More than 2,000 travellers were stranded at Red Cross shelters in the Colorado high country this week, as a threat of avalanches closed a stretch of the main highway through the Colorado mountains (Interstate 70) west of Denver. Westbound I-70, the main route between Denver and many of the states major ski resorts, was closed from 10 miles west of Denver to Vail, a distance of about 75 miles. Eastbound lanes were closed from Vail to Georgetown, about 60 miles.
Deep snow drifted into more than 24 narrow ravines on the mountainsides, raising the danger of potentially deadly snow slides cascading onto the road. In addition to the avalanche threat, wind-blown snow reduced visibility to nearly zero, and wind gusts reached 70 mph, keeping crews from clearing the avalanche chutes. ...A spokeswoman for the Red Cross said the agency opened seven shelters in schools and recreation centres and most of the 2,000-plus travellers who used them during Sunday night were still there Monday morning. Others relied on the kindness of strangers.
The I-70 shutdown is just what ski resorts dread, particularly on New Year's Eve day, a time when skiers from near and far head to the slopes. Loveland Ski Area shuttered all of its slopes for the first time in 4 years, while other resorts struggled with accommodating stranded tourists. Copper Mountain Ski Resort opened its conference centre space to give guests a warm refuge as they waited out the road closure.
Authorities in Utah warned of the danger of avalanches in that state's backcountry, where thousands of people were expected to ski, hike and snowmobile on New Year's Day. Avalanches there have already claimed two lives this season.
See:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/nation/stories/010108dnnatcoloweather.4e759f2.html and
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/31/loveland-ski-area-closed-day/
and
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hanMM6o1weVT6j-OLElYL2JI-_QQD8TSNN582 and
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_7853322
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Poster: A snowHead
