DENVER – At least one scenic Colorado road is expected to open this week, with another hanging in limbo after last week’s late-season snowstorm dumped more than 2 feet of snow in the mountains.
Colorado State Highway 82, more commonly known as Independence Pass, is set to reopen this Thursday at noon, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
But Trail Ridge Road? The opening of that road is proving to be a bit more complicated.
“This time last week, Trail Ridge Road was clear and our crews had nearly completed digging out Alpine Visitor Center. Obviously, our current conditions are much different,” said a Rocky Mountain National Park spokesperson on a Facebook post Wednesday.
Wind gusts as high as 44 mph are making it hard for plow operators to work on the road, the spokesperson said.
While the road is scheduled to open Friday, the spokesperson said, “We are unable at this time to "predict" when Trail Ridge Road will open.”
Cyclist and pet owners can use the road beyond the road block, according to a recorded message on the RMNP phone line.