Rockslide blocks Frying Pan Road above Basalt

Joel Stonington
Aspen Correspondent
Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado
March 3, 2008

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A 1,000-cubic-yard rockslide blocked Frying Pan Road on Sunday morning before a local citizen cleared a lane, according to the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office.

The road still has one lane blocked for roughly a quarter of a mile, said Eagle County Road and Bridge Director Brad Higgins. He expects the cleanup to take at least a few days.

Eagle County deputy Kirk Wheatley said Mike Matheney brought out some of his own equipment soon after the slide to help make the road passable. Frying Pan Road was closed for only two hours.

However, the larger cleanup is yet to come.

“There’s a possibility of a lot bigger stuff coming down,” said Higgins.

“Everything is falling out. When those banks get muddy it just acts as a lubricant with all the rocks on there.”

Higgins said that rockslide season is in full bloom and that the area should expect to see more slides in upcoming weeks.

The area that slid, near Ruedi Reservoir, was bolted into place with a mesh wire covering a destabilized area. Much of the wire went with the slope when it went over the road.

Higgins said that as they pull down the wire, other parts of the slope could slide as well.

“It’s really unstable,” said Wheatley. “When they start moving it, the majority of it will settle.”


jstonington@aspentimes.com