News

• Avalanche danger “considerable” in the backcountry
• Building community in death
• Grooming by moonlight

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Avalanche danger “considerable” in the backcountry

Recreationalists heading into the backcountry should take caution.

“In the Telluride area, we have a considerable avalanche danger near and above tree line, and we’ve dropped the danger to moderate below tree line,” said Ethan Greene, director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

“Moderate does not mean there’s no danger. We still have some pretty tricky conditions, but the areas are smaller and the avalanches will be smaller,” Greene said.

He noted that forecasters are constantly monitoring conditions but added that it’s unclear how quickly the danger will subside.

“The tricky thing is we’re going to have these conditions for a while. Staying on the straight and narrow to avoid avalanche hazards will be crucial,” Greene said. “Keep the dangerous weak layer we have going on.”

He also mentioned that many of the usual warning signs for avalanches, such as recent avalanche activity and cracking in the snow, aren’t as noticeable.

“Natural avalanche activity is decreasing, but it’s still easy for a person to trigger an avalanche. Think of the pitch of the slope, rather than relying on the usual signs, as they might not be the best tools right now,” Greene said.

Greene encouraged backcountry adventurers to assess their own risk tolerance and be mindful of safety. “We’re under an avalanche warning where we are in Leadville, but I stuck to good slopes. The idea is, most of the time, there are places to go, but you can’t go to all the places all the time. So, it’s about picking the right places, having fun, getting home safe, and doing it again the next day.”

He urged those heading into the backcountry to always check the forecast at colorado.gov/avalanche, and to bring an avalanche transceiver, a probe pole, and a shovel.

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Building community in death

Lauren Norton wants to facilitate conversation and community around end-of-life transition.

“This is something that we’re all confronting, and by speaking about it with the raw emotion that comes up, hopefully, we can develop a better understanding of the process,” Norton said.

Norton, a womb-to-tomb doula, works with both birth and death transitions.

“There are varying techniques to cultivate the ability to let go—for those transitioning and their loved ones. Really what I do is help facilitate an easier transition,” she explained.

This January, Norton is hosting a “Mindful Mortality” workshop at the Wilkinson Public Library to help reduce anxiety and foster conversations about death and end-of-life issues.

“My goal is to help people gain a perspective of becoming their own death doula. We’re the only ones who can walk our way through the Valley of Death, and we need to be able to support ourselves through the transition, which is unfortunately not always talked about until we’re near the transition—or, to some, ‘too late,’” she said.

Over the course of four weeks, the group will engage in breathwork, meditation, conversation, and discussions with community elders who have navigated their own relationship with death.

“As we move through the weeks, we’ll talk about awe, connection, wonderment—things that make life so valuable—coupled with poetry to reflect on the duality of life, the grey area, and to align our perspectives, acknowledging that this is going to happen to all of us,” Norton added.

While the workshop is a personal journey, Norton hopes it will have a wider impact on the community.

“My goal is to help people live the lives they want, lives that systems may not support. When it comes to the end of our lives, because it’s more culturally taboo to talk about these hard topics, by talking about them, we’re creating a ripple effect on the world, on our community, and beyond. It’s my belief that we can be the change we wish to see,” she said.

The Mindful Mortality workshop series will take place every Tuesday in January at 5:15 p.m. at the Wilkinson Public Library. Registration is available at telluridelibrary.org.

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Grooming by moonlight

Behind every day of skiing or snowboarding is a nighttime team of groomers driving snowcats across the mountain. They work to move snow back up and smooth out the moguls from the day before. In 2022, KOTO’s Matt Hoisch tagged along to experience the graveyard shift at the Telluride Ski Resort. Today, we’re rebroadcasting that story, originally aired in March 2022.

Story begins at 7:44.

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Poet Danny Rosen featured at Bardic Trails Poetry Night

If you ask Art Goodtimes, poet Danny Rosen will “knock your socks off.”

A Harvard and University of Wyoming graduate, Rosen has been a rock climber, geologist, amateur astronomer, and teacher of earth and space science. He’s also a poet.

This month, Rosen is the featured poet for the Telluride Institute’s Talking Gourds Poetry Program’s Bardic Trails Poetry Night.

Rosen has been publishing poets from across the country for over a decade, with his most recent publication of his own work in 2024, Suspending Erosion.

The Bardic Trails Poetry Night will take place via Zoom on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 7 p.m. Rosen will share some of his poetry, and there will also be time for participants to share their own work. For those interested, the poetic prompt for January is “rocks.”

The Zoom link for the event is available at tellurideinstitute.org.

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Outdoor ice skating rink now open

It’s time to lace up your skates.

The Town of Telluride officially opened its outdoor skating rink this week.

The rink is located on the outdoor volleyball court in Town Park and will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily for free skating.

Historically, the Town of Telluride has had two outdoor skate rinks—one at the volleyball court and one on the Oval near the warming hut. However, this winter, the town is constructing a new warming hut, keeping the oval rink closed. Moving forward, the town plans to make improvements to the oval area for multi-sport use, including ice skating.

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Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announces gubernatorial bid

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has announced he’s running for governor in 2026. KUNC’s Lucas Brady Woods spoke with Weiser Thursday to learn more about his campaign.

Story begins at 16:40.

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Elizabeth Smart reflects on her advocacy work

In 2002, at just 14 years old, Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her home in Salt Lake City, Utah, and held captive for nine months. During that time, she endured horrific abuse, while her family held out hope for her safe return. Her eventual rescue became a national news story, and she has since dedicated her life to advocating for victims of abuse through the Elizabeth Smart Foundation.

Smart visited the Four Corners region in the fall and spoke with K-S-U-T’s Tami Graham about her ongoing work.

Story begins at 17:45.