OpenSnow.com meteorologist Joel Gratz starts summer mountain forecasts

Courtesy Joel Gratz

#Breckenridge, Colorado

Arguably the best powder-predicting tool in Colorado, OpenSnow.com started in 2007 as one skier’s email list to friends.

Meteorologist Joel Gratz launchedColoradoPowderForecast.com a couple years later, and the site soon became OpenSnow.comafter he teamed up with Web developer and fellow meteorologist and skier Andrew Murray.

The site’s popularity and specialized forecasts snowballed over the years, and, this year, the business supported two full-time employees and six contracted regional forecasters in the winter.

Now, Boulder-based Gratz has returned to an email list for a new product: summer forecasts.

He delivers forecasts for eight mountain ranges in the state to inboxes on Mondays and Thursdays, hoping to gauge interest in weather reports for hikers, bikers, paddlers, climbers, runners and other lovers of Colorado summer activities.

Summer forecasting is the opposite of winter forecasting, said Gratz — who was called Snostradamus in a 2013 Outside magazine article.

In the winter, people look for those rare, standout powder days; while in the summer, outdoor enthusiasts want to avoid the few times when it’s raining.

WET BEGETS WET

Except so far this summer, rain has come on more days than not in Summit County and most of Colorado.

Just how wet has it been?

From May 1 through July 5, the weather station just east of Dillon recorded 4.08 inches of precipitation. That ranks that two-month period the 16th wettest in the last 107 years, Gratz said. The most precipitation ever recorded in that time was in 1949 when the station received 6.78 inches of water.

Since mid- to late-April, when a warm, dry trend reversed, the snow and then rain has persisted and much of the state has recorded above-average precipitation and even double-average in some spots.

“There’s no one reason for any specific type of weather,” he said, “but, you could probably think of this as being caused a lot by El Niño, which is getting quite strong.”

Though classified as moderate right now, the El Niño phenomenon has been increasing in strength through the spring and summer, he said, pushing up moisture from the southwest.

Meteorologist David Barjenbruch, with the National Weather Service in Boulder, said a Breckenridge station recorded 3.5 inches of water in the precipitation that fell in May and then 0.99 inches in June.

He said the wet weather has been caused by a large, upper-level disturbance sitting over the region for much of the spring and then a plume of subtropical moisture doing the same for the last few weeks bringing afternoon thunderstorms.

Normally, Coloradans enjoy a four- to six-week break between spring precipitation and monsoon season in July and August, Barjenbruch said; but this year, that lull lasted about a week and a half. In Summit, that translated to the last 10 days or so of June.

Looking forward, forecasts show wet weather continuing through Friday and then Summit should be drier and warmer for the weekend before showers return for much of the next week.

Barjenbruch said long-range High Country weather will be wetter and cooler than normal for the rest of the summer with an “enhanced monsoonal flow for most of the summer months” and occasional warmer, drier periods in between.

In other words, Gratz said, “We have been wet, we are wet and we’re going to continue to be wet.”

THE HUMAN ELEMENT

What sets Gratz’ previous online forecasts apart is they aren’t just dry numbers produced by a machine.

This new summer venture will stay true to the spirit of OpenSnow.com and its often humorous storytelling written by an actual person, he said. “That’s what people like, and that’s what we enjoy doing.”

In the future as the business produces even more specialized forecasts, he said he plans to leverage computer-modeling tools that have drastically improved in recent years and incorporate the personal touch that people value into more automated forecasts.

One thing the computer models haven’t quite figured out is the positive feedback of rain.

“When it rains a lot, the ground is really moist, and that moisture helps fuel additional storms,” Gratz said. With all the recent precipitation, “if you see a dry forecast, I wouldn’t take that at face value.”

He’s adding more education elements to his forecasts as well, so people can understand why and how the weather patterns work. For example, he has been writing about which direction backpackers can look for approaching storms to gauge whether a storm cloud will hit them and when.

He said he briefly forayed into summer forecasts in 2010 with a site called DontGetZapped.com as a way of helping folks understand thunderstorms and reduce their risk of getting struck by lightning.

“Lightning is the weather event, actually, that scares me the most because of the random nature of where it strikes,” he said. “I don’t play around with it.”

He said he’s amazed by how few people are injured by lightning each year, despite the high number of people recreating above tree line, many without considering the weather or the rule about leaving exposed terrain by noon.

For folks who do pay attention to the forecast and notice a thunderstorm won’t likely arrive until much later in the day, Gratz offered some advice.

“If the first storm isn’t going to come up until 3, I don’t leave any later; I’m just not as concerned about pushing the pace,” he said. “It’s always best to be a little more cautious than what the forecast shows.”

To receive free summer forecasts twice a week from the folks at OpenSnow.com, visitTrailForecast.com and join the email list.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Today's top 5 things to do in Summit County

#Summit County, Colorado.

Today's top 5 things to do in Summit County:

La Cage Aux Folles

Dillon, July 7, 8, 9 & 10

6:30 p.m. (July 7-9) and 7:30 p.m. (July 10), The Lake Dillon Theatre Company, 176 Lake Dillon Drive. Georges and Albin get a lesson in family dynamics when Georges’ now grown son announces his unexpected engagement to the daughter of a bigoted politician. At the request of his love-struck son, Georges masquerades as straight when he meets the bigoted family of his sons bride-to-be.

Ping Pong Tournament

Breckenridge, July 7

7 p.m., The Mine Breck, 200 North Main St. Free Ping Pong Tournament. Sign up at 7 p.m. and play begins at 7:30 p.m. Double elimination bracket, bar tab for first and second place.

NRO Recreation Center Concert

Breckenridge, July 7

4:30 p.m., Breckenridge Recreation Center, 880 Airport Road. The annual special performance of select members of the National Reparatory Orchestra in the lobby of the Breckenridge Recreation Center. (970) 453-1734.

Mountain Goat Kids Trail Running Series Race #1

Frisco, July 7

5:45 p.m., Frisco Adventure Park, 621 Recreation Way. Races are open to kids age 0-13; distances vary from .5 mile to a 5k. Kids will receive a finisher gift as they cross the finish line as well as a slice of pizza at the Frisco Day Lodge to celebrate their accomplishment. Families are encouraged to hang out and enjoy the free activities: Horseshoes, cornhole, coloring, the Frisco Bike Park, the Frisco Skate Park, Peak One Disc Golf Course and more.

Boureas

Breckenridge, July 7

5 p.m., Blue River Bistro, 305 N. Main St. Boureas performs World, Latin Jazz with Thomas Haupt on classical guitar and Todd Anders Johnson on cajon.

To view a full listing of today’s events visit http://www.summitdaily.com/Entertainment/Calendar/

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Breckenridge on track for strong summer business

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

Summer in Breckenridge is off to a potentially record-breaking start for lodging and property-management companies, with visitors flocking to parades, taking to trails, filling lodging rooms and clogging Interstate 70.

According to a Breckenridge Tourism Office report from May 31, bookings for June through November showed a 19-percent gain over 2014.

That increase represents up to 22 properties or property management companies or more than 60 percent of the town, said Rachel Zerowin, BTO public relations director.

The summer gain isn’t a fluke event, she said, as summer bookings have trended upward over the last few years.

AN EARLY START

Zerowin credited a few factors with this year’s jump, including early marketing and a rise in group business.

“Summer marketing started earlier than ever this year,” she said, with the BTO targeting summer visitors as early as February and March.

Occupancy in June, a historically slow month as Summit County waits for mud to dry, showed a slight gain in bookings over 2014, she said, likely because of large increases during the weekend of the Spartan Race.

The obstacle-race event on June 13 brought 20 percent or more increases in occupancy over that weekend compared to last year, and Zerowin said she was excited to see how that event impacted Breckenridge tax revenue.

Local lodging leaders said the town’s first Spartan Race drew more people than the ninth annual Kingdom Days historical celebration the following weekend.

“That race was over 5,000 participants, and then you add on a person or a person and a half on average per entry,” said Bruce Horii, director of marketing and sales for Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center. “We were full, at least for a couple of the nights surrounding that.”

Group bookings, driven by conferences, meetings, family reunions and similar events, has grown in 2015.

Beaver Run is already up 12 to 13 percent in summer conference and event business over 2014, with plenty of booking time to go, Horii said, which he attributed to improved economic conditions encouraging companies to spend more on travel.

“There’s some pent-up demand to get to the mountains,” he said. “It’s going to be a fairly-active summer, businesswise.”

Horii said Beaver Run’s strategy for the rest of the summer and fall is to book as many conferences and large groups as possible during the week and then draw visitors with events like Oktoberfest in September on the weekends.

He hopes people will embrace Breckenridge and Summit County as a home base during the USA Pro Challenge cycling race in late August.

GAS DOWN, SPENDING UP

Fourth of July is typically the busiest summer holiday for travel, according to AAA.

The nonprofit travel organization projected more people traveled during the days surrounding the holiday than any year since 2007 — an increase driven by Fourth of July gas prices, which AAA reported were at their lowest in the last five years. The national average gas price was about two-thirds the cost of gas last year, while hotel and airfare prices climbed slightly.

In Breckenridge, Great Western Lodging general manager Jeff Cospolich said Thursday that his properties were sold out for the Fourth of July weekend.

As the holiday fell on a Saturday this year and a Friday last year, he wasn’t yet sure whether or not that would translate to increased revenue over 2014.

July as a whole has shown large gains in bookings, he said, and June, August and September are also up for the company.

“It’s exciting to see the pace,” he said.

The positive outlook among property managers extends to the town’s restaurant, retail and other business sector leaders.

“We’re pretty optimistic about the summertime,” said Ken Nelson, president of the Breckenridge Restaurant Association.

The co-owner of four Breckenridge restaurants — Briar Rose Chophouse and Saloon, Empire Burger, Giampietro Pizzeria and Park and Main — said he pays attention to the reports and forecasts from industry analysts.

“We’re not in the lodging business, but it is kind of nice to see what they’re experiencing,” he said.

Breckenridge lodging businesses have informed Nelson that they expect to be 85 percent full or more for the next seven Saturdays.

“We know what that feels like in town,” he said, adding that his restaurants are fully-staffed with employees who enjoyed leisure time in mud season and returned ready to work.

Visitation gains in Breckenridge should spill over to the rest of Summit County and the High Country.

Summer occupancy figures across the mountain-resort industry were up an aggregated 8.5 percent compared to 2014 based on bookings as of May 31 for the six months from May through October, as of the May 31 report from industry analyst DestiMetrics. Lodging revenue for the same period was up 14 percent.

“Summer is a growth-opportunity season for mountain destinations, said Ralf Garrison, DestiMetrics director. “In particular, during the last five years as the economy strengthened and the value of year-round diversification has become clear, mountain resorts have been capitalizing on that untapped potential by expanding their recreational offerings, base-area amenities, calendar of special events and marketing to a wide audience of outdoor enthusiasts.”

The organization forecasted gas prices should remain low throughout the summer, and 2015 economic indicators including the Consumer Confidence Index, Dow Jones Industrial Average and national unemployment rate bode well. Plus, people are booking vacations earlier, following a winter trend over the last two years.

“Longer lead-times for bookings is another reassuring trend for mountain properties as it increases the chances of guests following through with their mountain vacation plans, even if the market or weather events experience a shift from expectations,” Garrison said.

BUSINESS BARRICADES

The main challenge for summer lodging business remains gridlock on the I-70 corridor, Horii said. CDOT reported traffic caused two-plus hour delays to Denver from Summit County on Sunday afternoon.

“We can’t go through life with every Sunday being a traffic mess,” Horii said.

In June, Gov. John Hickenlooper was scheduled to be the lunchtime keynote speaker at a conference at Beaver Run and was late because of I-70 delays.

Horii said construction has since changed to nighttime, which has helped some.

Another obstacle during some summers can be weather.

Cospolich said the wet spring has meant fewer conversations about wildfire, especially among visitors who often assume a Front Range fire means they won’t want to visit the High Country.

“They might take that to mean all the mountains in Colorado are on fire right now,” he said.

In the key Texas market, Cospolich said, flooding at home slowed vacation bookings in late May and early June as Texans were more concerned about property damage than escaping to the mountains.

That blip has since evened out, and now hot weather on the Front Range, in Texas and elsewhere around the country has been drawing those seeking relief at altitude.

Overall, Cospolich said, “it looks like another perfect storm as far as the summer for business.”

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Pedal your way to dining, camping, floating, fishing and more on Lake Dillon

#Summit County, Colorado.

Special to the Daily

On a summer day at Dillon Reservoir, land and water come together to create Summit County’s most iconic recreational playground. Known fondly as “Lake Dillon,” it’s one of the only places in this land-locked state where mountain sports are inspired by a combination of bikes, boats and tiki bars.

“We call Lake Dillon the ‘Tahoe of Colorado,’” said Javier Placer, co-founder of Stand Up Paddle Colorado, following a sunny Sunday lunch at Pug Ryan’s Lakeside Tiki Bar at the Dillon Marina. This is the third year the paddleboard and kayak rental company has been out on Dillon Reservoir.

“Here, you’re surrounded by mountains,” he said. “You have this long bike trail that goes all the way around, so you can walk and ride; on the water, you can kayak, you can canoe, and you can paddleboard.”

LAND CRUISE

The total paved loop around the lake is 18 miles, with 1,100 feet of elevation gain, achieved mostly in the uphill ascent (and fast descent) over Swan Mountain on the south side of the reservoir.

“There are options to start from essentially anywhere in Summit County,” said Kerstin Anderson, marketing and events director for the town of Dillon. “The cemetery at the Frisco Marina, Dillon Amphitheater, Sapphire Point parking lot at the top of Swan Mountain being some of the most common.”

Parking near the amphitheater in Dillon and heading clockwise on the trail is a great way to start, with a rolling beginning that makes its way toward Keystone for several miles and then up and over Swan Mountain.

Swing down toward Frisco after taking a scenic water break at Sapphire Point on the top of Swan Mountain, taking in views of the Gore, Williams Fork and Ten Mile mountain ranges. After heading down the road and crossing Highway 9 at the high school, ride for a few miles before taking a right to go toward the Frisco Peninsula and the Frisco Marina.

In the summer, the Frisco Adventure Park at the Frisco Peninsula has a bike park for all levels, with a dual slalom bike course, dirt jumps, slopestyle course and a pump track, as well as a skate park and a disc-golf course. Helmets are required for the bike park. The outdoor amenities are free and open to the public, weather dependent.

Make your way to the Island Grill at the Frisco Marina for some fuel and a cold brew and then head toward Dillon on the path — another 6 1/2 miles of gently rolling hills followed by a traverse over the top of the Dillon Dam.

“The undulating topography — everywhere, except over Swan Mountain — gives you time to recover from the uphill climbs,” Anderson said. “It’s fun to stop along the way and play at the ‘Dillon Beach,’ stop at Marina Park or grab lunch from the Tiki Bar.”

If you take your time, with stops along the way that allow for a sit-down session in Frisco or Dillon, allow at least three hours for the experience. Fast riders could do the loop in less than two hours. For a more leisurely cruise, bike from Dillon to Frisco and back on the 13 miles (round trip) of rolling trail.

Rent bikes at Lake Dillon Bike Rentals, three blocks from Dillon Marina (inside Lake Dillon Liquors), for one hour, three hours, a full day or an overnight, and full-day bike rentals are available from Kayak Lake Dillon at the Frisco Marina.

“A ride around the marina is so much fun with friends and family,” Anderson said. “It is incredibly scenic with fun stops along the way.”

STAY AND PLAY

Boat rentals of all kinds are available at the Frisco and Dillon marinas. Locals and visitors can paddle canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddlboards all around the lake and its inlets.

“The great thing about the lake is that you’re in a confined space,” Placer said. “So even if you’re out there and the wind blows, typically you’re going to be blown to shore; it’s not like you’re going to be blown into the middle of the ocean.”

Early starts are always recommended for playing in and around the lake to avoid being caught outside during one of Colorado’s notorious afternoon summer thunderstorms.

“We always recommend planning, checking the weather and always starting early,” Placer said. “In Colorado, weather can pick up in the afternoon, and winds can gust at 20 to 40 mph, so knowing that and having the right information and the right equipment — like having your life jacket on — is always smart.”

Most of the rental hubs take drop-in customers, but reservations are always recommended. Stand Up Paddle Colorado has a fleet of more than 30 paddleboards, as well as sit-on-top kayaks.

“Because we are right on the water, people do walk in,” Placer said. “But there are certain blocks when we are completely booked out, so the best is to call ahead of time.”

Dillon Reservoir also has 25 miles of shoreline for fishing. Check out the Blue and Snake river inlets and Giberson Bay.

“Adjacent to the Dillon Marina and down around the Dillon Amphitheater there are flat, sandy, beach-like areas, great for hanging out, picnicking and fishing,” Anderson said.

Most campgrounds are open to use until the week after Labor Day in September. Day-use picnic areas are also nice to use for day gatherings on the water. Some day and overnight spots can be reserved, and some are first-come, first-served.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Behind the scenes at Frisco's 4th of July fireworks show

#Frisco, Colorado.

Joe Moylan / Special to the Daily

Most people don’t start thinking about the Fourth of July until about the end of June at the earliest. But Lake Dillon Fire chief Jeff Berino usually starts around February. That’s because he’s in charge of ordering the fireworks shells for the Frisco and Keystone Independence Day shows, and it takes a while to get them shipped. Berino orders fireworks from a variety of places both in and out of the U.S., including China, Japan and Italy. Some of his favorites come from Japan, he said, which provides a lot of “absolutely gorgeous” competition-grade fireworks.

Berino has been involved with the fireworks shows for the past 36 years. Back in the 1970s and ’80s, he said, the fire departments were in charge of these shows, which is how he first got started with them. Now, regulations require certain specific licenses and certification, which Berino and his crew have acquired, to put on a fireworks show of this size.

Berino is currently in charge of both the Frisco and the smaller Keystone fireworks displays. Though he can only be present at one — in Frisco — he helped to plan both of them. Keystone will be “a very intense 10-minute show,” he said, while Frisco’s fireworks will last for 25 minutes and will be set to music played on local radio station Krystal 93.

“As the music picks up pace, so do the fireworks,” Berino said. They also match the song currently playing. So if there’s a mention of the color green in the song lyrics, for example, a green firework will explode across the sky. The same goes for red, white and blue, of course.

Because of its placement, shooting across the water, Frisco’s fireworks show will feature the biggest shells, up to 10 inches across that go 1,200 feet high before exploding. These large shells are required to be buried in the ground before being set off, for safety reasons.

Viewers can expect plenty of the traditional fireworks and commonly seen shapes like crowns, stars and serpents. They can also expect to see some of those competition-grade designer shells Berino is excited about, such as the octopus, palm tree, stained glass and dragon’s eggs.

“I can’t wait to see what the dragon eggs look like, because I’ve never seen a dragon,” Berino said.

Berino is a self-proclaimed “nerd” when it comes to fireworks, and works months ahead of time to make sure that the shows not only will go off without a hitch, but will be spectacular for anyone watching.

Setup includes three days of work from a 10-man crew, and nearly 3 miles of wire that connects to a computer.

“It’s a lot of work for 25 minutes of fun,” said Berino, but he’s excited to do it every year. “It’s a lot of work, but we do get a lot of enjoyment making a lot of the people in the county happy.”

While there is no fireworks ban this year, Berino urges Summit County locals and visitors to forgo the small personal fireworks, which always come with safety risks, and enjoy the larger shows instead.

“Leave the shows to the three professional shows in the county,” he said. “The key is safety.”

Besides, he’s pretty sure his display of firepower will far outshine any store-bought 3-foot-tall whistling fountains.

“It’s spectacular in the mountains in Summit County,” Berino said, “the way it echoes around the mountains.”

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Celebrate Independence Day in Summit County with fireworks, live music

#Summit County, Colorado.

Courtesy of Breckenridge Tourism Office

Ready to get your red, white and blue on? Maximize your Fourth of July holiday with these events and activities around Summit County.

BRECKENRIDGE

Breckenridge will stretch its Independence Day party into a three-day weekend, with new traditions, including Breckenridge Creative Arts’ inaugural Street Arts Festival. Cyclists in the Firecracker 50 mountain bike race will lead out the parade, followed by the Red, White and Blue Color Guard and floats at 10 a.m. The best parade seats in town can be had at the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance’s annual Garden Party at the Barney Ford House Museum Lawn.

Kids’ activities and a free concert with roots rockers the BoDeans round out the afternoon, and the evening closes with the National Repertory Orchestra’s patriotic concert and a fireworks display visible throughout town. Visit www.gobreck.com for Garden Party tickets and more details.

Events

• All day — Street Arts Festival, presented by Breckenridge Creative arts, including 3D pavement drawings and sidewalk illusions, plus a chalk art contest with kids, teen and adult categories.

• All day — Life-sized, 6-foot-by-20 foot coloring book in the Blue River Plaza, plus games including tic-tac-toe and hopscotch

• 7 a.m. — Independence Day 10K Trail Run; registration is full, but spectators are encouraged to watch the start and finish at Carter Park

• 9 a.m. — Fourth of July Garden Party with the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance; reserve early, the party sells out every year

• 9:30 a.m. — Firecracker 50 Mountain Bike Race

• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. — 32nd annual Breckenridge July Art Festival at Main Street Station presented by Mountain Art Festivals, featuring everything from jewelry, glass and photography to sculpture, bronze, ceramics and painting

• 10 a.m. — Official parade start with the Red, White and Blue Color Guard; after, head to the Blue River Plaza for a reading of the Declaration of Independence by George Washington

• 12:30 to 3 p.m. — Viper “Show and Shine” on Main Street

• 1 to 3 p.m. — Kids’ Water Fight on Main Street

9:45 p.m. — Fireworks (weather permitting) visible from all over town (shot from the Gondola North lot)

Live music

• Noon to 8 p.m. — Cody Wayne will bring his show to Burke & Riley’s with a collection of artists creating their work in tandem with Wayne’s music

• 2 p.m. — Free concert with the BoDeans at the Riverwalk Center

• 8 p.m. — National Repertory Orchestra’s Fourth of July Patriotic Concert at the Riverwalk Center; indoor seating is sold out, but lawn seating is free

DILLON

• 7 p.m. — Concert with Neil Diamond tribute band Forever in Blue Jeans, part of the Sunset at the Summit concert series at the Dillon Amphitheater; visit www.townofdillon.com for more information

• 8 p.m. — Silverthorne hip-hop electronica band The Superlatives play the Lake Dillon Tavern, with an opening DJ and DJ Diabeats following the band’s set at midnight. Tickets are $5 at the door; visitwww.soundcloud.com/superlativesmusic to hear the group’s music, or call (970) 468-2006 for more about the show

FRISCO

Frisco is hosting a full day of Independence Day celebrations, starting with a pancake breakfast hosted by Team Summit and ending with a fireworks display over Dillon Reservoir. This year, Jon “Zeke” Zdechlik and Jon Kreamelmeyer will serve as the official grand marshals of the 2015 Frisco Fourth of July parade. Both served as U.S. Nordic Paralympic coaches, and Zdechlik was a former member of the U.S. Nordic Combined Team.

Frisco also invites kids to display their creativity and patriotism in the 15th-annual bike parade. Kids 12 and younger are eligible for the bike-decorating contest and must be accompanied by their parents who must register and sign a waiver for each participating child. After registering, kids will show off their bikes to a small panel of judges and then join the parade. Every child must wear a helmet to participate.

The Frisco Bay Marina will have attendant-aided parking all day on the Fourth, with limited availability, so it is recommended that guests park elsewhere in town and walk to the marina. Outside alcohol will not be permitted, and coolers will be checked. This is a pet-friendly event. Main Street from Madison Avenue to Seventh Avenue will be closed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 4. For more information, contact the town of Frisco at (800) 424-1554, or go to www.frisco4th.com.

Events

8-11 a.m. — Pancake Breakfast, located at the old community center at Third Avenue and Granite Street to benefit Team Summit; $10 for adults and $6 for kids 8 and younger

9-11 a.m. — Kids Fishing Derby at Meadow Creek Park (behind Walmart) staffed by and benefitting the Gore Range Chapter of Trout Unlimited; registration on site

11:45 a.m. — Kids are asked to bring their decorated bikes to the parking lot on the west side of Town Hall at Main Street and Madison Avenue

12:30 p.m. – Fourth of July Parade and 15th annual kids’ bike parade, Main Street from Madison Avenue to Sixth Avenue

9:30 p.m. — Frisco’s fireworks display over Dillon Reservoir with a simulcast of patriotic music on Krystal 93, 93.9, or on www.krystal93.com

Live music

• 10-11 a.m. — Summit Concert Band, Frisco Historic Park

• 11 a.m. to noon — Timberline Toppers Square Dance, Frisco Main Street

• 1:30-3:30 p.m. — Concert from Denver melodic hard-rock band Guild of Ages on Main Street in front of the Historic Park

• 3:30-5 p.m. — Interactive drum circle with Peak Rhythms on Main Street

• 7:15-9:15 p.m. — Concert from Eagles tribute band Long Run at the Frisco Bay Marina

• 10 p.m. — John Truscelli and the Stolen Band play the annual Fourth of July party at the Moose Jaw; for more information, call (970) 668-3931

KEYSTONE

Keystone is celebrating our nation’s birthday with flare. Start the morning with a fishing derby, where children 12 and younger can fish from the grassy area on the north and east end of the lake and the entire family can cheer them on, followed by raffle prizes, a barbecue and live music.

Free parking will be available in the River Run Parking Lot (River Run Village) and the Keystone Conference Center Parking Lot (Lakeside Village) just off of Highway 6, across from the Keystone Lodge. Walk through the underground tunnel to the village. For more information, visitwww.keystoneresort.com.

Events

• 8-9:30 a.m. — Fishing derby; no barb or bait is allowed, and Cutthroat Anglers will be on hand to help you pinch down barbs.

• 9-11 a.m. — Super Slimy Science at Kidtopia Headquarters, where kids can familiarize themselves with Summit County aquatics and the biological and chemical aspects of the Snake River through hands-on activities, including searching for water bugs and performing fun chemical tests on the river.

• 10:30 a.m. — Bike Decoration Party; children will receive decorations for their bikes and must be present to receive the decorations. One decoration bag per child. Parents are invited to join the fun and are encouraged to bring their own decorations.

• 11 a.m. — Children’s Bike Parade for bikes, tricycles or wagons

• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — A la carte barbecue at Edgewater Grill

• 7:30-9:30 p.m. — Fourth of July VIP Lounge, located on the Mountain View Terrace of the Keystone Lodge and Spa; tickets are $25 for adults (includes 2 drink tickets) or $15 for ages 20 and younger, which includes prime viewing for fireworks and a gourmet hot dog buffet (weather dependent)

• 9 p.m. — Free fireworks show visible from Lakeside Village

Live music

• Noon to 3 p.m. — Bluegrass band Trout Steak Revival performs at Lakeside Village

• 7-9 p.m. — Funk and soul band The Burroughs performs at Lakeside Village

• 9:30 p.m. — DJ Rudeboi plays top-40 favorites at the Snake River Saloon; doors open at 4 p.m., call (970) 468-2788 for more information

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Silverthorne named top destination for vacation that won't break the bank

#Silverthorne, Colorado.

With its central, Summit County location, affordable housing and access to several trails and features, Silverthorne was named a “top affordable vacation destination” by TripAdvisor.

Ashlee Centrella, a spokeswoman for TripAdvisor, said that the town was chosen from a list of 150 destinations across the United States. Each of the locations had more than 500 user reviews, but the group was narrowed down to a list of 29 by the cost of a two-bedroom vacation rental and nearby warm-weather features for visitors.

For example, a condo rental in Wildernest can go as low as $70 per night. According to TripAdvisor, the average cost for a two-bedroom rental runs at $1,089 per week, much cheaper than Vail, Breckenridge, Aspen, Boulder or Denver.

“I think the biggest thing is the affordability,” said Anthony Benz, marketing and tourism manager at the Outlets at Silverthorne. “The access is so close. You may not be in River Run Village, but you have access to the shopping.”

Right off of Interstate 70, it’s not a far drive to some of the free summer events and festivals hosted throughout the county, including Fourth of July fireworks, parades and weekly concerts in Frisco and Dillon. Sandwiched between two marinas, it’s also a short trip for a day out on the lake.

Benz added that the nearby Blue River bike path as well as Lily Pad Lake, Cataract Lake and Oro Grande hiking trails bring lots of visitors out during the summer.

“For me, with the activities during the summer, there are so many things to choose from on so many different levels,” he said. “If you’re driving in from Missouri and just throw a bike rack on the back of your car, you have tons of options, gorgeous options.”

For those seeking a break from the outdoors, Silverthorne’s namesake outlets are also a choice. While the name-brand stores differ from the boutiques lining the Main Streets of Frisco and Breckenridge, Benz said that familiarity is a draw for many.

“We see those visitors who are drawn to those names that they recognize,” he said. “That’s what makes Silverthorne so great — it’s just a one-stop shop.”

While Summit County is often associated with winter sports and ski resorts, he said that summer tourism surpasses ski season in Silverthorne, with more visitors in the town for a longer period of time. He added that Summit sees more visitors from within the U.S. during the warmer months, with the ease of a road trip unhampered by icy winter roads.

“We see a lot of Front-Rangers trying to escape the heat,” he said. “There are also a lot of people coming from the Midwest. We see that on a daily basis.”

As peak season approaches with the summer holiday months, he said business continues to boom.

“In last couple of weeks, we’ve seen a lot of vacationers going through,” he said. “It’s just been exploding.”

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Breckenridge Creative Arts adds new Street Arts Festival to Fourth of July lineup

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

Liam Doran

Breckenridge Creative Arts will introduce its inaugural Street Arts Festival to the lineup of Fourth of July weekend activities in Breckenridge, transforming downtown sidewalks, streets and plazas into giant concrete canvases. This celebration of street, pavement and graffiti arts takes place from Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5, on the Breckenridge Arts District campus, located on the corner of Washington Avenue and Ridge Street in downtown Breckenridge.

Building on the success of past years’ chalk art contest held on the Fourth of July on Washington Avenue, the Street Arts Festival will continue to host the popular holiday contest, while also presenting some of the region’s best muralists, painters and graffiti artists in a weekend of chalk art and temporary graffiti installations. In addition, themed workshops will be held on the Arts District campus, as the three-day festival showcases the art of street painting and graffiti work through innovative uses of chalk design, pavement illusion and spray-can technique.

“Street-art disciplines have really started to come into their own on the international scene,” said Robb Woulfe, CEO of Breckenridge Creative Arts. “Sidewalk chalk paintings, in particular, are not often thought to be a high art, but drawing with chalk is nostalgic and can bring a community together. We think our inaugural festival will provide a great opportunity for our guests to both creatively express themselves, as well as marvel at some of the incredible designs of our featured artists.”

FEATURED ARTISTS

Regional artists Emit, James “East” Foster, Joe Suta and Satyr will be featured at the festival with their groundbreaking graffiti work, as well as Bryce Widom from Boulder, an accomplished chalk and oil painter; Naomi Haverland, from Denver, who has won multiple awards at the Denver Chalk Art Festival, including People’s Choice; and Chris Carlson, also from Denver, who creates anamorphic 3D chalk art.

“When viewed from one specific viewing point, the drawing will look 3D,” Carlson said. “It will look like the drawing is coming off of the ground or plummeting into the ground. The further you move away from the viewing point, the more distorted my art becomes. From the side, it looks very strange and stretched out.”

Carlson has been a chalk artist for about five years, he said, and his themes generally revolve around subjects from his childhood, from old-school video games to toys, creating a feeling of nostalgia that’s fun for him to create and fun for viewers to interact with. He starts each piece with a sketch, brainstorming a concept that he wants to convey and figuring out where everything will fall on the pavement.

“It’s kind of a time crunch,” he said. “When I get there, I want to have everything laid out and get the drawing down and render everything, so I can get it looking as good as I can in the two-day window.”

Many people have only experienced Carlson’s style of chalk art through photos on the Internet, almost all of which are taken from the perfect angle to show the art’s 3D effect. Carlson will have that sweet spot labeled on the ground for prime viewing, but his work can also be seen from other angles.

“You can see it from the side and off angles, which is something you don’t get to experience when you see the pictures online,” he said. “Most people have experienced these but not in person. They get to see behind the curtain, experience the secret. It’s really cool to see someone down there creating the artwork in front of you.

“With a medium like chalk, everyone is familiar with it, but not everyone has put in the time to get to the level of chalk creation that we do. You can see someone who took it too seriously and learned how to do it really well.”

EXPERIENCE THE FESTIVAL

Artists will begin work on their temporary chalk and graffiti installations on Friday, July 3, at 4 p.m. and will continue working through that evening. Starting at 6 p.m. that night, the Street Arts Festival will be accompanied by the second installment of the LateNite @ the District series, with music from Leon Joseph Littlebird at 6 p.m. and headliner Todo Mundo at 8 p.m. and a free screening of the Steven Spielberg classic “E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial” at 10 p.m.

The festival artists will continue work on their installations from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 4, and the installations will remain on display through Sunday, July 5. The chalk art contest, designed for children, teens and adults with cash prizes, starts on Saturday, July 4 at noon; there will also be a kids’ graffiti workshop in Old Masonic Hall on Saturday, July 4, from 1 to 3 p.m.

For more information on the inaugural Street Arts Festival and other events and workshops presented by Breckenridge Creative Arts, visit breckcreate.org.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.