Top five most-read stories last week

Stories in this list received the most page views on aspentimes.com from Dec. 22- Dec. 29.

1. Aspen One confirms skier death on Aspen Mountain 

A skier died on Aspen Mountain last Friday following a collision with a tree, according to a statement released by Aspen One’s communications team.

Aspen One said the skier was wearing a helmet and taken to Aspen Valley Health – Hospital and Medical Center. 

“Our deepest condolences are with the guest’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult time,” Aspen One told The Aspen Times. “We are truly sorry for their loss. We’d also like to thank our highly trained Ski Patrol for their swift and professional response.”

-Skyler Stark-Ragsdale 

2. Buttermilk Main closes ‘while we wait for the next storm’ 

In the announcement, SkiCo tells visitors that Buttermilk Main — which consists of mostly intermediate skiing off of the Summit Express — is closed, after having been open since the ski resort opened for the season on Dec. 13. 

“Mother Nature has given us a tough start on the upper mountain where Buttermilk does not have snowmaking and relies on natural snowfall,” Sara Roston, VP of Corporate Communications at Aspen One, said. “Recent warm temperatures and limited natural snow at higher elevations led to the temporary closure of Buttermilk Main.”

This announcement comes on the heels of weeks without snow while snowpack in the area are near record-lows according to data from the National Weather Service. Snow Water Equivalent, a measure of the amount of water the snowpack contains, is currently in the 0th percentile, according to NWS data, in the Colorado Headwaters River Basin which houses the Roaring Fork Valley. 

-Colin Suszynski 

3. Here are 5 Colorado laws going into effect on Jan. 1

A new year brings new laws in Colorado. 

Starting Jan. 1, a suite of bills passed earlier this year during the state’s regular legislative session will go into effect. 

Some of those touch on housing, child care, guns and wildlife. Here are five laws Western Slope residents should know about: 

-Robert Tann

4. Most popular Colorado ski resorts have less than 25% of terrain open for Christmas holiday 

As Colorado’s snowpack nears record lows, popular ski areas are relying on manmade snow to open terrain as thousands of tourists visit over the Christmas holiday, many planning to ski or snowboard.

From Arapahoe Basin Ski Area to Breckenridge Ski Resort, Copper Mountain, Vail Mountain, Beaver Creek Resort, Winterpark Resort, Steamboat Resort, Aspen-Snowmass, and beyond, snowmaking teams, ski patrollers, and groomers have been working to open terrain for guests amid a tough season.

“While natural snow has been slow to fall this year, our operations teams have been working hard around the clock to get the best possible product ready for the holiday season,” Breckenridge and Keystone Communications Manager Sarah McLear said in a statement.

-Ryan Spencer 

5. PHOTOS: John Oates, William H. Macy are in ‘Aspen for the Holidays’

Actor William H. Macy — “Shameless,” “Jurassic Park III” — and musician John Oates, half of the legendary Hall & Oates, headlined “Aspen for the Holidays” on Sunday night in Aspen. Hosted by and produced by the Wheeler Opera House, the easy-going, holiday performance featured an ensemble cast of mostly local talent, including Macy and Oates, who have deep ties to the Roaring Fork Valley.

Others who took the stage Sunday include Broadway singer Beth Malone; Jazz Aspen Snowmass founder Jim Horowitz on piano playing for Jimmer Bolden; Mack Bailey; and Josefina Mendez, among many more. Interspersed between the musical acts were short comedic skits from Consensual Improv and the Crystal Palace Players.

-Austin Colbert