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Driver killed after falling from cliffs on Ptarmigan Trail road onto Interstate 70

A driver died late Thursday morning after plunging more than 100 feet from the cliffs on Ptarmigan Trail road in Silverthorne. The vehicle rotated in the air and landed on its roof on Westbound Interstate 70. No other fatalities were immediately reported.

A spokesman for the Colorado State Patrol said the cause of the crash was still being investigated and that the vehicular crimes unit was on scene to determine whether or not foul play was involved. Both directions of I-70 were briefly closed but eastbound re-opened around 1:30 p.m., while westbound remained closed as crews worked to clear the wreckage.

The scene was transferred over the Summit County Sheriff’s Office later in the afternoon, and a spokeswoman said they expected have westbound I-70 back open by 3:45 p.m.

The accident occurred during the heaviest morning of snow in Summit County so far this winter, which caused chaos on roadways across the High Country. Multiple crashes were reported in Summit, including a single-vehicle rollover on east I-70 near exit 205 in Silverthorne. The crash on Ptarmigan was the only fatality in Summit, a Colorado State Patrol spokesman said.

Crashes also closed both lanes on I-70 at the Vail Pass Summit for the better part of the afternoon and the traction law was enforced on stretches of I-70 and US Highway 6 on Loveland Pass. Both lanes on I-70 were closed near Evergreen at around 3:15 p.m. after a pile up that Evergreen Fire Rescue said involved about 20 vehicles.


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