Crews Work To Clear Snow From Trail Ridge Road
ESTES PARK, Colo. (CBS4) - For the first time this season, plow operators working to re-open Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park have pushed west past Rock Cut, moving closer to their goal of reopening the highest portion of the 48-mile stretch by Memorial Day weekend.
The annual effort to clear the mountain highway begins in April, with crews starting from the west side in Estes Park and on the east side in Grand Lake, working to meet in the middle at the park's Alpine Visitor Center. Snowy conditions prohibit officials from opening the east-west connector from late October to late May. This year, park rangers say plow operators are on track to open the road by Memorial Day weekend, when it historically has reopened.
With an elevation that reaches 12,183 feet, Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved highway in the U.S. Eleven miles of the road are above tree line, offering mountain views that draw visitors from around the world. Plow operators typically encounter snow drifts from 18 to 22 feet tall.
Thursday, for the first time in at least two years, park rangers were able to escort news media to the westernmost point of plowing operations thus far. In the past, dangerous weather conditions have kept tours from taking place. Plow operators use machinery to chew through the snow pack and then repeat the process every day, as fresh snow continues to fall and wind blows drifts back over cleared sections.
"We have the storming coming in pretty regularly it seems on the weekends and filling those drifts back in, sometimes overnight," said Chuck Stalker, the park's roads and auto shop supervisor.
Stalker says when crews began plowing last month, they encountered 17-foot tall drifts. Since then, windy conditions and storms have pushed drifts to above 20 feet. The tallest drift measured Thursday reached 19 feet.
"Our snow plow operators are amazing folks," said Rocky Mountain National Park Public Affairs Officer Kyle Patterson. "They know they are going to be plowing the same section over and over again. They know what it takes to open the road. They know what it means to the public to be able to access this road."
In addition to drawing millions of visitors annually for its alpine views, Trail Ridge Road is a lifeline that connects people who live in Grand Lake to Estes Park. Until all snow is removed, visitors are allowed to walk a portion of the closed highway. Visiting from Wisconsin, Larry and Gail Schwochert trekked a portion of the road together.
"It's what month? This is May and you have snow like this," Larry Schwochert said, "This is awesome, to have this opportunity is just incredible."
Stalker estimates east side and west side crews are still six miles apart. Once they cut through to Alpine Visitor Center, he says they spend at least another week clearing the parking lot there.
From Rocky Mountain National Park Public Affairs:
For information on Rocky Mountain National Park, including the latest on road conditions, call (970) 586-1206. For the recorded Trail Ridge Road status line, call (970) 586-1222.
Lauren DiSpirito is CBS4's Northern Newsroom reporter. Follow her on Twitter @CBS4Lauren. Share your story ideas with her here.
