Heavy Snow Puts The Freeze On Trail Ridge Road’s Opening

The road is the highest continuous paved road in the nation above 12,000 feet. Park rangers reported winds up to 30 mph on the road as the temperatures dipped to 24 degrees. Similar conditions last year kept Trail Ridge Road closed until May 29.

Usually by Memorial Day, high mountain roads around the state that shut down for the winter under feet of snow can be plowed and reopened. Not this year. Trail Ridge Road and Kebler pass remain closed, Mt. Evans is iffy. Independence, Cottonwood and Guanella are open.