We spent the day meandering down the Million Dollar Highway in Colorado. The name came from a comment made at a planning meeting in 1921. At this time, a meeting was held to discuss plans to rebuild the highway. As the men reviewed the contracts to rebuild the highway, one gentleman remarked that all the contracts added up to a figure very close to $1,000,000. In further comments, he began to refer to the road as “…this million-dollar highway….” and the name stuck.
The Million Dollar Highway stretches for about 25 miles in western in Colorado and follows the route of U.S. 550 between Silverton and Ouray, Colorado. Although the entire stretch has been called the Million Dollar Highway, it is actually just the twelve miles south of Ouray to the summit of Red Mountain Pass. This stretch through the gorge is interesting to drive; it is characterized by steep cliffs, narrow lanes, and a lack of guardrails; the ascent of Red Mountain Pass is marked with a number of hairpin curves used to gain elevation, narrow lanes for traffic—many cut directly into the sides of mountains. It's a fantastic road to drive, with mountain views around every turn. Loved, loved, loved it.
In one stretch there is a site with memorials to people who died on the road, by avalanche and road maintenance.
Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZPRBTZKmDs19ytNt8
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