
Denver man survives avalanche on Loveland Pass, credits seatbelt and strangers who stopped to help
The snow has caused slick and dangerous conditions in Colorado's high country expected to continue throughout Presidents' Day weekend. That included extreme weather Friday night when an avalanche on Loveland Pass swept a pickup truck off the road. The driver now credits his seatbelt and the help of strangers for his survival, as Loveland Pass was closed through Saturday.
On Friday night, Vu Nguyen was one of many skiers heading back to Denver, stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic. His brother-in-law was supposed to join him but had to go to work last minute, so Nguyen borrowed the truck and went on his own.
"We were just inching along, one following after another," Nguyen said. "But out of the corner of my eyes, I thought I saw white stuff coming and I thought it was just wind blowing the snow, and next thing I know, the truck was being pushed and slid."
An avalanche was heading straight toward him, eventually knocking the truck off the road, and flipping it multiple times. Nguyen says he passed out, but his seatbelt and the car's airbags kept him alive. When he came to, Nguyen says he realized a window had broken on the truck and he was buried deep underneath the snow.
"I took a few gulps of snow so I could breathe and start moving and kicking. I realized that the snow was coming down again," Nguyen said. "I'm upside down."
Nguyen was able to unbuckle and eventually dig himself out of the broken window and up to the surface where other drivers had stopped.
"A few people were kind enough to come down and throw me a rope, and they pulled me out of all the cold," Nguyen said. "I don't know their names, but I will never forget the help."
That help included strangers taking Nguyen in for the night since he couldn't get home and helping him get in touch with his family. "Once he said he was okay, I'm like, 'that's all I need to hear. You don't worry about the truck,'" his brother-in-law Chris Mai said.
Saturday night, the Colorado Department of Transportation said Loveland Pass was closed as crews worked when they could to clear the road. The western side of the pass has since reopened but the eastern side is still closed above and around Loveland Ski Area.
"It's a very rare occurrence to have something happen when vehicles are on the road. However, last night, our teams were actively getting people off the mountain, and that's when it occurred," Amber Shipley, CDOT Region Two communications manager, said.
In parts of the mountains this weekend, the avalanche risk remains high. Meanwhile, the roads are expected to stay slow-moving and slick as they were Saturday.
"A treacherous day for travel along the I-70 mountain corridor," Shipley said. "Allow extra time to ensure that their cars are properly prepared. Do they have enough windshield wiper fluid? Do they have the proper tread depth, and do they have a winter storm kit in their car?"
With barely a scratch on him, Nguyen says he's ready to drive back out to ski as soon as their truck gets pulled out.
"It's picturesque and, well, it's one in a million," Nguyen said. "We'll probably go buy a lottery ticket and be fine."

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
CDOT hosting telephone town halls
SOUTHWEST and SOUTH-CENTRAL COLORADO (KREX) – The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is giving Coloradans the chance to help set the priorities for transportation resources. CDOT will be hosting telephone town halls across Colorado and citizens can call in to specific regions related to transportation districts of the members of the Colorado Commission. The telephone town halls allow state residents to call in or join online to share their input on transportation resources. The first town hall meeting took place last Thursday, June 5, and the second will take place this coming Monday, June 9, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The counties that were able to call in on Thursday were Alamosa, Archuleta, Conejos, Costilla, Dolores, Hinsdale, La Plata, Mineral, Montezuma, Rio Grande, Saguache, San Miguel and San Juan. Those who have the chance to give their input on Monday are Chaffee, Delta, Eagle, Garfield, Gunnison, Lake, Mesa, Montrose, Ouray, Pitkin and Summit County. To sign up, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
US 50 bridges construction hours change Sunday
MONTROSE AND GUNNISON COUNTIES, Colo. (KREX) — On Wednesday, the Colorado Department of Transportation and Kiewit Infrastructure Co. announced that they are altering the work hours for crews applying the final coat of paint to repaired steel on the US Highway 50 Middle Bridge and Lake Fork Bridge. On Sunday, June 8, construction crews will work from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. Sunday through Friday. Flaggers will direct single-lane traffic over each bridge. This is the final phase of the emergency repair project, scheduled for completion by the end of July. The emergency repair project began in April 2024, when several steel weld cracks were detected in the US 50 Middle Bridge and similar defects were found in the US 50 Lake Fork Bridge. Both bridges had partial closures after the cracks were detected for public safety. 'Because the paint adheres better in warmer temperatures, we're moving up our work hours slightly to take advantage of more daylight as we enter the homestretch of this repair project,' said CDOT Regional Transportation Director Jason Smith. 'We appreciate the community's continued support as we close out this critical safety project.' The travel impacts of the scheduled maintenance include: Nighttime work hours from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. Sunday through Friday. Travel over each bridge is reduced to a single lane. The speed limit is reduced to 35 mph in the work zones. . Overnight painting work will not take place over the Fourth of July weekend. For more information on the project, individuals can contact the project team by emailing us50bridge@ or visiting the project webpage at Individuals can learn more about the statewide road conditions at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Yahoo
Section of Loveland's Recreation Trail Loop under construction to reopen June 1
DENVER (KDVR) — The City of Loveland is set to re-open a .7-mile section of the Recreation Trail system from Wilson Avenue to Namaqua Avenue, along the Big Barnes Ditch, on June 1. The reopening comes after construction was done to pave over the previously soft-surfaced trail. Rails were also added to the trail to improve its 'long-term safety and sustainability,' the city of Loveland said, in a news release. Orangutan escapes exhibit after a 'malfunction' at Denver Zoo 'Loveland's Loop Recreation Trail is now paved through all sections making it a great alternative for multimodal transportation options,' the city said. The trail construction began in fall 2024. The project was managed by the Parks and Recreation Department and had $1.3 million in funding from a federal Transportation Alternatives Program grant administered through the Colorado Department of Transportation and Loveland's share of Colorado Lottery dollars, the city said. Loveland's Recreation Trail System was fully completed in 2021 and includes 31 miles of paved trails the city says encircles the city and connects to other regional trails, including the Colorado Front Range Trail and the Long View Trail. The city also has more than 20 miles of soft-surface trails in and around Loveland, including, among others: Boedecker Bluff Natural Area Boise Bend Natural Area Cottonwood Run Natural Area Meadowbrook Natural Area River's Edge Natural Area Wild Natural Area The city notes that bicycling is not permitted at several of its soft-surface trails, including the Mariana Butte Trail, Morey Wildlife Reserve and Sunset Vista Natural Area. More information about the Loveland Recreation Trail system can be found on the city's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.