A memorable road trip to Mount Champion in CO

Mount Champion is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.930m (12,893ft) above the sea level, located in Lake County, in the U.S. state of Colorado. It’s one of the highest roads of Colorado.

Mount Champion

The road to the summit is totally unpaved and impassable in winters. It’s called Champion Mine Road. It’s an old mining road. 4x4 vehicle required. Set high in the Sawatch Range, at the end of the road is and old cabin and a collapsed tunnel.

Starting at Champion Mill, at the end of Halfmoon Creek Trail, the road to the summit is 3.4 km (2.11 miles) long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 401 m. The average gradient is 11.79%. The drive hits a 17% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. It follows numerous remnants of Colorado's mining heritage. The road ends near Champion Mill. Established in the 1890s, it was a consistent supplier of gold and silver, as well as galena and pyrite.
Pic&video: Meeker Extreme

 

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