In Brief: Parking restricted at Wildwood put

News News | Jun 8, 2023

To help ease congestion at the popular Wildwood put-in on the Roaring Fork River near Aspen, the White River National Forest and Pitkin County Open Space and Trails will be enforcing new rules prohibiting the practice of "double-parking."

In past years, many Wildwood users would park their vehicles behind other cars and leave them unlocked with the keys inside, so the owner of the blocked vehicle could shuffle vehicles as needed to get their own vehicle out.

"This practice added to the congestion of this small area, as well as created obvious safety concerns," said Aspen-Sopris District Ranger Kevin Warner.

Wildwood is a popular launch spot on the White River National Forest for floats through the Pitkin County Open Space North Star Nature Preserve above Aspen.

"If no parking is available at Wildwood, drivers should drop off equipment and passengers at the site, then drive to another North Star parking area and return via bicycle or on foot," said Pitkin County Open Space and Trails Director Gary Tennenbaum. "A bike rack is available at Wildwood, and we will install paddleboard racks at Wildwood, South Gate, and the take-out at North Star."

Officials said parking at the county's North Star Nature Preserve is limited as well, and there's no guarantee that a spot will be available.

More information about the logistics of floating at North Star is available at pitkincounty.com/1534/North-Star-Aspen.

On Saturday, Elk Mountain Expeditions is hosting their second annual Free Locals’ Rafting Day. Although they are currently booked up, they are taking names for their waitlist. They are taking locals from Aspen, Snowmass Village, Basalt, and Carbondale on Slaughterhouse Falls (Class IV) and the Upper Roaring Fork (Class III). It's their way of saying thank you to the locals for being the backbone of the Roaring Fork Valley, they said.

Additionally, they are offering a local's discount on Slaughterhouse and Upper Fork for $60 now through June 18, with proof of residency. Call 970-456-6287 or email [email protected] for more information.

On Wednesday, June 28, Aspen Public Radio will celebrate community on the lawn of the Red Brick Center for the Arts from 3-6 p.m. This free annual event first took place in 2016 but was put on hold during the pandemic before returning last year.

New this year is the Lawn Bash Volunteer Fair. The event will include complimentary treats (while supplies last) from Aspen Mini Donuts, Señor Mango, and Everybody Water. It's a chance to meet the Aspen Public Radio team, tour the radio station, and see a live radio broadcast highlighting the event's activities from out on the lawn.

Carbondale Arts will be on-site with Rosybelle the Mobile Maker Bus, an interactive, mobile arts classroom and maker space. DanceAspen will present a dance performance live on the Red Brick lawn, and artists will welcome visitors with open studios throughout the Red Brick Center for the Arts.

At 5 p.m., the event will conclude at the main stage in front of Aspen Public Radio's studios with a panel discussion on America's food ecosystem, presented in partnership with Aspen Film. Moderated by "1A" host Jenn White, "Food and Country" film director Laura Gabbert will be joined by a panel of local experts for a discussion exploring some of the big themes of the film: ranchers, farmers, chefs — all dealing with changes in the food ecosystem throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The film "Food and Country" debuted at Sundance Film Festival in January and will screen for free at 7 p.m. at the Aspen Film Isis Theatre. To register, visit docs.google.com/form/d/e/1FAIpQLScZiHYtTpgUXnRL0dmRgkWSkIgAZaW9SQedpQrnAjDibva35Q/viewform.

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