Lizard Head Pass, elevation 10,222 feet (3,116 m), is a mountain pass in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, on the border between Dolores and San Miguel counties.
| Lizard Head Pass | |
|---|---|
 The sign at the top of the pass | |
| Elevation | 10,222 ft (3,116 m)[1] |
| Traversed by | State Highway 145 |
| Location | Dolores / San Miguel counties, Colorado, United States |
| Range | San Juan Mountains |
| Coordinates | 37°48.7′N 107°54.5′W / 37.8117°N 107.9083°W |
| Topo map | Ophir |
It is also on the divide between the watersheds of the Dolores River and San Miguel River. The pass lies in the saddle between Lizard Head and Sheep Mountain.
History
editThe pass is named for a prominent nearby peak, the 12,995 ft (3,961 m) spire of Lizard Head. The pass is currently traversed by State Highway 145, about 12 miles south of the Telluride turnoff.
It was also used by the historic Rio Grande Southern Railroad until 1952. Although the grades on both sides of the pass are mild for automobile traffic, this was a significant obstacle for the railroad, and this was a factor leading to the use of the Galloping Goose railcars.
Climate
edit| Climate data for Lizard Head Pass, Colorado, 1991–2020 normals: 10200ft (3109m) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 33.9 (1.1) |
35.2 (1.8) |
41.6 (5.3) |
46.3 (7.9) |
54.4 (12.4) |
64.5 (18.1) |
68.6 (20.3) |
66.1 (18.9) |
60.6 (15.9) |
51.1 (10.6) |
41.0 (5.0) |
33.3 (0.7) |
49.7 (9.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 20.4 (−6.4) |
21.3 (−5.9) |
27.2 (−2.7) |
32.8 (0.4) |
40.7 (4.8) |
49.0 (9.4) |
54.1 (12.3) |
52.3 (11.3) |
46.6 (8.1) |
37.6 (3.1) |
27.7 (−2.4) |
20.1 (−6.6) |
35.8 (2.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 6.9 (−13.9) |
7.4 (−13.7) |
12.7 (−10.7) |
19.3 (−7.1) |
26.9 (−2.8) |
33.4 (0.8) |
39.6 (4.2) |
38.5 (3.6) |
32.6 (0.3) |
24.3 (−4.3) |
14.3 (−9.8) |
6.9 (−13.9) |
21.9 (−5.6) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.62 (67) |
2.40 (61) |
2.50 (64) |
2.57 (65) |
2.28 (58) |
0.93 (24) |
2.81 (71) |
2.87 (73) |
2.58 (66) |
2.43 (62) |
2.41 (61) |
2.53 (64) |
28.93 (736) |
| Source 1: XMACIS2[2] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: NOAA (Precipitation)[3] | |||||||||||||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Lizard Head Pass". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "xmACIS2". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
- ^ "Lizard Head Pass, Colorado 1991-2020 Monthly Normals". Retrieved November 3, 2023.
External links
edit
Media related to Lizard Head Pass at Wikimedia Commons
37°48.7′N 107°54.5′W / 37.8117°N 107.9083°W
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