Top five most-read stories last week

Stories in this list received the most page views on aspentimes.com from July 28-August 4.

1.Aspen area included in ‘release zone’ for wolverine reintroduction 

The Aspen area has been included in one of three general release zones for the reintroduction of wolverines into the state, according to preliminary information from Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s developing plan. 

The “central zone” will cover Aspen to Gunnison. The other two general release zones that have been identified are the “northern zone,” including the areas near Rocky Mountain National Park, and the “southern zone,” including the San Juans between Montrose and Durango. 

“Colorado is especially well suited to help address (wolverine) conservation concerns,” said Colorado State University graduate student Kaitlyn Reed at one of the many virtual educational events she’s been running as a project partner with CSU’s Center for Human Carnivore Coexistence and Defenders of Wildlife. “It is critical wolverine populations have access to large areas of connected habitat. Bringing them back to the largest area they were historically present but currently absent could provide a ‘new stronghold.'”

-River Stingray 

2. 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 

3. Stranded climbers saved by Mountain Rescue Aspen 

Two climbers were rescued Sunday evening after veering off-route from North Maroon Peak, according to a PitkinAlert.

The climbers became stranded on Sleeping Sexton, a rugged 13,457-foot ridge in the Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness just north of North Maroon Peak. The standard route on Sleeping Sexton contains Class 3 and 4 scrambling sections on unstable shale.

Pitkin County Dispatch received a distress call around 4:15 p.m. from the climbers, who found themselves in steep, unstable terrain. Mountain Rescue Aspen (MRA) was activated at 6:07 p.m. and made phone contact, advising the pair to descend into Snowmass Creek and return to Maroon Creek via Buckskin Pass.

-Staff report 

4. Someone in Snowmass has been illegally feeding foxes, police report 

Snowmass residents and/or visitors have reportedly been feeding local foxes, according to the Snowmass Police Department. 

The department received three to four reports across Snowmass of foxes displaying behavior indicating they’d been intentionally fed, said Lauren Martenson, Snowmass Police Community Response.

“And then the foxes lose their fear of humans,” Martenson said. 

-Skyler Stark-Ragsdale 

5. Hiker injured between Maroon Bells, Crater Lake 

A hiker with a knee injury alerted the Pitkin County Regional Emergency Dispatch Center with an SOS text message Tuesday afternoon, according to a PitkinAlert.

Mountain Rescue Aspen took the lead with volunteers who hiked to the patient. The injured hiker was then driven to Aspen Valley Health.

-Staff report