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Ohio Pass
For the most part, Ohio Pass is a civilized gentle dirt road,
crossing the the Ruby Range, an outlier of the Elk mountains.
I have never seen it in anything else, except very good
bicycling condition. Even though it does not quite reach
treeline, there are a number of great vantage points
overlooking the West Elk wilderness and its Castle Peak, (not
Castle Peak in the Elk mtns).
click on profile for more detail
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1. (mile00,8914ft) START/END-NORTH:
Crested Butte
2. (mile07,9894ft) turnoff to Kebler Pass is
on right, stay left
3. (mile09,10093ft) TOP: Ohio Pass
4. (mile16,8603ft) START/END-SOUTH: turnoff to
Baldwin mine is on left
5. (mile35,7703ft) START/END-SOUTH ALTERNATE:
Gunnison
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Approaches
From North. When you approach Ohio Pass from Kebler
Pass you get two passes for the price of one. However, that's
not the approach shown in this profile. First, let me describe
the two for one route. A dirt road leaves the valley of the
North Gunnison (between McLure Pass and Paonia) and
first climbs over Kebler Pass. After this high point, the road
descends a minute amount and crests again on Ohio Pass. The
saddle between the two passes is hardly noticeable. There is
really no effort involved in the climb after the top of Kebler.
Here is another suggestion that involves a different climb,
leading straight to Ohio Pass. It does not involve crossing
another pass first. Start in Crested Butte. From there a
gentle steady-as-they-come climbing dirt road makes as a nice
approach to Ohio pass.
From South. Gunnison makes a convenient starting
point, even though the gradient doesn't become "passlike"
until many miles later. The turnoff to the Baldwin mine makes
an alternate starting or finishing point, providing a shorter
approach. This otherwise gentle wooded pass has a few steep
sections near the top. Further down the southern approach, the
old railroad grade is in proximity of the pass road. Near the
top, the road switches back and forth like a disposed
shoestring a few times, while the railroad grade remains far
down in the valley. However it's hardly visible through the
dense forest.
Tours
Dayrides. A nice circle ride could be done, leading
from Crested Butte over Ohio Pass to Gunnison and back to
Crested Butte along Rte 135.
Three Day Tour consisting of jeep trails, dirt road and
pavement. This pass can be part of a three day
circle of pass exploration in the Elk, West Elk and Sawatch
Ranges. The route is as follows: Aspen, Pearl
Pass, Crested Butte, Ohio Pass, Gunnison, Pitkin, Cumberland
Pass, Taylor Pass, Aspen.
The day over Ohio Pass started in Crested Butte, ended in
Pitkin and measured 75 miles (m1:86.09.14). Ohio Pass can also
be bypassed in favor of Rte 135, making for an easier second
day. Endpoints for each day are Narrative
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History
This pass predates Colorado mining history. Both Ohio and
Kebler were crossed by Ute trails. The current road however is
the result of discovering gold near the adjacent top of
Kebler pass. A stage and freight road was built to haul up
supplies from Gunnison. The grade along the valley was gentle
enough that a railline was built by the Denver Rio Grande. The
railline terminated short of the pass.
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