Jason Blevins
Position: The Colorado Sun

Outdoor recreation economy tops $1.1 trillion, fueling efforts for legislative support of industry

Colorado’s outdoor recreation economy topped $13.9 billion in 2022 and employed 130,000 workers

Forest Service, Park Service rock climbing proposals worry both climbers and wilderness advocates

New guidance from federal land managers seems to require an inventory and review of all existing bolts and fixed anchors in wilderness areas

Dam on the Arkansas River near Salida finally removed after years of rescues, drownings and environmental impacts

Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Chaffee County commissioners help fund removal of the dam that has threatened river runners, fish habitat for nearly 60 years

Camp Hale national monument turns a year old as a plan to honor Utes, 10th Mountain vets takes shape

Initial plans for the state’s newest national monument at Camp Hale include celebrating the history of Utes, World War II soldiers and outdoor recreation atop Tennessee Pass

Eldora ski patrollers are the latest to join a growing effort to unionize the resort industry

The number of unionized workers in the resort industry has nearly doubled as patrollers, lift mechanics organize in 10 Western communities where the cost of living is skyrocketing

Ouray Ice Park, once the gold standard for free recreation on private land, caught up in liability concerns

City, private landowner and nonprofit operator of park negotiating new partnership

Lawsuit targets new Colorado Parks and Wildlife regulations for State Wildlife Areas

Animal advocacy groups argue the new regulations for more than 350 State Wildlife Areas offer special treatment for hunters and anglers with increased prohibitions on non-wildlife related recreation

Telluride to consider easing short-term rental restrictions

After two years of analysis, the Telluride town council appears ready to impose higher taxes on short-term rental homes

Mount Evans is renamed Mount Blue Sky after federal naming board vote

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Board on Geographic Names voted Friday to approve Mount Blue Sky as the replacement for Mount Evans

More people than ever are going outside to recreate. The problem is they’re not going often enough

Outings for young families are declining, even with the help of Colorado programs designed to break down barriers to the outdoors

Fort Lewis College suddenly pulls plug on rare skiing injury database

Ski resort managers rarely discuss injuries and limited injury data is shared only through industry-supported researchers

Colorado backcountry off-roading program puts disabled adventurers on the throttle

Return to Dirt lets people take the wheel in rigs that can be driven with adaptive controls