Winter Access for Colorado Mountain Homes: Plowing and Driveways

Does the county plow roads to mountain homes?

• Jefferson County. Plows by 4 priorities. Mountain areas get no plowing 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Residents clear the berm at their own driveway.
• Private roads. Jefferson County does not plow private roads or roads the commissioners have not accepted.
• Clear Creek, Gilpin, Larimer, Teller. No plowing of private driveways or roads except in life-threatening emergencies.
• Park County. Full plowing starts at 4 inches of snow. The county plows a road only after accepting it.
• Gilpin County snow ordinance. Ordinance 25-01 sets a minimum $250 fine for pushing snow into county roads.

Ask the seller who plows the road and the driveway, what it costs, and whether a written road agreement exists.

What should I know about a private road?

• Who plows. Owners on a private road pay for plowing and repair themselves. The county does not plow it.
• Road agreement. Ask for the road maintenance agreement or HOA document that splits cost among owners.
• County status. Ask the county road department whether the road is county-accepted. Acceptance decides plowing in Jefferson and Park counties.
• Title review. Have the title company confirm recorded access to the lot.

How steep can a mountain driveway be?

• Jefferson County. 10% maximum on straight sections; 15% for up to 100 feet in the mountains only with NFPA 13D sprinklers (manual amended June 10, 2025).
• Jefferson turnarounds. A hammerhead turnaround on driveways over 150 feet; pullouts every 200 feet on driveways over 500 feet.
• Clear Creek County. 12% maximum on straight sections; 8% for the first 25 feet.
• Park County. 12% after the first 50 feet; 8% on switchbacks.

These rules govern new driveways and permits. An older driveway can be steeper. Drive it in snow before you buy.

What does the Colorado Traction Law require?

• When and where. Sept. 1 through May 31 on I-70 from Dotsero to Morrison.
• Tires. 3/16-inch tread on M+S, winter or all-weather tires.
• Or devices. Chains or an approved traction device.
• Drivetrain. The rule applies regardless of drivetrain, including 4WD and AWD (CDOT, Nov. 20, 2025).

The Eisenhower-Johnson Tunnel sits at an average 11,112 feet and gets 315 inches of snow November through April (CDOT). The I-70 Floyd Hill project, $905 million, finishes in 2029.

How much snow falls in Colorado mountain towns near Denver?

• Evergreen: 80.8 inches. 7,056 feet; 42 minutes to downtown Denver without traffic.
• Estes Park: 104.0 inches. 7,529 feet; 102 minutes without traffic.
• Dillon: 115.5 inches. 9,127 feet; 88 minutes without traffic.
• Fraser: 143.2 inches; Breckenridge: 184.6 inches. Fraser 8,580 feet, 105 minutes; Breckenridge 9,735 feet, 106 minutes.
• Winter Park: 214.0 inches. 8,801 feet; 100 minutes without traffic.

Snowfall: NOAA 1991-2020 annual normals. Elevations: USGS. Drive times: OSRM, without traffic.

How much snow does a mountain roof need to carry?

• Jefferson County ground/roof loads. Below 6,500 feet: 43/30 psf. 7,000 feet: 54/38. 8,000 feet: 82/57. 9,000 feet: 114/79. 10,000 feet: 152/106.
• Engineer threshold. Above 70 psf ground load, Jefferson County requires a registered design professional.
• Other counties. Clear Creek allows no snow load reductions and sets frost depth at 42 inches. Larimer ground snow loads run 55-160 psf by elevation.
• Snow weight. Dry snow weighs about 3 psf per foot of depth; wet snow about 21 psf per foot (US DOE).

What should I check on winter access before I buy?

• Plowing. Who plows the road and the driveway, the cost and the contract.
• Grade and turnaround. Driveway slope, north-facing sections that hold ice, and room to turn a vehicle.
• Heat when away. Keep the house at 55°F or higher when you leave in winter (Red Cross).
• CO alarms. C.R.S. 38-45-102: a seller of a single-family home with a fuel-fired appliance, fireplace or attached garage must have a working CO alarm within 15 feet of each sleeping room.
• Drive it. Drive the route in a storm and at commute hour before closing.