Black Bear Pass closed indefinitely after South Carolina driver ignores warnings

Black Bear Pass closed indefinitely after South Carolina driver ignores warnings

DENVER (KDVR) — A South Carolina man drove a Kia Telluride up Black Bear Road on Wednesday and got stuck, leading to a closure of Black Bear Pass.

The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office said that until a tow can make it into the area, the roadway will remain closed because the car is unstable and it is not safe to be driven around.

Black Bear Road is a well-known roadway that closes each winter due to the weather and is used as an overlanding trail for Jeep and other off-roading enthusiasts. The roadway starts at the summit of Red Mountain Pass on Highway 550 and peaks at Black Bear Pass, which has an elevation of 12,840 feet, according to local tourist agencies.

The vehicle is stuck on one of the switchbacks above Bridal Veil Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls Powerplant, the sheriff’s office said, which is a one-way area on the roadway. The Kia got stuck at about three to four switchbacks past the falls when the driver managed to get his wheels off the side of the road, leaving the car unstable.

The agency said that despite people in the area advising the South Carolina driver not to drive the Kia Telluride up the roadway, he persisted.

At this point, Bridal Veil Road is closed up to the falls, just past the parking lot, which prevents access to the Via Ferrata, a popular climbing route in Telluride. Bridal Veil Trail is set to remain open.