PITKIN COUNTY, Colo. – An avalanche south of Aspen Ski Resort forced the closure of a road early Saturday morning, according to the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office.
An alert went out to residents of the Aspen and Snowmass Village areas at around 2:50 a.m., telling them that Castle Creek Road was closed at mile marker 4 due to the slide, which was discovered as Holy Cross crews responded to a report of downed power lines on Conundrum Creek Road.
In an update late Saturday afternoon, the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office said crews were unable to complete repair on the power lines, which meant power would likely not be restored until Sunday at the soonest for residents in the area.
Castle Creek Road CLOSED at South Hayden Road. Do NOT attempt to cross the slide path. Crews working to open the road now. pic.twitter.com/TXfnmIt8ww
— Pitkin Co. Sheriff (@PitkinSheriff) March 9, 2019
The slide caused 5 to 6 feet of debris, according to a Colorado Department of Transportation Traffic Operations spokesperson.
No vehicles were trapped in the slide, the spokesperson said.
Crews did not have an estimate on when the road would reopen but warned drivers to not attempt to pass over the slide path and to remain inside their hopes as crews performed avalanche mitigation work.
Officials are working with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) to assess the risk to drivers planning to travel in the area. The road will remain closed until the avalanche threat is either mitigated or reduced, Pitkint County officials said.
Saturday’s slide comes after a historic week of avalanche conditions in Colorado’s high country, which saw mountain highways, ski areas and an entire county close, as well as cars getting trapped n the snow.
On Friday, at least five avalanches were reported throughout the state, upping the count of the already more than 200 tallied by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center since the beginning of the month.
