Boreas Pass (pronounced, “Bore-Ayes”)
So today we did a quick drive from Fairplay to Breckenridge over Boreas Pass. We drove highway 285 to Como, site of the roundhouse and station of the DSP&PRR (Denver, South Park & Pacific Railroad). The train operated here in the late 1800’s carrying people, supplies and silver ore over Boreas Pass. In 1910 the population of Como was 475, in 2010 the population of Como was 439, pretty steady for a small town that has no industry. The railroad, their only industry, moved out of Como around 1937 leaving the tracks and structures to decay.
That would have been the end of Como had it not been for a team of volunteers and train enthusiasts that decided to restore what remained of the train depot, roundhouse and hotel. Today you can stay in the hotel and visit the depot which is a museum operated by the DSP&PRR. The work on the roundhouse continues.
The road we traveled was the old rail line that was installed back in 1882. Climbing out of Como to a peak of 11,481′ above sea level, the road is fairly well maintained for a dirt road. There are a few potholes and washboards but it’s mostly the rocks in the road that make it a bit shaky. And, if you are a bit skittish, there are some drop offs that go pretty far down the mountain. But, the views of South Park and the mountains are well worth the drive. The road does seem to have a bit of an identity crisis, it starts as county road 404, then changes to county road 33, then changes to county road 10.
Yep, that’s snow on the left.
At the top of the pass is the restored Section House where maintenance crews once lived and worked keeping the rail line operational. Today some of these original structures are available to rent during winter by cross country skiers looking to spend the night on the mountain.
The Section House
Track remnants
A little further down the hill towards Breckenridge is the Baker’s Tank, a water tank used for the steam trains back in the day. And just a little past the water tank are beautiful vistas of Breckenridge ski area. It is really quite big.
Baker’s Tank
That’s it, made the drive in about an hour, now time to head over to the recycling station and drop off our load. Next trip is down to Cripple Creek and Victor with a couple of interesting stops along the way. Til then……….