Red Mountain Pass (Colorado Springs, Durango, Cortez: 2014, homes, maintenance)

[jim9251]

Many of you know, Hwy 550 at Red Mountain Pass has been closed due to a huge rockslide for the past month. According to CDOT
24 Hours- There will be one lane alternating traffic between 6:30a-8:30a and 4:30p-6:30p for rockfall work between Ouray and Ironton Park. Pass will be closed at all other times. Delays possible.

Silverton has been pretty much a ghost town and businesses there are suffering. Ouray has been hurt too.

Of course it's still an "adventure" to drive in winter.

[Colorado Rambler]

Those wishing to avoid delays can take Highway 145 from Cortez to Dolores and then over Lizard Head Pass to arrive at either Ridgeway or Ouray (also Telluride). This doesn't help Silverton much, but Dolores was sure basking in the extra commerce that was generated this way, especially when 550 was still completely closed. When I lived in Durango in the early 80's it was not uncommon for Durango to get "avalanched in" with Highway 550 at Red Mountain, 160 at Wolf Creek, AND 145 at Lizardhead ALL closed by snow slides. One Christmas I 70 at Vail Pass was also closed. I was supposed to spend the holidays with my Mom in Colorado Springs and ended up driving south all the way to Santa Fe so that I could finally get to the Springs via I25. Talk about adventures in winter driving!

[jazzlover]

^I sure wish for "old-time" winters like those again. Southern Colorado, especially, is just not having them anymore, and this winter is shaping up to be the biggest "dud" of several very dry winters in the past few years in that area. It's really sad, and the effect on the already very sick and stressed forests is likely to be extreme this summer. The farmers, ranchers, and long-time residents of the area that I know are preparing for the worst this summer. Temperatures in much of the southern Colorado mountains are running as much as 15 degrees warmer than normal during the day on many days this winter--the mid-to high 50's predicted by the end of the week as high as 8,500 feet elevation. Those are late March temperatures. Scary.

As for Red Mountain Pass, what snow they've gotten is now going to combine with warmer than normal daytime temperatures and nighttime freezing. That is a perfect combination to really get the rocks rolling. I don't think that we've seen the end of rock problems up there this season. In fact, it may just be the beginning.

[notoriouskelly]

Thanks for the update, Jim.

Here's how it looks when you can get there:


CO-15 Little Georgia claim with steam train - YouTube

[jim9251]

From CDOT videos of the work they're doing. Amazing.

CDOT Media Room — CDOT

[DurangoJoe]

Originally Posted by jim9251

Many of you know, Hwy 550 at Red Mountain Pass has been closed due to a huge rockslide for the past month. According to CDOT
24 Hours- There will be one lane alternating traffic between 6:30a-8:30a and 4:30p-6:30p for rockfall work between Ouray and Ironton Park. Pass will be closed at all other times. Delays possible.

Silverton has been pretty much a ghost town and businesses there are suffering. Ouray has been hurt too.

Of course it's still an "adventure" to drive in winter.

As of yesterday:

The Durango Herald 02/10/2014 | Red Mountain Pass opens

[jim9251]

Actually it's not open, for some reason CDOT sent that out to news outlets by mistake. Still closed to one lane, oh and the chain law is in effect too. Makes for a greater adventure.

[Colorado Rambler]

^ Well, at least the folks in Dolores will be happy. It's an ill wind and all that.

[jim9251]

For those wanting to travel to Silverton from Ouray on HWY 550 in May, wanted to let yall know Red Mountain Pass will be closed. They're having a heck of a time with rock slides. Driving from Ridgway to Silverton via Durango isn't fun.

OURAY COUNTY: Red Mountain Pass to fully close during day | Ouray County Plaindealer

[Idunn]

'Almost from the get-go, the crib wall required repairs as it confronted the force of the river, according to documents obtained by The Seattle Times. At the base of the hill — called Slide Hill by some residents familiar with its past — the crib wall became part of a decades-long struggle of man versus nature, with man unable to keep the slope from falling away.' [1]


Good tip. Thanks. This could prove an unpleasant surprise—and potentially long detour—for those unaware and thinking of traveling to Silverton and points south.


The first unfortunate thought that came to mind in relation to this area of seemingly habitual rock slides was the recent experience of Oso, WA. The circumstances are dissimilar in some important ways, for one a powerful river being involved in Washington state. Then also the clear cutting that was likely a contributing factor with Oso, and probably none involved with that rock slide south of Ouray.

However both involve the works of men. In Washington, the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River having had its inherent nature altered for more than a century back, affecting its suitability for salmon and other wildlife but also likely its force against the now collapsed mountainside. Not to mention all the homes situated below a known slide site. In Colorado, Otto Mears—if with few other practical choices in route—surely realizing the various avalanche chutes and other potential problem with his new toll road. One now since adopted by the state of Colorado as US 550.

Other similarities involve the expensive remediation work done. That south of Ouray wasn't much of a surprise, as a known area of trouble. The referenced article on Oso well illustrates some quite ambitious projects having been installed over the decades, requiring more maintenance than expected—and all at last overwhelmed to this end.

1) 'Log wall at base of mudslide hill required repeated repairs,' The Seattle Times
Log wall at base of mudslide hill required repeated repairs | Local News | The Seattle Times