Summit forecast, next 72 hours
- New snow2.5 in
- Strongest gusts30 mphTonight
- Coldest21°F
| Forecast | Snow | Gusts | Temp °F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus DayMostly Sunny | 0 in | 30 mph | High 45° |
| TonightMostly Cloudy then Snow Showers Likely | 0 in | 30 mph | Low 31° |
| TuesdayChance Snow Showers | <½ in | 25 mph | High 41° |
| Tuesday NightSnow Showers Likely | <½ in | 30 mph | Low 28° |
| WednesdaySnow Showers | 2 in | 30 mph | High 33° |
| Wednesday NightChance Snow Showers | <½ in | 15 mph | Low 21° |
Snow is the forecast new accumulation at the summit grid point. Dots use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
Typical weather by month
Monthly normals from the long-term stations nearest the summit. None sits exactly on the pass, so each column says how far away and how high it is.
| Month | Saint Elmo 10,540 ft · 9 mi south of the summit | Leadville Airport 9,932 ft · 28 mi north of the summit | Taylor Park 9,179 ft · 11 mi west of the summit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precip (in) | High / low °F | Snow (in) | High / low °F | |
| Jan | 2.0 | 30° / 5° | 18.8 | 29° / -8° |
| Feb | 2.2 | 31° / 6° | 20.1 | 33° / -5° |
| Mar | 2.4 | 37° / 12° | 21.1 | 41° / 4° |
| Apr | 2.3 | 43° / 19° | 26.6 | 47° / 18° |
| May | 1.8 | 54° / 27° | 11.8 | 58° / 29° |
| Jun | 1.0 | 66° / 34° | 0.8 | 69° / 36° |
| Jul | 2.5 | 71° / 39° | 0.2 | 72° / 42° |
| Aug | 2.4 | 68° / 38° | 0 | 70° / 41° |
| Sep | 2.0 | 62° / 32° | 1.0 | 64° / 34° |
| Oct | 2.0 | 50° / 24° | 13.8 | 54° / 25° |
| Nov | 1.6 | 37° / 13° | 25.1 | 40° / 13° |
| Dec | 2.4 | 29° / 5° | 17.6 | 28° / -4° |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: Saint Elmo (USS0006L05S, 10,540 ft); LEADVILLE LAKE CO AP (USW00093009, 9,932 ft); TAYLOR PARK (USC00058184, 9,179 ft). Snow days are days with at least 1 inch of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Cameras, road reports and winter rules
Conditions on the pass change by the hour, so these go straight to the official sources.
Closes for the winter. Chaffee County says that “from November 1st until June 15th this road is not maintained beyond Denny Creek Trailhead” and that motor vehicles other than snowmobiles and snowcats are not permitted. Chaffee County Road & Bridge: Cottonwood Pass closure and opening policy
- For this passChaffee County Road & Bridge: Cottonwood Pass closure and opening policy
- For this passGunnison County travel advisories
- For this passUS Forest Service: Cottonwood Pass Summit
- Colorado · CDOTCOtrip conditions and cameras
- Colorado · winter rulesTraction and chain laws
Check the official National Weather Service forecast for the summit and the road report before you leave.
Crossing Cottonwood Pass? See the summit at the hour you’ll be there
Road Travel times the forecast to your drive, so you see conditions at the summit when you will actually reach it, and get alerts about weather ahead on the way.
Questions about Cottonwood Pass
How high is Cottonwood Pass?
The summit is 12,126 ft above sea level, on County Road 306.
How far is Cottonwood Pass from Buena Vista and Almont?
By road, the summit is 19 miles from Buena Vista, CO and 37 miles from Almont, CO.
Is Cottonwood Pass open in winter?
No. Chaffee County says that “from November 1st until June 15th this road is not maintained beyond Denny Creek Trailhead” and that motor vehicles other than snowmobiles and snowcats are not permitted.
What is the wettest month at Cottonwood Pass?
July. The Saint Elmo snow-monitoring site (10,540 ft, 9 mi south of the summit) averages 2.5 inches of precipitation that month, counting the water in melted snow (1991–2020 normals).
How cold does it get near Cottonwood Pass?
The coldest month is January. Taylor Park (9,179 ft, 11 mi west of the summit) averages a low of -8°F then (1991–2020 normals); the summit is 2,947 ft higher.