8.09.2010
8.05.2010
5.14.2010
5.12.2010
Groovin' in the high country
Recently noticed a good story by R. Scott Rappold at the Colorado Springs Gazette about the growing problem of human waste from backpackers in the Colorado high country. He writes that:
"The Conundrum Hot Springs near Aspen is among Colorado’s most magnificent natural wonders — warm pools near timberline, surrounded by the jagged peaks of the spectacular Elk Mountains, reached only by a nine-mile hike into the wilderness.
"But the springs are also nine miles from the nearest bathroom and, until last summer, most of the 2,000 backpackers who visited the springs each year were relieving themselves anywhere.
"'Our biggest issue in there is pretty much human waste. Unburied human waste and toilet paper were evident at 71 percent of (camp) sites,' said Martha Moran, a recreation manager with the White River National Forest.
"The waste was washing into the very springs people were swimming in, resulting in high fecal coliform levels in the water."
Yes, it seems that it is well past time for backpackers to adopt the same standards as river-runners and to acknowledge that if too many well-meaning people camp in the same places, then they are going to have to use a portable waste system. On the river, those systems are called "groovers." In the backcountry it seems that campers are going to have to be prepared to use the many available lightweight products - bags with gel, mostly - for packing out their own waste.
Most backpackers go into the backcountry with high standards and ethics. Now, if they are going to popular destinations like Conundrum Hot Springs, they need to go in with groover bags too.
It's kind of weird, but many otherwise sophisticated people, who are now even used to picking up after their dogs, won't be able to handle the thought of managing their own waste in a way that is considerate of other campers. On long river trips, as people began to break things down to their elementary level, the state of the groover generally becomes a humorous source of fireside obsession and conversation.
With time, people might gradually grow up and deal with their own waste in the backcountry in an enlightened fashion. In the meantime, it sure is something to think about while soaking in the less-than-pristine hot springs.
"The Conundrum Hot Springs near Aspen is among Colorado’s most magnificent natural wonders — warm pools near timberline, surrounded by the jagged peaks of the spectacular Elk Mountains, reached only by a nine-mile hike into the wilderness.
"But the springs are also nine miles from the nearest bathroom and, until last summer, most of the 2,000 backpackers who visited the springs each year were relieving themselves anywhere.
"'Our biggest issue in there is pretty much human waste. Unburied human waste and toilet paper were evident at 71 percent of (camp) sites,' said Martha Moran, a recreation manager with the White River National Forest.
"The waste was washing into the very springs people were swimming in, resulting in high fecal coliform levels in the water."
Yes, it seems that it is well past time for backpackers to adopt the same standards as river-runners and to acknowledge that if too many well-meaning people camp in the same places, then they are going to have to use a portable waste system. On the river, those systems are called "groovers." In the backcountry it seems that campers are going to have to be prepared to use the many available lightweight products - bags with gel, mostly - for packing out their own waste.
Most backpackers go into the backcountry with high standards and ethics. Now, if they are going to popular destinations like Conundrum Hot Springs, they need to go in with groover bags too.
It's kind of weird, but many otherwise sophisticated people, who are now even used to picking up after their dogs, won't be able to handle the thought of managing their own waste in a way that is considerate of other campers. On long river trips, as people began to break things down to their elementary level, the state of the groover generally becomes a humorous source of fireside obsession and conversation.
With time, people might gradually grow up and deal with their own waste in the backcountry in an enlightened fashion. In the meantime, it sure is something to think about while soaking in the less-than-pristine hot springs.
5.07.2010
Gathering for Ideas
It's almost time once again for the annual gathering that is the Aspen Ideas Festival.
A partial list of those planning to attend this summer was released this week and it's possible to group the speakers into several categories.
While we're glad everyone on the list is coming to Aspen, the first group might be called by some “Surely You Have More Important Things To Do Than Come to Aspen, Even If It Is Fourth-of-July Week.”
In this group, you'll find Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the chief of staff of the United States Army, Eric Holder, the attorney general of the United States, Peter Orszag, the director of White House Office of Management and Budget, and James Steinberg, a US Deputy Secretary of State.
Another group this year kind of sticks out. The Aspen Institute, which puts on the event, seems to have to invited more red-blooded Republicans than in years past.
This category of attendees could be called “Least Likely to Normally Be Found Relaxing In The Democratic Outpost That is Aspen.”
The group includes Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform, Haley Barbour, the governor of Mississippi, Fred Barnes, the executive editor of The Weekly Standard and host of Fox News’s “Beltway Boys,” Thomas Donohue, the president and CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce, and Michael Steele, the chairman of the Republican National Committee.
The third group includes "Media Heavyweights on Vacation." It's a long list, and includes Bob Schieffer, the moderator of “Face The Nation” and chief Washington correspondent for CBS News, Martha Raddatz, a senior foreign affairs correspondent for ABC News, Tavis Smiley, the host of PRI’s “The Tavis Smiley Show,” David Sanger, the chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times, Kai Ryssdal, the host of American Public Media’s “Marketplace,” and Charlayne Hunter-Gault, a foreign correspondent with National Public Radio.
It also includes Tom Friedman, a columnist for The New York Times, E.J. Dionne Jr., a columnist for The Washington Post, Elisabeth Bumiller, the pentagon correspondent for The New York Times, Maria Bartiromo, the anchor of CNBC’s “Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo,” Peggy Noonan, a columnist for The Wall Street Journal, Tom Gjelten, the national security and intelligence correspondent for NPR, and Andrea Mitchell, the chief foreign affairs correspondent for NBC News and the host of MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports."
And the media list includes Nicholas Kristof, a columnist for The New York Times, Pattie Sellers, an editor at Fortune, Michael Gerson, a columnist at The Washington Post, Jeffrey Brown, a senior correspondent for “PBS NewsHour, ” Vijay Vaitheeswaran, a global correspondent for The Economist, and Vivian Schiller, the president and CEO of National Public Radio.
If news breaks that week in Aspen, we'll be covered.
There are also some new media types coming, including Evan Williams and Biz Stone, the co-founders of Twitter. Also coming is Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist.org, who newspaper executives love to blame, in part, for the loss of classified ad revenue from newspapers. Put them in the category of "Most Likely To Be Doing Some Aspen House-Hunting On The Side."
Rounding out the affair are some big names from the category of "General Wealth, Power and Influence," including Jeffrey Katzenberg, the CEO of DreamWorks Animation, Bill Gates, attorneys David Boies and Ted Olson, Bill Clinton, Sandra Day O'Connor, Henry Louis Gates, Jr, and Alan Greenspan. Stay tuned for "General Wealth, Power and Influence: Audience Division."
Get the idea?
A partial list of those planning to attend this summer was released this week and it's possible to group the speakers into several categories.
While we're glad everyone on the list is coming to Aspen, the first group might be called by some “Surely You Have More Important Things To Do Than Come to Aspen, Even If It Is Fourth-of-July Week.”
In this group, you'll find Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the chief of staff of the United States Army, Eric Holder, the attorney general of the United States, Peter Orszag, the director of White House Office of Management and Budget, and James Steinberg, a US Deputy Secretary of State.
Another group this year kind of sticks out. The Aspen Institute, which puts on the event, seems to have to invited more red-blooded Republicans than in years past.
This category of attendees could be called “Least Likely to Normally Be Found Relaxing In The Democratic Outpost That is Aspen.”
The group includes Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform, Haley Barbour, the governor of Mississippi, Fred Barnes, the executive editor of The Weekly Standard and host of Fox News’s “Beltway Boys,” Thomas Donohue, the president and CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce, and Michael Steele, the chairman of the Republican National Committee.
The third group includes "Media Heavyweights on Vacation." It's a long list, and includes Bob Schieffer, the moderator of “Face The Nation” and chief Washington correspondent for CBS News, Martha Raddatz, a senior foreign affairs correspondent for ABC News, Tavis Smiley, the host of PRI’s “The Tavis Smiley Show,” David Sanger, the chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times, Kai Ryssdal, the host of American Public Media’s “Marketplace,” and Charlayne Hunter-Gault, a foreign correspondent with National Public Radio.
It also includes Tom Friedman, a columnist for The New York Times, E.J. Dionne Jr., a columnist for The Washington Post, Elisabeth Bumiller, the pentagon correspondent for The New York Times, Maria Bartiromo, the anchor of CNBC’s “Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo,” Peggy Noonan, a columnist for The Wall Street Journal, Tom Gjelten, the national security and intelligence correspondent for NPR, and Andrea Mitchell, the chief foreign affairs correspondent for NBC News and the host of MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports."
And the media list includes Nicholas Kristof, a columnist for The New York Times, Pattie Sellers, an editor at Fortune, Michael Gerson, a columnist at The Washington Post, Jeffrey Brown, a senior correspondent for “PBS NewsHour, ” Vijay Vaitheeswaran, a global correspondent for The Economist, and Vivian Schiller, the president and CEO of National Public Radio.
If news breaks that week in Aspen, we'll be covered.
There are also some new media types coming, including Evan Williams and Biz Stone, the co-founders of Twitter. Also coming is Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist.org, who newspaper executives love to blame, in part, for the loss of classified ad revenue from newspapers. Put them in the category of "Most Likely To Be Doing Some Aspen House-Hunting On The Side."
Rounding out the affair are some big names from the category of "General Wealth, Power and Influence," including Jeffrey Katzenberg, the CEO of DreamWorks Animation, Bill Gates, attorneys David Boies and Ted Olson, Bill Clinton, Sandra Day O'Connor, Henry Louis Gates, Jr, and Alan Greenspan. Stay tuned for "General Wealth, Power and Influence: Audience Division."
Get the idea?
5.04.2010
The Aspen antidote
I rode under Times Square in a subway car the night of the failed car bombing, happily oblivious to the surreal scene of empty streets at “the Crossroads of the World.” The subway trains, at least on the 1 Line, were not hindered by the police activity taking place on the surface.
So I didn’t learn about the non-bombing until the next morning when I read about it in the local papers. Slightly cynical Aspenite that I still am, one of my first thoughts was “This ought to be good for the price of Aspen real estate.”
After being in New York for two months, it is easy to appreciate the role Aspen plays for New Yorkers who vacation in Aspen or own property there. It is truly a place of peace to ponder amidst the daily chaos and noise and ruckus that is the city. And it easy to imagine that Sunday's close brush with explosive carnage was enough to spur those wondering if was now time to move to Aspen altogether and leave the city behind.
This week, there are more police visible in the subway stations, just as there were the first few days after the subway bombings in Moscow. New York’s finest stand, and watch, but who knows how effective they will be against a determined suicide bomber who manages to slip onto a train looking calm and collected.
And yet the city lurches forward each day, carrying on, reveling in its din. Meanwhile, I understand it is relatively quiet, and safe, in Aspen today…
So I didn’t learn about the non-bombing until the next morning when I read about it in the local papers. Slightly cynical Aspenite that I still am, one of my first thoughts was “This ought to be good for the price of Aspen real estate.”
After being in New York for two months, it is easy to appreciate the role Aspen plays for New Yorkers who vacation in Aspen or own property there. It is truly a place of peace to ponder amidst the daily chaos and noise and ruckus that is the city. And it easy to imagine that Sunday's close brush with explosive carnage was enough to spur those wondering if was now time to move to Aspen altogether and leave the city behind.
This week, there are more police visible in the subway stations, just as there were the first few days after the subway bombings in Moscow. New York’s finest stand, and watch, but who knows how effective they will be against a determined suicide bomber who manages to slip onto a train looking calm and collected.
And yet the city lurches forward each day, carrying on, reveling in its din. Meanwhile, I understand it is relatively quiet, and safe, in Aspen today…
4.30.2010
Old grooming technology
From a public archive of old photos. Grooming technology has changed along with everything else. This Tucker snowcat was captured in 1974.
4.29.2010
Old Loge Peak lift
This photo by Ron Hoffman in January 1974 shows the way it used to be near the top of Loge Peak. The Loge Lift always felt like the last step on the way to heaven, especially as it often would not open until the avi danger in Steeplechase was damped down and it was good to go. When Loge opened, everything was suddenly wonderful at Highlands. And few are the folks who will deny that when the lift swayed out over the western side of the ridge just below the summit, they hung on. Tight.
4.28.2010
Last run on Little Nell, Jan. 1974
Got to say, loving these old photos. Check out the bumps on Nell. Check out the lack of a gondola. Check out the chair running up skier’s right. Check out the corral and the fence. And for those of you old enough, swoon for the glory days of the old Nell deck, bar and dance floor…
Partying on the bus to Aspen
Yes, there are plenty of classic shots in these newly released photos. Getting to Aspen has never been easy, but it has always been about what you make it. And hey, 1974 was just a different time in the world. You’re either old enough to look for your wife or ex-girlfriend on this bus, or young enough to look for your mom and dad.
Walking the dogs in downtown Aspen in 1974
Remember when Afghan hounds were all the rage? How about when the malls in downtown Aspen were just blocked-off streets? This shot is from Flickr Commons, a new repository of photos in the public domain. There are a number of shots that turn up when you search for “Aspen.” Here’s the link: http://www.flickr.com/search/commons/?q=Aspen&w=commons&m=all
4.25.2010
Are the projects related?
It’s interesting that Related Companies of New York is one of four companies bidding on a development deal at Ground Zero in lower Manhattan, according to a story in Saturday’s New York Times.
“Four major real estate developers are vying to buy a minority stake in the $3.1 billion project and to take over the leasing and operating of the skyscraper," the Times reported. "This week, the developers submitted their final offers to the owner, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which plans to pick a winner by June.
“’The building has real international significance, and it’s important for New York,’ said Stephen M. Ross, chief executive of Related Companies, one of the four companies competing for the $100 million deal.”
No doubt there are many complexities involved in why the big private real estate development company has the ability to go after another big real estate deal in Manhattan, but it can’t find a way to finish the Base Village project.
It’s gotten to the point in Snowmass where the town council is considering classifying the Base Village project as something of a failure so it can find a way to move beyond the unfinished project in what has always been seen as the missing heart of the ski-resort/community. The Snowmass Sun reported this week that the town council was considering “urban renewal authority” status as a way to get the project completed.
“Councilmembers Arnie Mordkin and Butler weighed in on the side of taking the first step in investigating whether urban renewal is the right carrot on a stick for the Village,” the Sun reported.
“’Urban renewal has been used by many, many communities to get inaction off the dime. When you start shaking the sword of urban renewal and condemnation, they start running like rats,’ Mordkin said.”
“Four major real estate developers are vying to buy a minority stake in the $3.1 billion project and to take over the leasing and operating of the skyscraper," the Times reported. "This week, the developers submitted their final offers to the owner, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which plans to pick a winner by June.
“’The building has real international significance, and it’s important for New York,’ said Stephen M. Ross, chief executive of Related Companies, one of the four companies competing for the $100 million deal.”
No doubt there are many complexities involved in why the big private real estate development company has the ability to go after another big real estate deal in Manhattan, but it can’t find a way to finish the Base Village project.
It’s gotten to the point in Snowmass where the town council is considering classifying the Base Village project as something of a failure so it can find a way to move beyond the unfinished project in what has always been seen as the missing heart of the ski-resort/community. The Snowmass Sun reported this week that the town council was considering “urban renewal authority” status as a way to get the project completed.
“Councilmembers Arnie Mordkin and Butler weighed in on the side of taking the first step in investigating whether urban renewal is the right carrot on a stick for the Village,” the Sun reported.
“’Urban renewal has been used by many, many communities to get inaction off the dime. When you start shaking the sword of urban renewal and condemnation, they start running like rats,’ Mordkin said.”
4.23.2010
Someone's in the kitchen with...
…if you’re interested in reading more about the retiring Pitkin County Sheriff Bob Braudis, here is one of the more extensive interviews done recently. It’s with Robert Chalmers of The Independent in London. Chalmers tries to get at what everybody really wants to know: how did Braudis manage to be sheriff and be one of HST's best friend at the same time? The interview includes this exchange:
Braudis: "'Hunter and I developed a protocol, designed to keep me from being compromised. I can't give you the details but it was effective.'"
Chalmers: "'Don't tell me that you had no idea what happened in that kitchen.'"
Braudis: "'I know very well what went on in the kitchen. But I was never compromised by him.'"
Braudis: "'Hunter and I developed a protocol, designed to keep me from being compromised. I can't give you the details but it was effective.'"
Chalmers: "'Don't tell me that you had no idea what happened in that kitchen.'"
Braudis: "'I know very well what went on in the kitchen. But I was never compromised by him.'"
4.22.2010
Braudis Tales
Thought Curtis Wackerle's article in the Aspen Daily News on Sunday on the pending retirement of Pitkin County Sheriff Bob Braudis was a good read. Not sure, but it is likely that Wackerle spent some time with Braudis in his office in the basement of the Pitkin County Courthouse while working on the piece. The sheriff's office, at least when occupied by Braudis, acts as something of a refuge, as the sheriff has a way of shutting the big wooden door on the rest of the world and giving you his full and complete attention. He makes visitors feel as if he has all the time in the world, and as if you could tell him anything and that it wouldn't go any further. Braudis likely had a lot of confessional conversations in that office with people from all different avenues in Aspen. And in between wandering the back streets of European capitals, there is a good chance he'll be spending some time in the future recounting his experiences as the Pope of Pitkin County. If he writes them down, others are quite likely to read them.
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