Many passes bear the name of a stream or some other physical feature located nearby, such as a mountain. Others are named for prominent people in the state's history. Now, what a pass is not. A pass is not a gap, and a gap is not a pass. A gap is a cut through a rock or mountain barrier that has usually been formed by water.
Some authors consider gaps as passes.
Wagon Wheel Gap, in Mineral County, is included in many lists of passes, although there is no change in watershed there. The Rio Grande River runs through the gap and drains both sides toward the east. Article copyright Pruett Publishing . The Passes of Colorado is available from the Adventurous Traveler Bookstore. Work Outdoors at GORP Jobs Click Here.