Freak windstorm in Colorado mountains

[JasoninDenver]

Winter Park Colorado had a freak windstorm event about three weeks ago with gusts up to 110 mph. Trees were downed in town and an 18” pine outside of our condo was snapped like a matchstick about ten feet up with the tree taking out our trash dumpster bay.

A couple of days later, I rode, or attempted to ride, a favorite route that starts on the west side of the Continental Divide and drops back into town. After two miles, I started to encounter more and more downed trees but I was almost to a junction of the trail with a road that I could take back instead of remaining on the trail. A half mile stretch that normally takes five minutes to ride took over an hour with having to hike and lift my bike over dozens of trees.

At the road junction, I could tell the next section of trail was even worse but I had no idea just how bad. I was finally able to get up there yesterday after forestry crews spent two weeks clearing the trail. In over 30 years hiking and biking Colorado’s backcountry, I have never seen such devastation.

The gusts that blew through town were channeled up the ravine where this trail ran through. At one point the wind cut a quarter mile wide swath as it moved up the mountain towards the Divide. It looked like a tornado funneled up the entire mountainside taking out about 90% of the trees as it went along. This area was previously as dense as the terrain in the background. I cannot believe the forest crews were able to get this cleared without heavy equipment but somehow they did!

[AzPaul]

When she gets riled, Nature has quite the temper.

[CamSLC]

That's unbelievable! I've been through there a few times and it's a beautiful area. Are they going to be able to clear the down trees for regrowth?

[JasoninDenver]

Originally Posted by CamSLC

That's unbelievable! I've been through there a few times and it's a beautiful area. Are they going to be able to clear the down trees for regrowth?

Good question.

Due to the pine beetle devastation they have been diligently building a defensible perimeter around the town and surrounding residential areas for the last few years. This area is about two miles beyond that perimeter so my guess is they will let it lay as is until it burns naturally.

They will clear and do a controlled burn over vast swaths of forest where more than 50% of the trees have been killed by the beetle in the hopes that this will protect the Town of Winter Park from being lost when the inevitable forest fire hits the area. The Forest Service plan is to let the ski resort mountainside burn and hopefully save the base area buildings.

This blown down was probably magnified by the fact that so many of the trees that fell were already dead and unable to withstand the wind. Unfortunately, when the dead trees went, they broke the healthy ones off 10-15 off the ground as they fell.

[CamSLC]

I didn't know about the beetle problem. I hope their plan improves the wildlife area and protects the town.

Such a great place relatively close to Denver.

[Avs Fan]

Nearly same for us... just west of Denver. spent Sunday cutting and bagging tree limbs.... very rare weather event

[Fabrice M]

I love in West Denver, and this was a big one. CO seems very stormy this year....

[Denvertimeguy]

Yep, think this was the one I lost some fencing on...