Author: Scott Condon
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Pitkin commissioners decry ‘good old boys’ at counties organization
The Pitkin County commissioners are seeking reforms of alleged “good-old-boy” behavior at a powerful lobbying association for Colorado county governments. Pitkin County sent a letter to Denver-based Colorado Counties Inc. on April 27 complaining about alleged incidents of misogynistic conduct by some members of the group and backroom politics of the organization as a whole.…
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Aspen announces fee for ‘uphill’ mountain use for first time in 75 seasons
Aspen Skiing Co. acted within its rights as a special use permit holder on national forest to implement a new fee for uphillers, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Roger Poirier, recreation staff officer for the White River National Forest, said ski area operators are required to file an annual operating plan. Skico’s plan for…
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Aspen takes to the air to help tribes fight the coronavirus
Ten small aircraft stuffed with N95 masks, face shields and hand sanitizer departed Aspen in bluebird skies earlier this month and fanned out across the Four Corners region in what could prove to be a life-saving mission. The volunteer pilots enlisted by Aspen-based conservation nonprofit EcoFlight delivered personal protective equipment to Native American tribes that…
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One year after fire, Roaring Fork Valley dealing with flood risk, avalanche debris
One year ago this week, all hell broke loose with the Lake Christine fire and kept Roaring Fork Fire Rescue scrambling over a chaotic 36-hour period. This year, instead of drought, the first responders are plucking river runners out of the engorged Roaring Fork on a regular basis and are on the alert for flash…
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‘Historic-sized’ avalanche hits Conundrum Valley near Aspen
An avalanche off Highlands Ridge over the weekend deposited tons of snow in Conundrum Creek Valley, snapped hundreds of mature trees, threatened a house and wiped out the trailhead for the Conundrum Valley Trail, a popular route to Conundrum Hot Springs. “This is as big of an avalanche as this terrain can produce,” said Brian Lazar,…
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Charlotte Fox, survivor of Everest disaster, dies after fall at her Colorado home
Charlotte Fox survived a harrowing incident on Mount Everest in 1996 and became the first American woman to climb three 8,000-meter peaks, so irony wasn’t lost on her friends when the longtime Aspenite died Thursday from an apparent accident on the steep steps of her house in Telluride. Alison Osius, executive editor of Rock and…
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Young farmers tackle problems to come to Roaring Fork Valley
ASPEN — Christian La Bar surveys rows of baby lettuce, beets, carrots, onions and garlic on land he leases on Missouri Heights and recounts the good fortune experienced this growing season. He and Harper Kaufman, his partner in life and business, avoided a damaging hailstorm like the one that shredded their crops last July 3.…
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As e-bikes gain popularity, land managers ponder future
ASPEN — For aging or injured cyclists with diminished ability to get up and go, e-bikes beckon as a way to keep them in the outdoor pursuit they love, but for some public land managers the pedal-assist bikes are a looming headache. E-bike use has exploded over the past year. Once spurned by cyclists, they…
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Top U.S. military commander says at Colorado forum a potential North Korean conflict would result in ‘horrific’ loss of life
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff closed out the Aspen Security Forum Saturday night stressing that the U.S. must work on military options to derail North Korea’s missiles program even though conflict would result in a “horrific” loss of life. Gen. Joseph Dunford said the military fully supports the economic and diplomatic efforts…
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97-year-old Colorado man looks back on Army service, travels
ASPEN — John Tripp spent Memorial Day doing what he’s done every year but once since 1957 — honoring his fallen comrades in the 10th Mountain Division at the top of Tennessee Pass. The annual ritual gets more solemn as the years roll by, the 97-year-old Carbondale resident said, because of the dwindling number of…