Stories in this list received the most page views on SummitDaily.com from May 18 – May 24.

Colorado’s snowpack is melting faster than normal everywhere in the state except for Summit and Clear Creek counties.

The snow-water equivalent in the Clear Creek Basin was at 100% of the 30-year median, while Summit County’s Blue River Basin is at 103% of the 30-year median, or just above normal, as of Tuesday, May 20, according to the National Weather Service’s Colorado snowpack map. The snow-water equivalent is a measurement of how much liquid water is contained within the snowpack.

“Overall, for most places in Colorado we are past our peak snowpack accumulation time,” National Weather Service hydrologist Aldis Strautins said. “We may still get some snow that comes in through May, even the first part of June sometimes can get snow, but it usually doesn’t affect the snowpack.”

The Summit County Coroner’s Office shared in an email with Summit Daily News that the man who died on Wichita Mountain near Frisco and whose body was recovered Tuesday was Michael Joseph Sanchez, a 49-year old Frisco resident.

Coroner Amber Flenniken wrote that an autopsy will be performed on Sanchez on Friday in Boulder. Cause and manner of death are pending that autopsy, and results will take up to two months.

Flenniken wrote that the date and time of death have not yet been determined, pending investigation. Sanchez was pronounced dead Tuesday around 11:22 a.m.

Emergency officials recovered Sanchez’s body Tuesday from Wichita Mountain near a technical scrambling area known as Falcon Ridge. He was reported missing Monday night, and Sheriff’s Office Lt. Mike Schilling said some of Sanchez’s friends found his bicycle near the North Tenmile Creek trailhead while looking for him.

3.

Memorial Day weekend serves as the kickoff to summer travel, with thousands of travelers expected to hit Colorado’s highways and head west.

“Memorial Day is an exciting time because it’s the end of mud season,” said Skyler McKinley, AAA’s public affairs director in Colorado. “We are now entering the summer months, where there’s world-class hiking and biking and fishing, and we get our summer tourists back after they left for the winter.”

Across the country, AAA is expecting a record-setting 45.1 million people to travel this weekend. Around 39.4 million of them will be traveling by car, McKinley reported.

“As it relates to the homefront, we know that Denver itself is No. 9 in top travel destinations among AAA travelers booking airline trips,” McKinley said. “Now, they’re not staying in Denver. When people travel to Denver International Airport, they do so as the gateway to the American West. Those folks will be headed to and through the High Country.”

As the first of the summer long weekends, Memorial Day tends to be one of Colorado’s least busy holidays for occupancy, traffic and travel.

4.

Arapahoe Basin Ski Area has released a draft master plan for future upgrades to the ski area, including additional parking, two new gondolas, a new lift, and a new learning area and expanded snowmaking and avalanche technology.

The 103-page draft master plan published Friday, May 16, outlines A-Basin’s long-term vision, according to a news release from the ski area, which describes the plan as “a dynamic document” that could be amended.

A-Basin president and chief operating officer Alan Henceroth first announced the draft master plan at the annual Ski Area COO Summit in 2023. But the ski area then put the plans on hold as it underwent the process of being sold to Alterra Mountain Co., the owner of the Ikon Pass.

5.

The town of Frisco has unveiled its full schedule of free concerts that will be offered throughout the summer.

On Thursday, June, 12, Rock the Dock will kick off the season on the Frisco Bay Marina’s Lighthouse Lawn. Community members are invited to enjoy a free concert, free lawn games, food vendors and drink specials from Island Grill. HeartByrne , which pays tribute to Talking Heads and David Byrne, will take the stage at 5:30 p.m. while Diggin Dirt will take the stage at 7 p.m. Blending both funk and soul, Diggin Dirt is a seven-piece band that has skyrocketed through the West Coast music scene.

A few weeks later, Frisco will host its Fourth of July celebration from July 3-4. The band Magic Beans will perform on the big stage on Main Street and 1st Avenue on July 3rd at 5:30 p.m. On the patriotic holiday itself, Orgone will take to the stage at 4:30 p.m.