Coalbank Pass & Molas Pass Landscape Corridor

The only continually forested, spruce-fir corridor across Highway 550 occurs between the Weminuche Wilderness and the San Miguel Roadless Area on Coalbank Pass and Molas Pass. The expansive old-growth and mature forest provides suitable habitat and corridor for lynx and marten. In fact, Colorado Division of Wildlife staff surveying for snowshoe hare as an indicator of lynx habitat rated Coalbank Pass as among the very best snowshoe hare habitat in the San Juans.

Photo: Forests of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir create an ideal lynx and marten dispersal corridor along Lime Creek, north of Coalbank Pass.