Iron Ore vs Mountain Pass
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Iron Ore belongs to the grey family and Mountain Pass to the blue-grey family. Mountain Pass (LRV 14) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 8 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean neutral, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 16.4, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Iron Ore vs Mountain Pass in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Iron Ore and Mountain Pass in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Living Room
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The brightness difference is modest but present — Mountain Pass gives the walls a little more lift.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Mountain Pass reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Iron Ore vs Mountain Pass Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Iron Ore on one side and Mountain Pass on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.
More Iron Ore comparisons
See how Iron Ore stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 6, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 6, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 6, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 6, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 6, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
Pewter Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 6), opening up a space where Iron Ore encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 6, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 7 vs 6), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 24 vs 6, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 6, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 72 vs 6, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.