Ripple Creek Pass

Ripple Creek Pass
County Road 8 at the pass
Elevation3,157 m (10,358 ft)[1]
Traversed byRio Blanco County Road 8
(unpaved road)
LocationRio Blanco County, Colorado
RangeThe Flat Tops
Coordinates40°6′43″N 107°17′44″W / 40.11194°N 107.29556°W / 40.11194; -107.29556[1]
Topo mapUSGS Ripple Creek
Ripple Creek Pass is located in Colorado
Ripple Creek Pass
Ripple Creek Pass
Location in Colorado

Ripple Creek Pass is a high mountain pass in The Flat Tops mountains of western Colorado. Rio Blanco County Road 8, a gravel road, traverses the pass, which divides the watersheds of Poose Creek to the north and Snell Creek to the south.[2] The border between Routt and White River national forests also crosses the pass.

The pass, part of the Flat Tops Trail Scenic and Historic Byway, is accessible to passenger cars, but only seasonally, generally from late May to October. The Ripple Creek Overlook, south of the actual pass, provides views of The Flat Tops and the Flat Tops Wilderness Area.[3]

Climate

Climate data for Ripple Creek Pass, Colorado, 1991–2020 normals, 1986-2020 extremes: 10340ft (3152m)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 53
(12) 		63
(17) 		73
(23) 		76
(24) 		77
(25) 		87
(31) 		89
(32) 		85
(29) 		87
(31) 		75
(24) 		64
(18) 		57
(14) 		89
(32)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 43.4
(6.3) 		45.2
(7.3) 		53.6
(12.0) 		59.5
(15.3) 		65.6
(18.7) 		72.8
(22.7) 		77.2
(25.1) 		74.8
(23.8) 		70.9
(21.6) 		61.8
(16.6) 		50.7
(10.4) 		41.5
(5.3) 		77.7
(25.4)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 27.6
(−2.4) 		30.6
(−0.8) 		38.9
(3.8) 		44.3
(6.8) 		52.4
(11.3) 		62.5
(16.9) 		69.1
(20.6) 		66.7
(19.3) 		59.1
(15.1) 		46.6
(8.1) 		34.3
(1.3) 		26.0
(−3.3) 		46.5
(8.1)
Daily mean °F (°C) 18.3
(−7.6) 		20.0
(−6.7) 		27.0
(−2.8) 		32.3
(0.2) 		40.7
(4.8) 		50.3
(10.2) 		57.2
(14.0) 		55.2
(12.9) 		48.0
(8.9) 		36.5
(2.5) 		25.2
(−3.8) 		17.5
(−8.1) 		35.7
(2.0)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 9.0
(−12.8) 		9.5
(−12.5) 		14.9
(−9.5) 		20.3
(−6.5) 		29.0
(−1.7) 		38.0
(3.3) 		45.2
(7.3) 		43.7
(6.5) 		36.8
(2.7) 		26.4
(−3.1) 		16.1
(−8.8) 		9.0
(−12.8) 		24.8
(−4.0)
Mean minimum °F (°C) −8.7
(−22.6) 		−8.3
(−22.4) 		−1.7
(−18.7) 		4.4
(−15.3) 		15.5
(−9.2) 		26.9
(−2.8) 		36.8
(2.7) 		36.0
(2.2) 		23.0
(−5.0) 		8.9
(−12.8) 		−4.1
(−20.1) 		−10.2
(−23.4) 		−14.3
(−25.7)
Record low °F (°C) −19
(−28) 		−27
(−33) 		−15
(−26) 		−7
(−22) 		3
(−16) 		16
(−9) 		26
(−3) 		29
(−2) 		5
(−15) 		−5
(−21) 		−16
(−27) 		−30
(−34) 		−30
(−34)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 4.96
(126) 		4.45
(113) 		4.14
(105) 		5.01
(127) 		3.20
(81) 		1.54
(39) 		1.23
(31) 		1.17
(30) 		2.21
(56) 		2.81
(71) 		3.86
(98) 		4.43
(113) 		39.01
(990)
Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) 67.8
(172) 		81.4
(207) 		87.5
(222) 		86.3
(219) 		71.4
(181) 		28.4
(72) 		1.4
(3.6) 		0.0
(0.0) 		2.3
(5.8) 		11.9
(30) 		31.6
(80) 		51.4
(131) 		91.4
(232)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 17.2 16.3 17.2 17.1 13.6 7.7 6.5 6.9 9.1 11.0 13.6 16.5 152.7
Source 1: XMACIS2(normals, records & 2002-2020 snow depth)[4]
Source 2: NOAA (precip/precip days)[5]

References

  1. ^ a b "Ripple Creek Pass". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. 13 October 1978. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Ripple Creek Pass". Pass Bagger. 2016-12-12. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  3. ^ "Ripple Creek Overlook Interpretive Site". White River National Forest. United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  4. ^ "xmACIS2". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  5. ^ "Ripple Creek Pass, Colorado 1991-2020 Monthly Normals". Retrieved January 7, 2024.
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