Steamboat Pilot & Today

Submitted by: Ben Ratliff

Voters and candidates attend a candidates forum Thursday night at Colorado Mountain College's Alpine Campus in Steamboat Springs. Photo by Matt Stensland

Routt County Board of Commissioners District 2 candidates Tina Kyprios and Doug Monger take turns speaking during a candidates forum Thursday night at Colorado Mountain College's Alpine Campus in Steamboat Springs. Photo by Matt Stensland

Colorado Senate District 8 candidates Randy Baumgardner and Emily Tracy take turns speaking during a candidates forum Thursday night at Colorado Mountain College's Alpine Campus in Steamboat Springs. Photo by Matt Stensland

House District 26 candidates Chuck McConnell and Diane Mitsch Bush take turns speaking during a candidates forum Thursday night at Colorado Mountain College's Alpine Campus in Steamboat Springs. Photo by Matt Stensland

Routt County Board of Commissioners District 2 candidates Tim Corrigan, right, and Jim “Moose” Barrows take turns speaking during a candidates forum Thursday night at Colorado Mountain College's Alpine Campus in Steamboat Springs. Photo by Matt Stensland

The setting sun dances through fall grasses in an aspen grove near Oak Creek. Submitted by: Verleen Tucker

A live bat program for families is at 3 p.m. Sunday in Library Hall at Bud Werner Memorial Library. Learn about the benefits of bats, their habitats and ways to protect them. Bat expert Rob Mies will present the program. Mies is a conservation biologist and director of the Organization for Bat Conservation. Courtesy photo

Rick Spencer, left, and Keith Spencer check out the bull Keith brought down from 400 yards on the first day of elk rifle season.

The Spencers set off toward their camp on their plot of ground in Routt County. The area is home to plenty of their favorite hunting stories.

Keith Spencer tells his great-grandchildren about shooting a bull elk on his property near Hayden. Courtesy

Keith Spencer stands with the bull he brought down on the first day of elk rifle season this year. Spencer said he’s been hunting Routt County for decades. The most recent hunt just added another story. Courtesy

Fisherman Mike Giordano tracks down fish on the Yampa River on Thursday afternoon in Steamboat Springs. Photo by John F. Russell

Sunset Oct. 14 coming back from Rabbit Ears/Dumont Lake. Submitted by: John Keane

Steamboat Symphony Orchestra music director Ernest Richardson leads a rehearsal in August at Strings Music Pavilion. The orchestra is struggling financially and is in danger of canceling its December Holiday Concert. Nicole Inglis/file

End of fall 2012. Submitted by: Rebekah Jenrich

Glenwood Springs junior Delaney Gaddis, left, and Steamboat Springs senior Alex Feeley battle for a ball at the net during Thursday's match in Glenwood. Gaddis and the Demons held on for a five-game win. Jeff Caspersen/Glenwood Springs Post Independent