Shots were in rugged terrain, but CDOT says public should be aware
The Colorado Department of Transportation says that about 13 of the some 630 explosives used in avalanche mitigation this winter in southwestern and south-central Colorado did not explode.
Durango Herald file
Snow covers the side of the mountain Saturday on Red Mountain Pass on U.S. Highway 550 south of Ouray at the snowshed area. Photo bu Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Large and small avalanches reached U.S. Highway 550 this winter on Red Mountain Pass. The avalanches also brought down a large amount of debris, making it difficult for the Colorado Department of Transportation to remove snow and clear the highway. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Large and small avalanches reached U.S. Highway 550 this winter on Red Mountain Pass. The avalanches also brought down a large amount of debris, making it difficult for the Colorado Department of Transportation to remove snow and clear the highway. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Ski tracks in an avalanche area Saturday on Red Mountain Pass. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Large and small avalanches reached U.S. Highway 550 this winter on Red Mountain Pass. The avalanches also brought down a large amount of debris, making it difficult for the Colorado Department of Transportation to remove snow and clear the highway. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Ski tracks in an avalanche area Saturday on Red Mountain Pass. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
An avalanche covered both sides of a snowshed on Red Mountain Pass south of Ouray this winter. The pass was closed for about 20 days while crews did avalanche mitigation and cleared the road for passenger travel. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Snow covers both sides of the mountain Saturday on Red Mountain Pass on U.S. Highway 550 south of Ouray at the snowshed area. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Large and small avalanches reached U.S. Highway 550 this winter on Red Mountain Pass. The avalanches also brought down a large amount of debris, making it difficult for the Colorado Department of Transportation to remove snow and clear the highway. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Large and small avalanches reached U.S. Highway 550 this winter on Red Mountain Pass. The avalanches also brought down a large amount of debris, making it difficult for the Colorado Department of Transportation to remove snow and clear the highway. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
The town of Silverton as seen Saturday from an overlook on Molas Pass. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Avalanche slide paths that haven’t run in years took out large trees along Red Mountain Pass. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Snow covers the side of the mountain Saturday on Red Mountain Pass on U.S. Highway 550 south of Ouray at the snowshed area. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Snow covers the side of the mountain Saturday on Red Mountain Pass on U.S. Highway 550 south of Ouray. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Large walls of snow are still visible along the sides of U.S. Highway 550 on Red Mountain Pass. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Red Mountain Pass was closed for about 20 days in March after numerous avalanches covered U.S. Highway 550 between Silverton and Ouray. Courtesy of Dan Bender
Red Mountain Pass was closed for about 20 days in March after numerous avalanches covered U.S. Highway 550 between Silverton and Ouray. Courtesy of Dan Bender
Red Mountain Pass was closed for about 20 days in March after numerous avalanches covered U.S. Highway 550 between Silverton and Ouray. Courtesy of Dan Bender
If you come across what looks like an explosive device in the San Juan Mountains this summer, don’t touch it.
The Colorado Department of Transportation is getting the word out that some explosives used in avalanche mitigation this past winter were duds. As a result, the potentially explosive bombs still sit somewhere in the mountains.
In CDOT’s southwest and south-central regions, more than 630 explosives were shot or dropped from helicopters to trigger avalanches this winter.
More specifically, about 430 explosives were shot on Red Mountain, Coal Bank and Molas passes, with the majority of that amount on Red Mountain Pass, CDOT spokeswoman Lisa Schwantes said.
More than 65 explosives were shot on Lizard Head Pass, more than 130 on Wolf Creek Pass, and about 50 on Monarch, Cumbres and La Manga passes.
Of the 630 explosives, 13 were duds. Schwantes said CDOT does not give out the specific locations of where the explosives were shot for public safety reasons.
Statewide, more than 1,500 explosives, including 22 duds, were shot at avalanche paths.
Schwantes said the numbers are in line with the national average of about 1 percent chance of a bomb not exploding.
She said CDOT knows exactly where every explosive was shot, and crews will attempt to revisit the region and recover duds.
Most of the shots are aimed at rugged and remote terrain, Schwantes said, in areas not accessed by the average hiker.
“It’s not unknown for someone to come across a device that has not detonated, but they are in very rugged terrain,” she said. “We don’t want to scare anyone, but at the same time, we want to advise the public of the best safety instructions.”
Shots from a howitzer look like a huge bullet, Schwantes said, and rounds from CDOT’s “ava-launcher” are shaped more like a torpedo and usually are bright orange or yellow.
People who come across the explosive device are advised not to touch it and immediately report its whereabouts to law enforcement or CDOT.
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