Top 5 most-read stories last week
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Shawn O’Connor/Courtesy photo
Stories in this list received the most page views on aspentimes.com from May 25-June 1:
1. Aspen’s Elk Mountain Lodge headed to public auction
Driving down Castle Creek Road to or from Ashcroft, it’s hard not to notice William I. Koch’s 52-acre legacy ranch, Elk Mountain Lodge, and its views of the Elk Mountain Range, two ponds and river frontage.
Now, the property that’s been listed for $99 million for almost 500 days will be heading to public auction this summer.
The ranch, located at 125 Rooney Circle only 11 miles from Aspen and across from the American Lake Trailhead, goes to auction with Concierge Auctions in cooperation with Steven Shane of Compass. Bidding will open July 7 and culminate July 17 via the firm’s online marketplace at conciergeauctions.com.
— River Stingray
2. Aspen/Pitkin County Airport announces 2027 closure dates
The Aspen/Pitkin County Airport has announced that it will be closed starting at 11 p.m. Sunday, April 4, 2027, through 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, 2027, in order to undergo voter-approved infrastructure improvements.
“We’re looking at all options to get this complex and ambitious schedule completed on time,” a spokesperson for the airport told The Aspen Times.
The airport modernization program is aimed at enhancing safety, access, efficiency and long-term operational reliability. According to a press release, the 2027 closure will allow the existing runway to be completely reconstructed to meet current Federal Aviation Administration standards. Construction of the new commercial passenger terminal and Fixed Based Operator facility will also begin in April 2027 — the new terminal is expected to be completed in 2029, with commercial operations resuming when the runway reopens in late 2027 out of the existing terminal.
— River Stingray
3. Aspen family donates land near Independence Pass for permanent protection
Two years ago, former Aspen City Manager Amy Margerum Berg donated 235 acres on the slopes of Mount Champion to the east of Independence Pass in memory of her late husband, Charles “Chuck” McLean, with the aim of protecting it from any future development.
The Wilderness Land Trust has now successfully completed the first phase of transferring 194 of those acres to the San Isabel National Forest, permanently ensuring its continued conservation. The remaining 40 acres of the property will transfer to national forest by early 2027 following additional environmental testing.
“This is a pretty visible property,” said Margosia Jadkowski, director of Marketing & Communications for the Wilderness Land Trust. “It’s such a good example of how protecting one relatively small property can have benefits well beyond its boundaries.”
— River Stingray
4. Momo’s Chinese brings fresh, affordable take-out to Basalt
Award-winning chef Sandy Dee Hall’s dream of owning a restaurant in the Roaring Fork Valley came to life two weeks ago when he opened Momo’s Chinese in Basalt.
The restaurant’s name and branding were inspired by Hall’s husky, Momo. Looking for a change from city life, the two moved from New York City to the valley nine months ago.
“I came to the valley because I wanted a different life than what I had in New York for myself and Momo,” Hall said. “After driving through the area, I fell in love with it.”
— Sonia Alizadeh
5. Colorado’s approaching monsoon season and El Niño conditions create hope for above-normal rainfall
Colorado is headed toward a potentially wetter-than-normal summer, with promises of an active monsoon season and growing confidence in developing El Niño conditions. However, with hotter temperatures likely, this summer could look different from the mountains’ last El Niño visit.
The Climate Prediction Center’s seasonal precipitation outlook shows above-normal chances for rainfall in Colorado from June through September, with the Western Slope and Utah border seeing the highest likelihood of above-average rainfall.
Forecasts also show a strong possibility that Colorado will see an active monsoon season, according to Peter Goble, assistant state climatologist at the Colorado Climate Center.
— Andrea Teres-Martinez
Aspen family donates land near Independence Pass for permanent protection
Two years ago, former Aspen City Manager Amy Margerum Berg donated 235 acres on the slopes of Mount Champion to the east of Independence Pass in memory of her late husband, Charles “Chuck” McLean, with the aim of protecting it from any future development.
