DENVER -- Guanella Pass Road (County Road 381) in Clear Creek County, which closed Aug. 21 because of rock instability, could stay closed until spring.

A 1-mile section of the road was closed between Georgetown and Grant after officials discovered a rock mass that could fall across the road due to instability created by above-normal precipitation in summer.

According to John Bustos, spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service, the mass of rock is still moving and at one point in September, it moved about 5 inches in only one week.

About 5 miles of the road is open from Georgetown up to the Clear Lake day-use area, but the road is still closed between there and the Clear Lake Campground.

"The road usually closes down around Thanksgiving for the winter season and I think it won't open between now and then, so in all likelihood, the road will stay closed until sometime early next year," said Bustos. "There are experts monitoring the situation and they have not come up with a definite plan on how to handle the situation, whether to bring down the rock or what to do."

Guanella Pass summit can be accessed through Grant from U.S. Highway 285. Access is only to the pass and cannot be traveled through to Georgetown. Guanella Pass is a popular place for its campgrounds and hiking, especially for people hiking the Fourteener Mount Bierstadt. It is also one of the most popular Front Range drives for viewing the changing aspen.

For additional information, visit the Clear Creek County's Web site, where officials said information will be updated.