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Idea of Division of Wildlife merging with Colorado State Parks has both pros, cons

Unless you’ve been on a long vacation, you are aware the state is thisclose to merging the Division of Wildlife and the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation, aka, Colorado State Parks. Heaven forfend that this scribe would question ...

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National parks go sans entrance fees for week

National Park Week begins Saturday and runs through April 24, and you probably aren’t surprised to learn western Colorado offers a variety of parks and monuments in which to spend a day or two or seven. There are 394 national parks ...

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Grand Staircase/Devil’s Garden is ‘masterpiece’ worth trip

The Devil’s Garden is a fairyland of goblins, hoodoos, gnomes, knobs and arches. It’s also Heaven for rock hounds, scientists, historians, photographers and other desert rats like me. Although it’s located only a ...

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Popular X Games event ski halfpipe added to Olympics

The 2010/11 ski season is ending for most of us, but there’s a new future for ski halfpipe. It was announced earlier this week by the International Olympic Committee that men’s and women’s ski halfpipe and women’s ski ...

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It’s not too late for some spring skiing, or maybe help reroute Troy Built Loop

I don’t want to make you jealous, but I’m hiking the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. I’ll report next week. In the meantime: For dog enthusiasts, local “Master Mutten Maker,” Pam Gibbons custom sews ...

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Local chapter of Elk Foundation is going strong

There is something about living through difficult times that brings out the best in people. The local housing market continues to struggle, jobs are scarce across the Western Slope and most of our 401(k)s are now 201(k)s. Still, the Grand ...

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Prowl for owls with Audubon Society

Here’s a hoot-out for one of the most-popular events sponsored by the Grand Valley Audubon Society. It’s the Owl Prowl Field Trip on Saturday and Sunday, and participants are likely to see all five of the owl species — ...

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Old friends getting together in Snowmass for National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic

The first of more than 350 disabled American military veterans take to the slopes of Snowmass Ski Resort this morning for the opening ceremonies of the 25th annual National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic. Participants come from every ...

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Escape the world’s troubles, hike to Monument Canyon

The world has changed. Earth has shifted on its axis. Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, radioactive fallout. Flying over Tulsa, Okla., on our way home from Virginia, Delta pilot Captain Christopher Smith has asked flight attendants on Flight ...

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Gold Star Canyon close to home, full of multi-colored rock

Gas prices continue to rise as tensions in the Middle East and Northern Africa disrupt oil supplies and as commodity traders scam the holy crude out of us. Time for a local hike, so we can save a little gas and pay for the slight rise in fees ...

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