The Crystal Valley is unique on Earth. The natural beauty of this drainage spans a variety of habitats — from high-mountain lakes and meadows to shady, cascading creeks. Among iconic peaks exist fleeting bursts of beauty that color the hills each summer season. Gregory Staple, a former energy lawyer and entrepreneur, trained naturalist and enthusiastic […]
Environment
Posted inEnvironment
Aspen Glen bald eagle carries on after death of mate
Bald eagles mate for life. That is, unless one mate dies. For at least two decades a pair of bald eagles has nested and raised their young along the banks of the Roaring Fork River at Aspen Glen, between Carbondale and Glenwood Springs. This year, the nest was filled with three hatchlings who grew into […]
Posted inEnvironment
Increasing wildfire frequency and size have insurance in jeopardy
Another July in the books, and with it, many wildfires. Smoky air weighs not just on our lungs but also on our minds. As wildfire frequency and damage have increased in recent decades, homeowners and renters alike have begun reconsidering how to protect themselves against the possibility of fires starting close to home. As of […]
Posted inEnvironment
Colorado voters to decide on anti-trophy hunting measure in November
Volunteers with the Colorado-based group Cats Aren’t Trophies Coalition (CATs) delivered 188,000 signatures from registered voters backing Initiative 91 to the Secretary of State’s office this month, exceeding the required 124,238 signatures needed to secure the measure’s spot on the November ballot. If passed, the initiative would establish as a class one misdemeanor the intentional […]
Posted inEnvironment
Mixed feelings for mixed-use trail along the Crystal River
On June 28, 2024, the White River National Forest released their final Decision Notice authorizing the construction of a seven-mile, multi-use trail from Redstone to McClure Pass, which would become a part of the larger 83-mile Carbondale to Crested Butte trail.While exciting to overnight cyclists and thruhikers looking for safer passage up the Crystal River […]
Posted inEducation
New children’s book serves as launching point for rewilding project
Nikki Beinstein and Tara Sheahan believe in the power of bison restoration. The two are a powerhouse going after the same cause: bringing back the bison and educating others on why their restoration is crucial. A recent study in Romania showed that a herd of 170 bison can offset the annual carbon dioxide emissions from […]
Posted inEnvironment
Missouri Heights residents fear losing rural Colorado lifestyle
Despite the outcry from Keep Missouri Heights Rural (KMHR), a citizens group opposing the Twin Acres Riding Stable and Boarding Stable on the Eagle County side of Missouri Heights, some residents would rather see horses than houses. “I’m more in favor of keeping Twin Acres,” said Felix Tornare, owner of Milagro Ranch. “Because, in my […]
Posted inEnvironment
Sweetwater Lake proposed management plan invites feedback
Winding up Sweetwater Road, north of Interstate 70 near Dotsero, nearly every home displays a yellow sign with “STATE PARK” circled in red and struck through above the words: “TRULY SAVE SWEETWATER LAKE.” Neighbors are making public their concerns as the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) solicits feedback on its proposed management and development project at […]
Posted inEnvironment
Solar Energy International offers a bright future for high school grads
Paonia-based Solar Energy International (SEI), a global leader in solar energy education and training, has opened applications for 2024 high school graduates in Colorado to enroll in two of its most popular courses to kickstart a career in solar energy.Founded in 1991, and originally based in Carbondale before moving to Paonia in 2013, SEI leads […]
Posted inEnvironment
Salt under Carbondale is no reason to sweat
We have an intimate relationship with geology in the Roaring Fork Valley. A glance at contemporary place names is telling: Basalt, Redstone, Marble, even Glenwood Springs. This closeness to the physical foundations of the region has played a role in energy production and economy, from silver mines to stone quarries and midvalley charcoal and ore […]