TWIN LAKES, Colo. — An avalanche has been reported near Twin Lakes in Lake County Saturday morning, according to emergency management officials. Adverse conditions in the area have prompted Lake County's emergency staff to issue a travel advisory.
The Lake County Office of Emergency Management tweeted just before 7:45 a.m. to report that an avalanche slide happened near Twin Lakes along Highway 82 at mile marker 74. The avalanche hit west of Twin Lakes and east of the closure gate for Independence Pass.
Crews said no vehicle or people were caught in the slide. The latest reports on the depth and length of the avalanche put it at 50 feet long. 150 feet wide and 6 feet deep, according to emergency management.
Tracy Trulove with the Colorado Department of Transportation said the road isn't considered "high-volume" and that it would take crews hours to clear the snow and debris.
According to a Facebook post from emergency officials, severe winter conditions have created dangerous travel conditions in the area.
"Avalanches with historic runs that are reaching roadways have occurred over the past three days in the area and continued to be of concern," the post reads. "Emergency Management advises you to not travel unless absolutely necessary.
Avalanche danger was considered "High" in the area, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. Avalanche officials at the center said in a Friday morning Facebook post that while the "Extreme" danger of the week was over, avalanches may still be likely throughout Colorado.
At this time, no people or cars were believed to have been caught in the slide. Road closures are likely in the area of the avalanche.
By 11 a.m. on Saturday, search and rescue first responders were on scene and checking in on those cut off by the slide. According to Lake County emergency management, there is still no known damage to people or property by the slide.
The avalanche is on the Monitor Slide path near Monitor Rock from the north side. It's about 3 miles west of Twin Lakes. CDOT closed traffic along U.S. 82 at mile marker 77 and travel is being limited to locals only.
As of 6:30 Saturday morning, CAIC issued an Avalanche Warning for the Front Range, Vail and Summit County, Sawatch, Aspen, Gunnison, Grand Mesa and North San Juan zones. CAIC blamed the heavy Friday snowfall on and harsh Saturday winds for creating such dangerous avalanche conditions.
"Avoid travel in, near, or below all avalanche terrain," the CAIC alert reads. "Recent avalanches have run to valley floors and exceeded historic run outs."
More information can be found at this link, courtesy the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
Avalanches have become almost a common occurrence in Colorado over the last week. A Colorado Department of Transportation-caused avalanche ("slide") covered parts of Interstate 70 on Tuesday, multiple avalanches closed several mountain highways on Thursday and an in-bounds avalanche closed an expert run at the Breckenridge Ski Resort Friday afternoon.
According to state numbers, there have been 3,065 avalanches so far during the season, which spans from Oct. 1 to the end of September the following year. For context, last year saw 1,561 total avalanches for the whole season, 2,549 for the 2016/2017 season and 1,855 for the year before that.
The state's first interstate-covering avalanche in 30 years was on Sunday as well and covered parts of the road in Ten Mile Canyon.
All these avalanches come after some parts of the mountains saw almost 3 feet of snow over the past weekend. Sporadic snowfall and consistent winds have helped to increase the avalanche danger prevalent across most of the state.
Over the past week, two people have been killed in Colorado avalanches and a third died in Wyoming. On March 3, a backcountry skier was caught, buried and killed in an avalanche near Lizard Head Pass. On March 4, a snowmobiler was caught, buried and killed in an avalanche northwest of Togwotee Pass in Wyoming. On March 7, a skier was buried and killed in an avalanche near Jones Pass in the Front Range.
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