Hugh Carey / hcarey@summitdaily.com
Editor’s note: Stories in this list received the most page views on SummitDaily.com for the past week.
1. Plowing at 11,796 feet: Crews reach a buried Alpine Visitor Center in Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park snowplow operators came across fully buried buildings recently when they reached the Alpine Visitor Center and Trail Ridge Store. At an elevation of 11,796 feet, park staff members are used to the buildings being under snow, but this year there was just so much more. Ongoing snowplow operations in the park were forced to extend due to the continued, late-spring snowfall, and Trail Ridge Road was not open in time for Memorial Day weekend.
2. Summit County Rescue Group, ski patrol rescue lost snowboarder outside of Arapahoe Basin
John Moser was rescued last week after being lost in a backcountry area behind Arapahoe Basin Ski Area for almost five hours. He and a friend were taking advantage of a late-spring powder day when they hiked up to the top of the mountain near Montezuma Bowl and accidentally dropped into a valley without lift access. Moser and his friend, Patrick Powers, decided to make the hike back up to the top, using their snowboards to chop into the snow for leverage. Moser said that as they neared the upper lip, the snow gave way and dragged him about 50 yards down the mountain. Powers wasn’t caught in the slide, and was eventually able to make his way down to the lodge where he contacted ski patrol and called 911. Moser was rescued by Arapahoe Basin Ski Patrol and Summit County Rescue Group.
3. Breckenridge Ski Resort extends season beyond Memorial Day, open weekends through June 9
Breckenridge Ski Resort announced last week it will remain open for two weekends of spring skiing and riding beyond the resort’s previously scheduled closing day of Memorial Day, May 27. The resort shifts to a weekend schedule, offering skiing and riding on Saturdays and Sundays June 1-2 and June 8-9, weather and conditions permitting. During the two additional weekends, lift-serviced skiing and riding operations will continue to be based out of the resort’s Peak 7, with access to primarily advanced- and expert-level terrain, via the Independence SuperChair.
4. Summit/Vail local dies while backcountry skiing to hut for 21st birthday
Paul Cuthbertson, a lifelong local of Eagle and Summit counties, died while skiing up to a popular backcountry lodge to meet some friends for a celebration of his 21st birthday. He was on his way to the Polar Star Inn when he deviated from the usual route, following ski tracks at a fork in the road onto a route that becomes steep and difficult. After Cuthbertson did not show up Friday night, his friends went looking for him at first light Saturday morning. Members of Vail Mountain Rescue Group found Cuthbertson in a tree well below the hut after spending the night out in the cold. Preliminary autopsy results indicate that the cause of death was exposure and hypothermia. A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 13, at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail.
5. What’s the penalty for defying the FCC, Breckenridge mayor asks
Federal guidelines easing state and local restrictions on the imminent deployment of 5G technologies have prompted Breckenridge to update its design standards in a way the town never wanted to. The new 5G technology is lightning fast, but local officials are worried about the dense array of small-cell antennas needed to handle such massive amounts of data. The town estimates a 5G wireless antenna could be necessary for the new technology as frequently as every 500 feet, ruining the character of the historic town. However, they made the necessary updates for wireless facilities after outside counsel advised them they didn’t really have a choice.
“All the work we’ve done to make our town look like it does will be undone because the FCC doesn’t give a crap about anything other than this fight with China,” Mayor Eric Mamula said.