GEORGETOWN, Colo. — Snow is falling in our mountains, and community members are hopeful that heavy snow will continue throughout the week. Denver7's weather team has been monitoring the extreme weather throughout our state, including high fire danger, winter weather advisories, and red flag warnings.
Denver7's Maggy Wolanske went up to Georgetown earlier this month to listen to community members about the warm temperatures and the little ice on the lake. Now with cold temperatures and snow falling, she checked back in to hear what this means on the community.
Cabin Creek Brewing opened right before the pandemic in 2020, serving up beers and plenty of warm bites to eat. General Manager, Preston von Scheele, shared his hope for heavy snow this week and more foot traffic to come with it.
"As a business, this has been one of the lowest winners we've seen yet," explained von Scheele. "Real historic low snow year. We've seen historic low traffic, especially after these big ski days on Saturdays and Sundays. So, seeing a lot of snow come in over the next couple of weeks. We're super happy to see it."
The brewery is partnering with Clear Creek Mountain Recreation Division for a pond hockey tournament on Saturday, making snow and cold temperatures crucial for the event.
"A lot of light snow. We're hoping for a lot of heavier snow," said von Scheele. "Looks like as the forecast opens up, we're going to see a lot more snow throughout the winter, and we really hope that all of you come out, have a great beer after your snow tour, whatever you're doing, we hope you come here."
It's not only the local brewery hoping for heavy snow, but also Lucas Richardson. Heis a tow truck driver working mostly in Summit County and explained, 'if it's not snowing, we're not towing.'
Besides seeing a lack of snow on the roads, Richardson explained how these weather conditions have impacted people from coming up into the mountains.
"There's not a lot of tourism either, like in Breckenridge, the streets are empty usually," said Richardson. "It's been really bad this year."
With snow expected throughout the week, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) recognized that drivers may not have experienced winter driving conditions and shared tips for people to keep in mind.
"If there's snow and ice on the roadways, you want to make sure that you are taking it slow and you're being mindful of your surroundings. If you are coming from a location that did just recently snow, make sure that you're taking the time to clear your vehicle of snow and ice before leaving your destination," Stacia Sellers, CDOT communications manager, said.
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Another recommendation Sellers had when driving in these snow conditions is to have some safety essentials in the car. These include tire chains or a tow strap, flashlights, sleeping bags, a sturdy ice scraper, essential medications, and an activity for children if they are in the car.
"One fun item that I think folks might not always think about is if you are traveling with little ones, it's always good to have an activity for them in the back seat. Especially if you get stuck in a closure, you're going to have some kids who start to get a little antsy, so having activities prepared for them is really key for winter driving," Sellers said.
