Colorado State Highway 103
State Highway 103 (SH 103) in the U.S. state of Colorado runs from Interstate 70 (I-70), U.S. Route 6 (US 6) and US 40 at Idaho Springs to county roads 151 and 103 at Squaw Pass. The 13 miles (19 km) from Idaho Springs to SH 5 forms about half of the Mount Evans Scenic Byway.
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SH 103 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by CDOT | ||||
| Length | 22.488 mi[1] (36.191 km) | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| North end |    I-70 / US 6 / US 40 at Idaho Springs | |||
| South end | CR 151 at Squaw Pass | |||
| Location | ||||
| Counties | Clear Creek | |||
| Highway system | ||||
Colorado State Highways
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Route description
East of where the route begins at County Road 151, the highway is not marked by CDOT, where it continues as Squaw Pass Road that descends toward Evergreen. Near Squaw Pass, the highway heads west along the upper end of Echo Mountain Ski Area. The highway then reaches an elevation of 10,000 feet at Echo Lake Park,[2] where it meets SH 5. At this point, both SH 103 and SH 5 forms the Mount Evans Scenic Byway,[3] which is the highest paved road in North America. The route then descends in elevation, heading northeast along the Chicago Creek, then enters Idaho Springs after crossing Clear Creek. SH 103 terminates at Interstate 70 at a diamond interchange and the road continues as 13th Avenue through the neighborhood.
History
The route was established in 1923, where it began at US 285 and traversed to Idaho Springs. The segment east of Squaw Pass was renumbered in 1954, and the route was entirely paved by 1956.[2]
Gallery
SH 103 at Echo Lake
Looking northwest from near the summit of Squaw Pass
State Highway 103 near the southern terminus
Major intersections
The entire route is in Clear Creek County. [4][5]
| Location[4][5] | mi[4] | km | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squaw Pass | 0.000 | 0.000 | Little Bear Creek Road (CR 151) | Southern terminus; road continues east as Squaw Pass Road | |
| | 5.488– 6.771 | 8.832– 10.897 | Juniper Pass Summit – elevation 11,020 feet (3,360 m) | ||
| | 9.223 | 14.843 |  SH 5 south – Mount Evans | Northern terminus of SH 5 | |
| Idaho Springs | 22.369– 22.488 | 35.999– 36.191 | I-70 / US 6 / US 40 – Denver, Grand Junction | Northern terminus; I-70 exit 240; road continues as 13th Street | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
References
- "Segment list for SH 103". Retrieved 2007-05-12.
- Salek, Matthew E. "Colorado Routes 100-119". Retrieved 2010-05-09.
- "Driving Directions". America's Byways. Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
- "Highway Data Explorer, Online Transportation Information System". Colorado Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
- "Highway Data Explorer, Online Transportation Information System". Colorado Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2019.