Courier View Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak 7.17.13
Teller County, Colorado • Volume 52, Issue 29
July 17, 2013
75 cents
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourtellercountynews.com
Summer tourism thriving in Teller County and Pikes Peak region Tourists flocking to attractions and businesses By Danny Summers
Dsummers@ourcoloradonews.com
This husky entertained people last year at the Critter Fest at the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center. This year the North Star Siberian Husky Rescue group is among the 27 exhibitors at the Fest Aug. 3 and 4. Courtesy photos
Animal lovers unite at
Critter Fest By Pat Hill
phill@ourcoloradonews.com In a rip-roaring weekend in Woodland Park Aug. 3 and 4, the annual Critterfest at the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Center is among the festivities that highlight the city’s vitality. The fest unites critters and people in a carnival atmosphere by the dinosaur sculptures and the palm trees on the center’s grounds. With 27 animal rescue and support organizations, the fest is both educational and festive. “We wanted to have an outdoor event because everybody here loves animals,” said J.J. Triebold who, with her husband Michael, the paleontologist, owns the center. After eight years, the festival of animals is wildly successful. “We have new people coming every year,” Triebold said. “The idea is to raise awareness and educate the public about the various breeds of animals.” The fest grants prospective pet owners the opportunity to learn about various breeds. “They can talk to people who are expert about them and in some cases, adopt,” Triebold said. New this year is a program initiated by Muttmaster Bob Warren to teach children about responsible dog care, with an auxil-
One of the most popular exhibits at the annual Critter Fest at the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center are the hedgehogs from the Flash and Thelma Memorial Hedgehog Rescue, Inc. The fest this year is Aug. 3 and 4 at the center. iary benefit of fitness and health for kids, Triebold said. Along with the Critter Fest that weekend,
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Woodland Park is host to the Mountain Arts Festival as well as Vino & Notes. Triebold is all for the entertainment bonanza. “We really all draw different demographics. Once people see there are other things going on it gets people crossing the street and walking around,” she said. “As people drive into town and see all the activity it makes them want to pull over. It just makes the community look so much more vibrant.” The Critter Fest is from 9 a.m.to 4 p.m. Aug. 3 and from 10 a.m.to 3 p.m. Aug. 4 at the dinosaur center at 2-1 S. Fairview Street in Woodland Park.
Despite one of the worst wildfire seasons in the recorded state history, summer tourism appears to be up in Teller County. Among the key tourist destinations to the area are the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument and Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tour in Cripple Creek. “We had 400 to 500 visitors last weekend,” said Jeff Wolin, a park ranger at Florissant Fossil Beds. “That’s a good, healthy number. We’ve been pretty consistent this summer.” Wolin didn’t have exact numbers to compare with recent years, but in his estimation visitors to the Fossil Beds seem to be increasing as the summer moves along. “We thought we might see a drop off with the Black Forest Fire and Royal Gorge Fire, but it wasn’t that noticeable,” Wolin said. “There were rumors that I-25 was shut down, but that never happened. Folks continue to make their way here.” There was concern that the Black Forest Fire might have a negative impact on tourism; much like the Waldo Canyon Fire had in 2012 when Highway 24 was shut down for almost a week. “We were down about 20 percent last year,” said Deb Robillard, who works in customer relations for the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center. “It was devastating.” Robillard said the center gets as many as 300 visitors per day during the summer. “We’ve been very busy since May,” she said. “We make enough money in the summer to float us through the winter.” Representatives from the Mollie Kathleen Mine reported that business is up from last year. The Cripple Creek and Victor Visitor’s Center also reported that more people than usual are making their way to the area this summer. Down Ute Pass at Cave of the Winds, tourism is also up. Human resource director Ann Tilley said the attraction is averaging more than 400 visitors per day. “July is our busiest month,” Tilley said. “We’re seeing good numbers. Holiday weeks we see a lot more visitors.’ The Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau spend upwards of $1 million annually promoting the Pikes Peak Region. The CVB tracks figures from year to year. Its latest report runs through April and showed an increase of 1.91 percent from April 2012. “It’s always difficult in the middle of the summer to say whether we’re up or down,” said Chelsy Murphy, the CVB director of communications. “Indications are that we’re up, but we won’t know the actual numbers for a few months.” Last July, the CVB launched an aggressive advertising campaign directed at combating the negative stigma attached with the Waldo Canyon Fire. The “Welcome Back” campaign was directed at encouraging visitors to experience the area’s 55 attractions and activities. The CVB dipped into reserves for an additional $135,000, got another $65,000 in donations, and also received a $100,000 federal grant from Colorado senator Michael Bennet. “Tourism is the third largest employer in the Pikes Peak Region with 14,000 jobs,” Murphy said. Murphy added that as much as $1.35 billion is infused into the economy each year through tourism. Military and defense are the two biggest employers in the region.