Official word from the Department of Transportation is that Independence will Open Thursday May 24th at 2 p.m.
"Thank you for your email. Independence Pass will open on Thursday, May 24th, at 2 p.m. as long as weather allows. You can check on www.cotrip.org under Alerts/Restrictions if you wish to double check before you leave."
Tara Galvez
Public Relations Office
Add comment May 23rd, 2007
Edward Abbey’s novel Desert Solitaire opens with a simple, yet intriguing line. “This is the most beautiful place on earth,” he writes, a short and powerful sentence that grabs your attention and leaves you wondering where this place might be.
The most beautiful place on earth that Abbey writes of is southeastern Utah, a topographical gem of red rock canyons, snow capped peaks and the home of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.
Continue Reading 1 comment May 12th, 2007
I was walking home from work this week, meandering down the sidewalks, and as I looked around several questions came to mind.
What if that precariously angled crane at the base of the mountain fell over? I read that a similar crane in Seattle crashed into a building and killed a Microsoft employee, but that couldn’t happen here, could it?
Why does the photo in the window of the Butcher’s Block make me crave Hooters?
How many “air brushed” T-shirts does Boogies sell each year?
Continue Reading 2 comments April 7th, 2007
I topped a ridge and stopped, astonished as nature's theatre portrayed an action drama about seventy yards in front of me. There, along the rocky trail, hundreds of feet above timberline, were two rams fighting, head-butting with all the spectactular power and force which we have seen in television documentaries.
I stopped and watched the show for about 20 minutes while trying not to be noticed. If only I had had a video camera, I could have financed our next vacation with royalties from National Geographic.
The show ended when the legs of one ram finally buckled upon the final collision with the stronger ram. The winner of the battle disappeared over the ridge in one direction and the loser limped out of sight in another direction.
Continue Reading 2 comments December 19th, 2006
Last weekend I did what many Aspenites do. I hiked to Crested Butte. The trip had been planned for some time and I had RSVP’d for myself, plus one. Meanwhile, I have been dating someone. He seemed like the perfect “plus one” to bring along on the trip since he’s great fun and always up for an adventure.
The relationship is still in its inception and last weekend was our first multi-day trip together. We have spent copious hours with one another, yet at the same time are still finding out new information about each other every day. For instance, I just found out that he, we’ll call him “Maurice,” has a green tooth. The weekend was no different. I found out that he likes thick crust, white sauce pizza and I prefer thin crust and red sauce. It was a minor difference, but still very important data to gather when in a budding new relationship. NOTE TO SELF: Order personal sized pizza.
Continue Reading 1 comment August 10th, 2006
I'm currently sitting on my porch at the Bald Bobby secret lair at the Aspen Highlands on this beautiful Tuesday afternoon getting a can of whoop ass handed to me by my new Photoshop program. Since I'm getting nowhere with that, I've decided to have a sit and hammer out another episode of the Big Bald Blog. Although I have many, one of my favorite hobbies here in the Roaring Fork Valley is road biking.
Continue Reading Add comment June 27th, 2006
It’s Saturday. You pack up your family for a weekend hike in the White River National Forest. A sign at the trailhead reads, “Natural Gas Exploration Area. Enter At Your Own Risk. Poisonous Gases May be Present. If inhaled, gases may cause dizziness, blurred vision, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, internal bleeding, paralysis, and death.”
Continue Reading Add comment June 24th, 2006
As I sit here contemplating my first foray into the literary underworld known as 'blogging', I am curious as to know if there is a blogging equivalent of the Pulitzer. The point is moot because I'm no nearer that award as I am to winning the next Tour. In this little literary opine, you will neither find any quips about local politics, drug raids nor rants about the four lane into Aspen. The whole purpose of this poopsheet is to inform you of neat things to do in the upper valley, local roads on which to take bike rides, great hiking trails, activities to do on the cheap and the such. Do stay tuned as you will be titillated, informed and maybe I'll even throw in a literary haha every now and then. And with that, I'm out!
Add comment June 23rd, 2006
