I drove over La Veta and North La Veta Passes in 2000. The highway originally ran over the NG alignment and the road is still there as a local road. The new SG route is, as mentioned, several miles to the south over South La Veta Pass, and not really accesible. There are multiple tunnels on the route and it is _very_ twisty, more so than the NG alignment but not as tight. I could not find a way to it.
At some point the highway was rebuit and diverts from the NG ROW on the east side before it starts the twisty part up to La Veta Pass, and now makes a stright shot through deep cuts to North La Veta Pass. It comes back down the west side and joins back into the NG ROW a little ways past the pass.
When I drive the pass, I did so with the intention of driving La Veata, not North La Veta. I missed the turnoff and could see the NG ROW twisting around the valley to the south to gain altitude. After crossing North La Veta, I found where the NG ROW came in and drove it back eastbound, over La Veta and down to the junction on the east side. Then drove over North La Veta agin on the way to Blanca and Great Sand Dunes NM.
The road over La Veta is clearly a disused highway. Very faded sriping and rusty guardrail can be seen in many places. The asphult is falling apart and only token attempts are made to patch it with shoot and chip or gravel. The west side of the pass (once off the new highway) is nice and scenic with conifer forest, but not unlike other abandoned ROWs except for the steep grade. The east side is truly spectacular. The route snakes along the side of the mountain with dropoffs that would make the D&S and CATS proud. On the points, you can literally see for miles to the east, with Wallensburg far off in the distance. It was dusk when I went over, and you could see the string of headlights on the higway for miles in the distance.
There were a few old structures just to the west side of the pass. I don't know if they were rr related or not. I was tired and alone and did not have the guts to check them out. I think I may have taken a few photos
