Nikki LaRochelle/Photo courtesy
The stories on this list received the most page views on SummitDaily.com from August 18-24.
1. Hikers say the Tenmile Traverse accident was a near-disaster after a woman fell from a ridge called The Dragon.
Every year, Breckenridge residents Nikki and Brad LaRochelle hike the Tenmile Traverse, a rugged ridge route that climbs a dozen peaks in about twice the mile.
But this year, after climbing Mount Royal, Mount Victoria, and Peak 1 and Peak 2 on Saturday, August 17, the pair experienced a horrific accident that caused them to rethink their backcountry practices and better appreciate the importance of local search and rescue responders.
After leaving Frisco at about 7:15 a.m., about two hours into the hike, the pair first noticed something was wrong as they approached a rocky ridge between Peak 2 and Peak 3, which locals named after a mythical creature.
“They call it the Dragon. It’s this rock formation right on the ridge, and you descend into this canyon,” said Brad LaRochelle. “There were some people in a group who acted like they were helping somebody. They didn’t say a word to us, but as we got closer, something seemed to be going on, and I asked something like, ‘Are you OK?’ They said, ‘No.'”
— Ryan Spencer
2. Summit County Rescue Group calls in two helicopters for assistance as summit season reaches its peak
The Summit County Rescue Group deployed two helicopters in two days last weekend to assist hikers who got into trouble while climbing Colorado’s highest peaks.
Although the summer was marked by an average volume of emergency calls from remote areas, last week saw a slightly higher volume of emergency calls, with about seven calls, including two involving helicopters, according to Ben Butler, president of the Summit County Rescue Group.
“It seems like we’ve had a little bit of a resurgence since it’s the traditional summit season,” Butler said. “Pretty much all the snow is gone and people are coming out, which is great.”
— Ryan Spencer
3. ‘It’s not fun being the test subject’: Silverthorne officials say Xcel Energy implemented a system without informing them and it caused power outages
Dozens of businesses and thousands of residents in Silverthorne were affected by the power outages. City officials questioned Xcel Energy representatives about the recent outages and were quick to criticize them at a meeting on August 14.
Silverthorne officials began fielding questions and feedback as soon as the presentation began, seeking an explanation for the numerous power outages the city has experienced in recent months. They understood that power outages happen, but stressed that communication needs to be stronger from the utility.
“Your communication was not very good, I’ll just tell you that,” said Mayor Anne-Marie Sandquist at the start of the meeting.
— Kit Geary
4. WATCH: Video shows first three wolf cubs born after reintroduction in Colorado
On Monday, August 19, Colorado Parks and Wildlife posted a video on social media of three wolf cubs and one adult wolf from the Copper Creek pack.
The video, shot by Mike Usalavage and reviewed and confirmed by wildlife agency wolf biologists, shows three pups playing around a puddle on a dirt road. An adult wolf is also present.
In the post, the agency said the three puppies were “healthy” and weighed between 40 and 50 pounds.
— Ali Longwell
5. Summit County Sheriff’s Office arrests three men for child prostitution and exploitation following an undercover operation
The Summit County Sheriff’s Office said it arrested three men last week for attempted sexual abuse of a child.
The sheriff’s office said in a press release Monday, August 19, that it conducted the undercover operation in cooperation with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Colorado 5th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the Summit County Emergency Operations Center.
During the operation, according to the press release, about 100 people expressed their initial interest in recruiting a prostitute. Of these, about 10 men reportedly expressed a desire to perform sexual acts with children.
— Summit Daily Staff Report
