Carbondale-based visual storyteller Sylvia Johnson spent part of the pandemic working as a contact tracer in Garfield County. Her conversations with people who had COVID-19 became a source of inspiration, which she has now turned into a storyte

As Summer Events Heat Up, Organizers Contemplate The Future Of Festivals In A Post Pandemic World

May 10th, 2021 4m 46s

As more people get vaccinated and temperatures warm up across the country, people have nostalgia for the before times — before the pandemic, that is. Recent data suggest that nearly two-thirds of Americans are intending to travel for vacations,

Dry Conditions Mean The Roaring Fork Valley Is Ripe For Burning As Wildfire Season Approaches

May 6th, 2021 4m 32s

Last year saw vicious wildfires tear through Colorado. That included the three largest blazes in the state’s history and the Grizzly Creek Fire, which burned more than 30,000 acres near Glenwood Springs. This year, with much of the area in drou

‘Ute People Are Alive, We Exist:’ Skyler Lomahaftewa Brings His Culture Home To The Rocky Mountains

Apr 27th, 2021 4m 58s

Skyler Lomahaftewa is a Basalt resident and a member of the Uncompahgre band of the Ute tribe. In the winters, he gives snowboard lessons at Aspen Snowmass and in the summers, he does audio-visual work for events like Food & Wine and the Aspen

Seasonal Closures Keep People Off Trails, But Provide A Refuge For Elk

Apr 14th, 2021 4m 28s

The snow is melting, the days are getting longer, and skis are getting shelved in favor of hiking boots and mountain bikes. But in some parts of the Roaring Fork Valley, hikers and bikers will have to wait a little longer to venture out on cert

‘Three Part Harmony’ Marks Return Of In-Person Performances, Broadway’s Beth Malone To Theatre Aspen

Apr 9th, 2021 4m 39s

Years before Beth Malone found fame on Broadway for her work in the musical “Fun Home,” and a Tony Award nomination along the way, she called the Roaring Fork Valley home. Malone, a Colorado native, came to the Aspen area in 1992 to perform at

A Basalt High School Senior Uses Her Voice To Raise Awareness About Sexual Abuse And Assault

Mar 29th, 2021 5m 5s

Every year around this time high school seniors in the Roaring Fork School District present their final capstone projects to their teachers, classmates and community members. Basalt High School’s capstone coordinator , Nannette Weinhold says th

A Basalt High School Senior Uses Her Voice To Raise Awareness About Sexual Abuse And Assault

Mar 29th, 2021 5m 5s

Every year around this time high school seniors in the Roaring Fork School District present their final capstone projects to their teachers, classmates and community members.

Looking To Learn About Water Availability, Some Researchers Find Clues In The Dirt

Mar 26th, 2021 4m 56s

When it comes to water in the West, a lot of it is visible. Snow stacks up high in the mountains then eventually melts and flows down into valleys. It’s easy to see how heavy rains and rushing rivers translate into an abundance of available wat

Colorado State Historian Talks Ski History At Aspen Historical Society Event This Week

Mar 15th, 2021 5m 20s

Dr. Duane Vandenbusche was designated as Colorado’s State Historian this past Colorado Day, Aug. 1, 2020, a title that he will hold until Colorado Day this year. Vandenbusche is also the state’s longest serving professor; he started teaching at

One Year After First Cases, Looking Back At The Pandemic In Pitkin County

Mar 12th, 2021 5m 8s

There were a few days during the second week of Mar. 2020 when the coronavirus started to feel present and immediate in Aspen. Like it was no longer a distant problem. Like there was a pandemic knocking on the front door.

Aspen Mayor Re-elected In A Landslide And Two City Council Candidates Win Majority In A Tight Race

Mar 3rd, 2021 5m 18s

T he votes have been counted for Aspen’s next Mayor and two city council members. The preliminary election results were announced on Tuesday night and will be officially certified on Friday, March 5. Aspen Public Radio’s Morning Edition host El

Local Faces And Stories Illuminate the Impact Of Climate Change In The Roaring Fork Valley

Mar 3rd, 2021 3m 26s

If you find yourself wandering the streets of Aspen, Carbondale, or Glenwood Springs this month, you will be greeted by collages of oversized self-portraits pasted on Colorado Mountain College buildings.

Digging Deep: The Years-Long Fight to Protect Glenwood Springs' Tourism

Feb 26th, 2021 5m 11s

Since 2018, Glenwood Springs community members have banded together to fight against Rocky Mountain Industrials' expansion proposal at the Mid-Continent Quarry. They say protecting the city’s tourism economy is one of the main reasons for the y

Digging Deep: Rocky Mountain Industrials' Rocky Financial Future

Feb 25th, 2021 6m 39s

Since its inception in 2015, Rocky Mountain Industrials, or RMI, has lost tens of millions of dollars. What that means for the company remains unclear as the Bureau of Land Management continues to navigate the permitting process to approve RMI’

Digging Deep: Experts Assess Environmental Impacts Of Proposed Mine Expansion Near Glenwood Springs

Feb 24th, 2021 4m 45s

When a mining operation spreads out across hundreds of acres, some environmental impact is inevitable. Opponents of the Rocky Mountain Industrials limestone mine expansion near Glenwood Springs say its proposed footprint of more than 400 acres

Digging Deep: A Long List Of Permits Stands In the Way Of RMI’s Mine Expansion

Feb 23rd, 2021 4m 44s

Taking a limestone mine from less than 20 acres to more than 400 is no small feat. Not only does it require expensive and heavy machinery to move the earth, it also takes money and persistence to clear a long road of regulatory hurdles before a

High Risk At High Altitude: The 'Paradise Paradox' And What It Means For Ski Town Mental Health

Feb 16th, 2021 5m 27s

The Mountain West has some of the highest suicide rates in the United States. Colorado is no exception; the state has been in the top 10 for highest suicide rates in the country since 2009. Ski towns, in particular, have significantly higher ra

Highlands Ski Patrol Director Mac Smith Gave Decades Of ‘Blood, Sweat And Tears’ On The Mountain

Feb 11th, 2021 5m 48s

Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol Director Mac Smith passed the baton on Jan. 31 after 42 seasons on the job. Though, he will remain on the patrol during the winters and help as needed throughout the next several years. He first stepped foot on Highla

As Growing Vaccine Inequity Leaves Latinos Behind, A Roaring Fork Valley Group Aims To Close The Gap

Feb 5th, 2021 4m 33s

Almost half a million Coloradans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. While that number indicates a promising start on the road to the state’s pandemic recovery, advocates say vaccine distribution has been marred by inequity

High Risk At High Altitude: How Have The Events Of The Last Year Impacted Our Relationships?

Feb 2nd, 2021 5m 12s

One way to take care of yourself during the coronavirus pandemic is to stay connected to your loved ones, but what happens when you have a disagreement or a falling out with the people you’re supposed to feel most connected to, and how does tha

Doc Eason Makes Magic As Snowmass’ Resident Magician

Jan 28th, 2021 5m 7s

Doc Eason has been a Snowmass staple for visitors and locals for over four decades. His card tricks and sleight of hand magic delighted audiences at the Tower Restaurant’s bar until it closed in 2004, and he took his act to the StoneBridge Inn,

Local Musician Shea Freedom’s New Song ‘America’ Calls For Justice And Peace On Inauguration Day

Jan 20th, 2021 5m 38s

In a normal year, local musician Shea Freedom can be found tearing up the stage at Belly Up in Aspen or performing for passersby on main street in Carbondale, but when the pandemic hit, his gigs were cancelled. As protests and social justice mo

High Risk At High Altitude: Why We Turn To Substances To Cope With Stress

Jan 19th, 2021 5m 28s

It may be a new year, but the stresses and challenges from 2020 seem to be trickling into 2021. At the national level, the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol by right-wing extremists. Locally, people continue to navigate the financial difficult

Aspen Homeless Shelter Determined To Help Locals Despite Pandemic Shutdown

Jan 18th, 2021 4m 27s

Traditionally on Martin Luther King Day, the Aspen Chapel invites locals to cook a special dinner for people who visit the Aspen Homeless Shelter . Last year, nearly a hundred adults and children gathered for the annual meal at the chapel. “It’