Supercharger - Poncha Springs, CO

[dgpcolorado]

Denver Service Center to Poncha Springs Supercharger Station used 38 kWh in mild temperatures (no climate control needed) strong quartering headwind from Kenosha Pass to Poncha Springs, dry pavement with snow tires, driving at the speed limit. RWD S60.

Lovely drive.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

3rd to charge?

Stopped be today to check things out. Kenosha Pass was a little dicey due to the snow but other than that, it was a nice scenic drive. We got some good drone footage.

We met the former owner of the property and thanked him for providing the land and mentioned this will really open up central and southern Colorado. We offered him a ride since he's never been in a Tesla before. He said he might be back in a few minutes to take us up on the offer but if he missed us, he'd catch the next one.

 

[dgpcolorado]

Even without an Alamosa Supercharger Station, it appears as if a visit to Great Sand Dunes NP is now doable in mild weather, even in my S60. Something I may do in the spring; haven't been there in more than two decades.

 

[Karl Fisch]

Thanks for all the info from everybody. Can someone tell me what restaurants might be within walking distance and perhaps the typical hours they might be open? Our daughter will be starting at Fort Lewis College in the fall, so looking for the best way to go from Highlands Ranch to Durango. Also, I know there's a destination charger in Durango, but any suggestions on route planning from folks in the area? Still hoping Tesla will eventually put a supercharger in Durango. Anxiously awaiting our Model 3 configuration email...

 

[Solarman004]

Thanks for all the info from everybody. Can someone tell me what restaurants might be within walking distance and perhaps the typical hours they might be open? Our daughter will be starting at Fort Lewis College in the fall, so looking for the best way to go from Highlands Ranch to Durango. Also, I know there's a destination charger in Durango, but any suggestions on route planning from folks in the area? Still hoping Tesla will eventually put a supercharger in Durango. Anxiously awaiting our Model 3 configuration email...

Supercharge.info only mentions the Italian restaurant across the street. But if you walk a little further north to where Hwy 50 bends west, there is a small Thai restaurant. The pickings are slim in Poncha. Most of the restaurants are in Salida, but not walking distance.

 

[Karl Fisch]

Supercharge.info only mentions the Italian restaurant across the street. But if you walk a little further north to where Hwy 50 bends west, there is a small Thai restaurant. The pickings are slim in Poncha. Most of the restaurants are in Salida, but not walking distance.

Thank you. Kinda what I thought. We ate in Salida last time we went through, but was hoping there might be something near the Supercharger since we might be charging for 30+ minutes. Maybe a business opportunity for someone .

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Supposedly there is a deli at the gas station but we didn't bother checking it out. We were going to go to the Hunger Shack since it is highly rated, but most probably wouldn't walk that far from the Supercharger. We ended up driving back through Salida and grabbed a quick bite there.

 

[Bighorn]

This still doesn't appear to be Tesla official as it's on neither Find Us nor the Nav. Other travelers have been burned using SCs that were provisionally turned on but not 100% vetted when they got turned off for local power issues. Personally, I've been to a bunch of chargers in this limbo, but I did speak with a Tesla SC engineer who seemed irritated by the practice.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

It's possible it won't be listed in Tesla's site until they have installed the two light posts. We heard that the two that were delivered were damaged and needed to be replaced. I wonder how many lamp posts get damaged. I seem to remember the same thing happening in Sidney, NE last year. This site was working great today and I got at least 106 kW. I forgot to check the charge rate right away. That was probably about 10 minutes into the charge.

 

[dgpcolorado]

Not that I was really concerned, but I did have a "plan B": there is L2 charging available in nearby Salida. While I wouldn't want to take many hours to charge (and risk deer on the road after dark) versus one hour at the Supercharger Station, I wouldn't have been stranded.

 

[ThisIsTrue]

"plan B": there is L2 charging available in nearby Salida.

Thanks for that reminder. We're heading over the hill next week, and plan to go that route. Glad we finally can! Haven't been able to since getting the Tesla. It's our favorite path.

 

[Solarman004]

There are also 2 free chargers in the Monarch Ski area parking lot, on the lodge wall. One Tesla HPWC, and one EVSE. If I remember correctly, I could only get 40 amp @ 208 V from the HPWC.
If you are passing through at non-peak ski hours, you have a good shot at finding an open charger. Even if you don't, you've only diverted about 500 ft from Hwy 50 to check.

 

[dgpcolorado]

There are also 2 free chargers in the Monarch Ski area parking lot, on the lodge wall. One Tesla HPWC, and one EVSE. If I remember correctly, I could only get 40 amp @ 208 V from the HPWC.
If you are passing through at non-peak ski hours, you have a good shot at finding an open charger. Even if you don't, you've only diverted about 500 ft from Hwy 50 to check.

I don't know about that option: If west bound, that assumes enough charge left to make it up the hill to the ski area! That looks to be about 36 RM on my car, so perhaps a possibility if one has extra range — I got to Poncha Springs with 40 RM left. Kind of a bummer if the ski area charge station isn't available...

If east bound you likely wouldn't know if the Poncha Springs Supercharger Station was down or not, unless the map icon showed it so.

 

[Solarman004]

I don't know about that option: If west bound, that assumes enough charge left to make it up the hill to the ski area! That looks to be about 36 RM on my car, so perhaps a possibility if one has extra range — I got to Poncha Springs with 40 RM left. Kind of a bummer if the ski area charge station isn't available...

If east bound you likely wouldn't know if the Poncha Springs Supercharger Station was down or not, unless the map icon showed it so.

Agree. Not worth the risk of climbing up the pass only to find the chargers all occupied.

 

[dgpcolorado]

How big a deal is the Poncha Springs Supercharger Station for me in my S60?

Denver Service Center to home via Poncha Springs: 295 miles, one Supercharging stop.

Denver Service Center to home via I-70: 355 miles, three Supercharger stops. (In theory, I could skip a Supercharger stop if I charged to 90-95% and didn't have any wind or other weather issues. It takes about an hour and a half to Supercharge to 95% from low SOC.)

Home to Denver Service Center via Poncha Springs: 295 miles, one Supercharger stop.

Home to Denver Service Center via I-70: 341 miles, two Supercharger stops.


So, my reaction to the Poncha Springs Supercharger station:

 

[vespax]

So has anyone done the Grand Junction to Poncha Springs run yet? Curious about elevation gain and loss of mileage. Would like to get into some 14ers now with the SC.

 

[vespax]

So has anyone done the Grand Junction to Poncha Springs run yet? Curious about elevation gain and loss of mileage. Would like to get into some 14ers now with the SC.

Google shows 186 miles, knowing that this has an incline going from Grand Junction to Poncha Springs, and my P85D can charge to 250 miles +/-, is it doable? I've traveled from Grand Junction to Silverthorne without stopping in Glenwood, so I'm used to running to limits.

 

[PLUS EV]

Grand Junction supercharger: 4547 ft
Poncha Springs supercharger: 7474 ft

 

[aaronhoffman]

Google shows 186 miles, knowing that this has an incline going from Grand Junction to Poncha Springs, and my P85D can charge to 250 miles +/-, is it doable? I've traveled from Grand Junction to Silverthorne without stopping in Glenwood, so I'm used to running to limits.

This suggests that leaving GJ with 100%, you'll arrive in Poncha Springs with 11% (sticking to the speed limit).
A Better Routeplanner

 

[MorrisonHiker]

This suggests that leaving GJ with 100%, you'll arrive in Poncha Springs with 11% (sticking to the speed limit).
A Better Routeplanner

When I try that link, it routes from Grand Junction to Montrose, back through Grand Junction and then on to Glenwood Springs and Poncha Springs.