Loveland Pass Shut Down Indefinitely After Massive Mountain Slide

Photo: Denver7 News

The Colorado ski season went out with a bang. As skiers and riders at Arapahoe Basin were taking their final laps of the season on Sunday, June 15, the mountain itself decided to make a closing day statement. A massive slide of saturated earth and rock let loose, burying a huge section of U.S. Highway 6 on Loveland Pass.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) reported the slide was approximately 100 feet wide and a staggering 20 feet deep, completely covering the roadway near mile marker 226. The flow was triggered by snowmelt saturating the mountainside until it finally gave way. In a fortunate turn of events, the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that no vehicles or people were caught in the debris.

The pass is now closed indefinitely between Loveland Ski Area and Arapahoe Basin and there is no estimated time for reopening.

For those worried about accessing the high country, fear not. Arapahoe Basin, which kicks off its summer operations on June 27, confirmed that the closure will not impact its season. Visitors can still easily reach the ski area by taking I-70 to Silverthorne and heading up U.S. Highway 6 past Keystone.

For now, the pass remains silent. Crews are hard at work, but the mountain has issued a firm reminder of who's really in charge.