Aspen News
The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is scheduled to excavate Snowmass Village’s Ziegler Reservoir next summer for the second time. Researchers hope to discover more fossils following a massive dig over a decade ago....
A man rides a horse along an aspen grove Saturday September 26, 2025 at the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe’s Pine Crest Ranch in Gunnison County. Elk, deer and other wildlife roam the 20,000-acre ranch, on which tribal members are the only people allowed to hunt. (Don Emmert, Special to ...
The Snowmass 50 mountain bike race returned to the beloved single-track of the Snowmass Bike Park on Saturday. Produced by Aspen Skiing Company and formerly called one of the “Power of Four” races, it featured both 50- and 25-mile options, as well as a two-racer team option that ...
Protesters lined Grand Avenue on Wednesday to rally against potential development at Sweetwater Lake, just blocks from the Glenwood Springs Library, where White River National Forest officials were holding an informational meeting outlining possible recreation management plans fo...
Colorado’s nascent gray wolf population is growing. In addition to the formation of a new pack — the Piney Ridge Pack in Eagle County — Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced that four wolf packs in the state had pups this spring in a Wednesday, July 22 news release. The Piney Rid...
I’m writing to express my support for the redevelopment application submitted by Mount Adams Capital LLC for the Aspen Motorsports Park in Woody Creek. This track has been part of Pitkin County since 1963. That’s over 60 years of racing, corporate events, driver training and comm...
Water pools on a road near Interstate 70 in Garfield County on Monday evening following a fast-moving storm.
A bull moose rests alongside the Roaring Fork River east of North Star Nature Preserve one afternoon last week.
August in Snowmass Village offers a full lineup of signature events, live entertainment, outdoor adventures and family-friendly experiences — from major music festivals and art celebrations to weekly rodeos, free concerts, guided hikes and community gatherings. “August is one of ...
Children raced across the playground, residents tested the pickleball courts and families gathered beneath shaded shelters Friday as Rifle celebrated the grand opening of Birch Park, a project roughly two decades in the making. City officials, funding partners and community membe...
The Roaring Fork Valley’s summer race season hit another level on Saturday with one of the area’s most prominent foot races, the Audi Power of Four Trail Run . Produced by Aspen Skiing Company, there were 50k, 25k and 10k race options. In the featured 50-kilometer run — that’s ju...
The ink was hardly dry on last week’s column about the transformation of this community into a theme park when, well, a figurative...
For more than 60 years, Aspen Raceway has been part of the Roaring Fork Valley. Since opening in 1963, it has welcomed generations of drivers, car enthusiasts, first responders and community organizations. Long before the Rio Grande Trail existed or much of the uppervalley was de...
Denise and Mark Handrich — A big shout-out to the volunteers who cleared the Mill Creek Trail (middle loop) on Basalt Mountain...
Michael Maple — I wholeheartedly support an increase in Aspen-Pitkin County Airport parking rates. Parking, and indeed all...
Extremely low flows and high water temperatures have prompted Colorado Parks and Wildlife to implement voluntary fishing closures on the Colorado, Eagle, Crystal and Roaring Fork rivers beginning Friday, July 17. Severe drought conditions have driven river flows well below 50%...
Recently, Colorado Parks and Wildlife instituted voluntary fishing closures on certain sections of three of our local rivers due to low flows, warm water and concerning oxygen content. The writing has been on the wall since spring, and now, it is time to pay extra attention to wh...
The car is partially parked on the old bridge crossing Grizzly Creek, visible below. Cabins in the background housed members of the film crew during the three-week shoot. The area was originally homesteaded by the Broughton family and later included an orchard, fruit stand, gas s...
The confluence of the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan rivers at Basalt is shown. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has implemented a voluntary fishing closure on sections of the Roaring Fork, Crystal, Colorado and Eagle Rivers. It goes into effect today....
Nancy Pearce — The Woody Creek racetrack developer points to amenities like water for a bottle-filling station, solar panels, trail improvements and e-bikes......
As the temperature spiked on the hot and dusty Rio Grande Trail last Sunday, I did what any rapidly-aging, ski-bum lunatic desperately seeking attention would do: I went skiing. Not just any ol’ skiing, but dirt skiing. Well, technically I’d call it “shale” skiing. We’re rather b...
A local trails advocacy nonprofit is channeling a massive 1990s railroad merger in an effort to revive a popular rails-to-trails plan from that era as the same out-of-state railroad conglomerate now seeks local support for yet another mega-merger application. The Vail Valley M...
The “Pickle for a Purpose” fundraiser at Aspen Recreation Center returns on Tuesday, July 21. The registration deadline is July 18. Sponsorships are open, and individual player spots are on sale now. This charitable event offers participants the chance to play with some of...
ASPEN CYCLING CLUB — WEEKLY RACE RESULTSSKY MOUNTAIN MTB RACEWednesday, July 15, 2026 Men’s A (11.34 miles and 2068 vertical)1—0:52:03—Mahoney, Eric2—0:53:08—Hart, Sam3—0:53:31—Mobilian, Zach—Meatballs4—0:54:02—Robinson, Ryan5—0:55:00—Koster, Ryan—Sparkle Motion6—0:55:16—Bluem...
The Woody Creek Racetrack developer points to amenities, like water for a bottle-filling station, solar panels, trail improvements and e-bikes, as evidence of sustainability. But these token gestures cannot erase the toxic pollutants generated by race cars. No amount of greenwash...
Bill “Winks” Mason — Mmmm … what, another recreation opportunity for the uber-rich, a mini auto racetrack in Woody Creek...
Amy D. Ronner — (Re: “Authorities respond to restaurant on Saturday night,” July 14, Aspen Daily News) As a separate public safety...
A group seeking to establish a constitutional right to hunt and fish in Colorado has cleared a major hurdle on its way to the November 2026 ballot. On July 8, supporters of what’s currently known as Initiative 302 submitted over 180,000 signatures to Colorado’s Secretary of S...
Victor Marx, líder de una organización sin fines de lucro de inspiración religiosa, cuya campaña poco convencional y cuyas controvertidas afirmaciones sobre su vida han captado la atención nacional, será el candidato Republicano a la gobernatura de Colorado en las elecciones de n...
Cars in the Elk Lot at the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport currently face a $6 per day fee for long-term parking or a variable hourly fee for shorter visits. That rate falls below market rates and could increase soon....
Craig Chisesi — It’s interesting to read the Aspen Daily News letters to the editor concerning the expansion ...
The town of Snowmass Village has issued a reminder for both residents and visitors about local e-bike laws, emphasizing: “If your bike has a throttle, it doesn’t belong on Snowmass Village trails.” Riders must be actively pedaling to receive motor assistance on paved recreati...
Colorado Parks and Wildlife released a full accounting of its four attempts to kill an elusive uncollared wolf that it had tied to at least 22 sheep attacks between July 2025 and June 2026. A new report released on Monday, July 13, shares details about the livestock attacks, ...
Tech billionaire Matthew Prince grew up in Park City, Utah, and has garnered plenty of headlines recently for his aggressive media campaign to buy the ski area from Vail Resorts, but last season marked the first time since he was two years old that he did not ski his home hill. ...
The city of Aspen’s Parks and Open Space have presented Aspen Town Council with an information update on the department’s Strategic Plan, “Guiding Green: A Field Guide to Strengthening Aspen’s Outdoor Roots,” aimed at providing a framework for priorities, decision-making and reso...
Riverstone Theatre Collective debuted over the weekend with its first production, William Shakespeare’s of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” at Centennial Park in Rifle. The community theater program was founded by Megan Liggett and a group of friends who wanted to create more oppo...
The Aspen Motorsports Park proposal has become less about land-use planning and more about a sophisticated public relations campaign and money to throw around. The applicants promise road projects, trail improvements, youth driving programs, law enforcement training, employee ...
Pete Anzalone — Two more bikes were brazenly stolen in Willits last night, on cars parked immediately outside El Korita...
Record low precipitation, high temperatures and an ongoing drought are all lining up on the Western Slope this summer, but what does that mean specifically for Independence Pass? The Sawatch Range’s typically snow-covered, 13,000-foot peaks are dry and brown, with even the col...
Like summer wildflowers, gear comes in a variety of expressions to enhance your lifestyle. Here, I consider all kinds of things, from head to toe. Let’s start with the top, down. The Roots Naturelle Bouncy Curls Conditioning Curl Crème; Knot-Free Detangling Milk; and Wet-Look...
Two more bikes were brazenly stolen in Willits last night from cars parked immediately outside El Korita. Even though locked, the thieves cut the cable securing them like a knife through butter and made off with two very expensive mountain bikes. Of my circle of friends, thes...
Victor Marx, the leader of a faith-based nonprofit whose unconventional campaign and hotly contested claims about his life have grabbed national attention, will be the Republican nominee for Colorado governor this November. The Associated Press called the race for Marx at 4 p...
John Jacobs — Sometimes I open the morning paper and feel like Rod Serling just stepped out of the static...
Oh, what a dreadful year to be a lawn guy. So far, my income is basically a third of what it was last summer. As we descend spirally ever further down the drain into the throes of drought, I get a funny feeling this is Nature’s way of telling me to find another career. At thi...
Snowmass Town Council reviewed updated ideas on Monday for the Town Park Entryway Project that included bleacher design, fencing, landscaping and the roundabout. The project is aimed at improving the Town Park entrance to Snowmass and the rodeo grounds. Project Architect Jim K...
Pitkin County Open Space and Trails has provided feedback on the Woody Creek Raceway’s proposal, seeking more commitment from developers to trail improvements before moving forward. The property was purchased in June for $17 million by two brother-in-laws who envision adding a...
ASPEN CYCLING CLUB — WEEKLY RACE RESULTSBELLS/ASHCROFT ROAD RACEWednesday, July 8, 2026 Men’s A (36 miles and 3400 vertical)1—1:36:01—Inkinen, Sami2—1:36:03—Fox, Matthew3—1:39:30—Koster, Ryan—Sparkle Motion4—1:41:16—Wurts, John5—1:41:17—Bluemel, Andrew—Meatballs6—1:42:37—Rispo...
Before heading to western Colorado for a fishing adventure, be advised of record setting low flows, expected high water temperatures and the recent discovery of aquatic nuisance species (ANS). Anglers are encouraged to contact local fly shops (see below) for current condition...
Calvin Gloor jumps off the rope swing at the North Star Nature Preserve river takeout as Logan Lawrence watches on Wednesday afternoon.
Helicopter operations are scheduled for Thursday, July 9, on Aspen Mountain as construction continues for the new Nell Bell chairlift, closing the Silver Queen Gondola and almost all hiking trails for the day. Flight operations will run from 7 a.m. until approximately 8:30 p.m...
The city of Aspen is completing work on a new access path to Ute Park, a small playground next to the Ute Cemetery that has traditionally been accessible via several single track trails or a deeply rutted double track. According to Matt Kuhn, the Aspen Parks and Open Space dir...
I was recently talking with one of the nannies on my team, and it sparked a discussion about something many of us grew up hearing without questioning: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” One early printed version of this rhyme appeared in 1...
Theatre Aspen wants to replace its semi-permanent tent in Rio Grande Park with a permanent, year-round performing space.
Construction on Owl Creek Road and the Owl Creek Trail will begin the week of July 27, creating alternating one-lane traffic and brief delays on Owl Creek Road. This work kicks off the Airport Modernization Project’s first construction phase, preparing the site for the airpor...
This aerial view shows the Woody Creek racetrack, also known as the Aspen Motorsports Park. The property recently sold for $17 million. The buyers hope to redevelop the racetrack into a members-only racing club....
Although a little smoke and haze were among the visitors who made their way to Garfield County during Independence Day weekend, that didn’t stop locals and other tourists from soaking in the sun and enjoying another Fourth of July at Two Rivers Park, on the Colorado River, at th...
Rifle will celebrate the grand opening of Birch Park, the city’s newest neighborhood park, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Friday, July 17, at 2025 Birch Ave. The celebration will include a brief ceremony followed by complimentary drinks and ice cream. Community me...
