Hwy 285 Road Conditions

From 285 Travelers: www.facebook.com/share/WCJHboPbBtB5JyG3/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Clif B 5:30am
Good morning 285 warriors, it's a mixed bag this morning, snowing like H.E double hockey sticks back in the Shelton neighborhood, the closer you get to 285 the better. Shelton and 43 starting to get covered 285 and 73 dry as of 330 this A.M

D.B. D 6 am
Hey neighbors. There is a vehicle off the road at 200 block of Clark Rd., just above Royal and where you turn on to 43. You know, the nasty Hazardous Driveway/ Dangerous curve spot. (Charmetella Mountain).
Be careful, very slick already.

Kimberly M 6am
Left Pine Junction area at 510am and arrived to Lohi area of Denver at 555am. It was heavy Star Wars snow from leaving my house right off 285 till about top of Richmond Hill/Snowpack Taproom area. Then it got much lighter to almost nothing. Passed two plows right around Safeway and then the snow completely stopped. It was dry roads the rest of the way till I got to my destination in Denver. Be safe everyone!!

Ashley I 7:43am
Pine Junction to Evergreen @ about 7am. Snow basically has come to a stop. 285 was just wet. No snow in Evergreen. 73 was partially wet and then just dry. 74 was dry.

From the 285 Traveler Group members:
Wendy B 6:50am
Roads get a tad dicey heading up to Pine and past and then it’s fine

Clif B 6am
Good morning, It's a mixed bag O fun this morning. Shelton and 43 are partially snowpacked (both sides of the valley on 43) 285 is wet with some areas of ick (just past willow wisp will get your attention). There's patchy fog here and there. The top of Richmond Hill is a bit slick. 73 is snowpacked until Marshdale then patcy, watch the second part of the S curve it'll creep up on ya and off the road ya go. Happy Thursday

Karen E 3am
2:30AM Pine Junction to Conifer

Minor accumulation on side roads.

285 - Pine Junction to Richmond Hill roads are just wet.

Richmond Hill to Conifer roads are slushy and accumulation in areas. Nice bunch of accumulation out of nowhere right before the bridge at Safeway and then it's back to minor accumulation.

Roads aren't bad right now. It was lightly snowing the whole way. Have an AWD car with snow tires.

Drive safe & have a good day!

From Clif B 5am in 285 Traveler:
Happy Friday, Shelton and 43 are snowpacked this morning but the fog is super heavy in spots ( like new England clam chowder) visibility is like a 100 feet or less in some spots on 43. 285 is snowpacked and foggy, 73 is pretty slick this morning by the looks of the tire tracks of somebody bouncing off the mountain several times. Watch out for the folks that know the road like the back of there hand cause they ain't seeing it this morning. There's about 4 inches of snow at my homestead only about an inch in Evergreen.

Liz A 4:30am
0330-0410 Pine Junction to Englewood: Extreme fog (visibility about 30 feet) especially from Windy Point to the Canyon

Updates from the 285 Traveler Group:
Clif B 6:10am
Ok Boyz and girlz took about an hour and a half from Bailey to Evergreen, about 2 feet of snow here. Roads and visibility are crap, plows are out trying to keep up however if ya can't see where your going then plows don't matter. Stay home if ya can

Liz A 3:30am
Thursday 2:30am-3:40am
Pine Junction to Englewood. No lane recognition until Englewood. Roads mostly snowpacked from Pine Junction to Schaffer's. From there mostly only one lane was able to be used. Thicker snow coverage from the North side of Windy Point until 470. The canyon was decent (less snow coverage). There's a semi/car carrier stuck across/blocking the road at the Park n Ride after the canyon (Southbound) with police on scene. Semis stuck partially blocking the canyon (Southbound). The worst conditions were from the canyon (Northbound) to 470--heavy partially frozen slush with deep ruts. Saw a few plows out. Thank you to everyone who's out there trying to clear the snow and keep everyone safe

Kassie G 3:30am
330a conifer mountain to downtown Denver
Dirt roads on conifer mountain have probably 1.5 ft, my 4Runner barely had the clearance to make it through. A road grader was just coming up conifer mountain from Kennedy gulch so I was able to go down his path on a snowpacked road. 285 to the canyon only had 1 sort of cleared path. Plows are out it’s just coming down fast and I think 5 were stuck behind the semi blocking southbound by grant automotive. There was still easily 6” of snow but more outside of this lane. Canyon had both lanes with about 4” snow. 470 with 3-4” snow. 6th gets better the further east you go until I-25 where I think the plowing switches from cdot to city of Denver.

I did 20-30mph on 285 and 470. My normally 50 min drive took 1.5hr. Slow and steady is the only way you will get anywhere today,

Ryse B 7:09am in the 285 Traveler Group
Oookayy! So couple things....there is a vehicle blocking the sb side at rail cable barrier right at the off ramp before schaffers crossing which seemed to force another vehicle to drive the NB side coming at me. I called it into non emergency so hopefully it doesn't get too backed up to kings valley.

Next my venture from Harris park! I'm not going to say the whole stay home if you can bit...if you take your time you should be fine. But you also should know your vehicle too. I left Harris Park around 5:45am. Pretty windy, blowing snow, visibility decent though. 43 should be plowed now. 285NB from 43 to kings valley is very snowpacked. Slow n steady wins the race. Be safe if you have to leave! Pickup trucks make sure ya'll have some weight in ur butts and everyone should take a shovel with them as a precautionary. Have a great snow day to ya'll lucky folks who get to stay home today!

Jennifer S 7:09am
7:00 HEADED TO Englewood from Bailey. 43 plowed. 285 Plowed, but not great. We’re in a 4WD truck, going a sensible speed. There was a truck southbound of the road at Schaffers Crossing getting pulled out. Couldn’t tell if he was actually blocking the lane or off to the side. Yes, there’s that much snow. Hunker down and stay home if you can. If you can’t, like us, take it easy and prepare for the worst.

Plow stuck and partially on the road by pleasant park.

Hwy 385 SB is closed at Parmalee Gulch due to a jackknifed semi.

Reports from 285 Travrlers this morning:
Trisha S 6:30am
Green Valley to Lutheran Medical, the most difficult part was getting through the neighborhood and onto 285. I drive a 4x4 truck with studded snow tires. Side roads hadn’t been plowed since yesterday early morning. 285 north is snow packed with no lane recognition but with 4x4/AWD it’s doable. A bit of a bumpy ride. 470 and 70 are just wet. Took me about an hour in what normally takes 35 mins.

Marcie C 6:30am
Edit: we made it down and it looks like 285S near Morrison exit is closed. There is a plow truck blocking both lanes.

Just left Pine Junction headed to DIA, 285 N was plowed and is now snow packed. One truck in the ditch south bound by Shaffer’s crossing and a semi Jack knifed in north bound just across the road from the one in the ditch. Be careful passing.

Little to no lane recognition through conifer. Two semis in right hand lane north bound by stinker gas station. Truck with trailer stuck in left hand lane north bound near king sooper’s gas station. Semis in both the right hand lane south bound and the right hand lane north bound through Windy Point.
6+ semis right hand lane south bound across from Tiny Town exit.

Driving in hubby’s 4wd and going pretty slow all the way down because slow and steady wins the race. Be safe if you have to get out on the roads this morning.

Several plows out. Peeks of pavement going into the canyon… Thank you CDOT!!

Ryse B 6:30am
It gets real washboard just after will o wisp all the way to kings valley @ kum n go. Its pretty awful. Be cautious of fishtailing.

Karen E 3:30am
2AM - Pine Junction to Conifer

Not my favorite drive

Pine Junction to Kum & Go is snow packed. The rest of the way to Conifer was sometimes one lane sometime two and I wouldn't really say lane recognition. Deep in some areas and I felt like I was gliding across the top at times.

It was snowing hard at Pine Junction and Conifer, but wasn't doing much in between.

Still stuck semis on the sides of roads and middle of the road.

CDOT is doing a good job,but there is just so much snow and it's still snowing. I didn't see any plows, but that doesn't mean they are out.

I'd stay home if you can. If you have to be out, be safe. Have a good day!

Stephanie J. 10:45am
All observations are northbound from Pine Junction to 470, but I added a few hazards to look out for on the southbound side. Hubby drove and I typed. Give the plows a few more hours to even out the bumps if you need a smoother drive. The sun is already helping.

Caffee Gulch issue has moved north to King’s Valley. Domino’s semi truck blocking right lane northbound at the intersection. There are some overly confident drivers out, so don’t assume their next action.

Between Richmond Hill and Foxton, the snow is not packed and needs a slower speed. It was maybe 4-10 inches deep with a lot of tire ruts.

At Aspen Park, the right lane is mostly clear. Then switches to left lane before Doubleheader.

Windy Point is in good condition - two semis are stuck on southbound side (one at Settlers Dr with tow connecting and one at the big turn near the memorial to Trooper Renfroe).

For southbound drivers, two stalled semis are in the right shoulder approaching Twin Forks restaurant exit.

Sheriff’s deputy is patiently waiting the next call at the Morrison Park ‘n’ Ride, and the canyon was clear more so in the left lane. Closer to 8, the more the right lane clears.

Southbound is still closed at hwy 8 but I don’t know why because the left lane southbound was clear. They may reopen soon, but it looks like you can get on 285 from 8.

There is an orange semi STOPPED in the right lane before 470.

Andrea J 6:15am
5:20am My honey reports that with all the snow melt yesterday... all the turns headed down 285 from Bailey to Denver are quite icy and slick!
Be careful out there!

*comments agree even @ 6:30am!

Jess I 7:30am
NB 7-7:30 STILL very icy in spots. Be particularly aware of windy point, there was a Subaru in a snowbank, I’m quite sure from slipping on the ice. I slowed down for all and didn’t slip in snow and ice tires; be cautious and stick to the inside lane when possible and you’ll be ok