US 550 between Purgatory and Ouray set to close this evening due to adverse weather conditions

Winter Travel Alert

March 21, 2023 - Southwestern Colorado - Travelers should expect closures on multiple mountain passes across the region for the remainder of the week; US 550 between Purgatory and Ouray will close at 5 p.m. tonight (03/21/23) due to dangerous driving conditions

Southwest & South-Central Colorado — With heavy snow accumulation and high-wind gusts forecasted throughout the San Juan Mountain Range, the Colorado Department of Transportation warns travelers of closures set to occur on multiple mountain passes for the remainder of the week. Motorists are encouraged to frequently visit COtrip.org for the latest information on road closures and conditions prior to traveling.

Additional maintenance work and safety closures may be implemented this week on many southwest & south-central Colorado highways as crews perform winter maintenance operations and avalanche mitigation.

US 550 Mountain Corridor north of Durango

CDOT will implement a safety closure this evening for US Highway 550 north of Purgatory ski area to Ouray, due to adverse weather conditions and high avalanche danger forecasted through Thursday. The highway is set to close at 5:00 p.m. on Tues., March 21 with no estimated time or day of reopening. The closure includes all three mountain passes – Coal Bank, Molas and Red Mountain. The corridor will likely remain closed for the duration of the storm system and is necessary to ensure safety for motorists.

Northbound travelers will encounter a closed gate just north of Purgatory, near Cascade Creek (MP 52). Southbound travelers will encounter a closed gate at Ouray (MP 92). Do not attempt to bypass the closed gates. Crews will work as quickly and safely as possible to perform winter maintenance operations for the remainder of the week.

US 160 Wolf Creek Pass east of Pagosa Springs

US 160 Wolf Creek Pass will close tomorrow morning (Wed., Mar. 22) at 6 a.m. so that crews can perform winter maintenance operations. Maintenance operations will last for much of the morning, the exact time of reopening the highway is not known.

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.

The National Weather Service expected snowfall map for March 21 to 23, 2023
The National Weather Service predicts four feet of new snow accumulation over parts of the US 550 Mountain Corridor and approximately six feet near US 160 Wolf Creek Pass by late Thursday.

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:

Download the COtrip App!

The new FREE COtrip Planner mobile app was designed to meet the growing trend of information on mobile and tablet devices for the traveling public. The COtrip Planner app provides statewide, real-time traffic information, and works on mobile devices that operate on the iOS and Android platforms. Visit the Google Play Store (Android devices) or the Apple Store (iOS devices) to download!