700 Stranded Travelers Were Saved By The Town Of Fairplay Colorado

It seems like anytime you turn on the TV, nothing is being shown or reported but bad news, which is why anytime we hear something positive, we want to share it with the world! While feelings about last week’s massive snowstorm were hugely mixed (my 5-year-old was thrilled not to have school, and I was less than enthusiastic about having to shovel), it did bring a little good to Colorado, including much-needed moisture and restored hope in humanity via the town of Fairplay:

Located in the heart of the mountains at an elevation of 9,953 feet, Fairplay is surrounded by some of the most pristine scenery in the state; however, when severe weather hits, the town of nearly 700 takes a hit thanks to above-average amounts of snow.

Wikimedia Commons

Since Colorado’s mountains and ski resorts are a favorite holiday spot for many, Fairplay is used to seeing an increase in traffic around Thanksgiving and Christmas, which they experienced even more of the weekend of November 30th, which consisted of high winds and ground blizzards.

Flickr/Ruin Raider

Due to low visibility, roads in the area - including the highly-trafficked U.S. 285 - were closed, leaving a whopping 700+ people stranded in a town with the same number of residents.

Flickr/Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs Office

It didn’t take long for both the shelters and hotels to fill up, which is when Fairplay residents and other area volunteers stepped in to lend a helping hand by collecting pillows and blankets, rescuing stranded motorists, and opening up their homes, schools, and wallets for their out-of-town guests.

Flickr/wck

In the end, Fairplay is estimated to have sheltered 300 people on Friday night and 446 on Saturday, which South Park Salvation Army chairman Dave Kintz told the Denver Post he hasn’t seen in his 17 years of working in emergency services.

Flickr/VCSA-DFW VCSA-DFW

Once the weather began to clear, so did the town of Fairplay, with traffic starting to move late in the day on Sunday.

Flickr/Ludovic PéronFollow

While residents could have handled the situation much differently, they managed to come together and step up for hundreds of strangers, making us proud to call these good people our neighbors. Way to go, Fairplay! To learn even more about the tiny town of Fairplay, check out It’s Impossible Not To Love The Most Eccentric Town Near Denver.