Lizard Head Pass

Mountain pass in Colorado

37°48.7′N 107°54.5′W / 37.8117°N 107.9083°W / 37.8117; -107.9083Topo mapOphir

Lizard Head Pass, elevation 10,222 feet (3,116 m), is a mountain pass in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, on the border between Dolores and San Miguel counties.

It is also on the divide between the watersheds of the Dolores River and San Miguel River. The pass lies in the saddle between Lizard Head and Sheep Mountain.

History

The pass is named for a prominent nearby peak that is said to look like the head of a lizard, the 12,995 ft (3,961 m) spire of Lizard Head. The pass is currently traversed by State Highway 145, about 12 miles south of the Telluride turnoff.

It was also used by the historic Rio Grande Southern Railroad until 1952. Although the grades on both sides of the pass are mild for automobile traffic, this was a significant obstacle for the railroad, and this was a factor leading to the use of the Galloping Goose railcars.

Climate

Climate data for Lizard Head Pass, Colorado, 1991–2020 normals: 10200ft (3109m)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	33.9 (1.1)	35.2 (1.8)	41.6 (5.3)	46.3 (7.9)	54.4 (12.4)	64.5 (18.1)	68.6 (20.3)	66.1 (18.9)	60.6 (15.9)	51.1 (10.6)	41.0 (5.0)	33.3 (0.7)	49.7 (9.8)
Daily mean °F (°C)	20.4 (−6.4)	21.3 (−5.9)	27.2 (−2.7)	32.8 (0.4)	40.7 (4.8)	49.0 (9.4)	54.1 (12.3)	52.3 (11.3)	46.6 (8.1)	37.6 (3.1)	27.7 (−2.4)	20.1 (−6.6)	35.8 (2.1)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	6.9 (−13.9)	7.4 (−13.7)	12.7 (−10.7)	19.3 (−7.1)	26.9 (−2.8)	33.4 (0.8)	39.6 (4.2)	38.5 (3.6)	32.6 (0.3)	24.3 (−4.3)	14.3 (−9.8)	6.9 (−13.9)	21.9 (−5.6)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	2.62 (67)	2.40 (61)	2.50 (64)	2.57 (65)	2.28 (58)	0.93 (24)	2.81 (71)	2.87 (73)	2.58 (66)	2.43 (62)	2.41 (61)	2.53 (64)	28.93 (736)
Source 1: XMACIS2^[2]
Source 2: NOAA (Precipitation)^[3]

References

^ "Lizard Head Pass". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "xmACIS2". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
^ "Lizard Head Pass, Colorado 1991-2020 Monthly Normals". Retrieved November 3, 2023.