Top 5 most-read stories last week

Stories in this list received the most page views on aspentimes.com from August 4-11

1. Wildfire in Missouri Heights prompts evacuations, burns 115 acres as of Sunday night 

A wildfire broke out on Sunday near Missouri Heights that prompted temporary evacuations and burned an estimated 115 acres, although no injuries or major structural damage were reported.

The Coulter Creek Fire was first reported around 11 a.m. in the Panorama subdivision, located in the Missouri Heights area north of Carbondale. When firefighters arrived on scene, they found “an active fire burning in grass, pinyon, juniper, and sage moving at a fast rate of spread.”

As of 6 p.m., Sunday, the Carbondale and Rural Fire Protection District said the fire remained at 0% containment but that all evacuation orders had been lifted. Firefighters were to remain on scene overnight to monitor the fire.

-Staff report 

2. Another of Colorado’s wolves has died after traveling into Wyoming 

One of Colorado’s female gray wolves died in July after traveling to Wyoming. This is the third of the state’s reintroduced wolves to die in the neighboring state, where federal protections and state law differ from Colorado.

On Wednesday, Aug. 6, Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed that it became aware of the wolf’s death on July 24 in Wyoming. The female wolf, 2304, was one of the wolves brought to Colorado from Oregon in December 2023. 

While wolves in Colorado are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act — making it illegal to kill or harass the animals, except with federal permission or in circumstances allowed under the state’s special rule from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — they lose these protections when they travel north in Wyoming.

-Ali Longwell

3. Ten-acre Aspen equestrian estate to sell at at auction 

Moonshot Ranch, a 10-acre equestrian estate with Elk Mountain Range views located minutes from downtown Aspen, will sell at auction via Concierge Auctions. 

Considered a “a once-in-a-lifetime” property, Moonshot Ranch is a 9,273 square foot residence. Featuring eight bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, a 2,500-square-foot eight-stall barn, and surrounded by over 200 acres of common irrigated land, this property offers “unparalleled” luxurious Aspen living. 

Listed in cooperation with leading agent Steven Shane of Compass, bidding is scheduled to open Sept. 10 and will culminate live overseas on Sept. 18 as part of Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions’ annual Hong Kong Global Sale.

-Staff report 

4. Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirms at least 6 pups in new wolf pack 

There are at least six pups in one of Colorado’s newest wolf packs, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. 

Officials had been monitoring the One Ear Pack in Jackson County and confirmed there are at least six pups, but there could be more that they were unable to spot.

Eric Odell, the wolf conservation program manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, warned that “detection of pups early on is inherently low due to a number of factors including their size, use of densely covered homesites, and time potentially underground.”

-Shelby Valicenti 

5. More Embraer 175 planes coming to Aspen as Delta swaps over 

After United operated its last flight with the CRJ700 plane last Thursday, Delta announced on Friday, Aug. 8, that it would be swapping two more of its flights over to the new Embraer 175 airplane. 

Delta will be swapping its Atlanta and Los Angeles flights over to the E-175 plane in November. 

 That means more passengers and more cargo potential for Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, along with improved reliability over the CRJ700s. 

-Colin Suszynski