In Brief: Hungrarian skier killed in Maroon Bowl; two teens die sledding Copper’s halfpipe; new media bachelor’s at CMC
Hungarian skier killed in Maroon Bowl avalanche
The coroner’s office identified the skier who died in Sunday’s avalanche as Gábor Házas, a 54-year-old man from Budapest, Hungary, according to the Pitkin County Coroner’s Office.
Házas and two others were skiing in Maroon Bowl outside of the Aspen Highlands Ski Area when they were caught in an avalanche around 1:27 p.m. on Sunday, March 19. The two other skiers were rescued but Házas was buried and did not survive.
The cause of death is being investigated and the manner of death is an accident, the Coronor’s Office said Monday.
Teens die sledding Copper’s halfpipe after closing
A pair of spring vacationers from Illinois died in a sledding accident Sunday night at Copper Mountain Resort, according to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.
The 17- and 18-year-old males reportedly rode tandem down the halfpipe and launched off a large snowbank at the bottom before coming down hard on ice, causing blunt force trauma, the news release states. Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons said in a phone interview the two were on plastic sleds and a witness immediately called 911 to report the incident. He said an investigation remains ongoing.
Plastic skis and snowboards, sleds, saucers, toboggans and tubes are not allowed at Copper, according to safety policies on the ski resort’s website. Lift access at the resort closes at 4 p.m. every day.
The Summit County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene around 8:35 p.m. Emergency medical services treated the two, but they could not be revived and were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the news release.
Aspen writer Paul Andersen to talk at library Friday
On Friday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., the Pitkin County Library in Aspen will present local author Paul Andersen, most known for his book “The Town That Said Hell No,” a story of a rural Colorado community under siege by AMAX, a huge international mining corporation.
Andersen will also read an excerpt of his book “Moonlight Over Pearl: Ten Stories from Aspen,” and take questions at the end.
He has been a professional writer for 45 years. He writes books and feature articles for regional magazines, screenplays and scripts for film and documentaries. He was a columnist and contributing writer with The Aspen Times for 36 years.
Anderson’s reflections take in 15 years in Crested Butte, where he worked as a newspaper editor, then almost 40 years as an Aspen Times writer, book author, Aspen Institute seminar moderator and guide, and founder of Huts For Vets, a non-profit that serves veterans in the wilderness at the 10th Mountain Huts of Aspen.
CMC sets up new media bachelor’s program
The Colorado Mountain College Board of Trustees has approved a new Bachelor of Applied Science in Integrated Media, which will be offered at the Spring Valley campus in Glenwood Springs.
As part of CMC’s Isaacson School for Communication, Arts & Media, the new bachelor’s degree will prepare graduates for careers in marketing, strategic communication in digital spaces, content creation and more, college officials said.
The new bachelor’s degree is consistent with the college’s role as a dual mission institution, which means that the college offers a mix of liberal arts and applied science programs in a blend of undergraduate programs localized to the workforce needs of CMC’s mountain communities, officials said.
“Our faculty developed this bachelor’s degree in response to demand from employers who need well-rounded communicators to help companies, non-profits and organizations like hospitals and local governments tell their story,” said Dr. Jess Guarnero, dean of CMC’s Isaacson School for Communication, Arts & Media. “This will be an attractive degree for students new to CMC, as well as students pursuing associate degrees in our professional photography, graphic design, digital media and ski and snowboard business programs.”
Classes for the new bachelor’s degree begin this fall.
Democrats put together weekend food drive
In honor of Women’s History Month and the relocation of LiftUp’s Aspen Food Pantry to the Health and Human Services Building, the Pitkin County Democrats will hold a three-day Food and Necessities Drive on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Drop-off location (contactless: drop and go): 1278 Snowbunny Lane, off Cemetery Lane, Aspen.
Time: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. each day.
Needs: in-date, shelf-stable items (examples: tuna/soups/chili/beans/fruit/peanut butter/flour/jelly/salsa/spices/nuts/pasta/rice/cereal/oatmeal/tortillas/corn); feminine hygiene items (tampons/maxipads/minipads); diapers; paper towels/tissues/toilet paper; new socks and underwear. A complete list is on the Pitkin County Democrats’ Facebook page.
Devereux Bridge Closure this week in Glenwood
On Wednesday, the city of Glenwood Springs will lift the Devereux Bridge (by Two Rivers Park) and install the last four bridge bearing pads. This will require a day closure of the bridge beginning at 7:30 a.m. with crews anticipating the bridge to reopen later that evening.
Access to Two Rivers Park and businesses south/east of the closure point is open via Devereux Road and Highway 6. Access to Gerber Collision & Glass and businesses west/north of the closure point is open via Devereux Road and Midland Avenue. Pedestrians and bicyclists are advised to use Midland Avenue Trail as an alternate route, city officials said.
