Why Doesn't Anyone Want to Fix One of America's Scariest Roads?
3 hours ago
- The Million Dollar Highway (U.S. 550) in Colorado is extremely dangerous due to steep cliffs, no guardrails, frequent rockfalls, and avalanches, yet remains open year-round.
- Built in the 1880s by entrepreneur Otto Mears to serve mines, the road became a tourist attraction and earned its nickname for reasons including a $1 million improvement project or its dramatic views.
- Major accidents and rescues include a 2023 crash where an 11-year-old girl named Rachelle survived a 320-foot fall after her uncle, driving under the influence of THC, backed off a cliff.
- The Ouray Mountain Rescue Team uses advanced rope systems like the Norwegian reeve to extract victims from the gorge, often in treacherous conditions.
- Avalanches pose a constant threat; the state uses howitzers and snowsheds, but a 1992 avalanche killed a plow driver, and the snowshed was never extended due to budget constraints.
- Local residents emphasize self-reliance and accept the road's risks, with minimal calls for guardrails, while Swiss experts argue for engineering improvements like tunnels or galleries.
- The article contrasts the community's fatalism with the survival of Rachelle, who recovered and now does cheerleading, highlighting personal resilience and family support.