There’s now only one way for motorists to get in and out of Aspen until late May. The Colorado Department of Transportation announced yesterday it has closed the Independence Pass winter gates on Highway 82 between Aspen and Twin Lakes for the season after a foot of snow blanketed the scenic bypass over the weekend.
CDOT closed the two-lane pass, which peaks at 12,095 feet, at 7 pm Monday, intending to reopen it when/if conditions improved. They didn’t, so the closure was extended into the seasonal winter closure starting Thursday.
❄️Seasonal Closure❄️ | Independence Pass
CO 82 Independence Pass is closed for the season between MP 47 to 78 due to winter conditions. The road will reopen in Spring 2022. #KnowBeforeYouGo #WinterWisePosted by Colorado Department of Transportation on Thursday, 28 October 2021
The pass typically closes within the first two weeks of November and reopens the Thursday before Memorial Day, weather permitting. Dates for closures in previous years are:
- 2011 November 2
- 2012 November 9
- 2013 November 4
- 2014 November 12
- 2015 November 4
- 2016 November 17
- 2017 November 17
- 2018 November 5
- 2019 October 28
- 2020 November 13
For more info on Colorado road conditions, visit http://www.COTRIP.org.
