A steep, steady 6.7% grade, along with numerous hairpin turns on either side, make it difficult to snowplow the road regularly.The pass is named for William A.H. Loveland, the president of the Colorado Central Railroad and a resident of Golden during the late 19th century.Occasionally during the winter, the pass road may be closed by a blizzard and all traffic must use the tunnel, even the normally forbidden vehicles carrying hazardous materials.At the Loveland Pass parking lot, visitors can access trails to the summits of Mount Sniktau and other nearby mountain peaks.On a clear Friday in early October 1970, a plane crash occurred about two miles (3.2 km) north of the summit, and only nine of the 40 on board survived.
US 6 through Loveland Pass is the primary route for trucks that are prohibited from passing through the Eisenhower Tunnel.