Boreas Pass Summit |
Spring is ushering out winter’s
cold and snow. Buds are sprouting on trees. Flowers are peeking up from the
ground and people are itching to step outside to enjoy summer’s warmth. For
those wanting more than a backyard barbecue, Colorado’s Rocky Mountains are an outdoor
enthusiast’s play land. Fishing, hiking, camping, and horseback riding are in
abundance, but nestled between crevices, streams, and mountain valleys is a land
rich in history, with several historic sites still somewhat intact to explore by
foot or car, affording breathtaking views of mountain peaks and Aspens. Boreas
Pass linking South Park to Breckenridge is no exception.
Formerly known as
Breckinridge Pass, Boreas Pass came into existence during the Colorado Gold
Rush. The pass was originally a foot route prospectors used to get from South Park
to Blue River Valley near Breckenridge where they panned for gold. In 1866, the
foot path was widened to a wagon road for stagecoaches. In 1882, Sidney Dillon
of Union Pacific Railroad joined forces with the Denver, South Park and Pacific
Railroad and began laying narrow gauge tracks up the pass. During this time, Dillon
renamed the route to Boreas Pass after the Ancient Greek God, North of the
Wind.
Boreas Town |
The railroad tracks
connected to Breckenridge and later on to Leadville. This line was deemed a ‘major
engineering feat’ because of the deep winter snow at high altitude. Completion
of the line not only included the tracks, but dozen of snow sheds along the
route and the birth of the town Boreas. Built at the top of the summit, the
town’s primary objective was to house workers to clear snow from the tracks
during the winter.
Stone Engine House |
In its prime, Boreas was
home to a 57 x 155ft stone Engine House, equipped with an engine turn table,
water tank and coal bin. The town also housed a 600ft snow shed that was later
extended to over 900 feet, with doors on the Breckenridge side to block out
drifting snow. A depot was built in 1898 to provide comfort for train
passengers, but the harsh winter winds and deep mounds of snow often buried the
tracks. Clearing them proved costly and time consuming. During the winter of
1898-99, no trains ran from February thru April. By 1905 Boreas was pretty much
deserted. Only the Post Office remained. The station itself burned down in
1934. After the fire, train service was discontinued and the line completely
abandoned in 1937.
Boreas Pass Today |
Today, there isn’t much left
at the summit; a few out buildings, a train car and a sign. But the drive up
and over the pass into Breckenridge is a great way to spend a Saturday morning.
No comments:
Post a Comment