Wolf Creek Pass is a high mountain pass on the Continental Divide, in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.It is the route through which U.S. Highway 160 passes from the San Luis Valley into southwest Colorado on its way to New Mexico and Arizona.The pass is notable as inspiration of a C. W. McCall song. Lewis said authorities began their search around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, and Hardaway was found about 20 minutes later injured and dehydrated, but still alive. Flat Earth Trucker, NavigatorWife, lovesthedrive and 4 others Thank this. Deep within the San Juan Mountains, Wolf Creek Pass is a steep and beautiful mountain pass in Southwest Colorado. Maneuver the trucks into the far right lane before approaching upgrade ramps. and can be traversed via US 160 between the towns of South Fork and Pagosa Springs. According to the Colorado State Patrol, a Ford F350 was driving westbound on Colorado 160. "By some miracle, Will is at home and able to walk a little," Cass York stated. She was seen in her car, a blue 2012 Ford Focus with a Texas license plate. That boulder caused the Ford to spin again, forcing it back onto the road, rolling and completely rotating before hitting a semi-trailer on the driver's side. Mr. Podzic was ejected during this sequence.. Susman was killed in the crash. The daughters said a vigil was planned for Tuesday, which would have been her 50th birthday. Hardaway's truck went across the lanes of traffic, off the shoulder and hit a tree, before rolling down the mountainside. Her remains were found last week at the site of a car crash off Wolf Creek Pass. Travelers should be aware that additional highway closures may occur across the region due to hazardous conditions. Durango resident Rachel Smith . 113 views. The pass falls right along the Great Continental Divide. archived form does not constitute a republication of the story. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts Investigators say Velaquez died on the scene as a result of the injuries he experienced during the crash. *A dangerous hairpin curve is located six and a half miles from the summit of Wolf Creek Pass. (see runaway ramps details below). It is the route through which U.S. Highway 160 passes from the San Luis Valley into southwest Colorado on its way to New Mexico and Arizona. *A ski area, forest roads and a public scenic lookout are all points of access along US 160 Wolf Creek Pass in which truckers may encounter other vehicles attempting to enter or exit the roadway. According to the CSP report, the vehicle, a 2015 GMC Terrain SLT, was traveling westbound on U.S. 160 when it traveled off the right side of the road into a dirt pullout, through the pullout and off a very steep embankment.. The car started filling up with water, Hardaway said. This location is a truckers last chance to make a decision to use the ramp. A GoFundMe account was created to help with Mizells funeral costs, which can be viewed at https://bit.ly/3pTVnaS. The EAST side should open to the ski area after 9am. These emergency escape ramps are located on the right side of the road and preceded by warning signs at each location. Home; Alerts; Cameras; Closure History; Other Passes; About Us; Support; Cameras (6) 2.6 mi W of Wolf Creek Ski Area (MM165.15 - East) 2.6 mi W of Wolf Creek Ski Area (MM165.15 - West) 2.6 mi W of Wolf Creek Ski Area (MM165.15 - Surface) 0.5 mi E of Wolf Creek Ski Area RWS (MM168.20 - East) Remarkably, Hardaway spent just two days in the hospital. According to previous reports, Mizells phone last pinged around 1 p.m. Jan 2 off a tower about 30 miles north of Dulce, New Mexico, which would be about 20 miles south from where her remains and vehicle were found on Wolf Creek Pass. As the truck approaches the runaway ramp, steer straight and try to keep the wheels aligned. He is now back in Durango, where he has lived since 2016. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. A Durango man says his truck went more than 700 feet off Wolf Creek Pass, ending up in a creek. A password reset email has been sent containing a link to reset your password. Speed and brake failure possible factors in Wolf Creek Pass crash that killed truck driver By Ashley - September 27, 2021 A truck driver lost his life last week on a notorious stretch of winding mountain roadway in Colorado. From 2015 to 2019: 47 semi-truck drivers have crashed on the west side of Wolf Creek Pass (U.S. Highway 160) 3 truck drivers have been killed in crashes on the Pass Most crashes occur at the switchback curve near the Wolf Creek scenic outlook area Download the U.S. 160 Flier Descarga el folleto de U.S. 160 en espaol Wolf Creek Pass Map source: Bing. CSP Trooper Josh Lewis said someone noticed the skid marks going off the pass on Wednesday morning and authorities started searching. HWY 160 at Yellowjacket Pass webcam - Courtesy of CDOT, this webcam is located 35 miles west of Pagosa Springs at the summit of Yellow Jacket pass, and provides still images of eastbound traffic. At an elevation 10,857 feet, the pass sits directly on the Continental Divide of the Americas. Spurs snap 16-game losing streak by topping uninspired Jazz, Man arrested in connection with fatal shooting now accused of child rape, Supreme Court seems ready to reject student loan forgiveness, Protesters disrupt Senate hearing on ERA. Check COTrip.org for opening information. Recovery of the vehicle is in progress - being stopped short by winter weather. only for your personal, non-commercial use. NewsWatch 12 is working to find out more information and . Wolf Creek's Annual Pre-Season Pass Sale was Saturday, October 1st thru Sunday, October 9th, 2022. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. No drugs/alcohol are suspected, CSP said. This was a truly horrific scene in Southwestern Colorado in late September of 2021. This will cause overheating and possible loss of the brake system. Both are incline ramps. According to ODOT the I-5 closure 8 miles north of Grants Pass has been lifted. Ballantine Communications, Inc. Are there public access areas on the pass route? Driver of Vehicle #1 Ernesto Velaquez died on scene as a result of the injuries he sustained from the crash. Hardaway said he was helping a friend move June 23 from Littleton to Vernon, Arizona. web browser that The section of highway where Mizells car went off the road is notorious for car and semitrailer crashes. Please explain. Personnel from multiple area agencies work to rescue passengers of a vehicle that traveled off a steep embankment on Wolf Creek Pass, injuring four and killing one. The driver of Vehicle #1 lost control of the vehicle and began to rotate counterclockwise. The bottom terminals of Nova and Bonanza lifts can be seen in the background. *Truck drivers should inspect their brakes at the summit, before descending the eight mile trip down the pass. The man was riding westbound on state Route 35 about 15 miles east of Francis when he drifted into oncoming traffic at about 2:15 p.m., according to the Utah Highway Patrol. Wolf Creek Ski Area will also have delayed lifts openings throughout the day. Both are incline ramps. 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Traveling US 160 Wolf Creek Pass: Beware the Wolf, https://www.codot.gov/travel/commercialvehicles/wolfcreekpass, https://www.codot.gov/@@site-logo/siteLogo.png, 47 semi-truck drivers have crashed on the west side of Wolf Creek Pass (U.S. Highway 160), 3 truck drivers have been killed in crashes on the Pass, Most crashes occur at the switchback curve near the Wolf Creek scenic outlook area. The driver and passenger of the semi-trailer, Arturo Romeo, 55, and Desiree Van Hartesrett, 53, of Commerce City, were not injured. They all worked together to complete our mission. Troopers say that 54 year old truck driver Rifat Podzic was driving a 2010 Peterbilt with a trailer on Colorado Highway 160 near mile marker 160 in Mineral County when the crash occurred. All Rights Reserved. Wolf Creek Pass. He was driving a 1993 Dodge Ram pickup truck that was hauling a side-by-side utility-terrain vehicle, a Jeep and tool boxes on a gooseneck trailer. Pagosa Springs Community Development Corporation, San Juan Water Conservancy District & Dry Gulch. Troopers say that 54 year old truck driver Rifat Podzic was driving a 2010 Peterbilt with a trailer on Colorado Highway 160 near mile marker 160 in Mineral County when the crash occurred. Without the mutual aid assistance from all involved this incident would have been even more difficult. Three of those crashes resulted in needless fatalities." CDOT and the Colorado State Patrol are teaming up to conduct safety checks of commercial motor vehicles (CMV) at the summit of Wolf Creek Pass. York says Hardaway's medical insurance had lapsed "due to hardship caused by the pandemic" and he won't be able to work for several months. On January 23, 1993, a lift accident occurred on the Treasure chair. Drivers heading down the pass face a steep slope and then a hairpin turn. What is the distance from the summit to the west base? *Two runaway escape ramps are available forout-of-control trucks at mile points (MP) 162.5 and 161. Lisa Schwantes, spokeswoman for CDOT, did not immediately have data on the number of crashes and fatalities on Wolf Creek Pass. CBI announced last week that a Ford Focus was found Feb. 23 hundreds of feet off Wolf Creek Pass on U.S. Highway 160 near mile marker 162, in the area of the hairpin turn on the west side of. Jake Brakes (or compression brakes) can be a useful braking mechanism to help control the speed of a heavy truck. In The Pines -Private Location -10 Minutes to Downtown (0.10 mi) DOWNTOWN Gorgeous Home. "I. MINERAL COUNTY One man is injured after a single-vehicle, semi-truck crash on Colorado 160 near mile marker 168 in Mineral County on Sunday. They found Hardaway about 20 minutes later. The section of the highway Hardaway went off is notorious for crashes, so much so that the Colorado Department of Transportation launched a Beware the Wolf campaign to alert drivers of the dangers. Monday through Friday. Mineral County-The Colorado State Patrol investigated a two vehicle crash on Highway 160 at Mile Post 179.3.The crash occurred in Mineral County at the bottom of Wolf Creek pass. . An autopsy was conducted Monday. Hotels near Wolf Creek Pass Overlook: (0.00 mi) Best Deal in Pagosa! Thats when we started looking for other vehicles, he said. With stretches as wide as four lanes, US 160/Wolf Creek Pass can deceive drivers into thinking there is ample room to navigate it. Where are brake stations, chain-up stations and runaway ramps located? This dash cam video of a devastating fatal crash on a steep grade in Colorado serves as a sobering reminder of the danger truckers face when driving in the mountains. Three of those crashes resulted in needless fatalities." During the month of October, CDOT and the Colorado State Patrol are teaming up to conduct safety checks of commercial motor vehicles (CMV) at the summit of Wolf Creek Pass. WOLF CREEK A wreck that occurred on Tuesday, Sept. 21 on Wolf Creek Pass has left many questions authorities are trying to answer. *The posted speed limit for traffic traveling westbound, downhill from the summit varies from 25 to 45 MPH. During the 1978-1979 snow year, Wolf Creek Ski Area saw 807 inches of snow, which happens to be the record for the most snowfall ever fallen in one season in Colorado. This is about an injury or accident Something else? Maintain a low speed, in low gear. Lake Front Rental - Rent 1 or 2 Bedrooms (0.00 mi) 15 Minutes to Wolf Creek! High Peaks Media shared dash cam video captured by a truck driver showing the crash as well as the aftermath. The man was riding westbound on state Route 35 about. Vehicle #1 traveled back across the westbound lane out of control before traveling off the north side of the roadway. Wolf Creek Pass to Pagosa; Penitente Canyon; Wheeler Geological Area; The Great Sand Dunes; Do More. Hardaway was able to climb out of the truck, and he tried several times to make his way up to the road, but with his injuries, was unable to climb the mountainside. Other southwest/south-central Colorado passes include: US 550 Red Mountain, Molas and Coal Bank Passes; Colorado Highway (CO) 145 Lizard Head Pass; CO 17 La Manga-Cumbres Pass; and US 50 Monarch Pass. Nov 7, 2020 Driver Survives After Truck Plunges Off Wolf Creek Pass, Rolls 700 Feet Down Mountainside The driver was seriously hurt -- and wasn't rescued until the next morning, after someone. Images refresh every couple of minutes. RUNAWAY RAMPS:Two runaway ramps are located on the west side of Wolf Creek Pass for trucks traveling downhill and westbound. 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