Despite rumors, Summit County residents will still have to head west to get In-N-Out Burger — for now

#Summit County #Colorado

On Friday, Dec. 27, a Facebook post in the One Man’s Junk Summit County group claimed that In-N-Out Burger, a popular California fast food joint, was coming to Summit County.

The post blew up with ecstatic locals, skeptics and upset Summit County purists. People posted that there was a sign that said In-N-Out Burger “Here Soon” near a lot in Silverthorne.

Unfortunately for those who crave animal-style burgers, Summit County residents are still going to have to travel west to get their hands on In-N-Out, as Silverthorne Town Manager Ryan Hyland confirmed the sign was fake. 

“People put up fake signs, and Silverthorne was just the latest place that occurred,” Hyland wrote in an email. 

According to Inc.com, the prank of putting up fake In-N-Out coming soon signs has become a phenomenon specific to the fast food chain that — until recently — refused to expand out of California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas and Oregon 

While In-N-Out isn’t coming to Silverthorne, Summit County residents soon won’t have to drive to another state to get their fix. The Know by the Denver Post has reported that In-N-Out is expanding to Colorado, and there are four confirmed locations: Lone Tree, Fort Collins, Aurora and Colorado Springs. 

The new Colorado distribution center and first Colorado location will be in Colorado Springs and is expected to open in the summer.

Courtesy Summit Daily.

Summit County’s adoptable pets for the week of Dec. 29, 2019

#Frisco #Colorado

The following animals are available for adoption at the Summit County Animal Shelter. Call the shelter at 970-668-3230 with questions.  

Wendy | Michael Yearout Photography

 

CATS

ANGEL, 8 months, domestic shorthair, black, spayed female 

BANJO, 14 weeks, domestic mediumhair, gray and white tabby, neutered male

CALIOPE, 14 weeks, domestic shorthair, gray and white tabby, spayed female 

CARINA, 1 year, Siamese mix, chocolate point, spayed female

CATALONIA, 8 years, domestic shorthair mix, white and gray, spayed female

CINNAMON, 4 months, domestic shorthair, orange tabby, neutered male

CLARA BOW, 4 months, domestic shorthair, brown tabby, spayed female

DECKER, 3 years, domestic shorthair, brown tabby, neutered male

GABRIEL, 8 years, domestic mediumhair, orange tabby, neutered male

GANGSTA, 14 weeks, domestic mediumhair, gray and white tabby, neutered male

GINGER, 4 months, domestic shorthair, orange tabby, spayed female

HARMONY, 14 weeks, domestic mediumhair, black and white, spayed female

KINK, 1 year 1 month, domestic shorthair, black, unaltered male

KRIS, 4 years, domestic longhair, black and white, spayed female

LILA, 2 years, domestic mediumhair, gray, unaltered female

MARIE, 5 months, domestic shorthair, brown tabby, spayed female

MAX, 4 years, domestic shorthair, black and white, neutered male

MIMI, 2 years, domestic shorthair, brown tabby, spayed female

MISTER, 7 years, domestic shorthair, gray tab and white, neutered male

MORRIS, 6 years, domestic shorthair mix, apricot, neutered male

MUFFIN, 5 months, domestic shorthair, calico, spayed female

NOD, 6 weeks, domestic mediumhair, black and gray, unaltered female

NUTMEG, 4 years, domestic shorthair mix, tortoiseshell, spayed female

OLIVER HARDY, 4 months, domestic shorthair, brown and white tabby, neutered male

PENELOPE, 3 years, domestic shorthair, gray tabby, spayed female

RAVEN, 12 years, domestic shorthair, black, spayed female

ROCKET, 4 months, domestic shorthair, gray, unaltered female

TEDDY BEAR, 3 years, domestic shorthair, black, neutered male

TINKERBELL, 7 years, domestic shorthair, gray tab and white, spayed female

TWINKLE, 6 weeks, domestic mediumhair, black and brown, unaltered female

WENDY, 1 year 7 months, domestic longhair, black and white, spayed female

WINKLE, 6 weeks, domestic mediumhair, black and brown, unaltered male

DOGS

ANITA, 1 year, rottweiler mix, tan, spayed female

BERNARDO, 1 year, rottweiler mix, black and white, neutered male

CARMEN, 3 years, smooth-coated Chihuahua mix, tan and white, spayed female

KERA, 3 years, American foxhound and Catahoula leopard hound mix, tan and white, spayed female

MAGGIE, 2 years, Australian cattle dog mix, tan, spayed female

SARAH, 3 years, Chinese sharpei mix, red, spayed female

SPRINKLES, 6 months, Australian cattle dog mix, white and black, spayed female 

GUINEA PIGS

BOLT, 3 years, Guinea pig, white, unaltered male

My newest listing - Downtown Breckenridge ski in/ski out property

#Breckenridge #Colorado

Michael Yearout Photography

Located in The Chateau building at the The Village at Breckenridge complex in downtown Breckenridge right at the base of Peak 9 this premier ski in/ski out condominium is the property you are looking for.  

This downtown Breckenridge condo has two full bedrooms with their own private baths.  The open kitchen and living room floor plan features a wood bufning fireplace, top of the line Kitchen appliances, slab granite counters, slate tile and en-trend wood vinyl flooring throughout.  

Excellent rental/investment property that includes an indoor/outdoor pool, hot tubs, sauna, steam and workout rooms.

Contact me today for more information:  970-485-0293 or nyearout @colorado.net

Colorado’s aggressive driving epidemic has State Patrol on alert

#Colorado

Courtesy Andy Stonehouse, Mountain Wheels.

I was making my way down Georgetown hill last Sunday on dry roads when I noticed the guy behind me was literally going 89 mph in a fully-loaded Toyota 4Runner, which has never been considered a high-performance vehicle.

The rest of my drive, motorists’ average speeds seemed to crest 85-plus, with plenty more folks going faster than that. In Golden/Lakewood, a few days later, several guys passed me in big pickup trucks doing easily 95 mph, ironically right at the spot of last April’s massive out-of-control tractor-trailer crash, which killed four people.

It’s gotten to a point where I often feel like I’m experiencing some weird real-life mashup of “The Purge” and “Grand Theft Auto.” Maybe you’ve been experiencing it, as well. 

Just to make sure I’m not crazy, however, as I drove approximately 20,000 miles this year in more than 80 different new cars and trucks, I thought I’d call the State Patrol and see if they’re also seeing some sort of ruination of social order out on Colorado’s highways.

Trooper Josh Lewis, a 13-year veteran of the Colorado State Patrol, confirmed that high speeds, road rage and generally careless driving does indeed seem to be the new normal, not just on the blessed Interstate 70 but on highways across the state. Lewis says he’s not able to point to a single cause, but he says many drivers — like the 4Runner pilot seriously exceeding the physical limits of his heavy, slow-to-react SUV — seem to have developed a mistaken sense of invincibility. 

We totally understand — the big concern seems to be so many people who believe that (a crash) is never going to happen to me — ‘I’m ok, I’m the exception,’” Lewis says. “Believe me, physics is going to act the same for everyone. We see that every day.”

Those breakneck speeds, the left-lane hogging and the ill-mannered driving of both skier traffic and regular commuters has the patrol concerned, especially with more than 570 fatal car accidents in Colorado so far this year.

Unfortunately, with limited personnel resources and budgets, the state patrol can’t be there all the time, and drivers seem to be taking that tangible shortage of speed enforcement as a go-ahead for no-responsibility driving, more and more of the time.

“We deal with DUIs, speed and people simply not wearing their seatbelts — which is still a huge issue — which all seem to come back to that same mindset, that ‘it’s not going to happen to me,’” he says. “People don’t understand that in an accident, it’s not just you involved, it’s the first responders and the families of the victims. If you look at it on a community level, a single crash can affect dozens of people.”

And statistics, plus physics, plus challenging winter driving conditions, suggest that accidents are far more likely than many Colorado drivers believe, Lewis adds.

“Ultimately, it comes down to personal accountability and responsibility, and to be aware of the conditions, speed and weather, as it can all change in an instant,” he says.

Still, he says that he and other troopers experience unbelievable acts of vehicular mayhem on a daily basis, a sense of carelessness that has resulted in the deaths of five patrol staff in on-duty accidents since 2015, including two this year.

“We see it in our own vehicles — people will come flying past us at high speeds, and we have to ask, ‘really? Around a marked car?’ We have to spend time chasing them down, and then usually they get very defensive when we ask them why they were going so fast,” he says.

And despite what some drivers might think, your Colorado specialty plates aren’t going to get you out of a ticket, or give you a pass. Thank you for your service, veterans and firefighters, or folks sporting Share the Road, Support the Troops or Pioneer plates, but it doesn’t give you the right to cut off out-of-state drivers or even your fellow green-plated Coloradans.

“You’ll inevitably find a small percentage of people with those plates who feel that they’re special or exempt from the rules. It’s worse when we deal with folks who have firefighter or EMS plates, in those sort of incidents. They definitely should know better, which kind of makes us shake our heads.”

Lewis says some help can be found when the patrol receives citizen reports of dangerous driving, either while it’s happening, or after the fact. Dialing *CSP (*277) on a mobile phone or calling (303) 239-4501 is always an option, and if it can’t lead to a direct response from the local district, the calls at least help establish incident statistics that can help the troopers prioritize enforcement campaigns.

“But if you see a full-on emergency, be it a driver who’s fallen asleep or is weaving, or a bunch of kids bouncing around without seat belts in the back of an SUV, call 911,” he says. “Please call us, and don’t put yourself in danger, either. Don’t road-rage back, or chase someone down yourself.”

Andy Stonehouse’s column “Mountain Wheels” publishes Saturdays in the Summit Daily News. Stonehouse has worked as an editor and writer in Colorado since 1998, focusing on automotive coverage since 2004. He lives in Greeley. Contact him at rossandrewstonehouse@gmail.com.

Ice Castles to open to the public on Saturday

#Dillon #Colorado

 The highly anticipated winter attraction in Dillon, the Ice Castles, is finally ready to open on Saturday, Dec. 28. Tickets can be purchased on icecastles.com on Thursday, Dec. 26. 

“Ice artisans in Dillon are working around the clock to get the attraction ready for Saturday’s grand opening. The acre-sized interactive experience will feature ice-carved tunnels, fountains, slides, frozen thrones, and cascading towers of ice embedded with color-changing LED lights,” Ice Castles stated in a press release. 

The Ice Castles have been worked on by ice artisans for the last four weeks and this is the third year the castles have been built in Dillon, which is one of the six locations in which you can find the Ice Castles.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily Newsl

County presents its case for developing Fiester Preserve as eminent domain looms

#Frisco #Colorado

The parcel of land known as the Fiester Preserve near Frisco.

Amid a dispute over a potential eminent domain action to develop open space next to the Bill’s Ranch neighborhood in Frisco, Summit County government is responding to several items of concerns raised by the Bill’s Ranch Neighborhood Association as the process moves forward.

On Tuesday, the Summit Board of County Commissioners directed county staff to find a way to extinguish a conservation easement on the 6.13 acre “Fiester Preserve” open space that separates the County Commons from Bill’s Ranch. The parcel is being contemplated to be developed into senior and workforce housing along with an assisted living facility. The easement is held by open space conservation nonprofit Colorado Open Lands, who have declined to negotiate the terms of the easement and vowed to fight to protect it.

The move angered some Bill’s Ranch residents who felt the county is making a land grab, destroying open space for more development and changing the character of a unique neighborhood that is already seeing radical change from population growth in the county. If the land gets developed, there will no longer be any buffer between Bill’s Ranch and the busy County Commons. 

County Manager Scott Vargo has been tapped by the commissioners to take the lead on development of the plot of land by any means necessary. That can include eminent domain, the legal process by which courts allow the forceful purchase of private land by the state.

Considered a relatively drastic action, eminent domain receives high scrutiny by courts. When government wins an eminent domain action, it is because the court agrees it is justified because the land has a public use that far outweighs the principle of private property rights. The court then orders the property owner to sell the land to the government at a fair price.

Pet Scene: Summit County’s adoptable pets for the week of Dec. 22, 2019

Tinkerbell | Michael Yearout PHotography

#Frisco #Colorado

The following animals are available for adoption at the Summit County Animal Shelter. Call the shelter at 970-668-3230 with questions.  
 

CATS

ANGEL, 8 months, domestic shorthair, black, spayed female

BANJO, 13 weeks, domestic mediumhair, gray and white tabby, neutered male

CALIOPE, 13 weeks, domestic shorthair, gray and white tabby, spayed female

CARINA, 1 year, Siamese mix, chocolate point, spayed female

CATALONIA, 8 years, domestic shorthair mix, white and gray, spayed female

CINNAMON, 4 months, domestic shorthair, orange tabby, neutered male

CLARA BOW, 4 months, domestic shorthair, brown tabby, spayed female

DECKER, 3 years, domestic shorthair, brown tabby, neutered male

GABRIEL, 8 years, domestic mediumhair, orange tabby, neutered male

GANGSTA, 13 weeks, domestic mediumhair, gray and white tabby, neutered male

GINGER, 4 months, domestic shorthair, orange tabby, spayed female

HARMONY, 13 weeks, domestic mediumhair, black and white, spayed female

HARPURR, 13 weeks, domestic shorthair, brown and white tabby, spayed female

HENRY, no age, domestic shorthair, cream, neutered male

HORTON, 13 weeks, domestic mediumhair, orange tabby, neutered male

KRIS, 4 years, domestic longhair, black and white, spayed female

MARIE, 5 months, domestic shorthair, brown tabby, spayed female

MAX, 4 years, domestic shorthair, black and white, neutered male

MIMI, 2 years, domestic shorthair, brown tabby, spayed female

MISTER, 7 years, domestic shorthair, gray and white tabby, neutered male

MORRIS, 6 years, domestic shorthair mix, apricot, neutered male

MUFFIN, 5 months, domestic shorthair, calico, spayed female

NUTMEG, 4 years, domestic shorthair mix, tortoiseshell, spayed female

OLIVER HARDY, 4 months, domestic shorthair, brown and white tabby, neutered male

PENELOPE, 3 years, domestic shorthair, gray tabby, spayed female

RAVEN, 12 years, domestic shorthair, black, spayed female

TEDDY BEAR, 3 years, domestic shorthair, black, neutered male

TINKERBELL, 7 years, domestic shorthair, gray and white tabby, spayed female

WENDY, 1 year 7 months, domestic longhair, black and white, spayed female

ZOE, 6 years, domestic shorthair, tortoiseshell, spayed female 

DOGS

ANITA, 1 year, rottweiler mix, tan, spayed female

BERNARDO, 1 year, rottweiler mix, black and white, neutered male 

FOXY, 7 months, golden retriever and Australian cattle dog mix, red, spayed female

GYPSY, 7 months, golden retriever and Australian cattle dog mix, red and black, spayed female

KERA, 3 years, American foxhound and Catahoula leopard hound mix, tan and white, spayed female

MAGGIE, 2 years, Australian cattle dog mix, tan, spayed female

MITZI, 1 year, pit bull terrier, black, spayed female

RAMBO, 2 years, smooth-coated Chihuahua and Parson (Jack) Russell terrier mix, black and tan, neutered male

SARAH, 3 years, Chinese sharpei mix, red, spayed female

TREVOR, 5 years, Australian cattle dog mix, red merle, neutered male

GUINEA PIGS

BOLT, 3 years, Guinea pig, white, unaltered male

COPPER, 2 years, Guinea pig, brown and black, unaltered male

Breckenridge Ski Resort opens Peak 6 and Imperial Express

#Breckenridge #Colorado

Breckenridge Ski Resort on Friday morning opened its Peak 6 terrain as well as the Imperial Express SuperChair on Peak 8.

On the resort’s Peak 6 terrain, Breckenridge opened the Zendo Chair, which transports skiers and snowboarders from below timberline on Peak 7 to the Kensho SuperChair at the base of Peak 6.

The Kensho lift transports skiers and snowboarders above tree line to near the summit of Peak 6, serving high-Alpine terrain as well as hike-to access to extreme double black diamond skiing. On Peak 6, Breckenridge reported numerous intermediate runs and one advanced black diamond run, Wanderlust, were open. 

As of Friday afternoon, Breckenridge reported 1,764 acres of open terrain thanks to the opening of Kensho on Peak 6 as well as Imperial Express SuperChair and Horseshoe Bowl T-Bar on Peak 8. Off the T-bar, Breckenridge reported the following terrain as open: Alpine Alley, Forget Me Not, Pika, Ptarmagin, White Crown and the Contest and Horseshoe Bowls.

At a terminal elevation of 12,840-feet near the true summit of Peak 8, the Imperial Express chair is the highest lift in North America. Vail Resorts spokeswoman Sara Lococo said that by this weekend skiers and riders will have access to about 2,000 acres of the resort, with more high-Alpine terrain expected to open soon, including hike-to terrain.  

Across Tenmile Canyon at Copper Mountain Resort, ski area officials announced Thursday evening that the Resolution lift on the resort’s east side as well as Union Peak and Union Meadows in the resort’s high-Alpine terrain opened for skiing and riding. As of Friday afternoon, Copper reported 1,476 acres of open terrain across the resort.

At Keystone Resort, the ski area is more than 75% open with skiing and riding across all three peaks and high-Alpine bowls as of Friday afternoon. Lococo said that on Saturday the resort would open Go Devil, The Richter and Packsaddle bowl, bringing Keystone’s skiable terrain up to more than 2,400 acres.

And at Loveland Ski Area, on the border of Summit and Clear Creek counties at the Continental Divide, officials announced Thursday evening that the extreme double-black diamond runs off looker’s left of the Chet’s Dream lift, Avalanche Bowl and Zoom are open.

Loveland also reported on its social media channels that Lift 4, which services above-timberline intermediate terrain, opened to the midway station Friday. That equated to access to the intermediate Perfect Bowl above tree line as well as Creek Trail, Lower Creek Trail, Fail Safe Catwalk, Scrub, North Chutes, Fail Safe Trees, Sunburst Chutes and Splashdown at or below tree line.

Loveland added it soon will update progress on opening Lift 8, which services intermediate and advanced terrain above and near tree line at the ski area’s northern boundary. As of Friday afternoon, Loveland reported 123 inches of natural snowfall this winter, leading to 695 of the ski area’s 1,800 acres as open, including 95% of Loveland’s bigger terrain, 50% of intermediate terrain and 13% of advanced terrain.  Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.