Anyone missing a snowcat?

#colorado #breckenridge #realestate 

 At the entrance to Silverthorne off Interstate 70, Andy Hunt says after years working at the La Quinta, he’s used to seeing cars abandoned in the parking lot but he has never seen anything as big as what’s sitting in the parking right now. 

 “I don’t know who forgets this, it’s pretty big,” said Hunt. It’s a full-size Bombardier backcountry snowcat with a cabin for people to sit in. 

It’s sitting on a trailer with a broken axel and flat tires, and has been in the parking lot for nearly three months without anyone claiming it. 

 “What do you do? This is one of those problems you don’t face every day,” said Hunt. “What do I do with the abandoned snowcat in my parking lot?” 

 It’s a mystery and something that’s become a big attraction in this mountain community. 

There are Purgatory Ski Area stickers on it, and the ski area says it was used in their backcountry tours years ago but it’s not one of their snowcats anymore. It’s likely been sold a few times since.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Better than average snowpack lets Glen Canyon Dam flood Coloroado River

#colorado #breckenridge #realestate Glen Canyon dam is releasing is a massive, simulated flood through the Grand Canyon — the first one in five years to try to revitalize canyon ecosystems the way nature once did. Federal operators of the Glen Canyon Dam atop the Grand Canyon opened jets to begin this surge before sunrise Monday, sending what they described as “a pulse” of water whooshing through the Colorado River as it curves through the base of the canyon. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials said they’ll maintain the surge until Thursday evening, ensuring a flow for 72 hours at 39,500 cubic feet per second of water. This “High Flow Experiment” will require 270,000 acre-feet of water, federal officials said — enough to sustain more than half a million households for a year. By comparison, Denver Water typically captures 290,000 acre-feet of water, or more than 94 billion gallons, from rain and snow in Colorado over an entire year for city supplies. The water gushing out of dam jets this week normally would have flowed gradually over the month of April out of Lake Powell into the river. Eventually, the water will end up in Lake Mead, the key supply for Arizona, California and Nevada.

New Mortgage Rate Structure

 #colorado #breckenridge #realestate #summervacation

Is it true? Yes, it is and it starts May 1. I googled it to read the news articles, the instructions/explanations from lenders, and to read it directly from Fannie Mae. Here is a simple few short paragraphs from an article that seems to summarize the LLPA best.   "LLPAs are upfront fees based on factors such as a borrower’s credit score and the size of their down payment. The fees are typically converted into percentage points that alter the buyer’s mortgage rate."   "Under the revised LLPA pricing structure, a home buyer with a 740 FICO credit score and a 15% to 20% down payment will face a 1% surcharge – an increase of 0.750% compared to the old fee of just 0.250%."   "When absorbed into a long-term mortgage rate, the increase is the equivalent of slightly less than a quarter percentage point in mortgage rate. On a $400,000 loan with a 6% mortgage rate, that buyer could expect their monthly payment to rise by about $40, according to calculations by Stevens."   "Meanwhile, buyers with credit scores of 679 or lower will have their fees slashed, resulting in more favorable mortgage rates. For example, a buyer with a 620 FICO credit score with a down payment of 5% or less gets a 1.75% fee discount – a decrease from the old fee rate of 3.50% for that bracket."   From another article: "Why are these changes being made? These changes are part of the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s broader examination of fees to provide “equitable and sustainable access to homeownership” and shore up capital at Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae."

‘Not viable’: Debt holder tries to take over bankrupt Dillon condo project, Uptown 240

 #colorado #breckenridge #realestate #summerinthemountains

A bankrupt and unbuilt condo complex in Dillon that would-be residents have sunk millions of dollars into is slowly wasting away, worth far less than what its developer claims and likely cannot be completed, according to a company that wants to take it over.

Michigan-based Porritt Group, which purchased the debt of Uptown 240 last year and estimates it is now owed about $9.5 million and counting, is painting a bleak picture of the distressed project’s present and future as it asks the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to let it foreclose.

Cheered on by Dillon town leaders, Uptown 240’s developers broke ground on the 80-unit complex in 2019, but it floundered financially for several years before they declared bankruptcy in February. Only the foundation has been built and that will need to be replaced.

“There has been no significant work on the project since March 2020. Today, the project is nothing more than a partially completed parking structure,” Porritt Group said.

Uptown 240’s developers — brother and sister Danilo and Chantelle Ottoborgo — have “made repeated assurances that refinancing was imminent, but nothing ever materialized,” so current refinancing plans “should be met with great skepticism,” Porritt Group told a judge April 7.

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Summit County’s adoptable pets for the week of April 23

 #colorado #breckenridge #realestate #adoptablepets

Beluga

Call the shelter at 970-668-3230 with questions. The most recent list of animals available for adoption can be found on the shelter’s website Here

Ski patrollers and paramedics at Loveland Ski Area vote to unionize, citing lack of livable wage and benefits

 #colorado #realestate #summer

Ski patrollers and paramedics at Loveland Ski Area have voted to unionize with the United Professional Ski Patrols of America, a union representing about 700 ski patrollers across the West.

Ski patrollers at Loveland unionized to address common workplace issues, including insufficient benefits for their job requirements and pay incommensurate with their hazardous work, according to a news release from United Professional Ski Patrols.

“The message is positive. We like our jobs,” Loveland ski patroller and EMT Allison Perry said. “We get to do the thing most of us love the most: skiing and snowboarding. But we take on a tremendous amount of risk. We get injured. We handle explosives. We rescue people. We want to be recognized as the skill professionals we are and make the job we love a viable career path.”

Loveland ski patrollers reached out to United Professional Ski Patrols, CWA Local 7781, about six months ago, according to Isabel Aries, a local coordinator with the union. The union also represents patrollers and EMTs at eight other ski areas, including Breckenridge Ski Resort, Steamboat Resort, Purgatory Resort and Telluride Ski Resort. 

Mountain biking, golfing and scenic gondola rides near as Vail Resorts announces summer operating dates for Keystone and Breckenridge properties

 #colorado #realestate #summer

With Keystone Resort closing for the 2022-23 winter season this past weekend, Vail Resorts has announced its summer operating dates for its properties in Summit County and the other Vail Resorts operated ski areas in Colorado.

Keystone Resort will open up for the summer season on June 23 and will close on Sept. 4 with operations, including the River Run Gondola and Keystone Bike Park.

Keystone plans to open up its two golf courses on May 12 with the Keystone Adventure Center and Lakeside Village set to open on June 11.

reckenridge will stay open for the winter season as long as the snow lasts, before opening for the summer season on June 30.  With plans to upgrade 5-Chair on Peak 8 to a new, high-speed quad for next winter, Breck’s summer season will start a little later than usual and will end on Sept. 4.

Vail Mountain will begin summer operations on June 16, Crested Butte Ski Resort will begin on June 10 and Beaver Creek Resort will begin on June 17.

Breckenridge International Festival of Arts will feature modern Australian circus, invented instruments, artists, music and more

 #breckenridge #colorado #realestate

The arts are set to be well represented all around town during this year’s Breckenridge International Festival of Arts, which will take place across 10 days from Aug. 11-20. This year’s festival will feature local, national and international artists working in music, dance, film, visual arts and family entertainment, according to a news release from Breck Create.

This year’s resident artist is Circa, a modern circus based out of Australia, which will perform during the festival’s free AirStage Summer Apres events and for a ticketed performance at the Riverwalk Center. The group will also lead a youth circus workshop.

The exhibiting artist is Sharon Louden, a New York-based artist whose work titled “Barriers to Entry” will be on view at Old Masonic Hall during the festival. Louden will also also give an artist talk and workshop for kids and their parents.

More infomation can be found Here

No wonder you had such a hard time making camping reservations last summer

 #colorado #breckenridge #realestate

Avid campers are painfully aware of how challenging it has become to secure camping reservations over the past three years. Now we know just how much.

Getting a spot was five times harder in 2022 than before the pandemic, according to an annual survey conducted by The Dyrt, a popular camping website and app with 30 million visitors annually.

The Dyrts Camping Report, which is based on a random survey of 3,000 Dyrt users and a separate survey of camping property managers in all 50 states, found that sleeping under the stars is more popular than ever. The Dyrt says an estimated 80 million people went camping in the U.S. last year, 7.2 million for the first time. More than 15 million went camping for the first time in the past two years.

More than 58.4% of respondents said they had a hard time finding campsites in 2022. That number was only 10.6% in 2019.

According to the survey, the two most popular kinds of camping were via RVs (35.8 million) and tents (30.6 million). Nearly 54% of campers responding were 55 years of age or older, with the 45-54 age group accounting for another 19.4%. Only 11.5% were 34 and under.

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‘A trend that needs to get nipped in the bud’: Postholing hikers are losing the trail — and sometimes their shoes — on Quandary

     #colorado #breckenridge #realestate

Late Thursday night, Summit County Rescue Group volunteers were called to Quandary Peak to rescue three out-of-state hikers. 

One of them was postholing — sinking into the snow past the knees, to the point where it becomes difficult to move — so deep they lost a shoe, according to Summit County Rescue Group member and spokesperson Anna DeBattiste.

But that hiker’s shoe won’t be the only footwear to be found when spring eventually melts the snow atop the most-commonly climbed 14er in Colorado, DeBattiste said. Just a day earlier, a rescue team responded when another hiker on Quandary lost a shoe, she said.

After a lull in calls following a busy Spring Break season, warming weather has led to soft, slushy snow that has the all-volunteer rescue group responding to an increased number of calls for unprepared and postholing hikers.

“This is a trend that needs to get nipped in the bud,” DeBattiste said, noting the group has received seven calls since Monday, most involving hikers unsuspecting of the recent warmup in temperatures. 

For the rest of the story click here

Breckenridge Ski Resort to begin spring operations, closing certain peaks, starting April 17 News NEWS | 18 hrs ago

#colorado #breckenridge #realestate

 Breckenridge Ski Resort has announced that after Sunday, April 16, the ski resort will shift to its spring operations plan.

Starting on Monday, April 17, Breckenridge will shift its focus to Peaks 6, 7 and 8 for the remainder of the season, which means Peaks 9 and 10 will be closed.

Through April 23, the Colorado SuperChair, Rocky Mountain SuperChair and Rip’s Ride will remain open on Peak 8. Starting on April 24, Breckenridge Ski Resort will begin its late season operations with all terrain being accessed via the Peak 7 base area and the Independence SuperChair.

Operation plans are subject to change with Mother Nature having the ultimate say in the resort’s plans. Breckenridge plans to stay open for as long as the snow lasts and hopes to send the season into May.

For the full story click here

Frisco schedules open house to hear from local businesses about Main Street promenade and parklets

 #colorado #realestate

Frisco will host an open house from 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 13, at HighSide Brewing to hear from businesses about future use of Main Street during the summer, the town said in an email newsletter.

The discussion will seek feedback on parklets and promenades. The promenade first began in 2020 as a response to the pandemic, when many businesses were limiting how many customers could be indoors. It returned the following year, but the Frisco Town Council did not bring it back in the summer of 2022.

The feedback from businesses will help inform the Town Council discussions in May.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

With new Frisco Transfer Center, Summit County aims to provide inviting experience for commuters and visitors

 #colorado #breckenridge #realestate

Summit County has unveiled a new hub at the Frisco Transfer Center that officials hope will help improve ridership and encourage new users to ride public transportation for the first time.

The 3,600-square-foot building at 1010 Meadow Drive is the result of a $5 million project — with about half the funds coming from the state — to replace the previous structure at the property with something more inviting.

“This is a beautifully designed facility,” Summit County Commissioner Joshua Blanchard said. “So our goal is to destigmatize some of the thoughts around public transportation. This is open for anyone. We encourage everyone to come and take advantage of the Summit Stage and other public transit options.”

Every year, about 350,000 people pass through the Frisco Transit Center, Blanchard said, noting it is often people’s first introduction into the community. In addition to the free Summit Stage bus, the hub services the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Bustang, Pegasus and Snowstang buses, private shuttles, Greyhound buses, and a commuter route to Leadville. All four of Summit County’s ski resorts are accessible on the Summit Stage bus line.

Summit County prepares for possible legal action against short-term rental regulations

 #colorado #realestate

Summit County officials say they are preparing for the possibility of legal action from property owners over recently passed regulations on short-term rentals.

During an April 4 Board of County Commissioners meeting, county officials said they became aware of a March 26 posting in a Facebook group run by property owners that outlines potential litigation against the county on behalf of property owners. Much of the discussion took place during an executive session, which was not open to the public.

Officials are recommending the county halt any further changes to its short-term rental policies, beyond what has already been approved, until any “impending litigation” comes into focus.

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Newly remodeled hotel opens in Frisco with 133 rooms

 #colorado #realestate

Nearly two years after its acquisition by Denver-based hotel company 5 Senses Hospitality Management, a new 133-room hotel has opened in the town of Frisco. 

The new AC Hotel Colorado — part of the sprawling hotel portfolio of Marriott Bonvoy — is located off Interstate 70 at 1202 Summit Blvd. in Frisco. The pet-friendly property boasts a slew of amenities including a fitness room with floor-to-ceiling windows, a game room, private dining and meeting room, locker room, library, business center and a restaurant lounge and buffet lounge offering European-inspired breakfast and charcuterie boards. Additionally, an indoor swimming pool and outdoor hot tub and fire pit will open this summer.

“Summit County is a remarkable, unique location for our expansion of the 5 Senses Hospitality Management portfolio,” stated 5 Senses founder Chris Manley in a March 24 news release. “Nestled in the heart of Colorado’s most stunning landscapes and surrounded by some of the most iconic world-class ski resorts in the Rocky Mountain region, the AC Hotel Frisco Colorado will provide guests with an oasis as they immerse themselves in the great outdoors.”

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Summit County’s adoptable pets for the week of April 2

 #colorado #breckenridge #realestate

Zelda

Call the shelter at 970-668-3230 with questions. The most recent list of animals available for adoption can be found on the shelter’s website Here