US 160 Wolf Creek Pass scheduled to close Thursday morning while CDOT performs winter maintenance operations

Southwest & South-Central Colorado ― US 160 Wolf Creek Pass between Pagosa and South Fork will close tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. while the Colorado Department of Transportation performs winter maintenance operations. Westbound traffic will be stopped just west of the ski area at the pass summit (MP 167) and eastbound traffic will be stopped near Treasure Falls (MP 157). Do not attempt to bypass the closed gates. Maintenance operations will last for much of the morning, the exact time of reopening the highway is not known. Travelers are encouraged to check weather forecasts at weather.gov and current road conditions at COtrip.org.

On Wednesday at 2:40 p.m. the west side of Wolf Creek Pass was briefly closed to traffic in both directions while CDOT crews cleared snow and debris from a natural snow slide path that had fallen across the highway.

According to CDOT’s sister agency, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC), Wolf Creek Pass received 38 inches of snow accumulation since Wednesday of last week. Avalanche danger is on the rise with an additional 12-18 inches of snow accumulation and strong winds forecasted through early Thursday afternoon. Backcountry enthusiasts are urged to check avalanche forecasts on the CAIC website.

Know Before You Go

Travelers are urged to “know before you go.” Gather information about weather forecasts and anticipated travel impacts and current road conditions prior to hitting the road. CDOT resources include:

• Road conditions and travel information: COtrip.org
• Download the COtrip Planner app: bit.ly/COtripapp
• Sign up for project or travel alerts: bit.ly/COnewsalerts
• See scheduled construction lane closures: bit.ly/laneclosures
• Connect with @ColoradoDOT on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube