1. Town talks traffic at Mary Jane, Winter Park Resort

Winter Park’s town council discussed how to address the traffic at Winter Park Resort’s Mary Jane entrance, which has become more problematic for locals and visitors.

On Tuesday, Mayor Nick Kutrumbos started the conversation by saying he had heard increasing comments about the traffic and wanted to make sure the town is on top of it.

“It’s not the town’s responsibility per say… it would be really great to work together (with the ski resort) on a solution,” Kutrumbos said.

2. A goodbye to Grand County

When I started my job at Sky-Hi News, Grand County was very different.

There was no pandemic and no burn scar as I moved into a basement room in Grand Lake. In my first six months, I figured out what it meant to be a journalist and community member in the smallest town I’d ever lived in.

That first winter, despite my Coloradan confidence about driving or perhaps because of it, my car ended up in a ditch. Twice.

3. Leave No Trace spotlights recreation impacts on Berthoud

Within the first 100 feet of a snowshoe hike with Leave No Trace and the Headwaters Trails Alliance earlier this month, the pristine beauty of Berthoud Pass’s Second Creek Trail was marred by dog waste, both bagged and not.

It was a perfect example of what prompted Leave No Trace and Headwaters Trails Alliance to partner for a week of educational events focusing on the impacts of increased recreation to the Berthoud area through the Hot Spot Program.

According to Leave No Trace, the Hot Spot Program identifies areas around the country that are experiencing severe human-related consequences which could be helped by applying Leave No Trace principles, like picking up litter and waste, as well as trail etiquette.

4. East Grand hires new superintendent

A former Garfield superintendent is headed to East Grand School District to take the chief role starting in July.

On Tuesday, the East Grand School Board approved a contract with Brad Ray to take over as superintendent from Frank Reeves, who is stepping down this year after six years in the job.

Reeves praised Ray as a well-respected educator and said he agrees with the board’s choice.

5. How a Breckenridge avalanche 35 years ago changed the trajectory of Colorado skiing

BRECKENRIDGE – It was sunny and cold on Feb. 18, 1987. Ski patroller Mary Logan remembers the snow squeaking beneath her skis as she rode the T-bar with patrol director Kevin Ahern.

They were watching two skiers atop Peak 7 in the Tenmile Range, just beyond the Breckenridge ski area boundary. They watched helplessly as the second skier triggered a massive avalanche. A cloud of cold smoke buried several skiers in the steep bowl.

“It was astonishing to see a slide that large,” Logan said. “It’s a sight I will never forget.”