Loveland Pass open to motorists following landslide

Clear Creek County — Today, after seven tandem dump trucks continually hauled 92 tons of mud and silt from Loveland Pass (US 6) that was buried by a weekend landslide, the Colorado Department of Transportation’s geohazard specialists gave the mountain pass the green light to reopen to motorists and recreationists as of 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 18.

After close inspection, CDOT’s Geohazard team determined that Loveland Pass was safe for travel, with no movement observed on the mountainside and the impressive work done by CDOT’s maintenance teams. While the road is open, motorists may still see CDOT crews performing cleanup from the shoulder.

"I am incredibly proud of our team's swift and dedicated work to safely reopen Loveland Pass after the recent landslide," said Jessica Myklebust, CDOT Denver Metro transportation director. "Our crews' expertise and tireless efforts ensured that we could restore access through this vital mountain corridor as quickly as possible, demonstrating our commitment to keeping Colorado's roadways safe and open."

Loveland Pass closed on Sunday, June 15, following a landslide at 5:30 a.m. at Mile Point 226 in an area known as Scottys Curves. The slide was caused by material above the roadway becoming saturated from melting snow and sliding onto the road. Initial reports indicated that the debris was approximately 100 feet wide and 15 to 20 feet deep. While there is a history of partial slides in the area, with a similar event occurring in 2003, the area had stabilized and shown no further movement in the past 22 years.

Note to newsrooms: CDOT’s number one priority is to open access to this popular mountain route. No media availability will be offered on site.

Loveland Pass landslide photos are available by contacting [email protected].