Editor’s note: Stories in this list received the most page views on SummitDaily.com from July 2-8.

1. Rescue group saves dog that fell 600 feet from Colorado 14er

When Alpine Rescue Team responded to a call around 1 p.m. Sunday, July 2, about a dog that had fallen from Torreys Peak, a 14,000-foot summit just east of Summit County, the pet owners had no idea if the dog was alive.

Zola, the 3-year-old Aussiedoodle had fallen an estimated 600 feet and came to a rest at the top of the South Paw couloir, right at the base of a cornice, team spokesperson Jake Smith said. From a distance, it was difficult to assess the dog’s condition, he said. But after conducting a risk assessment, the team decided to hike to the summit to see if the dog was alive.

After assessing their options, the rescue team found a large boulder near the top of the mountain to anchor a climber. Zola had several abrasions from the fall and wouldn’t walk on her back leg, which appeared injured, Smith said, so a rescue group member carried her back to the trailhead in a backpack. While the dog will require some veterinary care, he said, she is expected to be OK.

— Ryan Spencer

2. Mosquitoes are abundant in western Colorado this year. Know how to safely and effectively deal with the buzzing pests.

The near-historic snowfall this winter is still making itself known in early July, as all the snowmelt and ensuing moisture has brought on what feels like more mosquitoes to the Colorado’s Western Slope.

While there isn’t exact data to back it up (yet), there are likely many more mosquitoes in Colorado this year. 

Areas in the western United States have seen an uptick in of the insects because of the significant snowfall over the winter, according to Daniel Markowski, a technical advisor with the American Mosquito Control Association. Snowpack later leads to melt and flooding or an excess amount of water, which later dictates the amount of mosquitoes that appear.

— Shelby Reardon

3. A Colorado business aims to get people more access to the state’s pristine fly-fishing spots

In recent years, finding your own little unheard of spot on the river has become increasingly rare. Similar to how popular hiking trails have been exposed by websites and trail maps, many popular fishing areas in Colorado and in the greater Mountain West region have slowly, but surely become more crowded by those wanting to pick up the sport.

As a result, anglers have been forced to branch out and find other uncharted areas of the river which has led to some disputes between landowners, anglers and other river users.

Denver-based water-access platform RareWaters is attempting to settle some of the strained relationships between anglers and landowners by linking them in one place.

— Cody Jones

4. Fairplay man charged with vehicular homicide in fatal Colorado Highway 9 crash

Prosecutors have filed charges against a Fairplay man accused of crashing his pickup truck head-on into an SUV on Colorado Highway 9 in Blue River last month, killing a 22-year-old and seriously injuring three others.

Lucas Wertman, 34, has been charged with vehicular homicide while driving under the influence, a Class 3 felony; vehicular homicide reckless driving, a Class 4 felony; three counts of vehicular assault while driving under the influence, all Class 4 felonies; and three counts of vehicular assault reckless driving, all Class 5 felonies.

— Ryan Spencer

5. A guide to Fourth of July Festivities in Summit County

One of the busiest months of the year in terms of visitation and events returned to Summit County, and with it came the county’s slew of patriotic parties in honor of the Fourth of July.

Similar to last year, many fan-favorite festivities returned to fill the long holiday weekend. However, there were no fireworks this year after local governments decided to stop all firework shows due to the fire risk, traffic and the coronavirus pandemic. 

— Cody Jones