Is there a way to get from Granby Lake to Boulder without having to go North through Estes Park or South through Winter Park? I do see that there is a Rollins/Corona Pass but it doesnt go all the way through anymore according to what I have found. Is this route or another route possible? Thanks
I think you are correct. I've been trying to get confirmation on that for years. Thinking you head to Estes Park, work your way south, then head east to Boulder... Good luck, man.
No, there is not direct legal way to go from winter park/granby area to Boulder. You either have to go through Estes Park (which I would not recommend due to the flooding) or down to I-70. With the flood damage outsdie of Estes, your best bet is to head south to I-70.
I lived in Winter Park, CO (approx. 15 miles south of Granby, CO) for quite a while & now live in Denver. I can attest there is no legal way at this time to travel directly from Winter Park / Granby area over to Boulder. While there is a road called Rollins Pass that travels over the divide between Winter Park & Boulder there is a 200' section of the road that has been closed since 1990 blocking the route. My wife grew up in Winter Park & traveled between Winter Park & Boulder several times prior to the closure of the road. She, like many other Grand County residents were and are upset over the closing of the road. Here is the short story... After a small section of Rollins pass called Needles Eye tunnel collapsed in 1990 fascists from Boulder County & the United States Forest Service leapt on the chance to close the road which they succeeding in doing. In 2002 GW Bush signed the James Peak Wilderness and Protection Area Bill that created a road corridor in the area & states that if any of the affected counties (Grand, Gilpin or Boulder) request, the Secretary of the USDA will cooperate and assist with the repair of the Rollins Pass Road. Grand & Gilpin counties have repeatedly requested the road be reopened. Unfortunately fascists are still in charge of Boulder County & the USFS so they are refusing to cooperate with reopening of the road. As you can see from the maps below the section of the road that is closed is infinitesimal. The closure is literally 200 feet. There is ZERO reason beyond authoritarian arrogance for Boulder County & the USFS to keep the road closed as vehicles are allowed to travel in either direction up to the closed point. If you are traveling through the areas either east or west of Rollins Pass you can still enjoy the ride to the top of the pass from either side. The roads are open all the way to the 200' section that has been closed. Both routes are beautiful rides and well worth the time it takes to enjoy them. The west side is the most accessible & quickest to ascend & return to civilization. The east side is a longer & rougher route. From the west you can also travel through & support Grand County which is fighting to reopen the entire route. Below are links to google maps which detail the routes. Here are links to more info: Wikipedia Rollins Pass http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollins_Pass News footage from 1990 of Needles Eye Tunnel Collapse http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ktv6OT0Hyw8 Google Maps East Side of Rollins Pass from Rollinsville, CO http://goo.gl/maps/LmGib Google Maps West Side of Rollins Pass from Winter Park, CO http://goo.gl/maps/XzywV Google Maps demonstrating how infinitesimal the road closure is http://goo.gl/maps/R7ygS Grand County News article on Grand County & Gilpin officials attempting to negotiate with Boulder County Fascists http://www.skyhidailynews.com/article/20101110/NEWS/101109883 A Grand County Resident weighs in on the issue & points out Boulder County's fascism, lies & down right childish behavior surrounding the issue http://www.skyhidailynews.com/article/20101221/LETTERS/101229981 Whether you live in the area or will be traveling through please consider helping reopen Rollins Pass by doing the following: 1 Contact Grand County & tell them to keep up the fight against wilderness fascism. http://www.co.grand.co.us/ 2 Contact Gilpin County & tell them to keep up the fight against wilderness fascism. http://www.co.gilpin.co.us/ 3 Contact Stay The Trail Colorado & tell them to get behind Grand & Gilpin County on this issue. http://www.staythetrail.org/contact.php 4 Boycott spending money in Boulder County & contact the Boulder County Commissioners to tell them you are doing so & why. http://www.bouldercounty.org/gov/officials/pages/boccmain.aspx 5 Contact the USFS & register a complaint about there behavior on the issue. http://www.fs.fed.us/contactus/ 6 :ddog Contact the Secretary of the USDA & tell them its high time they reign in their subordinates in the USFS that have been dragging their feet on this issue. Be sure to remind the Secretary that the job of the USFS is to "care for the land and serve the people" not "close the land and obstruct the people." http://www.usda.gov/wps/port/usda/usdahome?navid=CONTACT_US :ddog --------------------------------------------------------------------- :fyyff How you like them apples wilderness fascists? :fyyff
I can confirm - I was up Rollins Pass Rd (Rollins pass) in October 2013. The pass is closed due to the tunnel cave mentioned. You can see the tunnel on Google earth, just past Jenny or Yankee Doodle Lake(s). I rode it on a F800GS Adventure, very rocky, not difficult...but rough on the rims. Phil
