Motorists and outdoor enthusiasts are breathing a sigh of relief today as Loveland Pass (US 6) has officially been reopened following a substantial landslide that occurred over the weekend. According to CDOT, starting at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18, the pivotal route through the Colorado Rockies is once again accessible to the public.
Cleanup efforts have been nothing short of intense, with seven tandem dump trucks working tirelessly to remove an imposing 92 tons of mud and silt that the landslide had strewn across the pass. Runoff from melting snow caused the saturation of material above the highway, leading to its collapse onto the road early morning on June 15. While the landslide, located at Mile Point 226 near Scottys Curves, initially shut down the pass, CDOT crews managed to restore safe travel conditions through the affected mountain corridor.
As obtained by CDOT, Jessica Myklebust, the Denver Metro transportation director, praised the workers for their diligence and swift action, saying, "I am incredibly proud of our team's swift and dedicated work to safely reopen Loveland Pass after the recent landslide." She also emphasized the significance of CDOT's mission to keep the state's thoroughfares secure and usable. Motorists, while welcomed back, might spot CDOT crews on the shoulders, continuing cleanup operations.
Despite the sudden closure of Loveland Pass on Sunday, June 15, when the slide occurred at approximately 5:30 a.m., CDOT's Geohazard team has concluded that the surrounding mountainside is stable with no observed movement, giving the green light for the pass to reopen. Historically, a similar incident plagued this section in 2003, though no significant movement had blighted the area over the last two decades, up until this recent reminder of nature's unpredictability.
