By | and | | The Denver PostReservations for wilderness backcountry camping permits in Rocky Mountain National Park ground to a halt again on Wednesday due to “technical issues” caused by high volume, park officials reported in a news release just 40 minutes after reservations began for the day.It is yet to be determined when they will resume, but it won’t be on Wednesday.Reservations for May through October were supposed to begin on March 1, but high volume that day quickly crashed the Pay.gov system. At first, park officials announced that , but later that day said reservations would be...…By | and | | The Denver PostReservations for wilderness backcountry camping permits in Rocky Mountain National Park ground to a halt again on Wednesday due to “technical issues” caused by high volume, park officials reported in a news release just 40 minutes after reservations began for the day.It is yet to be determined when they will resume, but it won’t be on Wednesday.Reservations for May through October were supposed to begin on March 1, but high volume that day quickly crashed the Pay.gov system. At first, park officials announced that , but later that day said reservations would be...WW…

By | and | | The Denver PostThere isn’t much information on the status of resuming backcountry wilderness camping reservations this year in Rocky Mountain National Park except that the park will release details of a new plan on March 18.Reservations were halted twice after high volume overwhelmed the online system, forcing park officials to put everything on hold.Reservations for May through October were supposed to begin on March 1, but high volume that day crashed the Pay.gov system. Four days later, the park announced  to spread out volume on the server, beginning this week. Permits...…By | and | | The Denver PostThere isn’t much information on the status of resuming backcountry wilderness camping reservations this year in Rocky Mountain National Park except that the park will release details of a new plan on March 18.Reservations were halted twice after high volume overwhelmed the online system, forcing park officials to put everything on hold.Reservations for May through October were supposed to begin on March 1, but high volume that day crashed the Pay.gov system. Four days later, the park announced  to spread out volume on the server, beginning this week. Permits...WW…

By | and | | The Denver PostVisitors to national parks who find it upsetting when encountering unmasked strangers on single-track trails now have President Joe Biden on their side.The National Park Service announced on Tuesday that masks will be required for employees, visitors, partners and contractors in response to a presidential executive order mandating masks on federal property.Masks will be required at national parks in buildings and outdoors “when physical distancing cannot be maintained, including narrow or busy trails, overlooks and historic homes,” according to a park service...…By | and | | The Denver PostVisitors to national parks who find it upsetting when encountering unmasked strangers on single-track trails now have President Joe Biden on their side.The National Park Service announced on Tuesday that masks will be required for employees, visitors, partners and contractors in response to a presidential executive order mandating masks on federal property.Masks will be required at national parks in buildings and outdoors “when physical distancing cannot be maintained, including narrow or busy trails, overlooks and historic homes,” according to a park service...WW…

By | and | | The Denver PostFor outdoors enthusiasts in Colorado, the arrival of winter means skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing and, let’s not forget, making summer camping reservations. You do not want to procrastinate.Camping reservations for national parks, national forests and Colorado state parks may be made six months in advance, which means it already could be too late for you to reserve your favorite campground for Memorial Day or the Fourth of July.In general, the registration process this year will look like it did last year. Reservations for national parks and national forests can...…By | and | | The Denver PostFor outdoors enthusiasts in Colorado, the arrival of winter means skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing and, let’s not forget, making summer camping reservations. You do not want to procrastinate.Camping reservations for national parks, national forests and Colorado state parks may be made six months in advance, which means it already could be too late for you to reserve your favorite campground for Memorial Day or the Fourth of July.In general, the registration process this year will look like it did last year. Reservations for national parks and national forests can...WW…

By | and | | The Denver PostWhile reports of crowding and resource damage in Colorado’s public lands have been commonplace during the coronavirus pandemic, what unfolded over the summer in the spectacular Ice Lakes area of the San Juan Range near Silverton has to be among the most egregious.Campfires were built on sensitive high alpine tundra, fueled by wood pilfered from historic mining structures. Human waste was left around the perimeter of Ice Lake and neighboring Island Lake. Campers unable to find legal campsites near the trailhead below set up tents on roadsides or overstayed 14-day...…By | and | | The Denver PostWhile reports of crowding and resource damage in Colorado’s public lands have been commonplace during the coronavirus pandemic, what unfolded over the summer in the spectacular Ice Lakes area of the San Juan Range near Silverton has to be among the most egregious.Campfires were built on sensitive high alpine tundra, fueled by wood pilfered from historic mining structures. Human waste was left around the perimeter of Ice Lake and neighboring Island Lake. Campers unable to find legal campsites near the trailhead below set up tents on roadsides or overstayed 14-day...WW…

By | | The Denver PostRocky Mountain National Park is closing due to the East Troublesome Fire west of the park, which exploded in size overnight and entered the park from the southwest. Grand Lake, a popular recreation destination on the west side of the park, also is threatened and its residents have been evacuated.The by the Incident Information System shows the fire has crossed U.S. 34 near the western entrance to the park, a third of which was already closed because of the Cameron Peak Fire to the north.RELATED:In a late morning news conference, fire incident commander Noel Livingston...…By | | The Denver PostRocky Mountain National Park is closing due to the East Troublesome Fire west of the park, which exploded in size overnight and entered the park from the southwest. Grand Lake, a popular recreation destination on the west side of the park, also is threatened and its residents have been evacuated.The by the Incident Information System shows the fire has crossed U.S. 34 near the western entrance to the park, a third of which was already closed because of the Cameron Peak Fire to the north.RELATED:In a late morning news conference, fire incident commander Noel Livingston...WW…

By | | The Denver PostNational forest lands in the Front Range, from Jefferson County to the Wyoming border, will close to visitors at midnight Tuesday due to the historic wildfires raging in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.The temporary closure applies to national forest service lands in Jefferson, Clear Creak, Gilpin, Boulder and Larimer counties and will be re-evaluated daily, according to a U.S. Forest Service news release.The closures may be the biggest in the history of those forests. Reid Armstrong, public affairs specialist for the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests,...…By | | The Denver PostNational forest lands in the Front Range, from Jefferson County to the Wyoming border, will close to visitors at midnight Tuesday due to the historic wildfires raging in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.The temporary closure applies to national forest service lands in Jefferson, Clear Creak, Gilpin, Boulder and Larimer counties and will be re-evaluated daily, according to a U.S. Forest Service news release.The closures may be the biggest in the history of those forests. Reid Armstrong, public affairs specialist for the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests,...WW…

By | and | | The Denver PostFall colors figure to be very close to the peak of their full glory in the northern mountains this weekend while nearing their peak in the central mountains. (Since we’re talking mountains, though, there will be lots of variability, depending on elevation.)Take Rocky Mountain National Park, for example.“It’s peaking on the west side of the park,” Kyle Patterson, the park’s public affairs officer, said on Wednesday. “On the east side, it’s about a week away from peak, but if you look at higher elevations, it’s nearing peak.”RELATED: Indeed, there was a whole...…By | and | | The Denver PostFall colors figure to be very close to the peak of their full glory in the northern mountains this weekend while nearing their peak in the central mountains. (Since we’re talking mountains, though, there will be lots of variability, depending on elevation.)Take Rocky Mountain National Park, for example.“It’s peaking on the west side of the park,” Kyle Patterson, the park’s public affairs officer, said on Wednesday. “On the east side, it’s about a week away from peak, but if you look at higher elevations, it’s nearing peak.”RELATED: Indeed, there was a whole...WW…

By | and | | The Denver PostThe annual autumnal extravaganza of outrageous forest colors has commenced in the high country, but this being 2020, there has to be something unusual about it, right?There is, as lifelong Aspen resident Mike Marolt discovered when he went on bike rides there this past weekend. While the aspen haven’t really started changing there yet, he got a show he wasn’t expecting.“Here’s the thing that’s really weird: I don’t know what’s causing it, but I’ve never seen the underbrush like this,” said Marolt, a fourth-generation Aspenite. “It’s blood red. It’s just...…By | and | | The Denver PostThe annual autumnal extravaganza of outrageous forest colors has commenced in the high country, but this being 2020, there has to be something unusual about it, right?There is, as lifelong Aspen resident Mike Marolt discovered when he went on bike rides there this past weekend. While the aspen haven’t really started changing there yet, he got a show he wasn’t expecting.“Here’s the thing that’s really weird: I don’t know what’s causing it, but I’ve never seen the underbrush like this,” said Marolt, a fourth-generation Aspenite. “It’s blood red. It’s just...WW…

By | and | | The Denver PostWhile the snowstorm that barged into the state from the north overnight may help  and others in the state, the cold temperatures that came with it may ruin leaf-peeping.That’s according to Dan West, the state forest entomologist for the Colorado State Forest Service. Snowfall isn’t the problem, but below freezing temperatures will do the damage.“It’s definitely going to affect the amount of fall foliage that we see this season,” West said. “We’re likely to see quite a bit of loss of color. Instead of seeing the yellows and the oranges, we’re instead...…By | and | | The Denver PostWhile the snowstorm that barged into the state from the north overnight may help  and others in the state, the cold temperatures that came with it may ruin leaf-peeping.That’s according to Dan West, the state forest entomologist for the Colorado State Forest Service. Snowfall isn’t the problem, but below freezing temperatures will do the damage.“It’s definitely going to affect the amount of fall foliage that we see this season,” West said. “We’re likely to see quite a bit of loss of color. Instead of seeing the yellows and the oranges, we’re instead...WW…