The Aspen Times

The summit of Independence Pass in Aug. 2025. (Sarah Cowell/Special to The Denver Post)

Independence Pass to reopen this week

May 19, 2026 at 12:22 p.m.

鈥淭he annual opening of Independence Pass signifies the winter to summer weather transition and allows commuters to take advantage of this beautiful stretch of pure Colorado roadway.鈥�

Rare bat recorded in northern Colorado

February 9, 2026 at 2:11 p.m.

The first known occurrence of an evening bat was recorded in northern Colorado this month, something that is 鈥渘ot concerning but definitely interesting鈥� to Pitkin County.

The legacy home of Aspen icon Leonard 鈥淏oogie鈥� Weinglass, known as Merry-Go Ranch on McLain Flats, sold for $42 million on Jan. 5, after years of going on and off the market. (Courtesy of Michael Brands)

Aspen Merry-Go Ranch, former home of Weinglass family, sells for $42 million

January 14, 2026 at 6:00 a.m.

The 21.38-acre property, 1650 McLain Flats Road, had been listed with Sotheby鈥檚 International Realty鈥檚 Soffia Wardy for just under a year when it sold.

A bull Elk puts out his tongue, a courting maneuver, during the rut in a meadow near Moraine Park on Sept. 24, 2023 in Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes Park. A herd bull will approach cows slowly and carefully, with antlers high and tongue flicking, doing everything he can to win over a cow. If a cow is not ready to mate, she will move away with her head low, weaving her neck side to side and the bull will stop his immediate courting. Fall is approaching, and elk are entering their mating season, also known as the elk rut. Beginning September 1, annual meadow聽closures go into effect in Rocky Mountain National Park to prevent park visitors from disturbing elk during their rut. 聽According to a press release from the park meadow聽closures are in place between the hours of 5 p.m. to 10 a.m. Meadow areas that are closed include Horseshoe Park, Upper Beaver Meadows, Moraine Park, Harbison Meadow, and Holzwarth Meadow.聽During the specified hours, these areas are closed to all travel on foot or via horseback off established roadways and established trails.聽 The elk rut lasts from聽late September to mid-October聽in聽the park as well as Estes Park. During this period, hundreds of elk descend to the lower meadows of聽Rocky Mountain National Park聽looking to mate. RMNP is home to over 3,000 elk in the fall months. Elk are highly social animals and travel in various herd sizes throughout the year. Herds can grow as large as a few hundred individuals. Elk have a large range and move according to seasonal food availability. In the summer, herds move to higher elevations to feed on tundra vegetation, while in the winter they move down to lower elevations of the park and down into the Front Range. Elk primarily graze on grasses and forbs but they also browse shrubs. They feed mostly in the morning and evening, and seek sheltered areas during the middle of the day to digest. They eat an average of 20 pounds

Hunting loophole cause of concern for Pitkin, Eagle counties

January 13, 2026 at 6:00 a.m.

A loophole in Title 33 of Colorado鈥檚 Revised Statutes makes it difficult for CPW to punish hunters who illegally hunt on county open spaces that are designated as 鈥渃losed to...

A snowboarder makes turns on FIS seen behind ice covered tree branches on Aspen Mountain on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Aspen, Colo. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times via AP)

Skier dies in collision with tree at Colorado’s Aspen Mountain, resort officials confirm

December 24, 2025 at 12:46 p.m.

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

Snowmass Falls Ranch is a 650-acre property, purchased for $34 million to protect it from development.
(Hall & Hall, courtesy of The Wilderness Land Trust)

Pitkin County makes 鈥榟istoric鈥� $34 million purchase to protect land near Snowmass

December 12, 2025 at 6:00 a.m.

Snowmass Falls Ranch is a 650-acre property in Pitkin County, purchased for $34 million to protect it from development.

Benji, a three-month-old golden retriever, plays at the base of Aspen Mountain on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in Aspen. Benji will be trained as a new avalanche dog for Snowmass Ski Area.
(Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times)

Aspen Snowmass鈥� newest avalanche dog is building his confidence

October 29, 2025 at 3:52 p.m.

12-week-old field golden retriever Benji is already deep in his training to hit the slopes of Snowmass with ski patrol.

This 74.1-acre property on 161 Stillwater Road in Aspen is listed at $300 million. It's the most expensive property for sale in the U.S. (Mandy Welgos, Aspen Snowmass Sotheby鈥檚 International Realty)

Most expensive house for sale in America hits Aspen market

September 2, 2025 at 10:27 a.m.

The most expensive house for sale in the country hit the housing market in Aspen last week, a 74.1-acre property listed at $300 million.

Proposition 127 would make hunting mountain lions, bobcat or lynx a misdemeanor but would allow the killing of cats that threaten people or livestock. (Provided by Colorado Parks & Wildlife)

Money from across the country pours into Colorado鈥檚 fight over big cat hunting

October 30, 2024 at 12:45 p.m.

As of Oct. 28, the Western Heritage Conservation Alliance has amassed $1.6 million in donations from two donors. It has spent $450,000 on advertising.聽

The Newberry House in Aspen, which was recently purchased for $59.75 million, on Wednesday. (Ray K. Erku, The Aspen Times)

Pro hockey player buys Jack Nicholson鈥檚 former Aspen home for $59.75 million

September 26, 2024 at 11:08 a.m.

Jack Nicholson and Lou Adler purchased the Newberry House near downtown Aspen for $555,000 in 1980. On Tuesday, former National Hockey League goalie Patrick Dovigi bought it for $59.75 million,

抖阴ap