Is Governor Hickenlooper Going Far Enough With His Climate Plans?

Governor John Hickenlooper was lauded with plenty of praise for his July executive order calling for Colorado to commit to big greenhouse gas cuts by 2025 and to increasing renewable energy resources. But two advocacy groups are saying that Hickenlooper’s order and Colorado in general isn’t going far enough in its plan.

I-70 Expansion Foes Seek to Halt Stormwater Project

Opponents of the expansion of I-70 through northeast Denver have filed a motion in federal court seeking to halt any further action on the $1.8 billion project by the Colorado Department of Transportation — as well as any further construction work on a series of stormwater diversion measures undertaken by the City of Denver.

Joseph Seeds: How I Survived a Nearly Deadly Mistake on Capitol Peak 14er

Last week, as we’ve reported, Denver’s Joseph Seeds Jr. was rescued from Capitol Peak, a fourteener in the Elk Mountains range near Aspen, where five people have died in 2017 to date. In this post, Seeds, an extremely thoughtful and experienced hiker who’s reached the summit of four-dozen fourteeners to date, shares his survival story, detailing his preparations, the trek to the summit and a brief lapse of concentration during his descent that could easily have led to his death. He also offers tips that, quite simply, are capable of saving lives.

How Joseph Seeds Nearly Became Sixth to Die on Capitol Peak This Year

Yesterday, September 6, Joseph Seeds Jr. was rescued by helicopter from Capitol Peak, a fourteener in the Elk Mountains range, where five climbers died over a 43 day period between July 15 and August 26. He avoided becoming the sixth casualty on what has been described as Colorado’s most dangerous fourteener thanks to terrific work by extremely busy rescue crews located in the area in and around Aspen and his tremendous experience when it comes to scaling the biggest peaks in the state.

Colorado’s Ten Most Popular Fourteeners

Because of the fifth death on the Aspen area’s Capitol Peak in just over six weeks, Colorado’s fourteeners have been in the news for tragic reasons lately. But a new survey reveals that these majestic attractions are more popular than ever, with the number of hiker-use days during 2016 exceeding the 2015 total by more than 50,000. The data also identifies the ten most popular fourteeners in the state, as well as those where hikers are less likely to encounter a crowd.

Fifth Death on Colorado’s Most Dangerous Fourteener in 43 Days

On Saturday, August 26, a thus-far-unidentified 21-year-old man died in a fall from Capitol Peak, a fourteener in the Elk Mountains near Aspen. The man is the fifth Capitol Peak death since July 15, a span of 43 days, or just over six weeks. And while the fourteeners in the Elk Mountains range are considered to be Colorado’s most dangerous, the number of fatalities on Capitol Peak during 2017 to date is unprecedented in recent memory. Capitol Peak registered four fatalities in the decade and a half prior to this year.

Denver’s Park Policy on Trial in Golf Course Case

It’s not easy to prove that Mayor Michael Hancock and his minions are violating the Denver City Charter in their pursuit of a $300 million stormwater diversion project, but opponents of the controversial project have managed to keep things interesting in Denver District Court this week.

Colorado 14ers: Tips for Staying Safe

Colorado fourteeners are gorgeous, but they can also be deadly. Since caution is key when attempting to summit these magnificent peaks, we reached out to Lloyd Athearn, executive director of the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, who offers the following ten tips for challenging Colorado fourteeners safely.

Colorado’s Most Dangerous 14ers, Including Site of Two 2017 Deaths

On Sunday, August 6, a thus-far-unidentified 35-year-old Front Range man died while climbing the Knife’s Edge portion of Capitol Peak, in the Elk Mountains near Aspen. He’s the second person to perish scaling Capitol Peak in less than a month, following Parker’s Jake Lord, who suffered a fatal fall there on July 15. And according to Lloyd Athearn, executive director of the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, data compiled by the organization shows that Capitol Peak and several other Elk Mountains fourteeners are among the riskiest in Colorado.

Will Trump Administration Drilling Order Threaten Colorado’s Recreation Economy?

Zinke’s order came as a concern to leaders of the recreation industry as well as conservationists, who say that the Trump administration is putting oil and gas interests first and foremost – even though the BLM leased the second most land in Colorado of any state during the 2016 fiscal year —  and threatening public lands just as many are citing Colorado’s conservation efforts as the reason behind Outdoor Retailer’s relocation from Salt Lake City.

Looming Trump Cuts Aren’t Deterring NREL’s Mission to Save the Planet

For forty years, the Golden-based NREL has led the country in providing the foundational technology for innovations in solar, wind, biomass and battery efficiency – all to make renewable energy companies more successful, one breakthrough at a time. But as the climate begins to rapidly change, researchers are facing new pressures to push America’s energy economy in a new, sustainable direction.