OURAY COUNTY, Colo. — Two adults died and a juvenile was rescued after their vehicle rolled hundreds of feet down a mountain along the Million Dollar Highway south of Ouray.
Just after 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Colorado State Patrol (CSP) troopers responded to a report of a crash on Highway 550 — on a stretch also called the Million Dollar Highway — near milepost 88, which is about five miles south of Ouray.
CSP said a silver Honda Civic had gone off the shoulder, rolled about 320 feet down the mountain and crashed upside down in the Red Mountain Creek below.
Two adults died in the crash. A juvenile female, who was a passenger in the car, was rescued at 11:27 a.m. and brought to a local hospital, CSP said.
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) said that it closed the highway in both directions about five miles south of Ouray.
"Search and rescue operations to recover the vehicle and occupants are currently underway and have proven to be fairly challenging due to the steep and technical terrain," CDOT said.
This recovery effort could take several hours, so drivers are encouraged to find alternate routes.
Anybody who saw this crash is asked to contact CSP Dispatch at 970-249-4392.
Denver7 has reached out to CDOT to learn about any other recent crashes along this stretch of highway. We will update this story once we hear back.
The Million Dollar Highway — the name for the stretch of US 550 that connects Ouray and Silverton — has been named one of the most dangerous roads in North America. It winds through the San Juan Mountains and features tight curves, a lack of guardrails in places and narrow sections — as narrow as 23 feet in places. The speed limit along the Million Dollar Highway is 25 mph for these reasons, and drivers are encouraged to go slower in the winter, as it is prone to icy stretches and avalanches.
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