Residents in Alpine returned to their homes Monday afternoon, almost two days after heavy rains sent a wall of mud through the mountain community.
County Road 162 reopened and power was back on in the tiny hamlet 10 miles southwest of Buena Vista. The Iron City Campground above St. Elmo re-opened Monday afternoon.
Three homes received “minor damage and 18 homes had “little to no damage,” but were affected by debris, rock and mud, said Jennifer Mariano, emergency services director for the Red Cross of the Pikes Peak Region.
“So basically, what that means is they will need cleanup efforts,” Mariano said.
She said the town will have a considerable amount of work to do, as some driveways are impassable with 4 feet of muck.
Wednesday or Thursday the state’s Division of Emergency Management will begin assessing the damage, said Linda Rice, public information officer for the Department of Local Affairs.
Chaffee County officials, concerned that well water may be contaminated, told residents they can drink the water if they first boil it.
More than 3 inches of rain fell in an hour Saturday – one of many recent storms in the area – sending the earth, like lava, through the town. No one was injured and no one is missing, according to Chaffee County sheriff’s officials.
“The people in Alpine are a very close community and what is happening this afternoon (Monday) is they’re sharing drinking water and I’m sure they’ll be sharing quarters if they need to. They’re going to be taking care of each other as things get sorted out,” said Carl Hasselbrink, emergency services coordinator for Chaffee County.
Hasselbrink said he has seen numerous gestures of kindness from the townspeople.
“When I was up there this afternoon one little lady, she was afraid to drive her car in the mud. She got out of it and another old guy that was right there said, ‘I’ll do it for you.’ He drove right through, he got out and she got right back in,” Hasselbrink said Monday. “They care for each other.”
Hasselbrink said he saw a garage with windows blown out, a Jeep forced up against a tree by the mud and a Subaru with its nose down in the mud and tail up in the air.
The Red Cross closed its emergency shelter at noon Monday. None of the displaced residents stayed Sunday at the Buena Vista High School gymnasium where the American Red Cross set up a shelter. On Saturday, 79 people stayed there, Mariano said.
“I think things are quieting down, if we don’t get any more rain here for a day or two,” said Jerry Mallett, Chaffee County commissioner.
Donations can be made to the American Red Cross, 1040 S. Eighth St., Colorado Springs, CO. 80906.
Erin Emery can be reached at 719-522-1360 or eemery@denverpost.com.
