Snowmageddon, Snowpocalypse, a Snowtastrophe; whatever you want to call it, the March 2024 snow storm was definitely one of record. Over 53 inches of snow fell over less than 48 hours, causing roads and businesses to close, vehicles to be abandoned, and local communities to commiserate, as well as celebrate and share memories of past snow storms.

On the morning of Thursday, March 14, 2024, residents of the Peak to Peak awoke to roughly 40 inches of snow having buried their driveways and cars…and the snow would continue to fall all day long.

The streets of Nederland, usually packed with adventure seekers from down-the-hill on their way to Eldora, were empty on Thursday morning. Some tourists wandered out from the lodge, laughing as they attempted to trudge down East 1st Street through nearly waist-deep snow. Others revved their diesel trucks to try and bully their way through the snow that laid atop a layer of thick ice, only for their tires to spin out endlessly.

Locals, on the other hand, seized the opportunity to snowshoe or ski through Town, enjoying the quiet that came with the Snowpocalypse. However, occasionally one could hear the faint sounds of cheering through the silent snowfall and peaceful atmosphere. The source of the noise came from a group of friends enjoying tearing through the snowy streets on a snowmobile.

Not many Nederland businesses opened on Thursday or Friday, though those who could do so safely did. The Smoker Friendly gas station was open for locals’ convenience, and Covered Wagon and Sweet Sue’s were open early on Thursday, serving breakfast. Those business owners who lived out of town noted that they were snowed in and couldn’t leave their driveways.

Throughout the day, Nederland’s Town Works staff worked hard to shovel and plow out town parking lots, sidewalks, and streets. Streets Supervisor Joshua Davis kept the community updated throughout Thursday and Friday on social media, and noted that Thursday was a 14-hour day for him and his crew.

The Town’s Freightliner got stuck on Alpine Drive early Thursday morning due to a parked truck that was obstructing traffic on the road.

“We are inching our way around the Big Springs neighborhood. Everyone please stay home and we will get to you when we can. We will be out till dark tonight and back out at 4 AM tomorrow,” Davis reported Thursday night.

Despite warnings to stay safe and stay home, some people viewed 40 inches of snow as an invitation to go skiing or snowboarding, though they only proved to get in the way of crews working to plow Town roads.

Eldora’s Shelf Road was quickly shut down due to hazardous conditions which involved potential avalanches.

“Safety remains the top priority for our guests and staff, and we regret to announce will not be able to open on Friday morning. And while our crews are working as hard as possible to potentially open the mountain sometime tomorrow afternoon, it is not likely,” Eldora Mountain Ski Resort posted to social media on Thursday evening.

Highway 119 from Nederland to Black Hawk was reported closed by the Colorado State Patrol on Thursday afternoon, with residents reporting that nearly a dozen vehicles were stuck on the side of the highway between Nederland and Rollinsville. Boulder Canyon Drive was closed Thursday afternoon as well.

Very Nice Brewing Company opened their doors at 3 p.m. and became surprisingly packed with rosy-cheeked locals, as well as tourists who just finished digging themselves out of the parking lot of the Boulder Creek Lodge. Very Nice and Dam Liquor stayed open past 6 p.m. to offer what some consider essential for being snowed in: alcohol.

Nederland residents were sure to remind the community on social media about how to be prepared for the Snowpocalypse, warning newcomers to stay home and be prepared with plenty of food, firewood, and gas for a generator, in case the power goes out for days.

One thread on the Facebook community page Nedheads featured long-time Nederland residents remembering the Snowpocalypse of 2003, when the Peak to Peak saw up to seven feet of snow or more. Those who were here recalled it being a stressful time, with many losing power for days, some remembering being snowed-in by an avalanche at the Eldora ski area, and others, who were pregnant at the time, worrying about getting to the store for bare necessities.

But mostly, Nederland residents remembered the big BBQ in front of B&F, jumping or snowboarding off of their roofs, letting the snow cushion their falls, and the camaraderie of everyone being stuck together. Many recalled enjoying the peace and quiet that the Snowpocalypse brought them, from the town being less full of tourists, to the comfort of lying in bed wrapped in blankets and reading a book in the middle of the afternoon.

On the morning of Friday, March 15, things did not go immediately back to “normal” in Nederland. Businesses reported that they would remain closed, though a few more managed to open, joining those businesses who stayed open on Thursday.

With spring break and Estes Park’s Frozen Dead Guy Days happening on the same weekend, the Town did not get the respite from tourists that they hoped the storm would bring. Spring breakers took to the streets on Friday, searching for open stores and restaurants, and posing for pictures standing in snow that came up to their chests.

Vehicles were found to be “abandoned” on East 1st Street, having gotten stuck in the thick snow. The Town’s freightliner, however, was successfully unstuck from the snow on Alpine Drive, and Davis asked for patience from the community as he and crews tackled areas they couldn’t get to on Thursday, including Caribou Ridge, Sunnyside, and Navajo Trail.

And though the community was mostly patient, there were those with medical issues, surgery appointments, and travel arrangements who were beginning to get concerned. Despite the Town’s own crews pulling 14-hour work days. Those offering plow services independently did as much as they could. Trying to mitigate the 53 inches of snowfall in order to accommodate all residents was proving to be difficult.

Some residents jumped to Facebook to ask why the Town of Nederland did not have adequate response and support in the event of massive snowfall as part of their emergency plan. Members of the community asked why the Town did not declare a state of emergency in order to receive aid, as both Gilpin and Clear Creek Counties did, and also inquired as to why the Nederland Community Center was not open to serve those who were stuck in Nederland without lodging.

All of Nederland’s municipal facilities, including the Community Center and Town Hall, were closed Thursday and Friday for the storm. Though the Town Hall did post a warning to residents not to block Town right-of-way so that the Streets department could efficiently plow the roads, there was no information made available regarding emergency preparedness, including emergency shelters.

Mayor Billy Giblin and the Nederland Town Hall’s Facebook account both posted messages on social media Friday afternoon. Neither post addressed emergency needs but instead urged the public to be patient concerning the work being done by the Town’s plow teams.

Many residents posted throughout Friday afternoon that their streets had yet to be plowed and that their homes were not listed on the Town’s prioritized snow removal plan. Those who lived on roads just outside of Nederland’s jurisdiction reported that they were still waiting on Boulder County to dig them out.

Meanwhile, in the center of Town, restaurants opened and began receiving their deliveries. However, it was proven that Nederland’s streets still were not in optimal condition to handle the delivery trucks. One Sysco truck became stuck on the intersection of Snyder Street and East 2nd Street, entirely blocking traffic on East 2nd Street for more than two hours. Another delivery truck met the same fate on Saturday morning.

By 1:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon Eldora Mountain Ski Resort was open again, ushering in endless traffic across Nederland that persisted through the rest of Friday night. The sight of that long line of cars coming from Boulder was what most Nederland residents woke up to on Saturday morning, which acted as a sure sign that the Snowpocalypse was indeed over, and unfortunately was not as devastating as some may have hoped.

For information on Nederland’s emergency management and material regarding preparing for extreme winter weather and other conditions please visit: https://townofnederland.colorado.gov/Emergency-Management.

For more information on Nederland’s Streets department and their snow removal plan, and to download a copy of the Town’s snow plowing map, go to: https://townofnederland.colorado.gov/public-works/streets.