Pitkin County commissioners are moving forward with a plan to remove loose rocks from the Ute Trail.
A lightning strike knocked about 15 cubic yards of rock off the Ute Trail overlook in late August. The rock slide left debris along the trail and all the way to Ute Avenue. No one was injured.
The county still needs to mitigate about 3.5 yards of loose rock from the overlook to prevent another fall. This could mean removing loose boulders or using a net to stabilize the area. At a meeting Wednesday, Commissioner Patty Clapper said timely action is important.
“There’s an apparent danger that we want to make sure to mitigate,” Clapper said.
The work is expected to cost $35,000. Commissioners will consider final approval of that funding at a meeting at the end of the month. The trail remains closed.