The Lead
Welcome to The Cairn #3
Thank you for subscribing! The Cairn is a weekly roundup of news from mountain towns across the U.S. (and maybe a little from Canada...). It's totally free. Extend your support by forwarding this email to a friend.
Have you seen these llamas?
A llama drama unfolds as pack animals run off in Colorado's San Juans
Lisa Balcomb, an experienced llama packer, is searching for her two llamas that went missing during a hiking trip in the high meadows and cliffs of the high San Juans. Despite knowing that the llamas are likely safe and happy, she is still concerned and has been posting "Lost Llamas" messages and notices at trailheads. Lisa and her sister encountered a ferocious sheep dog during their hike, causing one of the llamas to run away. They have been unable to locate the llamas and are relying on sightings from hikers to help find them. The sisters are planning to continue their search in the coming days and are hoping the llamas will eventually make their way down to a ranch or town. They have other llamas at home, but they are retired and won't be used for packing.
A same-sex couple bought a marriage license in Silverton. They got a civil union instead
Run-of-the-mill mountain-town incompetence or blatant bigotry?
Gretchen Gunter and her wife, Elizabeth Gunter, had their marriage "mistakenly" registered as a civil union by the San Juan County Clerk and Recorder in Colorado. The couple had requested a marriage certificate but were given a civil union certificate instead. The clerk, Ladonna Jaramillo, claimed she was unaware that same-sex couples could receive a marriage license. Civil unions were created in Colorado in 2013 to bypass a state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, but they were rendered obsolete when same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide in 2015. Jaramillo, who had been in office since 2010, admitted to the error and attributed it to a misunderstanding.
Aspen School District bans cell phone use
Common sense prevails as administrators, educators and even parents finally admit that phones and learning don't mix.
Cell phone use is now banned at the Aspen School District, officials recently announced.
Environment
Oregon on track to set new wildfire record for acreage burned
The season has likely not peaked and already 1.3 million acres have been blackened and several dozen homes destroyed.
This is why Colorado's Front Range has had so many wildfires this year.
Get used to hearing the term 'flash drought' alongside recent meteorological mainstays such as 'heat dome' and 'bomb cyclone' as the impacts of climate change intensify.
A sudden-onset drought in northern Colorado has led to prime conditions for wildfires, despite a wet May. The lack of precipitation and dry fuels have made for a dangerous wildfire season. North-central Colorado has experienced the driest period on record since 1893, leading to three wildfires in the region. The area went from being the fifth-wettest on record from January to April to the driest on record from May to August. The sudden onset of drought has caused browned-out conditions and increased the risk of wildfires. Cooler temperatures and scattered showers are in the forecast, but there is also an increased risk of flash flooding. Farmers, ranchers, and water managers are closely monitoring drought and precipitation levels as the summer continues.
Is fire retardant slurry harmful to the environment?
The Colorado Sun partners with Gigafact to investigate viral claims.
Recreation
This Is How Much the Winning 2024 Olympic Mountain Bikes Cost
In a rare move, Olympics officials required mountain bikers to compete on commercially available bikes. Which means you, too, can pedal a medal-winning rig. But what do these carbon steads cost? $12k? $15k? $20K? You may be surprised.
