Finding Places To Store Snow A Challenge In Crested Butte
CRESTED BUTTE, Colo. (CBS4) - A lot of snow in winter in Crested Butte isn't really that big of a story, but the extraordinarily large amount they've gotten over the past few weeks is front page news.
"Snowmageddon" is what the recent storms that have dropped more than 5 feet of snow are being called in the local newspaper.
For some buildings that have been in the Gunnison County ski town for more than 100 years, the snow was just too much. The sawmill's roof collapsed.
PHOTO GALLERY: 'Snowmageddon' In Crested Butte
When a CBS4 crew visited the town on Thursday there were numerous people up on roofs trying to get the snow and ice off before the next storm hits.
"You can do some damage to your roof (by leaving the snow). I have heard of people's windows cracking just from the weight," said one such worker.
Brian McCauley recently moved the town and said locals have told him it's more snow than they've seen here in about 30 years.
"We are not even into February yet. What are we going to do with the snow from February and March?" McCauley said.
Neighboring Crested Butte Mountain Resort is back open to skiers and snowboarders after a rare closure due to too much snow. That happened last week when resort management was forced to close the terrain. Crews responsible for grooming trails and clearing snow in parking lots just couldn't keep up.
McCauley said there's some tension among some residents with all the piles of snow and not a whole lot of places to store it.
"I'm doing a lot of plowing and making sure I don't upset any people by throwing my snow on their property," he said.
"If you throw your snow on somebody else's property, those are fighting actions. People will come out and they'll tell you 'Keep your snow off my land, pal, because there's more coming and I don't know where to put my snow, so keep it off my land."