Rollins Pass

Kate Wright, MBA and B. Travis Wright, MPS are Colorado historians, authors, archaeological field researchers, and public speakers who co-founded Preserve Rollins Pass to document, protect, and share the region’s extraordinary historic and prehistoric heritage.

Kate Wright, MBA, is a Colorado historian, author, and preservation advocate whose work reflects a belief that understanding the past is essential to protecting what remains. Her research centers on Rollins Pass and the Moffat Tunnel, where more than 12,000 years of human history have shaped a landscape of prehistoric hunting sites, historic wagon roads, abandoned railroad grades, and remarkable engineering achievements. Through historical research, photography, and public education, she works to ensure these places are understood, respected, and protected for future generations. A published author, Kate Wright, MBA, has coauthored two illustrated histories of Rollins Pass and the Moffat Tunnel, along with a companion postcard collection, with fellow historian B. Travis Wright, MPS. Published by Arcadia Publishing in 2018 and 2022, these three works document the region’s history through archival research, rare photographs, archaeological context, and present-day historical interpretation. Drawing upon rare archival imagery, original research, historical records, and contributions from subject matter experts, these publications trace the region’s transformation across thousands of years, connecting prehistoric lifeways, westward expansion, railroad construction, and modern recreation with the cultural resources still visible across the Continental Divide.

Wright is co-founder of Preserve Rollins Pass, an initiative dedicated to safeguarding one of Colorado’s most historically significant landscapes. For nearly two decades, she has helped advance research, public education, and preservation efforts alongside archaeologists, historians, tribal representatives, land managers, and community stakeholders. Wright contributed to the successful opposition of a proposed federal land exchange on Rollins Pass that could have enabled billions of dollars in real estate sales, joining a broader effort to keep public lands in public hands while protecting irreplaceable cultural resources. Her contributions extend beyond archival research into field documentation, historic photography, archaeological collaborations, and volunteer stewardship. She has participated in projects involving the U.S. Forest Service, Colorado State University, and other preservation partners, combining historical understanding with practical efforts to protect sensitive alpine ecosystems and historic transportation corridors.

In 2018, Wright and her coauthor received an Archaeology and Historic Preservation Award from the Boulder Heritage Roundtable for their contributions to local history. In 2023, Wright and her coauthor received Headwaters Trails Alliance’s Partner of the Year award for their planning and logistical contributions to a major Rollins Pass stewardship project, which included the strategic installation of more than 860 feet of buck-and-rail fencing to protect fragile alpine tundra and encourage sustainable recreation. Wright has contributed to public presentations, documentaries, and educational programs that connect audiences with Colorado’s historic landscapes. Her collaborative work draws upon extensive photographic and archival collections, pairing historical imagery with present-day documentation to reveal what has changed, what has disappeared, and what remains vulnerable. These resources support books, historical investigations, and public interpretation, bringing otherwise inaccessible chapters of Colorado history to broader audiences.

A dual-degree graduate of the University of Denver, including a Master of Business Administration from the Daniels College of Business, Wright brings experience in business, technology, and communications to her preservation work. Her background complements the strategic planning, logistical coordination, research, and public engagement necessary for effective long-term stewardship. For Wright, the area is a place where both history and prehistory reveal extraordinary chapters of the past. Her work reflects the conviction that historic places deserve more than admiration; they deserve the knowledge, attention, and care necessary to carry their stories forward.

She lives in the Colorado mountains, near Rollins Pass, with her husband, fellow historian and coauthor B. Travis Wright, MPS.

Updated: Thursday, October 22, 2026