Year in Review: City of Aspen 2024

It has been a busy year for the city of Aspen. Here is a look at the top five stories for 2024:

Castle Creek Bridge inspection

The Colorado Department of Transportation released its 2024 routine inspection report for the Castle Creek Bridge on Colorado Highway 82, confirming the bridge remains safe for use with no weight restrictions. 

The bridge, built in 1961 and 12 years past its lifespan, received an overall condition rating of “fair,” consistent with prior evaluations.

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The inspection, completed on Sept. 25, is part of a regular two-year cycle for transportation department bridges across the state. The next routine inspection for the nearly 64-year-old structure is scheduled for September 2026.

Entrance to Aspen Environmental Impact Statement

City leaders discussed during a Dec. 16 workshop efforts to begin the new environmental impact statement for Castle Creek Bridge, estimated to cost $2 million to $3 million. The city also recently approved an additional $6.5 million in the Asset Management Plan Fund budget to support this effort and other related needs.

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If approved by the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, the EIS will last two years and potentially lead to the replacement of Castle Creek Bridge and various roadway alterations at the Maroon Creek Roundabout.

The original EIS, which resulted in a Record of Decision in 1998, has been stalled from its final remaining project, with the Preferred Alternative route, which would run a second, two-lane roadway from the Maroon Creek roundabout, going through a cut-and-cover tunnel, and on to Main Street through the Marolt Open Space. 

City Council has spent around $2 million on alternative routes and community input to the Preferred Alternative in the past two years, which could now be made obsolete, depending on the outcome of a new EIS, if approved by the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. 

Two citizen-led petitions, one seeking a 60% majority of registered voters to make any changes to Aspen’s Open Space, and the other seeking voter approval for the use of the Marolt Open Space for the Preferred Alternative, or whatever decision is made through the new EIS process, will be on the March 2025 ballot.

Then-Presidential Candidate Donald Trump visits Aspen

Then-presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump prepared to embark upon Aspen for a campaign fundraising trip in August, according to an event invite obtained from the Republican Party of Orange County website. His visit, which took place Aug. 10, was reported to be at an undisclosed location.

His hosts were a small group of energy tycoons, investment executives, and well-established billionaires, according to the names revealed on the invite.

President-Elect Donald Trump arrived in Aspen on a private jet previously owned by Jeffery Epstein. 

Armory building 

Aspen’s historic Armory Hall took center stage on Wednesday, July 31, as the city hosted an open house.

Located at 130 S. Galena St., Armory Hall hosted an event that offered a unique opportunity for community members to view design concepts and engage directly with the project team. The city encouraged residents to attend and share their insights, helping shape the future of this significant community space.

In November, Aspen City Council decided to go with the design that would transform the Armory into a food hall and community hub, featuring five kitchens, two bars, and four vendor spaces for non-food businesses. A large portion of the basement will be repurposed as an event space, with the potential to include a game room.

Construction is estimated to begin sometime in 2026.

Aspen jewelry store burglarized 

A group of five masked men allegedly tunneled through the walls of Wayan, a recently opened Indonesian restaurant, and Forré Fine Art gallery in Aspen on the night between Nov. 10 and Nov. 11. They were trying to access the vault of Avi and Co., which reportedly contained watches worth up to $400,000, according to a case affidavit. At the time of the burglary, Wayan was being renovated. 

Detective Lauren Turner wrote in the affidavit that the style of burglary was similar to a past burglary she investigated of Louis Vuitton, which was carried out by the “South American Theft Gang,” a group known for traveling to the United States with fake identification and fraudulent credit cards to target high-end retail stores. 

The Aspen Police Department arrested four men shortly after the alleged burglarizing between the following late Sunday night and early Monday morning.

• Skyler Stark-Ragsdale

Honorable mention

WinterSköl moved to December in 2024

Wintersköl, Aspen’s 74-year-old party, returned this year to build upon decades of tradition, creativity, and community spirit — with one major change. After being held in January for 73 years, this season’s Wintersköl moves to Dec. 12-15, right before tourism revved up for the holidays.

– Klara Meyer