|
Seven feet of snow falls in huge storm
 Winter
Park staff were called in the shovel the immense snowfall off the
roofs of resort buildings.
Meanwhile, down in Denver snowplow drivers toiled early Thursday
to try to help reopen airports and highways after the state's worst
blizzard in nearly a century dumped up to 7 feet of snow.
Airport and road closures
According to the Associated Press, as the snow tapered off throughout
the region Thursday, about 3,700 passengers waited for Denver International
Airport to reopen. Airport officials said they expected to open
one runway by 10 a.m. local time.
Rollinsville, Colo., perched at 9,000 feet above sea level in the
foothills northwest of Denver, got 7 feet, 3 1/2 inches of snow
in the storm. In Wyoming, Cheyenne got more than 18 inches and Gillette
got 13. A mountain south of Casper got up to 5 feet.
An avalanche closed the road to the Eldora ski area northwest of
Denver, stranding about 250 skiers and employees, who spent their
second night Wednesday sleeping on floors. Avalanche danger kept
them from enjoying the new snow. "It was torture looking at the
slopes all day, but they were worried about safety," 17-year-old
switchboard operator Kim Varela said.
Collapsing roofs
Snow caused more than 110 roofs to collapse in Denver and Boulder.
A man's leg was broken when part of his apartment collapsed after
the roof of the nightclub next door collapsed.
The Colorado Department of Transportation had 1,500 plows clearing
highways, and at least 200 workers were clearing snow from the airport.
Even chief airport spokesman Chuck Cannon was driving a snowplow,
assistant airport manager Amy Bourgeron said. Most government offices
and businesses were closed on Wednesday. Denver city offices remained
closed on Thursday.
[Source: Skipress Magazine]
Mail
this page to a friend
What do you think? Tell us in the Chat
Room |
