Breckenridge Divide 4x4 Tour-Alpine Adventures

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Breckenridge Divide 4x4 Tour-Alpine Adventures

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Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 53 miles / 85 km
Duration: Full day

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Overview: Trail Rating:
Boreas Pass - 2
Georgia Pass - 4
Glacier Ridge - 5 This Section can be Skipped

Season: Late June to October check for drift conditions Georgia Pass is the last section to open.

This is a great track to start and finish in Breckenridge, the first half over Boreas Pass is easy with some very nice historic Railway sites. The second half puts you in the back country and high mountain peaks and some moderate 4x4 trails the hardest part of the loop (Glacier Ridge/Glacier Peak) can be skipped as well.

From Breckenridge jump onto the road to Boreas Pass on the South side of town. Don't forget to check out the old Snow blower Train just after you turn on to the road.

Continuing up the pass you will leave get a great view of the Breckenridge Ski Area before you leave the residential neighborhood.

After you enter the National Forest this will put you into the amazing Aspen Forests. A few of these areas feel like tunnels and make for some great fall photos.

Just after you get above the Aspens you will come to the old Water Tank that the steam engines used to use when Crossing Georgia Pass on the route Between Como & Breckenridge.

A Few more miles up you will come upon the top of Boreas Pass with a few historic buildings and a couple of old train cars to get out and explore. There are some kiosks about the area to read up on as well.

Dropping down the North side of the Pass be sure to stop at a little pull off to hike out to an old section of railroad tracks left for historic purposes. Its marked on the map as a POI. There is no signage on the road to tell you the tracks are even back there.

Just past the tracks you will drop into a few amazing aspen covered mountains in the fall the colors are amazing!!!

Como sits at the base just before yo get onto the highway. There are a few other railroad sights to take in.... the Como Depot and of course the old Stone Como Roundhouse.

After leaving Como jump onto the Hwy and its a quick 6 miles to Jefferson. There you take a left onto County Road 35 and begin the second leg of the journey.

Ascending Georgia Pass from the North is very easy, take your time enjoy the views as you pass through the Pine Covered hills.

After Reaching the top of Georgia Pass you can make a Choice:
* Go East to Glacier Ridge and Glacier Peak with amazing Scenery and a chance to see Mtn Goats
** Skip the Glacier area and go North on Georgia Pass
By going North you will skip the Glacier Loop which is the hardest part of the trail.

* Heading east you will come to a steep climb 4x4 and 4lo are a must, take it slow and easy. After you reach the top of the first climb this ridge is where Mtn Goats seem to like to be. Many times playing up on the outcroppings of rocks.

Glacier Ridge is amazing and leads up to the next steep ascent up onto Glacier Mtn. Yes this trail leads right to the top of the peak. From the top of this peak you can see forever in all directions. From here you will return the way you came up. Just watch for the right turn in the grass this will lead you to a somewhat steep descent again use 4lo. This will take yo back to the top of Georgia Pass.

** Heading North yo begin the descent down Georgia Pass this section changes year after due to the snow runoff. But there tends to be a muddy area about 1/2 mile down. Going down through this part is easy up on the other hand can be a challenge some years.

Be sure to watch the route there are 2 intersections that can be somewhat tricky.

This trail will eventually drop you next to the Swan River with lots of old and some active mining. This is back on County Roads and the last stretch takes you onto Tiger Road.

Tiger road goes right by one of the old historic Dredges be sure to stop and check it out. Tiger Road will connect with Hwy 9 just north of Breckenridge.

Have fun be safe.

Tips: Trail Rating 5 out of 10:
#5 - Road surfaces are rutted, rocky and sandy with steps not exceeding 14". Water not exceeding 12" with some mud possible. Good vehicle approach and departure angles are helpful. Tall tires (33" plus) and traction added device (lockers, limited slips) is recommended but not required.

This trip can be done in half a day if you do not stop to check out a few of the POI. But I preffer a full day to do it in a relaxing manner.

Boreas Pass -
2WD is fine
Be sure to be mindful of the Hikers and Bikers on the Breckenridge side.

Georgia Pass -
From the top of Georgia Pass this should all be done in 4lo until you hit Tiger Rd.

Points of Interest

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Historic Railway Water Tower

Bakers Tank - This tank used to serve the old Steam Engines and is maintained to keep the history alive.

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Boreas Pass (Historic Buildings)

(el. 3499 m./11481 ft.)

The pass was formerly known as Breckenridge Pass in the 1860s, when it served as an early route for thousands of prospectors during the Colorado Gold Rush who crossed from South Park to look for gold in the valley of the Blue around Breckenridge. The buildings at the top of the pass housed the workers to keep Boreas Pass clear, whats left of the ghost town of Boreas is still interesting to explore.

Fact: The name Boreas is named after the Greek God of the North Wind.

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Original Railroad Tracks

This quaint little section of track really gives you an idea of what the original route was like. The narrow sections sheer drop offs and evidence of blasting holes in the rocks on this cliff. Great place for photos!!

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Historic Cabin

This neat little cabin sits right at the base of Boreas Pass on the North Side. If your not paying attention you will miss it in the trees.

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Como Depot

This classic structure was built in 1897 to replace the original building that burnt down a few years prior. It now operates as a B&B.

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Como Roundhouse

This old roundhouse was built in 1881 by Italian stonemasons who may have given Como its name. There was more but the wooden portion of the roundhouse burnt down decades ago.

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Georgia Pass

Elevation 11,585 ft.

From this point you can go North and skip the hard section of the trip. Or you can go east and jump on the loop which is the hardest part of the trip.

At the summit of the pass you can look south into the historic South Park area and north to Summit County. With high peaks East (Glacier Pk) and West (Mt Guyout) of you.

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Steep Climb

This climb up to Glacier Ridge is just as steep as the climb to come when going up Glacier Peak. This should be done in 4lo.

The name Glacier Ridge comes from the fact that there is an ice cornice to the South that hangs in there year round.

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Mountain Goats

Up on Glacier Ridge & Glacier Peak is is likely to see these lively animals. Sometimes they are very nervous other times I had one put his hoofs in the passenger window when I wasn't looking.

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Glacier Peak

Elevation 12,853 Ft

From this Summit you get a great 360 degree view. Mountains, Valleys and even ski areas in the distance.

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Steep Decent

Take this slow and easy. Downshift and let the engine do some of the braking for you.

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Bucyrus Dredge

This old Dredge boat sits in a pond just off of Tiger Road. The 100-ft.-long wooden gold dredge, considered the first successful dredge, devoured then spewed out 2,500 cubic yards of gravel and dirt every 24 hours. A three-man crew operated this steam-powered, hungry monster. Not all ponds that harbored dredges had green water as does this pond. In this instance, the color is due to the presence of copper. Nearby is a large "mechanical miners" interpretive sign for visitors to read.

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Jefferson Market

Snacks, Ice Cream, Homemade Fudge

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Graveyard

Historic Graveyard from the old mining Town of Como and surrounding area. Many old graves and it is still in use as well.

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Turn

Watch for this turn can be hard to see with the taller grasses that grow in this little section, also not many travel the Glacier Ridge area.

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Mining Tailings

From Dredging in the early 20th Century, many of the creeks and rivers at the base of the divide were dredged in search of gold.

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Old Cabin

Some of the old cabin remains just above the lower wet area.

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Old Cabin

This is not a really old cabin probably the mid 1900s from the construction.

Pictures in this guide taken by: alpinespirit

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