Mudslides near burn area close portion of I-70 in Colorado
Mudslides near burn area close portion of I-70 in Colorado
Colorado Department of Transportation crews make progress cleaning up the lower eastbound decks of Interstate 70 on Monday near MM120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Multiple feet of mud sits on shoulder of the eastbound deck of Interstate 70 at MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Multiple feet of mud sits on shoulder of the westbound deck of Interstate 70 at MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Crews make progress cleaning up the lower eastbound decks of Interstate 70 near MM120 on Monday after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
One of the multiple mud and debris slides on the westbound deck of Interstate 70 at MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
One of the multiple mud and debris slides on the westbound deck of Interstate 70 near MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
A Colorado Department of Transportation dump truck waits for a load of mud on the upper westbound deck of Interstate 70 near MM120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Crews make progress cleaning up the lower eastbound decks of Interstate 70 near MM120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Multiple feet of mud sits on shoulder of the eastbound deck of Interstate 70 at MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Mud sits in the median of Interstate 70 near MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Mud seeps into the Colorado River after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Colorado Department of Transportation crews make progress cleaning up the lower eastbound decks of Interstate 70 on Monday near MM120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Colorado Department of Transportation crews make progress cleaning up the lower eastbound decks of Interstate 70 on Monday near MM120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Multiple feet of mud sits on shoulder of the eastbound deck of Interstate 70 at MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Multiple feet of mud sits on shoulder of the eastbound deck of Interstate 70 at MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Multiple feet of mud sits on shoulder of the westbound deck of Interstate 70 at MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Multiple feet of mud sits on shoulder of the westbound deck of Interstate 70 at MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Crews make progress cleaning up the lower eastbound decks of Interstate 70 near MM120 on Monday after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Crews make progress cleaning up the lower eastbound decks of Interstate 70 near MM120 on Monday after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
One of the multiple mud and debris slides on the westbound deck of Interstate 70 at MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
One of the multiple mud and debris slides on the westbound deck of Interstate 70 at MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
One of the multiple mud and debris slides on the westbound deck of Interstate 70 near MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
One of the multiple mud and debris slides on the westbound deck of Interstate 70 near MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
A Colorado Department of Transportation dump truck waits for a load of mud on the upper westbound deck of Interstate 70 near MM120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
A Colorado Department of Transportation dump truck waits for a load of mud on the upper westbound deck of Interstate 70 near MM120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Crews make progress cleaning up the lower eastbound decks of Interstate 70 near MM120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Crews make progress cleaning up the lower eastbound decks of Interstate 70 near MM120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Multiple feet of mud sits on shoulder of the eastbound deck of Interstate 70 at MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Multiple feet of mud sits on shoulder of the eastbound deck of Interstate 70 at MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Mud sits in the median of Interstate 70 near MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Mud sits in the median of Interstate 70 near MM 120 after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Mud seeps into the Colorado River after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
Mud seeps into the Colorado River after a mudslide swept down the cliffs in Glenwood Canyon in the area of the Grizzly Creek burn scar on Sunday, June 27, 2021 near Glenwood Springs, Colo. (Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Post Independent via AP)
A portion of Interstate 70 in western Colorado was closed Monday following a series of mudslides triggered by rainfall over the weekend near where a wildfire burned last year.
While eastbound lanes of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon were expected to open later in the day thanks to clean up work overnight, there is no estimate for when westbound lanes of the highway will reopen, the Colorado Department of Transportation said.
The largest of the mudslides that happened on Sunday along Colorado’s main east-west highway flowed down the same drainage as the one that happened Saturday along the Grizzly Creek Fire burn scar, the Glenwood Post Independent reported. The fire, which started in August, burned about 51 square miles (132 square kilometers).
Sunday’s main mudslide reached 80 feet (24 meters) wide and 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep in areas.
On Saturday, the mud spread 70 feet (21 meters) wide and was 5 feet deep in places. Saturday’s highway closure lasted several hours.
Travelers may have to expect on-and-off closures of I-70 in Glenwood Canyon when rainfall is expected in the area this summer, said Kane Schneider, a CDOT transportation maintenance employee.
