Crews head off avalanche threats

Crews triggered avalanches before they could pose a threat to traffic on a mountain highway, a day after a huge snow slide knocked two cars off the road in a high pass and buried them.

Eight people were rescued from the cars, which were swept off U.S. 40, the main highway to Winter Park Resort, one of the state’s largest ski areas.

Wind whistled through the mountains west of Denver at 100 mph, producing whiteouts, as artillery fire was used to set off controlled avalanches above the highway as well as at other mountain passes.