The Redstone Press Club
It’s official! Crystal Valley Echo Editor-in-Chief Tucker Farris, along with a group of 10 rag-tag founding members, introduces The Redstone Press Club, meant for current and former journalists in the area to gather and reminisce. Find Farris’ column introducing the press club in the Nov. 3 issue of Aspen Daily News, or online at aspendailynews.com Farris intends to host an inaugural meeting this fall at the Redstone Inn, where the club will regularly convene. Reporters interested in joining can email editor@crystalvalleyecho.com
Structure fires
Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District responded to two structure fires the morning of Monday, Nov. 2. At 4:10am, crews arrived at 87 County Road 103 to find “a plastic-covered, Quonset hut-style structure fully involved in fire,” according to a press release, and extinguished the blaze. The structure and everything inside were a total loss, the press release stated. At 11:21am, the department was dispatched to 331 Buck Point Road, where crews discovered smoke coming from the roof and second story of the two-floor, single-family home. The residence sustained significant damage, the release stated. “Responding to two significant structure fires in one day puts a tremendous demand on our firefighters and resources,” said Fire Chief Rob Goodwin. “Our crews and mutual aid partners worked together to manage both incidents, and I’m proud of the work they did. While both fires resulted in significant property losses, firefighters worked hard to contain the fires and prevent further damage.” The department reminded folks to check their smoke detectors and make sure everyone in a home is aware of at least two exit points from every room.
Indy Pass closure
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) closed Independence Pass at Lincoln Creek Road on Oct. 31, ahead of incoming storms. The department reevaluated once the storms passed and opted to continue the closure through the winter, an annual shutdown that typically begins around Nov. 7. As of now, access up to the Lincoln Creek gate will remain open through the end of the third hunting season, Nov. 15, when the gate toward the bottom of the road leading into Aspen will be closed for the season. The pass generally reopens ahead of Memorial Day weekend.
Lethal removals
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) published its final reports for the three lethal removal efforts of wolves on Sept. 7 and 9, according to a press release. Two wolves were killed on Sept. 7, one each in Rio Blanco and Pitkin counties, and the third was killed on Sept. 9 in Jackson County. Each of the removals were based on livestock producers “[experiencing] chronic depredation,” the reports stated. “These removal efforts were conducted in line with CPW’s statutory and regulatory authority and were completed prior to the temporary suspension of CPW’s chronic depredation directive on Sept. 30,” the release stated. “This temporary suspension means CPW will evaluate any future removals of wolves on a case-by-case basis, using a very conservative approach to address the concern that population growth may not occur this biological year, which ends March 31, 2027.”
Harvest Village
The Harvest Village application for a proposed 1,500-unit development between Carbondale and Glenwood Springs is back on the menu, but the Planning Commission hearing, initially scheduled for Nov. 18, has been continued. According to the Cattle Creek Confluence Coalition’s website (cattlecreekcc.com), a group opposed to the development, no new date has been set. The Sun reached out to Garfield County to inquire about the reason for the continuance and the rescheduled hearing date, but did not hear back as of press time.
Flooding
Devastating flooding hit southwest Colorado for several days beginning on Sunday, Nov. 1, about a week after the region flooded in late October. Pagosa Springs was mostly separated from the rest of the state after roads and bridges were damaged by the high water. The San Juan River rose to its highest level since 1911. The Durango area, too, saw high water infrastructure damage while the Animas River surged to about 50 times its typical flow. As of Tuesday, Nov. 3, weather was predicted to clear for the rest of the week.
Burn piles
White River National Forest plans to begin burning slash piles, the result of work on wildfire mitigation and forest health, this fall and winter in Garfield, Eagle, Gunnison and Summit counties. “Pile burning is expected to begin in the coming weeks when snow cover is adequate and weather conditions are favorable,” a press release stated. Burn locations in Garfield County may include Grizzly Creek Fire piles near Lookout Mountain — south of Interstate 70 and east of Glenwood Springs — and piles at the Sunlight Peak communication site 9 miles southwest of Glenwood.
They say it’s your birthday!
Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Niki Burns and Trina Ortega (Nov. 5); Beth Broome and Murry Daniels (Nov. 6); Lee Beck, Brett Nelson and Noreen Steiner (Nov. 7); Rick Carlson and Mira Winograd (Nov. 8); Wolfy Draper and Stephen Molloy (Nov. 9); Laura Criswell, Tim Ireland and Nuni Zee (Nov. 10); Jacquelinne Castro and Nicolette Toussaint (Nov. 11).