Drivers braved road conditions as the high country got several inches of snow, impacting travel for some along I-70 Saturday morning.
“We have are ready (with) about 875 plows across the state, and we've been in full deployment of those resources in the affected areas since yesterday,” explained Chuck Marsh, CDOT's regional communications manager for northwest Colorado.
“What we really want folks to know, though, is this is a Colorado mountain winter storm. We just need you to be as prepared as possible,” he added.
Denver7 ran into a few truck drivers pulled over to chain up, who shared their experience on the roads Saturday morning.
One driver, Gregory Wilke, who was headed to Los Angeles, said he didn't want to chain up, but looked at the weather and knew it would only get worse.
“There's icy patches," he said, noting slow speeds up ahead.
Another truck driver chaining up, Briston Cross, described his drive along I-70 as the weather picked up.
“We got over the first mountain or two, and it started really picking up," he said. "And then about the time we came down that 6% grade up there, it really started getting bad."
“Once we hit the mountains, getting on I-70, we kind of saw it start to come down. And (around) probably Idaho Springs, it started really coming down. The roads got noticeably worse and wet,” noted another traveler, Keegan Rose.
But for Keegan and his friends, the snow was exactly what they needed for their Saturday plans as they headed to Copper Mountain for the day to ski.
“Hoping that the conditions will be pretty good for skiing,” he said.
Despite their plans, all travelers echoed similar statements as they continued to their destinations.
“Just have to slow way down. Slow down,” Wilkie emphasized.
“Just driving slow, man, leaving a lot of distance,” Cross said. “...There's really no reason to get in a hurry and something like this."
Rose added similar advice, saying: “Take it nice and slow and careful and know your limits."
Marsh added that "our mountain environment creates unique challenges for all commuters."
"From those who are used to driving in our winter weather to people who've never been on our Colorado roads before, this time of year, Mother Nature really throws some challenges our way and keeps us busy and on our toes trying to keep the roadways clear and safe," Marsh said.
He provided tips for drivers, including to check the roads ahead of time through their website, check brakes, fluid, and tires, and have an emergency kit ready to go.
"These are mountain roads — there's a chance that you're going to be either going slower than you want to or even stopped," he said.
