In Brief: Flooding closes Hanging Lake Trail; shuttle offered for commuters from Paonia; Christy Sports, KnifeWorks open stores in Aspen

Flooding closes Hanging Lake Trail

The U.S. Forest Service this week again had to temporarily close the Hanging Lake Trail because of a large amount of spring runoff flowing directly down the trail in several locations. The trail will remain closed through the busy Memorial Day weekend, the agency said on Tuesday.

The trail was closed on Sunday, but Eagle-Holy Cross District Ranger Leanne Veldhuis said she is hopeful conditions will allow it to be re-opened by June 3. In the meantime, reservations are being canceled and refunded through June 2.

“The amount of water coming down the trail in many spots is really impressive,” she said. “There is currently no good way around the water, so we have closed the trail until the runoff lessens or our trail crew can mitigate it. We’re evaluating the situation daily.”

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The latest information on the status of the Hanging Lake Trail will be posted at fs.usda.gov/whiteriver. Once re-opened, reservations are required to hike Hanging Lake and are available at visitglenwood.com.

Free shuttle to Roaring Fork from Paonia for commuters

The Colorado Department of Transportation has started this week to run a free shuttle service to assist commuters needing transportation from the North Fork Valley to the Roaring Fork Valley. The shuttle is available due to the road damage and safety closure on Colorado Highway 133 north of Paonia.

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The shuttle service will run through Friday and then Tuesday, May 30-June 2. Schedule times are departure from Paonia at 5 a.m., 6 a.m., and 7 a.m. Shuttles will depart Carbondale at 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. The Paonia pickup location is at Paonia Town Park. The Carbondale drop-off and pick-up location is at the RFTA Carbondale Park & Ride. Shuttle service will not run on Monday, May 29, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. A flier with shuttle information is available for sharing, and an updated schedule will be shared in time for the week of June 5. 

Contractor R.L. Wadsworth is ramping up prep work for placing a temporary bridge on Colorado Highway 133 at a location with severe roadway damage. Crews are working on the engineering of the temporary bridge. This process usually requires four months, but crews are expediting due to the emergency need for a temporary bridge as soon as possible, officials said.

The bridge will be assembled with 18 truckloads of parts that are sourced from locations nationwide. Parts are anticipated to arrive the first week of June. CDOT continues to negotiate details and a schedule with contractor partner R.L. Wadsworth with the goal of having work completed. The temporary bridge will allow Highway 133 to re-open to motorists. Permanent repairs to the damaged section of highway are anticipated to begin once the temporary bridge is installed, officials said. 

New West KnifeWorks opens Thursday in Aspen

New West KnifeWorks will open its newest retail location Thursday in downtown Aspen. The 1,000-square-foot space is located along the Aspen Pedestrian Mall at 413 E. Hyman Ave.

Shoppers will be able to browse the knives with colorful handles, throw a tomahawk, or watch the knife sharpening and laser engraving process. The New West KnifeWorks space will also be available to rent after-hours for private events.

“Aspen is the Fifth Avenue of the Mountain West,” says New West KnifeWorks founder Corey Milligan. “Given the success of our store in Jackson Hole over the past 20 years, Aspen is a perfect fit for our American-made knife boutique.” 

New West KnifeWorks is no stranger to Aspen. Over the past several years, it has sponsored or collaborated with chefs during Aspen Food and Wine, and this year is no different. It will host several high-profile chefs and also plans to collaborate with local non-profits in the region and to donate products to support fundraising efforts of organizations working for the greater good, officials said.

Christy Sports opens Friday in St. Regis

Christy Sports will open a store in Aspen on Friday, just inside the St. Regis Aspen Resort and will provide year-round specialty outdoor rental and retail services, the company announced.

The store will offer a variety of hike, bike, and electric vehicle rental options, as well as a wide selection of high-end summer resort wear, active gear, and accessories. Throughout winter, guests will find equipment, outerwear and casual wear in the store.

Christy Sports will also offer ski and snowboard rental and demo equipment, bootftting, and tuning and repairs.

“We are very excited to continue our strategic growth, offering new and current guests the opportunity to experience our world-class service at the new Aspen location,” said Gary Montes de Oca, chief development and strategy officer at Christy Sports.

DanceAspen to offer first summer program

DanceAspen’s first-ever summer program, “Solstice,” will premiere on Aug. 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Wheeler Opera House. 

“‘Solstice’ will be DanceAspen’s most exciting program yet. It is an honor and privilege for the company to welcome the level of creative brilliance that Cayetano Soto and Matthew Neenan bring to the stage. I also look forward to bringing back one of our all-time favorite works by the iconic Danielle Rowe,” said Laurel Jenny Winton, executive director of DanceAspen.

The summer premiere will feature new creations from choreographers Matthew Neenan and Cayetano Soto. In addition to the piece by Neenan, and the two American premieres by Soto, DanceAspen will welcome back a return of “Everyone’s in St. Barth’s,” by choreographer Danielle Rowe.

Garfield County wants to sit down with state transportation leaders over traffic

Garfield County has sent CDOT a letter, requesting roundtable meetings with local governments to discuss forecasted growth in the area and the impact it will have on a congested road system.

The letter, which was addressed to CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew, cites increasing population projections and the need for a “safer, more efficient, and reliable multi-modal transportation system for the I-70 and State Highway 82 corridors.”

“According to population and employment forecasts, particularly along the I-70 corridor, Garfield County’s population is estimated to grow by 40%, from 62,000 residents in 2020, to 86,000 in 2040,” the county’s letter notes. “The number of jobs in Garfield County will increase by 40% over the same time period, from an estimated 36,000 jobs to 51,000.”

In recent years, local roadways have also experienced disruptions due to natural disasters, such as wildfire, debris flows, rockslides, and more, further impacting already heavy traffic flows. 

“It seems vital to us that CDOT, the most important transportation stakeholder in our region and the state, be involved in, and, ideally, facilitate a series of transportation roundtable meetings for local governments in Garfield County,” the letter states.

The letter was approved unanimously by the Board of County Commissioners, 3-0, and signed by the board, and is expected to be signed by the towns of Parachute, Silt, New Castle, and Carbondale, and the cities of Rifle and Glenwood Springs. The letter can be read on the county’s website.

Valley View adds urologist

Rocky Mountain Urology Center at Valley View announced the addition of board-certified Urologist Scott Castle, MD.

Joining board-certified urologists Aashish Kabra, MD; Jamie Lowe, MD; and nurse practitioner Ashley Gilley, ANP at Rocky Mountain Urology Center, Dr. Castle is a general urologist. He is also a leader in da Vinci surgery, a minimally-invasive treatment for benign and cancerous conditions. 

As the only full-time urology practice in the region from the Roaring Fork Valley and Vail to De Beque, Rocky Mountain Urology Center has locations in Aspen, Eagle, Rifle, and Glenwood Springs.

For more information at 970.928.0808.

Sound immersion event at Carbondale Library in June

Ildi Ingraham will present a Sound Immersion at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 10, at the Carbondale Branch Library.

Organizers explain the experience as deep peace and bliss a while listening to the healing sounds of crystal and metal singing bowls, gong, and chimes. Bring a mat, pillow, blanket, and anything else to be comfortable. This event is free and open to all. For more information, call the library at 970-963-2889.

Pace of auto thefts falls in first quarter

The first quarter of 2023 shows a 22% decline in auto theft versus 2022, the state police reported this past week. The Q1 numbers of auto theft occurrences resemble numbers from 2020.

“The noticeable decline of auto theft is a testament to the resiliency of our citizens and the collaborative effort of many law enforcement and key partners across the state,” said Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “However, now is no time to rest and relax your vehicle securities. CATPA and the Colorado State Patrol ask you to continue to stay in this fight to reduce auto theft and overall crime in your communities.”

Auto theft is a catalyst crime that often sets off a chain reaction of other crimes, according to the state police, citing as examples burglaries, smash-and-grab robberies, reckless driving, eluding, drug crimes, and weapons offenses.

Aspen Meadows Resort’s Juneteenth Celebration tickets on sale

Tickets are now on sale for the Aspen Meadows Resort’s Juneteenth Celebration on Sunday, June 18, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. 

Returning for the second year after a highly-successful inaugural celebration, this brunch-inspired event will celebrate the Juneteenth holiday and feature food from acclaimed chefs Erick Williams and JJ Johnson, wine curated by Tahiira Habibi, and a musical tribute to 50 years of hip hop. 

The uplifting gathering, which falls on the last day of the Food & Wine Classic, offers panoramic mountain views from Plato’s Restaurant and Deck and the Madeleine K. Albright Pavilion at the Walter Isaacson Center. 

The event is 21+ and tickets are $125 per guest.