A new wildfire in Colorado, now known as the Stone Canyon Fire, began this afternoon in a neighborhood north of Lyons. As of 6:15 p.m., the Stone Canyon Fire is estimated to be 450 acres in size. Preliminary reports from the Boulder Office of Disaster Management are that two structures have been lost so far.
Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued within the town of Lyons, including the areas north of U.S. Highway 36 (Broadway) and east of 5th Avenue.
Also, westbound traffic into Lyons from US Highway 36 and US Highway 66 is currently closed in order to get firefighting equipment into the town.
Meanwhile, the Alexander Mountain Fire, between Estes Park and Loveland, has grown to 3575 acres in size as of the most recent 4pm estimate.
Canadian apparel company, Arc’teryx, in partnership with Skip, a spinoff of Google’s X Labs, have just launched a new outdoor product category called "powered exoskeleton pants".
Their product introduction into this new category is known as the "MO/GO," which are hiking pants that feature a lightweight electric motor at the knee. Arc’teryx and Skip claim the "MO/GO" can boost a hiker’s leg strength while going uphill. It also absorbs the impact of steps during a descent. Skip also claims the MO/GO pants can make the wearer feel up to 30 pounds lighter.
The MO/GO includes rechargeable batteries that last for 3+ hours of continuous uphill walking on maximum assistance. The batteries automatically recharge during downhill walking.
The Skip website claims their goal is "to give you the confidence to push your limits because you have the peace of mind knowing you’ll make it back safely."
As we've seen with other high-tech gadgets, technology isn't infallible. What happens to a person if the device and/or battery somehow malfunctions while on the trail? Moreover, this device will likely encourage those without mobility issues to purchase the pants to simply allow them to travel deeper into the mountains, even though they may not be physically prepared such a trip under normal circumstances. To me, and I may very welll be in the minority here, this flies in the face of what hiking in the backcountry is really all about.
Full retail price for the MO/GO is set to be $5,000. However! If you act now, you can preorder a pair right now and receive a discount that will bring the price down to "only" $4,500 - with an expected ship date of December 2025.
From Montana to New Mexico, the American Rockies stretch for more than a thousand miles. Within this spectacular mountain range are thousands of miles of hiking trails. With such an overwhelming number of options, how will you find and choose the most scenic and rewarding hikes?
Ultimate Hiking Guide to the Rocky Mountains takes all the guesswork out by focusing on some of the most amazing hikes across this range, and provides you with a handpicked list of options that will allow you to make the most of your trips in the Rockies:
A new wildfire was reported between Estes Park and Loveland. The Larimer County Sheriff has issued a mandatory evacuation:
Mandatory Evacuations ordered for wildfire near Storm Mountain. Drake to Dam Store along Highway 34 including Storm Mountain and Palisade Mountain need to EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY.
According to the latest from US Forest Service officials, the fire is about 864 acres in size, and is burning on the Roosevelt National Forest north of Highway 34. Two roads are currently closured: Hwy 34 from Estes to County Road 29, and County Road 43.
Staff from Rocky Mountain National Park and the Arapaho Roosevelt National Forests have responded to two small fires in the Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park. One 0.25 acre fire is near the Sandbeach Lake Trailhead, and a second 0.10 acre fire is on the east side of Lookout Mountain. Both fires have been contained and no structures were threatened. There are no trail closures in place.
Further information will be released as it becomes available.
From Montana to New Mexico, the American Rockies stretch for more than a thousand miles. Within this spectacular mountain range are thousands of miles of hiking trails. With such an overwhelming number of options, how will you find and choose the most scenic and rewarding hikes?
Ultimate Hiking Guide to the Rocky Mountains takes all the guesswork out by focusing on some of the most amazing hikes across this range, and provides you with a handpicked list of options that will allow you to make the most of your trips in the Rockies:
A new study published this week in the journal “Emerging Infectious Diseases” reports the first finding of rustrela virus in a mountain lion in North America.
In May of 2023, Colorado Parks and Wildlife euthanized a sick mountain lion in Douglas County that was unable to use its hind legs. An analysis of tissues from the mountain lion revealed the presence of the rustrela virus, which was recently identified as the cause of “staggering disease,” a usually fatal neurologic syndrome recognized in domestic cats.
The lead author on the paper, former CPW Wildlife Pathologist Dr. Karen Fox, said that the diagnosis of staggering disease was challenging, and final confirmation was only possible through collaboration with researchers at the Friedrich-Leoffler-Institut in Germany.
Fox, currently a research scientist with Colorado State University, emphasized that scientists don’t yet know how widespread the virus is in either domestic cats or wildlife populations. In Europe, rustrela virus causes staggering disease in cats, but also has been found in a wide range of other species, including rodents, a donkey and marsupials.
“Now that we know what we’re looking for, it should be easier to find new cases if they are out there,” Fox said. “With continued collaboration, we plan to learn what we can from our colleagues in Europe while we continue to look for new cases of staggering disease here in Colorado.”
Veterinarians at Colorado State University and Colorado Parks and Wildlife will be looking carefully for new cases. If members of the public observe mountain lions that are staggering, having trouble walking or behaving abnormally, they should contact their local Colorado Parks and Wildlife office to speak with a wildlife officer and report the behavior.
