Beaver 9, Breckenridge Golf Club’s bragging hole

#Breckenridge #Colorado

Special to the Summit Daily

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There's something slightly intimidating about a Jack Nicklaus course in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.

Breckenridge Golf Club is home to 27 holes on three courses, including two designed by the golf legend to complement narrow valley corridors and stunning vistas of the nearby Tenmile Range.

Nicklaus has his name on more than a few of Colorado's most prestigious High Country courses — the Summit Course at Cordillera in Edwards is another prime example of his alpine expertise — but ask head PGA pro Erroll Miller and he'll tell you Breckenridge is special, particularly the Beaver Course.

Built in 1987, the Beaver is one of the club's two original nines, finished just two years after the Bear Course. The Beaver is easily the narrowest course at Breckenridge, filled with tight, straight fairways lined on both sides by marshy wetlands. Add plenty of bunkers, relatively small greens and, of course, beaver ponds, and it can be an unforgiving nine for golfers without pinpoint accuracy.

But once the mechanics are dialed in, Miller says the course is a hidden gem. And one of the finest examples comes at the very end with Hole 9, itself a hidden gem.

BEAVER HOLE 9

PAR 3 | 195 YARDS (MEN), 120 YARDS (WOMEN)

Why does Erroll love the often-overlooked Hole 9? Two words: bragging rights.

"On any par 3, there's always the opportunity for the hole-in-one," says Erroll, who's been club pro since Bear opened in 1985. "That's one thing I like about it. If you have the pin hunted and the shot in your bag, go for it. Then you have something to brag about for the rest of your life."

Beaver Hole 9 is made for glory shots, or at least glory attempts. The green is large and slightly downhill from the tee box, with hardly any blind spots on the approach.

But an otherwise simple approach is complicated by hazards, including a beaver pond in the front and two bunkers lining the green. Miller terms it an "island green" in the mountains — lay it short and you're in the water, play it long and you're in the sand, with very little room for error.

And that's not all: Given the hole's location — it sits high over the surrounding valley with gorgeous views of north Tenmile Range — wind is a constant enemy. When playing from the back tees, it can swirl and gust, similar to playing at Augusta National in Georgia.

Yet with the right touch, a hole-in-one is always an option and a birdie is more than manageable. Just be ready to pay up if you can't quite find the middle of the green.

"It's a nine hole that can be a money hole when there are wagers on the line," Miller says. "You don't just want to throw it away. Play smart, and when there are wagers on the line, play to the middle."

Pro tip: Be careful with club selection. Common knowledge says to club down for an elevation drop, but don't forget the unpredictable wind. Miller throws grass in the air three or four times before his shot to gauge the wind direction and speed.

Swan River restoration in Breckenridge works toward natural course

#Breckenridge #Colorado

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Under the watchful eye of Breckenridge's Tenmile Range, the recently rerouted Swan River continues to flow this spring, smoothing out rough patches and getting used to its new path.

More than a year ago, Summit County's Open Space & Trails Department with the town of Breckenridge — in addition to a multitude of other partners — initiated the renovation project south of Muggins Gulch Road ahead of Rock Island Road to rid the area of some of its centuries-old mining past. In search of gold, dredge boats destroyed the stretch of water that funnels into the Blue River. Further upstream mounds of rock for as far as the eye can see are what remain.

At a cost of $2.4 million, the first 1-mile phase of the concept wrapped up last fall in the hopes of restoring forestland and riparian areas, as well as recreating wildlife habitat and a self-sustaining trout fishery. Three other mile-long stream segments are left to be addressed over perhaps the next decade, but this summer the focus is on revegetation of the finished section and allowing the river to discover a bit of its own course.

"Right now we want to let nature find its way," said Jason Lederer, resource specialist with Summit's Open Space & Trails Department. "We will eventually identify a trail alignment probably next year and reintroduce public access, but we want to make sure the site gets established first so it's not so fragile."

Based on best practices and the natural channels of other regional waterways, the stream was reimagined with meandering curves that transitioned a half-mile portion of the Swan into a full mile. Now running according to its assisted corridor, edges are being eroded as surface water meets side-sloping groundwater and the river makes some of its own decisions about how to flow.

To even get to that point, however, it first took removing tens of thousands of cubic yards of rock from the site — a process that had its critics among nearby residents due to added noise and construction congestion on Tiger Road — and then carving the new passage into the earth. A contractor will do the same this fall on the next-most southern stretch when it trucks away 25,000 more cubic yards of gravel while also roughing in another stream depression for future construction.

The completed tract acts as a prototype for what's to come on that piece of public open space in the next handful of years. Further south past Rock Island Road, two more segments of river located on private land are the target through U.S. Forest Service-assisted easements. Before that can happen, though, upwards of 200,000 total cubic yards of historic crags, must be transported out over the next four years and swapped for more functional soil to ultimately let grasses, willows and a mix of trees grow.

Due to logistical necessity, the project is working its way backwards, starting with the last segment first rather than having begun on those privately held properties and heading toward where the river terminates.

"Ideally we'd be building them in alignment up the stream," said Lederer. "And ideally we would have started at the top and worked downstream, but we didn't have the ability to do that because it's private and there's a lot of rock up there."

All said and done, the venture comes with an estimated price tag of approximately $10 million and may not be fully achieved until 2028. County officials say the chance to act as a model to the rest of the state for how mining's legacy and physical scars can be reclaimed and refashioned into a prized public site is worth the wait, and can't come soon enough.

"If we could do it today, we'd do it," said Lederer. "But we kind of have to phase it based on where there's funding and where there's access. So this isn't the end. We're sort of at the end of the beginning, and there's a lot of work to be done. We're just getting started out here."

Annual Leadville Race Series launches with trail marathon, “heavy half” on June 17

#Colorado

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The Leadville Race Series is back, whether or not Mother Nature is ready for it.

This Saturday, the Leadville Trail Marathon and Heavy Half kick off the famed ultra-endurance event season at 10,200 feet in Leadville, according to a release from series organizers Life Time.

But first, there's about 7 feet of snow spread across several miles of high-alpine terrain to clear. Due to substantial late-spring snowfall in the Rocky Mountains — remember when Summit County saw more than 2 feet in mid-May? — the Leadville Race Series crew has been prepping the course and working to clear snow drifts from the course, which takes runners to the summit of Mosquito Pass at 13,185 feet.

"With the May storms this year, we've received a considerable amount of late-season snow in Leadville," said Ken Chlouber, founder of the Leadville Race Series. "Our team has been working hard shoveling and clearing the snow away for our participants to give them the great race experience Leadville is known for."

MARATHON AND 'HEAVY HALF'

The Leadville Trail Marathon and 15.5-mile Heavy Half Marathon kick off the Colorado portion of the Leadville Race Series. The marathon is a qualifier for the prestigious Leadville Trail 100 (held this year on Aug. 19), but the courses also offer a perfect introduction for those looking to attempt other ultra-endurance events like the Silver Rush 50 on July 9. The marathon is the first event in the famed Leadman/Leadwoman competition, during which athletes participate in five Leadville Race Series events throughout the summer to be crowned overall ultra-endurance champion (not to mention king and queen of the masochists.)

The marathon and heavy half share similar courses, beginning with a run through the historic mining district of Leadville before climbing to 13,185 feet at Mosquito Pass. The challenging, 3-mile pass ascent includes rocky terrain and switchbacks. Once at the summit, athletes are rewarded with breathtaking views of Turquoise Lake and the Mosquito and Sawatch mountain ranges, including Mount Elbert, the highest peak in Colorado at 14,439 feet. The remainder of both courses is split between old mining roads and double-track trails.

Both races begin on Saturday at 8 a.m. in downtown Leadville. To register and find more info, see at LeadvilleRaceSeries.com.

If running 26.2 miles above 10,000 feet isn't your cup of tea, stay in touch with the run series, mountain bike series and trail 100, dubbed "the Race Across the Sky," on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Frisco BBQ Challenge seeking volunteers

#Frisco #Colorado

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The town of Frisco and the High Country Conservation Center are looking for volunteers to help make the upcoming Frisco BBQ Challenge is a zero waste event.

Last year, volunteers staffing waste stations were able to help divert 76 percent of the event's waste away from the landfill. According to a news release, 13.1 tons of food were composted, 0.4 tons of glass were recycled and 1 ton of recycled plastic saved the equivalent of 1,000 to 2,000 gallons of gasoline.

Each year, 160 volunteers put in roughly 1,700 hours to help divert waste, and this year the town is asking for more people to commit to working 3-and-a-half hour shifts on June 16 and 17. Participants will receive 10 "hogbacks" — the currency of the BBQ Challenge — and a t-shirt.

The 24th annual Colorado BBQ Challenge kicks off in Frisco on Thursday, June 15 with members of The Motet playing a Tribute to Herbie Hancock concert, and the barbecue competition and tasting begins on June 16 and 17.

The event will also feature chef demos, a whiskey tour, a firefighter cook off, kids' activities, pig races, street performers and the Bacon Burner 6K run. Attendees may purchase Hogbacks, Frisco's barbecue currency, to pay for food and drinks and use them at participating retail stores and restaurants along Main Street throughout the event and weekend.

Those interested in volunteering can sign up at HighCountryConservationcCnter.org or by calling 970-668-5703.

Summit Film Society to host second screening Tuesday

#Breckenridge #Colorado

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The second installment of the Breckenridge Film Festival's Summit Film Society, a new initiative from the organization, will occur Tuesday and feature "Sing Street," a film that goes back to 1980s Dublin, Ireland, as seen through the eyes of a lovestruck 14-year-old boy.

The film, from acclaimed writer-director John Carney, follows the boy as he meets a girl, Raphina. She is unimpressed with him, and so he starts a band called Sing Street to win her affections.

Music is the central part of this heart-warming film, according to a news release, and the soundtrack not only features hits from Duran Duran, Joe Jackson, The Cure, Official Motorhead, Hall & Oats, The Jam and more, but also a new track by Adam Levine and eight previously unheard songs by the Sing Street band.

The Summit Film Society is Breckenridge Film Festival's newest initiative to bring unique and independent films to Summit County through monthly screenings.

"The very first Summit Film Society kicked off with a bang in mud season," said Janice Miller, Breck Film Fest executive director, of the May 9 event. "We had a nearly sold-out crowd for 'The Eagle Huntress,' which proved to be a fabulous, inspiring film for a broad audience."

Doors open at 7 p.m. Tuesday, and the show begins at 7:30 p.m. A full bar, nonalcoholic beverages and snacks are available until 8 p.m.

Tickets are $10. For more information, go to BreckFilmFest.com/sfs. Tickets may also be purchased by calling the Riverwalk Center Box Office at 970-547-3100.

Arapahoe Basin Ski Area closes out Colorado ski season this weekend

#Arapahoe Basin #Colorado

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The die-hards came out in force this weekend at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, as they celebrated the end of Colorado's downhill ski season with a couple more runs, made possible by the last lifts still operating in the state.

Many Colorado ski resorts closed in April. A few mountains hung on through May. Then there's A-Basin, which finishes out its 70th anniversary season this afternoon, when its lifts go silent until likely sometime come mid-October next year.

And what a fantastic year it's been, said A-Basin marketing and communications manager Adrienne Saia Isaac, adding that with A-Basin's high altitude and more than 370 inches of snow total — about 20 inches above average — they were able to hang on longer than any other mountain in the state.

"It's kind of what we're known for," she said of A-Basin, adding that its closing is "a cool time of year" in which so many people come out in costumes with big smiles on their faces.

"That's one of the best things about it, right?" Isaac asked before talking about why she likes it so much. "I love the vibe at A-Basin. It's super laid back, it's always super fun, our guests are here to ski, ride and play in the mountains — that's what we love."

Jim Margolis of Dillon loves it too, and he has been hitting A-Basin's slopes since 1979. With an Epic Pass in hand, Margolis said he likes to get on Keystone's slopes early in the season because "they have good snowmaking."

Once the snow gets good, he often goes to Vail and Beaver Creek. Then in the spring, he enjoys getting some runs in at Breckenridge before finishing up at A-Basin in late April, May and June.

For Margolis, A-Basin is the mountain that makes him feel most at home.

"I like the high elevation and they stay open into June," he said, adding that there's a good variety of terrain, he has a lot of friends up here, and it doesn't feel nearly as crowded as some of the other Colorado ski resorts.

Once A-Basin's lifts stop running, Margolis said, "It's hiking and mountain climbing season" for him.

Not quite the skier and rider that Margolis is, Dave Nichols admitted he's still working on achieving full die-hard status, but he undeniably dressed the part Saturday.

Looking for something for his "kiddo" one day at Target, Nichols passed by a patriotic "onesie," made out of fabric modeled after the American flag. It was too good to pass up, and he wore it Saturday with pride.

"I was like, 'That is some spring skiing right there,'" Nichols said of his purchase before explaining why taking runs late in the season is so appealing.

"This is a fun time of year, where you have the mix of people in the parking lot with bikes on top of their car, but they're up here catching a few runs before they go ride," he said. "For me, this is what I can do in the in-between, because in April and May, you can't really go camping. It's just too muddy, so now you got a little window with something to do until everything dries out and you can get back into the mountains and not get too dirty."

Nichols planed to ski one more day, before he too shifts into more summerlike activities.

Two of the more-recognizable costume-clad skiers Saturday had to be Matt Wheeler and Mac Little. They both carry season passes to A-Basin and Keystone, and They came Saturday dressed up in full-body suits as the Cookie Monster and Elmo, complete with oversized heads and all.

"We're good at this," Wheeler said after he had just come off one the runs. "This is our thing."

The pair's last day was Saturday, as they said they likely won't be back today because they "go so hard." Still, they loved what this year had to offer.

"I feel like this season was so on par, because we were so scared in October and November, right? Everyone was so scared," Wheeler said. "Then (the snow) just hit hard, and we had a great core season. I think the fever that went on at A-Basin is perfect."

And he plans to come back again next year just as hard.

"This is my spot, dude," Wheeler said. "I'm never going anywhere else. I mean I go other places, but this is 'The Spot.' You can't beat A-Basin."

Vail Resorts reports record pass sales

#Colorado

Special to the Summit Daily

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Vail Resorts' fiscal year begins on Aug. 1. That means its third quarter is the heart of ski season. The company did well during that period.

In a Thursday morning earnings call, Vail Resorts President and CEO Rob Katz, along with Chief Financial Officer Michael Barkin, detailed the company's performance through April 30, as well as pass sales through May 30.

Pass sales are on pace to set another record, Katz said. Through May 30, sales of all types of the company's Epic Pass have increased about 10 percent in unit sales and 16 percent in revenue during the same period in the 2016 fiscal year.

Overall, Katz said various season pass sales account for 44 percent of the company's North American lift revenue. Pass buyers are split between local and destination skiers, Katz said.

CONTINUED GROWTH EXPECTED

An unrestricted Epic Pass costs $859 right now and provides access to all of the company's resorts in North America and Australia, as well as limited access to several European resorts.

Katz said he expects continued growth in pass sales, especially as customer data-collection systems in Whistler and the company's latest acquisition in Stowe, Vermont, are brought into Vail Resorts' systems.

Katz said Whistler last season collected information on only about 20 percent of its non-pass guests. Other Vail Resorts ski areas collect data on 96 percent of those guests.

That data allows Vail Resorts to send personalized marketing information to those guests, helping drive pass sales.

Katz said even with that level of customer tracking, the company's data-collection efforts are still relatively young.

With better data collection will come more growth, especially as Whistler and Stowe guests are eligible for various Epic passes.

While guest spending at resorts in Colorado was in line with 2016's results, Katz said there was "robust" growth elsewhere.

During the 2016-17 ski season, visitation grew by 26 percent, driven in part by gains at Whistler Blackcomb and at the company's resorts in the Lake Tahoe area in Nevada and California.

Katz called Whistler's performance "exceptionally strong," citing good conditions and growth in destination visits as factors.

Whistler's destination visits saw a strong boost in international guests, Katz said, due in part to the weakness of the Canadian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar. The company's U.S. resorts also saw declines in international visits.

Katz said the strongest growth in the company came at Park City, Utah, and the Tahoe-area resorts reported record revenue.

Vail Resorts announced a few years ago its exit from the real estate development business. This year, the last available units have been sold at The Ritz-Carlton Residences Vail and One Ski Hill Place in Breckenridge.

While Vail Resorts remains the largest resort operator in North America, Aspen Skiing Co. and KSL Capital Partners have made a splash this year with the acquisitions of Intrawest, which holds Steamboat and Winter Park resorts, among others, and Mammoth Resorts, whose portfolio includes Mammoth Mountain in California.

Anthony Powell, an analyst for Barclay's, asked Katz how that new competition affects Vail Resorts.

"It's a good thing for the industry," Katz said. "The more the skiing public has more choices, and the more value opportunity there is, that builds broad enthusiasm. I'm comfortable that we're going to do great in that environment."

While Vail Resorts' stock has gained 33 percent in value since Jan. 1, Thursday's call got a lukewarm greeting from investors. At the Thursday close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange, the company's stock sold for $210.85 per share, a decline of almost 2 percent.

According to an Associated Press report, the company missed its estimated per-share earnings and revenue.

Vail Resorts closes Stowe Mountain deal; it’s now Epic Pass-eligible for 2017-18

#Colorado

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Vail Resorts announced Wednesday it has closed on the acquisition of Stowe Mountain Resort in Stowe, Vermont. Epic Pass holders will have unlimited, unrestricted access to Stowe Mountain Resort for the 2017-18 winter season, and the Epic Local Pass will offer 10 days of skiing at Stowe. The East Coast resort is the newest among 45 mountain destinations to be offered with the Epic Pass.

The $859 Epic Pass offers access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe in California and Nevada; Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia; Perisher in Australia; Afton Alps in Minnesota; Mount Brighton in Michigan and Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin. Epic Pass holders also have limited access to 30 European ski resorts, including Verbier and Les 4 Vallées in Switzerland; Les 3 Vallées in France; Arlberg in Austria; and Skirama Dolomiti Adamello Brenta in Italy.

“We are thrilled to officially welcome Stowe to our family of world-class resorts and to offer our Epic Pass, Epic Local, Epic 7-Day and Epic 4-Day Pass holders exceptional experiences,” said Kirsten Lynch, chief marketing officer of Vail Resorts. “With the addition of Stowe, the Epic Pass provides guests access to the East Coast’s most iconic skiing, as well as unlimited, unrestricted access to the best of the West.”

For more information, go to http://www.epicpass.com.

Popular Dickey Day Use Area near Frisco on Highway 9 closes indefinitely for hikers, bikers on June 8

#Frisco #Colorado

Special to the Summit Daily

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As of Thursday, there will be no more Dickey Day Use Area.

On June 8, the U.S. Forest Service and Colorado Department of Transportation will close the popular trailhead and dirt parking lot on Highway 9 between Frisco and Breckenridge. The lot, which connects to heavily used hiking and biking trails in the Frisco Peninsula trail system, will be closed through the remainder of summer.

The closure at Dickey Day coincides with second phase of the $22.6 million Iron Springs realignment project on a 1.25-mile stretch of Highway 9. On Wednesday evening (June 7), CDOT expects a "significant traffic switch" when the newly completed Highway 9 realignment opens on the south side of the current alignment, with two lanes of traffic, plus flaggers to guide motorists and cyclists.

When the Iron Springs project is completed, motor vehicle traffic will no longer pass by the lot. Instead, CDOT plans to realign the Summit County recreation pathway (aka Blue River Bikeway) with the trailheads at Dickey Day. That portion of the recpath will take users along the lakeshore and is expected to open in summer 2018 when the highway realignment is complete.

So what does all this mean for the hundreds (and probably more like thousands) of hikers, bikers and dog walkers who use Dickey Day? For starters, no more motorized access to trailheads within tripping distance of Lake Dillon's shores. CDOT and contractors are in the process of building a new, paved parking lot at the entrance to the Frisco Adventure Park (intersection of Peninsula Road and Recreation Way). Barring any issues, CDOT officials expect the new lot to open on Thursday when Dickey Day closes. It opens with a short (about 0.5 miles) strip of unpaved connector trail leading downhill to the Dickey Day dirt lot. From there, users can connect with peninsula trails like the Lakeshore Perimeter loop.

After this summer, CDOT and USFS officials have no plans for reopening Dickey Day to motorized vehicles — the new highway will be several thousand yards to the south by then, with no connecting roads — but officials do plan on building a new, paved path for trail users. This trail, dubbed the Dickey Connector Path, will open on Thursday as a rough dirt connector. It will be paved next summer when the highway and recpath alignments are wrapped up, according to CDOT, but officials have yet to announce an opening date.

Safety risks rise as Summit County riverflows hit their peak

#Summit County #Colorado

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June's arrival, combined with forecasted rain early this week, means it's once again that time of year when snowpack melts and the state's riverflows are set to peak.

Through both natural and man-made activities, the area's waterbodies will ramp back up to seasonal heights this week. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration anticipates the Colorado River and its primary Summit County tributaries will reach their highest 2017 levels this Wednesday, June 7.

The volume-based flow rates, measured as cubic feet per second, on North Tenmile Creek, for example, will rise from about 600 to 900 cfs and the Blue River north of Dillon should grow in the next two days by another couple hundred cfs from its present 600. To offset forthcoming supply, Denver Water, which owns and oversees Dillon Reservoir, stated that it plans to up flows from Dillon Dam into the Lower Blue River from its Monday total of 380 cfs to 600 no later than Tuesday morning, and between 1,400 and 1,800 cfs by the end of the week.

"The snowpack up on the mountain, it's now warmed up and is starting to come off," said Jim Pokrandt, spokesman for the Colorado River District, a public policy agency that closely monitors the region's major waterway. "It's fast water, but shouldn't flood anybody out. All streams will be quicker-paced than people are used to, but the flooding is not the danger."

This considerable increase in each body of water's speed and force, however, does come with strengthened warnings from local law enforcement. The Summit County Sheriff's Office issued a release late last week about the potential hazards that higher water measures pose to those recreating or out walking near riverbanks.

"Over the past week, we've started to see a real uptick in the volume of water that's flowing through our local rivers," Mark Watson, Sheriff's Office special ops sergeant, said in the statement. "Unfortunately, we see people getting in over their heads every year during the spring runoff."

Visitors and residents are urged to use caution when they spot swift currents due to the elevated flows. Individuals lacking proper equipment, experience or training are discouraged from entering the water for recreational activities such as kayaking, fishing or stand-up paddleboarding.

When recreating, appropriately sized life jackets and other personal flotation devices are critical. Anglers should also wear wading belts to prevent water from entering their waders in the case of a fall.

To stay safe around high waters, do not camp or park your car along streams, especially when water levels are fluctuating, or at night when it can be more difficult to notice flood dangers. Allowing young children or dogs to play around storm drains, ditches or a culvert is an unnecessary risk because they are susceptible to slipping on the muddy edges and being swept away. Finally, on the off chance of a flooding this year, get to higher ground immediately and do not attempt to cross a flowing stream, as it only takes 2 feet of water to carry most vehicles away, and just 6 inches of moving water to brush an adult off their feet.

The increased flows, at approximately the same average levels as this time last year, come with their fair share of positives, too.

Escalated releases through next week from reservoirs within the Upper Colorado River Basin benefit a longstanding endangered fish recovery program on a section of the Colorado River upstream from Grand Junction. Four species of fish — the humpback chub, razorback sucker, bonytail and Colorado pikeminnow — are the target of the coordinated effort when the region's waters are at levels that offer an ability to enhance peak flows downstream to remove sediment and other obstructions that hinder spawning habitat for these endangered fish.

North of Silverthorne, additional releases at Green Mountain Reservoir also allow the Bureau of Reclamation to increase power plant capacity and generate more electricity. Those levels could reach approaching 1,400 cfs from the current 418.

Estimating that 40 percent of the winter's snowpack still remains above Dillon, Denver Water is comfortable increasing the flows from Dillon Reservoir into the Lower Blue River that ultimately head to northern Arizona's Lake Powell. That result is threefold, preventing wasteful overflow of the reservoir, maintaining ideal recreational heights on the lake, as well as fulfilling the demands of Lower Basin states based on senior water rights.

"Our experts are monitoring conditions carefully with the goal of ending runoff season with a full reservoir," Matt Wittern, Denver Water Summit County liaison, wrote by email. "That way, we're able to meet our customers' needs while providing locals and tourists alike with valued summer recreation activities that have a positive impact on the local economy."

Summit Henry Boyd takes on the Firecracker 50, then the world

#Summit County #Colorado

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When it comes to trail riding, Henry Boyd has a simple tactic for getting better and better: keep chasing the fastest guys on the singletrack until he's the one being chased.

"I look up to anyone who is faster than me," said Boyd, a soon-to-be senior at Peak School in Frisco. "It doesn't matter if they're a minute ahead of you or an hour ahead of you — you just want to be that much better."

Over the past year, Boyd has been busy putting his plan into action. The 16-year-old started training on indoor cycling machines last March to prepare for his first solo attempt at the Firecracker 50, a deviously difficult 50-mile race held every Fourth of July on Breckenridge's classic routes: Baker's Tank Trail, Boreas Pass Road, Nightmare on Baldy, Sallie Barber Road and the monstrous Little French Flume climb. He'd tried the race once before, when he and his dad split the full ride into 25-mile segments, but last season was his first time attempting the entire 50 miles on his own.

After four hours and 27 minutes of grinding, he passed the finish line sore, tired and ready for another.

"Last spring I made a promise that I would focus on biking, and when I saw how happy I was with my results, I got even more determined," said Boyd, who's finish was good for second overall in the expert men's 19-29 division. "This year I'm just ready to see where even more work will take me."

CHASING TIRES

Boyd's biking regimen is intense — he also recently joined the newest mountain bike team in town, the Summit Endurance Academy junior team, for summer training in Frisco — but he's hardly new to the mountain biking scene. He's been riding in the local Summit Mountain Challenge town series since 9 years old and competing for the Summit Tigers team, led by Jazlyn Smith (younger sister of state champion Ezra Smith) and outgoing senior Slav Uglyar, since he was a freshman. Those two, especially Ugylar, were often in his crosshairs during practice, races and the season-ending state championships in Eagle, where Boyd finished 22nd out of 49 riders.

"I've been chasing him (Uglyar) for six years now and only beaten him a handful of times," Boyd said. "That's always good motivation for the season: to beat Slav."

TIGER BLOOD

Now that Uglyar has graduated and passed the torch to veterans like Boyd, the incoming senior must find new wheels to chase — and he's already started. He competed in a USA Cycling event in Soldier Hallow, Utah, in early May, and plans to travel around the region for at least one or two more national-level events.

"I was certainly intimidated to be there," Boyd said of the Soldier Hallow race. "In the local races and even the high school races you don't see the best athletes from across the nation, but to be there and see the nation's best, it's intimidating, but also inspiring."

Boyd placed fifth out of 20 riders in his division at the Soldier Hallow race — a great result for only his second USA Cycling event — but maybe his biggest challenge of the summer will be the one, the only: the Firecracker 50.

"To do well in any of these races you need to be a well-rounded rider," Boyd said. "You have to have the endurance and stamina, but you also need the technical skills — the balance and speed on the descents."

Boyd's goal for this year's Firecracker: improve on his time from last year. Given the work he's put into mountain biking over the past year, it shouldn't be too difficult. After summer, it's on to high school season and, past that, wherever his bike happens to take him — even if he can't walk when he gets off.

"That was the longest mountain bike ride I've ever done," Boyd said of last year's Firecracker 50. "It was quite the challenge, but also a ton of fun. I was extremely fulfilled when I crossed the finish line and knew I gave it everything I had. Even if you can't walk, that's still a great feeling."

Cycle Silverthorne Month features numerous events throughout June

#Silverthorne #Colorado

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Silverthorne is celebrating Cycle Silverthorne Month this June with a series of bike-friendly activities and special programming.

According to the town, the effort is meant to encourage residents and visitors alike to use their bicycles as their preferred mode of transportation, while also promoting bike safety.

Kicking things off today will be the Silverthorne Elementary School Bike to School Day and Bike Rodeo, in which students are encouraged to ride their bikes to school, participate in the rodeo and complete an obstacle course.

Also, a free drop-in class titled, "Yoga for Cyclists," will be at 6 p.m. June 5, 12, 19 and 26 at the Silverthorne Recreation Center.

Also, another class, "Mountain Bike FUNdamentals" will be offered at 5 p.m. June 6 and 8, also at the rec center. The class will cost $18 for non-pass holders or $15 for pass holders and employees. It is for ages 18 and up, and registration is required. Call 970-262-7370 to sign up.

Other Cycle Silverthorne events include:

• Bikes and Beers Happy Hour at 5-7 p.m. June 7 at The Bakers' Brewery

• Blue River Trail Lunch Ride at noon June 13 and 22 at the Silverthorne Recreation Center

• Celebrate Father's Day with a Ride to Higgles Ice Cream on June 18

• Celebrate Summit County's Bike to Work Week June 19-23

• Pedals and Pizza from 4:30–6:30 p.m. June 21 at Sauce on the Blue

• Spanish-Led Indoor Cycling Class at 6:30 pm June 22 and 29 at the Silverthorne Recreation Center

• Silverthorne Performing Arts Center Grand Opening Ride at noon June 24 at the grand opening

• And Happy Hour Ride at 5 p.m. June 27 at The Silverthorne Recreation Center.

Additionally, starting today riders can pick up a "Bike Bingo" card from participating businesses and become eligible to win prizes at the June 21 Bike to Work Happy Hour event at Sauce on the Blue.

For more info about Cycle Silverthorne Month, go to Silverthorne.org.

Colorado launches online guide to 39,000 miles of every kind of trail

#Colorado

Denver Post Photo

Summit Daily News Link

After two years of intensive planning, Gov. John Hickenlooper on Friday will unveil a comprehensive online map of more than 39,000 miles of trails across Colorado.

Spanning 226 jurisdictions, the interactive map — at cpw.state.co.us/cts — marks the first run at gathering every hiking, biking and multi-use trail in Colorado in a single location. For years that trail info has been stitched across a patchwork of websites, field offices and guidebooks.

The Colorado Trail Explorer, developed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, includes 17,099 trails and 1,431 trailheads. The mapped trails include 5,683 miles of hiking trails, 6,821 miles of mountain biking trails, 24,906 miles of motorized trails and unpaved roads, and 1,746 miles of paved bike trails.

And that's just the start.

Read the full story on The Denver Post website.

Breckenridge almost ready to put 17 workforce townhomes on the market

#Breckenridge #Colorado

Courtesy Town of Brecenridge

Summit Daily News Link

As Breckenridge inches closer to putting 17 newly built townhomes on the market in the coming weeks, one looming question hinges on what kind of deed restrictions might come with the properties.

It's a matter of what the town hopes to accomplish long-term with its new workforce housing neighborhood — currently known as Denison Placer 1, but in the midst of a naming contest — and the best way to go about doing it.

Workforce neighborhoods are housing developments of various sizes built by the town, and the units within them are sold at below-market prices to individuals who qualify based on various guidelines, like local employment and income requirements.

Instituting deed restrictions can mean imposing price caps, limiting real estate fees, adding employment requirements and setting other limitations on the use and future sales of the townhomes in perpetuity. Officials view imposing deed restrictions as one way Breckenridge can hold down prices after the initial sales.

"It's funny because deed restrictions are a great tool," said Laurie Best, senior planner at Breckenridge Community Development. "I mean they are probably our most effective tool for making sure the units continue to be occupied by our workforce."

At the last town council meeting on May 23, town officials expressed a sense of urgency in setting deed restrictions on the new workforce housing development that's set for a June 17 launch date.

"What's going to be important from a timing perspective is that in mid-June, we're going to be putting out information, so people that are lining up and getting interested in purchasing these 17 units need to know the conditions if they are going to be serious about wanting to buy one," town manager Rick Holman told the council.

The issue is expected to come up again Tuesday, at the last scheduled meeting before the June 17 launch date, when the town will start accepting applications from people who want to buy the homes. If the number of qualified applicants exceeds availability, there will be a lottery.

Altogether, the new workforce housing neighborhood will include 52 townhomes, all from one to three bedrooms, at different price points. Seventeen of the units will be made available at the launch, and 35 more are expected to be ready sometime next summer.

Best said the town isn't releasing the exact prices of the townhomes until the launch, but she did provide ballpark figures, saying the one-bedroom units will go somewhere around $200,000 while the majority will sell in the $300,000 to $400,000 range and a handful will close right at $500,000.

"(Town officials) kind of view the deed-restricted housing, or workforce housing, as a basic piece of our infrastructure," Best said, adding that without a permanent population, basic services suffer and the sense of having a real town quickly fades away.

Combating this problem in a resort town is tricky, she continued, and it takes a variety of housing options, long-term rentals and real estate sales, at various price points to meet the need and help make up for units lost to short-term rentals and rising prices too high for the average worker.

"That's one thing the town has done really well," she said, "is different styles and pricing."

Some of the biggest concerns about setting deed restrictions on the new neighborhood expressed by town council members at their last meeting in May centered on striking the right balance in keeping the houses affordable while making them attractive to potential buyers, who might want to upgrade not too long after their purchase.

On one hand, if the town's goal is to make housing affordable for its workforce, officials could impose strict requirements like cap the sale price and limit real estate fees, which can add 6 or 7 percent to the price every time a home is turned over.

On the other, however, council members also talked about the needs of growing families and how changes in housing are often precipitated by changes in life, such as the addition of a new member to the family.

Being in a deed-restricted home, council members hypothesized, could prevent individuals from selling those properties at a significant profit that allows them to upgrade into bigger, more expansive homes when they are ready to make the move.

"As soon as we sell these (homes), we lose control other than having these stipulations in deed restrictions," Councilman Mike Dudick said during the discussions. "They provide economic control so the pricing doesn't get out of whack and become unaffordable."

"I'm not opposed to that," Councilwoman Erin Gigliello responded. "It's just that the culture we've created, it would be good if (the people who buy them) have a place to go."

While Best conceded that buying a home, deed-restricted or not, is a major investment that comes with inherit risks — most notably the market forces of the time — she added that the town's workforce-housing units are typically priced so far below the market value that anyone who buys one rarely, if ever, takes a loss.

Still, these units aren't about providing investment opportunities, she said.

"We don't view necessarily deed-restricted units as an opportunity for financial gain or investment," Best said. "We always say it's a nest, not a nest egg."

Best encourages anyone who's interested in the new workforce-housing neighborhood to go to DenisonPlacer.com, where they will find more information about the development, in addition to being able to sign up for regular updates.

Breckenridge paid parking returns after end of local’s appreciation month

#Breckenridge #Colorado

Summit Daily News Link

Paid parking will resume in Breckenridge today, June 1 following a hiatus for local's appreciation during the month of May.

Parking is free for the first fifteen minutes and then is 50 cents for the first hour after that. For Monday through Thursday, the first additional hour ranges from 50 cents to $1 depending on where the car is parked. The third hour and beyond on Main Street bumps up to $3 because the town is trying to prevent people from parking there all day. There is a different rate for weekends, holidays and special events.

Residents and visitors can use the Passport Parking app on their smartphones to pay. It is available for both Android and iPhone users. The service can also be accessed on phone internet browsers at http://www.ppprk.com.

The service allows drivers to skip walking up to a parking meter and also sends a notification when a parking session is about to expire.