Train from Milan to Innsbruck

Hi Larry. If you are takng the most likely route, it will go thru the beautiful Brenner pass; perhaps elevations to 4500 ft. for a short time before descending into Innsbruck.

Denver is 5300 ft. Brenner Pass is 4500 fr, only 800 ft lower. But, is it really in Denver where you can't breath, or is it a little outside, in the foothills. Evergreen is at 8000 ft. BTW, I was real disappointed in Brenner Pass. Those people don't know what a real pass is. Loveland Pass, at 11,990 ft. That's a pass. Or try Berthoud, with no guardrails and thousands of feet down.

Lee,
The last time I went to Denver, I wound up in the ER. My condition has crept up on me, I love Colorado. I used to ski at Loveland and rode on a dog sled at Winter Park but those days are behind me. Thanks for the replies.

Innsbruck isn't exactly sea level either. Its at 580 metres which is 1903 feet, in a bowl surrounded by high ridges, on which the train and roads arrive, between 1300 and 1500 metres.

Hi, Just can't help myself, I need to defend "those people"... Lee, have you driven the Stilfser Joch Pass? Paul

Do you mean 9000' Stilfser Joch Pass. It's impressive for the switchbacks and sheer drops. It looks more like a legitimate pass to me. But at 9000', it probably wouldn't appear on a Colorado map as a pass. I rode my bicycle over Trial Ridge Road at 12,183'. Not to put you down, Larry. It's a shame you can no longer enjoy the Rockies. I spent five years on the Ski Patrol at Loveland. It was the local joke. Loveland, although the closest to Denver, is the highest ski area in Colorado (in the last few years Arapahoe might have added a new, higher lift). Our parking lot is higher than the top of the Zugspitze and the top of Vail Mountain (and way higher than the top of Stilfser Joch). People would drive to Colorado and stop at Loveland because it was the closest to Denver (must be the lowest, right). They would drive all night, drink heavily (not water), and at noon they were in the patrol room puking their guts out.

Lee,
I used to go to Denver every year and use it as a base for mountain adventures. I got a T shirt from Loveland that says "Oxygen Anyone? Loveland-elevation 13,010 ft." I had an interesting conversation with a guy in Idaho Springs who had retired from the Coast Guard and sang in an opera company in his retirement. If I could travel to SW Ireland and Colorado each year, I'd be a happy fella.

I've decided to skip that portion of the trip. Better safe than sorry. I really hate to do this as I love the mountains but I would hate going to the hospital more.

Sorry about that Larry. Probably the right choice, but a shame.