Telluride School, Palm Theatre Flooded After July Mudslides

Flooding and mudslides during storms from July 16 through July 18 damaged two Telluride facilities and left residents, families, workers and travelers facing continuing questions about access, cleanup and reopening.

Water and mud entered the Telluride Intermediate/Middle School and the Michael D. Palm Theatre after hillside slides moved debris toward the north edge of town. CBS Colorado reported up to six inches of standing water in several school classrooms and hallways. At the Palm Theatre, approximately three to four feet of standing water and mud accumulated inside after a loading dock door was damaged.

The Telluride Fire Protection District said no one was injured at either facility, according to the CBS Colorado report. The reporting documented water and mud intrusion but did not establish permanent structural damage or a reopening timeline for the school or theater.

Road closures added to the access problems

A Town of Telluride emergency alert issued July 18 confirmed that Imogene Pass and Tomboy Road were closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic after mudslides and flooding on July 17. The town cited a developing sinkhole beneath Tomboy Road, unstable rockfall conditions and the possibility of additional storms. The alert said the closure duration was unknown and that crews did not expect to safely reach the area for a full assessment and recovery until late the following week at the earliest.

San Miguel County separately reported on July 18 that lower Tomboy Road was closed to all pedestrian and vehicle traffic below Smuggler Mine, above Telluride and below Tomboy. The county notice scheduled reopening for Wednesday, July 22, at 8 a.m. That was a planned reopening time in the alert, not a final confirmation that all related work or hazards had been resolved.

Highway 145 also experienced temporary mudslide closures. The Colorado Sun reported that the highway reopened later Saturday, while KOTO reported additional mudslide-related closures on Saturday and Tuesday.

Why the situation mattered locally

The damaged school serves students, families and staff, while the Palm Theatre is used for performances and other community activities. Access problems also affected the routes used by employees, residents, visitors, deliveries and workers traveling through the Telluride area.

KOTO reported that a motorcyclist was injured when a mudslide struck Highway 145 on Tuesday, July 21. The report said rocks and debris swept the rider approximately 60 feet off the highway before he was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction with non-life-threatening injuries.

In the same report, San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office public information officer Susan Lilly urged drivers to obey barricades, avoid mud and debris in the roadway, and remain cautious even after rainfall ends. She said slides can occur later or repeat in the same location.

As of the July 22 reporting reviewed for this article, officials had not documented a completed cleanup assessment, confirmed full building access or announced final operating plans for the Palm Theatre. Families, workers and event users should rely on current Town of Telluride, San Miguel County, school and theater updates before traveling near affected closures or planning access to either facility.

Sources

• Town of Telluride emergency alert
• San Miguel County Tomboy Road alert
• CBS Colorado: Heavy rain, mudslide floods Colorado school, theater
• KOTO: Newscast 7-22-26