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Rocky Mountain National Park Plow Drivers Deep In Snow As Memorial Day Nears

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By NPT Staff - May 17th, 2019
Snow went over the eves at the Alpine Visitor Center in Rocky Mountain National Park/NPS

Snow went over the eves at the Alpine Visitor Center in Rocky Mountain National Park/NPS

If you made a friendly wager that Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado would open by Memorial Day, you might be getting a little nervous at this point.

Though the snowplows have reached the Alpine Visitor Center at nearly 12,000 feet, as the accompanying photos show there's a lot of snow up there. And more is in the forecast.

"Park staff are used to the buildings being under snow, but these photographs highlight the increased snow levels this year in that location," park spokeswoman Kyle Patterson said Friday. "Additional snow is forecast for higher elevations later this weekend and through early next week. Given the forecast as well as the snow amounts, it's too soon to tell, at this point, whether Trail Ridge Road will be open by Memorial Day weekend to vehicles.

"Pedestrians and bicyclists are able to travel on the road. When plowing is taking place, for visitor safety, park plow operators will post signs that indicate the point on the road where pedestrian and bicycle travel is not allowed, past that point," said Patterson. "It is critical that pedestrians and bicycles adhere to those closures. Depending on the day and conditions the distance that pedestrians and bicycles are allowed to travel on the road will vary and we are unable to predict that information."

A peak behind the Trail Ridge Store/NPS

A peek behind the Trail Ridge Store/NPS

Every year, Rocky Mountain National Park snowplow operators begin plowing Trail Ridge Road in mid-April. Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved road in the United States - reaching 12,183 feet in elevation.

Crews from the west side of the park and crews from the east side of the park move along the road and eventually meet near the Alpine Visitor Center. Park plow operators normally encounter drifts from 18 to 22 feet and are accustomed to plowing the same section of road over and over. Trail Ridge Road was completed in 1932. The earliest the road has opened was on May 7, 2002; the latest June 26, 1943. 

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