65 Years at A-Basin

This season, it seems ski areas are just bustin' at the seams with birthdays. One week after Breck celebrated its big bash, the Basin is right on its heels, 15 years wiser, with its 65th year of turns.

Rather than recite some boring timeline, we're including some fun quiz facts to keep aging brains sharp, as well as a look back at ski business notes. But before we do, here are a couple things you need to keep in the forefront of your mind:

Saturday: From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Santa and his elf will hang out in the Basin's base area surrounded by the music of the Summit Chorale Society. At 1 p.m., swing by for free birthday cake and wassail.

Now, a glimpse at highlights from the Basin's 1946 annual report:

The first line of the 1946-47 “Annual Report of Arapahoe Basin, Inc.” reads: “The first year of the corporate existence of Arapahoe Basin, Inc. has been a difficult one at times and only now after twelve months is the picture considerably brighter.” It built its assets from “nothing to over $117,897.45 as of April 30, 1947; by selling 113,388 shares of stock ... and by operating on a small scale during the past winter.”

The best part about owning stock: If you made a $500-$1,000 investment, you got a “life pass on lifts and tows and a $1 reduction on lift tickets for family members, as well as reduced waiting time on crowded days.” More than $1,000 earned a free life pass for an individual and immediate family members plus the opportunity to purchase private land and build a cabin in the basin. However, below the benefit list it reads: “The details of some of the before-mentioned benefits have yet to be definitely decided.”

Ironically, the annual report reads: “Luckily, the December and January snows were light ...” Huh? Seems the lack of snow saved on costs; it “permitted operation of a truck service into the basin at no great expense.” The truck actually served as a substitute for a chairlift.

The report points to a day where people didn't take debt so lightly. It says: “It can be seen that despite the continuing stock sales the corporation has been seriously hampered by having tied so much money up in materials ...” and talks about people like Max Dercum making trips back East to sell stocks — resulting in $59,657 and “a vast amount of fine publicity ...” making the Basin “already well-known in the skiing world.”

But already, resort owners compared the numbers Loveland. “Some 2,500 people visited Arapahoe Basin this ski season — small in comparison to the estimated 20,000 at Loveland Pass, but gratifying nevertheless. The general impression created has been most favorable. The skiing is constantly being compared to that at Aspen and Sun Valley and never to our disadvantage.”

Interestingly enough, groups and individuals already were asking to build homes in the basin, and in the annual report it reads: “This possibility still exists although it is now felt that the price of the land is too high for the corporation to consider taking up its option to buy at this time.” If they only knew ...

Now for a little quiz:

• What year did A-Basin open?

If you can't get this one, you either a) smoke way too much “medical marijuana,” or b) need to go back to first-grade math, c) completely missed the big, fat headline on the top of the page, or d) all of the above.

• How did people get up the mountain?

Skiers were transported to the base of the tow rope, situated midway up the mountain, in an Army weapons carrier pulled by a 4-wheel-drive vehicle.

• How do you really spell Pallavicini?

We at the Summit Daily toiled over this question for years so rigorously, it pained us to no end. We found ourselves tossing and turning at night, shouting in the newsroom, getting into such embroiled, passionate arguments that one, if not all of us, had to immediately grab our gear, drive up to the Basin and head to said lift to memorize the exact spelling of the double-seater. And, once there, it was not enough to merely jot down the spelling at the base of the lift. No, we were deeply committed to our journalistic duty. We rode up the lift to ensure mountain operations spelled it the same way at the top as they did at the bottom.

Then, of course, we had to double check the spelling at the bottom, and then again at the top. Then, after triple and quadruple checking, we'd return to the office, only to check the ski area map we stashed at the office and see that, indeed the map spelled it differently than the sign at the chairlift. So, the next day, we began our quest for the truth. And on it went, day after endless day, season after long season.

So, finally, as the intrepid A&E editor, on this 65th anniversary, I asked — through email — the great communications coordinator Leigh Hierholzer if she remembered the debacle, because over the years, after diligent research, I have noticed A-Basin, has, indeed, resolved the inaccuracy.

“Yes, of course I remember it,” she replied, immediately. “We sometimes have people write in and tell us what the correct spelling is and why, that's why it has changed occasionally. We finally decided on ‘Pallavicini' a few years ago, and we're sticking to it. ... Sometimes it takes a while to make the full transition with all of the signage, trail maps, etc. We hope we are getting closer to completing that transition.”

So there.

And, now, back to the mind-bending quiz:

• How much did a lift ticket cost in 1946?

$1.25; in 1974, a ticket set skiers back $7.50.

• In 1945, a development team estimated construction of A-Basin would cost about $150,000. In 1972 a ski patroller, Joe Jankovsky bought it for how much?

It all depends who you talk to. The Ten Mile Times reported in 1997 that he bought it for $400,000, while coloradoskihistory.com says he paid $850,000 — quite a discrepancy. Still, if you look what the Ten Mile Times says it sold for six years later, Jankovsky didn't do too poorly, no matter who's right.

• The first season, 2,500 skiers visited the Basin, according to the annual report. How many came the second season?

13,000.

• And these days?

More than 425,000

• (Put your second-grade silly joke brain on for this one) Why did dogs fall in love with the Basin in 1978?

Because Ralston-Purina bought it. Arf, arf, arf! OK, ya might've found that one funnier if you were on “medical marijuana,” because if you're in second-grade, you probably don't know the brand Ralston-Purina and wouldn't get the joke. (Here's a stat to feed a bit of your brain: The dog-food company purchased it for about $1 million, according to a 1997 Ten Mile Times report; now that's the way to be a ski patroller.)

Sad but true: We've used all our brain cells on that last one, so we're out to make some turns and eat some cake. Maybe afterward, we'll crash into our Corporate Suites (which, during this holiday season is turning into corporate sweets, where readers drop off snowflake cupcakes and cases of Strawberry Crush (who knew such a drink even existed), and hijack a Summit Up writer, or something). Happy holidays!

 

 

Courtesy of  Summit Daily News

The Summit Foundation: A unique community foundation

Community foundations are nonprofits that serve a large region of people by working to improve the quality of life in their area. The Summit Foundation is the only community foundation in Summit County and is a little different than your average foundation — read on to learn how!

How do community foundations differ from other nonprofit organizations?

Instead of specializing in certain programs or a specific need like individual nonprofits, foundations research the entire community to find the areas of greatest need. Then a foundation's board and staff identify individual nonprofits and programs best suited to meet these needs. By granting funds to multiple nonprofit organizations in one region, community foundations can cover a larger scope of programs and meet more needs than one small nonprofit.

Why invest in a community foundation like The Summit Foundation?

Individuals, families, businesses, and organizations create permanent charitable funds, such as Donor Advised Funds or Scholarship Funds to help their region meet challenges and needs as they arise. The foundation manages these funds to meet a donor's desires.

The Summit Foundation (TSF) provides donors with thorough research on community need, effectiveness of programs, and recommendations from experienced board members who interview all grantees. With more than 90 nonprofit organizations funded this past year, TSF also ensures a broad distribution of funds throughout the community.

The Summit Foundation is like a United Way, right?

Well, yes and no. The Summit Foundation is a unique organization in that it shares some characteristics similar to United Way and characteristics more typical of the average community foundation. The majority of community foundations were founded from large endowment gifts, meaning the organizations operate from the interest on these large sums of money. Because of this, most community foundations do not undertake (or need to perform) large annual fundraising campaigns to meet the financial needs of their communities.

United Way agencies on the other hand, operate mostly through annual charitable contributions, like donations obtained through payroll deduction programs. The Summit Foundation utilizes a combination of all strategies mentioned above in order to be most effective in Summit County.

What else makes The Summit Foundation unique?

The Summit Foundation is one of a few community foundations in the U.S. established by a ski resort. TSF began as the charitable arm of the Breckenridge Development Corporation, which in 1984 decided to broaden the impact and scope of charitable work in our community by turning their giving arm into a stand-alone nonprofit, The Summit Foundation.

Want to know another great thing about being established by a ski resort? Thanks to the generosity of our local ski area partners, TSF is one of a few foundations able to sell transferable ski privileges as a fundraising mechanism. So you can support our community by purchasing a ski pass that can be used not only for yourself, but for all your friends, family, and clients too!

Utilizing multiple fundraising strategies, TSF is able to accomplish a very high distribution (or giving) ratio. The Summit Foundation is able to grant a tremendous – and increasing – amount back to the community each year.

What does all this mean for you?

It means if you would like to contribute to our community, but aren't sure where to put your funds, we can help! The Summit Foundation's board and staff take care of all the research for you. Each grant cycle, we research community needs, program effectiveness, and interview each nonprofit's staff to make sure your money is going to the most efficient and necessary programs. Each year, The Foundation donates nearly $1.5 million to local nonprofits operating in Health & Human Service, Education, Art & Culture, Sports & Recreation and Environmental Stewardship. Your gift to The Summit Foundation, at any level of support, can make a $1 million dollar impact.

Due to the generosity of local businesses, full and part-time residents, The Foundation has been able to make a difference in our mountain community by granting over $14.4 million since 1986!

Giving Back is written by Jennifer Stein and Kasey Geoghegan, specialists of marketing and development at The Summit Foundation, the leading philanthropic organization for Summit County and its neighboring communities. Submit questions to Giving Back at tsfevents@summitfoundation.org or visit summitfoundation.org.

Courtesy Summit Daily News

Breckenridge Marks 50 Years of Skiing

The morning itself may have been similar to Dec. 16 half a century ago, but celebrated skiing pioneer Trygve Berge noticed quite a few changes.

In particular, he was treated like a celebrity. And, as he skied the fresh corduroy he's come to enjoy, he pointed out that the soft, man-made snow churned up by groomers was a commodity not available in 1961.

There were just a handful of Breckenridge celebrities gathered for the “understated” start of Breckenridge Ski Resort's 50th birthday, spokeswoman Kristen Petitt-Stewart said, but it was great to see Berge doing what he's been doing for the last 50 years. He rode the first chair along with his friend Greg Gutzki; Nancy Macy, who rode the first chair in 1961 and still skis four days a week; and Bob Brown, who was born on Dec. 16, 1961 and was granted the wish to ride first chair.

“It was a special moment,” she said. “It probably wasn't that dissimilar to when they took the lift 50 years ago. It was a cool, crisp morning that was memorable.”

Berge, who turns 80 on April 19, doesn't mind being recognized for his work in starting the ski resort; in fact, he says he sort of likes feeling like a movie star. But he acknowledges he's just a regular person.

“It's fun to be recognized, but other than that, I'm just me,” he said.

He's also quick to say his wasn't the only hand at work in recreating the town of Breckenridge by starting the ski resort.

“It was Sigurd (Rockne) and me who got the ball rolling,” he said.

Rockne, who still lives in Breckenridge, was not available for comment Friday.

Berge was invited to the United States by 1952 Olympic gold medalist Stein Eriksen, his friend and employer in Voss, Norway, where Berge mounted steel edges on 12,000 pairs of skis to make a living during ski racing. (He competed in the 1956 Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, but didn't place. He lost his ski just before the finish.)

Eriksen had come to the United States, lending a hand and making a living off ski area startup. He wanted Berge to run his ski schools in Heavenly, Aspen and Boyne Mountain, Mich. — a role he'd fall into again once Breckenridge's lifts started turning. Trygve's is still the learning area at the mountain. (Ericksen still lives in Deer Valley, Utah.)

While he was in Aspen, a friend, Bill Rounds, encouraged Berge and Rockne to visit the open valley between the Continental Divide and the Tenmile Range that was to be flooded to create Dillon Reservoir. They saw the opportunity to build there, and created the Norwegian Construction Company and built the Anthem Lumberyard, which would eventually become the Breckenridge Building Center. That was in the fall of 1960.

Birth of a ski area

“There was nothing here, just rock piles all over,” Berge said. They planned to build cabins around the lake, but wondered what people would do in winter.

Rounds asked if it might be possible to ski. So they set out to scout.

“We looked at the slopes, the snow, the exposure, and rode up the old mining road to where the Colorado Superchair ends right now,” Berge said. The threesome hiked to the top, and decided they'd build the ski area. They headed back to the car, pulled out some scotch, mixed it with spring water spouting from the hillside nearby, and tossed one back to the ski area. Not long after, they had the permit to move forward.

They marked the runs in the spring and summer of 1961, and crews from Aspen came to cut the slopes. That winter, the ski area opened with Springmeier (named for an old mining character who lived next to the Gold Pan), Rounder's Run and Callie's Alley (named after Rounds and his wife), Eagle Lane at the bottom and the Constam T-bar on Trygve's beginner area.

Building a town

A sliver of the land of opportunity, Breckenridge attracted all kinds of entrepreneurs. Unlike Vail, which was funded by investors, Breckenridge was build more haphazardly, with developments scattered throughout the valley.

“It was a crazy time,” Berge said, though it was exciting for him to see people coming with new ideas; ideas both for building the town and having fun. “The enthusiasm was incredible.”

Locals who remained in the mining version of Breckenridge thought the skiers were nuts.

“They didn't understand the future of the skiing business,” Berge said.

Meanwhile, the town was dying, and just a few hundred people remained.

“Without the ski area, there would be nothing here,” he said.

Changes: The best and the worst

Berge commends the direction leaders have taken the town — from its visual appeal to the economy on which it thrives. He appreciates the investments (though, he admitted he sometimes thinks it's too much) in various activities that cater to broad audiences, such as the recpath.

However, he laments the change in opportunity. It's not as easy for people to come and make a life here, between the town's red tape and the already developed valley.

“It's so hard to do something small anymore,” Berge said.

And though skiing has remained a somewhat social activity, younger generations view it somewhat less so than the old-timers, who still take the time to meet each other at Fatty's on Ridge Street after a day of skiing — as they did on Friday to kick off Breckenridge's afternoon of festivities. Some of them have known each other since the beginning, or at least for several decades.

Nonetheless, Berge

Looking back and looking forward

The expansions since the start of the Peak 8 Ski Area fall into Rounds', Berge's and Rockne's original vision. Berge said he vizualized the entire Tenmile Range being a ski area, with Peak 1 and Bill's Ranch making the most ideal terrain. He'd walked the land in its entirety, and envisioned a monorail connecting it all together.

Berge smiles and his gaze is far away as his hand demonstrates the graceful turns and jumps of the long, wide moguls formed by straight skis.

He remembers the days when he and Rockne were strong youths, building houses, cutting trails and creating the ski area's foundations for ski instruction.

“We've always been close friends and nothing will change that,” Berge said. He laughs and looks away shyly when asked to share stories of their friendship — he never did spill any beans.

Eventually, Rockne moved into the restaurant business while Berge stayed in ski school and ski shops. Both still live close, with Rockne in Breckenridge and Berge renting here and living primarily in Lakewood.

“I don't like to shovel snow, but I like to ski on it,” he said with a grin.

As he reflected on the many years spent dedicated to Breckenridge, he said, “It's good to look back, but it's kind of sad; I don't know where those 50 years went. It's also good to look forward, because the future doesn't seem to come as fast as the past goes.”

Courtesy Summit Daily News

Loews to Delay Opening in Silverthrone

Frigid temperatures in Summit County are causing construction projects in Silverthorne, including Lowe's, to be delayed.

Lowe's anticipates pushing back its opening several months to late June or early July, according to spokeswoman Stacey Lentz. The home improvement warehouse was originally slated to open toward the end of January or early February.

“This delay is due to two reasons beyond Lowe's control. The initial construction was delayed due to the pending resolution of the original lawsuit against the town concerning the town's approval of our project,” Lentz said. “The second delay has been weather conditions that make certain construction materials and activities either infeasible or cost prohibitive.”

Crews will continue to seal off the rear of the store and finish the roof in early winter, and they aim to complete the interior during the cold months. Silverthorne planning director Mark Leidal said crews have also completed the $2 million in off-site improvements, with some on-site items left to complete.

“They'll wait for things to warm up until they finish up the exterior,” Leidal said, explaining that materials like stucco and concrete require curing periods and temperatures the weather's not permitting.

Silverthorne spokesman Ryan Hyland said it's not uncommon for winter weather to affect construction projects.

For instance, construction of the new AutoZone in town is complete, but will have to wait on exterior paint and landscaping. Leidal said they'll be able to open prior to Christmas, as planned, but town officials will hold cash or a letter of credit in the value of the work to be done in escrow, to guarantee its completion come spring.

“Summit County weather is great for ice castles and skiing, but lousy for construction,” Hyland said.

Leidal said AutoZone was issued its certificate of occupancy this week, so employees will likely be stocking shelves and getting ready to open in the next week or so.

Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church and Buffalo Mountain Metro District are also facing delays, according to Leidal, but they're not necessarily weather-related.

Buffalo Mountain Metro District has completed a new sand storage building, but is still working on its new employee housing unit and new office building.

“We've been talking to them for years for a land swap so the intersection (at Lowe's) could be accommodated. We finally finished that land swap,” Leidal said. He said he suspects completing the land swap prompted them to move forward with reconstruction.

“Sometimes construction activities take longer than expected,” he said.

Courtesy Summit Daily News

Dew Tour Hits Breckenridge

Between the U.S. Grand Prix and the Dew Tour's Nike Open, which kicked off with competition yesterday, Summit County has been packed with freeskiing and snowboarding superstars the last couple weeks, and they're just getting warmed up.
Returning for its fourth year, the Nike Open at Breckenridge is the first of three Winter Dew Tour stops and includes six competitions spanning across three rounds: qualifiers, semifinals and finals. The Breckenridge event will include contests in men's freeskiing superpipe and slopestyle, and both men's and women's snowboard halfpipe and slopestyle.

Other Dew Tour stops include Killington, Vt., and Snowbasin Resort in Ogden, Utah, early next year. At season's end, the overall points leaders are crowned champions and awarded the Dew Cup — and a bunch of cash — in eight disciplines. For the first time this year, women's freeskiing will also be thrown into the mix (at later venues).

Last season's Dew Cup champions include Louie Vito (men's snowboard superpipe), Kelly Clark (women's snowboard superpipe), Torstein Horgmo (men's snowboard slopestyle), Jamie Anderson (women's snowboard slopestyle), Kevin Rolland (ski superpipe) and Breck's Bobby Brown (ski slopestyle).

With all the star power of the X Games, the Nike Open is a great opportunity for spectators to witness the best in the business without the zoo-like atmosphere and competitive viewing of the annual Aspen event.

And this year, when we say the “world's best” will be on hand, we mean it quite literally as gold medal-winning Olympian Shaun White will be returning after a two-year hiatus with hopes of reclaiming the Dew Cup, which he won in the 2010 season. If history is any indicator, the rest of the field, made up by the likes of 2011 U.S. Grand Prix podium finishers Luke Mitrani, Vito and Greg Bretz, among others, will be battling it out for second.

“The Dew Tour does an awesome job of putting on a really good contest in Breckenridge,” said Olympic halfpipe snowboarder Elena Hight. “There's always a really good pipe and a really good turnout of athletes. It's a fun contest because it's the first one of the year, so everyone is just getting back together and there's a lot of fun energy.”

Finding their groove.

Every athlete approaches these early competitions differently — some are looking to simply get back in the groove, while others are hoping to charge out of the gate and debut new tricks and concepts. Hight, for one, plans to pull out a couple new inverts this week, while Kelly Clark, coming off a decisive win at the Grand Prix, hasn't yet thrown her season into sixth gear.
“Early-season, I really think everyone is looking to get their feet back underneath them. I think everyone really looks at (the early comps) as an opportunity to get back into the competitive mindset and get their bodies back into it. I typically have been a bit of a slow starter,” said Clark, this week's frontrunner.

For Summit County resident Simon Dumont, the Nike Open is a sweet event because it's close to home. “The slopestyle course here at Breckenridge is usually pretty top-notch. They build a good park all year, so it's not too hard to transition to adding a couple features and making the jumps a little bigger,” he said.

This year is more of a fun, less-intense season for veterans like Dumont, who will spend time filming before buckling down in anticipation of halfpipe skiing's Olympic debut in 2014.

Size matters.

This will be the second year that the Dew Tour will feature an Olympic-size, 22-foot halfpipe. The event was previously held on an 18-footer, which lent itself to inconsistency among the X Games, Grand Prix and Olympics. Athletes are pleased that the size seems to finally be standardized throughout the major competitions.

“With the 22-foot pipe, it adds a little more room for error because you have more transition,” Dumont said. “It makes it more capable for higher airs, and I think its more exciting.”
In past years, especially Olympic years, the 18-footer prevented top-level athletes who didn't want to mess with their rhythm from participating.

“The 22-foot pipe has been the natural progression for snowboard halfpipe,” Hight said. “It was necessary for the Dew Tour to remain a serious event to bump up to a 22-foot because that's all we ride anymore.”

For women of the Dew Tour, one step forward and one step back
With the acquisition of women's freeskiing for the 2011-12 season, women's snowboarding has consequently lost one of its events at the Dew Tour (and incidentally the Grand Prix as well).

While there seems to be universal agreement among snowboarders that involving female skiers is a positive addition, there is also concern about eliminating events.

“Obviously, for us, that's a huge step back in the wrong direction,” said Hight. “We've worked over the past eight years or so to get equal prize money for women, equal contests. So to have them take away an event like that is really unfortunate. … I think it's great they added the girl skiers; they should have been added a long time ago because they're killing it. But not having equal events and limiting prize money is unfortunate.”

Clark agrees that female skiers deserve a spot on the circuit, but she shares Hight's concerns about eliminating women's events.

“Unfortunately, snowboarding was kind of taken away to add the skiing events,” Clark said. “Although I'm happy for the skiing women to get an opportunity, at the same time I don't think we're really solving the problem by pushing it around. Hopefully we'll see more women's equality in the events to come.”

Courtesy Summit Daily News

Summit County Gets Green Light for Recpath Extension

Summit County gets green light for recpath extension

Summit County government's proposal to extend its recpath to Copper Mountain's Far East Lot has been approved by the U.S. Forest Service.
Though it's approved, the best-case scenario shows trail construction beginning in late summer next year, Summit County open space and trails resource specialist Brad Eckert said. Because it hasn't gone to bid, no price estimate has been released.
With the decision issued, those in the public who have commented can appeal the decision for roughly the next month.

The trail extension is designed to improve safety on the county's recpath system east of Highway 91 near the Interstate 70 interchange, where the path currently disintegrates into utility trail and frontage road access to Copper Mountain and Highway 91.
“It's confusing and deteriorating and it doesn't allow a smooth flow of traffic through that area,” Eckert said.

The proposal includes construction of a 12-foot-wide asphalt recpath and two-foot soft shoulders to connect the Highway 91/Copper Road intersection and Highway 91 south of Copper Mountain's parking areas. The proposed trail extension covers roughly 7,200 feet, Eckert said.
A bridge to be constructed on Copper Mountain's land will span Tenmile Creek and allow users to gain access to the Highway 91/Copper Road intersection. The existing stock bridge east of Copper's parking lot will be replaced to allow users to continue riding along the west side of Tenmile Creek between it and Copper's Far East Lot before terminating the trail at Highway 91. The existing bridge at the northern terminus of the recpath will be upgraded with new railings and resurfaced with asphalt. All bridges will be designed to meet Forest Service scenery guidelines.

Two letters were received during the environmental assessment comment period, one support letter from Copper Mountain and one from the Colorado Trail Foundation, which recommended additional design criteria to protect the existing integrity of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, which has similar general alignment with the recpath.

White River National Forest supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams said in his decision that the paved recreation path will be immediately adjacent to the existing Copper Mountain Far East Lot, and the Continental Divide Trail will be located to the east of the paved recpath as it extends to Highway 91. A vegetated buffer between the paved recreation path and the Continental Divide Trail will be maintained and/or created, where appropriate.

Summit County Government is responsible for constructing the recreation path.
Fitzwilliams specified that “all project design criteria ... as well as two additional design criteria requested by the Colorado Trail Foundation, are required to be adhered to by Summit County Government.”

For instance, where the recreation path abuts Tenmile Creek and associated wetlands, the width of path shoulders will be minimized to avoid and minimize impacts. French drains will also be installed under the recpath to allow water to continue flowing beneath the paved surface. Where the stream channels intersect the path, culverts and bridges will be built to accommodate or restore the flow.
“Each of these features will improve how water is currently transferred to Tenmile Creek and at the bridge location where the stream channel is restored,” Fitzwilliams said. “Aquatic habitat will be improved adjacent to Tenmile Creek.”

An environmental assessment was created and distributed for public comment in October. It was the basis for Fitzwilliams' decision.

He evaluated another alternative, the no-action alternative, as required by the analysis process, but found the proposed action more suitable.
View the full environmental assessment and record of decision online at http://1.usa.gov/uEE8gy.

Courtesy Summit Daily News

Avalanches - Take Note

Summit County: Efficiency in avalanches

According to Swiss “beacon expert,” Manuel Genswein, guide companies can rely on their guests to rescue them from an avalanche — if they're taught properly.
It was part of a two-day public avalanche rescue training at Copper Mountain hosted by the Summit County Rescue Group, the Summit County Sheriff's Office, and Copper Mountain. Genswein spent several hours lecturing ski patrollers, rescue group volunteers and trainers, and the interested public on Friday, reviewing beacon technology history as well as practical training techniques. On Saturday, he exercised the group's application skills in the field.
Genswein's focus was effective training and streamlined practice. Many of his points came back to meticulous training, including being a strict trainer who corrects mistakes immediately. Being a well-oiled machine makes for an effective rescuer, he pointed out.
Genswein addressed the time crunch that prohibits guides from running through basic avalanche safety with guests. He said many guides claim a guest would be unsuccessful in performing a beacon search, locating a victim or victims, and digging them out in a reasonable amount of time, even with basic instruction. So Genswein did a study.
He found that guide service clients, at the median age of 53, could recover a burial in 4 minutes, 20 seconds at the best, and 22 minutes, 30 seconds at the worst. Men aged 73 and up, another clientele demographic, performed the simulated rescue in nearly 7 minutes at their best and 27 minutes at their slowest.
That was after giving them a fine-tuned 15-minute tutorial on avy basics.
“Even though you only have a quarter hour of time, you can be very efficient,” Genswein said, noting that streamlined instruction must also be coupled with the best and easiest to use equipment. According to Genswein, the added bonus of teaching novices avalanche basics, is that they enjoy it. The clients in his study enjoyed themselves — even though they were digging into bottomless powder instead of skiing it.
John Reller, a Chicago Ridge snowcat guide at Ski Cooper, said as he listened, he considered ways he could change his own safety talk. Given more equipment, he might cover the more detailed 15-minute training, he added.
“The more people who know how to use the tools correctly, the better off we all are,” he said.
Genswein has done several of these studies, which take a look at how training can impact backcountry safety.
In another study, he found that giving three 45-minute modules in companion rescue can be highly effective. A four-burial situation was cleared in about 36 minutes with the short course.
Genswein said that the key in any sort of training is to teach how to be systematic.
“This is the key to success in mountain rescue,” he said, pointing out that eager participants who chaotically searched the debris field were far less effective than those who were systematic.

Taking it to the field
Being systematic and therefore effective was the theme of Saturday's beacon field workshop, too.
For new Arapahoe Basin ski patroller Greg Dumas, Genswein's course took his personal and basic professional knowledge to the next level.
“What I found valuable was that it was geared more toward experienced users,” Dumas said, adding it was helpful to have the rundown of beacon history and how technology has evolved, as well as getting international insight on avalanche rescue concepts.
With five stations set up that involved local professionals, the field course catered to novices as well as advanced professionals. Novices learned and asked questions while the advanced folks taught.
Dumas called the Friday and Saturday tutorial “professional development,” which was helpful. It was also helpful to interact with the broader professional community of which he's now a part.

Courtesy Summit Daily News

Breckenridge in the 1990s

In the 1990s, when Interstate 70 wasn't the gridlock it is now and Summit County was continuing its growth as a major international ski destination, Todd Richards came to town.

The snowboarder got caught in Boulder on a cross-country trip (they were headed to Southern California, where Richards now lives full time) because of its beauty. It wasn't long before Richards and his fellow snow-loving buddies discovered the mountains. A New Englander, Richards came to Colorado thinking he was at the top of his game, but admits he was sorely mistaken.

Colorado, he proclaims, was the place where competitors were bred. Now in his 23rd year as a professional snowboarder, Richards swallowed the pill, turned up his competitive edge and took on the challenge of competing for No. 1 in the game.

Today he has “World Champion competitor” and “Olympian” to add to his list of accomplishments, and has since evolved into a commentator for circuits such as the Dew Tour and fulfills other roles in the TV and online broadcast worlds.

In the early 1990s, “day-glo” apparel still reigned from the 1980s, but it wasn't long before the urban grunge of the skaters-turned-snowboarders took over. It was the era where the single board was despised by those on two planks, and Richards' memory of Breckenridge during the decade stays true to that divide. It was clique-y, he said. The same is true today, but now there are more types from which to choose.

“The town was still funky,” he said, explaining that everyone in his circle lived 10 to a condo in the Baldy Mountain Townhomes (he might not be exaggerating) and worked at either Pasta Jays, Mi Casa or Fajitas.

There were still mining folk in town, like Buck, the “crazy,” grizzly man who lived up French Creek and showed up in town with guns and knives strapped to him, Richards recalled.

“This was before people were building million-dollar snowmobile homes,” he added.

Work for your jumps

Richards remembers it wasn't easy developing into a snowboarding trickster. You had to want it. The halfpipe wasn't built until January most years, and terrain parks were non-existent. Logs and shovels were the best tools they had. They'd create natural jibs, and use shovels to build jumps.

“We had to work for our jumps,” Richards said. “We would ride around on the hill with shovels. We had designated shovel days” when conditions weren't ideal.

“We would make do with what we have,” he said.

Now, he said, he rides the lifts and scans the entries to his old stomping grounds. There aren't even tracks to the old hotspots.

With terrain parks what they are, and resorts competing to open the first halfpipe, Richards, too, heads to the ready-to-go features.

“I paid my dues,” he said. “I feel really lazy now.”

Richards was around when snowboarding went from the ugly stepchild to an eye-popping extreme sport. The latter half of the 1990s saw the Winter X Games begin (1997) and the snowboard halfpipe and slalom added to the Winter Olympics (1998). When Richards first arrived in the county, Copper Mountain was the hotspot, but it wasn't long before Breckenridge became home base for the cutting edge athletes.

“If you wanted to ride pipe, you lived in and around Breck,” he said of that time period.

From his Baldy Mountain Townhome, he could scope out the pipe and follow the machinery as it refinished the pipe, which at that time wasn't carved into the clean “U”-shape it now has. Richards said it was more like an “L.”

Nonetheless, “We knew the cut schedule,” he said.

1990s: The heyday, and the urban transition

The late 1990s was the heyday of snowboarding — when people were making money as urban grunge hooligans said Richards.

“Everything was very urban slope-thug,” Richards said, adding that one of the main jumps once the terrain park developed was the “Wu-Tang” jump. The landing was so hard, it sounded like a gun going off.

Youth with basic editing knowledge and a camera in hand began making their own videos — Richards remembers filming footage during three weeks in spring at Arapahoe Basin — and modern snowboarding took shape.

Snowboarders who showed up without a dime began grinding rails, ollie'ing down stairs, and generally “applying the skate template to snowboarding.”

“It was gritty,” Richards said, adding that there were a few women, like Christine Sperber and Wendy Powell, who were also pushing the sport from the female side.

“The companies had no idea they should be paying us so much money,” Richards said with a sly smile. “They were paying us to (screw) around.”

Courtesy of Summit Daily News

Breckenridge bids for weekend finish in 2012 Pro Cycling Challenge

Stellar feedback from locals and businesses on the USA Pro Cycling Challenge Stage 5 finish this year has the Town of Breckenridge hankering for the opportunity to host another weekend finish for the 2012 race.




The town touted its lodging base, central location and success putting on this year's finish and other big events to tempt the tour of Colorado back to Breckenridge. Town officials have again committed up to $150,000 to a race finish for 2012.

The town's bid requested a Friday or Saturday night finish.

The winning host cities and towns for the 2012 Pro Cycling Challenge were expected to be named Thursday, but the announcement was pushed back a couple of weeks, as race organizers continue to consider the choices.

“We had an overwhelming response from so many cities,” race spokeswoman Stacie Lange said. “We were quite surprised by the reaction. We just thought we would take a little more time and due diligence and really make the right decision for 2012.”

The Denver Post reported the circulation of a proposed route map, which indicated Breckenridge could one of the possible hosts for either a start or finish, and Boulder might be the site of the final finish.

Lange insisted a final course hasn't been decided yet.

Stiff competition

For Breckenridge, the competition is fierce. Even the success of last year's Saturday finish, an event that drew approximately 50,000 spectators and concluded with a concert by Big Head Todd and the Monsters, doesn't guarantee the town will be selected to host again in 2012.

“We would do, at a minimum, as much as we did last year,” Breckenridge spokeswoman Kim Dykstra DiLallo said. “However, we understand and recognize that there are a lot of communities vying for a piece of this successful event. … From a global view, you need to keep that cycling event fresh and exciting and ever-changing.”

But race organizers said having hosted a finish this year will not necessarily hurt the town's chances of being selected again, either.

“We had a great year last year,” Lange said. “We exceeded expectations on many fronts and the host cities are a big reason for our success. We're looking for unique locations in Colorado that can be a post card to the world.”

Locations that boast challenging terrain and routes that will keep the race “fresh” for the professionals and can provide “great hospitality,” will also have an edge in the selection process.

Twenty-seven cities and towns statewide are pushing to be a part of next year's race, including Winter Park and Grand Junction.

Breckenridge put on a show for the Aug. 27 Stage 5 finish, complete with an expo, a day of events and a concert following the teams' arrival and awards ceremony.

“Hearing back from the USA Pro Cycling (Challenge), they do recognize that we really went over and above the call of duty last year,” Dykstra DiLallo said. “We really made Breckenridge shine and we made the Pro Cycling Challenge shine.”

Breck attributes

The town and local organizing committee held up Breckenridge's more than 3,000 lodging units, central-state location west of Denver and multiple scenic arrival routes including a possible south-entrance that would take teams over Hoosier Pass, in its 2012 bid.

The bid was submitted with the enthusiastic backing of the town, the Summit Board of County Commissioners, the Breckenridge Lodging and Restaurant associations and the many local business owners.

Local merchants who responded to a post-race survey put out by the town were overwhelmingly supportive of the event, with the majority saying it had been good for the town and their business and many calling for the town to host another finish in the future.

“I think we should aggressively seek this event again next year and (in) years to come,” said one restaurant owner, who commented in the town's survey. “We can tweak some things to make it work better now that we know how it works.”

Survey respondents suggested shifting the finish-line location and implementing strategies such as lodging packages to help keep spectators, who last year reportedly seemed anxious to follow the race out of town, in Breckenridge for the weekend.

The race was wildly successful for Colorado as a whole, with an estimated $83.5 million economic impact statewide, according to a statement from the Pro Cycling Challenge.

Of the 1 million spectators who turned out across the state for the race in its first year, 94 percent said they planned to return next year, according to the statement.

The Denver Post contributed to the reporting of this story.

Courtesy The Summit Daily News

Fido Not Welcome at some Breckenridge Events

Pets are no longer on the guest list for some Breckenridge events, and crashing the parties could mean fines for their owners due to an ordinance passed by town council.


The new measure, passed at the most recent town council meeting, prohibits animals, except for those involved in the event, from attending certain pre-designated “no pet” or “no animal” events.

“It's primarily based around safety issues and food issues,” Breckenridge chief of police Rick Holman said.

The ordinance requires the town to post signs saying pets are prohibited at the entrances of “no pet” events, and gives Breckenridge officers license to write tickets, associated with a possible $100 fine, to people who do not comply with warnings to remove their animals.

The ordinance follows the Stage Five finish of the Pro Cycling Challenge in Breckenridge Aug. 27. The event drew crowds of more than 50,000 people, but pets were not allowed in.

In recent years there have been more and more events held in Breckenridge that do not allow animals, usually due to the presence of food or large crowds of people. While the majority of pet owners have been compliant with the rules, authorities have recently had people challenging the policy, according to a town memo.

The ordinance gives police the power to write tickets to uncooperative pet owners, Holman said.

Not all events will be pet free. An event committee will decide whether pets will be allowed at individual events.

The town is following a precedent set in other municipalities in Colorado, Breckenridge officials told council members prior to the vote Oct. 11.

“Grand Junction passed a very similar ordinance to this, but they banned animals in all of their downtown special events categorically,” town manager Tim Gagen said. “We're not the only ones looking at regulating animals in these situations.”

Event staff or Breckenridge authorities will first give verbal warning to people that bring animals into no pet/no animal events and will “continue to educate and warn to gain compliance,” according to the memo.

Let the Ski Season Begin!

Arapahoe Basin opened today, the second Colorado ski resort to start turning lifts for guests this season.


The Oct. 13 opening is just 100 days after it closed on July 4. It's not the earliest, though. In 2009, the mountain opened on Oct. 9, and in 2007, it opened on Oct. 10.
“It seems like we just closed, but we're excited to get it open again,” spokeswoman Leigh Hierholzer said, adding that everyone has their fingers crossed for a snow year along the lines of 2010-11.

According to Hierholzer, snowmakers at the mountain have been working throughout the week to create an 18-inch base on the intermediate High Noon run along with several features in the High Divide Terrain Park. There is no beginner skiing open at the mountain.

Several inches of fresh snow this week helped snowmakers finish the task and open Black Mountain Express at 9 a.m. today.

“We're open for the season,” Hierholzer said.

Wolf Creek Ski Area in southern Colorado was first in the state this season. It opened Saturday, but has not remained in operation. Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort outside Las Vegas claims it was the first in the nation to open, beating Wolf Creek by 27 minutes.

This morning, the day begins with a tribute to Arapahoe Basin founders Marnie Jump and Max Dercum, who both died this year. The tribute will take place before the lifts open to the public. Local radio station KYSL will do a live morning show and give away lift tickets on-air. KSMT will also be on site in the base area with a live remote, playing music and handing out give-aways. More info

What: Arapahoe Basin opening day

When: 9 a.m. today

Where: Arapahoe Basin Ski Area

Cost: Adults — $59; Youth ages 15-18 — $49; Children ages 6-14 — $30

The ski and snowboard rental shop, tune shop, food and beverage service, the 6th Alley bar and retail shop will be open to the public. Snowsports lessons will be available on a limited basis.

Loveland opens Friday

Last year, Loveland Ski Area beat out Arapahoe Basin in the race to opening day — their lifts started turning on Oct. 24 with the Basin following the next day. This year, Chair 1 at Loveland starts turning at 9 a.m. Friday.

“Warm weather delayed the start of snowmaking, but cold temperatures settled in and our snowmaking crew has done a great job making up for lost time,” said Rob Goodell, director of business operations at Loveland. “We still have some work to do, but the mountain looks great and we have 18 inches of snow from tree-to-tree for skiers and riders on Friday morning.”

Loveland's open terrain includes a single top-to-bottom run, dropping 1,000 vertical feet in a little over a mile via the trails Catwalk, Mambo and Homerun. Snowmaking was going nonstop since last Thursday with the exception of a short stoppage on Tuesday.

Loveland will be open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends and designated holidays. Early season lift tickets are $47 for adults and $22 for children ages 6-14.

Breckenridge to Get New Library

A plan to construct a new, bigger library in Breckenridge seemed to win favor with Summit County Commissioners and the public this week after developers Tuesday presented two plans: one to expand and another to replace the facility.


The project is intended to fix growing crowding problems in the south library branch's current building and to identify space for the district attorney and probation offices on the justice center campus.

The architectural firm charged with designing the new facility submitted two proposals for the project. One would remodel and expand the south branch of the library located on Airport Road in Breckenridge, but wouldn't increase the size enough to meet the community's long-term needs. The other, more expensive plan proposes constructing a whole new facility on Rankin Avenue in Breck.

“Even though (expanding the existing library) would more than double the space, if you look at the type of community you are and benchmark yourself against other similar communities in the region, even at that expanded size, you'd be small for the population served,” project architect Bruce Flynn told residents at a public open house Tuesday night.

A new building would also provide more opportunities for green construction and sustainable, Flynn from Denver's Barker Rinker Seacat, the firm leading the project, said. Both projects include additional space on the justice center campus for the probation and DA's offices. If a new library is constructed, the old building will be renovated to provide the office space.

The price tag on a new facility, for which architects presented two different layouts, could range from $2.5-$2.9 million. Renovating and expanding the old facility would cost between $1.7 and $2.1 million.

From residents at the meeting, the response was almost unanimous.

“I'd just hate to see you spend $1.5 million on this building, when it might not serve the (community's) needs down the road,” Breckenridge resident Stan Hodge said. His sentiment was echoed by others in the room, who called the decision a “no-brainer” and said, as taxpayers, they'd rather see their money invested in a facility that will last.

The county prioritized the project to expand or replace the south library branch due to space and crowding problems.

The library in Breckenridge had 92,000 visitors last year, compared to 86,000 at the main branch in Frisco and 80,000 at the north branch in Silverthorne, though it is smaller than both of the other facilities.

“We do the best we can with the space we've got,” library director Joyce Dierauer said. “But we need to have a bigger, better facility so that we can do a better job of serving the public in that end of the county.”

The funding to build that facility will likely come primarily out of county government's pockets. The project rises to the top of the list for capital funding next year, county officials said.

Funds raised from private donors and revenue from the sale of the building that currently houses the DA will also help cover the cost of the project.

County commissioners are expected to select one of the proposals by later this year. Fundraising efforts and a more detailed design process will take place through 2012, with construction likely to begin in 2013.

Courtesy of Summit Daily News

The Race is On!

It's a domino effect: First Copper Mountain, now Loveland Ski Area.

Snowmakers at Arapahoe Basin shouldn't be far behind.

Making snow at Summit County's ski areas has begun, leading the way among Colorado Ski Country USA member resorts. A fall storm that pushed into the mountains Thursday lent a hand with a few inches of snow to get things going — bringing with it the race to opening day.

Crews at Loveland were on a 24-hour standby before they fired up the guns at 2 p.m. Thursday. They start at Catwalk at the top of Chair 1 and work their way downhill to Mambo and Homerun to create a top-to-bottom trail that's more than a mile and nearly 1,000 vertical feet. When it's complete, they can announce Opening Day 2011.

“We had to wait out some warm nights,” said Eric Johnstone, Loveland's snowmaking and trail maintenance manager. “We thought we might be able to start last night, but the weather did not cooperate. Fortunately, the cold temperatures arrived today and we were able to fire up the snow guns this afternoon. The forecast is looking good, and we are ready to take advantage of the cold temperatures.”

On the other side of the Divide, at Arapahoe Basin, officials have intimated a high probability they'd begin making snow Thursday night. And at Copper, “production has begun, not a ton last night, but we're coating the ground in white,” spokesman David Roth reported from the snowmaking crews.

All the while, snow gracing the valley for the first time has snow enthusiasts itching for the real season to begin.

It typically takes about two weeks for Loveland's snowmaking team to cover the opening day run with an 18-inch base and tree-to-tree coverage for opening day, Loveland spokesman John Sellers wrote in an email. Loveland opened on Oct. 24 last season. Arapahoe Basin opened a day later.

“Firing up the snow guns in the middle of a blizzard is a great way to kick off the countdown to the season,” Sellers said. “The start of snowmaking means that opening day is just around the corner. Both employees and guests alike have been eagerly awaiting this day, and we are excited to get started. We are starting a little bit later than previous years, but we are still optimistic that cold temperatures will allow our crew to be very productive and keep us on track for our typical October opening.”

Stay posted on the Loveland crew's progress at skiloveland.com/snowmaking.

Snow in the forecast for Summit County Tonight

With a blast of cold weather moving in from the west, snow is in the forecast for Summit County Thursday and into the weekend.


The higher elevations could get 2-4 inches of snow Thursday, while the valleys will likely see a rain/snow mix starting Thursday afternoon, according to weather forecasters at the National Weather Service in Boulder.

After dark, there could be some accumulation on the roads at Loveland Pass and the Eisenhower Tunnel as the storm continues to move through the area, but there likely won't be more than a light dusting at lower elevations by Thursday night.

There is a 70 percent chance of precipitation Thursday, and temperatures are expected to sink into the 20s overnight tonight.

Friday is expected to be cool, with highs in the 40s, but dry before the next wave of wintry weather moves in this weekend.

More snow may fall Friday night and into Saturday with possible accumulation of less than 3 inches in the lower elevations and 3-6 inches on the peaks, according to forecasts.

Temperatures likely won't reach 40 degrees on Saturday.

While Summit County is only expected to see cold temperatures and limited precipitation, the storm is expected to hit other parts of the state hard.

Southwestern Colorado is under a winter storm warning and could see up to 12 inches of snow by Thursday night.

Hikers and motorists are encouraged to be ready for quickly changing conditions over the next few days.

Next week the weather may clear out and warm up again with “no storms on the horizon that we see right now,” said NWS meteorologist Bernie Meier.

So far, only the highest peaks around Summit have seen short-lived dustings of snow.

With good news in the forecast, Arapahoe Basin is gearing up for its annual race to opening day with Loveland. The ski area is shooting to start the season sometime in mid to late October.

The Associated Press contributed to the reporting of this story.

The aspens in all their autumn glory

The aspens, and other plants, in their fall colors.  Michael shot this just across Hooser Pass on Saturday.  That's Mt. Lincoln on the right and Mt. Democrat on the left.

Tax compliance not so simple for vacation rentals

The county has begun using new software to identify and collect unpaid sales and accommodations taxes from vacation rental owners, but some owners say they'd be happy to pay if they only knew how.


Complying with local municipal sales and accommodation tax and licensure requirements may not be as simple as it sounds, some owners say.

“I truly want to get into compliance,” said one vacation rental owner, who asked that his name be withheld. “It hasn't been clear … who is trying to collect the tax. Is it the county? Is it Breckenridge? Is it the state? I've had a business license, but there are no instructions, rules or anything about what you do. Actually collecting and delivering the taxes to somebody, that wasn't part of the explanation.”

Owners of vacation rental properties can contact their local municipality's clerk or finance offices for more information on how to comply with local tax and licensure laws. Private companies, like Hotspot Tax Services out of Denver, can also help individuals understand and file taxes on their short-term rentals.

From the Summit Daily News

Breckenridge Oktoberfest Video

A short video from yesterday's Oktoberfest in downtown Breckenridge and the first Annual RE/Max Properties of the summit Oktoberfest party.  Even though it rained off and on all day, everyone had a good time.  The festivities continue through today, ending at 5 p.m.

Breckenridge Oktoberfest Underway

Breckenridg's Oktoberfest is underway today - in the RAIN.

I can't remember a September that has been as wet as this one in the last 20 years!

But there are a ton of people downtown braving it out.  The beer probably helps!!

Breckenridge Receives a Gold Award for being Bike Friendly

With enhanced bike lanes, a communitywide bike-to-work program and, recently, some of the best cyclists in the world passing through its streets, Breckenridge was upgraded this week to a gold-level bike-friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists.


The town is now one of only 14 communities in the country to have received a gold designation, an elite group that includes Fort Collins, Steamboat Springs, Seattle and San Francisco.

Breckenridge's ties to and note in the bicycling community now rival those in the ski community, town officials said following the announcement of the award Tuesday.

“This is one of those arrows in the quiver to make Breckenridge more of a sustainable community,” town spokeswoman Kim Dykstra-DiLallo said. “The more people ride bikes and the easier it is to ride bikes, the less people have to rely on fossil fuel vehicles. It's a testament to how committed we are to cycling. It's a reflection of this community.”

This year, Breckenridge has put a renewed focus on improving the community for cyclists through infrastructure projects, events and programming that promote cycling in the community.

In the last year the town has created designated bike lanes on Main St. and Park Ave., as well as increasing educational resources about biking on its website, passing bike-friendly ordinances and increasing signage for bikes. This summer, Breck hosted a bike week complete with around-town rides with Mayor John Warner and director of the Colorado Tourism Office Al White and the stage five finish of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, one of the biggest spectator events in state history.

“We think that those are some of the reasons why we were increased up to the gold level,” Dykstra-DiLallo said. “The USA Pro Cycling Challenge put a good spotlight on Breckenridge. That probably had something to do with it as well.”

The League of American bicyclists ranks communities on a four-level scale - with bronze being the lowest, gold being the second highest and platinum the highest level - as part of its Bike Friendly America Program.

There are currently only three platinum-level bike-friendly communities in the country, one of which is Boulder, but Breck already has its sights set on getting to that highest level. Officials said they will be communicating with the League to get suggestions on ways to improve the ranking.

There are currently 190 ranked bicycle-friendly communities in 46 states nationwide that have implemented “successful, long-term bicycle plans and programs that provide quality of life improvements for their citizens,” League president Andy Clarke stated in a recent release. “Cities are choosing investment in bicycling, even in tough economic times as a key to building the places people want to live, work and visit.”

The bicycle friendly community award is given to communities that commit to improving conditions for bicycling, educational programs, infrastructure and pro-biking policies. The application process too receive the award is “rigorous,” according to the League. Out of 490 applications, only 190 communities have been given a bronze, silver, gold or platinum designation. The designation lasts four years, and in renewing their application communities can attempt to improve their rankings.

Additional information about the Bicycle Friendly America program is available online at www.bikeleague.org.

USA Pro Cycling Challenge Will Return to Breckenridge in 2012

After a successful inaugural year, the USA Pro Cycling Challenge will be back in 2012 for seven days of challenging cycling from August 20-26, officials announced Tuesday.


Race organizers have already begun planning for the 2012 race, and an official request for proposals for cities across Colorado to apply to be a 2012 host city will be issued at the end of the month.

Breckenridge, Copper Mountain Resort and Frisco have been specifically invited to submit proposals, said Allison Johnson, spokeswoman for the challenge.

The USA Pro Cycling Challenge considers a number of criteria when evaluating a potential host city, which at a minimum includes full city services support. The race also considers commitments in the areas of lodging, volunteer recruitment, marketing and local tourism.

In return, the USA Pro Cycling Challenge supports in-bound tourism efforts, attracting spectators from all over the world to stay, shop and dine in the host communities, according to the challenge.

In November of 2010, the USA Pro Cycling Challenge named 11 host cities for the inaugural race in August. Those cities included Colorado Springs, Salida, Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte, Gunnison, Aspen, Vail, Avon, Steamboat Springs, Breckenridge, Golden and Denver. All 11 of these cities have expressed interest in returning as a host city in 2012.

“The 2011 host cities were our earliest and most significant supporters. We are deeply grateful for that,” said Shawn Hunter, CEO of the challenge. “Now our attention turns to 2012. We are proud of the postcard we have created for Colorado with this race and are excited to offer the opportunity for other cities to also be showcased to a worldwide audience. So while our loyalty is with the cities who stepped up as early supporters, the field is wide open for which communities might be a host city in 2012.”

The request for proposals will be posted online at the end of September at www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com as well as sent directly to numerous Colorado cities that have expressed interest. Proposals are due on Oct. 31, and an announcement will be made by the end of November to name the next host cities for the USA Pro Cycling Challenge.

For seven consecutive days, 135 of the world's top athletes raced across 518 miles through the Colorado Rockies, reaching higher altitudes than they ever had to endure, more than two miles in elevation. The race featured the best in professional cycling, competing on a challenging course through some of America's most beautiful scenery, including cities such as Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge and Steamboat Springs.

Nearly 1 million spectators viewed the race from the roadsides along the route while more than 25 million watched the race on television in 161 countries and territories, including NBC and Versus. The USA Pro Cycling Challenge was one of the largest cycling events in United States history.

Spectators of the race saw Olympians, World Champions and the Tour de France podium finishers Cadel Evans, Andy Schleck and Frank Schleck.

On the final day, Levi Leipheimer of Team RadioShack was awarded the Quiznos Leader Jersey and crowned the first-ever champion of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge in front of a crowd in downtown Denver. Elia Viviani took the Smashburger Sprint Jersey, Tejay Van Garderen the Sheets Best Young Rider Jersey, Rafael Montiel captured the Nissan King of the Mountain Jersey and the Exergy Most Aggressive Rider Jersey of the final stage went to Timmy Duggan, a part-time Summit County resident.

Summit County: Remembrance on Peak 1

On Sept. 16 nearly a decade ago, yet another Western family formed at the base of Mount Royal. They gathered to carry timber, steel and an American flag to the summit of Peak 1 to erect a memorial for those who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in New York City, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.
Michelle Foster was one of those gathered for the original Hike for Freedom, which brought roughly 40 people together not only in their love of nature, but for their love of country. She was also one of about 20 people who came together Sunday to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the hike and the 9/11 tragedy.

“I read about it in the paper. I didn't know a lot of these guys then,” she said. She now knows many of them well through work and the close-knit community. “It was a big event for everybody, and I wanted to take part in it. Everyone was united and came up here... These guys did a good job of bringing the community together.”

Between that day and Sunday's hike, Foster has visited Peak 1 at least twice.

“It always holds that meaning,” she said, referring to the first time she summited, just days after the trauma rippled across the country.

Others involved in that first hike returned to the summit on Sept. 11 each year until about 2005, said Kurt Kizer, a mastermind behind the memorial. They'd replace the flag, which is weather-worn after a winter on the blustery peak.

Visits dropped off for a few years after the Forest Service opted to remove the flag in 2004, said Dave Simmons, another original organizer. The Peak 1 site has been the center for other political statements — like the 2003 incident where the flag was burned, presumably in protest of the war in Iraq, based on handwritten notes and computer printouts left behind.

While it lasted, though, scores of people ascended the 12,805-foot peak to contribute to the memorial or just to take it in. Tim Putz, who was also on the hike, said he's encountered New Yorkers who climb the peak just because they'd heard there was a flag on its summit.

Though revisiting the site dropped off when the memorial disappeared, Simmons and Kizer felt they had to revive the event on its 10th anniversary.

“Neither of us wanted to make the hike. We're fat and out of shape,” Simmons said. “But this is what we do. Kizer and I started brainstorming (a decade ago). We gotta do this because this is what we do and we gotta pay our respects. And it's gotta be something unique — Summit-County style.

This time around, it attracted a few more folks who, through their 2011 Peak 1 experience, have joined the family. For many of Sunday's hikers, it was their first time ascending Peak One. It was also a chance to reflect for several hours.

“I wanted to commemorate the event and think about the friend I lost,” Denver's Susan Harrington said, her voice choking up and tears welling up in her eyes. “It's just peaceful to be in nature and have a lot of time to think while hiking,” she added.

Kenny Cubas had become like an older brother to her when she moved to Boston for work. He and his wife befriended Harrington, inviting her over for dinner and just to make her feel at home. They'd vacation on Martha's Vineyard, and stayed in touch when Cubas and his wife moved to New York City. Harrington said Cubas had made it out of the building safely, but because he was a designated safety person for his area of the building, he went back in to help.

“He didn't make it out,” she said. “So many amazing people were lost. Can't we stop the fighting and have peace?”

Ray Anderson wore a New York Police Department T-shirt he purchased on a visit to Ground Zero sometime during the last decade.

“It was a very solemn experience,” he said, adding that he chose to do the hike to “be in nature and be closer to some of those we lost.”

Remembering the day most of us can't forget, the electrical engineer said he heard something unclear about planes hitting the World Trade Center on the radio as he pulled into his office in Golden that fateful day 10 years ago.

There's also the stories of the college students who left a class their teaching assistant didn't cancel to watch what was happening across the country.

And the stories from high school seniors, who were confronted with the news as they walked to class and thought the news was a bad joke — until their friend didn't smile or deny that it was true.

“It's been a heck of a decade,” Anderson said. “Everything has changed for us. Everything will change from here out.”

Despite the ripple effects of 9-11, including altered personal philosophies, political strategies, security measures and war on an ambiguous threat, people across the country found ways to re-unite over their patriotism on Sunday — and Summit County was no different.

Overlooking the Earth below, Kizer and Simmons pulled a tattered American flag from a pack, calling to the family of about 20 to come together for a photo. Everyone held a corner of the flag or each other, snapped a photo and became quiet for a moment of silence.

“It's simply amazing,” said Johnny Welsh, who runs Peak One regularly to train for competitions, of the hike. He added, “Out here, we're family. We stick together through thick and thin.”

Summit Stage Awarded $35,000 to Study Future Needs

The Summit Stage was awarded $35,000 to fund an extensive future needs study that could look at, among other things, ways to streamline routes and reduce delays, Stage officials announced Thursday.


The grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation, which will have to be matched locally, will help cover the expenses of the study to be conducted during the winter season.

“This study is needed because the Summit Stage is facing a number of service capacity issues now and in the near future,” Stage board president Kent Willis said in an email. “The study will allow us to address the current and future needs and growth of the Stage in a proactive manner instead of reacting to problems after they have occurred, which is never as efficient or satisfactory.”

The study will confront ongoing problems in the Summit Stage's service, from falling ridership to increases in expenses and to political discord over an internal Frisco loop. The service is also experiencing growing route times, which inconveniences riders.

“Actual travel times are increasing on the Frisco to Breckenridge route and the Silverthorne to Keystone route due to increased number of stops on these routes, traffic and ridership patterns,” Willis said. “Because it takes longer to travel these routes, our service is not as convenient to our riders as it used to be, which adversely affects ridership numbers. In addition, the Stage is receiving requests for additional services, such as a bus to Blue River. This study is needed in order to determine the best way to address these problems.”

The $70,000 study, which will include feedback from riders, is a starting point for the Summit Stage, allowing officials to take stock of the transit service before confronting serious questions regarding the funding, future service and administrative structure of the system.

Among those questions are requests for service from the towns of Blue River and Heeney, both of which have asked to be included in the system.

Facing a $500,000 budget shortfall next year, Stage officials are also considering asking voters for a .25 percent increase in the transit tax.

Another possibility on the table is a complete restructuring of the Summit Stage administration. Currently a division of the county government funded by taxes, officials are contemplating the idea of transforming the Stage into a rural transit authority, a move that would mean breaking with county government to establish an independent system.

This Summer's Countywide Pilot Composting Program to Continue

This summer's countywide pilot composting program had more than 60 participants — causing proponents to call it a success and shoot to keep the program running for individuals.


Summit County government and the High Country Conservation Center recently partnered with Faction & Company, owned and managed by Erick Becerril and Ethan Mason, to hand off the project on Sept. 22 to the private entity.

It will keep momentum on the effort to divert food waste from the landfill and thereby lend a hand to Mother Nature and the Earth.

“When food waste ends up in the landfill, it breaks down anaerobically (without oxygen) and produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas,” HC3 officials say.

Becerril and Mason currently collect compost, recycling and trash from residences and businesses and, later this month, will take on transporting what's dropped off at the Frisco Recycling Center to the landfill operation.

“We're already partnered with HC3 in our compost and recycling curbside pickup,” Becerril said. “So we decided to take on the drop-off because there's a lot of interest from not only existing participants, but HOAs who are looking at doing something similar to that.”

For $17 each month, compost program participants receive a 4.5 gallon compost collection bucket that can be emptied once a week at a time that's convenient to them. Faction & Company will provide a lock combination in lieu of scheduled drop-off times.

It's an honor system, where people tally their visits and Faction & Company tracks the weight of their pick-up and compares it to a rough calculation of what the weight should be.

Tunnel pace car idea to get another trial

An Aug. 13 test of a pacing process that keeps cars moving at a constant, but controlled speed to the Eisenhower tunnel from Silverthorne was successful, Colorado Department of Transportation officials said.


They plan to follow the test up with a longer trial run to Empire Junction later this month.

“Operationally, it went well,” CDOT spokesman Bob Wilson said.

Regional law enforcement and CDOT, agencies that partnered for the first test, will join forces again Sept. 25 to implement the longer trial pacing process from Silverthorne through the Eisenhower Tunnel to Empire Junction.

“Then what we'll do is another test in December when we have colder weather and driving conditions may be more winter-like,” Wilson said. “If all goes well, we'll start looking at possible implementation.”

The first test, conducted on a slower Saturday in the summer, allowed CDOT and law enforcement agencies to try out the pacing process, known officially as “rolling speed harmonization.” The various entities involved were able to communicate effectively and soon discovered they were able to keep traffic moving at a constant 55 miles per hour — just 5 miles per hour slower than the posted speed limit — by running patrol vehicles ahead of traffic with their lights activated in five-minute intervals from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

The practice is intended to keep cars moving up the 10-mile incline from the Silverthorne interchange to the Eisenhower Tunnel and beyond at a slower, more constant pace, which officials hope will prevent accidents and cars getting stuck with wheels spinning on icy roads.

“The idea was we could reduce accidents that happen when there are differential speeds or uncontrolled drivers in icy conditions,” CDOT traffic engineer Bernie Guevara told the Summit Board of County Commissioners at a recent joint meeting.

The process might also reduce the need for metering at the tunnel, officials said. Often, on busy weekends when traffic gets heavy, CDOT has to stop, or meter, traffic at Eisenhower for up to 20 minutes to prevent a gridlock inside the tunnel, which would isolate cars inside and prevent emergency vehicle access.

“If it results in the benefit of less metering we're all better off,” CDOT regional director Tony DeVito said of the pacing process. “What we'd like to do is delay that congestion if at all possible.”

If the longer test of rolling speed harmonization later this month and the December test both produce positive results the program might be implemented early next year, most likely on Sunday afternoons or peak travel days and weekends such as Martin Luther King Day. Officials said specific details are still to be determined.

Ambiance after dark in your yard

The love of being outdoors lures us to drift from afternoon to evening to nighttime enjoyment of our patios and backyards. That's partly because outdoor living resonates with our primal needs to connect with nature that get thwarted as we fight for space on the freeway and work in hermitically sealed offices.


At the end of the day, that lounge chair on the patio by the pot of petunias is ever so inviting. And when we can stretch late-day relaxation into the nighttime hours, it's all the better.

But if your patio or deck is well lit and the rest of your yard is pitch dark, you know that uncomfortable feeling of sitting in light while being surrounded by darkness. The cozy ambiance of soft lighting and candles where you relax is simply undone by the darkness that stretches beyond. That can feel a little creepy.

The solution, of course, is to add more light — but not too much and not too bright. Adding light to outdoor living areas has to be done strategically and with subtlety.

Lighting up interesting areas of the yard makes the whole landscape more enjoyable after dark — and it cures that uneasy feeling of being surrounded by total darkness. Adding better light to the area by the grill means more food prep can be done outdoors, and that's also a convenience factor with fewer steps back and forth to the kitchen.

Outdoor lighting is one of the more recent bells and whistles for landscaped areas — but it's also one of the most affordable options. It can be installed cost-effectively in a new yard and it can also be retrofitted later for not much more expense.

If you're thinking about lighting up the night around your home this season, think about security and safety as well as atmosphere. Notice whether people can see your address clearly at night, whether the sidewalk — and especially steps — are well lit. Outdoor lighting increases home security, and it's one of the top items on the list for curb appeal to consider if your home is about to go on the market.

Courtesy Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado and Neils Lunceford, a landscaping company based in Silverthorne that is a member. You may contact them at (970) 468-0340.

Tips for Travel Along I-70 this Weekend

From the Colorado Dept. of Transportation:


The last major summer holiday is nearing and that means motorists can expect more vehicles on Colorado highways. In general, traffic volumes increase about 10 percent during the summer months including over the Labor Day weekend. Typically, Friday tends to be the busiest travel day of the holiday weekend with steady traffic volumes the remainder of the weekend.

The heaviest traffic volumes during the weekend are expected on I-70 from Summit County to Denver as motorists head to the high country for the weekend. Last year, 164,535 vehicles traveled through the Eisenhower Tunnel during the holiday weekend. The peak travel time for westbound I-70 will be on Friday, September 2nd from approximately 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. The heaviest travel time for eastbound I-70 will be on Monday, September 5th from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“The traffic volumes at the Eisenhower Tunnel give us a good perspective on travel patterns for the entire state during the holiday weekend” said Colorado Department of Transportation Executive Director Don Hunt. “To minimize delays during the holiday weekend, CDOT will suspend all construction projects, but motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and avoid the peak travel times.”

You can plan your trip or check current traveler information by visiting www.cotrip.org or calling 511. You can also sign up for e-mail and text message alerts by visiting www.coloradodot.info and clicking on the cell phone icon in the upper right corner under the search function. Once on the sign-up page, you can select the lists that pertain to your travels and interests.

Colorado Ski Resorts are Spending More on Projects this Year

Colorado ski resorts are pumping more money into chairlift improvements this year after taking a breather last season.


Four new chairlifts are being built this season compared to only two last season, according to Colorado Ski Country USA, a state trade association, and Vail Resorts, which doesn't belong to the association.

Colorado Ski Country USA said Tuesday its 22 member resorts are spending $50 million on capital improvements for the 2011-12 season. That includes everything from high-profile projects such as chairlifts and terrain enhancement to essential but less sexy steps such as grooming machines.

In addition, Vail Resorts' four ski areas are spending tens of millions of dollars on improvements, easily boosting the state ski industry's investment over $75 million. Vail Resorts operates Vail Mountain, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone.

VR said it is making up to $90 million in on-mountain and lodging improvements company-wide, but that includes ski resorts outside of Colorado. No figure was available for the improvements just in Colorado.

The Aspen Skiing Co. is one of the resorts investing in a new chairlift. The new Tiehack Express at Buttermilk will be a high-speed, four-passenger chair. It replaces the Eagle Hill and Upper Tiehack lifts and reduces the ride time from 18 to 7 minutes. The Tiehack side of Buttermilk will also add gladed terrain.

Other new chairlifts in Colorado's ski country include:

The Rose Bowl high-speed quad chairlift at Beaver Creek. It will serve all terrain levels from novice to extreme.

Copper Mountain is replacing the High Point Lift in West Village. The Union Creek high-speed quad chairlift will have a new alignment designed to improve skier circulation out of West Village.

 Loveland will replace a Chair 4 with a fixed-grip triple-seat chair.

Several resorts are also building new restaurants or remodeling existin g eateries.

At Aspen Highlands, the Skico is gutting and remodeling the interior of the Merry-Go-Round Restaurant. The Skico also started construction on a new Elk Camp Restaurant which will open in the 2012-13 season. The new restaurant, which will replace Cafe Suzanne, will seat 300.

Vail is opening a 13,000-square-foot restaurant that will offer table service.

Other notable projects include Copper Mountain's development of a training center in a partnership with the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association. “To support and develop the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center at Copper, the resort is implementing a new automated snowmaking system, as well as safety, communications and timing equipment necessary to develop a unique training venue,” Colorado Ski Country USA said in a press release.

The training center will operate from Nov. 1 through Dec. 10 each winter to bolster the U.S. teams' ability to train for speed events before their competitive season begins.

Ski resort spending dropped before the 2010-11 season as operators dealt with the effects of the recession and the lingering economic hangover. Ski areas across the country invested heavily in high-speed chairlifts over a 20-year period starting in 1990. Now, many of those first-generation, high-speed chairlifts are nearing the point where they need to be replaced, according to an industry official. That will likely absorb capital improvement funds for the next several years.

Gathering at the Great Divide Art Festival

The tradition continues over Labor Day weekend and will feature over 100 artists with a wide range of media. Be sure to take a stroll through this event.


Where: Wellington Lot in Breckenridge

When: September 3- 5, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cost: FREE

More information: Mountainartfestivals.com

Beautiful $3 Million Dollar Home in Silverthorne

Beautiful home in exclusive Ruby Rance subdivision in Silverthorne.  Contact me for more details - 970-485-0293 or email at Nancy Yearout

USA Pro Cycling Championship End Stage Five in Breckenridge

USA Pro Cycling Challenge Comes to Breckenridge.

Breckenridge will host the stage five finish of the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge, a demanding seven-day road biking race that has attracted many of the top cyclists in the world. The race will roll through Breckenridge this Saturday , August 27.

RE/MAX Properties of the Summit in Breckenridge will be hosting a party at their office from around Noon to 5 p.m. The finish is expected to roll through Breckenridge between 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Come join us for a celebration of the return of Pro Cycling to Colorado and Breckenridge.

Breckenridge RE/MAX Properties of the Summit.

220 South Main Street

More information: USA Pro Cycling

Or give me a call - 970-485-0292 or an email - nyearout@colorado.net.

I hope to see you there!

Please Visit the Photographers for Shelter Pets Website

Please visit this site.  It is a wonderful resource for finding beautiful, loving animals that are available for adoption all across the country.

Photographers for Shelter Pets

Another View of the Downtown Breckenridge Town Home

Another view of this beautiful downtown Breckenridge town home.  Contact me
for the details:  970-485-0293 or email:  Nancy Yearout

Downtown Breckenridge Town Home

A beautiful town home in downtown Breckenridge.  Just across Main Street from the Quicksilver lift.  2 bedroom, 2 bath in perfect condition.  Contact Nancy Yearout at 970-485-0293 for the details.  Or visit:  Nancy Yearout

Breckenridge Distillery Wins Gold

Some of the best bourbon in the world is being distilled right up the road. The Breckenridge Distillery was awarded a prestigious gold medal in the 2011 International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) category for its Breckenridge Bourbon.


Founded in 1969 and held in The United Kingdom, the IWSC is considered to be the oldest and most prestigious competition of its kind. The awards given by the competition are of the highest honours in the industry. Judging includes a blind tasting consisting of panels selected from over 300 fully experienced and qualified industry judges followed by a detailed chemical analysis.

In the category of Bourbon, aged less than 10 years, only three gold medals were awarded this year, and Breckenridge Bourbon was ranked No. 2 in the world.

According to the judges, the bourbon has: “Gorgeous youthful swipe of fresh flavours of corn, spice and oak. Baked apple and ginger meld with sweet corn and clean oak. Surprisingly complex for its age with all the nose had coming out in full flavors and the fruit and vanilla really taking control. Lively, spicy, fruit filled finish.”

Producing small batch craft spirits at 9,600 feet above sea level, Breckenridge Distillery is the world's highest distillery, according to the owners, and creates award-winning spirits under renowned master distiller, Jordan Via.

Visit www.breckenridgedistillery.com to learn more.

Another View of my Mountain Side Listing

What a great location.  This small stream runs all summer long.  You should hear the lovely sound it makes from the deck of this 2 bedroom, 2 bath unit at Mountain Side Condos.  Priced to sell NOW.

Contact me for more details: 

nyearout@colorado.net