I-25 reopens from Walsenburg to New Mexico after weather related closure

The Colorado State patrol has reopened Interstate 25 from Walsenburg to the New Mexico border after severe weather closed the road for several hours.

The interstate initially closed Tuesday morning and reopened Tuesday night at 9:30. State patrol had to close down the interstate because of blizzard conditions in New Mexico.

Drivers were forced to exit in Walsenburg. Dozens of truckers were lined up outside rest stops and gas stations.

“It’s been like this all day. It’s been truck on top of truck. It’s been chaos,” said Karen Horner, manager of Mini Mart.

At least one driver had been stranded there for three days.

“I got here and with this over-sized load I couldn’t go into New Mexico on Sunday so I’ve had to sit and wait since,” said trucker Jack Dearing.

The closure also affected a band on tour, forcing them to change their schedule.

“We drove right in the middle of it. We were on our way to Trinidad and got hit with the snow pretty hard there and got stuck here,” said Chris Blank, band member.

Horner says the Mini Mart is usually packed in the winter but during this snow storm it reached capacity.

“It’s way over capacity. It’s usually not quite this many,” said Horner.

Dearing is one of several truck drivers who have been stranded before but he says this is nothing compared to what he’s experienced over 40 years.

“I’ve seen a lot worse, this wasn’t bad at all. I started driving in Alaska and I’ve seen some bad storms there,” said Dearing.

Road closures are something truckers learn to get used to traveling through Colorado.

“It’s just one of those things when winter comes and you end up sitting. There’s nothing you can do about it so no sense being upset about it,” said Dearing.