Latest news with #RedMountainPass
CBS News
08-08-2025
- CBS News
Father identified as one of 2 who died in Colorado when car plunged 320 feet down mountainside
Colorado authorities are providing more details about this week's tragic crash on Red Mountain Pass where a girl survived a 320 foot fall in a car while two other adults inside were killed. The two adults were in the front seat and both were from New Mexico, according to the Ouray County Coroner's Office. They were 42-year-old Louis Michael and 79-year-old Leoba Valdez. The man was that girl's father. The crash happened south of Ouray on Tuesday morning on a stretch of Highway 550 -- the Million Dollar Highway -- that climbers know as "The Waterfall." The car rolled down the side of the mountain and a complicated rescue operation involving ropes ensued. The cause of that crash is now under investigation. "We extend our sincere condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of Mr. Michael and Ms. Valdez during this incredibly difficult time," Ouray County Coroner's Office wrote in a news release. The crash was the first of three different crashes on Highway 550 in a three-day stretch.
CBS News
05-08-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Juvenile survives after car rolls 320 feet down side of Colorado mountain
A juvenile survived a crash in southwestern Colorado where a car went off the highway and rolled approximately 320 feet down the side of a mountain. The crash happened just after 8 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Colorado State Patrol. Troopers said they responded to the deadly crash on Highway 550 near mile marker 88, located south of Ouray on Red Mountain Pass. According to investigators, the crash involved one vehicle, a silver Honda Civic that traveled off the shoulder of the roadway and rolled approximately 320 feet down the side of the mountain before it came to a stop upside-down in the river. Two adults were deceased on the scene, according to troopers, and one female juvenile passenger was trapped inside the vehicle. Emergency responders said they were able to rescue the juvenile at 11:27 a.m. and she was rushed to the hospital. During the accident investigation and cleanup, the southbound lane of Highway 550 remained closed. There was no timeframe given for the road to reopen. The Colorado State Patrol is asking anyone who witnessed this crash and has not yet spoken to investigators to contact Colorado State Patrol Dispatch at 970-249-4392.
CBS News
23-06-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Red Mountain Pass in southern Colorado remains closed due to wildfire
A portion of Highway 550 in southern Colorado, also known as Red Mountain Pass, remained closed Monday morning due to a wildfire in the area. The highway is closed between Forest Service Road 886 and Amphitheatre Road from mile marker 87 to mile marker 92. That portion of the highway is located about five miles south of Ouray. A wildfire burning near Ouray has closed a portion of Highway 550 in southern Colorado. CDOT The fire broke out on Sunday afternoon near the snowshed area of Highway 550. According to the Ouray County Sheriff's Office, crews continued to work on the fire on Monday. There was no estimate on when the highway would reopen. During the closure, travelers are encouraged to take alternate routes, such as Highway 62 and Highway 145 traveling south or northbound.
