Update as of this morning (2/3/2020). If you're not familiar with the area, you might think this is an attempted terrorist or whatever attack. But....the Fremont County Airport (aka Canon City) is adjacent to the Supermax (Hi Ted, Hi Iman!) grounds. In fact there's no restriction to fly directly over the prison. The airport is also a major training airport for the USAF at Pueblo (KPUB). The student pilots are allowed to do T&G and landings there (due west of KPUB) once they've solo'd.
There are 3 skydiving companies based at the airport, which makes for "interesting" traffic on busy days.
So it might be that the airplane had problems and was unable to make it to the runway or may have had problems taking off. It's common to take off to the west, then left turns will take you over the Supermax to head back east (away from the mountains).
Grab a sectional and take a look.
Colorado pilots --- the county has decided that a crew car may be available after many years of the county attorney refusing a crew car. The old airport mgr is gone as well as that lawyer. Might be a good time to start going back there when the weather clears up and visit the Gorge again.
