San Juan Mountains Climate

It only takes a day to drive the San Juan Skyway scenic byway in the San Juan Mountains, but on the right day you can catch a whole year's worth of weather. It is not unusual - especially in the spring - to wake up with frost on the ground, drive through snow, hail, a thunderstorm, and 90-degree heat, and finish the day with a rainbow. The main reason for this variety is, of course, the mountains. A loop around the Skyway takes you from the near-desert climate at Cortez, 6,000 feet (1,830 m) above sea level, to the high-country conditions on Red Mountain Pass, elevation 11,000 feet (3,350 m), and some hiking and climbing can take you 3,000 feet (910 m) higher onto the alpine tundra. On the average, temperatures drop about 4 degrees Fahrenheit for every 1,000 feet (305 m) of elevation gain, and the resulting 35-degree spread between Cortez and the summit of Mount Wilson can be the difference between summer and winter weather.