But if timed entry is here to stay, it will need to remain flexible to adapt to the changing needs of visitors.
Estes Park
Posted inEconomy, Environment, News, Outdoors
Rocky Mountain National Park is making a comeback after the one-two 2020 punch of COVID, East Troublesome fire
The same few months of 2020 that Colorado crown jewel Rocky Mountain National Park was suffering its worst losses from COVID closures, the whole place also nearly burned down. Now, things are looking up in the original Switzerland of the West. The park’s in-house firefighting crew, which said they’d been prepping for a sparkfest like […]
Posted inNews, Wildfire
Firefighting plane was inverted before fatal crash near Estes Park, witnesses told NTSB
Two witnesses saw a firefighting airplane that crashed while responding to a wildfire near Estes Park last month roll upside down before slamming into wooded terrain, according to a preliminary report released Wednesday by the National Safety Transportation Board. One witness told federal air crash investigators that the plane’s pilot, Marc Thor Olson, did not […]
Posted inNews, Wildfire
Fast-growing wildfire near Estes Park threatening structures, prompts evacuations
A fast-growing wildfire in Little Valley near Estes Park is threatening structures and prompted evacuation orders Tuesday. The Kruger Rock fire, which was reported around 7 a.m., was burning in an area at Little Valley Road and Fish Creek Road near the south side of Estes Park, according to the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office. The […]
Posted inClimate, Environment, News, Outdoors, Wildfire
20 years of planning saved Rocky Mountain National Park from the worst of the East Troublesome fire. It will take 20 more to fix the damage.
Early on the morning of Oct. 23, Mike Lewelling stood at the Forest Canyon Overlook on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park and stared 2,500 feet down into what he called a cauldron of fire and swirling wood smoke. The East Troublesome fire had Lewelling, the park’s fire management officer for 15 years, […]
Posted inBusiness, Coloradans, COVID, Health, News
Too many empty beds at Colorado nursing homes leave the industry in financial distress
State health officials are worried about the future of a handful of Colorado nursing homes with “severe financial concerns” after a bruising pandemic year that resulted in too many empty beds. Two major nursing home operators, meanwhile, are making plans to back out of Colorado or at least decrease operations after occupancy has been reduced […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: After a year of “missing,” summer camps can provide a place for kids to heal and thrive
Our kids have been through a lot over the past year. The COVID-19 pandemic has stolen so much from them and upended their lives. It’s brought the move to online school, reduced social interactions, cancellations of clubs and sports, and for some, the loss of loved ones. It’s been nearly a year of “missing.” Unfortunately, […]
Posted inEducation, News
Colorado grants $27 million to support career training, literacy programs, Indigenous curriculum
Colorado awarded $27 million in education grants to 19 programs aimed at helping students in communities hit hard by the pandemic, Gov. Jared Polis and state officials announced Monday. The announcement represents the second round of funding under the RISE grant program, which emphasizes cooperative programs between school districts, charter schools, and higher education institutions […]
Posted inBusiness, Coloradans, COVID, News, Politics and Government
Colorado’s tiny mountain post offices are hamstrung — for the second straight holiday season
Crested Butte Mayor Jim Schmidt is getting that anxious feeling again when he makes his daily trek to the post office. A yellow slip in his post office box usually means a long wait in a line to retrieve a package. Just like last year, the line sometimes wraps around the outside of this town’s […]
Posted inBusiness, Energy, News, Technology
Spurred by the threat of wildfires, an Estes Park broadband project moved at the speed of light
As the Cameron Peak fire burned in the distance on the morning of Oct. 17, Josh Cramer sprung into action. He worried the fire might reach Estes Park and cause a literal meltdown that could wipe out the town’s internet, emergency lines and prevent reverse 9-1-1 calls. The town needed access to backup broadband. But […]