Chef Steve Nguyen keeps art of traditional ice carving alive at Keystone

#Keystone Colorado.

Heather Jarvis / hjarvis@summitdaily.com

Summit Daily News Link

Armed with a disk grinder, Steve Nguyen, executive chef of hospitality at Keystone Resort, put a few finishing touches on one of Santa’s reindeer on Monday, Dec. 21. As mist swirled around the ice sculpture, he gave the student who had formed the creation a few hints on how to touch it up. From formless blocks of ice into intricate pieces of artwork, the 30,000-pound display of Santa’s sleigh with all of his reindeer was coming together.

Nguyen has been creating ice sculptures for the last 13 years. After an apprenticeship that lasted five years, he continued to study the art and practice making the frozen creations each winter. Keystone rewarded him for his hard work by putting him in charge of the displays set up throughout the resort eight years ago.

With the advent of machines that can create carvings from models put into a computer, he takes pride in the fact that all of Keystone’s displays are all done by hand. Nguyen wants to continue to keep that tradition alive, and the knowledge is passed down from chef to chef every year at Keystone to assure the skill continues into the future. Each winter, interested students from the Colorado Mountain College culinary apprenticeship program can take a five-week course on the subject, as well as chefs employed at the resort. This year, Nguyen said there are five culinary students and three sous chefs from the Conference Center learning how to sculpt under the instruction of Stefan Smith, who just took over the teaching role in August after Nguyen’s promotion to executive chef of hospitality. Smith, who learned under Nguyen, has been working with ice sculptures for seven years now. The course starts with a cactus, Nguyen said, to learn the basics, and as skills develop, the work becomes more intricate. The largest display on the resort, the sleigh and Santa’s reindeer, was carved in three days by Smith and the students from Dec. 19 to Dec. 21 and will be on display well through the new year in front of the Edgewater Cafe in Lakeside Village. See Smith and the students in action this weekend from Dec. 27-28 in River Run, creating a New Year’s peace, love and happiness display complete with ice flowers.

Summit Daily News: You were recently promoted from executive chef at the Conference Center to executive chef of Keystone hospitality. How has life changed for you since that switch?

Steve Nguyen: My day to day is definitely much different. I am not cooking in the kitchen as much as I used to, and I have many more meetings than I did in the past. My time is spread out between the six restaurants and the conference center. My focus went from overseeing one outlet to seven. I work with an awesome bunch of chefs (who) make my job very enjoyable. One of the biggest changes is moving out of the banquet world and getting back into the restaurants. It has been a lot of fun working with the chefs developing their new menus for the winter and starting to see them come to reality as we roll them out. It is very rewarding being part of such a great mix of restaurants and a conference center where all the chefs and cooks are so passionate and incredibly talented. It keeps me on my toes and makes me work to be better every day.

SDN: Tell us a little about the ice carvings.

SN: Ice carvings have been part of the Keystone winter tradition for over two decades. The resort has been very fortunate to keep finding executive chefs who have this talent to do ice carvings. The sleigh and reindeer have been an annual ice carving for almost 25 years now. This carving consists of over 30,000 pounds of solid ice that is carved into a life-size feature that has all nine of Santa’s reindeer and a sleigh that guests can sit in and take pictures. This piece is in placed in front of the Edgewater Café by the Keystone Lake. ... We will also have several other ice carving displays throughout Keystone resort this winter. The majority of these ice carvings will be done in the River Run village, so keep your eyes open as you walk to the gondola.

SDN: How did you first get into ice carvings, and what kind of training might someone need to be able to do this?

SN: I started ice carving 13 years ago. I was an apprentice under executive chef Joe Damonte. He took me under his wing and showed me everything he knew about ice carving. I apprenticed under him for five years before I was able to do my own ice carving that I got paid for. I was very fortunate to be able to work with several other great ice carvers from around Colorado. With their help, coupled with doing a lot of reading and watching videos on my own, I began to understand and have the knowledge needed to do this art. The real training is really experience. You can read and watch videos all day, but, to truly understand this art and to become good, you have to do it over and over again. This art is different than any other, as you are dealing with frozen water that eventually melts, so time and temperature are your two major factors, which can change everything in a matter of minutes depending on conditions.

SDN: You were quoted in 2011 saying ice carvings are “a dying art by man, which is being overtaken by machine.” Can you elaborate on this?

SN: All of our Keystone ice carvings continue to be proudly done by hand, and we intend to keep doing so. With today’s technology, there are machines ran by computers that will take an image and laser carve it into the ice in a matter of minutes. The design will come out exactly like the logo on the computer. This takes the human part of ice carving out of the art. It is very difficult for an ice carver to compete with the machine that can do logos in minutes and are completely perfect. On the flip side, these machines can’t go outside and create a 30,000 pound, life-size sleigh and reindeer. Large displays aren’t done that often and are usually done in the winter when it is cold and the display can last for a longer period of time. Most ice carvings are smaller one block carvings that are done of company logos for banquet receptions, special events or awards dinners. This means the majority of the ice carvings needed can be done by machine which requires no ice carving skills, but more computers skills, and this is why ice carving is becoming a dying art by man.

At Keystone, we do everything by hand, and it is all carved by our cooks and chefs. We have had a traditional culture of teaching new chefs how to carve ice through apprenticing under the executive chef. We teach the culinary students how to ice carve through a five-week class creating basic sculptures. These range from a cactus, angel fish, reindeer, to flowers to a final project where the students get to do a carving of their choice demonstrating specific carving techniques that the teacher specifies.

SDN: What is your inspiration behind the sculptures?

SN: My inspiration is to create something that is going to make people happy and want to take their picture with it. We call this “fridge time” because our guests will take pictures with their friends and family, and, when they get home, these pictures end up on the fridge reminding them of the memories of their trip they had to Keystone. This is one of the best feelings, knowing our ice carvings have made a family happy and they admired your work. This is what inspires me to want to become better and to teach others around me about this unique art.

SDN: How long have you lived in Summit, and what other hobbies do you have?

SN: I have lived in Summit County for 16 years now. I grew up in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, and I am one of very few people who can say they are a native of this awesome state. When I am not in the kitchen cooking or outside ice carving, I spend time with my wife Araceli and our 1-year-old son Nico. We are all avid Broncos fans and cheer our team on every week religiously. I have a third degree black belt in taekwondo, so I try to go to the dojo whenever I can. I like to mountain bike, hike and occasionally get out on the mountain to make some turns on my snowboard.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Colorado anticipates a 2040 population of 7.8 million people

#Colorado

Summit Daily News Link

Summit Daily News brings you this report in partnership with Rocky Mountain PBS News. Learn more at rmpbs.org/news.

“Colorful Colorado” may one day need to be referred to as “Crowded Colorado,” given the number of people anticipated moving here during the next 25 years.

El Paso County will still be the state’s most populous county in 2040, with Denver remaining in second place. But Weld County’s population is expected to double to half-a-million, and the growth will not be just along the Front Range.

A Rocky Mountain PBS News analysis of data from the state demographer and the U.S. Census Bureau shows seven of the 10 fastest growing counties will be on the Western Slope, including Eagle, Garfield and Routt counties.

The numbers show an estimated 7.8 million people will call Colorado home by 2040, an increase of about 2.3 million. All that growth will take a toll on the state’s infrastructure as well as water and other natural resources.

The population projections from the state demographer also show:

• Almost half of the state’s growth, 1.1 million people, will talk place in the seven county Denver metro area, whose population will soar to 4.1 million by 2040. Denver will remain the second largest county, barely edging out Arapahoe County. Both will have more than 850,000 residents within 25 years.

• Douglas County, the state’s growth leader in the 1990s and early part of the 21st Century will see growth slow. By 2040, it will rank only 24th in overall growth since 2015 with its population increasing by 51 percent.

• San Juan County will remain the state’s smallest county, adding only 82 residents and have a total population of 787 by 2040. Otero and Washington counties on the Eastern Plains will grow the least, adding just over 5 percent to their respective populations over the next 25 years.

“Colorado continues to attract those in the 24-35 year age group and that means there’s jobs here and young people are coming from all over the country to fill those jobs,” said Mark Radke, with the Colorado Municipal League. “It shows health; if you were seeing the opposite, you’d know you’d have a problem.”

Growth, though, poses its own challenges.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Colorado’s housing market is already tight. More people will likely continue to price out those who can’t keep up with the real estate market.

Spokeswoman Kelly Moye of the Colorado Association of Realtors said some in the industry are concerned that the absence of housing affordability will become a major issue.

“So eventually our market will become not affordable for most people,” Moye said. “And when companies look to bring jobs and all their employees here, they may choose another place because it’s not an affordable place to live ... so it’s a big challenge.”

It’s already a challenge in Colorado’s resort communities. Tran Pham was able to find a place to live in Telluride, but that’s just half the equation. She couldn’t find space to grow her Vietnamese food business, so she’s moving on.

“I love Telluride. (But) my passion to do something for myself is a little bit bigger than Telluride,” she said. “If I was able to get a place set up here, then I would totally be staying.”

AN URBAN-RURAL DIVIDE

Most of those moving here will likely settle in more urban areas, while some are struggling to stay relevant. Pockets of Western Colorado and the Eastern Plains will stay stagnant or lose population.

John Sutherland, the city administrator of Lamar — located two hours east of Pueblo — said young people in his community are leaving to go to areas with better job prospects.

“We’ve got a number of initiatives underway by people who have dug their heels in and said we’re not going to allow this to happen,” he said.

He is hopeful that “attitude will win,” but he isn’t sure it will be enough. For the Municipal League’s Radke, taking on the challenges seen in Lamar and elsewhere will take some new approaches.

“What I’ve always found heartening is the inventiveness of these communities and building on what they have and making the most of that to improve their economy,” said Radke.

PLANNING FOR WHAT’S NEXT

Change is inevitable — which is why state leaders say it’s important to create long-term plans now. For example, how do we ensure enough water for those additional 2.3 million people the state expects by 2040? With an acre foot of water for every two families annually, the growth will require almost 300,000 acre feet of new water each year. By comparison, Lake Dillon, the largest reservoir in the Denver Water system, has a capacity of 257,304 acre feet.

Gov. John Hickenlooper is promising action on that front in the newly-released statewide water plan. Colorado also has a commission on aging and during the 2015 session lawmakers created a separate task force to study the issue and examine everything from health care and transportation to housing and retirement savings.

While Colorado is among the youngest states in the country, a large group of people who moved here in the 1970s will be reaching retirement. State demographer Elizabeth Garner points out that nothing “magical happens at 65,” but that change is part of the deal.

“You start switching into that non-worker, your commuting is different, your use of transportation is different, your housing may change,” Garner said. “Your spending changes.”

Managing that change is the next challenge for a growing Colorado.

This report was produced in collaboration with Rocky Mountain Community Radio. Jim Hill and Stephanie Paige Ogburn of KUNC contributed.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Snows of Christmas past in Colorado

#Colorado

Summit Daily News Link

Christmas has been good to Colorado.

In the past few seasons, Mother Nature and the Rocky Mountains have ditched their unpredictable ways to bring us holiday powder with frightening consistency. Sometimes the storms come early, sometimes they fall right on Christmas Day itself, but there’s an undeniable cheer in the air when visitors and locals and everyone in between receives the gift of fresh. Right now, all the major weather seers — NOAA, The Weather Channel, Open Snow — are predicting snow from today through Christmas Day. Hopefully saying so didn’t just doom us all to mediocre snowfall, but hey, if Joel Gratz and everyone else say snow is on the way, I’ll hold onto hope.

If Mother Nature is listening, you haven’t let us down in December for a while. Please don’t start now. Last season, one of my best days of riding came on Dec. 23 after a massive snowstorm dumped more than a foot across the High Country, including my former stomping grounds of Vail. That was enough to fill in the Minturn Mile, a fun little trek from the far west end of Vail Mountain to the far east end of Minturn, the tiny former railroad town nestled between Dowd Junction and Battle Mountain on the way to Leadville.

I usually refer to the Mile as the “green run of the backcountry,” a mellow (and lift-accessed) excursion that takes all of 45 minutes from start to finish. But man, for 45 minutes last Dec. 23 it was sublime. That wasn’t the first legitimate snowstorm of the season, but it was the first time I had the chance to sneak away from work long enough for midweek powder turns. Talk about opening your gifts early.

And man, the gifts were good. I won’t tell you what route we took — sorry, giving that up would get me tarred and feathered — but my group of about five was able to find untracked powder through the entire first half, only to be greeted with a whip-fast luge track in the bottom half. There wasn’t another soul in sight — not at the Beaver Ponds, not anywhere.

By the time we reached Magustos on Main Street for $2 beers, no one spoke much. Instead we all wore stupid-huge grins, the kind I usually see on doe-eyed couples just a month into a relationship — the “honeymoon phase,” a friend calls it. The euphoria wore off after a while and we came back to reality, beers and all, but the feeling of floating through untouched meadows and tree-filled gulleys hung in the air. It was some kind of Christmas spirit, minus the tinsel and lights. Well, unless the bar’s pinball machine counts.

Like most mountain-town residents, I rarely celebrate Christmas (or any other December holiday) on the same schedule as the rest of the world, or at least the world according to Clark Griswold’s fairytale Christmas. Right now is easily the busiest time of year for local employees, from lifties and ski instructors to servers and bartenders and the folks who run dogsledding operations. That means tradition takes on a whole new meaning: Christmas dinner gets bumped to your day off (whenever that is), gift exchanges get spread across two or three weeks, work calls for help on your one day off after a 10-day stint, but it’s all good, they’re paying time and a half and rent is coming up in a week.

Living and working in a winter resort town forces people to find new traditions, but I’ve never thought that’s cause for mourning the old ones. Call me a sap, but Christmas is a fantastic excuse to reconnect with whatever makes you tick, whether that’s family or friends, or all the luscious powder outside. I grew up in Denver, so unlike a lot of transplanted residents from every corner of everywhere, I usually have the good fortune to see my immediate family for Christmas. It’s a tradition I enjoy — “Presence, not presents,” my mom always said — and it’s one I still try to make, like watching “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” at some point.

It’s definitely easier to keep the film tradition going. Two seasons ago, Christmas Eve brought another round of two-foot snowstorms to the Central Rockies. I had already committed to seeing my family for Christmas, but I didn’t need to be in town until 6 p.m. and Game Creek Bowl in Vail was calling my name. I went out by myself for a few runs through Lost Boy trees, just to see if the snow was worth it.

It absolutely was. I soon let myself get lost finding new, untracked lines, and suddenly it was 1 p.m. No worries, I thought. I can still beat the rush home.

But two jack-knifed semis had other plans. I spent about five hours in traffic with the rest of the holiday faithful, alternately cursing my luck and reminding myself it was my own damn fault. I could have left early before the storm reached a fever pitch. Or, on the other hand, I could’ve called my mom to say I’d miss Christmas Eve with everyone. I came close to complaining about my dedication to the old tradition.

But that wouldn’t be fair to anyone. Why let my powder day and family Christmas be soiled by a few hours in a warm car with good tunes? That’s like Griswold giving up after Uncle Lewis sets his tree on fire. (Better believe I’ll watch that film tonight.) Snow is unpredictable and obnoxious at the same time, just like the best traditions. Here’s hoping Mother Nature makes good on her recent tradition of Christmas snow, but if not, there’s no shame in taking a year off. It’ll make my drive easier.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Meet Your Forest column: Ski with a Ranger tours begin at partnering resorts

#Breckenridge Colorado.

Courtesy Friends of the Dillon Ranger District

Summit Daily News Link

This winter, Friends of the Dillon Ranger District (FDRD), in conjunction with the Dillon Ranger District, will be offering free Ski with a Ranger tours with three partnering resorts: Breckenridge Ski Resort, Keystone Resort and Copper Mountain Resort.

These free, on-hill tours are offered every Friday at 11 a.m. starting Dec. 18 at each mountain. Copper Mountain also offers tours on Saturdays starting at 11 a.m. This will be our seventh season of providing one-hour, cultural and natural history tours by knowledgeable volunteer ski rangers at our participating ski hills. These Ski with a Ranger guided tours provide a chance to look beyond the edge of the trail and into the heart of the White River National Forest. Each year, Friends of the Dillon Ranger District trains dedicated individuals to give comprehensive tours for all ages to enjoy and each ranger brings their individual love and knowledge of the Dillon Ranger District to their unique guided tour. These free tours are open to intermediate-level skiers/riders and only require a day or season pass to the individual resort. Tour content will include topics such as Summit County’s illustrious history, local geography/geology, snow science, flora and fauna, and other topics dealing with our surrounding environment.

There is no need to sign up so just come out and join us for a great on-hill experience. Tours will run through Saturday, March 26 on the designated dates listed above. So come and learn about all that is happening in our forest around us as we make turns down the hill.

If you are around during the holidays, FDRD is presenting a movie showing of “Fire on the Mountain,” a Tenth Mountain Division movie, at the Keystone Resort Conference Center on Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door. The movie runs for 72 minutes and tells the story of all that these remarkable men and women endured through this difficult time during WWII. Some graphic footage is included. The proceeds go to another great season of volunteer stewardship for the Dillon Ranger District and White Rive National Forest.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Stage set for northern Breckenridge build-out

#Breckenridge Colorado.

Courtesy of the Town of Breckenridge

Summit Daily News Link

The stage is set for one of Breckenridge’s most ambitious community build-out projects.

Earlier this month, the town moved forward with the final go-ahead to develop the McCain property, which sets aside about 10 acres for affordable housing, a new water treatment plant, 23 acres of open space, a solar garden, nearly 5 acres of overflow parking and proposed restoration of the Blue River.

The vision was developed with the help of the public’s input delivered at two meetings over the past two months. Mark Truckey, Breckenridge assistant director of community development, noted about 50 residents who attended the first meeting, many of who were from the Silver Shekel neighborhood just east of Highway 9.

After listening to community members, the town decided to increase the space designated for service-commercial uses. The original plan designated a 1.5-acre parcel on the east side of the McCain property for existing businesses, but after further discussion a 10-acre plot on the northwest corner of the property, which is reserved for residential use, was reenvisioned.

“We left the existing 1.5 area service-commercial area in tact, but redesigned the 10.2 acres to residential/service commercial,” Truckey said. “I would expect the majority of that area would still be residential.”

The residential area has been approved for a maximum density of 20 units per acre. Truckey stressed the level was set above anticipated need, but with future housing requirements continuing to grow beyond expectations, it’s difficult to accurately assess future requirements.

“We don’t know the density levels at this time,” he said. “Likely it won’t be that high but town wanted to leave some flexibility.”

Preserving the night sky views was a priority for many residents in attendance at the public input meetings. Truckey said there are no plans to install lighting at the nearly 5 acre overflow parking area designated on the south east corner of the McCain property. Also the plan does not call for lighting along a proposed road running through the property.

The final version of the plan also addresses sightlines by establishing building height limitations. Structures within 200 feet of Highway 9 will be restricted to two stories. Beyond that area buildings taller than two stories will be discouraged.

There is also a proposed river restoration project to introduce a new channel to the stretch of Blue River passing through the McCain property. The current river channel does not support year-round flows or extensive vegetation as a result of historic dredge mining up-stream. In its current state the channel is not capable of handling a 100-year flood. The proposed new channel would be capable of containing a century-mark flood as well as supporting year round water flow.

The Fairview roundabout and increased traffic flow resulting from future residential development was another area of concern raised at public input meetings. Tim Gagen, Breckenridge town manager, said traffic studies would be conducted to analyze the situation. He noted that the master plan is only the starting point of a lengthy step-by-step process.

“The real work is when there’s actually a proposal,” he said.

While not discounting the perspectives of neighbors, Gagen pointed out that residential development typically has a low impact on traffic congestion.

“That road is designed for a lot more traffic than we experience 85 percent of the time,” he said.

Reiterating that the master plan is a launching point for upcoming development, Gagen said the town will engage the community for input as progress moves forward to address dire needs, like housing, parking and open space.”

“That’s why we hold public meetings.”

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

I-70 Mountain Express Lane to start tolling Saturday

#Colorado

Courtesy of the Colorado Department of Transportation

Summit Daily News Link

Initial testing is over for the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Interstate 70 Express Lane. CDOT will begin collecting tolls for the 13-mile shoulder lane on Saturday, Dec. 19.

“The equipment worked the way we wanted it to,” CDOT communications director Amy Ford said. “The tolling will be on.”

Unlike other tolls lanes throughout the state, the I-70 Express Lane will only be open 73 days per year, during “peak periods” such as ski season weekends and summer holidays. While tolls can range from $3 to a whopping $30, rates are expected to range between $8 and $15.

“The weekend after Christmas will be very busy,” assistant county manager Thad Noll said. “Throughout the year, (I-70) almost always reaches capacity on Sundays and very frequently on Saturdays. So it’s not only confined to holidays.”

While CDOT did not collect tolls last weekend, cars were allowed to pass through the lane as a means of testing cameras and other equipment. Ford said on Sunday alone about 34,000 cars travelled eastbound through the mountain corridor.

While all of the equipment functioned well during testing last week, there was one hitch: Drivers attempted to use the express lane when it was turned off, intended to function as a shoulder.

“About 150 people used the lane after it closed this weekend,” Ford said. “That is something we will be working on as well over time.”

Now that the lane is fully functional, tolls will be collected as a means of maintaining a steady flow of traffic. As congestion, and demand increases, tolls will also rise with the goal of maintaining a steady speed of 45 miles per hour. CDOT also hopes the addition of the toll lane will help reduce congestion in the two existing lanes.

“We’re frequently picking people up or dropping people off at airports. That’s one direct benefit,” Noll said. “The other big benefit is really economically — it makes it easier for people to come up here.”

On average, the corridor sees about 30,000 vehicles per day, with numbers ramping up through the holiday and early spring. CDOT stands to profit by opening the lane just before Christmas, with more than 400,000 cars passing through the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels during Christmas week last year.

“That will be a work in process as we look at how we use tolling pricing to manage traffic in the lane,” Ford said. “We will have brand-new drivers in the corridor each weekend.”

The eastbound lane in particular is prone to Sunday afternoon congestion, as Front Range visitors drive down the mountains after the lifts close. The lane targets the chokepoint between Empire and Idaho Springs, where drivers from Loveland Pass, Berthoud Pass and I-70 merge together.

In the future, CDOT may look to create a similar lane westbound, once funding is available.

To use the lane, drivers may purchase an ExpressToll pass online and attach it to their cars. Those without a pass may also use a lane, but will be subject to a higher license plate toll rate.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

What is a fat biking?

#Breckenridge Colorado.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News

Summit Daily News Link

The fat bike movement is here to stay, which means the industry’s best niche manufacturers are now building models to take on anything. A 2015-16 Salsa Cycles, found locally at Rebel Sports, model even comes with full suspension. It’s more or less a moot point with big, thick, moon-boot tires, but hey, this is mountain biking, and manufacturers can’t say no to something new and shiny.

The Kona Wo doesn’t fall into the new-and-shiny trap. No, the frame is fully rigid, and anyone who has been on a Kona mountain bike knows that’s the only tech you need. The bike itself will handle the demands of just about any trail, whether you’re cruising the bike path or bombing slip-n-slide trails.

“It’s to the point where these are like any other bike, and people really like these bikes for anything these days,” said Seth Dumph, manager at Rebel Sports in Frisco. “Even on a fully rigid bike you get the feel of suspension from those fat tires.”

The 29er movement hasn’t hit the fat bike community (yet), so all tires are 26 inches in circumference. Width is the variable with fat bikes, and the Wo frame can handle up to a 5-inch tread. The complete comes with Shimano brakes and shifters, but fat bike components are interchangeable with standard MTB cousins. Only the crank is different to fit the wider wheelbase.

Now, just because the components are the same on the surface doesn’t mean the Kona Wo (or any other fat bike) is just a mountain bike by another name. Here’s a look at the little touches that make fat biking a sport of its own.

TIRES

Before a few crazies started making bigger, beefier tires for snow and sand, bikes were limited to relatively predictable terrain. Have you ever tried pedaling hard through mud or slush on a standard mountain bike? It’s not always a pretty sight.

Fat bike tires are more expensive ($40-$100 for tires, $10-$20 for tubes), but you get what you pay for. The thicker, wider tread is a godsend in the nastiest conditions. A few manufactures offer studded tires, but Dumph says they’re not necessary with the right inflation. In winter, he suggests six pounds with a 26 x 4.5-inch tire.

DERAILLEURS

Have a favorite brand of derailleurs and shifters? Transfer that love over to your fat bike. The Kona Wo comes standard with Shimano Deore components — the same gear found on a standard mountain bike. Installation and maintenance is the same. Just be sure to clean everything often to prevent corrosion.

FRONT FORK

Most fat bikes come with a rigid front fork, and that’s just fine. The wheels and soft, slushy terrain provide plenty of cushioning. If you want a front suspension, do your research first and find one made to fit a tire that’s 4-plus inches wide. Sizes vary depending on the manufacturer.

CRANK

Wider tires mean a wider wheelbase, which in turn mean a wider crank. The Kona Wo comes standard with a 100-millimeter Race Face crankset. Dumph also recommends using wet chain lube if you ride in winter. It won’t protect your chain and crank from everything Mother Nature whips up, but it will extend its life much longer than dry lube.

BRAKES

By now, disc brakes are the norm. They’re also your best bet for a fat bike setup. Virtually no manufacturers build traditional rim brakes for thick tires, but even if they did, disc is the smart choice in snowy conditions. Why? They grip and perform better when wet. Dumph suggests hydraulic over mechanical brakes for the same reason.

Courtesy of the Summit daily News.

Frisco Natural Grocers announces spring opening

#Frisco Colorado

Summit Daily News Link

Natural Grocers confirmed a spring opening for a new store in Frisco, located just off North Ten Mile Drive. While an exact date has not been set yet, the Lakewood-based grocery chain will accompany a new Starbucks, which opened Nov. 20, as well as another potential business.

“This will be a relocation from our Dillon store, which is currently open and will remain so up until the new store opens,” marketing director Jeremy Jones said.

The new store will measure 15,000 square feet, about 5,000 square feet larger than the current location. The stores will go up in the area formerly known as the “Christmas tree lot,” which had been vacant since 1981.

NAVA Real Estate Development, the property owner, is still selecting the ideal tenants for the third building in the lot, which could host one large tenant or multiple smaller tenants. The trick is finding businesses that complement each other, for the perfect mix.

Denver-based Vega Architecture drew plans for the building with a demo kitchen, seating and several additional features. The building is currently being constructed to match Frisco’s mining town aesthetic. Architects looked at old photographs to pull ideas for materials and colors, with more modern architecture influencing the shape of the buildings.

The business will open two blocks away from a new Whole Foods Market that opened in April 2014. Since the new store opened, Frisco has seen inflated sales tax revenues in the grocery sector, up 32 percent in October and up 32.5 percent for the year.

“For us, being in the mountain community was a really natural fit for our brand,” Whole Foods executive Heather Larrabee said. “It’s definitely been a successful store for us.”

She noted that she had seen the pattern of stores opening in close proximity to each other, with a high-degree of “crossover shopping,” where customers shop both stores for different items.

“We definitely share a lot of property proximity. I can think of four or five (Natural Grocers) in our region that are within the same parking lot,” Larrabee said. “Honestly, I think competition is great for both of us. It’s exciting to me that more natural and organic foods are readily accessible.”

Plans for the new Natural Grocers were approved during a Frisco Town Council meeting in March of 2015, and construction of the two remaining buildings is currently underway.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Pets available for adoption

#Summit County, Colorado.

Summit Daily News Link

Pookie | Michael Yearout Photography

Summit County Animal Control can be reached at 970-668-3230.

Cats:

POOKIE, 11 years, Domestic Shorthair mix, tortie, spayed female

SEVEN, 8 years, Domestic Mediumhair mix, white and black, spayed female

LUKA, 6 years, Domestic Shorthair mix, gray and white, spayed female

LINO, no age, Domestic Shorthair mix, black, neutered male

NIKITA, 6 years, Domestic Shorthair mix, black, spayed female

JAGGER, 4 months, Domestic Shorthair mix, black and silver, neutered male

COAL, no age, Domestic Shorthair mix, black, neutered male

LENNY, 3 years, Siamese mix, silver, neutered male

CINDY, 11 years, Domestic Shorthair mix, brown tabby and black, spayed female

TREE, 2 months, Domestic Shorthair mix, brown tabby, unaltered female

ANGIE, 1 year 8 months, Domestic Shorthair mix, white and tan, spayed female

MORRIS, 2 years, Domestic Shorthair mix, apricot, neutered male

SQUISH, 1 year 1 month, Domestic Longhair mix, calico, spayed female

COOKIE, 8 months, Domestic Shorthair mix, black and white, spayed female

DENZEL, 8 years, Domestic Shorthair mix, black, neutered male

SPOOKY, 10 years, Maine Coon, bl tabby and brown, spayed female

CASEY, 4 months, Domestic Shorthair mix, orng tabby, neutered male

CANDY, 2 years, Domestic Longhair mix, black, spayed female

Dogs:

SHERA, 7 years, Chow Chow mix, red, spayed female

CARUSO, 2 years, Doberman Pinscher and Siberian Husky mix, black and tan, neutered male

HOSS, 3 years, Labrador Retriever mix, black and white, neutered male

LUNA, 7 years, Chihuahua - Smooth Coated mix, tricolor, spayed female

NYLAH, 2 years, Labrador Retriever mix, tan and black, spayed female

TINY, 2 years, Pit Bull Terrier mix, tan and brindle, spayed female

SOPHIE, 5 months, Pit Bull Terrier mix, tan and brindle, spayed female

SADIE, 5 months, Labrador Retriever mix, tan and brindle, spayed female

SARAH, 5 months, Labrador Retriever mix, tan and brindle, spayed female

SAMMY, 5 months, Labrador Retriever mix, tan and brindle, neutered male

ROCCO, 3 years, French Bulldog mix, white and brindle, neutered male

CLARA, 2 years, Rottweiler mix, black and tan, spayed female

BO, 2 years, Chihuahua - Smooth Coated mix, white and tan, neutered male

LYLAH, 3 years, Pit Bull Terrier and Boxer mix, brown and white, spayed female

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

The last stand of the West's fire lookouts

#Colorado

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Summit Daily News Link

Approximately 4,000 fire lookout towers once dotted Western forests, staffed by dedicated lookouts who scanned the surrounding woods for any hint of smoke.

But today, about 400 are in use, largely due to budget constraints and the rise of satellite and spotter plane technology. Some abandoned towers burned, while others became historical sites or lodging for tourists. Now, a new project could make the rest obsolete.

This year, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory deployed a dozen high-definition cameras on mountaintops around the Lake Tahoe Basin (the AlertTAHOE program) and in central and northern Nevada, on both public and private land.

The cameras, which have infrared capabilities and can pan, tilt and zoom, feed time-lapse images to fire department monitors and even home computers. Smoke can be detected much earlier, allowing firefighters to squelch fires sooner and reducing the need for expensive spotter planes, says Graham Kent, director of the lab. Though some regions use analog, closed-circuit cameras, Kent recommends high-tech, digital cameras.

“If you’re not seeing thousands of these cameras in the future, then call up the government and ask why they’re wasting money on other methods,” says Kent, who’s working to get more cameras on remote public lands. “This really is the future of fire observation.”

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

County pays Forest Service $1.75M for land

#Summit County, Colorado.

Courtesy / Summit County

Summit Daily News Link

Last Tuesday, Dec. 8, the Summit County Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of the 45-acre Lake Hill property. The land, located between Dillon Dam Road and Interstate 70, is being purchased for $1.75 million from the U.S. Forest Service.

The planning process for the future workforce housing stretches back to 2010.

“It’s amazing,” said Commissioner Dan Gibbs. “It’s unbelievable to think that here we are just inches away from actually purchasing this land,” he said.

Acquiring the property from the Forest Service has been fraught with red-tape and delays. Due to budget cuts, the Forest Service Facility Realignment and Enhancement Act, or FSFREA was passed in 2005 to allow the Forest Service to sell land parcels, up to 40-acres in size.

This July President Obama signed the Lake Hill Administrative Site Affordable Housing Act into law which cleared the way for the land sale.

“I can’t tell you how many phone calls and memos and meetings and handwringing sessions we’ve had over the hope for purchase of this property,” said Gary Martinez, Summit County manager. “To have it now be a reality is, in my mind, just an absolutely great milestone for the county.”

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.