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Berthoud Pass Colorado / Berthoud Falls, Colorado

Empire, Colorado 

Berthoud Pass (pronounced "BURTH-əd") is a high mountain pass in central Colorado, with an elevation of 11,307 feet (3,446 meters). The pass is located west of Denver, and traverses the continental divide at the Front Range, on the border between Clear Creek County and Grand County. U.S. Highway 40 runs over this pass and it is a destination for local backcountry skiers, snowboarders, and snowshoers with its steep and challenging terrain and plentiful snow.

The pass is one of the most notoriously difficult passes in Colorado for motorists, based on its height as well as the steep grades (at 6.3%) on both sides and the large number of switchbacks on the southern side of the pass. At least 55 avalanche paths have been mapped on Berthoud Pass, some of them intersecting the U.S. Highway 40 roadway at multiple points on the pass.

Berthoud Pass has an extreme alpine subarctic climate, bordering on an alpine climate, with short summers featuring comfortable days and cold nights, and long, extremely snowy winters. At the official Berthoud Pass weather station, the average annual snowfall noted is 400.2 inches / 1,016.5 centimeters. In the snow season of 1983/1984, snowfall reached a record 523.4 inches / 1,329.18 centimeters. Actual snow depth peaks at over 55 inches or 140 centimeters but has exceeded 110 inches or 279 centimeters. Coldest temperature ever was -34°F  / -37°C and the warmest reading was 76°F / 24°C.

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US-40 WB : Berthoud Pass: Looking East

Berthoud Pass - Parking lot, off US 40 (from CDOT) At Berthoud Pass on US 40 (from CDOT) US 40 EB at Fraser Flats CR 83: Looking West (North of Berthoud Pass) (from CDOT) - Berthoud Falls - Berthoud Falls is an unincorporated community located south of Berthoud Pass on U.S. Highway 40 in north-central Colorado at an elevation of 9,800 feet / 2,987 meters. It should not be confused with the nearby 30-foot waterfall, Berthoud Pass Falls, nor with the town of Berthoud, Colorado, 60 miles away to the east, on the Colorado Plains. The town experiences a cold, continental climate characterized by long, severe winters and brief, mild summers. Average temperatures range from a daily January low of about 1°F (-17°C) to a daily July high of around 62°F (17°C), based on historical data from 1950 to 1985. Annual precipitation totals approximately 37 inches / 94 centimeters, with the majority falling as snow—over 390 inches / 991 centimeters annually—contributing to deep snowpack that persists into late spring. US-40 WB @ Berthoud Falls: Looking East (from CDOT) US-40: WB at Berthoud Falls: Looking West (from CDOT) - Empire - Empire, sometimes referred to as "Empire Junction", is a small, historic town (population ~400) located at the junction of U.S. Highway 40 and I-70 at 8,615 feet / 2626 meters, and just 9 miles (15 km) down the road from Berthoud Falls; it's called the gateway to Berthoud Pass and Winter Park. Founded in 1860 during the gold rush, it offers a quieter alternative to nearby Georgetown, with access to backcountry skiing and hiking. Originally founded as "Empire City" in 1860  during the gold rush (and named after the "Empire State" of New York), it was a prosperous mining town before focusing on tourism and serving as a stop for travelers. US Highway 40 WB at Empire On the way to Berthoud Falls and Berthoud Pass (from CDOT)

- Map -
(To see Empire, move the map (using your mouse) to the right, just a bit, and keep your eyes on Hwy 40, or, click on the minus sign once
 [found in the camera's control box on the Map's bottom right])