Steve Gardosik and Courtenay Shipley, vacationing in Crested Butte from Nashville, push a foot of snow from their car. (AP Photo/Nathan Bilow)
Forecasters say a storm that's been dumping snow in the Colorado mountains for days could last through Thursday.
The National Weather Service says the top of the Grand Mesa and areas around Crested Butte above 9,000 feet could have 6 to 8 feet of snow by Thursday afternoon.
The weather service news release says to expect snow of "epic proportions." Silverton Mountain was reporting about 5 feet of snow from this storm. Crested Butte reported receiving 53 inches from the storm by 2 p.m. Tuesday.
Interstate 70 and surface streets along that corridor are snow-packed and icy Tuesday, but passable, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Loveland, Berthoud and Cameron passes were closed Tuesday morning for avalanche control, but appeared open Tuesday afternoon. Conditions were not ideal for drivers, with many of Colorado's passes described as "icy and snow-packed or slushy."
Here's the CDOT site, with road conditions, travel advisories and traffic cameras.
Check out the powder Monday afternoon at Loveland Ski Area! Doug Freshh photo courtesy of Loveland
Wondering what the famed "Pineapple Express" weather pattern that is supposed to be bringing Colorado all this snow is about? Check out these links posted a few days ago.
If you're looking for powder, there doesn't seem to be a poor choice among Colorado's ski areas Christmas week.
Here's a link to most of the ski resorts' webcams, so you can see conditions for yourself. Epic, indeed.
Colorado's ski areas Tuesday morning were all reporting additional snowfall overnight, including 6 inches at Breckenridge, 6 inches at Copper Mountain, 4 inches at Keystone and 3 inches at Telluride.
A winter storm warning lasts through midnight Tuesday.
Drivers made their way slowly along snow-packed I-70 Monday night and Tuesday morning, trying to avoid wrecks that had occurred and waiting for snowplows and sand trucks to work.
Avalanches closed Loveland Pass, Monarch Pass and Colorado 65 over Grand Mesa on Monday evening, where snow totals were expected to be heaviest. No injuries were reported.
Avalanche danger is rated as "considerable" in a wide swatch from Steamboat Springs to Pagosa Springs, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
A bit of fun Tuesday at Aspen Highlands. Photo courtesy of Aspen/Snowmass
Check road conditions before you head out to the high country.
Wolf Creek Pass and Monarch Pass were closed awhile Monday morning for avalanche control work. You'll want to plan accordingly. Some roads could be closed for days. Most, however, are apt to be slow-going at times as a result of icy or slushy conditions.
If you're looking for lift ticket deals, nearly every ski area has ticket-lodging packages.
Also, Arapahoe Basin just released a pass that gives you 3 days on the slopes for the price of 2.
And Steamboat Springs and Winter Park announced a 4-day ticket for $199 and Copper Mountain announced a $99 pass that allows you to ski or ride on any day when it has snowed at least 4 inches.
A small snow blower and a shovel are used to remove snow Monday morning from a sidewalk along Elk Avenue in Crested Butte. (AP Photo/Nathan Bilow)
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
