Local news in brief, June 9

Matthew L. Moseley, a communications consultant and adventure swimmer, will hold a book-signing event at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Aspen.

Moseley, who has assisted Roaring Fork Valley clients with their public relations needs for many years, recently authored a new book: "Soul is Waterproof: Adventure Swimming and Stories of Water." The event will be held at Explore Booksellers, 221 E. Main St. Autographed copies will be available for sale.

"Soul is Waterproof" is about a love of open water adventure swimming, but more so, "it is about a love affair with water itself," marketing materials state. "Much more than a book about swimming, Soul is Waterproof shows how people can't live where fish can't swim."

Moseley launched the book in New Orleans last Friday.

"I believe water is the most critical issue of our time. The book also has stories of swimming with alligators, bull sharks and running into a snake. Hunter Thompson used to call it ‘gonzo swimming,’" he said in an email.

Moseley is president and managing principal of Ignition Strategy Group, which has offices in Boulder, Denver and Beaver Creek.

To help ease congestion at the popular Wildwood put-in on the Roaring Fork River near Aspen, the White River National Forest and Pitkin County Open Space and Trails will be enforcing new rules prohibiting the practice of "double parking."

In past years, many Wildwood users would park their vehicles behind other cars and leave them unlocked with the keys inside so the owner of the blocked vehicle could shuffle vehicles as needed to get their own vehicle out.

"This practice added to the congestion of this small area, as well as created obvious safety concerns," Aspen-Sopris District Ranger Kevin Warner said in a news release.

Wildwood is a popular launch spot on the White River National Forest for floats through the North Star Nature Preserve above Aspen. New signs have been installed at Wildwood, notifying users of the parking rules, which will be enforced by both open space rangers and forest protection officers, the release says.

"If no parking is available at Wildwood, drivers should drop off equipment and passengers at the site, then drive to another North Star parking area and return via bicycle or on foot," Pitkin County Open Space and Trails Director Gary Tennenbaum said in the release. "A bike rack is available at Wildwood, and we will install paddleboard racks at Wildwood, South Gate and the take-out at North Star."

Parking at the county's North Star Nature Preserve is limited as well, and there's no guarantee that a spot will be available. Visitors should consider using alternative means of transportation or be prepared to return at another time if no parking is available.

Camping, dogs and glass containers also are prohibited at Wildwood and North Star, the release adds.

More information about the logistics of floating at North Star is available at pitkincounty.com/1534/North-Star-Aspen.

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