Aspen History: Importing Elk

“The Aspen elk range is soon to be restocked,” announced the Aspen Democrat-Times on March 11, 1913. “Twenty five of the graceful creatures will be brought to Aspen within a few days and set free in the hills as soon as the range is open. Supervisor McLaren left last evening for Denver, where he will meet a carload of elk en route from Driggs, Idaho, to Aspen. The elk are being secured through cooperation of the Biological Survey with the Forest Service and about twenty-five head will be brought here. They will be unloaded on the Midland Ranch, where they will be fed by the Elks’ Lodge until the range is well opened up and then turned out on the Roaring Fork. It is expected they will make their way to the headwaters of Hunter Creek and range toward Lost Man gulch. To have elk on our range again will add materially to the pleasure of the mountain trips through this section and will afford pleasure not only to our own home people but will be greatly appreciated by our summer visitors.” This image shows the elk being unloaded from a Colorado Southern train car at the base of Smuggler Mountain in 1913.