1984 Loveland Pass Continental Divide Sign Kodachrome Slide #CL-J843
Brief Description
This slide was purchased alongside another, whose image was captured a few moments apart from this one. Each shows these two women visiting the Continental Divide sign at the top of Loveland Pass in the 1980s.
While the sign pictured here appears very similar to the ones that came before and after it, there are some subtle differences in the signs which are discussed below.
Info
- Date: Developed January 1984
- Photographer: Unknown
- Medium: Kodachrome Slide
- Size: 35mm
- ID: CL-J843
- Acquisition Date: Feb. 2024
- Repository: Coloradotopia Archives
Scanned image with basic cropping, some color enhancement.
Image use restricted.
Image Dating Comments
This slide is ink-stamped with a January 1984 development date. It is possible that the image was captured as early as October or November ’83, but it was likely in December of 1983 or early in January of 1984, as indicated by the snowpack.
Comments & Discussion
This is the only image in the archive that shows this Continental Divide sign as well as the Arapahoe National Forest sign that was mounted to its left. Highway 6 can be seen winding through the background of this photo on the western side of the divide. The Continental Divide’s ridgeline can also be seen here as it approaches Grizzly Peak and Arapahoe Basin.
You can see the wind lifting up the hair of both of these women, and anyone who has been up here can tell you that this is a cold, cold winter breeze.
This photo was taken alongside CL-J842 in this archive. Images of that slide are not yet uploaded.
Different versions of this sign can be seen around Colorado in the decades surrounding this photo’s date. For example, Cottonwood Pass has had several signs like this, but not this exact one.
Condition, Aging & Authenticity: There is little to no aging of the cardboard. The date stamp shows significant aging. The yellow and red Kodak colors on the backside are still solid and luscious.
The slide needs cleaning as of its arrival into the archive.
About the Coloradotopia Archives. The Coloradotopia archives hold a large collection of historical images that document Colorado’s auto history in the mountains. You can read more about the Coloradotopia archive project here.
