On Thursday, April 10, Lizard Head and Wolf Creek passes will close in the early to late morning for helicopter operations, and because there is no set reopening time and such work is weather-dependent, travelers should expect “lengthy closures.”
It’s work CDOT does every spring, when maintenance crews come out and remove systems on the mountain that help mitigate avalanches during the winter months, said Adair Christensen, CDOT’s Southwest Colorado communications specialist.
“Next winter, we’ll close the highways again probably in early November to reinstall them,” said Christensen.
On Colorado Highway 145 south of Telluride, CDOT has advised motorists to expect “lengthy delays between 10 a.m. and noon.”
“Southbound and northbound motorists will encounter full stops and intermittent delays lasting up to 30 minutes for much of the morning,” a news release said.
Specifically, northbound travelers can expect delays nine miles north of Rico near Mile Point 56, and southbound travelers will encounter delays at Mile Point 61, “10 miles south of Telluride at Trout Lake,” the news release said.
At 8 a.m., “eastbound and westbound motorists will encounter full stops and a lengthy delay of up to two hours” on U.S. Highway 160 between Pagosa Springs and South Fork, the news release said.
“Motorists are urged to allow for extra travel time or seek alternate routes,” it said.
Specifically, “eastbound travelers will encounter a closure at Treasure Falls … 13 miles east of Pagosa Springs” at Mile Point 157. Those traveling west “will encounter a closure just east of Wolf Creek Pass Ski Area … 16 miles west of South Fork” at Mile Point 170.
