Ski racing fans are the latest victims of the worldwide economic meltdown.

The King of the Mountain racing series has been nixed for the 2008-09 season, less than a month before its first scheduled event in Telluride. The cancellation came after Jeep, the sponsor of the 16-year-old multi-city ski and snowboard event, pulled its funding.

Full Story »

Two environmental groups are challenging a plan to allow gas drilling in a remote region of the White River National Forest, but unlike previous challenges, which have mostly focused on the impacts on the ground, this one is focusing on impacts to the air.

Carbondale-based Wilderness Workshop and the Natural Resources Defense Council have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Denver, arguing that the two federal agencies charged with approving gas drilling in far-flung Hell’s Gulch failed to take into account the threat of worsening air quality as a result of more gas wells.

Full Story »

Aspen Art Museum is pulling out of the ZG Master Plan partnership it had with the city and county governments to redevelop a major swath of downtown Aspen, choosing instead to let its proposal to build a new art museum be “evaluated on its own merits.”

Art museum representatives broke the news Tuesday to Aspen’s Planning and Zoning Commission, which has been reviewing the overall ZG Master Plan.

Full Story »

The U.S. Forest Service reaffirmed Tuesday it is illegal to drive a snowmobile up and down winter-only roads set by Aspen Mountain Powder Tours or to drive through fresh fields of snow off of Richmond Ridge Road near the top of Aspen Mountain.

Aspen-Sopris District Ranger Irene Davidson said Forest Service enforcement officials will be patrolling the lower Richmond Ridge area on snowmobiles this winter and they expect to issue $275 tickets to snowmobile drivers who stray from county roads.

Full Story »

Aspen City Council agreed with a recommendation from city staff this week to put off asking voters to authorize bonds to build out Burlingame from May until November 2009.

The action was recommended over concerns about the economy and bond markets, as well as a desire to have more time to seek approval from the Burlingame homeowners association for an increased density plan.

Full Story »