Clear Creek Canyon

Around 11 AM, 2,000 cubic yards of rock slid from a pre-existing road cut on the north side of the road and completely covered the road.  Two tractor-trailers were caught in the rockslide and were pushed off the road by the debris.  The tractor-trailers were totaled, but only minor injuries were sustained by the drivers.  To mitigate the unstable rock slope left after the slide, approximately 35,000 cubic yards of rock had to be excavated by blasting.  The slope was laid back to an angle of 45 degrees and rock reinforcement anchors were installed into the slope to enhance stability.  Wire mesh was then draped over the slope to help control any small rocks that will inevitably get loose. By the end of August 2005, after the longest full road closure in Colorado’s history, the road was reopened to traffic.