Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) crews triggered an avalanche on Interstate 70 (I-70) near Silver Plume to prevent it from reaching the road and endangering drivers. This was one of many avalanche mitigation efforts underway in the state as recent storms brought heavy snowfall and strong winds, increasing avalanche risk. CDOT and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) collaborate to monitor and manage avalanche paths along Colorado highways, often closing roads and triggering controlled avalanches to ensure traveler safety.
CLEAR CREEK COUNTY, Colo. — One of the state's avalanche mitigation efforts was on full display Wednesday morning as traffic was held on Interstate 70 , allowing an avalanche to race down the slopes without endangering drivers. The slide happened between Silver Plume and the tunnels. Crews stopped traffic and then triggered the avalanche, said Colorado Department of Transportation ( CDOT ) Communication Director Matt Inzeo.
The slide did not reach the road, he said, so people were able to continue their drives after a few minutes. This was one of more than a dozen known slide paths that CDOT was monitoring over the weekend, as they all have the potential for a slide to reach the road. All 15 of those slide paths have been cleared. CDOT and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) monitor nearly 300 known avalanche paths above Colorado highways. During times of high avalanche risk, CDOT and CAIC will partner to close the highway and complete avalanche control work. This includes bringing down the unstable snow and then clearing it, if it reaches the road, and then reopening the highway. Recent storms brought heavy snow accumulations and strong wind, which created treacherous conditions for avalanches.\In December 2022, Denver7 went in-depth on forecasting avalanches along Colorado's US 550, also known as the Million Dollar Highway. With 124 chutes along US 550 — about a fifth of the total 540 paths monitored statewide — CAIC avalanche forecasters stay busy every winter keeping travelers safe as they drive the road, which cuts across the middle of the precipitous slopes, meaning avalanches charge downhill and across the highway at speeds reaching 150 mph and beyond until they’re slowed by level terrain.
Avalanche Colorado CDOT Interstate 70 Safety
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