Red Mountain Pass Closed as Flooding + Mudslides Pound US 550

Red Mountain Pass is shut down, evacuation orders are in place near Ridgway, and crews are battling at least eight separate slide areas along one of Colorado's most dramatic stretches of highway.

If you had US 550 in your plans this week, scrap them.

The Colorado Department of Transportation reported the pass still closed as of 6 a.m.  Thursday, with no estimated time to reopen.

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Where US 550 and Red Mountain Pass Are Closed in Southwest Colorado

The closure runs the full corridor between Silverton and Ouray, with crews responding to at least eight slide areas, including a mud and rock slide at Ironton Park where personnel are running front-end loaders to clear the highway.

Do not drive around the closed gates. The south gate sits at Ophir Pass Road near mile point 75, and the north gate at Ouray near mile point 91. At least one stretch near Ruby Walls has reported shoulder damage, so this is not a nudge-past-the-barrier situation.

Check COtrip.org before you drive anywhere in the region rather than trusting a mapping app to reroute you.

US550 Road Closure Map

Why Red Mountain Pass Keeps Flooding: The Gold Mountain Fire Burn Scar

Here is the part that connects everything. The rain is only half the story. The other half is what it is landing on.

Burned ground does not soak up water the way healthy soil does. After a wildfire, scorched earth sheds rain almost like pavement, sending it rushing downhill fast and dragging mud, ash, and charred debris along with it.

That is exactly what is happening on the Gold Mountain Fire burn scar above Ouray County.

Read More: Don't Let Summer Pass: Iconic Colorado Trips to Take

Wednesday night, charred debris washed down Cutler Creek, caught on the culvert under US 550, and piled against the bridge.

It is the same script that played out Sunday, when less than an inch of rain sent floodwater and mud toward the highway through Ponderosa Village.

Officials warned the next flood could be worse. It was.

Ouray County Evacuations and What to Do If You Are Stranded

The Ouray County Sheriff's Office issued an immediate evacuation order Wednesday evening for the area east of US 550 between Citadel Drive and Old School Road, including Ponderosa Village and Cutler Creek Drive between Ridgway and Ouray.

Ridgway Secondary School was set up as an evacuation center. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency, its most urgent flood alert, through the night.

Backcountry travelers stuck inside the closure area should shelter in place if they safely can. Stranded visitors who need help can reach the San Juan County Sheriff's Office at 970-387-5531.

One more thing: do not trust an off-road shortcut your phone suggests. On roads like these, during flooding like this, that is how a bad day turns into a rescue. If you see water crossing a road, turn around. We will update this story as officials release new information.