Roaring Fork Safe Passages (RFSP) was created in 2022 by Cecily DeAngelo, and since then the group has come to be made up of a variety of people from different walks of life who are all passionate about helping wildlife cross highways safely and keeping drivers safe. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, roughly […]
Environment
Posted inNonprofits
Spring Gulch trail system turns 40, looks ahead with optimism
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 […]
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 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
CPW weighs in on the GAME Act
A Sept. 3, 2026 letter to Representative Jeff Hurd from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Director Laura Clellan provides agency comments on the draft Greater Access for Multiple-use Experiences (GAME) Act. The Act, which Hurd has yet to introduce in Congress, would create a land exchange, swapping close to 2,103 private acres on the Roan […]
Posted inEnvironment
Community activists help restore riparian landscapes
Joy and grit were in abundance during a recent Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (RFOV) field day, as nearly 50 volunteers navigated mud, rain and a bit of hail to help restore and support the Roaring Fork Watershed’s best engineers: the beavers. With generous funding from the Roaring Fork Outdoor Coalition, RFOV partnered with Wilderness Workshop, […]
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 inEnvironment
Local land swap update and a bit of history
A land swap in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys is attracting attention across the state. The legislative exchange, known as the Greater Access for Multiple-Use Experiences (GAME) Act, proposed by Congressman Jeff Hurd (R-CD3), must be approved by Congress before any land changes hands. There are a lot of questions swirling about the […]
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 […]
Posted inNews
Roan Plateau public comment ends Sept. 11
The public lands on Garfield County’s Roan Plateau remain in limbo. Multiple advocacy campaigns by coalitions of area sportsmen, conservationists and nonprofits have worked to conserve the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) acreage on the plateau from oil and gas development. The most recent victory, in the mid 2010s, has held for over a decade. […]