Record Snow Keeps Snowy Range Closed

Heavy snows in the Snowy Range west of Laramie will prevent the State Transportation Department from clearing the road across the mountains by its traditional opening date on Memorial Day weekend.

Wydot spokesman Ross Doman says old timers  can't remember a year that the road wasn't open by the holiday. Crews began clearing Wyoming 130 from both the Saratoga and Laramie sides of the mountain range earlier this month. Doman says additional snow has fallen every day on the workers and some drifts are over 30 feet high.

"There's been days when they had to plow their way back in to start over where they left off the day before. It's also really wet, and very heavy, so its tough on the equipment and slower going."

Doman says, while campgrounds in the Snowy Range aren't normally open, the road's continued closure means one less popular outing option...

"Traditionally people just like going through there. Its really quite a spectacle to go through before it starts melting back. The walls of snow on each side are a sight to behold."

With progress on clearing the highway going at about half speed and with crews on call in the event of flooding, Doman suggests it could be a while longer. He didn't give a date, but he says it will eventually happen.