Thursday, June 30, 2016

Glenwood Springs Doctor Dies After Hitting Head on Rock in Glenwood Springs

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The doctor was hiking on the Grizzly Creek trail in Glenwood Canyon when he tripped and fell. I have hiked and biked this trail many times and the rocks in the trail are many, sharp and pointy. A sad turn of bad luck.

Old Fall River Road in Rocky Mountain National Park Reopens to Vehicles

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Feds and Non-Profit to Work With Private Landowners to Reduce Wildfire Risk

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How to Report Hail Storms to the National Weather Service

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Lightning Strike Sparks Wildfire in Garfield County

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Most wildfires are started by lightning strikes.

Speeding 22 Year-Old Woman in Colorado Springs Dies After Hitting a Tree

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Deer-Vehicle Collision on I-25 in Colorado Springs Causes Multi-Car Pileup, Blocks Traffic

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Fans Pelted With Pea-Size Hail at Rockies Game

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Game delayed for lightning, flooding and hail.

Thunderstorms Delay Flights, Flood Denver Streets

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More of the same expected for the next few days.

Bear Returns to Downtown Colorado Springs

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This bear was relocated once before. It is all over for this bear when they trap him - 2 strikes and out.

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Doctor That Fell Off Paddleboard in Chatfield Reservoir Dies

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Now reported that it was a storm that caused the accident, the few details released make me wonder if she was struck by lightning or maybe blown off by the air blast from a nearby lightning strike.

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Firefighters Quickly Contain Grass Fire in Fort Collins

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Extreme Heat Buckles Durango and Silverton Tracks

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Motorcyclist Seriously Injured After Hitting Deer in Vail

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Rattlesnake Bites Groom During Photoshoot at Horsetooth Reservoir

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Not a good start for this marriage.

Man Drowns in John Martin Reservoir

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3,800 Acre Wildfire Near Walden, Evacuations Ordered

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200 Acre Wildfire Near CO-WY Border

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Caught on Video - Bear Pops Out of Dumpster in Steamboat Springs

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Story of NM Marathoner Attacked by Bear

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Yes, she continued running toward the bear.

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Boy Attacked by Mountain Lion in Aspen Improving

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Wildlife officials reported that they have killed 2 young mountain lions in the area that they speculate were cubs that had lost their mother.

Bear Attacks Woman Running Marathon in New Mexico

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The unfortunate part of this is the bear was in its natural habitat and was instinctively defending its cub. Wildlife officials respond with let's kill the bear. I am only guessing but it is probable that the woman did not stop and back away from the bear but continued running toward it.

Mudslide Closes 285 Near Bailey

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Monday, June 20, 2016

Kayaker Drowns in Georgetown Lake

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Brush Fire in Garfield County Destroys 1 House

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Colorado Springs Continues to Allow New Building in Landslide Zone

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Apparently Colorado Springs officials don't understand the legal jeopardy they are placing themselves in. Their directors liability insurance will not pay out for claims in cases where their is "willful negligence".

Colorado Lightning Safety Awareness Week Starts Today

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Mudslide Takes Out Back Yard of Wheatridge Duplex, Residents Evacuate

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It is likely this slide was caused by a leakingwater pipe.

Crews Battling Wildfire in San Juan National Forest

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Bear Rips Screen Off and Chows Down in Kitchen of House Near Boulder

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Sunday, June 19, 2016

1911 Newspaper Account of the Lizard Head Rockfall

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I always wondered why it is called Lizard Head Pass - now I know.

Attacked by a Mother Hen Grouse



I was attacked on the trail today by the most agressive hen grouse I've encountered yet. Every year our local grouse population puts their nests right next to the trails and then confront every hiker and rider that comes by. Usually they jump around a little but get off the trail and let you by. The hen today came after me 5 or 6 times. I put my wheel in front of it and it jumped up and started pecking the tire. I maneuvered it around behind me and started running up the trail with my bike. I looked back and there was the hen bearing down on me. I stopped and flipped the grouse off the trail with my front wheel. 2 more times and I finally flipped it about 10 feet downhill, got on my bike and made my escape. I wish someone had been there to video this - it would have been a pretty hilarious scene of me running down the trail with my bike with the grouse chasing me. Never mess with a mother of newborns!

Saturday, June 18, 2016

Bear That Wandered into Denver Neighborhood Is Euthanized

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Bear Wandering Through Highlands Ranch Neighborhood Euthanized

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2 strikes and out.

Firefighters Battle 2 Wildfires in Larimer County

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1st Tularemia Case of Year Reported in Fort Collins

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Mom Saves 5-Year Old Attacked by Mountain Lion Near Aspen

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A close call - the boy was playing outside their house in the Woody Creek area at 8PM. There are plenty of mountain lion sightings but this is the first mountain lion attack in Colorado since 2010. The mountain lion was found and shot - I am willing to bet that it was an 18 month old cat that recently left its mother to fend for itself.

Moose Charges 2 Hikers in Indian Peaks Wilderness

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The moose was protecting her calf. Fortunately the hikers were educated on what to do in this situation and no harm was done. I had an encounter like this one in Minnesota many years ago. Having an angry mother moose staring down at me ( the top of my head was even with the middle of her chest ) was an adrenalin-producing event! Fortunatley for me, I instinctively knew not to turm my back and very slowly moved backwards away from the moose without provoking a charge.

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Near Miss With Rattlesnake

Riding my bike in the Open Space, a large rattler was hidden in grass next to the trail. He was coiled, rattling, and ready to strike as I swerved off the trail at the last moment to avoid an almost certain strike to my left leg. A few minutes later I had a brief encounter with an aggressive grouse protecting her nest next to the trail. A liitle later I flushed up a wild turkey on the trail. Guess it's officially the start of summer now.

Colorado Springs Backpacker Falls to Death in Black Canyon of the Gunnison

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Hefty Fines for Boulder Residents That Don't Use Bear-Proof Trash Cans

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About time!

Red Rocks Amphitheatre Celebrates 75th Anniversary

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Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression.

Fremont County Issues Plague Warning

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Saturday, June 4, 2016

Cars Seriously Damaged After Collisions with Deer Near Wiggins

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Two separate incidents, the drivers were not injured. There are over 4,000 wildlife-vehicle collisions in Colorado each year.

Bear Breaking Into Cars in Steamboat Springs

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There is at least one incident like this reported every year in Colorado. Bears are smart enough to figure out how to press the handle and open a car door but then the door closes after they climb in and they can't figure out how to open it from the inside. Then they go crazy trying to get out and destroy the interior of the car. The photo of the damage to the car in Steamboat is pretty incredible. This is preventable - don't leave food, especially candy or sweets in the car and lock the car and roll up the windows. The same can be said for your living space, lock up. Leaving a fresh baked pie by an open window drives bears insane! Parks and Wildlife claims bears can smell sweets up to 5 miles away.