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ENLARGE
Cyclists approach a rock slide on the Dillon Dam Road Sunday afternoon, then turn around when a sheriff's sergeant told them both the road and bike path were closed at the Glory Hole because of safety issues. The slide, which covered both lanes of traffic and spilled onto the bike path, was reported at 6:59 a.m. Sunday morning.
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ENLARGE
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SUMMIT COUNTY - Weekend cyclists and motorists looking to travel along the Dillon Dam Road Sunday morning were stymied by a rockslide near the reservoir's glory hole, local law enforcement officials reported.
The fractured cliffs above the road calved at least several car-sized chunks of rock, blocking both lanes of traffic. The Summit County dispatch center said it received the call at 6:59 a.m. and subsequently closed the road to cars and bicycles. By mid-day, the slide was partially cleared, but authorities said the road would likely remain closed for a portion of the day today. No injuries or damage were reported.
The slide occurred near an area known to be unstable and hazardous. Following slides in years past, road crews worked on scaling back the towering cliffs and installed heavy-duty wire nets to capture errant boulders.
Some cyclists were frustrated by the closure Sunday after trekking around the reservoir via Swan Mountain Road, only to be turned back by sheriff's deputies at either end of the road, with public safety considerations first and foremost for the officers. Inconvenienced cyclists were directed to return along the same route or informed of Summit Stage transit options.
The fractured cliffs above the road calved at least several car-sized chunks of rock, blocking both lanes of traffic. The Summit County dispatch center said it received the call at 6:59 a.m. and subsequently closed the road to cars and bicycles. By mid-day, the slide was partially cleared, but authorities said the road would likely remain closed for a portion of the day today. No injuries or damage were reported.
The slide occurred near an area known to be unstable and hazardous. Following slides in years past, road crews worked on scaling back the towering cliffs and installed heavy-duty wire nets to capture errant boulders.
Some cyclists were frustrated by the closure Sunday after trekking around the reservoir via Swan Mountain Road, only to be turned back by sheriff's deputies at either end of the road, with public safety considerations first and foremost for the officers. Inconvenienced cyclists were directed to return along the same route or informed of Summit Stage transit options.
All mountain highways are susceptible to such geologic hazards, with notable rockslide activity common in the Interstate 70 corridor near Georgetown and Glenwood Springs, as well as east of Grand Junction. Rockfall can happen any time of year, but becomes more common during the spring thaw and summer rains.
Water seeps into faults and cracks in the rock and then freezes and expands, splitting the giant boulders millimeter by millimeter. When the ice melts, big slabs can peel off like slices of onionskin. Similarly, summer rains can turn dry earth into slippery mud, enabling big pieces of seemingly solid Rocky Mountain terra firma to give way.
Law enforcement officials encourage motorists in mountain areas to be aware of rockfall danger and to drive accordingly. Smaller pieces of debris on the road could indicate a larger hazard ahead, for example.
Officers said Sunday afternoon that they didn't know if the road was damaged, but said the rockslide did not appear to have reached the glory hole area of the dam.
<i>Bob Berwyn can be reached at
(970) 668-3998, ext. 228 or bberwyn@summitdaily.com.</i>
Water seeps into faults and cracks in the rock and then freezes and expands, splitting the giant boulders millimeter by millimeter. When the ice melts, big slabs can peel off like slices of onionskin. Similarly, summer rains can turn dry earth into slippery mud, enabling big pieces of seemingly solid Rocky Mountain terra firma to give way.
Law enforcement officials encourage motorists in mountain areas to be aware of rockfall danger and to drive accordingly. Smaller pieces of debris on the road could indicate a larger hazard ahead, for example.
Officers said Sunday afternoon that they didn't know if the road was damaged, but said the rockslide did not appear to have reached the glory hole area of the dam.
<i>Bob Berwyn can be reached at
(970) 668-3998, ext. 228 or bberwyn@summitdaily.com.</i>
