While Denver received only a few inches of snow yesterday, up in the Colorado mountains, the snowfall is being measured in feet, and strong winds have been creating blizzard conditions. This resulted in the closure of Interstate 70 in both directions on Monday, stranding travelers on both sides of the Continental Divide. Also, heavy snow caused an avalanche on Berthoud Pass, the main route between Denver and the Winter Park ski area, closing that road, too. But not to be deterred, many intrepid drivers are using map apps on their smart phones to find alternate routes to their destination, which mostly turn out to be dirt roads in desolate areas, covered in feet of snow. The Grand County Sheriff's Office is urging motorists to stop doing this, after having to rescue countless stranded cars. This is not, of course, just a Colorado thing. Humorist and travel writer Bill Bryson noted in his book, "The Road to Little Dribbling," that a couple visiting England used the map app on their phone to find a route to a nearby island, and wound up driving across a beach toward the open ocean. If they hadn't gotten stuck in the sand, they would have no doubt drove into the sea. Bryson mentioned that the couple were tourists from Texas. A lot of Texans also come to Colorado for the ski season, but I am sure there is no connection.
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