Summit County considers senior housing, care facility

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

Summit Daily News Link

Courtesy of Land Planning Cooperative

More than 80 Summit seniors showed up at Tuesday’s county commission meeting to support plans for a proposed retirement community. Initial plans presented by Minnesota-based developer Augustana Care include three phases: Subsidized independent housing units, assisted living facilities and skilled nursing facilities.

Through discussions with the county, a 4.5-acre parcel near Frisco, deemed the “Hillside Parcel,” could be set aside for the project. The initial phase one plan would involve 28 independent housing units in a two-story building, allowing access to nearby health resources, with phase two creating 22 assisted living units and phase three creating 40 skilled nursing units.

“From what I understand, they feel it certainly is a viable piece of property for building something that is desperately needed here,” said Andy Searls, Senior Housing Taskforce chairman.

She expects a spike in the needs of Summit seniors in upcoming years. Summit County’s 65-and-up population was the fastest growing group of all Colorado counties between 2000 and 2010, at 180 percent growth, according to a July 2014 report by the Colorado Demography Office.

As it stands right now, the county is lagging behind the demand for senior care, with limited resources for those with disabilities or health concerns. The Timberline Adult Daycare Facility and in-home care are the only options currently on the table.

“If you have difficulty in doing daily chores, it all has to be in-home care or you have to go elsewhere,” assistant county manager Scott Vargo said.

PROJECT PRICING

The Hillside project is currently in phase two of the feasibility study, addressing infrastructure costs. For the entire project, infrastructure costs stand at about $2.55 million, with the largest cost stemming from the need to address the steep grade of the site, using a fill and retaining wall with a $944,760 pricetag.

“It’s not insurmountable but it’s a challenge. We’re looking at one concept and it hasn’t been refined yet,” Tambi Katieb, principal of Land Planning Cooperative, said.

Chris Durloo, a project manager for Tetra Tech engineering, noted that another piece of the cost would be to create a new booster station for the site’s water pressure. Another challenge with the location is that an industrial site would be just next door, with work continuing into the early hours of the morning.

Frisco was selected as an ideal location as the retirement community could be placed near the County Commons, just adjacent to the St. Anthony Summit Medical Center, the Community and Senior Center, the library, public transit and several other amenities.

“There were some challenges to this site, but we don’t have a whole lot of other options available,” Vargo said. “Frisco was far and away the number one choice for a location because of that proximity.”

Katieb hoped low-income housing grants could potentially be used to help finance the project. The independent living apartments will be targeted to low-income seniors. However, the assisted living and skilled nursing facilities will not be income restricted, but will include a few beds reserved for Medicare or Medicaid patients.

Vargo said that the next step of the project will involve working with Augustana on a memorandum of understanding to continue to pursue tax credit financing. The company has been involved with the project for several years, and has worked not only as the developer, but the operator in previous projects. The plan is to construct independent living apartments in one to three years, an assisted living complex in five to 10 years, and the skilled nursing facility in 10 to 20 years.

HOUSING NEEDS

Some seniors turn to affordable housing units as a means of survival in Summit. Karen Degenhart, creator of nonprofit Earth Medicine Housing, Inc., said she moved to Silverthorne to receive the Section 8 Rental Assistance Program, a housing voucher offered by the government that was previously available in Summit.

She hopes to use her experiences in working with affordable housing to create affordable, eco-friendly spaces for others, who are often waitlisted.

“I’m interested in housing. … I could do something like Habitat for Humanity already does, one house at a time,” Degenhart said. “As you can tell from this meeting, in Summit County there’s no land; it’s expensive.”

The results of a 2009 survey revealed a high demand for senior housing in Summit County, as the vast majority of those surveyed planned to retire in the county. At the time of the survey, there was a demand for 77 independent living units, and 57 assisted living or skilled nursing units. Since then, the senior population and demand has only continued to increase.

A key factor in the survey was the financial needs of current or upcoming seniors. Of the 404 respondents, ages 45 and up, 19 percent had an income of $50,000 or less, and 9 percent have assets of $100,000 or less. In addition, 23 percent of the respondents indicated a possible future need for senior housing.

“We don’t have anything like this in the county. And we’re one of the only counties without it,” Linda Venturoni, director of new business development for Augustana Care said of the senior housing project. “It’s a lot easier having these people in one facility than trying to piecemeal these services together.”

Augustana saw success earlier this year, with the groundbreaking of a nursing and assisted living facility in Eagle County after a capital campaign raised sufficient funds. While the facility will not open until 2016, Venturoni said she had already compiled a list of 50 people who had expressed an interest.

“There’s a definite need,” Venturoni said.

She hopes that the facility in Eagle will drive interest for a similar project in Summit.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Forest Service works behind the scenes at USA Pro Challenge

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

Summit Daily News Link

Casey Day / Sepcial to the Daily

Your average USA Pro Challenge out-of-town spectator had no idea.

“Who are those people in green uniforms?” they might’ve thought. “Why is the U.S. Forest Service here?”

Or, they simply didn’t notice the federal employees at the Stage 2 finish at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area on Tuesday.

In between free concerts and the excitement of the cyclists arriving, the head of the Dillon Ranger District spoke to some of those gathered at A-Basin about how the land where they stood is national forest.

District ranger Bill Jackson manages 15 year-round employees whose jurisdiction covers about three-quarters of Summit County.

His district lies within the White River National Forest, which is the most visited national forest in the country when you include visits to the 11 ski areas using permitted forest land.

Jackson and other foresters on the White River National Forest have played an integral role in the Pro Challenge. In the event’s fifth year, cyclists and fans will spend four days on or surrounded by the national forest.

With any large event that passes through national forest, foresters approve permits, attend planning meetings and arrange where people can and cannot camp, park, use portable restrooms and spectate.

Mountain passes — like Hoosier, Independence and Fremont — are the areas the natural resource managers are most concerned about because the high-alpine tundra is more fragile, Jackson said in May during the planning stages of the cycling race.

“A little bit of damage to that environment takes a long time to heal,” he said, and the passes are where larger crowds form to watch riders climb.

Look for Forest Service employees at the cycling event’s other Summit County stops at Copper Mountain and Breckenridge later this week as they talk about national forests, wilderness and the agency’s multi-use mission.

You might even be able to introduce a young one to Smokey Bear, the famous forest fire preventing mascot now more than 70 years old.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

USA Pro Challenge: Loveland Pass a classic Colorado cycling route

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

Summit Daily News Link

Bill Linfield / Special to the Daily

Loveland Pass tops out at 11,990 feet in elevation. With Loveland Ski Area to the east and Arapahoe Basin Ski Area to the west, the pass serves as a lofty lookout across the Continental Divide. Those that wish to avoid the clutter and hassle of Interstate 70 traffic and opt for scenic views instead are welcome to take exit 216 and wind their way to the top of the pass.

But, the road also serves another purpose — a challenge to road bikers who are looking for a lot more work than a typical ride, and a lot more of a reward.

Known for its steepness — over a 6 percent grade in some places — and tight turns, Loveland Pass has featured in number of professional racing stages over the years. The most recent is happening today, Tuesday, August 18, as Stage 2 of the USA Pro Challenge gets underway. The first 5 miles of the Loveland Pass road on the Summit County side will serve as the grueling finish for the second stage.

The riders start in Steamboat Springs, bike over Rabbit Ears Pass and then make their way to Summit County by way of Kremmling and Ute Pass. Once they pass through Silverthorne and Dillon, they will turn east and tackle Loveland Pass all the way up to Arapahoe Ski Basin for the highest portion of the stage.

It’s another three miles up to the top of Loveland Pass. And, though this year’s Pro Challenge won’t take on the full length, other races have, and many Summit County locals will.

In the past, Loveland Pass featured in such races as the Red Zinger Bicycle Classic, which later became known as the Coors Classic. This multi-stage race drew talent from around the world. It featured both a men’s and a women’s race, something the current Pro Challenge now shares with it. Stages for the Coors Classic included areas throughout Colorado and, in varying years, neighboring states as well.

Though there are no more Coors racers vying for red polka dotted king-of-the-mountain jerseys, the Loveland Pass road is not devoid of cyclists. Far from it.

Bikers share the road with cars and trucks on both sides of the pass.

“It’s very difficult. It’s 8 miles of all uphill with no breaks,” said Arnie Henden, long-time cyclist and member of the Summit Biking group.

“It’s a really good road surface,” he added. “The highway department maintains it very well. It’s smooth, it doesn’t have a lot of dangerous pot holes or cracks to worry about, but it’s usually pretty windy.”

Weather is one thing Henden suggests people look out for when they plan to bike the pass. Going early helps, too, and having enough fitness to make it to the top. Some people turn around at the top, while others ride to the other side and back, while others might even make it a trip all the way down to Idaho Springs, or vice versa.

Bringing food and water, a partner and “a bike with lots of gears” helps too, he added.

It’s not all pedal pushing and uphill grind, however. Those who persevere and make it to the top have the whole world to look down on.

“I think the thing that makes Loveland Pass cool is that when you get to the top, you’re on the Continental Divide, on a paved road and I think any time you can do that, it’s special,” said Jeff Westcott, Summit County local, mountain biker and occasional road biker. “The views are astounding, and it’s hard work getting up there, but boy, is it worth it, both in terms of the views and the return trip down.”

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Longtime Breckenridge local pushes ski area tax for 20 years

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

Summit Daily News Link

Carol Rockne has regularly faced government officials to talk about taxing Breckenridge Ski Area.

On July 28, however, the longtime local told the Breckenridge Town Council something she’d never said before.

“This is the first time I’m so proud of all of you,” she said. When she read that morning about the town’s decision to move forward with a lift-ticket tax, “I got so excited, I got goosebumps all over me.”

She has publicly advocated for the tax for about 20 years, after learning that the town of Vail raised its tax on Vail Mountain to 4 percent in the mid-1990s.

About 10 years ago, she started a petition to let voters decide on the tax, but she quickly abandoned that effort when she said it seemed all the people she talked to who supported the tax were connected to the ski area and fearful of their names being public.

But now, she is finally getting her wish.

On Aug. 25, the council will vote on a resolution that will put a ski-area admissions tax on the November ballot. Now, as both the town and the ski area have started reaching out to voters, she said she’s prepared to join the fight.

“I will get very active with this. I’ll get as active as I have to get,” she said.

‘I TRUST THE TOWN’

She first visited Breckenridge in 1963, when ski area lift tickets cost about $5 for the day, or about $39 in 2015 dollars.

Rockne, then a young Denver high school teacher from upstate New York, and a friend were looking for a place to practice their archery skills and were directed to a Main Street restaurant where they met a man with a funny accent whom Rockne thought was a roofer.

She found out later he was not only the owner of the restaurant and one of the founders of Breckenridge Ski Resort, he was also a Norwegian jokester and famous downhill ski racer who loved to party.

Sigurd Rockne skied for Norway in the Olympics before moving to the U.S. and teaching skiing in Aspen. Together with another Norwegian and ski industry pioneer Trygve Berge, he helped start the Breckenridge ski area in 1961, and the two became co-directors of the ski school and created the first Ullr Fest.

After the Rocknes married in 1964, Carol taught ski school, helped run Sigurd’s construction company and restaurant and worked in local real estate development and sales for 35 years.

Now, the family owns The Dredge restaurant, commercial properties on Main Street in Breckenridge and Cove Drive in Summit Cove as well as residential properties in Breckenridge, Blue River and Silverthorne.

“Of course we need the ski area,” she said, but “the biggest business in town not paying a tax to me is preposterous.”

A Warrior’s Mark resident, she advocated for annexing the neighborhood into the town of Breckenridge as she said she and other neighboring property owners should pay taxes to the town.

Sitting at her home on Broken Lance Drive on Sunday, she said repeatedly that the tax is decades overdue. She asked why Vail Resorts can’t do in Breckenridge what it does in Vail and will do in Utah, pointing to a September news article in The Park Record about ski-area taxes after the company acquired Park City.

“They have to trust the town like we trust the town to spend that money for our benefit,” she said to the council on July 28. “We’ve been a cash cow for them. They’ve used that money to buy ski areas and other things everywhere, and they have not done for us like they have done for Vail, and I trust the town to do the best.”

THE BATTLE CONTINUES

Rockne said the tax funds shouldn’t be tied to parking and transit, as town officials have indicated the money will support, and should instead be used for childcare, housing, sidewalks or whatever else the community deems important.

“The town has given them everything that they ever wanted,” she told the council on Aug. 11, noting infrastructure improvements, density transfers, water rights agreements and other development approvals.

Breckenridge Ski Resort COO John Buhler told the council the company has received about 700 emails from skiers and snowboarders from around Colorado and the country who strongly oppose the tax, 40 percent of whom have said they will boycott Breckenridge.

Rockne gave the councilmembers printed copies of an email signed by and recently sent to Vail Resorts pass holders that describes the tax proposal and the company’s position and ends with an invitation to email the company their comments.

“It’s disingenuous,” Rockne said, implying that the resort solicited those emails while omitting that the gondola lots already have parking requirements in a development agreement with the town. “It is all about Vail’s profits. That’s all this is about.”

Vail Resorts representatives have maintained that the company opposes the tax because the town is in a strong financial position and has not put forth enough details about the parking and transit plan. Plus, the company doesn’t want skiers and snowboarders to pay for a garage they might not use.

Vail Resorts has hinted it will fight the tax in court. Company representatives have questioned the town’s authority to impose the tax — which town officials have disputed with a 2001 Colorado Supreme Court decision ­— and have said the town may have violated open meetings laws if councilmembers decided to move forward on the tax during closed executive sessions.

“This question will become a national issue and likely will be subject to years of litigation,” Buhler told the council. “While we oppose this tax because we don’t think skiers should have to pay it, we’re even more upset about how rushed this process has become.”

Mayor John Warner compared the town’s current relationship with Vail Resorts to a rocky marriage.

“We’re not sleeping in the same bed right now, but I think there will be better times in the future,” he said.

He said he personally supports a smaller garage than the 900 spaces proposed for the F-Lot, and he hopes the town can model its transit after Vail’s more frequent bus services.

Town officials previously said they envisioned a new admissions tax would apply to all for-profit businesses who sell tickets or charge for registration, including The Speakeasy Movie Theatre and athletic races. However, the council decided Aug. 11 to limit the tax to the ski area — which doesn’t pay sales tax — and capture all winter and summer on-mountain business.

“I just don’t see this as punitive in any way. We pay taxes on everything else we do within the town of Breckenridge,” said Councilwoman Elizabeth Lawrence.

Mayor Pro-Tem Mark Burke, who owns Burke and Riley’s Irish Pub, recused him from that part of the discussion as his business charges for a couple events a year.

Then the council decided to draft the ballot question with a 4.5 percent tax, which is what all other Breckenridge businesses with the exception of marijuana establishments collect for the town. A 4.5 percent tax could add about $35 to the $769 Epic Pass and about $8 to a $149 lift ticket, though Vail Resorts officials have not said exactly how they would collect the tax from resort visitors. Skiers and riders have not seen the town of Vail’s tax when they pay for season passes.

The council will take more public input and vote on the ballot question at its next meeting on Aug. 25; if the tax passes in November, the council will hold two public hearings to make the tax law.

The ski area could be required to collect the tax as soon as January, which would be cause for celebration for Rockne.

“It’s something Breckenridge needs,” she said. “They should pay their fair share.”

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Peruse the stunning wildflower meadows of Lower Cataract Lake

#Summit County, Colorado.

Summit Daily News Link

Kim Fenske / Special to the Daily

Lower Cataract Lake is a favorite destination for wildflowers in Summit County. More than 100 species of flowering plant reside in the montane fields, aspen stands, and evergreen forests surrounding Cataract Lake. Mule deer, elk, bear, marmot, coyote, Canada goose and mountain lion are a few of the wildlife species in the vicinity.

The loop around Lower Cataract Lake is 2 miles, with an elevation gain of a bit more than 100 feet, from 8,650 feet to 8,770 feet. Although this is one of the easiest hikes in Summit County, give yourself two hours to complete the hike because the beauty of the area will distract you from returning to the parking area.

Proceed through the wooden swing gate or the wooden maze opening in the fence, a guard against cattle that roam up from the ranches lower in the valley. Bearing left, follow the wide, rocky path as it dips toward the shore of Lower Cataract Lake. A short distance ahead, you can catch your first view of the lake at a small picnic area.

Continuing clockwise around the lake, cross Cataract Creek on a broad wooden bridge. On the hillside above, fireweed, scarlet gilia, peavine, monument plant, one-sided penstemon, Columbine and wild geranium fill the field. Rounding the lake, the trail enters the Eagles Nest Wilderness. Carefully pick a route from among several unmaintained paths through heavy undergrowth on the southern shore. There are small sections of the route that can be boggy and gullied without improved crossings.

Asters, subalpine larkspur, saxifrage, cinquefoil, wild rose, false Forget-Me-Not, groundsel, goldenrod, arrowleaf balsamroot, paintbrush and harebell line the path. Anise hyssop of the mint family stands in higher wetland areas near cow parsnip and cornhusk lily. Even higher up on drier slopes, stonecrop hides among the sagebrush. The invasive weed, oxeye daisy, continues to resurge and spread, competing with native plants. Feel free to pick the daisies for your table centerpiece, and then send the blooms to the landfill.

Enter the dense evergreen forest at the southwest edge of the lake. Cross Cataract Creek on stepping-stones and a wooden bridge to view the tumbling waterfalls as the stream enters Lower Cataract Lake. Then, continue north and cross a wetland filled with cornhusk lily, cow parsnip and asters for an expansive view of the lake from the western shore.

The trail ascends into an aspen grove, climbing onto a bluff on the north shore. From openings in the forest, you can see the Eagles Nest rock formation of Mount Powell (13,534 feet) looming in the distance above Lower Cataract Lake. The trail then descends through an aspen grove and into the lush meadow at the east side of Lower Cataract Lake to complete the loop.

Andy Arrance, a local Eagle Scout candidate, is responsible for building the protective fence and entryway to the Lower Cataract Lake day use area, as well as tent pad improvements at the nearby campground. He designed the swing gate a decade ago to allow wheelchair access to the lake, and I hoped that others would subsequently prepare a plan to level the pathway to the eastern shore of the lake.

One of my regrets was being unable to negotiate the uneven terrain with my invalid mother to show her the lake where I worked, found at the edge of the untouched Eagles Nest Wilderness, before she died. Someday, when my hiking boots are placed to permanent rest on a shelf, I hope someone can drag me on a travois to the edge of Lower Cataract Lake for one last survey of the shore.

How to get there

Lower Cataract Lake is 25 miles north of Silverthorne. From the interchange of Interstate 70 and Highway 9 in Silverthorne, drive north for 17 miles to mile marker 118 and turn northwest onto Heeney Road. After passing mile marker 5, 22.5 miles from Silverthorne and 5.6 miles from the junction with Highway 9, turn west onto Cataract Creek Road. Travel up a gravel road for 2.4 miles. When you reach a junction past Cataract Creek Campground, proceed straight to reach the Cataract Lake day use area and park south of the locked gate at the end of the road.

Map: Trails Illustrated, Green Mountain Reservoir, Ute Pass, 107. Latitude 40°, Summit County Colorado Trails.

Author Kim Fenske has written extensively on hiking trails throughout Colorado. His writing includes “Greatest Hikes in Central Colorado: Summit and Eagle Counties” and “Hiking Colorado: Holy Cross Wilderness,” available from Amazon Kindle Books.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

USA Pro Challenge survival guide: Tips for making the most out of the race

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

Summit Daily News Link

Jessica Smith / jsmith@summitdaily.com

It’s the fifth year for the USA Pro Challenge race and it’s Summit’s chance to shine. With four stages of the men’s race going through the county, and with a brand-new women’s race added, there’s going to be a lot to take in this time around. Here’s a quick guide on what you need to know for the event in 2015.

ORIGINS

The first Pro Challenge race took place in 2011 and was originally known as the Quizno’s Pro Challenge. Then-governor of Colorado Bill Ritter and former professional cyclist Lance Armstrong announced the race one year before. Even in its first year, the race drew more than 100 professional riders, including many international athletes.

The 2011 race started in Colorado Springs, at the Garden of the Gods national monument. Stage 5 featured a finish in Breckenridge after a 105-mile ride from Steamboat Springs. American rider Levi Leipheimer was the overall winner.

In 2012 the racecourse changed along with the name. The USA Pro Cycling Challenge started in Durango and came to Breckenridge once again in Stage 5, this time for a start. Christian Vande Velde, also American, won the overall race.

In its third year, ‘cycling’ was dropped from the name and the route changed once again. Breckenridge hosted a Stage 2 finish and a Stage 3 start, bidding the riders both hello and goodbye down its Main Street stretch. Tejay van Garderen of Aspen won the event overall.

Last year, the town once again featured prominently as the finish line for the grueling Stage 5. A Woodland Park start led the riders on an elevation-gaining path to Fairplay, where the sprint challenge took place. Next they tackled an ascent of Hoosier Pass to battle it out in a King of the Mountain climbing challenge, which, after a quick descent down the north side of Hoosier, continued on to steep Moonstone Road. It then ended on Breckenridge Main Street. Tejay van Garderen defended his title, winning for a second time in a row.

WELCOMING THE WOMEN

The biggest news this year is the addition of a professional women’s race to the USA Pro Challenge event. The race will take place over three days, starting in Breckenridge on August 21. According to USA Pro Challenge officials, the women racers will be competing for the same amount of prize money as the men, which isn’t always the case between men’s and women’s races both in the U.S. and abroad.

2015 MEN’S ROUTE

This year will mark a first with Summit County featuring in four of the seven men’s stages. The first will be a Stage 2 finish at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, followed by a Stage 3 start at Copper Mountain Resort, heading on toward Aspen. The race returns to Breckenridge in the next stage, taking the riders from Aspen, over Independence Pass, Trout Creek Pass, through Fairplay and over Hoosier Pass, before the muscle-burning 15 percent grade climb of Moonstone Road, then ending on Main Street Breckenridge. Stage 5 is the Breckenridge Time Trial, a new feature this year. Riders will compete on an 8.5-mile course that starts flat, climbs back up Moonstone Road and finishes downhill on Boreas Pass.

TIPS

Here are a few suggestions on the best way to enjoy the bike spectacle of the season.

1. Don’t get stuck

The excitement and fun of an event like this has its downside, and that is road closures. Be sure to keep an eye on when and where the closures will take place so you don’t get stuck somewhere. The Summit Daily News and the Breckenridge Pro Challenge website (www.BreckProCycling.com) will both have updates on transportation impact. The Breck site will provide info on parking as well. Closures will also be distributed through the Summit County Alert system, which can be received via email or mobile by visiting SCAlert.org.

2. Find the right location

The right location all depends on what you most want to get out of the race. If you want to see the racers lined up and taking off, get to the starting line (stage 3 at Copper Mountain) early. If you’re interested in the time trials or climbing challenges, check out the route beforehand and find a comfortable spot alongside it from which to cheer.

“Moonstone is a really iconic location to watch those riders,” said Kim Dykstra with the Breckenridge Local Organizing Committee.

For some great close-ups, you can always check out the Jumbotron screen, which is usually set up on the Riverwalk Center lawn in Breckenridge. If you’re more interested in the atmosphere of celebration than rubbing elbows with a jostling crowd, consider heading to a nearby bar and watching on the TV while enjoying a delicious local craft brew.

3. Keep an eye on the sidelines

While the race itself is pretty darn cool, there will also be a lot of auxiliary events happening around it that are sure to be worth at least an Instagram or two. In past years, Breckenridge has hosted Stryder bike races for kids, pond crossing challenges for brave adults (who don’t mind an imminent dip in the water) and even built their own “Bikeiffel Tower” out of spare bike parts. The Summit Daily News and local town websites will have updates on any nearby events for people to join in, so keep an open mind and be ready for anything.

4. Dress up

Just because it’s a race doesn’t mean it has to be a completely serious affair. While the riders are confined to wearing the colors and logos of their sponsors, the crowd is free to go nuts and wear the costume they didn’t pick for Halloween last year. Or try out a few options for the coming Halloween. Don’t be surprised to see Ullr hats (that’s Viking hats to non-locals), coconut bras, gorilla suits and everything in between. If you do dress up, be sure to take a picture and send it toSocialSummit@summitdaily.com for a chance to get it in the paper or online. Won’t that be a story for the grandkids!

5. Check out everything

While the men’s and women’s races are the big spectacle, there’s plenty of stuff to do beyond that. The Pro Challenge happens to coincide with the Breckenridge International Festival of Arts, so expect to see some crossover between the two events. The Breckenridge Arts District is an easy destination at only two blocks off Main Street.

Additionally, there will be tons of ancillary events happening at every stage, anywhere from local bike events to concerts, so be sure and keep an eye out for all that Summit has to offer.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

USA Pro Challenge: Get amped for top 5 parties in Summit County

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

Summit Daily News Link

For every mile that USA Pro Challenge riders clock on the road during this weeklong event, fans will be cheering on their progress with hoots, hollers and parties. Here’s a peek at some of the standout events that coincide with the Summit County stages:

TUESDAY, AUG. 18

Stage 2 starts in Steamboat Springs and finishes at Arapahoe Basin.

1) STAGE 2 FINISH FESTIVAL — ARAPAHOE BASIN

Head to the High Noon lot for the Stage 2 Finish Festival at Arapahoe Basin on Tuesday, Aug. 18. The day opens with free chairlift rides on the Black Mountain Express lift, running from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and picnic games, slack lining and a guided nature hike out of the base area.

Live race coverage, vendor tents, music and kid’s activities, including the Kid of the Mountain bike race, run from noon to 5 p.m., and a free concert runs from 5:30 to 10 p.m., featuring the Freddy Jones Band.

Food and nonalcoholic beverages will be available for purchase in the festival village, and the 6th Alley Bar & Grill will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., with food service starting at 3 p.m. Driving to the Basin on race day is not recommended, and parking will not be possible without a pass. Biking to the venue is recommended, as is as taking a free shuttle from Keystone. Free shuttles pick up at Keystone’s River Run parking lots and drop off at A-Basin’s administration lot. They will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will resume after the race from 6 to 10 p.m.

2) RIDER’S LOUNGE VIP RECEPTION — COPPER

Held in the Grand Hall at Copper Station from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18, Copper Mountain’s Rider’s Lounge is the way to get up close and personal with Pro Challenge athletes, as well as NBC announcers Phil Liggett, Paul Sherwin and Christian Vande Velde. Tickets for the event are $150 per person and include a spread of food and libations, along with music from Arthur Lee Land’s sound fusion of folk-rock and bluegrass.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 19

Stage 3 starts at Copper Mountain Resort and finishes in Aspen.

3) STAGE 3 START AND FESTIVAL — COPPER

From 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19, Center Village and Burning Stones Plaza in Copper will be the place to watch the official start of Stage 3. Once the riders are on their way toward Aspen, stay for music performances from Industrial Rhythm, Zach Heckenduorf and Matt Mahern.

“Copper Mountain is very excited to host a Stage 3 start for the USA Pro Challenge this year,” said Stephanie Sweeney, communications manager for Copper Mountain Resort. “We have a long tradition of hosting other cycling events, so we’re proud to add the Pro Challenge to the lineup.”

The day will carry on as a lively festival, featuring carnival fare, free family activities, local vendors, free chairlift rides and a tour finish watch party on a Jumbotron in Burning Stones Plaza. Visitors can park in the Alpine Lot and catch a free shuttle into Center Village. The last shuttle will leave the Alpine Lot at 10:30 a.m., so Sweeney said spectators should arrive early.

“The race will start at 11:15 a.m., so Copper Road, the main road through Copper and its villages, will close about an hour before then,” she said.

THURSDAY, AUG. 20

Stage 4 starts in Aspen and finishes in Breckenridge.

4) STAGE 4 FINISH — BRECKENRIDGE

Festivities will run all day in Breckenridge on Thursday, Aug. 20, all leading up to the afternoon finish of Stage 4. Check out the all-day mobile scavenger hunt on Main Street, or visit Austin Bike Zoo and ARTCRANK in the Breckenridge Arts District.

From noon to 6 p.m., the Maxxis Stunt Show will bring performers to the Festival Village. Join in on yoga from 11 to 11:45 a.m., held on the Riverwalk Center Lawn. From noon to 2 p.m., a variety of activities on Main Street include a Strider Cup, Wish for Wheels parade and a street sprints event. Bluegrass by Trout Steak Revival will be live from noon to 2 p.m. in the Festival Village, followed by music by Dave and Brad from 2 to 3 p.m.

Watch the race finish in town or on the big screen at the Riverwalk Center lawn, starting at 3 p.m., followed by the awards ceremony. More bluegrass from Trout Steak Revival will close out the afternoon from 4:30 to 6 p.m., followed by the Tour de Breck bike decorating and costume parade throughout town. At 7:30 p.m., there’s a free concert by The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band.

Parking in Breckenridge will be almost impossible unless you have a pass, are staying in one of the complexes or get there prior to 7 a.m. There will be free parking lots on Airport Road, which is off Coyne Valley Road about one mile north of town, and they will have free shuttles that run every 15 minutes.

FRIDAY, AUG. 21

Stage 5 brings the new Breckenridge Individual Time Trial. Also on Friday, the inaugural Women’s USA Pro Challenge kicks off with a time trial event.

5) STAGE 5 TIME TRIAL FESTIVAL — BRECKENRIDGE

Breckenridge will host another day of events on Friday, Aug. 21, leading up to late-morning race starts and afternoon awards for the men’s and women’s time trials. All day, the Maxxis Stunt show will bring performances to the Riverwalk Center lawn, and guests can visit Austin Bike Zoo and ARTCRANK in the Breckenridge Arts District if they missed it on Thursday.

Pro Challenge Time Trial racing begins at 10 a.m. Spectators can get their sweat on with a boot-camp fitness class on the Riverwalk Center lawn from 10 to 10:45 a.m., as well as yoga from 11 to 11:45 a.m. From 10 a.m. to noon, the Brews and Blues (and Bloody Marys) event will be held in the Festival Village beer garden.

Women’s awards begin at noon, and men’s awards begin at 4 p.m. Kids’ games and bike rodeo will be held from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., and don’t miss the Celebrity Pond Crossing at the Dredge Pond, held from 1 to 2 p.m.

“With this event tucked away at the Dredge Pond, race fans could get caught up in other action and miss this,” said Rachel Zerowin, public relations manager at the Breckenridge Tourism Office, “but the past couple years, it’s been a super cool scene and a great vibe just hanging out on the grass and cheering the riders across, into and out of the pond.”

In the evening, a free concert at the Riverwalk Center will feature Los Lobos, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

“With two stages this year (in Breckenridge) and BreckCreate’s International Festival of Arts running during the race, fans will really reap the rewards,” Zerowin said.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

BIFA: Colorado premiere of Konstantin Dimopoulos' 'The Blue Trees' in Breckenridge

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

Special to the Daily

Summit Daily News Link

Aspen trees in the center of Breckenridge are being turned a brilliant ultramarine blue as part of an exhibit by the Egyptian-born, Australian artistKonstantin Dimopoulos. Volunteers will color approximately 125 trees by using an environmentally-safe blue pigment now through Sunday, Aug. 16.

Since the exhibit was first unveiled in 2003, the surreal blue trees have stopped viewers in their tracks in a dozen cities around the world, from London and Vancouver to Seattle, Atlanta, Houston and Sacramento. This will be the work’s Colorado premiere.

“The message ‘The Blue Trees’ sends out is very clear and succinct,” said Dimopoulos, whose eco-focused piece is intended to create an opportunity for education and dialogue about the rapid global deforestation that threatens the existence of our trees and, thus, ourselves.

“We as a planet are in great danger,” he said. “We don’t have time to be subtle regarding deforestation and the global warming aspects that it creates. We don’t have 300 more years to act.”

He describes his piece as both real and surreal, but definitely not subtle.

“‘The Blue Trees’ project takes a normal landscape with which you are familiar and changes it for a brief period of time so that it becomes something unfamiliar, perhaps even strange,” he said. “It stands out. It gets people to respond.”

INAUGURAL FESTIVAL

The exhibit comes to town as a part of theBreckenridge International Festival of Arts, an inaugural 10-day event taking place Friday, Aug. 14, through Sunday, Aug. 23, that mixes a range of disciplines from visual and performing arts and features work by local, national and international artists. Modeled after similar festivals in Europe and Australia, it is being put on by Breckenridge Creative Arts, or BreckCreate, a nonprofit organization funded by the town of Breckenridge to champion all things art while managing numerous public arts facilities.

“‘The Blue Trees’ was the first project we chose for the festival,” said Robb Woulfe, who came on board as CEO and president of BreckCreate last year, bringing a decade of experience in festival management. “We knew we were going to launch this festival last fall, but we didn’t quite know what it would look like. As soon as we discovered Konstantin, we dug into it. Everyone got excited about the idea, which is framed in an accessible, incredibly beautiful project. It just felt tailor-made for Breckenridge. Once we got that piece in, it helped shaped the rest of the festival.”

Blue trees in Tiger Dredge parking lot will seem to flow through Blue River Plaza and up Washington Avenue to the Arts District, creating what Woulfe called “a sort of way-finding for the festival.” The water-based, biodegradable pigment is expected to wash off the trees in four weeks, though in less rainy regions, it has lasted as long as nine months.

“We will get to see as the colorant fades over time,” said Jenn Cram, director of public programs and engagement for BreckCreate. “You will see blue trees for the festival, and then in fall, when the leaves change, and possibly into winter. It’s a true environmental installation in that sense because it is going to change over time and you will get to see it evolve.”

DOESN’T HURT THE TREES

Here in the High Country, we love our trees, so one of the sticking points has been whether or not the blue pigment will pose any risk to their health. Organizers took pains to study and address the concern in advance, consulting an arborist, cities that hosted past installations and community stakeholders. Cram even conducted her own experiments with the pigment. She walked the route, inspecting the health of all the trees slated to be painted. In the end, organizers and town officials were convinced that the installation would not harm the town’s trees.

Longtime local and land conservation professional Leigh Girvin is still not fully convinced, but she is supporting the project nonetheless, including volunteering to color trees.

“It’s easy to complain about something, but harder to be part of the solution. If it harms the trees, I blame myself,” she said, adding that, ultimately, she sees the benefit in the message the work conveys. “He’s really sending a message about why we need to value trees. To me, that’s as important as worrying about how this blue pigment might hurt them.”

“The scary thing is that we are all experiencing deforestation daily,” Dimopoulos said. “It’s that it’s an invisible killer. It happens thousands of miles away in the Amazon forests or the boreal forests of North America or Asia. We are experiencing deforestation every day in climate change, loss of species, water cycle, soil erosion and life quality. Forests are complex ecosystems that affect almost every species on the planet. When they are degraded, it can set off a devastating chain of events both locally and around the world.”

RAISING AWARENESS

Dimopoulos will engage visitors about the importance of trees to the ecosystem during his visit to Breckenridge through Sunday, Aug. 16. There will be an artist talk Thursday, Aug. 13, at Old Masonic Hall, and the exhibit will be accompanied by a public-education campaign including signage, post cards, a mobile app and volunteers sporting buttons inviting guests to “Ask me why the trees are blue.”

“Our entire town council really feels this is an important exhibition,” said Councilman Gary Gallagher. “This town is very concerned about environmental issues. We tackled issues of water a couple years ago, re-pricing water to encourage conservation. We also understand the critical importance of our forest.”

Gallagher, too, has volunteered to color trees.

“People will go: ‘Gee, what’s this about?’ It’s really to raise people’s awareness,” he said. “We are delighted to be hosting it. Hopefully, a lot of good conversations will come out of it.”

“I think it’s awesome for the town to tie itself to sustainability,” said Jennifer McAtamney, who co-chairs the local organizing committee for the Breckenridge stage of the USA Pro Challenge, which passes through town during the second half of the festival. McAtamney and her daughter have volunteered to color trees. “I love the idea that ‘The Blue Trees’ speaks about deforestation. We will have lots of people in town — journalists and photographers from around the world. It will be a great way to get attention to the issue.”

Colorado is one of the most beautiful regions of the world, Dimopoulos said, and the incredible landscape speaks volumes of how beautiful and yet how fragile a region can be.

“The reality is that there are deserts now existing which once looked exactly like Breckenridge. I grew up in one,” he said. “‘The Blue Trees’ is a plea that Breckenridge and beautiful places similar to it remain for the next millennium.”

“You can dig in as deep as you want to,” Woulfe said of the piece. “You can understand the artist’s vision and how environmental issues impact the community. Or you can be there with your grandkids and say, ‘Why are the trees blue? Breckenridge is so crazy.’”

Presented by Breckenridge Creative Arts, the Breckenridge International Festival of Arts is a celebration of adventure, play and creativity that runs Friday, Aug. 14, through Sunday, Aug. 23. Find more information and a full schedule at breckcreate.org/bifa, or search “BIFA” atwww.summitdaily.com.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.