Last Update: 10/27/1997 - Jens Moller

A moderate 4WD mountain pass

If you are entering Hancock Pass from the Pitkin/Cumberland Pass side, you will take the Alpine Tunnel road up 7 miles. You'll pass a restored narrow gauge train water tower and enjoy driving on a well maintained road that was once a narrow gauge railroad bed. When you get to Sherrod (there is a sign), you can either turn to the left, or head up to the passes. Both Hancock and Tomichi pass share the same part of the road for for a distance. Don't go up this way unless you have a 4WD.

The entrance to Hancock and Tomichi Pass 7 miles up the Alpine Tunnel road

At the summit of the pass looking towards Hancock/Romley.

The western side of Hancock pass is more difficult to travel than the Eastern side. It is steeper and there are quite a few good sized rocks to traverse. There is a small creek to cross and some fairly tight switch backs. Take your time and work around the rocks (you'll need to drive over some sections where others will be managed by driving up against the side of the road. This is a fairly short pass, only a few miles. You won't be driving the western side very quickly. There are a number of grade alterations that have been made by the Forest Service to prevent the road from washing out, these will take a bit of navigational skill.

Once you get to the summit, you may want to get out and stretch your legs, because its slow going no matter which direction you decide to come down. The eastern side (headed towards Hancock) is easier to do, but there are still plenty of rocks all around you. This pass was rated a 3 (where 1 is the easiest - practically any vehicle can make it, and 10 being very difficult with potential body damage if an inexperienced off-road warrior), but I felt that it was as difficult as Tin Cup Pass and definitely more rocky.

This was originally a stage coach road.

The summit is just up ahead; looking towards Pitkin/Alpine Tunnel Road.

This photo shows the summit. There are roads that go up even higher - these are closed and don't really go anywhere interesting anyway. If you are headed up Hancock Pass starting from Hancock, you start where the 'good' road comes to an end. To your right will be the walking area to the Eastern Portal of the Alpine tunnel. To your left is the 4WD road to Hancock Pass and Hancock Lakes. You'll drive down this road around 1/3 or a mile and look for an entrance to the west (a right hand turn) that has a tag with number 299 (its very small). This is the entrance to Hancock Pass.

If you see this outhouse, you are headed towards Hancock Lakes. Its very easy to miss the turn off for Hancock Pass, since the marker doesn't face the 4WD road, it actually faces towards Hancock Lakes. The road to Hancock Lakes is very rutted and has lots of stones. The ride is rough, but a lot of people fish there in the summer and some camp out there during hunting season. If you continue on to Hancock Lakes, the road ends about 1 mile from this outhouse. Its easy to turn around and go back to Hancock at this point. I found that the drive (which I made unintentionally, since I missed the turn off) to Hancock lakes to very pretty, You might want to visit, but please pay attention to the trail - I slammed the trailer hitch on my Jeep pretty hard on some rocks along the way.

A room with a view at Stonewall

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