U.S. Highway 550 - The Durango Herald

Avalanche north of Silverton catches 2 skiers

No fatalities, but skiers lucky to be alive

DATE: Feb 14, 2016 | CATEGORY: Local News

Northbound lane at Highway 550-Bondad Hill closed until Tuesday

One of two northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 500 near Bondad Hill will be closed until Tuesday because of a rockslide Sunday morning, a Colorado Department of Transportation spokeswoman said....

DATE: Feb 14, 2016 | CATEGORY: Local News

No new snow expected for Durango during Snowdown

Nine hours of avalanche work closed Red Mountain Pass Monday; open now

DATE: Jan 25, 2016 | CATEGORY: Local News

Durango’s Main Avenue mobility plan complete

Intersections, bike lanes priorities

DATE: Dec 3, 2015 | CATEGORY: Local News

Phase one of Colorado’s U.S. 550 improvements complete

Signs and lighting near Purgatory next step in the spring, CDOT says

DATE: Nov 23, 2015 | CATEGORY: Local News

Semitrailer loaded with cows sows chaos on Camino del Rio

No cattle injured in accident that brought out ranchers to help

DATE: Oct 25, 2015 | CATEGORY: Local News

Remains found in U.S. 550 wreckage

Hiker stumbles upon car, body of woman missing since June

DATE: Sep 28, 2015 | CATEGORY: Local News

CDOT making safety changes near Purgatory

May include traffic delays starting Monday

DATE: Sep 19, 2015 | CATEGORY: Local News

Farmington man dies in motorcycle crash

The investigation is underway into a car accident that killed a Farmington man Sunday on U.S. Highway 550 north of Durango. Michael Jakino, 64, was killed after the driver of a pi...

DATE: Sep 7, 2015 | CATEGORY: Local News

Work to begin on Red Mountain Pass

Roads will be open overnight, lunch time only

DATE: Sep 5, 2015 | CATEGORY: Local News

Truck fire sends driver to hospital

A truck caught fire Tuesday night on Coal Bank Pass, sending the driver to the hospital for smoke inhalation and shutting down U.S. Highway 550 for more than an hour, emergency officials sai...

DATE: Sep 2, 2015 | CATEGORY: Local News

Rock blasting causes delays near Silverton

The Colorado Department of Transportation was doing minor rock blasting Wednesday about a half mile north of Silverton on U.S. Highway 550. Traffic was being held for about 15 min...

DATE: Aug 5, 2015 | CATEGORY: Local News

Colorado history gets weird, wild, wacky at Fashion Do’s and Don’tsAnnual Snowdown event has become so popular, auditions are now required

Cowboys. Fancy ladies. Gold miners. Even-toed ungulates that some in Durango might consider more like rats.Where can you find a runway show that takes you on a whirlwind tour through the weird, wacky and wildly exaggerated 150 years of Colorado history? Only at Durango’s annual Fashion Do’s and Don’ts, held Wednesday, where models and audience members wore costumes celebrating Colorado’s sesquicentennial – the theme of this year’s two-week Snowdown celebration.Standout acts included the Ghosts of Durango, which featured four of Durango’s most famous ghosts: a Rochester hotel ghost in a Victorian get-up of a more “modern” variation; the Strater Hotel’s head of housekeeping, also head of more discreet services; a young girl haunting El Rancho’s bathroom; and Sheriff Bob Thompson, killed in a 1906 gunfight. according to emcee Suzan Lane. A Another act was the Secret Circus Society, featuring Rubi Starr, Jeni Gross, Tabatha Joy Bettin, Adrienne Young and Ethan Deffenbaugh dressed as a car and the roadside pests better known as deer. Group members said the inspiration for the costume came from lived experiences driving Durango roads. The two-person Cantine Couture act starred Leslie Ponce and Tyler Frakes in an homage to the plentiful variety of Mexican restaurants found in any Colorado town. Ponce, dressed in comically large Mexican pointy cowboy boots, ambled down the runway as if taking a stroll under the hot, dusty, high-altitude sun, while Frakes flitted about the stage in a bright yellow salsa dress. Ponce said this year’s costume had been tough to decide, but the final decision was inspired by TikTok videos of Mexican cowboys in pointy boots. This was the duo’s third year strutting down the runway. Why they keep coming back for more, Frakes said laughing, was, “for the fame, the glory and the attention.”

Fashion Do’s and Don’ts has been one of the most highly anticipated Snowdown events since its inception in the 1990s. It has more than doubled in size over the past several decades. Last year, there were a record number of models, and in order to keep the event at a manageable size, this year’s fashion show was the first one to require the acts to audition. But many of the models were unfazed by the change. “It was actually easy,” said Jodi Zuber, one part of the two-person duo that made up the 1950s Texas Invader Ski Couple. Her partner-in-costume, Danny Jaques, said they had been doing this for several years, and it’s good with everything going on in the world to “get some levity and let your hair down.” The performers were not the only ones in costume. Audience members also dressed in a wide variety of unique takes on what makes Colorado, Colorado. JonBenet Ramsey made a miraculous appearance, being played by an 82-year-old woman, as did Casa Bonita, an ensemble that included a taco, sopaipilla and gorilla in chains – to name some of the characters. By the end of the show, people were in high spirits, as usual. “It was just delightful,” said a first-time audience member. If blessed with the chance to get the much coveted tickets – he said he would jump on it. jbowman@durangoherald.com

Annual Snowdown event has become so popular, auditions are now required

Photos: Snowdown 2026 Fashion Do’s and Don’ts

Photos: Durango High School basketball teams lose to Montrose High School

Photos: Local girls high school wrestling at La Plata TriDurango girls wrestling went 2-0 to win Tri on Thursday night at Bayfield

Durango girls wrestling went 2-0 to win Tri on Thursday night at Bayfield

Photos: Fort Lewis College women’s and men’s basketball take on Westminster UniversityBoth Skyhawks teams were victorious on Saturday afternoon

Both Skyhawks teams were victorious on Saturday afternoon

Photos: An afternoon in 2004 with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell as he works on Capitol HillDurango Herald Photo Editor Jerry McBride had the chance to spend an afternoon with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell in 2004, photographing him during meetings and around the Capitol.

Durango Herald Photo Editor Jerry McBride had the chance to spend an afternoon with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell in 2004, photographing him during meetings and around the Capitol.

Photos and video: ICE protests return to DurangoAbout a dozen protesters tried to block federal agents from leaving with a detainee on Thursday

About a dozen protesters tried to block federal agents from leaving with a detainee on Thursday

The Durango Herald’s year in photos 2025

Photos: Chapman Hill fires up the snow guns

Avalanche north of Silverton catches 2 skiers

Northbound lane at Highway 550-Bondad Hill closed until Tuesday

No new snow expected for Durango during Snowdown

Durango’s Main Avenue mobility plan complete

Phase one of Colorado’s U.S. 550 improvements complete

Semitrailer loaded with cows sows chaos on Camino del Rio

Remains found in U.S. 550 wreckage

CDOT making safety changes near Purgatory

Farmington man dies in motorcycle crash

Work to begin on Red Mountain Pass

Truck fire sends driver to hospital

Rock blasting causes delays near Silverton

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