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Mount Evans is the road into the sky. Drive from 8,700 feet at Idaho Spring where you turn off Interstate 70 to 14,240 feet to the summit and you will pass through 3 life zones, passing ancient trees, lakes and forest to the land above timberline. It can be 90 degrees in Denver and 40 degrees at the top of Mount Evans. Mountain Goats and Bighorn Sheep will greet you as you climb to the top of the world.

At the summit, visitors feel small in comparison to the breathtaking scene. The entire Front Range and the Continental Divide stretch out below, and beside them are wildflowers, lichens, grasses, pristine alpine lakes, marmots, rock-jumping mountain goats, and big horn sheep. Not only do some consider this the best place to catch a glimpse of the big horn sheep, but it is also one of the few places where alpine tundra exists below the Arctic Circle.

The drive on the mountain road presents you with sharp curves and steep inclines. Our rented stock PT Cruiser struggled with the terrain. This was a very challenging drive but was quite fun if you like mountain road driving. The only other mountain road I liked better was “The Bear Tooth Highway” which takes you from Montana to the East entrance of Yellowstone.

At the top of Mt. Evans I began to suffer from the effects of altitude sickness. I got a headache, felt light headed, and felt like I might pass out. I pounded down some water to help alleviate some of the symptoms.

This is a photo slideshow of our cruise to the summit of the Mount Evans Scenic Byway. We were led by The Colorado PT Cruiser Club, as part of their “Cruise the Rockies VIII” PT Cruiser event. Cruise the Rockies is held in a different part of Colorado each year. There are 219 photos of our cruise along the Mount Evans Scenic Byway and our stop at the top of the summit. Smaller photos for dial-up users.