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About Mosquito PassAt 13,182 feet, Mosquito Pass is the highest pass in America. In the opening photo you can see Leadville and, beyond, the mountains that lead to Aspen, including Independence Pass. During the Leadville boom, Mosquito Pass was flooded with gold seekers coming from points east, and was host to several stagecoach lines. Unfortunately, during the thick of winter the stagecoach lines didn't run but many eager though naive Easterners tried to make the trek anyway, unable to wait until spring. The road over the pass was soon dubbed "Highway of Frozen Death," and even today one gets an eerie feeling about the place—so barren, so high, and so inaccessible. A tribute to John Dyer is found at the pass (shown in the photo below). It says: ![[Mosquito Pass]](../images/mosquit2.jpg) |