Vail Pass Closed After Avalanche, Buried Under 15 Feet of Snow

An avalanche closed I-70 in both directions after burying it under 15 feet of snow at Vail Pass.

Closures are in place at:

• Exit 180 / Vail
• Exit 195 / Copper Mountain

A notification from the Colorado Department of Transportation states all eastbound CMV's must use Exit 133 / Dotsero for staging.

According to CDOT:

I-70 is CLOSED both directions on Vail Pass due to an avalanche across the Interstate. Closures are in place at Exit 180/Vail and Exit 195/Copper Mountain. All EB CMV's must use Exit 133/Dotsero for staging. Crews are working to clear the roadway and perform additional mitigation work to ensure traveler safety. CO 91 and US 24 are the alternate routes, but delays are expected to be lengthy. Expected to be an extended closure of the interstate. *Avalanche potential is high over most mountain passes, expect delay for control work over many mountain roads* US 40 over Berthoud Pass is also closed for Avalanche Control work - CDOT

Many of those affected have gone to Twitter with photos of the damage and cleanup efforts.