran a 9% for two miles and had no issues on either side. Our 5th wheel has a dry weight of 8700lbs and road ready it's probably well under 9500.

[JCZhome]

A diesel 2500.....you have a tow/haul mode and engine brake don't you? It's not the down hill grades that are a problem for me, it's those steep uphill grades like they have in Nor Cal (see photo). Some of those Nor Cal passes are 20% to 28% grades.





Are you coming to the Colorado Grand Design Rally in Palisade?

We just spent a month in Olathe, Colorado......10 miles north of Montrose. Look at Uncompaghre River RV Park in Olathe.....very shady and much more affordable than anything in Montrose.

[Likes to tow]

A diesel 2500.....you have a tow/haul mode and engine brake don't you? It's not the down hill grades that are a problem for me, it's those steep uphill grades like they have in Nor Cal (see photo). Some of those Nor Cal passes are 20% to 28% grades.





Are you coming to the Colorado Grand Design Rally in Palisade?

We just spent a month in Olathe, Colorado......10 miles north of Montrose. Look at Uncompaghre River RV Park in Olathe.....very shady and much more affordable than anything in Montrose.

My truck is a 2005 and that was before exhaust brake was an option. All I can do is put it in tow/haul and use 2nd gear. I brake real hard and bleed off 10 mph and then coast for a while to let the brakes cool. These two things seem to keep me manageable on steep grades. Our trip is still in the planning stage but we will probably not be out that way until mid Sept. When is the rally in Palisade? Last time we base camped in Centennial RV park south of Montrose..........really a nice place with great open views. Not sure what we will do this time. Meeting family that is also coming out to join us.

[Stormin' Norm]

Just had to chip in to this one, since I will be travelling that road this Fall. Couple months ago, this headline made international news, and caught my eye, as 145 was my detour route around Rt 550 Red Rock Pass.:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/25/us/hu...rnd/index.html

Now, looks like it is open but alternating traffic. Enjoy the boulder view...but look upslope just in case!

https://www.aspentimes.com/news/colo...ssive-boulder/

[JCZhome]

Just had to chip in to this one, since I will be travelling that road this Fall. Couple months ago, this headline made international news, and caught my eye, as 145 was my detour route around Rt 550 Red Rock Pass.:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/25/us/hu...rnd/index.html

Now, looks like it is open but alternating traffic. Enjoy the boulder view...but look upslope just in case!

https://www.aspentimes.com/news/colo...ssive-boulder/

A Solitude and a Reflection came 550 from Durango to the Colorado Grand Design Rally today. They both said.....it was a nice drive but it wasn't near as bad as some people make it out to be.

[Likes to tow]

I hope they don't go back south on 550. It's the most dangerous road I have ever traveled. The white line at the edge of the road (southbound) at one particular place is two inches from a sheer drop of hundreds of feet. Plus this is a curvy section to boot. I saw people pulling 5th wheel rv's and wondered how they had the nerve. We base camped in Montrose that year and traveled to Silverton a few times on 550 without the trailer. Several people have died on this section of road especially snow plow operators. They keep 550 open all year. It's called "Million Dollar Highway" and supposedly this name comes from some folks saying they would not drive it for a million dollars. It's not bad other than this one section southbound near Ouray. I would be interested in these folks who said it wasn't bad as some people make it out to be after driving it southbound. Tell them to stop at the granite memorial to all those snow plow drivers who have died trying to keep it open.

[JCZhome]

No doubt about it....there are places where it is literally a sheer drop off. However, I believe that you just made their point....that some people greatly exagerate it and it's just not that bad. I have drove and rode my motorcycle many times up and down the Million Dollar Hwy over the years and "two inches from a sheer drop off of hundreds of feet" may be a bit of an exageration. While it may seem like inches while driving it, especially with no guard rails, here is a shot of the narrowest part of 550 going south.....

2 pages of photos last month...... https://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index....543#msg1493543


This next thread is six pages of photos but if you click on this link and scroll down you'll see a couple of shots of moose that I took a few years ago.....(by the way, I shot these photos while riding my motorcycle at speed!) https://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index....201#msg1326201


Here is a link to three pages of photos when I drove it in my 4x4 truck in the winter time back in 2013...... https://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index....386#msg1193386


Regarding how it got it's name...... depending on who you're talking to or what you're reading (even here on the internet. LOL), there are several different explanations.....here is a popular explanation...

https://www.legendsofamerica.com/mil...hway-colorado/