Colorado road updates due to severe winter

[old_man]

I hate to break the bad news but the snowpack this year is record breaking. On over the whole state of Colorado, we are at 193% of average and the San Juan's (southwest Colorado) are at 302%. Current reports are that the road from Silverton to Animus Forks (part of the Alpine Loop) may not even open this year due to snow slides that have been reported to be 120 feet deep.

Several common offroad trails may not open at all this year due to a combination of heavy snow and severe avalanche damage. Tin Cup Pass has severe damage as well as Tomichi and are extremely questionable.

 

[old_man]

For those who want to keep up to date, check out www.bushducks.com. It has input from actual travelers and people in the know. It also provides direct phone numbers to the relevant agencies that should know further. No doubt they will get plenty tired of answering their phones this spring and summer.

Reports are that due to the closure from Silverton to Animus forks, the county may try to bulldoze the road up over Hurricane Pass and allow a bypass for the Alpine Loop over probably CorkScrew but it is a tougher section and can be muddy with the extra traffic. Only time will tell.

Just to explain, Animus Forks lies in a valley, reports are that it isn't just the road that is covered, but that the whole valley is "filled" with avalanche snow. I am hoping to score some pix and will post them up.

 

[VCeXpedition]

What a difference from last year. I guess I would rather have too much than not enough, but I know the runoff is also likely to create problems as well.
Thanks for posting this up, it's a popular area, better to know before you go.

 

[old_man]

Here is a link to the Forrest Service page showing supposedly up to date road status.

San Juan National Forest - Maps & Publications

San Juan National Forest - Maps & Publications

www.fs.usda.gov

 

[Desert Runner]

I hate to break the bad news but the snowpack this year is record breaking. On over the whole state of Colorado, we are at 193% of average and the San Juan's (southwest Colorado) are at 302%. Current reports are that the road from Silverton to Animus Forks (part of the Alpine Loop) may not even open this year due to snow slides that have been reported to be 120 feet deep.

Several common offroad trails may not open at all this year due to a combination of heavy snow and severe avalanche damage. Tin Cup Pass has severe damage as well as Tomichi and are extremely questionable.

View attachment 99399

I clicked LOVE, because I Live in the LAS VEGAS area, and we need Colorado snow-pack run-off desperately in Lake Mead. The Lake is so far down, that we have water restrictions, desert landscaping over Grass lawns, etc. Unfortunately those water restrictions were not to protect water levels so much, as to allow continued building and growth. So all that was accomplished was to allow more people into LAS VEGAS and expansion in the Casino industry. Around 1978 or 1979, the lake filled to overflowing for the first time since the 1930's when it first was opened. Watching the Colorado River going over the spillways was awesome. Ever since then to now, it has gradually shrunk. It filled that far because of a total misread on snow pack levels on the watershed upriver. By the time they realized how much snow had accumulated, the river commission played catch up by releasing downstream. It was too little too late, as the river dam systems in multi states all had record levels. Places like Laughlin NV, had water almost up the their casino floors, and all river landing areas were under water. The Marinas on the lake were lengthening their cable anchors every 3 days to keep the docks above water.

 

[old_man]

Here is a pix I lifted from the creepersjeepers.com jeep club website. They are a great bunch of folks with a well deserved reputation. If you are ever in their area, check them out. At least visit their website.

This pix appears to be on the road out of Silverton, but not yet to the real bad slide areas. The problem where the big slide is, lies in the fact that there is no where to plow the snow to, or to place it. It might be a bit different if you could just plow it over the edge, but the slide made it all the way down to the flats. The other thing for you flat landers, an avalance, while mainly snow, has a gnarly mix of rocks and trees. All of which make the removal a lot tougher. Wish them luck and a safe job, since these avalanches may occur again at any time.

 

[vdeal]

I think you mean Creeper Jeepers

 

[Neal A. Tew]

Check this out:

 

[Boort]

Check this out:

@Neal A. Tew

No dice. The Facebook embed does not show w/o a FB login. Is there a public posting of the info that you know of?

 

[Flipper]

Hope the record snowfall relieves the water issues. We were out last fall and were shocked at the low water level of Blue Mesa Reservoir. Thats a lot of water to fill that back up!

 

[Neal A. Tew]

@Neal A. Tew

No dice. The Facebook embed does not show w/o a FB login. Is there a public posting of the info that you know of?

Bummer. I don't see it on his YouTube.

Here's a screenshot to give you a feel: