Red Mountain Pass 2.0

Red Mountain Pass is an easy Jeep trail that combines a lot of old mining structures with great alpine scenery.

The trail connects with Highway 550 about in the middle, so can be divided into two sections.  

The northern section is viewable from the Red Mountain Mining History Viewpoint on Highway 550.  There are numerous ruins for exploration.

One of the most visited is the Yankee Girl headframe shown to the right.  It is unusual as it has a 1,200' vertical shaft under the headframe.

There is a GPS - gpx track at the bottom of the page.

Yankee Girl headframe

There are numerous other structures in various stages of decomposition.

Along the trail

Red Mountain ruins

The Longfellow Mine is located near near where the northern section intersects US 550.  Old ore cars are visible below the structures along US 550.

Longfellow Mine

Old ore cars

If you enjoy railroad history and a short hike, check out the remains of a covered locomotive turntable.  Follow the old railroad grade shown in green on the map.  This starts as Gustom Road.  Turntable coordinates:  N 37° 55.598 W 107° 40.732   We have not been there for quite a while, but think there is not much remaining.  The following is from a website no longer active.

A little north of Red Mountain on the Silverton Railroad, there was a switchback built up Corkscrew Gulch. On the end of the switch back a 50ft. gallows turntable was constructed to turn the locomotives on the main line. This feature was an oddity in railroading and has become a favorite topic of railroaders.

In this area the grades were around 5% and the locomotives of the time were not as reliable operating from the uphill end of a train, especially in snow. With the engine on the uphill side, the only thing holding the cars from breaking loose and barreling downhill out of control was the coupler on the engine. Therefore, it was more desirable to have the engine at the front of the train to assist in braking. Furthermore, when going uphill, if the engine was at the rear of the train the cars were in compression and had a greater chance of derailing, especially with snow on the tracks.

On the switchback, the train must go in both directions and the turntable made it possible to uncouple the engine from the front of the train, run through the switchback, and end up with the engine at the front of the train again.

The grades approaching the turntable were designed so that it was downhill on both legs of the switchback to the turntable. This feature let the cars be run across the turntable and through the switchback by gravity in either direction.

The turntable also became famous because it was eventually completely enclosed with snowsheds that allowed continuous operation in winter.

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The southern portion of the trail is much different than the northern.  It is mostly above timberline and offers great views of the surrounding area.  There are only a few mines in the area.

Above timberline

Headed back down

This building is at the Brooklyn Mine and appears to be an original log cabin that was covered in tin and underwent a major renovation, perhaps in the 50's or 60's.  Framed walls were built inside the original logs and a framed roof was added.  There is a combination range with electric burners and oven on one side and a wood stove on the other.

Building at Brooklyn Mine

Combination wood and electric range

Updated 2018.

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