Mudslide blocks access to iconic trail in Colorado
May 3—Access to one of Colorado's most iconic trails has been cut off by a mudslide.
Officials announced Wednesday debris had flowed from the steep slopes of Glenwood Canyon, blocking the road to the Hanging Lake trailhead. The slide happened Monday afternoon, according to a news release, which added the trail itself to the cascade-fed pool had been spared.
The release said nobody was injured or trapped on the other side of the mudslide.
"It happened later in the day, and we're a little bit ahead of peak season. But yeah, I think we're very fortunate," said White River National Forest spokesman David Boyd.
A representative handling reservations to hike the trail said people were being refunded and rescheduled, as time slots won't be available until after the debris is cleared.
Updates are being posted at visitglenwood.com, which on Wednesday afternoon indicated reservations would be on hold through Friday.
"We're hoping it's not a very longterm thing," Boyd said.
Colorado Department of Transportation crews started clearing Hanging Lake's access road Tuesday, according to the news release.
"Next, crews will remove mudslide material from next to the access road, in order to restore a drainage channel for future flooding and mudflows," the release read. "Crews are also assessing how likely there will be another mudslide in the area."
Such concerns accompanied an announcement ahead of summer 2022, when the Hanging Lake trail reopened after nearly a year closed in the wake of the Grizzly Creek fire. The blaze left hillsides barren, making the Interstate 70 corridor more susceptible to flooding, rock fall and mud flows.
"There's always that increased risk after fire, especially in the first five years," Boyd said.
He said that was part of the reason for shuttle rides no longer being offered to the trailhead, as were debuted with the reservation system in 2019. In the case of sudden rains or other hazards in the canyon, "it's easier to get people out if they're in their own vehicles," Boyd said.
The closure at Hanging Lake comes at a time of increased mudslides in the area as above-average snowpack melts from the mountains. According to a report from 9News, the city of Glenwood Springs is preparing for a long cleanup around Red Mountain after several slides in a week.
"Some of this is Colorado in the spring time after a heavy snowpack," Boyd said. Regarding the Hanging Lake access road, "is this directly related to the burn scar? We don't know," he said. "There's other places that are not affected by the burn scar that are sliding."
While parts of the Grizzly Creek trail downstream remain closed due to different, more dangerous terrain conditions, Boyd said there was no current reason to think a similar closure could come to Hanging Lake.
"We're more focused on making sure people just understand the increased risk of these things," he said.
