If you drive U.S. Highway 6 over Loveland Pass, you know the Seven Sisters. They’re those massive, steep slide paths staring you down on the east side. They hold snow, they rip big, and they dump right onto the tarmac. It's legendary terrain, but it's also a serious hazard for anyone driving—or skiing—below.
For the last decade, CDOT has relied on a remote-controlled system to trigger these slides safely. The idea was solid: bomb the slope from a distance, clear the road, keep the traffic moving. But the execution? Garbage.
The Transportation Commission of Colorado has just authorized a $2 million emergency fund to rip out and replace the systems after reports that the current setup is prone to "catastrophic failure." And no, that’s not my dramatic flair—that’s the official assessment.
When Robots Quit, The Consequences Are Real
Apparently, when these units fail, they don't just power down. They essentially self-implode. This unreliability has already led to three major failures on the east side. Last February, one of these glitches coincided with a slide that actually caught a vehicle. Fortunately, nobody was injured, but playing Russian Roulette with a loaded snowpack is not a sustainable strategy for a major mountain artery.
When the tech fails, the burden falls on the ground crew. Maintenance teams are forced to hike up and manually clear the paths using compressed-gas cannons. That’s old-school, gnarly work. While I respect the hustle, sending a crew into the teeth of a storm because the automated system decided to quit is inefficient and unnecessarily dangerous.
Why This Matters
Loveland Pass isn't just a commute; it's a trailhead for some of the best roadside backcountry access in the state. If the road is closed because the mitigation robots committed suicide, we aren't skiing. Reliable mitigation keeps the pass open and keeps the access flowing.
CDOT hasn't picked the replacement tech yet, but let's hope they go with something that can actually handle the brutal wind and cold at 11,990 feet without falling apart.
Gear Check
While we wait for the state to upgrade their toys, make sure yours are dialed. If you are stepping out of your car on the pass to ski, the road mitigation does not make the backcountry safe. You need the holy trinity of safety gear, and you need to know how to use it.
- Beacon: BCA Tracker 4
- Shovel: Black Diamond Evac Shovel
- Probe: Mammut Carbon Probe
Stay sharp out there.
Source: Unofficial Networks
