Mountain Rescue Aspen has responded to a rising number of calls involving drug and alcohol use this season. The popular Conundrum Hot Springs has become the epicenter of these incidents.
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The hot springs, which are accessed via a 17-mile roundtrip hike near Aspen, are one of the area’s most popular destinations. Between 50 and 60 visitors will make the trek out there on a typical day, according to David Boyd, public information officer for the White River National Forest.
After winding through an aspen grove, the trail gains close to 3,000 feet of elevation to reach the springs. There, 15 to 20 people crowd into the 102-degree water, beers often in hand.
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“There have been multiple incidents this summer where we’ve responded to folks that have had illness in the backcountry because of either drugs or alcohol consumption,” Jeff Edelson, chief rescue leader at Mountain Rescue Aspen, told The Aspen Times. Read the full story by Genny Gottdiener via our partner, The Aspen Times.
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