Pinewood Springs Residents Modify Trail To Evacuate
PINEWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) - Just west of Longmont and Lyons the town of Pinewood Springs sits along Highway 36. On Friday some homeowners got a second chance to get out of town.
Some people caravanned out of Pinewood Springs while others can't wait to get back in.
A mix of trucks and SUVs -- anything with four-wheel drive came streaming down the highway from Pinewood Springs. The town has been without roads for days and many thought getting out in a vehicle would take weeks, maybe even months to happen.
"They say it could possibly be Dec. 1 or longer before they get these roads going," Pinewood Springs resident Jeff Campbell said.
Helicopters evacuated residents initially but some chose to stay behind to look after their property. Not knowing how long it might be to get the roads open, members of the small mountain community took matters into their own hands.
"It's amazing; everybody worked together, put in this overlay. It was Old Stage Trail," Pinewood Springs resident Prescott Knock said.
Knock said the new road had actually been around for quite some time and just needed to be modified in order to be used to get people out.
"The hot shot team that was flown in and then a bunch of Pinewood people all just pitched in, worked to put the trail through," Knock said.
Campbell and his wife were among the first to head out on the road. After skipping out on the air evacuations Campbell packed up their truck and decided that was how they were going to leave.
"I decided, 'I think I will try and hold out for that option.' If it doesn't work out I thought, 'We'll hike to Estes Park or something,' " Campbell said.
Campbell doesn't know when he'll get back but he knows his community and the people who live there are stronger than ever.
"We really got to know each other over the past week for sure; real good folks up there," he said.
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