Colorado Guanella, Independence Passes Reopen After Winter Closures

Two notable mountain passes in Colorado, Guanella Pass and Independence Pass, have reopened for the summer travel season ahead of Memorial Day Weekend, marking an early opening for Independence Pass, the earliest in six years. Extensive efforts were made to clear these roads of snow, ice, and debris, including avalanche mitigation measures such as controlled explosions by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center and repairs to guardrails, potholes, signs, and road shoulders by CDOT crews. Guanella Pass, which features scenic views of Mount Bierstadt and Mount Blue Sky, required about six days of snow clearing with snow depths reaching up to five feet at the highest points. Independence Pass, a narrow, winding road near Aspen and Twin Lakes, remains closed to commercial and recreational vehicles longer than 35 feet due to its layout. Meanwhile, Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park remains closed for the weekend due to ongoing plowing, and the road to the summit of Mount Blue Sky will remain closed for all of 2025 due to construction. These reopenings provide access to popular hiking, fishing, and sightseeing destinations in Colorado's scenic mountain regions.