Highway 24 in eastern El Paso County is expected to remain closed through Saturday, according to CDOT

CALHAN, Colo. (KRDO) — Inclement weather and poor travel conditions forced the closure of US 24 in eastern El Paso County for the second day in a row.

Around 8 a.m. Thursday, heavy snow, ice and reduced visibility led authorities to close 40 miles of highway between the eastern end of Calhan and Limon in Lincoln County.

The highway had not reopened as of 1 p.m., and a CDOT spokesman said it could take until Saturday for the pavement to be sufficiently cleared and treated to make it safe for travel.

The closure frustrated truck drivers trying to reach Interstate 70, travelers trying to reach their destinations and residents returning home.

In all but a few cases, traffic had to turn around and head west on US 24 – which wasn't in much better condition.

Shea Snare was one of the few local drivers allowed to drive through at the end of the closure in Calhan.

“I live just 9 miles away in Ramah,” she explained. “If they hadn’t let me through, I would have just parked here and waited for the highway to reopen.”

Snare said she drove to Falcon for work earlier in the morning but was released early because of the weather.

“I have my 100-acre ranch at home, with my dogs and my cats,” she said. “And my parents are sitting at home waiting for me to bring the hay because the horses don’t have any hay.”

Rich Van Til was on his way home to Illinois after visiting his brother in Colorado Springs.

“I just pulled up and the gentleman said no,” he remembers. “So now I’m thinking – should I turn around and try to go back to the Springs or not? I think I’ll do that today.”

Meanwhile, Ed Ruroede had to find another way to feed several hundred cattle under his care.

“No matter what the weather is, you have to take care of the livestock,” he said. “About six miles out of my way. A great pain? No, it’s just the life of a cowboy.”

A tractor-trailer became stuck in the ice and snow as the driver backed up to make room for another large truck traveling in the opposite direction.

At the Loaf & Jug supermarket in Calhan, several travelers shared stories about where they came from, where they were going and how they would get there.

The situation disappointed one seller.

“I thought if all these people were stranded we would have more business,” she said. “But it’s slow.”