Snowstorm strands hundreds

DENVER (AP) — Colorado transportation officials Saturday reopened a lengthy section of Interstate 70 that was closed overnight, stranding hundreds of travelers, by a storm that dumped more than 3 feet of snow in the region west of Denver.

A winter storm warning remained in effect for parts of the state, the National Weather Service said.

More than 500 people had spent the night at three shelters in Idaho Springs and Georgetown after the closure of the 80-mile stretch of I-70 in the mountains, said Jim Rettew, an American Red Cross spokesman.

The Colorado National Guard delivered two truckloads of cots, blankets and food to the stranded travelers.

Colorado Department of Transportation spokesman Bob Wilson said Saturday morning that the highway was reopened but cautioned drivers to expect heavy traffic and sloppy road conditions throughout the day.

After the highway reopened, the shelters were shut down Saturday.

About 90 people spent the night at an elementary school in Idaho Springs, including people traveling from Alaska, Utah and Washington, D.C., said shelter manager Linda Broom.

The heaviest snowfall was in the foothills west of Denver, with 43 inches at Pinecliffe and 36 at Black Hawk, said weather service meteorologist Scott Entrekin. He said April could sometimes be one of the state’s snowiest months.

Flights were delayed or canceled at Denver International Airport as snow turned to rain Saturday. United Airlines, the airport’s dominant carrier, canceled 76 flights Friday, 14 Saturday and delayed several others, said spokeswoman Robin Urbanski.

Power lines weighed down by snow tripped system circuit breakers and knocked out electricity to more than 18,000 customers in and west of Denver and Boulder.

Along I-70, the Red Cross had to open a second shelter in Idaho Springs late Friday after its first shelter there filled to capacity with more than 300 people.

The stranded travelers didn’t all get cots, but many got snacks, and most were in good spirits, he said.

The National Guard escorted a caravan of volunteers and supplies to the shelters after Clear Creek County declared an emergency and asked for state assistance.

Numerous traffic accidents were reported across Colorado, and State Patrol Trooper Gilbert Mares said he knew of one fatality.