Monday’s Aspen, Snowmass road conditions were worst ‘seen in 30 years,’ sheriff says

Not one, not two, but eight Pitkin County weather-related traffic alerts were issued between 7:20 a.m. and 5:40 p.m. Monday.

“The road conditions are the worst I have probably seen in 30 years,” Sheriff Michael Buglione said about the Monday evening commute.

Traffic across Pitkin County ground to a halt Monday evening as hazardous weather created dangerous road conditions, leading to closures and delays throughout Aspen, Snowmass, and surrounding areas. 

The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office placed the region under accident alert, urging drivers to exercise extreme caution.

In Snowmass Village, a slide-off on Brush Creek Road caused significant disruptions. Officials advised drivers heading in or out of Snowmass to avoid Brush Creek and instead use Highline Road. However, Owl Creek Road, another key route, was also shut down after multiple vehicles slid off due to icy conditions, leaving Brush Creek as the only available passage.

Snowmass Police Chief Brian Olson was reached for comment but, shortly after 5 p.m. Monday, he said he was too preoccupied with the snowstorm and traffic conditions to speak.

Adding to the gridlock, Power Plant Road in Aspen was closed, further limiting access points across the county. 

Buglione said that Smith Hill Way was also closed, leading to even fewer available routes out of town.

“Snowmass is having issues, Pitkin County is having issues, and so is Aspen. The best thing people can do is take mass transit,” Buglione said. “If you already have your car, drive slow and keep your distance. I did see the Colorado Department of Transportation heading up the valley, so the best thing to do is to give them some time to get the roads cleared up.”

During accident alerts, deputies will only respond to crashes involving injuries, fatalities, disabled vehicles, hit-and-runs, or damage to public property. Minor accidents with drivable vehicles are directed to the Colorado State Patrol.

Officials on Monday night did not provide an estimate for when conditions would improve, and with visibility reduced in several areas, drivers were urged to remain cautious.

Lucas Boyer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service out of Grand Junction, said these conditions were to persist until around midnight but that colder conditions are to be expected for Tuesday morning’s commute and that the roads will be icy.

“This snowfall was ill-timing with the afternoon commute and ski traffic, but the threat is pushing through and should clear up by the evening,” Boyer said. “This stuff will be gone by late (Monday night) and will not stick around, and we will see a big improvement.”

Boyer said, however, that the Aspen area can expect up to 10 inches in the mountains and around 3-4 inches in town for Tuesday morning.

“The bulk of the snow for this storm is going to be north of I-70, around the Park Range, where they will see over a foot of snow,” he said.

He said this storm came from the Pacific Northwest and carried a lot of precipitation with it, but that temperatures will drop once the storm clears out. 

“We’re looking at some of the coldest temperatures we have seen so far this year once this system clears out (Monday night),” Boyer said. “We can expect single digits in Aspen, and upper single digits more downvalley.”

The National Weather Service expected lows in Aspen alone to reach 6 degrees Monday night and 5 degrees on New Year’s Eve.

Buglione said that he was at Brush Creek and that cars were sliding sideways along that intersection. He advised everyone to “please be safe” and take their time getting home. Drivers should exercise the same caution when getting to work Tuesday morning, as conditions will be icy, according to the National Weather Service.

For emergencies, residents were advised to call 911 or 970-920-5310. As the winter storm progressed, officials stressed the importance of careful driving and staying informed about road closures and delays.