~ City officials have provided an update on the recent washout in North Cheyenne Cañon Park, stating that the road closures for North Cheyenne Canyon Road and Gold Camp Road will continue indefinitely. The incident occurred on Thursday morning, June 4, when heavy rain and other unknown factors caused an entire lane of the roadway to wash out about 1.5 miles up from the Starsmore Visitor and Nature Center.

In order to ensure the safety of both visitors and park crews, both gates into the park will remain closed while damage assessment and mitigation efforts are ongoing. While Gold Camp Road remains closed to the public, residents who live in the area are still able to access it. This closure is necessary to allow residents safe passage to their homes and also serves as a precautionary measure to prevent congestion on the narrow and steep road, which is now the only way in and out of North Cheyenne Cañon.

Unfortunately, more rain is forecasted for Thursday and Friday, which has delayed full damage assessment by the City's Public Works Department. They must wait for the rain to subside before creating a plan for repairing the road. Additionally, City engineers must certify that the road is safe before it can be reopened. In an effort to prevent further damage, city crews have placed large boulders in the newly created washout channel.

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Gayle Sturdivant, City Engineer and Deputy Director of Public Works, emphasized that their main priority is ensuring everyone's safety. This includes both park visitors and residents who live in or near North Cheyenne Cañon.

In light of this closure, officials are recommending that people utilize other recreational spaces and trails throughout Colorado Springs and its surrounding regions. Some suggested alternatives include Ute Valley Park, Pulpit Rock, High Chaparral Open Space, Sondermann Park, Stratton Open Space, Red Rock Canyon Open Space. However, with the recent rain and muddy trails, it is important for users to practice "Leave No Trace" principles. More information on these principles can be found on the city's website.

Lastly, officials from the Pikes Peak APEX bike race are working closely with City officials to determine if the event can still take place in North Cheyenne Cañon on Sunday. This decision will depend on road safety and weather conditions. More details will be provided at the APEX rider meeting tonight at 6 p.m. at Scheels or through their website. For those unable to attend, updates will also be available on the APEX Instagram channel.

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