Several Colorado highways closed due to blizzard conditions on mountain passes
Highways over Rabbit Ears, Muddy, and Berthoud passes were completely closed as of 10:40 a.m. Sunday due to slick, snow-covered roadways and limited visibility. One direction of travel was closed on Loveland and Vail passes as well.
The closures accumulated as snow fell and drifted across roadways across the Continental Divide in the northern and central mountains.
POWDER DAY! The mountains of Colorado have already received more a foot of snow, and most ski areas will measure another 6-12 inches of snow by tonight.#cowx @DaveCBS4 @LaurenCBS4 @AlexLCBS4 pic.twitter.com/geNgqqQMNy
— Ashton Altieri (@AshtonCBS4) December 3, 2023
Some ski areas were reporting more than a foot of snow, per CBS News Colorado Meteorologist Ashton Altieri.
But the snow alone wasn't the primary problem for travelers. High winds created unsafe conditions, particularly at higher altitude.
Road closures in the mountains are stacking up! Here's a list of some as of 10:00AM.
— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) December 3, 2023
Rabbit Ears Pass
Muddy Pass
Berthoud Pass
Loveland Pass#cowx pic.twitter.com/dFVTNBpLzr
The Colorado Department of Transportation closed the eastbound lanes of Loveland Pass just before midnight. The rest of the closures were announced since just before sunrise.
There were no reports of serious accidents from law enforcement agencies. The Grand County Sheriff's Office did state that there were several stalled vehicles impeding traffic on the north side of Berthoud Pass. Those vehicles were cleared and the pass re-opened at 10:45, per the sheriff's office.
Rabbit Ears pass re-opened at 11:30 a.m., Routt County stated on social media.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center also issued Avalanche Warnings for the Elk Mountain Range near Steamboat and the Ruby and Park ranges in central Colorado. The agency strongly discouraged backcountry recreation through Monday evening.