Snow In The Mountains A Welcome Sight For Some, A Travel Mess For Drivers
VAIL PASS, Colo. (CBS4)- Snow started falling on Wednesday and dropped a surprise several inches across the high country. Around Summit and Eagle counties, that snow continued to fall consistently Thursday night.
In the Frisco, Dillon and Silverthorne areas, Thursday's snowfall was slow to accumulate on the highway, but higher up on Vail Pass it created rough travel conditions. Sporadic gusts of wind created issues with visibility and the accumulating snow made for icy roadways.
Just after 4 p.m. on Thursday, Colorado State Patrol Closed I-70 westbound near Vail Pass for a multi-vehicle crash at milepost 186. While it was only about 40 minutes before it reopened, vehicle travel speeds began to significantly slow, reinforcing the slick travel conditions.
The snow continued to fall after 6 p.m. with passenger vehicle traction laws and commercial vehicle chain laws in full effect at Vail Pass.
While the new snow means slower traffic and backups on I-70, it's welcome news for the ski areas with Vail and Breckenridge set to open Friday. It's still early season but both are currently reporting above-average snowpack.