Loveland Pass, Colorado

Next to Interstate 70, and above it, is the Loveland Ski Area, one of the closest ski areas to Denver, with chairlifts that approach the Continental Divide above the east portal of the highway tunnel. The ski area is accessed from the Highway 6 exit off the interstate. Before the tunnels were bored for the interstate, traffic on this busy route west of Denver had to cross the Divide on Highway 6, and go over Loveland Pass. It is one of the highest passes that is kept clear of snow year-round by the Department of Transportation, as trucks with hazardous cargo, including gasoline tankers, are not permitted in the tunnels on Interstate 70, and have to take this curvy loop between the west and east portals of the Eisenhower and Johnson Tunnels. The pass also offers convenient access to the snowy Divide, more than two miles above sea level, with backcountry skiing most months of the year, and less than an hour from Denver.