Another Day in Paradise

Mosquito Pass

Mosquito Pass is the highest open mountain pass in the United States. There are passes that are higher, but they are one way access; once you get there, you have to go back the same way you came. Mosquito Pass tops out at 13,185 feet above sea level. This is higher than many of the mountain peaks in Colorado and only 815 feet away from being on par with some of the 14,000 foot peaks that people climb within the state. This is not a hard 4WD pass, but there are parts that need good ground clearance and quite a lot of ascent/decent will be fairly steep. You won't be traveling fast - 3 to 8 miles per hour once you head up the pass, and you'll spend a lot of time in low gears.