Top 5 most-read stories last week
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
Stories in this list received the most page views on aspentimes.com from May 5-12.
1. U.S. Forest Service district ranger gives stark insight into future of Aspen area
Significantly reduced staff means significantly reduced capacity by the U.S. Forest Service, which will have noticeable impacts in the Roaring Fork Valley this summer.
Kevin Warner, district ranger for the Aspen Sopris Ranger District of the White River National Forest, delivered a lengthy discussion of the bleak future of local U.S. Forest Service operations.
“We have 300,000-plus acres of National Forest, we see somewhere in the range of 3,400 day users and a couple thousand overnight users in those wilderness areas every year,” said Warner to the Board. “This year, we will have about one-third of the field going staff that we’ve had over the past couple of years.”
-Colin Suszynski
2. New Aspen hotel brings exclusive art, BMW’S and landscape luxury
Aspen’s local moose, mountain lions, and bears can step aside — there’s a White Elephant coming to town.
While Aspen has no shortage of hotels, White Elephant is taking the mountain aesthetic to a whole new level by blending it with the brand’s iconic modern design that infuses landscape into luxury. Slated to open in late fall at 110 West Main St., this will be the third White Elephant hotel in the country and the first one established out West; the other two are located in Nantucket and Palm Beach.
“We are excited for the addition of 54 new guest rooms to Aspen’s lodging inventory with the opening of White Elephant Aspen,” said Eliza Voss, vice president of Destination Marketing for the Aspen Chamber Resort Association. “Managing Director Justin Todd is an ACRA Board member and no stranger to the Aspen hotel scene. We wish them a swift opening and look forward to checking it out once they are ready for us.”
-River Stingray
3. Yogi’s enters battle with Aspen to keep lease
Yogi’s is ready to take the city of Aspen to war.
The city is attempting to evict the American-style lunch restaurant and arcade after the business failed to pay the past three months of rent and utilities, amounting to $21,204.81.
Aspen filed a lawsuit to the 9th Judicial District Court to evict the business from the 1,615 foot city-owned space located at 455 Rio Grande Place — adjacent to the Rio Grande Park — on Thursday.
-Skyler Stark-Ragsdale
At least 13 people died after crashes or heart attacks on Colorado’s ski slopes in the 2024-25 season with at least 10 of the deaths occurring on intermediate or beginner runs. That is a decline from annual fatalities in recent seasons.
The Colorado Sun surveys 16 county coroners for deaths recorded at the state’s 27 operating ski areas. Of the three women and 10 men who died following an accident or medical event at Colorado ski areas in the 2024-25 season, eight were skiers and five were snowboarders, with ages ranging from 20 to 76. Five of the deaths were recorded days or even weeks after an accident at a ski area. Two skiers died from heart attacks, one suffocated in deep snow and 10 suffered trauma following a fall.
Colorado ski areas do not report deaths. Resort representatives issue brief statements and condolences when asked by reporters about fatal accidents. Resorts do not consider medical events — like heart attacks — a ski area fatality even if the death occurred on the slopes.
– The Colorado Sun
Tire chain assistance on Interstate 70. Identity protections for wolf depredation claims. Support for rural pharmacies.
The 2025 legislative session that ended on Wednesday, May 7, saw hundreds of bills adopted, including a slew that could have an outsized impact on rural Colorado communities. Here are 10 pieces of legislation that Western Slope residents should know about:
-Robert Tann
