Independence Pass to open

ASPEN ” Independence Pass, Aspen’s popular gateway to Leadville, Vail and other mountain towns, opens at 2 p.m. Thursday, the Colorado Department of Transportation announced Wednesday.

The opening of the eastern stretch of Highway 82 comes right before Memorial Day weekend. Last year the Pass did not open until June, while crews worked to clear snow.

Highway 82 over the 12,095-foot pass, east of Aspen, is closed during the winter because of weather conditions and deep snow.