There is one upside to the shallow, fading snow in the high country this year: Colorado’s iconic Independence Pass will open at 9 a.m. on May 11, almost two weeks ahead of schedule.
The scenic mountain pass also known as Colorado Highway 82 crosses the 12,095-foot summit between Twin Lakes and Aspen in Lake and Pitkin counties.
The pass usually opens the Thursday before Memorial Day and and usually remains open , depending on the weather
Last year, with May snowpack at about 150 percent of its 30-year average in the Colorado River basin, the pass , but only after 14-hour days to clear snow 25-feet deep from the roadway, according to CDOT.
Last year, the snow hadn’t melted away on the pass until June 23, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
This year’s of some of the state’s 26 ski resorts. Arapahoe Basin in Summit County, traditionally the last resort open in the state, this year closes on Sunday, one of the earliest closings in its 66-year history. In 2011, A-Basin and Aspen Mountain ski areas .
Joey Bunch: 303-954-1174 or jbunch@denverpost.com
