The Town of Carbondale approved a contract last week to acquire land at the base of Red Hill from the Aspen Valley Land Trust (AVLT). AVLT purchased the property in January and has been raising money to build new trails and improve safety. The idea is to move the trailhead closer to the parking area.
AVLT still needs to raise about $300,000 of the total $1.35 million price-tag. That covers the cost of the land, trail design and construction, and an endowment for the Town of Carbondale to maintain the property. Executive director Suzanne Stephens said if enough donations come in by mid-February, trail construction could start this fall. The land will transfer from AVLT to the Town of Carbondale when all the funding is in place.