As it involved a fatality, the accident closed down the highway entirely four over four hours with traffic diverted to a nearby parallel road one lane at a time. Thankfully, I was able to call the school just before the boys' bus left so that they weren't left at their bus stop while I was stuck on the other side of the accident. It still took over an hour and a half of being in the car to pick them up and bring them home.
Meanwhile, the same road closed several times in multiple places these past few days due to accidents, unsafe conditions, and controlled avalanches. It again reminds me how fragile our single lifeline is that connects us to the rest of the state. It also impresses on me the fact that nature can quite often dominate over the plans of humankind.
I had conversations with a few students who were planning on driving through the pass this evening for one reason or another. Clearly, I have no control over what they do, but I impressed upon them the need to weigh the value of their trip with the risks as well as the importance of driving cautiously in such conditions. May St. Christopher intercede with God to guide all travelers so that they might safely arrive at their destinations.