In late September, cross-country ski enthusiasts gathered at the Old Thompson Barn in River Valley Ranch. The occasion? Celebrating 40 years of nordic skiing outside of Carbondale. The event sold out, with skinny skiers from around the Roaring Fork Valley turning out for the four-decade milestone. “It was incredibly special to hear from many of […]
Annalise Grueter
Posted inEnvironment
Third Backcountry Symposium featured Paul Andersen keynote on environmentalism
Saturday, Oct. 17, marked the third annual Backcountry Symposium, hosted by The Arts Campus At Willits (TACAW). Aspen Public Radio produced the event, with local journalist and endurance athlete Kaya Williams serving as lead producer. Williams said Aspen Valley Health stepped up as lead sponsor, with additional support from the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Bestselling author Shelley Read to visit CMC on ‘Go as a River’ tour
The words seem to whisper from the page. Elegant and precise. Beautiful even when describing all-too-fathomable tragedy, not glossing over pain but rather presenting the hurts to readers as if balm has already been applied to the injuries. Shelley Read has written a book for academics and farmers alike; her protagonist’s quiet joys in nature […]
Posted inSports
Carbondale mountaineer releases ‘Fourteener Snow,’ a guidebook and love letter to Colorado’s high-alpine routes
Colorado backcountry enthusiasts have been turning to the guidance of Carbondale-based Lou Dawson for over 40 years, ever since his first book, “Colorado High Routes,” was released. Dawson, a Colorado native, spent the first two decades of adulthood working in outdoor education and carpentry, while climbing and skiing mountains in his free time. That latter […]
Posted inEnvironment
Crystal Steering Committee releases report evaluating Wild and Scenic feasibility
Last month, the Crystal River Wild and Scenic subcommittee released a report after spending years evaluating how a congressional Wild and Scenic River designation could protect the Crystal River as one of Colorado’s last remaining free-flowing rivers. While the Crystal’s waters help support many local agricultural endeavors, the river has never been dammed or otherwise […]
Posted inEnvironment
Rain helps, but doesn’t alleviate regional drought status
Despite recent rain, much of the Roaring Fork Watershed remains in “exceptional” drought as of the autumn equinox. Pitkin and Eagle counties are among the 15.2% in the state categorized in the highest ranking for drought, according to the United States Drought Monitor, alongside Lake and Alamosa counties. The majority of Garfield County is in […]
Posted inArts & Events
True Nature brings together community for inaugural Connection 5K
This Sunday, Deva and Eaden Shantay hope to initiate a new Carbondale tradition: the Connection 5K, benefiting the Connection is the Medicine Foundation, which the two True Nature founders started back in 2022. “The Connection 5K is about more than a finish line,” Larry Smith, CEO of True Nature, said in a press release. “It’s […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Apples and beer and root vegetables, oh my!
With the holiday weekend past, collective thoughts turn to autumn. While valley floors grow greener thanks to late monsoon showers, higher elevations have begun turning orange and gold. Aspen trees, willows and scrub oaks show the first dapples of fall color, and hungry bears have been venturing closer to humans, attempting, the best they can, […]
Posted inEspañol
Nueva propuesta federal incluye terrenos de Roan Plateau
Las tierras públicas de Roan Plateau, en el condado de Garfield, continúan en un estado de incertidumbre. Durante años, varias campañas de coaliciones formadas por deportistas, conservacionistas y organizaciones sin fines de lucro de la región han trabajado para proteger las tierras de la Oficina de Administración de Tierras (BLM, por sus siglas en inglés) […]
Posted inEnvironment
State of the Crystal: Historic rock glaciers may be drying up
The plane wings vibrated with each acceleration. The small craft picked up speed as it headed north, with the 9,223-foot Triangle Peak as the clear aviation waypoint some miles down the valley. It was the second of three EcoFlight excursions the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 25, coordinated in partnership with the Town of Carbondale to […]