Officials share details on Loveland Pass clean-up operation as highway remains closed

CLEAR CREEK COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – Cleanup efforts are well underway after a massive landslide buried the Loveland Pass (U.S. Highway 6) under as much as 20 feet of mud and silt over the weekend, effectively closing the road with no estimated timeline for its reopening.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) confirmed Tuesday that though the roadway remains closed, crews have nearly completed the first phase of their two-stage cleanup. As of 2 p.m. Tuesday, crews had removed about 85% of the debris from the road.

The landslide happened at around 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 15, in an area near mile point 226 known as Scottys Curves. According to CDOT, it was triggered by soil above the road becoming saturated from melting snow and sliding onto the road.

The agency said the debris on the road was about 100 feet wide and 15 to 20 feet deep – effectively cutting off the high-mountain route.

CDOT launched a two-phase cleanup operation on Monday, deploying more than seven tandem dump trucks with crews working under heightened safety precautions due to the still-unstable slope above the roadway.

Once the roadway is cleared of all debris, CDOT said it will begin phase two, which includes assessing slope stability and conducting final cleanup before reopening.

There is still currently no timeline for the reopening of Loveland Pass; officials say the road will remain closed until it is deemed completely safe. In the meantime, CDOT urged motorists, hikers and cyclists to stay clear of the area.

While there is a historical record of a partial slide at the same location in 2003, it had stabilized and showed no signs of movement in the 22 years since – until now.

Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.