Leaving Montrose by car often means a mountain pass

Montrose sits in a valley, but many routes out of town climb into the mountains. A sunny road in the valley can become snow and ice on a pass during the same trip.

In winter, those passes can fall under Colorado’s traction and chain laws. In plain terms, the state can require that your vehicle have snow tires, all-wheel drive, or chains before you are allowed to drive a stretch of highway. Passes can also close for crashes, avalanche control, or heavy snow, and a closure can add hours or reroute a trip entirely.

COtrip shows whether a pass is open and whether traction or chain rules are in effect. Check the route shortly before departure because weather, crashes, and avalanche work can change the road after an earlier forecast. The vehicle still needs tires or traction equipment that meet the rule for the highway segment.