Routt County in photos: Oct. 1

Encountering hikers from abroad is commonplace in Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. Photo by Tom Ross

Motion blur of aspens on the Mad Creek Trail. Submitted by: Jeff Hall

I had to lose some aerobic points running the Yampa River Core Trail. Stopped, got in the car and got my camera. Very cooperative beauty on the Yampa. Just your ordinary groomimg! Submitted by: Jim Gmeiner

Double rainbow on U.S. Highway 40 west of town. Submitted by: Jeff Hall

Fall colors on the Mad Creek Trail. Submitted by: Jeff Hall

Many people recall spectacular Comet Hale-Bopp from the spring of 1997, shown in this image taken from Georgia. It is the brightest comet most of us have seen in our lives. If newly discovered Comet ISON lives up to some of the optimistic expectations, it could exceed the brightness of Hale-Bopp by a factor of 4,000, or it could fizzle out as it rounds the sun in November 2013.

Weekend visitor coming and going. Submitted by: Elaine Dermody

Whitney Barker hit a hole-in-one in the par 3 Hole 7 at Haymaker Golf Course. The shot was 112 yards with an 8-iron. Barker said the shot was exciting. “It was awesome,” she said. “That doesn’t happen, right? It took two bounces, rolled up the green really nice and then I thought it stopped. I turned around to put my club back in the cart and the two guys we were golfing with said, ‘Oh my God, it’s still moving!’ I turned back around, and it just disappeared.” Whitney Barker / Courtesy

Longtime tennis pros and Steamboat Springs High School tennis coaches John Aragon, above, and Don Toy have been removed from the Tennis Center at Steamboat Springs staff following the finalization of a contract with concessionaire Jim Swiggart. Local tennis fixture Carol Baily, who has been teaching at the Tennis Center since 1975, stepped down in support of Aragon and Toy. Photo by Joel Reichenberger

Firefighters with the West Routt Fire Protection District work to extinguish a house fire Sunday night at 205 N. Poplar St in Hayden. Community members and the Red Cross have pitched in to help the woman who was displaced by the blaze. Bryan Rickman / Courtesy

A firefighter with the West Routt Fire Protection District examines damage from a house fire Sunday night at 205 N. Poplar St. Community members and the Red Cross have pitched in to help the woman who was displaced by the blaze. Bryan Rickman / Courtesy

Angry Grouse trail on Emerald Mountain. Submitted by: Bridget Ferguson

This is a photo of a Kudu I hunted on Joe Bishop's private hunting preserve in Namibia in sprin 2008. Guide: Dirk de Bod, rifle: 30.06, 10 other trophies taken during this hunt. Submitted by: Ernie Struens

Central Electric puts the finishing touches on the last light pole to be installed down at the Howelson Ballfields. Submitted by: Jacob Girty

Quick and Chainless bike race. Submitted by: John Kohnke

Bailey Holmes playing in her first fall leaves. Submitted by: Cait

It was a packed house inside the Routt County Justice Center Monday morning as a large crowd of people came to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission hearing to listen to commissioners as they talked about rules and regulations impacting oil and gas exploration in the state. A large number of local residents also addressed the commission during the public comment period. Photo by John F. Russell

Local rancher and landowner Christy Belton speaks during a Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission hearing Monday morning during a public comment section. The hearing was held in the Routt County Justice Center in Steamboat Springs. Photo by John F. Russell

Mike King, the executive director of the department of natural resources in Colorado, speaks during a Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission hearing Monday morning. The hearing was held in the Routt County Justice Center in Steamboat Springs. Photo by John F. Russell

Steamboat Springs resident Ben Beall, who works with the Routt County oil and gas working group, speaks during a Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission hearing Monday morning during a public comment section. The hearing was held in the Routt County Justice Center in Steamboat Springs. Photo by John F. Russell

Thomas Compton, chairman of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, looks to recognize another commissioner during a public hearing Monday at the Routt County Justice Center. Photo by John F. Russell

Tammie and Patrick Delaney, owners of the Hayden Granary, sit in front of the building Saturday morning with a group of those interested in its future. Photo by Michael Schrantz