Independence Pass has a reputation for scaring people, and it earns about half of it. The road is narrow, with tight hairpins and in places no guard rail, and it tops out at 3,687 metres on the Continental Divide. But it is also a marvellous, bracing ride, and quite short, which makes it feel like a gift. The east side climbs from the Twin Lakes valley in a series of long, graceful bends, then the road bunches up into tight switchbacks above the trees. At the top you step onto tundra, with snow in the shaded gullies even in July and a view of ranks of peaks all the way around.
The west side down to Aspen is the more dramatic. The road is cut into the slope, with steep drop-offs on one side and the Roaring Fork River tumbling far below, and a couple of hairpins demand real attention and a good hold on the brake. Large vehicles are restricted, which keeps the traffic tamer than you might expect, though caravans and rental cars crawl through on busy summer weekends. Pick a morning and the whole thing feels clean and clear.
The pass takes its name from the town of Independence, a mining camp on the west side that boomed in the 1880s and later faded. Its ruins are a short drive below the summit, and the story goes that the camp was named for a find made on the Fourth of July. The high, wet meadows around the top are fragile alpine tundra, so stay on the paths and boardwalks. Across the valley to the south, you may spot Mount Elbert, the highest peak in Colorado at 4,401 metres, a long and unglamorous hump rather than a spire.
The highway is closed in winter, usually from around November until late May, so check before you plan. The air is thin and cold, with fast-changing weather and frequent afternoon storms, so aim to cross early. Aspen, about 24 kilometres west, has stations and every possible type of coffee, and Leadville, further east, has fuel and a more down-to-earth feel.