Colorado’s first major snowstorm of the season brought large swaths of the Front Range and Eastern Plains to a standstill Friday as it dumped nearly 3 feet of snow in some areas, closing government offices, schools and major interstates.

Gov. Jared Polis declared a disaster emergency for the storm, authorizing the Colorado National Guard to step in and help people impacted by the storm and activating the state emergency operations center.

Southern Colorado, the Eastern Plains and mountains saw the most snowfall Friday, with at least 35 inches in Cuchara; 28 inches in Rye and Genoa; and 22 inches in Pinecliffe.

Weather officials reported 9 inches of snow in Denver, 13 inches in Aurora and 15 inches in Highlands Ranch and Lakewood as of Friday morning.

The extended stretch of freezing temperatures contributed to a devastating Lakewood apartment fire on Friday morning, which sparked around 5 a.m. by a space heater set up to keep pipes from freezing.

The fire destroyed an apartment building near Ammons Street and West 12th Avenue, killing two cats and displacing four people, according to West Metro Fire Rescue.

Other than the Lakewood fire, the storm’s impact was mostly limited to major travel disruptions caused by road closures across Colorado. Law enforcement agencies did not report any significant crashes and Xcel Energy did not report any widespread power outages as of late Friday.

That was the goal when Colorado Department of Transportation officials banned commercial motor vehicles and all trailers from most highways and interstates Friday night and Saturday morning, agency officials said in a news release.

Tractor-trailers and other large vehicles were prohibited on sections of Interstate 70, Interstate 25, U.S. 285, U.S. 40 over Berthoud Pass, and U.S. 6 through Clear Creek Canyon and over Loveland Pass until 8 a.m. Saturday.

“This restriction is designed to reduce the chances of semi truck and other impactful spinouts that require extensive manpower and specialized equipment to clear, and often cause prolonged closures of the interstate,” CDOT officials said in a statement.

Most highways south and east of Denver were still closed late Friday, including I-70 east of Aurora to Kansas and southbound I-25 between Pueblo and New Mexico.

The storm’s impacts were not limited to the ground as travelers passing through Denver International Airport faced more than 1,300 canceled or delayed flights on Friday, including 269 canceled SkyWest flights, 127 canceled Southwest flights and 64 canceled Frontier flights.

Snow is expected to taper off by noon Saturday, though Coloradans may see continued travel impacts through the weekend, state officials said.

Heading into Week 11, No. 20 Colorado (6-2, 4-1 Big 12) is in the thick of the race for a Big 12 title, and they’ll look to solidify their standing on Saturday when they travel to face Texas Tech (6-3, 4-2).

The Buffaloes are coming off a bye week, which allowed them to move into a tie for second place in the Big 12. Meanwhile, the Red Raiders are fresh off a huge win, having handed No. 17 Iowa State their first loss of the season in a thrilling 23-22 victory. This game has shaped up to be an important matchup for both teams who are fighting for similar goals.

For Colorado, this game is crucial in keeping their Big 12 title hopes alive. The Buffaloes have shown that they can compete with the best in the conference, but the road to a potential championship will be tough. A win over Texas Tech would strengthen their position in the standings and keep them in the race for the conference title and a College Football Playoff spot. Colorado has only two losses on the year, and they know that every win from here on out is vital.

Texas Tech, on the other hand, will be looking to continue their momentum after a massive victory last weekend. The Red Raiders have been one of the most unpredictable teams in the Big 12, with five of their six wins coming by one score. Last week’s upset of undefeated Iowa State was a statement win, but they can build on that momemtum on Saturday. A win over Colorado would put them firmly in the hunt for a top-tier bowl game and would be another huge signature win for head coach Joey McGuire.

Editor’s note: This is part of The Know’s series, Staff Favorites. Each week, we offer our opinions on the best Colorado has to offer for dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor activities and more. (We’ll also let you in on some hidden gems).

A full house packed with Cheeseheads intently cheering for their beloved Green Bay Packers at Wally’s Wisconsin Tavern last Sunday didn’t realize they were in the presence of Wisconsin royalty.

Kim Flitcroft of Lake Geneva, Wis., who was crowned Alice in Dairyland of 1990, was in town with her husband for a family visit. Naturally, they celebrated game day at Wally’s.

Where else in Denver would a former Alice in Dairyland go to watch the green and gold than Colorado’s best Packers bar?

Flitcroft was too humble to mention her reign, a year-long responsibility that involved representing the state’s agriculture sector at public appearances, but her 77-year-old mother was tickled to tell me. No big deal, you say? I grew up in Wisconsin, so I knew what it meant and was honored to meet her. Flitcroft also is one of the Packers’ 537,460 “owners” who hold 5.2 million shares of stock. It pays no dividends except bragging rights, which are priceless.

Flitcroft loved Wally’s, which is crammed with Wisconsin sports memorabilia and photos. A massive lighted Schlitz sign greets visitors at the front door. Flitcroft and I are old enough to remember when Schlitz was touted as “The beer that made Milwaukee famous.” Flags for the Packers and Brewers hang from the ceiling, along with another that says “Drink Wisconsinbly.”

“I like that you’re out of town, you walk into a bar and it feels like you’re at home,” Flitcroft said. “It’s amazing. When you’re a Packers fan, you’re almost a whole other family together. I don’t care where you go or who you are, it’s like you know each other. It’s just such a special relationship that I don’t think you feel from other teams.”

That’s why I love Wally’s so much. Even though the Packers let us down last week, falling to the Detroit Lions in a rivalry game, we had loads of fun.

Summer Koehn, who moved from Milwaukee to Denver 18 months ago, got to Wally’s four hours before kickoff to make sure she and her friends got a table.

“Everywhere you go, there are Packers fans,” Koehn said. “How fun is it that you come to Denver and there’s a bar specifically for that? It’s loud, it’s fun. We’re a different breed.”

They (OK, we) are. They poke fun at their image and never take themselves too seriously.

“No,” Koehn agreed. “We’re Cheeseheads!”

Located in LoDo at 1417 Market St., Wally’s is attached to the Rhein Haus German restaurant, which also is filled with Cheeseheads on game days. Rhein Haus was co-founded by James Weimann, a Sheboygan native who named Wally’s in honor of his father. A huge photo taken at Wally’s wedding hangs in the bar. When Weimann started the Rhein Haus in 2015, the space now known as Wally’s was a side bar for Rhein Haus. In 2017, it took on its own identity and Packers decor.

The menu has lots of Wisconsin foods, including bratwurst, cheese curds, potato pancakes, giant pretzels, fried pickles and the “Lombardi Burger,” an Angus beef patty with cheddar cheese topped with fried cheese curds. (Alas, no Schlitz.)

Flitcroft’s mother, Judy Nettesheim, and I were kids when Schlitz ruled and Vince Lombardi’s Packers won five NFL championships in seven years (1961-67). We like to remind fans of other teams that the Packers, founded in 1919, have won the most NFL championships (13).

“In our family, your blood ran green and gold,” Flitcroft said. “It was just our life.”

Darryle Brown grew up in Virginia but fell under the spell of the Packers when Brett Favre was quarterback. He was dressed for the game with a Packers hard hat, jacket and bib. A Packers medallion with a light inside hung from a huge chain around his neck.

“I like the fact that it’s a good atmosphere,” Brown said. “It stays packed with my tribe of fellow Cheeseheads. Every time we score a touchdown, the celebration here is electric. It’s just a wonderful experience.”

Subscribe to our new food newsletter, Stuffed, to get Denver food and drink news sent straight to your inbox.

Originally Published: November 8, 2024 at 6:00 AM MST