Posted by Karl Buiter on January 24, 2014 at 8:16 PM
For those venturing around the San Juans, Highway 550 has been closed between Ouray and Silverton due to a rockslide. It has been closed for the past week and remains closed while significant repair, including installation of 47 rock nets and scaling. Basically 900 ft of mountain fell across 200 ft of roadway.
From photos and descriptions (2 miles south of Ouray), it appears this slide is just north of the Mineral Creek Trailhead and south of Bear Creek turn-off.
No time estimate given - called "indefinite", certainly through the next weekend. The way around is Ridgway-Telluride-Rico-Delores-Durango - which probably adds an hour and more of travel.
From Colorado DOT -
http://www.coloradodot.info/news/media-room.html
Posted by Karl Buiter on January 28, 2014 at 9:01 PM
Will continue to be closed through the remainder of this week...
"Crews were met with a dusting of snow on site today and a storm is headed in on Wednesday; it is forecasted to drop up to 4 inches each day through Saturday on the pass, which could halt rockfall work temporarily. The pass is expected to remain closed at least through this week, though stay up to date on www.cotrip.org."
The http://www.coloradodot.info/news/media-room.html site has posted new videos of the net installation. On one of the videos, you can clearly see the Mineral Creek trailhead on the right side as the camera pulls out.
Posted by Karl Buiter on February 1, 2014 at 1:48 AM
Scheduled Morning and Afternoon openings. Sounds like they have a more ambitious plan in the works,
From Colorado DOT -
"Starting tomorrow morning, January 31, Red Mountain Pass will be open to single-lane, alternating traffic two times a day—once from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and again and from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. All traffic will use the southbound lane; the northbound (inside) lane will remain closed while a barrier and a temporary 24-foot-high rockfall fence is placed inside the highway center line.
Currently, CDOT and rockfall contractor Yenter Companies are setting 600 feet of concrete barrier on the highway to separate the work area from the open lane for traffic. Following each morning and afternoon road opening period, the highway will be closed again at mile marker (MM) 87 at Ironton Park (about 17 miles north of Silverton) and MM 92, just south of Ouray. The closure is necessary while crews work in the narrow roadway to install the fence, which will be constructed out of the remaining 12’ by 72’ rockfall netting panels. The on-road fencing will serve as an additional temporary safeguard in this still slide-prone area until a more permanent solution can be implemented."
Discussion
2 repliesFrom photos and descriptions (2 miles south of Ouray), it appears this slide is just north of the Mineral Creek Trailhead and south of Bear Creek turn-off.
No time estimate given - called "indefinite", certainly through the next weekend. The way around is Ridgway-Telluride-Rico-Delores-Durango - which probably adds an hour and more of travel.
From Colorado DOT -
http://www.coloradodot.info/news/media-room.html
Will continue to be closed through the remainder of this week...
"Crews were met with a dusting of snow on site today and a storm is headed in on Wednesday; it is forecasted to drop up to 4 inches each day through Saturday on the pass, which could halt rockfall work temporarily. The pass is expected to remain closed at least through this week, though stay up to date on www.cotrip.org."
The http://www.coloradodot.info/news/media-room.html site has posted new videos of the net installation. On one of the videos, you can clearly see the Mineral Creek trailhead on the right side as the camera pulls out.
From Colorado DOT -
"Starting tomorrow morning, January 31, Red Mountain Pass will be open to single-lane, alternating traffic two times a day—once from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and again and from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. All traffic will use the southbound lane; the northbound (inside) lane will remain closed while a barrier and a temporary 24-foot-high rockfall fence is placed inside the highway center line.
Currently, CDOT and rockfall contractor Yenter Companies are setting 600 feet of concrete barrier on the highway to separate the work area from the open lane for traffic. Following each morning and afternoon road opening period, the highway will be closed again at mile marker (MM) 87 at Ironton Park (about 17 miles north of Silverton) and MM 92, just south of Ouray. The closure is necessary while crews work in the narrow roadway to install the fence, which will be constructed out of the remaining 12’ by 72’ rockfall netting panels. The on-road fencing will serve as an additional temporary safeguard in this still slide-prone area until a more permanent solution can be implemented."