This was destroyed in a 1909 fire, leaving only the quarried stones now scattered west of the few remaining buildings. A 600 foot snowshed was later extended to 997 feet with doors on the Breckenridge end to keep out drifting snows. In 1898 a depot was built onto the snowshed for the comfort of boarding passengers. All these amenities failed to foil Boreas winters. Elevation at the top of the Pass is 11,481 feet.
Winds are constant, strong and icy.
Snow is unending. The winter of 1898-99 was particularly severe. Clearing the tracks, always costly and time-consuming became impossible and no train ran between February 6 and April 24, 1899. Although Boreas Station was all but deserted by 1905, the railroad workers remained at the Pass to keep the tracks open and the trains running. Named for its postmaster, W.H. Farnham, the site boasted little except its dreams.