What a difference a day makes

It’s sunny and mild today in Colorado Springs but some parts of El Paso County remain paralyzed from the snowstorm that blasted the eastern plains on Tuesday and left hundreds of people stranded.

U.S. Highway 24 re-opened late this morning, and Colorado Highway 94 opened about 4 p.m. after plow crews battled snow drifts up to 6 feet high caused by Tuesday’s heavy snow and fierce winds. School districts in the hard-hit areas remained closed today.

The spring storm dropped copious amounts of wet, heavy snow: 18 inches near Monument, 20 in Teller County and 21 near Black Forest. Winds of 30 to 40 mph whipped it around, creating white-out conditions.

Many roads in eastern El Paso County remained impassable this morning.

According to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, nearly 150 people spent the night in shelters set up in Falcon, Calhan, Ellicott and Peyton. Some were stuck by road closures, but many others had to be pulled from vehicles by search-and-rescue crews.

“It came in like a freight train and it kind of caught a number of people off guard,” said Jennifer Mariano, emergency services coordinator for the Pikes Peak chapter of the American Red Cross.

Rescue crews were out all night, rescuing dozens, including 18 stuck drivers awaiting rescue early this morning.

About 20 drivers remained at the fire station in Peyton this morning, waiting for plows to punch through snow-choked Highway 24.

“People are starting to get antsy to get home or get to work,” said Sandra Pelton, of Peyton, who spent the night at the shelter after police made her turn around two miles from home.

There were only five cots, so people made do, sleeping wherever they could — including on stretchers — and using firefighter coats for blankets. They played cards to pass the time.

“Some people kind of slept in chairs and some people stayed up all night,” Pelton said.

Sheri Griffin was caught by the storm’s ferocity when she tried to make it to her Falcon Highway home Tuesday afternoon. She didn’t make it, and was directed by officials to Falcon Middle School.

“We all expected (the storm) would’ve waited until later in the evening,” she said this morning, still waiting for the highway to re-open. About half of the 77 people at the shelter took a bus that was provided to Colorado Springs to get hotel rooms after roads to the west were cleared.

“Most of us who live out here are stubborn and we always think we can make it home,” she said.

Several bus drivers in the Miami-Yoder School District had to give up on getting kids home Tuesday afternoon, and more than 60 students spent the night in homes near where they became stuck in snow drifts.

Though she had no electricity or water because of the storm, Ann Johnson put up 18 kids and two adults who got stranded on North Lauppe Road. They melted snow for cooking and cleaning water.

“I wasn’t prepared for them all, but I didn’t mind. It’s better than them sitting outside and freezing,” Johnson said this morning, shortly after a plow made it through to pull the bus out.

Students are being taken back to their schools this morning.

A district representative, who would not giver her name, said this morning all students are safe and accounted for, and three busloads were heading back to the school. Parents can call 351-4777 to check on their status.

Many homes in northern and eastern El Paso county remain without power this morning. Broadcast reports indicate 2,000 customers of Mountain View Electric have no power.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 476-1605 or scott.rappold@gazette.com