Outdoors – The Durango Herald

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How the Colorado Avalanche Information Center investigates fatal slides

CAIC forecasters and snow scientists compile detailed accounts of every fatal avalanche

DATE: Mar 18, 2023 | CATEGORY: Sports

Aztec receives $39,999 for outdoor spaces master plan

Trails, recreation facilities and open space development to follow

DATE: Mar 15, 2023 | CATEGORY: New Mexico

Brookside Skatepark to be reworked or rebuilt

Local skateboarding icon envisions new skatepark as best idea

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Farmington Police Department donates bikes

Bikes donated to bicycle maintenance class

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A billionaire and the BLM brokered a Colorado land swap. Not everyone is cheering.

The watchdog group Colorado Wild Public Lands wants more transparency, plans to oppose the Blue Valley Ranch deal

DATE: Feb 25, 2023 | CATEGORY: Sports

Silverton Mountain plans a second chair at the frills-free ski hill

The expert-only steep skiing mecca hopes a new lift will add fuel to town’s growing winter economy

DATE: Feb 10, 2023 | CATEGORY: Outdoors

200 and counting

Looking back on 200 columns I feel sure it’s hard for you to imagine a columnist being without words. Yet, as I sit here beginning this column, I find myself at a loss for words. The reason,...

DATE: Feb 3, 2023 | CATEGORY: Sports

Tie one on

Some advice to begin tying flies

DATE: Jan 6, 2023 | CATEGORY: Outdoors

Snow blesses skiers in Southwest Colorado

Hesperus could start spinning its lift next week

DATE: Dec 31, 2022 | CATEGORY: Sports

The rock-hurling spat that could upend Colorado’s river access rules

The Colorado Supreme Court will wade into whether rivers are public property

DATE: Dec 23, 2022 | CATEGORY: Sports

Wolf reintroduction could be a chance to support endangered subspecies

Proponents say Colorado Parks and Wildlife plans should consider Mexican gray wolves

DATE: Dec 8, 2022 | CATEGORY: Outdoors

Gifts that don’t cost money

It’s Christmastime. I know this because the ads for gift buying, on television, started as I was tuning into a football game on Thanksgiving Day. And, since Christmas is less than a month aw...

DATE: Dec 2, 2022 | CATEGORY: Flies & Lies

Skyhawks score 41 points off turnovers Monday at Whalen Gymnasium

Snowstorm moves through the areaThe season’s first big snowstorm causes problems for drivers and makes for a winter wonderland

The season’s first big snowstorm causes problems for drivers and makes for a winter wonderland

Photos: Singing with SantaSanta Claus makes his first appearance in Durango

Santa Claus makes his first appearance in Durango

Snow descends on DurangoForecasters say storm could dump 6 inches in Durango area

A fall storm that moved into Southwest Colorado Friday morning was expected to dump 6 inches of snow in the Durango area – more than weather forecasters had initially predicted.Snow started falling about 9:15 a.m. Friday and intensified shortly before 11:30 a.m., blanketing parks, vehicles and the hilltops overlooking the city. Roads became slick about 2:30 p.m. As of 4 p.m., the Durango Police Department had responded to six crashes, in addition to a few stranded motorists.U.S. Highway 160 at County Road 44 near Mancos Hill was closed from around 4 p.m. to just after 6 p.m. because a vehicle carrying an “oversized load” had spun out and blocked both the eastbound and westbound lanes, according to Colorado Department of Transportation spokeswoman Lisa Schwantes.“Right now our officers are able to keep up with the crashes that are coming in,” said Cmdr. Nick Stasi, with the Durango Police Department. “As always with winter weather, we remind drivers to slow down and give extra space for the cars in front.”Snow started accumulating very fast as the day went on, making it “challenging for plow operators to keep up,” according to CDOT.

Southwest Colorado’s five major mountain passes were icy and snowpacked Friday afternoon. But all five remained open as of 4:15 p.m.The Pacific storm favored the southern and central Colorado mountains, said Dave Byers, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction.“Durango looks like a 70% chance of getting 6 inches or more of snow by the end of tonight (Friday),” Byers said.He expected a half inch to three-quarters of an inch of moisture from the storm, which is up from the one-tenth to two-tenths of an inch that was predicted earlier this week. Meanwhile, the mountains could receive 1 to 2 feet of snow from the storm, he said.“In the last few days, it has really picked up,” Byers said. “The southern mountains are catching the brunt of it.”The snowy weather didn’t stop Liz Ferrill and her family from stopping by Cream Bean Berry for a Unicorn Sundae. “We thought it might be a festive way to celebrate,” said Ferrill, who was visiting from Snowmass, where the first snow occurred in September.For others, the snow provided the impetus they needed to swap out tires or purchase new snow tires. Andre Payne, a sales person at J/P Tire in Durango, said the phone began ringing shortly after 9 a.m. with people wanting to switch to snow tires.“We’ve been pretty busy,” he said.

It is not unusual for drivers to wait until they see the first snow and then want to swap out tires. The tire shop began advising customers to switch to snow tires about three weeks ago. Some people take the advice, other choose to wait.“We can always tell people what to do, but if you're not ready for it then you have to suffer the consequences of waiting two hours or maybe getting in an accident,” Payne said.Byers said Friday’s storm was the result of a southwest flow pulling moisture from Southern California, Arizona and the Gulf of California.As the moisture-laden atmosphere hits the San Juan Mountains, it wrings out the moisture, he said.Temperatures are expected to cool off as the storm makes its way out of the region this weekend. The highs this weekend will be in the upper 30s, and the lows could dip into the single digits, he said.“There’s still a northerly flow that is pulling cold air down out of Canada,” he said.Byers characterized Friday’s storm as a “shoulder storm” between summer and winter, but he said it is a sure sign that a regular track is settling in for Southwest Colorado.“We’re expecting regular storms … from now on, more into that winter pattern,” Byers said.Residents can expect mostly clear conditions through Wednesday, with clouds moving in the following day ahead of another storm that looks “very similar” to Friday’s storm, Byers said.shane@durangoherald.com; mhollinshead@durangoherald.com

Forecasters say storm could dump 6 inches in Durango area

PHOTOS: Turkey Trot returns to DurangoNearly 600 competitors ran before they gobbled down their Thanksgiving feasts on Thursday

Nearly 600 competitors ran before they gobbled down their Thanksgiving feasts on Thursday

PHOTOS: Durango faces Lutheran in 3A state football quarterfinalsDemons fall to Lions, 39-30, on Saturday

Demons fall to Lions, 39-30, on Saturday

PHOTOS: Fort Lewis basketball teams host doubleheaderThe men’s team beat Western New Mexico 87-68, while the women’s team fell in the final minutes to Northern New Mexico, 67-62

The men’s team beat Western New Mexico 87-68, while the women’s team fell in the final minutes to Northern New Mexico, 67-62

Photos: Durango High School football faces Mead in 3A state playoffsThe Demons won Saturday’s playoff game, 31-27

The Demons won Saturday’s playoff game, 31-27

Photos: Veterans Day Parade

Honoring Veterans on Veterans Day

Photo gallery: Fort Lewis men’s soccerFort Lewis Men’s Soccer falls to Colorado State University Pueblo

Fort Lewis Men’s Soccer falls to Colorado State University Pueblo

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How the Colorado Avalanche Information Center investigates fatal slides

Aztec receives $39,999 for outdoor spaces master plan

Brookside Skatepark to be reworked or rebuilt

Farmington Police Department donates bikes

A billionaire and the BLM brokered a Colorado land swap. Not everyone is cheering.

Silverton Mountain plans a second chair at the frills-free ski hill

200 and counting

Tie one on

Snow blesses skiers in Southwest Colorado

The rock-hurling spat that could upend Colorado’s river access rules

Wolf reintroduction could be a chance to support endangered subspecies

Gifts that don’t cost money

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