Approximately 200 cyclists taking part in this year's Ride the Rockies tour encountered blizzard-like conditions this Sunday climbing over Berthoud Pass and had to be bussed back down to safety.
Grand County EMS officials
told The Denver Post that some Ride the Rockies riders experienced hypothermia-like symptoms and a few injuries from falls as the roads became icy, but no serious injuries were sustained.
Urgent: Do You Approve Or Disapprove of President Obama's Job Performance? Vote Now in Urgent Poll
"Basically, we're just trying to get some cold people down to a warm building," Deputy Chief Nowell Curran told the Post.
The temperature at the pass dropped to a near-freezing 34 degrees by 5 p.m., accompanied by 15 mph winds and snow.
The storm that blew in from the northwest in the early afternoon also produced a rare mountain tornado in another county as well as hail and lightning in east Denver and the adjacent suburbs.
Roughly 2,000 riders were expected to bike nearly 90 miles on Day 1, beginning a six-day ride over a total 470 miles.
"As we all know, Colorado weather is unpredictable," Ride the Rockies organizers
said in a statement obtained by KDVR Fox Denver.
"To all of our participants and sponsors, we recognize your dedication to Ride The Rockies as we look forward to the remainder of the tour as planned," the statement continued. "We anticipate a great week of riding with you all, and ask for your continued patience as we focus on ensuring the safety of RTR participants."
Grand County Emergency Medical, Clear Creek Emergency Medical, Fraser Winter Park Police, and the Grand County Sheriff’s Office all helped motor the cyclists down from the pass, with some posting their progress to social media.
Urgent: Assess Your Heart Attack Risk in Minutes. Click Here.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.