The Colorado Department of Transportation is warning that a winter storm could meet heavy ski traffic along the Interstate 70 mountain corridor this weekend.

Between 1 and 2 feet of snow is forecasted for much of the Colorado Rocky Mountains over the weekend. The winter storm is expected to overlap with ski traffic on the I-70 corridor Friday, Feb. 2 and Saturday, Feb. 3, the department said in a news release.

Before hitting the roads, drivers need to ensure their vehicle is fully equipped, including with chains or the proper tread tires, to handle winter weather, CDOT Director of Maintenance and Operations John Lorme said in the release.

“Traveling along Colorado’s mountain roads, specifically the I-70 mountain corridor, will be challenging this weekend, not only because of the winter weather that is predicted but due to heavy traffic as folks make their way up to take advantage of the snow,” Lorme said.

Additionally, the National Weather Service as issued a Winter Storm Warning through most of the mountains west of the Continental Divide, including most of Summit, Eagle, Grand, Jackson, Routt, Garfield and Pitkin counties and the southwest mountains as well. The warning runs through 5 am. Sunday, Feb. 4

During the last major storm cycle over the Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, gridlock traffic “paralyzed” the town of Silverthorne. I-70 became a “parking lot” of bumper-to-bumper traffic for parts of the holiday weekend and there were multiple mountain pass closures, including U.S. Highway 40’s Berthoud Pass, where an avalanche caught 10 vehicles.

Travelers could encounter slow traffic again this weekend. OpenSnow meteorologist Sam Collentine wrote in a travel forecast for I-70 that the wet and slushy road surfaces early in the storm will turn into icy and snow-packed road surfaces lasting through at least Sunday morning.

This weekend, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center is urging backcountry recreationists not to recreate along roadsides, including popular spots such as Berthoud Pass, according to the news release. This is not only for recreationists’ safety but for the safety of motorists who could be caught in skier-triggered slides.

Avalanche conditions will change throughout the weekend as the storm moves through the state and high avalanche danger is expected in most mountain areas from Saturday and lasting into Monday, the release states. Anyone traveling in the backcountry should check the forecast and carry an avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel.

Drivers who encounter an avalanche while in their vehicle should stay in the vehicle with the windows rolled up, turn the vehicle off to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and call for help on a cell phone, the release states. Anyone driving over the weekend should plan ahead with extra water, food, coats, blankets and entertainment.

Motorists should avoid or limit driving during the brunt of the storm. Snow is predicted to make its way into Colorado’s northern and central mountains on Friday evening, lasting through Saturday night, the release states.

“It will be slow moving along the Corridor this weekend,” Lorme said. “So remember to be patient and make sure you are not the cause of road closures.”