Weltnachrichten – AU – When there is new snowfall, crews prepare Pikes Peak for the annual New Year’s fireworks show KRDO

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The most recent winter storm fell four inches of snow on Pikes Peak – with drifts near the top several feet deep – but officials said they should open the highway to the summit for the New Year holidays.

As of Tuesday morning, the freeway was only open as far as the halfway campsite, but workers cleared up to a mile above Glen Cove at the end of the day.

« We have a plan, we have people making sure the AdAmAn gets it up there, » said Brad Densmore, facility manager for the Autobahn. « In fact, the road looks pretty good right now. We should have clear days, hopefully by the New Year. « 

Much of the motorway was icy with a light blanket of snow after it was plowed on Tuesday. Larger plows focus on the drifts near the summit.

The local AdAmAn Club usually hikes to the Peak on Barr Trail and departs in December. 30 and arrive on time on New Year’s Eve to set off fireworks on the summit and start at midnight.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to encourage social distancing, only 19 people – 10 members and 9 guests – will take the trek, with some taking the trail and the rest using the highway.

The Barr Trail group departs at 5am. m. and try to cover the route in one day instead of the usual two days. The freeway group drives from the toll booth to Glen Cove and hikes from there to the summit.

Many first-time tourists visiting The Peak said they knew nothing about the holiday fireworks show and were surprised to learn about it.

« And you can see them from Colorado Springs? When it’s clear? » said the Harris family from Australia. « That would be spectacular. We would love to come back and see that. We haven’t done enough research. We spent too much time in Denver. Our daughter Ariel likes to climb the snow-capped rocks. And she likes the winter weather for the holidays because it’s summer weather at home. « 

« We didn’t know about it, but now we do, » said the Martinez family from Texas. « I mean, they told us about it. So will we be here? We will try. That is the goal. But we really like the snow because we never get one in Texas. « 

The conditions at the summit late Tuesday morning included temperatures around zero and winds of up to 32 km / h and a wind chill of -20. The weather was a little milder below the summit.

In my opinion the lights and the summit house and the windows reflecting on the city ruin the beauty of Pikes Peak.

Colorado Springs, New Years Eve, Fireworks, Pikes Peak