ESTES PARK, Colo. A woman in her 80s is recovering after a bear attacked her inside her Estes Park home early Thursday morning, state wildlife officials said Friday.

This seventh attack against a human is the latest in an unprecedented number of bear conflicts across Colorado this year, which Denver7 has reported on over the past several days. The conflicts are due, in part, to worsening drought conditions that have depleted natural food sources for bears, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Denver7 reporter Lauren Lennon has the latest on the uptick in bear sightings near schools in the video below:

State wildlife officials said the attack occurred at around 4:30 a.m. when the bear broke into a house on the western side of town through an unlocked, closed window on the first floor.

"Bears are very smart, and when they want to find food, they they will," said CPW spokesperson Kara Van Hoose.

The woman told CPW she awoke to the bear in the kitchen on the second floor, at which point the bear charged her, scratching her across the stomach and knocking her to the ground. She told officers the bear then left the house through the first floor window.

No bear was found in the surrounding area when Larimer County deputies arrived at the scene and the woman sought immediate medical treatment for her abdominal injuries, according to a news release.

CPW is now asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service for help in locating the bear involved in the attack.

State wildlife officials said Friday heavy bear activity has been reported in the area, with multiple bears breaking into occupied homes and vehicles over the past few days. CPW officers have set traps to remove bears posing an immediate public safety risk, a spokesperson for the agency said.

"As we continue to navigate this extraordinary bear year, please continue to be vigilant in removing food and trash that may attract bears to your property," said CPW area wildlife manager Jason Duetsch. "Wildlife officers are working tirelessly to respond to an unprecedented number of bear reports, and we are counting on the community to help mitigate conflict."

Long-time Estes Park resident Linda Hanick told Denver7 she sees bears in her yard on a weekly basis.

"We are always on our toes as a result of that," Hanick said.

Hanick said she always keeps windows locked to prevent her own bear break-in.

"They are really smart," she said. You have to keep ahead of them."

CPW reports that Colorado is experiencing an unprecedented bear conflict year, with more than 6,000 bear sightings reported so far across the state nearly double last years numbers.

As bears begin to enter hyperphagia an instinctive, metabolic change resulting in an almost constant feeding frenzy as the bears prepare for winter hibernation bear activity is expected to increase while they search for 20,000 calories per day before denning, a CPW spokesperson said.

This attack is the latest in a string of bear conflicts Denver7 has tracked in 2026.

Last Friday, a bear attack in Jefferson County injured an angler but that wasnt the only incident that week. A couple of days earlier, a bear attacked a man leaving a laundry room at an Eagle-Vail apartment complex, followed by a bear attack that injured an unhoused man sleeping in Aspen.

Those attacks have prompted CPW to launch a new education campaign to raise awareness about this years record bear activity and how people can prepare to reduce the number of bear conflicts that could potentially lead to more dangerous encounters.

Watch Denver7 reporter Claire Lavezzorio's report in the video below:

Wildlife officials remind the community that preventing conflicts requires a collective effort. CPW recommends the following BearWise tips to keep bears wild:

CPW encourages Coloradans to report bear activity and conflicts by clicking here.

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Why does the headline have a trail number? Thats because there are a lot of lost lakes in Colorado. I even wrote an article about seven of them in 2017.

One of my favorites on that list is Lost Lake near Buena Vista. For years, the name was actually appropriate. The only way to find the lake was to know where to pull over on the side of Cottonwood Pass and where to start hiking into the trees. There was no trailhead, there was no trail, and there was no sign.

That changed in 2023 when the U.S. Forest Service built a parking lot and a trail. Theres even a sign on Cottonwood Pass to make it easy for people to find.

The new parking lot isn't huge, but it has space for about a dozen vehicles, depending on how everyone parks. Its also a dirt parking lot, and when I visited in 2026, it had some deep ruts.

The trailhead has portable bathrooms, and a sign that explains this is an interpretive trail and it will tell a story as you hike.

Walk around the gate and the hike starts on an old road in the forest. If you come early in the morning, or late in the afternoon, youll have quite a bit of shade on the road.

Half of the hike is on this road. There are a few ups and downs, but no big elevation change

After about 0.8 of a mile, youll come to a turn off and a sign that says Lost Lake 3/4 of a mile.

The next section is on a trail that winds through the forest. There are three signs along the way, and three boulder fields that youll have to cross. This is when you get to that interpretive part of the hike that the sign at the trailhead promised.

The first sign talks about a timber sale explaining what it is, why its done and what a difference it made in this area.

The second sign talks about the mining history in this area and specifically the Tincup Mining District. Look closely, and youll see the remnants of an old cabin. The sign says in the 1860s, there were 10,000 people in Park County, which was 1/3 of the entire Colorado territories population.

The third sign asks if you can see Pikes Peak? I don't think you can, but the sign explains Native American history tied to the mountain and it explains that Katharine Lee Bates wrote a poem about the mountain and how it eventually became the song, America the Beautiful.

After the third sign, youll hike through one more boulder field, then a short walk to the shore of the lake.

Lost Lake sits just below the Continental Divide, so it has an impressive backdrop. There's also an island in the middle of the lake, making it look different than many lakes in Colorado.

If you've been here before the new trail was created, you'll be on a slightly different part of the lake, giving you a different view.

This is a great place to sit and enjoy the beauty of Colorado.

DETAILS: The hike to Lost Lake is about 3.6 miles with 400 feet of elevation gain.

HikingDebbie@gmail.com

Facebook.com/DenverHikingExaminer

The Flat Tops Wilderness may be a bit of a drive from the Denver metro area, but hiking here means uncrowded trails, uniquely shaped mountains and lots of lakes.

While many hikers backpack here, we decided to stick to day hikes. The Mandall Lakes is a great area to get some mileage while enjoying multiple lakes, meadows, wildflowers, aspen groves and views of the Flat Top mountains.

The hike starts at a small parking area between Yamcolo Reservoir and Bear Lake Reservoir, just past a small sign that says Trail 1121 Mandall Creek.

Cross the road and look for the faint trail. Just a few steps into the trees, youll come to signboards and a trail register. Sign in because it tells the U.S. Forest Service how many people are using these trails. There is also a sign that talks about what to do if you encounter sheep or sheep dogs.

When we hiked here, the hooves of the sheep and horses had made the first part of the trail a bit rough. Its about 0.75 miles from the parking lot to the wilderness sign. Youll gain nearly 300 feet in that first section.

As you hike, youll quickly notice a pattern. The trail goes in and out of aspen groves with beautiful meadows in between. This would be a great place to hike when the leaves turn in the fall. Its also a great place to hike mid-summer for wildflowers in the meadows.

About 1.5 miles into the hike, the trail does something unexpected. It suddenly drops 250 feet in elevation from the forest to a very large meadow.

Over the next mile or so, youll be mainly crossing meadows. Youll have a little uphill, then mostly flat walking, before repeating the process several times.

There are also a couple of water crossings, depending on when you visit. Most have logs or a combination of logs and rocks to help you keep your feet mostly dry.

At 3.5 miles, youll hike uphill by a nice cascade. At the top of the cascade is a patch of willows. This is when youll need your map on the AllTrails app or COTREX app because Slide Lake is nearby, but there is no sign on the main trail and the side trail to the lake is very faint.

You dont want to miss Slide Mandall Lake because its beautiful. It sits in a rocky cirque below one of the Flat Top mountains. When we were there, the water was calm, creating a beautiful reflection.

You can turn around here for a hike of about 7.5 miles, but we continued on.

Next, youll hike uphill in the forest before coming to a meadow with a hill. As you climb the hill, youll have views of the Flat Top mountains for 270 degrees around you.

Follow the trail back into the trees to a trail split. Here the Mandall Lakes Trail turns left and continues up to Mandall Pass. We turned right for Black Mandall Lake just 0.15 miles away.

Black Mandall Lake has a nice hillside where you can pick a sunny spot or a shady spot for lunch. Or take pictures and return to Slide Mandall Lake, if you prefer that scenery.

While you eat lunch, or a snack, look at your map app. You may notice several other nearby names including Twin Mandall Lakes and Mud Mandall Lake. Theres no trail to the lakes, but friends tell me the other lakes are doable, if you have experience off trail.

Remember to save some energy for the hike back because there is a 250 foot, or so, climb on the way out.

Details: The hike to Slide Mandall Lake & Black Mandall Lake is about 9.4 miles roundtrip with about 1,550 elevation gain.

HikingDebbie@gmail.com

Facebook.com/DenverHikingExaminer

One of the people who helped lay the foundation for the plan that reintroduced wolves into Colorado is concerned about the future of the program after the state agency responsible for the apex predator issued a fine of roughly $140 to a hunter who mistakenly killed a wolf.

Wolf 2504, a female, was reintroduced to Colorado from Canada. On Aug. 10, officials with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced that the wolf was shot and killed by a hunter who thought the animal was a coyote near the start of the year.

Gray wolves are a protected endangered species on both the state and federal levels.

The licensed hunter was cited for violating CPW regulations, resulting in a $139.50 fine and 5 suspension points. The agency decided not to pursue further charges.

In a statement provided to Denver7, a CPW spokesperson said some key factors in their decision included the hunter immediately reporting the incident, their full cooperation with the agency during the investigation, and the "genuine remorse" they showed.

However, those working at the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center in Divide believe the agency should have pursued harsher penalties.

"This was a huge, devastating blow for a wolf population. It's not just because the incident happened; it's because of the way that it was handled," said Kelly Murphy, the assistant director at the center. "It sets a terrible precedent... If you get off with a slap on the wrist and you get a fine of $139.50, what does that tell everybody else in our state that doesn't want wolves here?

The Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center cares for a number of wolves and other animals on their property in Southern Colorado, where Darlene Kobobel found her calling.

When I was a little girl, my biggest fear in the world was a wolf," Kobobel said. As I grew up and educated myself, I started learning that they are amazing animals.

Kobobel was a member of CPW's Wolf Stakeholder Advisory Group, which made recommendations for the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan after voters approved the apex predator's reintroduction in 2020.

At the time, we had no wolves here in Colorado. So that was my main mission of, maybe someday, with all this education, we could bring wolves back," Kobobel explained. "I was very excited at the beginning, honestly. And now I'm concerned.

Gray wolves were officially reintroduced to the state in 2023.

"We're trying to bring back an endangered species, and we've already lost over half of them right now," Kobobel said about the struggles of the wolf population since reintroduction.

Watch Denver7's full interview with Kelly Murphy and Darlene Kobobel below:

Kobobel and Murphy introduced Denver7 to a number of the wolves at the center, which ranged from adult wolves to six-month-old pups. They also have coyotes on the property.

"Even our smallest and daintiest wolf still is very easy to distinguish from a coyote," Murphy said. "Wolves have sort of smaller, rounded-off ears, and coyotes have very tall and pointed ears, sort of like a fox.

In addition to differences in size and stature, Murphy said the wolves at the center were currently in their summer coats. When wolf 2504 was killed, Murphy said she would have had a winter coat, which would have made her appear even larger.

"It just really makes you scratch your head on how that accident even occurred to begin with," said Murphy.

The two also provided Denver7 with a snapshot of comments they said they found on a social media post about wolf 2504, one of which said, "Take notes, folks. Remember 'I thought it was a coyote, officer.' Bank that one."

This is exactly what we expected and why we were so fearful when there were so minimal penalties that were being brought down on this person," Murphy said.

Everybody makes mistakes, but you have to pay the consequences for it," Kobobel added. "This is unacceptable, and public trust too is going to be diminished and is already because of this.

Denver7 brought these concerns to CPW, which sent over a statement that said, in part, that their decision not to pursue harsher penalties "was determined by the circumstances of the incident, and the ethical choice made by the hunter."

In addition, the statement said CPW is evaluating ways to "further protect wolves" by helping hunters clearly differentiate between wolves and coyotes. Such methods may include educational materials like signage, brochures, and notices.

Read the full statement from CPW below:

Denver7 has been following Colorado's wolf reintroduction program since the very beginning, and you can explore all of that reporting in the timeline below, which starts with our most recent story.

Flights in and out of Aspen Airport were expected to resume Thursday after air traffic was suspended Wednesday evening due to a wildfire burning near the airport's airspace.

Airport officials first announced the suspension at ASE just before 5 p.m., and said SkyWest had canceled all flights for the rest of the day just after 6:30 p.m.

Travelers were asked to check with their airlines for flight updates and rescheduling, airport officials said.

As of late Wednesday evening, officials said while flights were to resume, there could be delays due to firefighting efforts.

U.S. Forest Service officials first reported a fire burning 3.5 miles southwest of Ruedi Reservoir around 4 p.m. Wednesday. As of 7 p.m. p.m., the fire, dubbed the Kittle Fire, was burning 20 acres, according to forest service officials.

No structures are currently threatened and no evacuations are in place, Forest Service officials said Wednesday at 7 p.m. The fire is burning in brush and aspens.

"Four single engine air tankers, a heavy helicopter and an air attack coordination plane are working the fire from the air, supporting four smokejumpers, four heli-rappellers and engine crews," Forest Service officials said in a post. "Two 20-person hand crews are enroute."

Tall grass surrounds the chairlifts at Loveland Ski Area. August isn't exactly known for its fresh powder, but there is still a lot of work to be done.

Zoe Corigliano climbs a ladder, wrench in hand. She's a lift mechanic at Loveland, and on this summer day, her crew is putting a chair back on the rope after dropping it to the ground for maintenance.

Meet Zoe Corigliano, the only woman nominated for the Ski Area Management Magazine Rise Up Challenge

"Every once in a while, you come across something broken, and you get to get in there and fix it real quick. And you're like, 'Yeah, next chair, let's go.' And it's just, it's really rewarding," Corigliano said.

The lift mechanic team prefers to work behind the scenes but now, Corigliano is getting her moment in the spotlight.

Corigliano is one of six finalists nominated for the Ski Area Management Magazine Rise Up Challenge, an award that recognizes one up-and-coming ski lift mechanic with an educational grant and training opportunities. She's the only nominee representing Colorado and the only woman up for the award.

"It really goes to show how few of us are in the industry," Corigliano said. In my five years that I've been here, I have been the only woman in the lift maintenance department.

She's making a name for herself in a male-dominated field.

"Very few female lift mechanics. And over the years, we're seeing more, but I want it to be even. I'd like a 50/50 split," Corigliano said.

She also hopes to inspire the next generation.

"I always have been more into what guys do, never really into the girly stuff," Corigliano said. "So, if there's a little girl out there that's like, I'd love to do that. You can. You just have to have the drive."

A win would also benefit her entire department. If Loveland nabs the challenge, the lift maintenance team receives an educational grant to further their knowledge and training.

"We are one of the few independent and family-owned mountains left in Colorado. So I think it'll bring us a lot of great attention," Corigliano said.

Voting for the Rise Up Challenge is open at and you can vote by clicking here.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

DENVER A female wolf reintroduced from Canada last year was accidentally mistaken for a coyote when she was shot and killed by a hunter in January, state wildlife officials said Monday.

Those are the findings of a monthslong investigation by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which determined that a licensed hunter shot and killed the female wolf on Jan. 16, 2026.

A spokesperson for the agency said the hunter, who promptly reported the incident to CPW and cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation, was given a $140 citation and five suspension points on their license for violating CPW regulations.

The agency is not pursuing any other charges against the hunter, the CPW spokesperson said.

Unlawful take of protected species is a criminal act that can carry serious penalties. Through CPWs thorough investigative process we recognized that the hunter made the ethical choice to immediately report the incident and take responsibility for the accident, said Ty Petersburg, Chief of Law Enforcement and Assistant Director of Field Services for CPW in a prepared statement.

The wolf was part of the group that was transferred from Canada to Colorado in January 2025.

Watch our coverage on that release in the video player below.

Denver7 has been following Colorado's wolf reintroduction program since the very beginning, and you can explore all of that reporting in the timeline below, which starts with our most recent story.

DENVER Colorado health officials on Wednesday issued a boil water advisory for people at the Monarch Mountain Lodge near Salida.

In a news release Wednesday, the Colorado Department of Health and Environment said they were aware of several pressure loss event at the lodge that could lead to disease-causing organisms to enter the water supply, which could make people sick.

They said in situations like this, the department issues boil water advisories and requires the system to notify everyone who has access to water about potential impacts to health something the lodge has not done, CDPHE officials said.

Around 250 people, including lodge guests, staff and nearby residents are affected by this boil water advisory, they said.

People are advised to boil the water for three minutes before using it for drinking, cooking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth, and making baby formula.

State health officials said they would continue to work with the lodge and Chaffee County public health officials to take the necessary actions to confirm when the water is safe to drink again.

Anyone with specific health concerns should contact their health care provider.

DENVER An uncollared yearling wolf that was part of the One Ear Pack was killed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) agents on Tuesday after the agency found it was involved in multiple depredations.

CPW announced on Wednesday morning that the wolf was killed in Grand County. The decision came down after CPW officers confirmed the wolf had depredated on four calves. The first was on June 29 in Jackson County, and the three more occurred on July 26, July 31 and Aug. 1 in Grand County.

CPW said this continued even after producers used non-lethal conflict minimization techniques. That included range riders, scare devices, an active human presence and having a site assessment of their ranch to determine what tactics would work to keep wolves away from livestock.

The decision to lethally remove a wolf is a very difficult one and a number of factors must be taken into consideration, said CPW Director Laura Clellan in a press release Wednesday. Unfortunately after a thorough review, the determination of chronic depredation was made in this case. Our staff will continue to work diligently with willing producers to deploy all reasonable non-lethal tools and methods in order to minimize the need for removals.

Denver7 has been following Colorado's wolf reintroduction program since the very beginning, and you can explore all of that reporting in the timeline below, which starts with our most recent story.

This decision was made in consultation with USFWS, CPW said.

CPW said it will share a final report on this case once it is complete.

This marks the second wolf that CPW has killed due to depredation within a couple months. On June 13, Denver7 reported that CPW had located and killed a lone, uncollared wolf that they believe was responsible for 10 confirmed depredations since the summer of 2025.

The One Ear Pack is one of five packs currently in Colorado. The others include the Three Creeks Pack in Rio Blanco County, the Copper Creek Pack in Pitkin County, King Mountain Pack in Routt County and the newly formed Piney Ridge Pack in Eagle County.

GRAND COUNTY, Colo. The family of the five victims killed in a head-on crash on Highway 9 south of Kremmling could be closer to getting answers from authorities about what caused the deadly crash last year.

The crash that killed an entire Kremmling family, including three young children, occurred in the early hours of Aug. 4, 2025, on Highway 9 near milepost 136.

At the time, the Colorado State Patrol said the driver of a Ford F-150 was headed northbound on Highway 9 when he drove into the southbound lane, striking a GMC Yukon. The impact of the crash caused both vehicles to catch on fire.

First responders tried to rescue the family in the Yukon, but all of them died at the scene. The driver of the Ford F-150 identified as a 25-year-old man from Parker was flown to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, CSP said.

The Grand County Coroners Office would later identify the family as 2-year-old Andres Cabral-Banuelos, 5-year-old Manuel Cabral-Banuelos, 12-year-old Maria Cabral-Banuelos, 30-year-old Andrea Banuelos-Salazar, and 34-year-old Manuel Cabral-Torres.

In an update Tuesday, the CSP said that after a thorough investigation into the deadly collision, the findings were presented to the 14th Judicial District Attorneys Office in Grand Junction for review and the filing of charges.

A spokesperson for the CSP directed all questions about the case, including potential charges, to the DAs office.

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. It was an unseasonably warm winter this year, with Coloradans all across our state feeling the impact. Denvers winter season was one of the driest on record, and farmers struggled with irrigation for their crops and for their animals, while many mountain communities were left praying for snow.

This record-low snow year is leaving A Racers Edge wondering if this year could be their last run. The Breckenridge business has been around since 1972 selling gear needed to shred the slopes.

Denver7s Maggy Wolanske headed to the High Country to follow up on the impact the low-snow year had on businesses

Over the years, owner Chuck Ginsburg has developed life-long relationships with both locals and visitors helping them pick out the equipment for the best possible run.

We're kind of an institution, legend, whatnot and here we have people, of course, from all over the county coming in, but I have people coming in from all over the globe for the special boot fitting and stuff that we do, Ginsburg said.

He knows people go to Breckenridge to enjoy the terrain and fresh powder. However, Mother Nature made this year one of the hardest seasons he has ever faced. Ginsburg said the lack of snow and warm temperatures made sales drop 50% compared to their best year.

They didn't ski as much as they did and even then, as far as my business goes, Why does somebody want to buy a new pair of skis and go up and ruin them the first day up in the rocks? So business was harsh, Ginsburg said.

While Ginsburg is praying for a snowier ski season, he is facing the current reality of keeping up with expenses and facing bankruptcy. It is why he has made an online fundraiser hoping the community that he has supported for so many years will now support him.

Well, now we're facing bankruptcy. We're... partway through the process, so we've just submitted our five-year plan and now all my creditors and the court and myself get to, I'll say discuss, to put it nicely, how that plan is going to work and what needs to be tweaked to make it work for everybody, Ginsburg said.

Kerry OConnor with the Breckenridge tourism office shared the recent warm winter also had an impact on lodging and overnight stays. Her office works with a company called Key Data that provides data by measuring hotel reservations and bookings.

We were down about 7% in pure occupancy from this winter compared to the last winter. So we saw that the effect of the snow really drove travel and helped people make their decision on where to travel, OConnor said.

The town of Breckenridge shared data with Denver7 that shows the latest sales tax numbers in May dropped by 9% year to date.

While snow may help bring in visitors for skiing, OConnor emphasized there are other attractions and activities for people to enjoy.

We're super hopeful for this super El Nino that everyone is saying is coming. We really hope that it happens. We all want a good winner this upcoming winter. We want to see that snow return, OConnor said.

LAKE COUNTY, Colo. Thousands of "irreplaceable" fish are making their way back home after the Willow Fire outside Leadville forced one of the country's oldest hatcheries to evacuate.

As neighbors just west of Leadville gathered their belongings to evacuate in late June and early July, biologists at the Leadville National Fish Hatchery also packed up their precious cargo: nearly 150,000 fish.

And now, with all mandatory evacuations downgraded, these fish, just like their human neighbors, are coming home.

Denver7 joined Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for the start of a homecoming for about 5,000 greenback cutthroats on Thursday. These fish Colorado's state fish are listed as federally threatened and state threatened. They have just one reproducing population in the wild currently, explained Bryan Johnson, hatchery manager for the Mt. Shavano Fish Hatchery in Salida, which is one of the places the fish were brought.

"And so we don't want to do anything to compromise that," he said.

The Leadville National Fish Hatchery is a uniquely perfect place for trout to start their lives thanks to the cold, clean water that comes down off Mount Massive into the subalpine forest outside the hatchery's front doors. The hatchery is rearing Hayden Creek cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, and greenback cutthroat trout, which are eventually released into the wild to support sustainable trout populations and Colorado's $2.4 billion fishing industry.

Josh Homer, supervisory biologist for the Leadville National Fish Hatchery, explained that the greenback cutthroat broodstocks, which are mature fish kept for breeding, at the Leadville hatchery are "essentially irreplaceable."

"We've been developing this broodstock for decades," he said. "It's the only broodstock of its type in the world."

So, when the Willow Fire grew near, the decision was made quickly: They had to keep those 150,000 trout safe and get them out.

Bucket by bucket, fish by fish.

The Willow Fire started burning on the afternoon of June 28 south of Turquoise Lake and six miles west of the City of Leadville.

Denver7 has been tracking each development along the way and as of Friday afternoon, it has burned 7,196 acres and is 66% contained. The human-caused blaze injured 12 people and forced multiple evacuations.

On the Sunday evening the fire started, Homer, who lives in Hotchkiss about 150 miles away, remembered seeing a notification about a small fire between three and five acres close to the hatchery.

He went out to work in his garden.

When he returned, the Willow Fire had jumped several hundred acres.

"After it did that, I knew right then I had to make my way over here," Homer said.

With conditions growing more serious for the hatchery, Homer and Johnson connected to start pre-planning what an evacuation would look like for 150,000 fish what facilities could take them, what trucks could move them safely, which locations had enough staffing to help.

"Even that night, we were ready to go," Johnson said.

He added that they feared the fire may reach a water treatment supply for Turquoise Lake, which would shut off the Leadville hatchery's water supply.

"Knowing the overall value of these fish and the potential that this fire could do a lot of unpredictable things very quickly that just made me feel that we needed to get these fish out of here sooner rather than later," Homer said.

By the following afternoon Monday, June 29 the fire was within two miles of the building and ash was falling from the sky.

"We could see the flames from the facility," Homer said.

The plan went into motion on June 30. Over the span of three days, staff caught all 148,000 fish in the tanks at the Leadville facility, put them into buckets, walked them out to a waiting truck, and gently released them into a portable transport tank. They repeated this over and over. Every move was carefully recorded.

The fish were brought to the Mt. Shavano Hatchery in Salida, Roaring Judy Hatchery in Almont, Durango Fish Hatchery in Durango, and the John W. Mumma Native Aquatic Species Restoration Facility in Alamosa. Instead of risking any losses of rainbow trout, crews decided to stock waterways with some of the 142,000 rainbows that were evacuated, CPW reported.

Standing outside an isolation unit at the Mt. Shavano Hatchery in Salida, Johnson explained it is specifically built to house cutthroat trout and rescue populations from the wild. Or, in this case, rescue fish from another hatchery in need.

CPW's hatchery section shares a spreadsheet detailing all its isolation facilities and what kind of extra room they have in case of urgent situations like this.

Of the 5,000 greenback cutthroats that were rescued, 1,479 were brought to the Salida isolation unit, Johnson said.

"For me personally first time we've had to rescue fish because of a fire," he said.

Shortly after all of those fish were transported off the truck and back into their tanks in Leadville, a crew from the Durango Fish Hatchery Sarah Gump and DaNelle Ellington-Martinez pulled up.

They, too, were bringing fish back home after a nearly five-hour drive from Durango.

Sarah Gump, who has worked as a hatchery technician in Durango for 16 years, said she was also part of the effort to evacuate fish during the 416 Fire in 2018.

This is the second time in my career that we have had the honor to rescue the native species," she said. It is such an honor to carry out the mission of Parks and Wildlife on a day-to-day basis. But its just next level being able to rescue native cutthroat species, take them into our facility, care for them (and) see how well they do.

The fish that were evacuated to Durango this summer "did magnificent" there, she said.

To bring them back here today, to bring them home, is such an honor," she said. "Im stoked to bring them home today.

What could have been quite the upstream battle was "seamless" thanks to the partnership between USFWS and CPW, Homer said.

Johnson echoed that statement, saying despite how enormous the task may sound, their preparations and coordination reduced many challenges. CPW stocks 250,000 pounds of fish around Colorado waterways each year, so staff are used to moving large quantities of fish, he explained.

"We were ready," he said.

When conditions allowed, firefighters at the Willow Fire used a backburn technique along the east side near the hatchery, meaning they intentionally ignited a small fire near a control line to get rid of any fuel, essentially stopping the fire in its tracks.

A spot fire outside the wildfire's main perimeter reached as close as 50 yards from the hatchery, Homer said. And the main blaze got as close as half a mile.

But fire crews made careful progress and by Tuesday, they were able to start removing hose and equipment from the fireline.

On Thursday, as Denver7 watched hundreds of fish get transferred from truck to bucket to their home tank, more good news came out of Leadville: All mandatory evacuations were downgraded to pre-evacuation status.

Amid the evacuations, the community worried over the safety of the hatchery. All over social media and within community groups, people wondered how the fish would fare.

"There was a lot of concern that these fish would either be abandoned or potentially burned over," Homer said. "And a lot of rumors flew back and forth, and there's only so much we could say, and especially in the time frame we had it. So, there was a lot of concern locally for what was going to happen to the fish."

There were also plenty of people ready to help.

"We had a ton of local support as well as across the state or even across the nation," he said. "I had people reaching out to me that I haven't talked to in years that said they saw this fire crop up. They said, 'If you need anything, give us a call. We'll be more than happy to come and help.'"

The community deeply values the facility as well as its past, its grounds and the recreation it offers.

"This facility has a history like none other," Homer said. "It's the oldest active fish hatchery in Colorado. It's the second-oldest fish hatchery still operating within the Fish and Wildlife Service. And it just has such a storied history. We have this beautiful building the original building was built in 1889. We still do our fish work in here."

The property includes seven miles of public trails, bringing in 36,000 visitors yearly to either see the hatchery or explore the 3,072 acres of wilderness outside it.

So, it's about more than just a fish. This place is about crucial species, community, history, and a dedication to preserve all of it for generations to come.

"It's fun to go to a lake and see a little kid fishing for his first time, or somebody with their grandkid out there," Johnson said. "And that's very rewarding to see that."

OURAY, Colo. US 550 is back open between Silverton and Ouray following severe flooding that prompted an extended two-day closure of Red Mountain Pass earlier this week.

Deputies with the Ouray County Sheriffs Office said Friday that state transportation officials worked swiftly to clear slide paths from the road surface on Wednesday evening to allow safe passage for motorists who were stranded between debris flows. They added extensive rock and mud removal operations along with roadway reinforcement and repairs continued through Friday morning.

In all, eight slide paths were cleared from the highway with multiple debris fields reported to be over four-feet tall, including the Brooklyns slide area, deputies said. The Brooklyns are located approximately five miles north of Silverton where snow avalanches frequently hit the highway in the winter.

No injuries were reported on the on the Cutler and Dexter Creek Drainage areas and the nearby neighborhood of Ponderosa Village on the east side of US 550, where most of these debris flows occurred.

Though the highway is back open, drivers are urged to stop, turn around or safely pull over if they see mud, rocks or water flowing onto the highway as rain falling miles away can trigger rapid mudslides or rockfalls downhill without warning.

The burn scar areas are especially prone to flooding hazards, they added.

Travelers were also reminded of 24/7 alternating traffic and up to 20-minute delays at an ongoing retaining wall and tunnel repair project between Ouray and Ironton. Work is anticipated to be complete in September 2026.

Officials with the Colorado Department of Transportation reminds drivers of the following flood safety tips:

Drivers were encouraged to check current road conditions and traffic impacts on COtrip.org or download the COtrip Planner app on the App Store or Google Play

OURAY, Colo. Multiple homes were damaged by debris flows from mud and rock slides that swept through Ouray County following Wednesday's heavy rainfall.

County officials said no injuries have been reported on the Cutler and Dexter Creek Drainage areas and the nearby neighborhood of Ponderosa Village on the east side of US 550, where most of these debris flows occurred.

Damage assessment crews were onsite Wednesday and re-entry planning was pending for people under the voluntary evacuation area, officials said in a news release.

"While the monsoon season continues, there will likely be additional days of excessive rain in our county and over the Gold Mountain Burn Scar area," a spokesperson for the county said, as they urged residents and visitors alike to stay inform and heed weather alerts when they are issued. "A good rule of thumb is: If you can look uphill from where you are and see a burnt-out area, you are at risk."

Earlier in the day, state transportation officials said the highway would remain closed in both directions between Silverton and Ouray through Friday after flash floods moved over the area, bringing widespread rain to the parts of southwest Colorado.

Severe rains and flooding prompted an extended closure of the highway's Red Mountain Pass beginning at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, and crews are still working to clear the debris, according to a Colorado Department of Transportation release.

The roadway is closed to all traffic, including those accessing the highway from 4x4 roads, access roads and trails, officials said in the release.

"Backcountry recreationists within the closure area are encouraged to shelter in place if possible," officials said. "Stranded visitors seeking shelter or assistance can contact the San Juan County Sheriff's Office, Colorado at 970-387-5531."

The flooding from rain on the Gold Mountain Fire burn scar also prompted evacuations in the area Wednesday.

Transportation officials recommended using CO 145 through Telluride as an alternative route. The westerly route is expected to add an hour of additional driving time, per the release.

"Motorists are urged to avoid rugged off-road, four-wheel drive and 4x4 detours or unpaved 'shortcuts' suggested by digital map apps," officials said.

CDOT officials also provided the following flood safety tips for drivers:

Ouray County officials encourage anyone affected by the debris flow to visit their 2026 Ouray County Flood Resources and Information webpage here.

FLOYD HILL, Colo. Three years into one of Colorado's largest mountain highway projects, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) says the blasting, closures and backups at Floyd Hill are moving to the next phase.

"This is an exciting milestone, being halfway done with the Floyd Hill project," said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew.

She told Denver7 that CDOT has considered the past few months the general "halfway" mark of the project. Denver7 asked about this after noting that CDOT had announced back in May that they were also halfway done.

This project officially started in 2023, when CDOT and Kraemer North America partnered to transform eight miles of the Interstate 70 Mountain Corridor between Evergreen and eastern Idaho Springs.

Lew said the stretch had long been a problem area for drivers.

"There was essentially an hourglass problem on the configuration of the highway just creating one of a few remaining and very challenging sections along the stretch going from Denver into the mountains," Lew said.

As of July 2026, rock blasting operations are now substantially complete. Crews completed 211 controlled blasts and removed more than 765,511 tons of material equal to the weight of 30 Statues of Liberty.

"We are grateful to the public for their patience. It is hard to deal with things like 15-minute rock blasts on a road as busy and as essential as this one," Lew said.

With excavation largely finished, the project is now shifting its focus to bridge construction. Floyd Hill Project Director Kurt Kionka said the first half was mostly about excavation, and the second half will be about connecting 10 bridges together to create the new road.

"What you'll see in the future driving through here over the next couple years is a lot of bridge columns come up out of the ground, bridge beams being set, and just substantial bridge construction," Kionka said.

At the bottom of Floyd Hill, crews are using a construction method called balanced cantilever segmental construction an approach Kionka said is not commonly used in the Denver area.

"What's so unique about this method of bridge construction is it allows us to do very long spans. These spans... Some of them are over 300 feet," Kionka said.

The method involves building a pier column up from the ground, then extending the bridge outward in 15-foot sections cantilevered from the column before connecting them in the middle. Kionka said the approach was chosen in part because of the complex conditions at the bottom of the hill, where crews must keep both eastbound and westbound I-70 open, cross over Clear Creek and navigate around an active landslide, all while going around a curve.

"We're doing it over live traffic up in the air, and so that makes it so that we don't have to close traffic during construction," Kionka said.

Watch Ethan Carlson's report in the video below:

Since late 2025, crews have constructed 15 bridge columns and erected 31 bridge beams. The project includes more than two miles of deep caissons drilled into bedrock across all structures.

The good news for drivers is that the most disruptive phase is now largely behind them. CDOT said the 20-minute traffic holds that were common throughout the week during the first half of construction are now largely complete.

"Expect all lanes to be open during those busy times of travel through here. If you come here overnight, you might see lane closures," Kionka said.

From early to mid-August, CDOT said drivers can expect a series of overnight, single-direction eastbound and westbound I-70 closures at the bottom of Floyd Hill near the US 6 interchange for segmental bridge construction.

The project is also adding a new connection from the bottom of the hill at US 6 into Central City Parkway, which will provide an alternate route when I-70 is shut down and reduce lengthy detours.

CDOT said the project remains on schedule and on budget. The new I-70 alignment is expected to open in 2028, with the full project finished in 2029. When complete, the corridor will be brought up to a 55 mph design speed.

"It's going to feel much better, much safer as you go through here," Kionka said.

Scarp Ridge has been on my hiking to do list for years. I heard about the wildflowers and the views, then I heard about the Blue Lake overlook and I was sold.

Scarp Ridge is above Lake Irwin, west of Crested Butte. The trailhead is about two miles up a rough, dirt road, just below the Old Lake Irwin Lodge that closed in 2002. On the way, you will pass cabins and even an old mining headframe. Irwin was a silver mining site in the 1880s, according to published reports.

The hike starts at 10,600 feet high and ends at more than 12,200 feet high, so expect steep terrain.

Drive up to the lodge to find a turnaround. Just below that are two parking areas with room for about 10 vehicles each. Hike back up to the turnaround and you should spot the sign for Trail 419. Theres no bathrooms and no other info or map, so I highly recommend downloading a route from AllTrails and/or COTREX before you go.

As you walk past the old lodge, you may notice several snow cats outside. You can learn more about the snowcat skiing on these websites here and here.

At 0.15 miles from the turnaround lot, theres a bit of a trail split. Go left and stay on the old road. At 0.3 miles, you will exit the trees into a meadow with great views. At 0.4 miles, youll come to a cairn, a trail split and your big decision point for the day hike the loop clockwise or counter clockwise? I chose clockwise, in case I decided to do an out-and-back hike to the Blue Lake overlook.

As you hike, youll likely see lots of wildflowers. In July 2026, there were sulfur buckwheat, Aspen fleabane, ohsa, alpine goldenaster (or maybe false goldenaster), monument plant, owlsclaw, lupine, cinquefoil, paintbrush, penstemon, golden rod and others. You may also notice the occasional hole in the ground or hillside from mining days.

The reddish mountains to the left, or west, also captured my attention on the way up. Especially seeing a trail in between them. From the overlook at the top, youll see a lake in between the peaks. However, Emerald Lake is on a private road, so youll have to enjoy the view from over here.

As you head uphill to Scarp Ridge, you need to know there are two false summits. The first you can see about 1.25 miles into the hike. At the top of the first one, youll get a view of the ridge above you.

The AllTrails loop hike has you turning east at 1.7 or so miles. However, if you want to see Blue Lake, you'll need to go west up to the rocky outcropping. There are even rock steps here. This is your second false summit. After the rocky section, theres one more ridge and just under a quarter mile of hiking to get to the overlook/viewpoint.

At the top, theres a wooden post, but the sign is gone. Up here at 12,300 elevation, you get to pick your view. Theres Blue Lake northwest. Theres Emerald Lake and the red mountains southwest. Theres Crested Butte Ski Resort to the east. Theres great views in every direction.

If you want to go farther, there are several options from up here, including a way to Blue Lake. However, most people head back down.

Its about one-third of a mile from the overlook back to the loop trail. Here you can decide do you want a 4-mile round trip hike? Then head back the way you came up. Or if youre willing to do more, turn east on the loop trail for a few more views and a hike of 4.6 miles.

I decided to do the loop because it's not much longer. As you walk the ridge, the trail gets close to the edge, and you can look down to Mount Crested Butte in the distance. Youll also pass a small communications tower.

You may notice this side of the trail is a bit overgrown at times. Maybe because more people do an out-and-back hike instead of the loop.

At 3.15 miles, theres another viewpoint looking down into a pretty valley and out to Crested Butte. Then the loop trail heads downhill back to the parking lot.

On the east side of the loop, we found even more wildflowers including bistort, stonecrop, lupin, yarrow, ragwort, penstemon, chiming bells, arnica, fitweed and fields of aspen fleabane.

At 4.25, the loop ended back at a cairn at the trail split.

From here, its another 0.4 miles back to the lodge and the turnaround area.

As you walk the road back to your vehicle, look up on the hillside in front of you. There are several cabins partially hidden in the trees.

Details: The hike to the Blue Lake overlook and around the loop is about 4.6 miles with 1,500+ feet of elevation gain. Add more distance based on where you park.

Note: You may want a vehicle with some clearance for the rutted, dirt road to the trailhead. Some books suggest you can park just past the Lake Irwin dam. That adds a couple miles and a lot more elevation gain to the hike.

HikingDebbie@gmail.com

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A teenager died on Mount Blue Sky on Sunday after being struck by lightning, the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office (CCCSO) said.

The lightning strike happened around 1:20 p.m. Sunday. After first responders were called to the area, they found four people injured in addition to the one teen who died.

Three people had minor injuries, and the fourth was airlifted off the mountain.

Three of the five people were all members of the same family, the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office said. Another one of the people in the group was also a minor.

A verified GoFundMe identified 15-year-old Levi Strobel of Erie as the teenager who was killed. His younger brother Jace was transported to a hospital via Flight for Life helicopter. In the GoFundMe, his family said he improved overnight. Click here for the GoFundMe.

Oh-Be-Joyful is a great name for the Crested Butte area and this beautiful place. Many families come for the camping and the river that runs through the campground at the trailhead. The trail is also popular because of its wildflowers and waterfalls.

The trailhead has bathrooms and signs. One sign even explains, in depth, why there are cows in the area. When youre ready to hike, look for a sign that says "bridge and trail." As you walk through part of the campground expect to see people sitting next to the creek having their morning coffee.

On the other side of the bridge, youll walk along the creek then turn uphill. This hike gets steep at times and it starts here.

At about a half mile from the parking lot, youll get your first view of the Oh-Be-Joyful valley and see your first waterfall. You might call this more of a waterslide. There are several cascades making up this scenic waterfall. Families can turn around here, but its worth it to keep going.

Its another half mile or so to a sign board with wilderness regulations, like keeping your dog on leash. Keep walking. A short distance away youll hear the next waterfall before you see it. Walk over to the edge of the trail for a view through the trees. There are a couple of steps down to get a better view.

A short distance past the waterfall, youll come out of the trees into a meadow with incredible views. Look up not just at the peaks around you, but at the waterfalls cascading down the hillsides in front of you and on the side of you.

Its about two miles from the trailhead that the trail changes from an old road to a trail. This is also the area where you will see a wilderness sign, then the Raggeds Wilderness sign. At this point, youll have gained about 550 feet in elevation.

A tenth of a mile, or so, from here, youll come to yet another pretty waterside-type waterfall. Turning around here will give you a hike of about 4.5 miles. However, if youre ready for more, continue on, enjoying the wide variety of wildflowers along the trail.

Around 2.9 miles, watch the creek on your left. You may spot a beaver dam and a beaver house. After that, theres a series of beaver dams in the creek. At 3.4 miles, you may spot a waterfall in the distance. Take a picture when you see it, because as you get closer, the waterfall disappears into a ravine and cant be seen from the trail.

Around the four-mile mark, we got a good laugh when we spotted a green gate, with no fence. Just a gate, with a chain to keep it closed. But no fence. So you just walk around it.

At 4.75 miles, you may notice a nice campsite in the trees. It's worth it to walk over to the edge for yet another waterfall.

For a while now, you've been following a somewhat flat trail, but that's going to change. At 5.25 miles, the trail starts going uphill again. It flattens out slightly before the Daisy Pass trail split, but that's just to make you feel like you can actually do this.

Just after the split, you will climb 40 feet in elevation to the upper basin. At this point, you may be wondering, "Where is the lake?"

It turns out, you're going to walk across that upper basin, then climb up the side of the basin to the lake on the far right side.

Its just on the top of that ridge" that is what hikers going downhill said. They made it sound like no big deal, but there's a steep hill coming with another 300 feet of gain to get to the lake. Stop when you need to catch your breath and look at the waterfalls coming from the lake. They are beautiful cascades.

At the top, pick your lunch spot. Will you sit near the middle of the lake or one of the ends?

The view of the lake and surrounding cirque are great, no matter where you sit. The funny thing though: Blue Lake is actually quite green and clear.

After a good break, return the way you came, unless you decide to tackle Daisy Pass, or another trail in the area.

Details: the hike to Blue Lake and back is about 14 miles with 2,100 feet of elevation gain.

HikingDebbie@gmail.com

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If you love wildflowers, you have to hike the Upper Straight Creek Trail next to the Eisenhower Tunnels. The flowers along this trail put on a show every year.

The hike starts on the west side of the tunnels. You'll follow an old, paved road behind the CDOT buildings and vehicles, passing some cones with a chain, and then turning up the valley. Even before the road turns to dirt, you will see hillsides of flowers.

This seems like such an odd place to hike, but you quickly forget the sounds of I-70 as you marvel at all the flowers here.

Because you're right below the divide, you'll occasionally find yourself walking in water and mud created by snow melting on the hillside, but it's never very deep.

After about a mile of hiking, you may notice a trail split. While you can go straight, the trail actually turns here and heads up to the top of the divide. As you pass rocks on the cliffside in the next section, you may hear and even see marmots running through the flowers.

The trail climbs uphill with two switchbacks before arriving at the top. You may be surprised to see ski lifts and ski trail signs. This is the Loveland Ski Area. You can wander around up here and take in the views from both sides of the divide.

Now the question is: Do you want to keep exploring or head back down?

Details: The hike from the parking area to the top is about 5.5 miles with 1,400 feet of gain depending on where you park and how far you explore.

Directions: Heading west from the Denver metro, you'll need to turn right immediately after exiting the tunnel. Heading east from Summit County, just before the tunnel, pull off and take the access road around the back side of the tunnel.

HikingDebbie@gmail.com

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The headwaters of the Colorado River were not what Mina Guli expected them to be.

She had imagined a big, bubbling brook that appeared out of the ground or spouted from the side of a mountain. Instead, she found herself traipsing through a bright green meadow in Rocky Mountain National Park, surrounded by mountains that should have had more snowpack, with navigation apps in hand.

Then there's this point where all these tiny little channels, we're talking like channels that aren't even as wide as your hand, all start to join together to become like this little bubbling stream, Guli says. That is the start of the Colorado River.

That unassuming start of the very big river also marked the start of the Australian ultra runners very big quest to run the entire length of the waterway in 100 days a 2,000 mile journey taking her through Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Mexico and California.

Just as those tiny channels grow into something more powerful, Guli hopes each step she takes will build energy for protecting this mighty river.

Every single time I go and run a marathon, it's not a marathon. It's a multitude of steps, but every single step counts, the 55-year-old told Denver7 from a campsite in Utah just after setting up camp for the night 26 days into her journey. Every small step in the right direction creates forward momentum, and forward momentum is what the river needs right now.

Guli, who founded the water nonprofit Thirst Foundation in 2012, has lived through incredible drought growing up in Australia and has seen the consequences firsthand. Its something she says she doesnt want anyone else to experience.

She previously ran 200 marathons in one year ahead of the 2023 UN Water Conference to raise awareness on global water stress. Now, she's running close to a marathon a day for 100 days for the Colorado River.

[The Colorado River] supports $1.4 trillion of economic activity. Over 40 million people depend on the water from this river, she said. It is one of those rivers where if we can't get this right, what hope do we have for other rivers around the world?"

About 95% of the Colorado River Basin is currently in a drought, according to the national drought monitor, and the rivers two largest reservoirs Lake Powell and Lake Mead are expected to reach new historic lows every day until spring, according to an analysis from Colorado River experts published last week.

On the day Guli talked with Denver7, she was 26 days into the 100-day journey and had already seen the reality of those statistics firsthand.

Shes stood at Lake Powell and seen the water level the equivalent of a multi-story building below where it should be. Shes crisscrossed the river on foot where she had expected to packraft, leaving the raft in her crews car.

I am absolutely shocked, horrified, and heartbroken at how sick this river really is, she said. It is very hard to explain just how low the flows are until you've seen it, until you have stood on the riverbank with your feet in mud, looking at where the river should be, and seeing where it is now.

"It is devastating," she added. "We didn't have to be here, but here we are.

Guli describes the journey itself as a rollercoaster one with highs and lows and unexpected twists and turns.

Shes experienced awe-inspiring nature, an ever-changing landscape of grand mountains, towering cliffs, extreme desserts and green forests.

But as drought plagues the basin and creates a tinderbox, fires have required unplanned detours. She had to reroute because of the Snyder Fire, which forced evacuations from the river corridor and charred more than 30,000 acres near the Colorado-Utah border, and then again later for the Babylon Fire in Utah, one of the countrys largest wildfires so far this year at more than 107,000 acres.

Running around the Babylon Fire, Guli and her crew could see the red blaze at night and nuclear mushroom clouds of smoke during the day.

As the extreme conditions and distance rub her nerves raw, the reality hits even harder.

When you do these long distance events, you also become very much more emotionally vulnerable because you're exhausted all the time, and everything gets stripped away, she said. Physically you break down, mentally you break down. Emotionally, you break down.

Her feet are blistered, and she's faced challenges with altitude after coming from sea level. Day after day, she has run through triple-digit, diabolical heat, with little relief in her tent at night.

She insists she's "really bad at running," saying "I'm old. I break down. I'm like the slowest person on the planet. I find it really hard to navigate across rivers. I fall in."

Shes cried tears of frustration and tears of sadness. But for Guli, the trying conditions are the whole point.

"This is hard," she said. "But the other thing I remind myself is we can do hard things, whether it's running 2000 miles down the Colorado River, or whether it's sitting in boardrooms and holds the power of government and making the decisions that need to be made to protect and preserve and create a resilient river basin. They're all hard, but I know that when we work together, we can make them happen."

As she traces the river, shes talked with farmers, ranchers, raft guides, anglers and all manner of people who rely on the river. Each night, she writes in her dairy, keeping a log of the people she meets and the stories they tell her.

All of them have said the same thing: the river is in a dire place, and that means that their businesses are suffering, she said.

Shes also experienced incredible kindness, interest, and passion of a local community for this river, and the desire of all of them to see a much more resilient river and river basin.

Along the way, people have pulled over to ask if shes OK and offer her water. One family gave her a whole sheet of popsicles called icy poles in Australia.

Guli said her curiosity to stop and talk with locals along the way often pushes her runs later into the hot days.

Change is made by communities of people working together, she said. And when I witness the power of the people, when I witness the desire for them and by them for change, I'm like, what is it going to take for these politicians and bureaucrats and people in positions of power to listen to the people?

Throughout the journey, shes taking the stories she hears to people in power through summits that bring together policymakers, scientists, water managers, Tribal leaders and business stakeholders.

But its not just people shes gotten to know.

The river is my friend now, she said. I've run by it for thousands of steps, and it's become my friend. We talk, we cry, we laugh, we share experiences together.

Now, more than 30 days into her journey, shes entering the Grand Canyon where extreme heat will often require hiking through the night, carrying everything she needs on her back. In a video posted Friday, she said its going to require skills she doesnt have, but is going to have to learn.

I dont know quite how to explain to you how scared I am, but Im going to do this, she said in the video. Im going to keep reminding myself Im not a mouse, Im a lion, and just focus on getting this thing done, one step in front of the other.

She doesnt know what lies ahead, but shes sure of one thing.

No matter where I go, no matter what I do, for the rest of my life, she told Denver7, this river will be a part of who I am.

Crested Butte calls itself the "Wildflower Capitol" of Colorado. Visit here in the summer and youll likely agree. You dont come to Crested Butte to see a few flowers this is a place to see fields and hillsides of wildflowers.

One of the best places for flowers is Rustlers Gulch. Not only will you see fields of flowers on the way to the trailhead, youll see many more on this hike into some of Crested Buttes incredible wilderness and backcountry scenery.

The hike starts wherever your vehicle will take you. For some, thats the large parking area on Gothic Road. Others can turn on the road to Rustlers Gulch and go a tenth of a mile and park before the water crossing. High clearance vehicles may be able to drive through the water crossing, but when we visited in mid-July 2026, only two vehicles managed to get through the deep water. Even lifted Jeeps turned around.

Lets talk about the hike starting before the big pool. Hikers will find a trail around the left of the pool. Youll likely have to take a trail up and down a steep hill, then change to water shoes to cross the big pool or try walking across a nearby beaver dam. However, even the dam is a bit sketchy, so Ill put a note at the end of this post reminding you about the water shoes.

After crossing the water, pick one of the social trails through the willows to get you back on the road. Follow the road as it passes a large parking area and a sign for the Trailriders Trail/401, and heads uphill.

This first mile is steep. It gains about 550 feet. When you need to catch your breath, use the excuse of photographing the wildflowers filling the hillsides next to the road.

After hiking just over a mile, youll come to a turnoff. The road continues uphill to the left, but a small sign by a gate says Rustlers Gulch Trail #599. This is your turnoff. Theres also a signboard with a lot of information. One sign warns about bears. We did see a bear, in the distance, on our way downhill. Another sign has a list of wilderness regulations, including putting dogs on leash.

After just a few steps on the trail, youll come to the official sign for the Maroon Bells Snowmass Wilderness.

While you've turned off the main road, youll quickly notice youre actually still on a road just an old one that hadnt been used in years. Then again, you may not notice the road because youll likely be distracted by all of the wildflowers corn lily, dwarf sunflowers, larkspur, lupine, cows parsnip, osha, monument plant, different colors of paintbrush, owlsclaw, vetch, fleabane, geranium and so many more.

Depending on the time of summer you visit, expect a few more water crossings. Most of the time there are rocks and/or logs to help you keep your feet dry, but a few might be high enough for you to consider wearing your water shoes again.

My favorite water crossing is about 2.4 miles from the trailhead. Its a series of several small cascades.

Youll continue hiking for about another half mile until you find yourself coming to treeline an area where the trees stop growing. At this point, youll likely notice the amazing views in the valley to your right. Youre heading that way.

The trail crosses an avalanche path (with more water crossings), then goes up steadily as it heads into the upper valley. This is yet another spot with amazing hillsides of flowers. You may also notice the creek in the middle of a valley.

We met lots of people who turned around after seeing the view. One even said, Oh, youll know it.

Well, we enjoyed the view, but there was more to come, along with some old mining equipment and a waterfall, so we kept going.

Youll pass two restoration area signs and you may notice a trail split around 4.4 miles. While some people headed for the nearby white rocks here, another hiker told us it was just a quarter mile to more wildflowers and a waterfall. So we kept going uphill.

A tenth of a mile later, I noticed a piece of metal on the ground and a few steps later was a stone building. That stone building was an old boiler. There is also a steam engine nearby. After a couple pictures, we continued on.

It wasnt long until we spotted it a nice waterfall with great flowers.

The waterfall has multiple drops above the trail, and below it. Its worth taking a few minutes to walk around the area.

Then its time to have a snack and head back or go uphill a little further.

Details: The hike up the gulch to the waterfall was about 9.3 miles with 1,800 feet of elevation gain. Don't forget water shoes or be prepared to get your feet wet.

For directions: Google Rustlers Gulch Trailhead. Be aware that the road turns to dirt right after passing through Mount Crested Butte. Check with the Crested Butte Visitor Center for road conditions.

HikingDebbie@gmail.com

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UPDATE| July 25 |

Mudslides prompted the closure U.S. Highway 550 on Friday between Silverton and Ouray, according to a 5 p.m. travel alert from the Colorado Department of Transportation.

Officials said there was no estimated time for reopening.

The Ouray County sheriff's office said deputies were responding to the reported mudslides on Red Mountain Pass.

"Please be prepared for delays and do not try to drive through flooded roads," sheriff's office officials said in a post. "Be extremely cautious of your surroundings."

Ouray County was under a flash flood warning through 7 p.m. Friday.

Mudslides have prompted multiple road closures in western Colorado in the last week, including a multi-day closure of Interstate 70.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is currently investigating the death of an uncollared wolf in northwest Colorado, according to a Friday release from the agency.

The cause of death and exact location of the wolf were not released Friday.

"A final determination of the cause of death will not be made until the investigation is completed, including the necropsy, a foundational component of the overall investigative process," officials said in the release.

A spokesperson for the agency said no additional details were available.

Read the full Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan

Denver7 has been following Colorado's wolf reintroduction program since the very beginning, and you can explore all of that reporting in the timeline below, which starts with our most recent story.

Boreas Pass near Breckenridge is probably best known for vibrant colors in the fall, but its also a great place to find wildflowers in the summer.

As you drive to the trailhead, you may see flowers on the side of the road and in meadows when the forest opens up. However, the best place to find flowers is on the Black Powder Pass Trail at the top of the pass on the Continental Divide at 11,482 feet.

Signs in the parking area talk about the history of this area, which was mainly railroading history. There were also a couple of buildings still here. One of them, the Section House, can be rented in the winter. However, the road is closed in winter, so youll have to cross-country ski or snowshoe to reach the hut.

To find the trail, walk past the fence in the parking lot towards the Section House. To your left, you will see a sign for the Black Powder Pass Trail.

The trail starts somewhat flat, but that doesnt last. Soon youll find yourself hiking uphill.

Because youre hiking at elevation, you may need to stop more often to catch your breath. Fortunately, there are fields of wildflowers along this trail, and there are great views of the peaks surrounding the Breckenridge Valley.

As you hike, the trail will cut through willows, through a thick forest, and up to the alpine tundra.

When you find yourself on a boardwalk over a seasonal creek, look for wildlife. We spotted a mama moose and her calf. Fortunately, they were a very safe distance away and moved across the trail quickly.

Farther up the trail, youll notice that same seasonal creek on your right. Thats where we found the best fields of flowers near the creek.

As you get higher in elevation, youll notice the flowers start getting smaller. Its a tough life at 12,000 feet summer is short and the wind can blow pretty hard. If youre here on a windy day, you might be putting your jacket back on for this climb.

Soon youll notice the trail heading straight uphill. AllTrails lists a viewpoint at 1.7 miles. It is a great place to stop and take in the scenery.

However, if you want to see over into that valley to the north, youll need to hike another 0.1 mile or so uphill. We stopped at a wooden post that had a view of the Keystone ski runs in the distance. AllTrails showed the trail going a little further, but we felt like we had seen the great views.

Details: The hike to Black Powder Pass and back is about 3.5 miles with 900 feet of elevation gain.

For directions: Google Black Powder Pass. It should take you to the top of Boreas Pass. If youre coming from Highway 285, it can get pretty rocky. You will have to drive a dirt road no matter which direction you come from. Id recommend a vehicle with some clearance, but check with the Breckenridge Welcome Center to ask about current conditions.

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A new fire burning near the Eagle-Garfield county line prompted evacuations Wednesday.

The fire, dubbed the Sleepy Creek Fire, was burning near the Buckpoint subdivision. As of 8 p.m., evacuations along Buck Point Drive remained in place, as did the pre-evacuation notice for the surrounding area, per the Eagle County sheriff's office.

On the Garfield County side, some residents were initially under a pre-evacuation order, but that order was lifted as of 9 p.m.

View an up-to-date evacuation map here.

Cottonwood Pass will remain closed throughout the night, according to the Eagle County sheriff's office.

Though the fire had burned just four acres as of a 5:45 p.m. update, Eagle County officials said it was burning "dense oak with a high spread potential."

Air resources are working the fire, and crews hope to have a containment line around the fire by Thursday afternoon, according to the Eagle County sheriff's office.

Those who are evacuated and need support Eagle County Human Services at 970-328-8815, officials said.

Another nearby fire that sparked in Eagle County this week, the Cottonwood Pass Fire, was 80% contained and remained under half an acre as of around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, and all pre-evacuations were lifted.

Pre-evacuations were also lifted Wednesday morning for the Hartman Hill fire, which sparked near the Grand County and Eagle County line on Sunday. The fire was 26 acres and 100% contained as of Wednesday at 8:30 p.m.

Interstate 70 reopened Wednesday after large mudslides forced the highway's closure in western Colorado on Monday, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

The Garfield County closure stretched from Silt (Mile Point 97) to New Castle (Mile Point 105). One lane in each direction remains closed as of 6 p.m. Wednesday.

The highway became impassable Monday night around 7 p.m. after "torrential rain and hail flooded the area, pushing mud, logs, and rocks across the roadway," according to a previous release from CDOT.

A very quick, very heavy rain and hail storm brought a lot of moisture and the dry ground was not able to absorb, which caused massive flooding and piles of debris to overwhelm the drainage system in this area, Jason Smith, CDOT's regional transportation director, said in the release.

Read previous coverage of the closure here.

DENVER A new wolf pack has formed in Eagle County, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) confirmed on Wednesday morning.

It has been named the Piney Ridge Pack.

Detection of pups in late spring or early summer is inherently challenging, because of their use of remote habitats in dense cover, secretive nature of very young animals, and time potentially underground, explained CPWs Wolf Conservation Program Manager Eric Odell.

Learn more on this new wolf pack in the video below:

So while few details are currently available about the pack, more details will be released in CPW's annual wolf report, which is published each spring, CPW said. Denver7 wrote about the 2026 Gray Wolf Annual Report here.

"Having a new wolf pack this year in Colorado is a great sign for the overall program, pack formation, and, therefore, reproduction in these early years," said Brenna Cassidy, wolf monitoring and data coordinator for CPW, in an interview with Denver7. "When I think about wolf ecology, I really concentrate on the packs because that is the unit of what's really, really important to being a wolf and to being successful."

Four of Colorado's wolf packs successfully reproduced this year, including the Piney Ridge Pack. The others are the One Ear Pack in Jackson County, the Three Creeks Pack in Rio Blanco County and the Copper Creek Pack in Pitkin County. As of Wednesday, it does not appear that the King Mountain Pack in Routt County successfully raised pups this year.

"Having four breeding packs this year and four breeding packs last year, even though we have a really small population, still is very, very encouraging," Cassidy said. "... This is a great sign for the program. This should be encouraging news on our journey towards a self-sustaining population."

Below is the latest wolf movement map released by CPW each month.

On average, wolves birth four to six pups each spring. Odell said his team is continuing to monitor the packs and will include the minimum count of the state's wolf population in the 2027 spring report. Wolf pups typically have a survival rate of roughly 50%, though that can fluctuate year over year.

"There can be low years where maybe there is a disease outbreak, and then there can be really successful years, like we had last year, where we had over 80% of the pups that we detected survived over the year," Cassidy said.

When wolves create packs which is defined as when a pair attempts to den and raise pups CPW can better determine where their staff should implement conflict minimization tools and techniques to protect livestock because those wolves are likely not dispersing as much. Those tactics include things like fladry, scare devices and range riders.

"When wolves are in packs and therefore usually are protecting a territory against other wolves, that is overlapping both public and private land, and while that can make things tough for the producers that are within that core territory, it does make those wolves a little bit more predictable," Cassidy said. "So, for a conflict team, that means that they can allocate some of those resources... Those things can be allocated to areas that have higher wolf presence that is a bit more predictable than somewhere where we don't know if wolves are going to go over here, over here, over here."

The creation of packs is also good for the animals, which tend to survive longer in a group compared to when they are solo, according to research, Cassidy said. The chances of reproduction and successful hunts also increase in packs.

We are still working from a modest amount of data in Colorado due to the relatively new nature of our wolf population as well as its small size but so far we are seeing a clear pattern of wolves in packs surviving longer than wolves that are not in packs, Cassidy said. For instance, in the last biological year (April 1, 2025 - March 30, 2026), we experienced 10 mortalities among our wolf population, seven of these were dispersers and only three were pack members. This shows us the benefit of having more packs on the Colorado landscape for both adult survival and reproduction as we work to achieve the goals of the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan.

According to CPW's depredation tracker which monitors instances where a wolf seriously injured or killed livestock or a working dog one calf was attacked by a wolf in Eagle County this biological year, which runs between April 2026 and March 2027. It occurred on July 16. It is not yet known if the wolf or wolves involved are members of the Piney Ridge Pack or not.

Denver7 has been following Colorado's wolf reintroduction program since the very beginning, and you can explore all of that reporting in the timeline below, which starts with our most recent story.

In Colorado, CPW is responsible for naming each of its wolf packs. Colorado currently has five. The name of the pack comes from some sort of geographic feature somewhere in their general territory.

"It doesn't mean that the den is right at that feature," Cassidy said. "It doesn't mean that the wolves spend a ton of time right at that feature, but (it is) somewhere that we know that they use and that is going to be in their territory."

Piney Ridge is a prominent feature in Eagle County, she said.

"Wolf pack territories are generally several 100 square kilometers," Cassidy explained. "So if you go looking at Piney Ridge, you're not going to see anything... If people are thinking about viewing wolves, they're often thinking about somewhere like Yellowstone. That's such a different situation than we have here. That is a very established place. That place is very well-known for viewing wolves. That's not what we have in Colorado."

Anybody who sees a wolf is asked to take photos and video, and report it using this CPW online form.

Both lanes of eastbound Interstate 70 in Georgetown have reopened after a semitruck fire snarled traffic for roughly four hours, according to the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office.

The driver of the semitruck was uninjured, the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office said, and there were no other injuries reported.

Law enforcement was initially not allowing semitruckers to use the Front Road detour past the lake, as of 6:48 a.m. Wednesday, causing traffic to stack up along eastbound I-70, Luber said.

The Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office said eastbound traffic was diverted onto Argentine Street and Alvarado Road at Georgetown.

The fire was first reported around 5:50 a.m. Wednesday, but was knocked down by around 6:15 a.m.

The fire was still smoldering and smoke was still visible from Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) cameras as of 7:35 a.m. Wednesday, Luber said.

Crews pushed the semitruck trailer to the shoulder of the Front Road to allow for clean up on I-70 east around 8 a.m. Wednesday.

By 9:20 a.m., the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office said all lanes had reopened, and a heavy-duty tow truck remained on scene.

Colorado State Patrol (CSP) is investigating the fire.

A new fire in Eagle County has prompted a pre-evacuation warning Tuesday evening, the sheriff's office announced.

The warning was issued at 5:30 p.m. for homes along Cottonwood Pass Road in the area of Blue Hill.

The size of the fire, which is burning on Cottonwood Pass, is currently unknown, according to the sheriff's office.

"Be prepared to leave on short notice if needed. Evacuations may issued in this area in the future, and it may be necessary to leave quickly," a post from the sheriff's office said.

Those who need extra time or who have animals "may consider leaving now," the sheriff's office said.

For a map of the pre-evacuation area, visit this site.

TELLURIDE, Colo. Two mudslides shut down Highway 145 in San Miguel County for hours Tuesday and swept a motorcyclist into a river, though the highway has since reopened and the rider is recovering in a Grand Junction hospital.

The road was described as "completely impassible" after the mudslides brought four to five feet of mud and four- to five-foot boulders to the roadway, according to the San Miguel County sheriff's office.

The debris spanned 250 feet across the highway, per the sheriff's office.

According to the sheriff's office, a motorcyclist was injured in the Highway 145 mudslide when rocks and debris swept the rider about 60 feet into the San Miguel River.

The rider was taken to St. Mary's Hospital with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening. No other injuries were reported.

Officials said at 4:45 p.m. CDOT was on scene with a plow truck, and more equipment was en route. Crews were able to reopen the highway around 9:30 p.m. after clearing debris from the roadway.

County Road M44, also known as Specie Creek Road, "is a viable alternate route ONE WAY only from Highway 145 to Norwood," the sheriff's office said at 5 p.m.

"Drive with caution," officials said. "Conditions may change."

It's not the only roadway closed after recent mudslides.

On Monday, a mudslide triggered by a flash flood forced the closure of Interstate 70 in Garfield County, and the roadway remains closed Tuesday evening.

Not far from the Highway 62 closure, Friday mudslides in Telluride prompted the closures of Imogene Pass and Tomboy Road, according to Telluride officials.

Tomboy Road was still closed as of Tuesday, with an estimated reopening Wednesday. The San Miguel County sheriff's office said Tuesday the reopening of Imogene Pass was contingent on the opening of Tomboy Road.

Friday's mudslides also flooded Telluride's Palm Theatre and intermediate school, causing "significant damage," according to school and fire officials.