gtt-2023-01-05-a-000

City initiates multi-million dollar water treatment plant project

Water utility rate hikes planned in coming years

Bella Biondini Times Editor

The City of Gunnison has begun the design process for a $20-30 million surface

water treatment plant — a multi-year project that will likely be the largest in the city’s history.

Gunnison’s previous plant, built almost 100 years ago, went offline in the 60s. The city temporarily drilled wells in anticipation of building a new plant, but that never happened. In the new year, staff are taking

A moment of hope

Snowpack receives small boost entering new year

Dangerous avalanche conditions persist in North Valley

Bella Biondini Times Editor

After a dry autumn, the Gunnison Basin finally received some relief over the holidays as snow blanketed both ends of the valley.

Although not nearly as large as 2021’s epic Santa Slammer, two storm cycles dropped feet of snow between Christmas and New Year’s Day. On Jan. 3, snowpack in the Upper Gunnison Basin sat at little above 130% of normal, while the rest of the state hovered around 125%. These percentages refer to how the present median snow water equivalent com-

Local businesses swap locations

All Sports Replay and OffCenter

DeSigns will have new homes

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

In a game of musical chairs in which everyone wins, a pair of Gunnison businesses are preparing to trade locations in February. OffCenter DeSigns and All Sports Replay will each move two blocks — in opposite directions — to set up shop in the other’s old space. For All Sports, that’s not all that’s changing. The sports equip -

Courtesy Crested Butte Avalanche Center

Michael Stanley, Steve Curtiss and Adam Crist (right to left) of Econo Lodge watch what would prove to be an unsuccessful shootout during the Gunnison adult fall B-league championship on Dec. 21. Econo Lodge lost to CB Electric in the fourth round of the shootout. For more, see B7.

Morgan Raspanti

Garry F. Mazzuca passed away Dec. 25, 2022 in Gunnison, Colorado. Garry worked at Six-Points and will be dearly missed. Obituary to follow.

Harold F. “Hal” Yale

Uptick in RSV local infections

Gunnison Valley Health (GVH) continues to grapple with the “tripledemic” infection season as a frontline responder for RSV, COVID and the flu.

On Dec. 20, the GVH Board of Trustees updated the Gunnison County Commissioners on valley-wide infection rates. Through the month of December, staff saw an uptick in admissions for RSV infection and admits, as well as flu cases.

Since Nov. 1, the hospital has admitted 10 RSV patients, mostly young children. The hospital typically only admits two to five RSV patients per year.

The hospital works closely with the Colorado Hospital Transfer Center, which allows direct admit RSV and pediatric transfers to areas like Denver or Colorado Springs. But so far, GVH has been able to manage its patients in-house.

Oxygen therapy is the most common medical support provided to RSV admits. GVH works with a local oxygen distributing company to make sure there are enough pediatric oxygen regulators.

The most rapid increase in infections came from the flu.

On Nov. 1, there were no infections reported in the health system. By Dec. 11, more than 40 cases were recorded. Most of those cases came through clinics. Only three hospital admissions for the flu occurred between Nov. 1 and Dec. 20. The hospital is still offering flu shots for residents.

COVID curves have remained flat with only one hospital admission since November.

Minimum wage increase

On Jan. 1, the statewide minimum hourly wage in Colorado increased to $13.65 for regular employees and $10.63 for tipped employees.

Colorado’s minimum wage changes at the start of each year based on the inflation rate of the past year. The statewide increase in 2022 was equal to almost 9%.

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Harold F. “Hal” Yale of Gunnison, Colorado on Dec. 28, 2022 at age 87. He was born Aug. 11, 1935 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Legend has it that he was born prematurely so to keep him warm he was given a sip of whiskey and was placed in an oven that was used as an incubator. As a child his family was on the move to places like Scottsbluff, Nebraska, Brighton and Denver, Colorado finally settling in Gunnison in 1948. Hal was a graduate of Gunnison High School, Class of 1953. In 1957, he graduated from Western State College. After college he served two years in the United States Army. While on leave in 1958 he married his college sweetheart and continued to be her “knight in shining armor” for more than 64 years. In 1960, Hal, his wife, Peg, and children, Gary and Cindy, returned to Gunnison where he lived for the remainder of his life. He began work at the family accounting firm

and obtained his Certified Public Accountant license in 1967. He kept the accounting firm going until he sold the practice and retired. When not working he could be found out for a “short” Sunday drive on one of the many 4-wheeldrive trails, heading up to the Alpine Tunnel, picking wild raspberries, cheering on the Cowboys, Mountaineers and Broncos, or out cross-country skiing near his cabin in Pitkin. He enjoyed showing off his 1929 Model-A pickup at car shows or in parades, once driving the entire parade route in reverse. Hal was actively involved with the Gunnison Rotary Club for more than half of its 100-year existence. He served in several offices culminating in the 197576 club president. He could always be counted on to support the Rotarians during roadside cleanup, Fourth of July fireworks, Halloween parties, or any other community service activity. In 2015, his service was recognized as the inaugural recipient of the Gunnison Rotary Club’s “Hal Yale Service Above Self Award.” After he retired from the accounting firm he spent many hours supporting the Pioneer Museum. He served as the Gunnison County Pioneer and Historical Society Treasurer and helped at the museum by gathering donated items, arranging displays and giving tours. He loved history, especially the history of the Gunnison Valley and old West. He would occasionally leave the valley to travel or go on a cruise. While he enjoyed cruising, he preferred to drive so he could see the countryside. He always had a gleam in his eye and a little chuckle when he spoke. He is survived by his wife Peg, children Gary (Debbie), Cindy, Ken (Teri), and Andrew (Troy), brother Donald (Sandy), sister-in-law Marge Yale, five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Byron “Barney” and Joyce

Yale and brother Jim (Marge). Some will remember him as a devoted husband and father. Others as the clown/magician at the Rotary Halloween parties. All will remember him as a warm, kind and gentle man who always thought of others above himself. May he rest in peace and enjoy the paradise he has earned. Services will be later this year. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in honor of Hal be made to the Rotary Scholarship Fund or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

Laurel Warmack Bain

career as county librarian for many years. She enjoyed hiking, evening stars, the beauty of nature and of course planting spring flowers. She loved the mountains of Colorado as well as the deserts of Utah. Laurel was preceded in death by both parents and her first husband Michael. She is survived by her son Benjamin Bain of Durango, Colorado, her step son Christopher Bain of Florissant, Colorado and her husband Greg Winslow of Aurora, Colorado. Laurel will be missed by many.

A celebration of life will be held in the Gunnison Valley sometime next summer, time and date to be determined.

Hospital pushes retention programs into 2023

Focus on longterm staffing goals and housing

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

Staffing shortages continue to hinder Gunnison Valley’s economy — but the headaches are not limited to small business owners. On Dec. 20, Gunnison County Commissioners heard a presentation from Gunnison Valley Health administrators detailing the formidable staffing problems the publicly-owned institution faces — and laying out their plans to tackle them.

Laurel Warmack Bain, beloved wife, mother and dear friend passed away unexpectedly on July 3, 2022 while traveling through Seattle, Washington on vacation with her husband Greg. Laurel was born on March 5, 1948 to Clonita and Ralph Warmack in Dalton, Georgia. Laurel graduated high school in Boulder, Colorado and then continued on to receive her Bachelors degree and Masters degree in library science from the University of Colorado in Boulder.

Laurel moved to the Gunnison area in the mid-70’s where she received a teaching certificate from Western State College. She soon discovered that she enjoyed the library much more. Laurel was married to Michael Bain and they raised their son Benjamin in the Gunnison Valley.

Laurel continued a very long

Delbert Rodney Davis (Rod), 93, passed away Dec. 15, 2022.

Services will be held at the Sedgwick Community Center, Jan. 16 at 11 a.m. Interment will be at a later date in Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell, Nebraska.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Sedgwick Volunteer Fire Department or VFW in Rod’s name. Visit bohlenderfuneralchapel.com to share memories and read Rod’s obituary.

The hospital has 70 open positions, a number that has barely budged since the start of the year. Of those, 50 are full-time, 10 are part-time and 10 are on an as-needed basis. The most challenging roles to fill continue to be registered nurses who work in the operating room, radiation technologists and care techs who work in urgent care and home health care. Those openings continue to be filled by traveling nurses, said GVH Chief Executive Officer Jason Amrich.

The use of “travelers” presents a dilemma for the staffingstrained hospital. Travelers can fill critical staffing roles quickly, but using temporary labor means pulling housing and financial resources from full-time staff development.

Currently, 6.5% of the hospital’s staff is made of travelers, but they’re using over 50% of the hospital’s housing stock.

“The cost to pay travelers is as much as hiring our open positions that we have available,” Amrich told the Times . "That kind of tells you what we're dealing with and what healthcare systems across the country are dealing with.”

But the fundamental roles travelers play in the valley's healthcare system can’t be understated, he said.

“Those travelers are filling critical roles that we need for continuity of operations across

nursing departments, support departments — like radiology and lab — and then our Senior Care Center,” he said.

One strategy the hospital is pursuing is converting travelers to full-time staff, which is a benefit to the hospital culture and budget, Amrich said. The mountain recreation lifestyle can be appealing enough to some that making a permanent move is desirable.

To try and make hospital employment more enticing and affordable, GVH has implemented three new programs for its staff. The first is a matching program. GVH will match 50 cents per dollar for dependent care for qualified staff. The hospital has also invested in recreation through the creation of a lifestyle account, which contributes money for activities like skiing, running and yoga. This benefit is scaled based on the employees’ years of service.

The final benefit is an increase in full-time tuition reimbursement from $2,000 to $5,000. Through an approval process, full and part-time hospital staff are eligible to have a portion of their education paid for. Investing in staff education strengthens staff culture, Amrich said.

“We believe that's going to help folks feel supported as they better themselves and look for their own professional development,” he said. “And if we can help develop those employees

into positions that we need, it’s a win-win all around.”

Housing plans

GVH is looking to increase its housing stock by 11 units in 2023, bringing the total owned by the hospital to 38. Those units will be a combination of local projects like Lazy K and the renovation of a wing in the old Senior Care Center.

The hospital presently controls 27 units, 14 of which are owned outright and 13 that are leased. GVH staff occupy 24 of the 27 units. The goal is 50 units, Amrich said, which would be a combination of ownership and master leases, depending on what is available.

GVH applied for institutional units in the most recent Lazy K lottery, but hospital staff was still priced out because of a stricter area median income (AMI) criteria.

“Obviously, our target is towards people who can't afford homes, but that's becoming, more and more, everyone that works at GVH,” Wade Baker, GVH vice president of operations, said in the meeting. “We didn't want to have units sitting there waiting for the right person with the right income,”

Since the recent lottery left units unfilled, the city has lifted income restrictions on the institutional units, so the hospital is pursuing four units that would be immediately available for occupancy.

Looking back on 2022, the eight units of GVH staff housing at Paintbrush Apartments has made a significant difference, Amrich said. The hospital also bought a home and a townhome, which are now being used by GVH staff. To help streamline housing projects, the hospital will hire a housing coordinator in the coming months.

“We're really excited to have that person come on board to help us,” Amrich said. “We see that role as a conduit with other local housing agencies or authorities.”

(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@ gunnisontimes.com.)

NEW

PRICE

plenty of storage for your toys. Zoned R-3 on 6 city lots. 502 S. 11th; $585,000.

OVER 1,900SF log cabin on 35 acres features 2 bedrooms, an open living room & kitchen with custom made oak cabinets, Upstairs loft includes additional beds for guest & the woodstove keeps the cabin warm. Well in place & solar panels for electricity. Seasonal pond and sold partially furnished. Lot 1 Stratman Subdivision; $425,000.

VIEWS from the main floor & upstairs of this 2,304 square foot, 4 bdrm/2 bath, two story home on 6.8 acres overlooking the Ohio Creek Valley & Horse River Ranches. Partially fenced with loafing shed for your horses. Unobstructed views of Carbon Peak & the Anthracites to the north. 174 Tiama Trail; $1,400,000.

Richards, Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District

Garry F. Mazzuca

Delbert Rodney Davis

We believe that’s going to help folks feel supported as they better themselves and look for their own professional development.

Jason Amrich GVH CEO

Issa Forrest issa@gunnisontimes.com

Editor Bella Biondini bella@gunnisontimes.com

Editor

Jacob Spetzler jacob@gunnisontimes.com

Staff Writer

Abby Harrison abby@gunnisontimes.com

Sales Director

Bobbie Duft bobbie@gunnisontimes.com

Sales Representative Jack Anderson jack@gunnisontimes.com

Production Manager

Michaela Keefe production@gunnisontimes.com

Production/ Social Media Manager

Libby Marsden libby@gunnisontimes.com

A headshot for the editor

I’ve joked for more than a year now that I didn’t need a headshot to go along with my commentaries. Why? Maybe to remain just a little mysterious, even though that’s not really possible in Gunnison. Shrugging, I’d say, most of you know what I look like anyway.

For those of you who don’t, or haven’t yet crossed paths with me, I hope to meet you soon. I get sick of taking phone calls so please swing by the office and say hello. If I’m not in the office, I’m in the backcountry. And if I’m not in the backcountry, I'm usually in the office — it’s become my second home at this point. I might as well move in. I stumbled upon the Gunnison Valley by complete accident — looking back, very much a happy one. I was a college student eager to see the world, and only a plane ticket away from a semester in Ecuador.

Then COVID made its appearance, somewhat like a freight train. I delayed my semester abroad, in hope, like many, that the pandemic would end as abruptly as it arrived.

A year passed and I looked to my adviser in desperation — please, anything to get me the hell out of southern Louisiana once and for all.

Many of my friends attended Colorado State University, and I spent my summers in Fort Collins and the Denver area. After scouring a map for months, I settled on Western for my semester “abroad,” kind of close to what was familiar, but not really. It would have to do.

I arrived in Gunnison ter-

LETTERS

Ban books or see their beauty

Editor:

I am concerned about the latest round of book banning and reshelving efforts at the Gunnison County libraries. I am disturbed in part because I grew up in the aftermath of the rise of the fascist regimes in Europe followed by World War II. I often heard about the atrocities of those times, and in fact saw many films of actual book burnings in Nazi Germany.

I fear that there can be a slippery slope from banning a few books written about a small part of the population to a literal bonfire of some of the greatest books expressing profound ideas.

Who decides? Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder, as is ugliness. For example, Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses is applauded in the West and vilified in the Middle East, simply based on point of view. Who decides?

What is the definition of

rified and very much alone. I didn’t know a soul, and hung on desperately to one arranged friendship. On my first day of class it was 22 below zero, a warm welcome. My three-hour lab was outside.

I’ve come to appreciate the tingling of my fingers and toes as they go numb from the cold. It often accompanies the thrill of flying down a mountain on skis, or the satisfying thud of an ice ax against a frozen wall.

As the months flew by, my “arranged friend” became my most-trusted hiking partner. We have stumbled up too many peaks to count, with objectives sometimes too large to achieve.

It wasn’t dissimilar from the way I stumbled through this job in the beginning — sometimes biting off way more than I realistically knew how to chew. Some things require quick learning, a trial by fire of sorts.

It surely was a trial by deadlines and feeling like I knew absolutely nothing about taxes, TABOR or the ins and outs of an election. By the looks of the chaotic cork board behind my desk, I’m proud to say not a day goes by that I don’t learn something new.

My tenure at the Gunnison

Country Times began more than two years ago with an email to former owner Chris Dickey to see if he was looking for an intern. I later found my writing (and my ski turns) challenged and often pushed to new limits by former Times editor Sam Liebl. For that, I am thankful.

The ultimate multi-tasker and speed writer, and veteran of the world of daily newspapers, I said I never wanted Sam’s job. With a notable amount of gray hair even though I haven't yet reached the ripe age of 24, here we are.

Although I graduated with a degree in journalism, I swore I had no interest in writing for a newspaper. But the Gunnison Valley community captured me in its hands and held on tight. Even though I ski, climb and bike, I was an outsider. But it didn’t matter. You still welcomed me into your offices and classrooms, onto the backs of snowmobiles and at your kitchen tables, onto tiny jet planes and hot air balloons that made me weak in the knees.

You pulled up an extra chair for me even though I was a mere stranger. Slowly the Gunnison community became more like a family than anything else. Many listened to me ramble on about my weekend climbing adventures, while others asked me if my family was safe during Hurricane Ida. Community. It’s something

I never really had growing up.

I was a child of a nasty divorce. My parents worked night shifts (and still do) at the hospital.

They rotated shifts, so while one parent slept during the day, the

other was a zombie — irritable and exhausted. I was too young to understand.

One day my mother packed her things and left, and everything fell apart. I looked for community under every rock or page I turned over. I played volleyball, ran track, buried myself in books and wrote and wrote until I couldn’t anymore.

This is the first time I have ever understood the true meaning and value of community. I am lucky to learn, mourn, listen and celebrate alongside you. As it comes as no surprise to those who have lived here longer than I (most of you have), it has changed the way I look at the world.

For those who have accepted calls from my out of state cell phone number, after hours or on your days off, thank you. Thank you for your trust in me to tell your stories, big or small. Bright, or a little heavy.

Just know that I carry your stories with me. Sometimes I feel their weight too, and after the car door shuts and the camera is put away sometimes tears follow. Other times, your elation carries me through the work week.

Although my title has changed numerous times, almost with the seasons, my responsibility has not. Thank you Gunnison, for sharing your stories and listening to mine. And finally, here is my headshot.

(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)

BIRTHS

Malakhi Frame

NEW YEAR’S BABY

Kevin Bates of Gunnison and Jed Frame of Almont, Colorado.

His great grandparents are Mary Frame of Gunnison, Nick Lypps of Paonia, Colorado, Gail Digate of Sedona, Arizona and James Digate also of Sedona.

His mother considers him a very beautiful, handsome and healthy New Year’s Baby!

Robert Avram Lavelle Sneed

DeLaney Hudson and Robert Ethan Sneed of Hurst, Texas. He weighed 8 lbs. 8 ozs. and measured 20.5 inches in length. He has an older sister named Audreya Rae Sneed who is 4. His grandparents include Issa Forrest and Alan Wartes of Gunnison, Christopher Hudson and Shawn Waggoner of Salida, Colorado, Jennifer Halloway of Mansfield, Texas, and Rodney Sneed of Weatherford, Texas.

His great grandparents are Sandy Spink of Hurst, Nancy Zeller of Salida, Joan Sorensen of Gunnison, Don Sorensen of Salt Lake City, Utah and Sara Wartes of Houston, Texas.

Alejandro C Houle

On Jan. 1, 2023 at 7:45 p.m. Anneliese Frame gave birth to the first baby of the year, Malakhi Frame. He weighed 7 lbs. 13 oz. and measured 20.5 inches in length. He has two furry older siblings Lady and Spock. His grandparents are Nicole Digate of Gunnison,

LETTERS

continued from A4

pay more than two-thirds of my monthly gross when I will never be able to make more than a 2% profit?

Who are these units for? I am the missing middle, and this is not an affordable solution for me.

The article in the Gunnison Country Times explains why city council was forced to change the AMI limit for the 140% units. This is because they were unaffordable even for Gunnison Valley Health. An institution who has the financial overhead and need for housing pulled out because the staff they planned to fill these units with made "too much money." It is good that council and the Housing Authority saw this gap and have made efforts to fix it, but that is a small step in a much bigger marathon.

On Dec. 9, 2022 at 7:44 p.m.

Robert Avram Lavelle Sneed was born to parents Altamira

Alejandro C Houle on Jan. 2, 2023 to Victoria Baca and Colton Houle of Gunnison. He weighed 6 lbs. 1 oz. and measured 19 inches in length.

obscenity anyway? Some say the best definition is simply “I know it (obscenity/pornography) when I see it,” as Supreme Court justice Potter Stewart famously said. Should such a vague definition be used to decide what gets banned?

Again, we stand at the edge of the slippery slope.

Could we lose wonderful books with beautiful ideas?

Books by Kurt Vonnegut, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, John Steinbeck, Erich Maria Remarque and George Orwell all have been banned in the past. It is no coincidence that these books espouse social and political views that some people do not like and not just sexually explicit themes.

Disagreement about such ideas can stir up deep emotions. I understand the promoters of banning some of the library books brought legal suit against the leaders of the library. Why would this be dragged into the legal sphere? Could we not have a respectful debate about the issues instead?

As we see in the current case regarding books about LGBTQ people — and in fact in many cases of book banning — it is books about oppressed minorities (or about suppressed ideas) that some want to ban.

Could it be that these people are afraid of ideas that are new to their experience?

Laird Cagan Gunnison

I am the missing middle

Editor:

In the Dec. 29, 2022, edition of the Gunnison Country Times one of the cover stories reads, "Lazy K boosts options for the missing middle." I am the missing middle, and I am currently under contract for a Lazy K unit.

What the community needs to know is that these units are in fact not affordable. They are barely attainable for the "missing middle."

I am fortunate enough to have a job that allows me to

"qualify" for units at the Lazy K development at the 80% AMI range, or so I was led to believe.

According to the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority, the bank and the City of Gunnison, I make enough annually to "afford" to live there.

The affordability recipe outlined by these government and financial agencies means forfeiting over more than 66% of my monthly gross income to be able to live in this townhome.

And that 66% doesn't account for fuel, groceries or enjoyment. I have been told that the rule of thumb in finance is to not spend more than 33% of your gross monthly income on housing, otherwise you will be house poor. The high interest rates must be taken into consideration, but even with a better market, this purchase would still be a challenge.

Who are these units for? I am the missing middle. Is this really my best option? Does it make sense (cents) for me to

Who are these units for? I am the missing middle. I hope I am wrong, but I anticipate many of these units to remain empty until interest rates go down. But even then, due to the layout and the varying AMI limits per unit, I would not be surprised if empty units were a common theme in this development.

If the business-priority units are not being scooped up because businesses are unable to afford it, how do you expect a hard-working single woman such as myself to be able to pull this off.

Who are these units for? I am the missing middle.

Madeline Thomas Gunnison

Wolves and Gunnison sage-grouse: For real

Editor:

Last week’s letter about the upcoming reintroduction of wolves to Colorado amounts to little more than baseless fear mongering. In response, I’d like

to offer some facts, based on science and the hard work and sincere dedication of a group of diverse stakeholders, including some local to the Gunnison Basin.

The Colorado Wolf Technical Working Group (TWG), a body that included our own county commissioner, Jonathan Houck, published a final report in August 2022 that stated, “wolves will not have an impact on populations of threatened and endangered species in Colorado, specifically lynx and Gunnison sage-grouse.”

Since the TWG operated by consensus, it would seem that Commissioner Houck signed off on the notion that wolves will not adversely affect our precious and imperiled sagegrouse. Instead, we should address the actual causes of the grouse’s decline, specifically uninhibited livestock grazing and recreation pressure.

As for the unsubstantiated claim that wolves will destroy wildlife, let’s look again to the TWG report: “At a statewide level, wolves are unlikely to have a major impact on overall big game populations or hunting opportunities in Colorado based on evidence from northern Rocky Mountain states.”

Indeed, data supplied by the relevant state game agencies reveal that there are now more elk in every northern Rocky Mountain state than before wolf restoration.

Turning to the potential impact on livestock, data from the Northern Rockies is again instructive: In counties hosting both wolves and livestock, 99.95% of the resident cows and sheep do not perish by wolves. Fortunately for Colorado’s stock growers, state game managers are building out a robust toolkit of non-lethal deterrents, as well as a compensation program for those few ranches that experience depredation.

Coloradans of all stripes should be proud of the plan that is shaping up to restore wolves. The citizen enacted law that put this plan in motion goes aboveand-beyond to protect the interests of all stakeholders. In turn, wolves will restore balance to our mountain ecosystems — for the good of elk, deer and myriad others of their wild brethren, for now and future generations.

LETTERS POLICY

The Gunnison Country Times welcomes Letters to the Editor. Letters should be under 500 words, be clear, concise and free of profanity or inflammatory language. Write with purpose and make your case clear, keep your topics local. We discourage argumentative letters addressed to particular members of the community. If you use data to support a point, include sources at the bottom of your letter. We’ll use them to check your facts. We will no longer publish letters from candidates for political office or endorsements from organizations. We will accept these from indivicuals.

They can be mailed to our office at 218 N. Wisconsin in Gunnison, delivered in person or, preferably, emailed to: bella@gunnisontimes.com. All letters must be signed and include your full name, address and a phone number. This is for our internal use.

Anonymous letters will not be printed. Our deadline is Tuesdays at 12pm. We cannot guarantee that every letter will be used, but we do try to reflect the viewpoints of the community, subject to our space limitations. We reserve the right to edit letters for grammar, clarity or space.

Bella Biondini Times Editor

Tom Zieber Gunnison

the first steps toward constructing a new plant — initiating a project that will supply an extra layer of security against well contamination, support population growth and guard against drought.

The city’s present lack of a water treatment plant makes it an oddity amongst other Colorado communities. Instead, the city uses an outdated well system to supply drinking water to its residents. This is an entirely different facility than the operating wastewater treatment plant.

Nine wells are scattered throughout Gunnison and are connected by water lines that generally run down each city block — forming a grid system. These wells pump chlorinated groundwater directly into a distribution system that feeds the pipes and faucets of homes.

Although clean and tested daily, the water flowing to homes closer to wells may not have enough time between when it’s pulled from the aquifer and when it’s consumed for adequate disinfection, said Water and Wastewater Superintendent Mike Rogers. This could become a problem in the case a contaminant enters the system.

“Right now it’s perfectly fine, but it’s prone to vulnerability,” Rogers said. “Going to a water treatment plant would make it bulletproof.”

A system at risk

Building a water treatment plant will allow the city to pull water directly from wells or the Gunnison River — considered surface water, and not groundwater — and treat it at a single location. The plant would then pump the clean water back to homes in town.

One of the largest problems with Gunnison’s shallow well

Snowpack

pares to the levels measured between 1991 and 2020, a notably dry time period when looking at historical data.

The 2022 holiday storm cycle was only a third of the size of the “hellacious” snowstorm of December 2021, which boosted the snowpack in the local area anywhere between 150300%, said Beverly Richards, water resource specialist for the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District.

“Nothing like last year, but we still got precipitation in December, and that's a good thing,” Richards said.

Despite this, the long-term drought index, which stretches into the next 60-90 days, predicts that some drought conditions will return in Gunnison County. According to data from the U.S. Drought Monitor, the amount of precipitation expected to fall in January is 40% of average.

On Jan. 3, Blue Mesa Reservoir sat at about 73 feet

system, which would no longer be permitted by the state if it was built today, is its susceptibility to contamination, said Public Works Director David Gardner.

“If somebody accidentally spilled a diesel tank or something it could feasibly get into the water system, and could immediately, if it were by one of those wells, contaminate the entire system,” Gardner said.

The collection of additional water from the Gunnison River and likely the Town Ditch will also create more diversity within the system in the case of continual drought conditions throughout the region, Gardner said. In the case of a fire upstream, or a chemical that seeps in the aquifer, staff would be able to switch between sources.

“It’s safer, it’s cleaner, it’s

more efficient,” Gardner said.

Another advantage of being proactive is ample time for planning and securing grants, said City Engineer Cody Tusing. He noted stories of towns that were put onto a compliance schedule by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and only had a couple of years to get it done.

This could more than quadruple the price tag for a plant.

Last year, the EPA’s proposed reclassification of Afton, Wyoming’s water system had the potential to cost the small town millions of dollars in infrastructure on a tight timeline.

“You don’t want to be there,” Tusing said.

Rising water utility bills

The project, which is expected to take 10-15 years to fully complete, will be split into

phases to help spread out the cost. According to project engineers, the design process alone is expected to continue well into 2024.

Phase one will include constructing the plant itself and a “manifold” — a pipeline that ties Gunnison’s wells together and transports the water to a centralized location — followed by additional wells and storage tanks in later phases.

Breaking the project up into smaller pieces increases the availability of grant funding, reducing the portion of the cost that will fall onto local taxpayers. Each phase may be eligible for its own set of grants, Rogers said.

“We're trying to go above and beyond to get extra funding and to make it more affordable,” said Rogers. “In the past, we've really looked at the utility investment

fees to make sure that everybody's paying their fair share in anticipation of this.”

Even with grant money, the Public Works Department estimated that at least 50% of the project cost will be reflected in residents' water utility bills in the coming years. The 25% water rate increase going into effect this year is the first phase of rate hikes that will also support the project. Existing measures that can help reduce monthly utility bills include recent boosts in water utility investment fees for contractors, adding a price tag for bulk water fills in town and the initiation of a water loss study.

The city has already received a $310,000 state grant for design and engineering work. Staff are hopeful more is on the way, looking to the recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and support from the Colorado Water Conservation Board, said Finance Director and Interim City Manager Ben Cowan.

The water treatment plant will be built on city-owned property at Van Tuyl Ranch near Calder Farms. The building will be fairly large, similar to the size of City Hall and will include space for a storage lake, tanks and ponds for water treatment.

The city is working with JVA Consulting Engineers, a company based out of Boulder, and Eidos Architects — the same firm that designed Mount Crested Butte’s water treatment facility expansion that was completed early last year.

The major upgrade to a now antiquated system is essential for Gunnison, said JVA’s lead project engineer Kevin Tone.

“This project will give the city the kind of resiliency and water reliability to bring us way into the future here,” Tone said.

(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)

All Sports

ment consignment shop will also be under new ownership when doors open again.

All Sports’ previous owner, Brea Patten, put the business and building up for sale in March 2022. Late last year a deal developed to split that offering, with Kirsten Dickey of OffCenter DeSigns purchasing the property while Gunnison paramedic Michael Tobiassen bought the All Sports business.

Patten, who bought All Sports in 2017 after being an employee there for five years, said he’s ready for something new after years of service in the outdoor industry.

"Basically, I've had two jobs in my life, I worked at a bike shop when I lived in Boulder and then when I moved here, I started working here and that's all I've ever done,” he said. “It's just time for a change.”

OffCenter will move presses and embroidery machines to its new home at 115 W Georgia Ave. during the first week of February, Dickey said. The business had outgrown its home and needed more room for better printing efficiency.

“We're learning some new printing techniques, and I feel with all that we may get busier and need a few more people to help out,” she said.

Since most of OffCenter’s clientele is in Gunnison and Crested Butte, she anticipates no significant changes to service and is looking forward to welcoming people to the new space.

For Tobiassen, the move into the outdoor-gear business has seeds in his young adulthood, spent racing cyclocross and working in bike shops outside Denver.

“Cycling has always been a big part of my life. Then since moving to Gunnison, doing more skiing — nordic and alpine — and more rock climbing and ice climbing, I've spent a ton of time riding and being in the culture, and just wanting to get back into the business side of it,” he said.

Tobiassen has been a patron of All Sports, and a friend to Patten’s family, for years. All Sports’ culture and service stuck with him through the years.

“It's being able to walk in and find that stellar deal on something that's lightly used,” he said. “Looking for a new ski shell, walking in and seeing the perfect thing and then two racks over, there's something that I didn't even think that I might be interested in.”

Looking forward, Tobiassen said the Tomichi Avenue location may give the consignment store greater visibility, spurring more locals and tourists to stop in. The ice cream shop that lives in front of the building, Spenny’s Ice Cream, will stay in that location and serve customers in the summer.

Although the space is smaller than the Georgia Avenue lot, he doesn’t think much will change. The store will still offer consignment and have bike mechanics and ski services, although space may limit staff to simple ski tune-ups, like waxing and edging. Staff may build back into mounting and testing ski bindings and

sharpening skates as space allows.

To prepare for the move, All Sports has started slimming down store inventory and services. Staff are no longer accepting consignment items until the store reopens sometime in February or early March. Customers who already have consignment items with the store can pick those items up before Jan. 31 for safekeeping during the move. After reopening, the store will mostly be accepting items for spring and summer.

Store credit will start fresh at the new location so those who have money in a consigner account can spend it before February, pick up a check at the store or request it be mailed out. The shop will be closed for a couple weeks starting Feb. 1, to allow things to settle in at the new location.

Updates about the reopening can be found on All Sports’ social media.

Patten said he looks back fondly on the five years of ownership.

“Growing it the way we did was really fun … You get to know a lot of people here and there's customers that you just love to see and deal with every day,” he said. “I'm definitely gonna miss that the most, the personal relationships you develop with people.”

(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@gunnisontimes.com.)

below full pool, or 35% full. That is up 12 feet from one year ago.

According to the Bureau of Reclamation, by Sept. 30, 2023 — the end of the water year — Blue Mesa’s elevation is projected to be approximately 7,470 feet above sea level, or 52% of capacity.

For the reservoir to have a chance at recovery, Richards said, the basin needs two or three years of heavy snow and increased soil moisture so runoff doesn’t seep directly into the ground before it reaches rivers and streams. The arrival of another La Niña this winter signals a greater likelihood of above average temperatures and below average precipitation across much of the Southwest.

“Blue Mesa is so low now that it's going to take an amazing amount of water to bring it back up,” Richards said.

Dangerous avalanche cycle

Zach Guy, lead avalanche forecaster for the Crested Butte Avalanche Center (CBAC), estimated that Schofield Pass received five feet of snow during December’s large storm

cycle. The wet, dense snow fell on top of a number of weak layers in the snowpack — some that formed during a dry spell earlier in the month, and a brittle layer on the ground from November.

The heavy snowfall caused a spike in the avalanche danger toward the end of the storm. Multiple people were buried in avalanches around the state over the weekend. One the events, southwest of Breckenridge, resulted in Colorado’s second avalanche fatality of the winter season. Last weekend, the CBAC team observed a number of destructive natural avalanches that broke on the weak layers and facets. Slides buried some backcountry roads, such as Ohio Creek Pass, which is a groomed snowmobile route. Some were large enough to reach far into valley runouts — the portion of the avalanche path where debris is usually carried — following breaks on nearby Augusta Mountain and Whetstone.

Light snow fell on Monday night and into Tuesday, and will

taper off on Friday. After a big load, the general trend is for the snowpack to start to improve as it adjusts and settles, Guy said.

While the peak of snow instability has passed, he still acknowledged the threat of triggering large avalanches.

“Those weak layers aren’t going to be quick to heal,” Guy said. “I recommend still using kind of conservative travel hab-

its, because the consequences of an avalanche will remain deadly even if the likelihood is decreasing.”

To get updated avalanche forecasts, visit cbavalanchecenter.org.

(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)

The outside of All Sports Replay

OffCenter staff celebrate the purchase of the old All Sports building on W. Georgia Ave.

Water and Wastewater Operator Nick Hill explains how the water pump system works at well 10. It starts with water being pumped from the aquifer, which is then chlorinated before going to the sand separator and finally out to the distribution system.

Abby Harrison

A natural avalanche piled up deep enough to bury a person on Reno Divide Road in the Cement Creek drainage.

Courtesy Crested Butte Avalanche Center

Jacob Spetzler

Courtesy

NEW YEAR - THE CALENDAR YEAR JUST BEGUN “To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own

and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which shall never be seen again.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors wishes all a wonderful start to 2023. December ended with gratitude for 2022 well done. We thank our communities, our members, our businesses (brick & mortar, services, non-profits and more) and we thank our Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce Board members whose time on the board has concluded. Thank you to board members AJ Mani and Jennifer Kermode as their terms are up and make way for the new.

We are pleased to share the 2023 Chamber Board Leadership:

Lacey Keane / Treads ‘N’ Threads President

Luke Schumacher / Three Rivers Resort Vice President

James Harriss / Western Colorado University Treasurer

Cheryl Dillard / Exploration Kids Therapy Secretary

Pamela Williams / Island Acres Resort Motel Past President

Dani Crist / Rocky Mountain Rose

Craig Beebe / Western Colorado University

Clarie Broshinsky / American Family Insurance

Amy Stevens / The Wanderlust Hostel

Kendal Rota / Sapinero Village Campground and RV Park

Josh Townsend / Clarke Agency Real Estate

Our Board represents the diversity of our membership. I am grateful for this wonderful leadership and invite all business – organizations to get involved. Not only can one be an active member, you can add your voice through joining as a committee member – volunteer. The current Chamber committees are:

Membership

Events

Innovation

Have interest in learning more about the Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce and what 2023 membership brings, contact 970 641 1501 or www.gunnisonchamber.com Become an active business/organization member in your chamber community and join in sharing.

Jacob Spetzler

Maryo Ewell

Torchlight parade rings in 2023

Crested Butte Mountain Resort celebrated the arrival of the new year in its classic style with a ski instructor torchlight parade and fireworks at the base area.

Taylor Ahearn/Crested Butte Mountain Resort

Over-the-snow winter travel reminders

Record growth for Western’s adult degree program

Fully-online bachelor's program opens new doors

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

Western Colorado University’s Adult Degree Completion program (ADC) is making waves in the world of higher education. The yearand-half-old program, still in its infancy, has already seen rapid growth in just under a year.

the world of higher education. Declining birth rates since the 2008 recession have created a phenomenon dubbed “the cliff,” referring to projections that college enrollments will drop nearly 15% starting in 2025. This has spurred universities around the country to invest in online degree programs and offerings outside the traditional, 4-year, brick-and-mortar classroom model. For Western, that trajectory led to more online graduate and concurrent enrollment programs — and eventually, the ADC program.

The Gunnison Ranger District would like to remind over-thesnow users about its winter travel regulations. Residents and visitors can pick up a winter travel brochure at both the Gunnison and Crested Butte chambers of commerce and the U.S. Forest Service Gunnison Ranger District office at 216 North Colorado Street. All drainages in the North Valley contain private property, wilderness boundaries and overthe-snow closures.

Here are some local rules to keep in mind when riding in the Crested Butte area:

Washington Gulch

Motorized over-the-snow vehicles are not allowed in the Anthracite Mesa or Coneys Ridge area, the Rock Springs Creek drainage on Mt. Baldy and in the Gothic closure area.

Please respect private lands by staying on the road for one mile beginning at the winter trailhead to the National Forest boundary and through the private property at the Elkton townsite and cabins.

To ride in Washington Gulch, all over-the-snow vehicles must display a Washington Gulch permit. These are free and available at the Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce and Gunnison Ranger District office.

Slate

Respect private and Land Trust property, stay on the road to the National Forest boundary.

Kebler

Lots of private property. Please respect wilderness boundaries as well.

Cement Creek

Stay on the road for the first seven miles to avoid trespassing on private property.

Brush Creek

Please respect wilderness boundaries and private property.

Gothic

This is a non-motorized winter drainage. There are a few private properties the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory and the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association (CBMBA) have limited access special use permits to operate over-snow vehicles in the drainage.

Pick up a “Winter Recreation around Crested Butte Brochure,” follow the rules and protect over-the-snow motorized recreation for generations to come. For questions about winter recreation in the forest, call the Gunnison Ranger District at 970.641.0471.

(Source: U.S. Forest Service.)

The program offers Western’s first fully-online undergraduate degree, designed to help professionals and paraprofessionals with some college credit finish their requirements and earn a bachelor’s degree. The program started in 2021 by offering a business communication major, but quickly added general studies in the spring of 2022, which enables paraprofessionals to obtain a teaching license. A paraprofessional typically works full-time in a school district, but does not have a four-year degree.

“Everybody in our program is back because they've hit a wall, and they need a degree,” said ADC Director Terry Schliesman. “They’ve been told ‘we'd love to give you this job, you don't have the degree’."

Enrollment data show rapid growth since classes first started in 2021. There were nine ADC courses offered and six students enrolled in 2021-22 school year, but the 2022-23 school year boasts 27 courses and nearly 50 students. The program’s popularity has even taken Western staff to the Front Range to recruit entire cohorts of students.

The beginnings of ADC can be traced back nearly a decade, when Western staff and administrators started brainstorming ways the university could have a stronger online presence. This interest was spurred in part by whispers of concern permeating

The curriculum is asynchronous, meaning class materials are delivered one week and students take the next week to complete them. The asynchronous model effectively revolutionized the online-learning space, especially for adults, because it allowed professionals to pursue education on a more flexible timeline, said Sherri Anderson, director of educator preparation at Western.

“People really thought that they were locked out of their dreams,” she said. “They can't quit their jobs, and so they can't do the whole school thing anymore. That ship has sort of sailed. This bridges the gap.”

Online learning brings with it unique challenges. An academic workflow might not be intuitive for an adult who has been out of school for years, maybe decades.

“A lot of it is in the moment.

‘How do I do this? I haven't been in school in 20 years’,” Schliesman said. “So, one of the challenges is, ‘academically, how do I pull this off?’”

But unraveling the web of academic success is just one part of it. ADC students have families, jobs and real-world concerns to attend to. For this reason, the individuals who come into the program are a breed of their own, he said. The program welcomes mothers and fathers who work 60-hour weeks who then find the grit to pursue a degree to improve their financial prospects or pro-

A Western masters student does online coursework at Jermaine’s Cafe. Courtesy

Bella Biondini

fessional trajectory.

One of these students is Rebekah Herrera, a mom-ofthree who started in the general studies program this fall after spending a few years working as a paraprofessional and substitute teacher in the Gunnison Watershed School District.

“I was going to be an elementary teacher, and then I had kids and just kind of wanted to be a stay-at-home mom for a while,” she said. “After that I thought my chances of becoming a teacher were out the door.”

Herrera started the program this fall and is aiming for a teaching license in the next couple years.

A pipeline for teachers

Of the two majors offered in ADC, the combination of general studies and teacher licensure

has most of the new recruits, with nearly 30 students for the inaugural class. It is also the only ADC program in the state to offer fully-online teacher licensure for paraprofessionals.

The ADC program allows paraprofessionals to finish out their credits in the general studies program so they are eligible to pursue a teaching license, which is often the only thing standing in the way of the next step, said Tara Mason, special education program coordinator at Western.

“That changes their life overnight. They double their salary because they become a teacher, they get to then work in their own classroom which is pretty exciting,” she said. “It feels empowering and exciting to be able to guide your own learning ship.”

The program also helps address a crippling state short-

age of special educators. The Colorado Department of Higher Education estimates that over half a million people have some college education but have not earned a degree. Statewide educator shortages have led the Colorado legislature to pursue incentive programs to recruit more teachers. One of those programs is the Educator

Recruitment and Retention fund, which kicks in $10,000 toward the cost of licensure.

Scholarships like these can shift the balance for people interested in coming back to school, Mason said.

“I do think that cost is an incredibly huge barrier,” she said. “We still have a lot of inequities in our higher education systems, where students who maybe didn’t finish high school and go to college are having barriers going back to school and taking out a loan.”

The program is funded by state grants, tuition and support from the university’s Center for Learning and Ingenuity. ADC received $780,000 over four years from the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI), administered through the Colorado Department of Higher Education. COSI scholar -

ship support has lowered ADC tuition nearly 85% for students.

Looking down a barrel of immense growth means the program has to be scalable, Schliesman said. To accommodate growth, he is moving full-time into administering the ADC program. Staff will also look for more grant support from the state.

Herrera said the constant support and guidance of ADC staff has helped her navigate this new chapter. She sat down with advisors, who laid out the process and explained how she could finish and get her license.

“This is my second chance to do it right and get it done,” she said. “This program has just been amazing.”

(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@ gunnisontimes.com.)

LIGHTS&SIRENS

CITY OF GUNNISON POLICE REPORT

DECEMBER 27

HARASSMENT — 910 E. TOMICHI AVE.

FIREWORKS - UNLAWFUL — 405 N. 7TH ST.

FAILURE TO APPEAR-OTHER JURISDICTION — 400 W. TOMICHI AVE.

FAILURE TO APPEAR-OTHER JURISDICTION — 524 12TH ST.

CIVIL PROBLEM — 432 PAINTBRUSH AVE.

HARASSMENTINSULTS,TAUNTS,CHALLENGES — 720 N. COLORADO ST.

FRAUD - INFORMATION / WIRE — 201 E. TOMICHI AVE.

VIOLATION OF PROTECTION ORDER — 200 N. MAIN ST.

DECEMBER 28

UN-SECURE PREMISES — 315 N. MAIN ST.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — PAINTBRUSH AVE.

MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATION — 100 W. NEW YORK AVE.

THEFT - INTENDS TO PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE — 411 PAINTBRUSH AVE.

ACCIDENT — 115 W. GEORGIA AVE.

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE - DRUGS — 300 W. SPENCER AVE.

DECEMBER 29

JUVENILE PROBLEM — W. VIRGINIA AVE.

MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATION — 504 N. MAIN ST.

MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATION — 400 E. TOMICHI AVE.

DECEMBER 30

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE - ALCOHOL — W. TOMICHI AVE.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — E. TOMICHI AVE.

ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGEMUNICIPAL — 221 W. HWY. 50

DECEMBER 31

HARASSMENT - STRIKE SHOVE, KICK — N. SPRUCE ST.

TRAFFIC - DUS — 100 W. TOMICHI AVE.

ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGE - MUNICIPAL — 820 W. TOMICHI AVE.

ALARM — 821 W. TOMICHI AVE.

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE - ALCOHOL — W. TOMICHI AVE.

JANUARY 1

TRAFFIC - DUS — 200 E. DENVER AVE.

DROVE VEHICLE WHEN LICENSE

REVOKED AS HABITUAL OFFENDER — 900 N. MAIN ST.

ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGE - MUNICIPAL — 800 W. TOMICHI AVE.

HARASSMENT - MUNICIPAL — 416 PAINTBRUSH AVE.

INFORMATION — 711 N. TAYLOR ST.

JANUARY 2

WELFARE ASSIST — W. TOMICHI AVE.

INFORMATION — 910 W. BIDWELL AVE.

UN-SECURE PREMISES — QUARTZ ST.

MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATION — 718 W. NEW YORK AVE.

MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATION — 308 S. 11TH ST.

TRAFFIC - DUS — 600 N. COLORADO ST.

GUNNISON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORT

DECEMBER 27

-Agency assist to the Saguache County sheriff’s Office and the Colorado State Patrol with a high-speed pursuit for a felony domestic

-Agency assist to the Colorado State Patrol for a one vehicle roll over -911 hang up

DECEMBER 28

-Found property at the Castle Mountain area- keys

-Agency assist to the Gunnison Police Department with a disturbance

-Deputies responded to a vehicle slide off- no damage and no injuries

-Deputies responded to a second vehicle slide off also with no damages or injuries

DECEMBER 29

-Agency assist to the Colorado State Patrol for a vehicle slide off -Agency assist to the Colorado State Patrol for a one vehicle rollover with 5 occupants -Possible criminal mischief and trespassing report under investigation -Welfare check on a suicidal subject

DECEMBER 30

-Summons issued for dog at large and no licensing second and fourth offense

-Theft of a bike from a storage facility

-Information report regarding someone who tried to leave an ex-roommate’s belongings on the sidewalk of the jail but was told he could not -Information report about a dog on the roadway eating road kill -Family dispute

-Deputies arrested a person for driving under the influence -Welfare check

DECEMBER 31

-Agency assist to the Colorado State Patrol for a snow plow accident -Civil standby for an eviction through a Writ of Restitution -Gun shots reported in an area where someone has seen a moose

JANUARY 1

-Agency assist for a 2-vehicle car accident

JANUARY 2

-Dog at large -Vicious dog warning -Citation issued for speeding -Agency assist to the Gunnison Police Department for a welfare check on a 1 year old

People really thought they were locked out of their dreams.

Sherri Anderson Director of Education Preparation

1% for Open Space, Inc.

1880 Tapas & Spirits

4 U Consignment Auctions

4th Generation Mechanical

5 B’s Barbecue

91 Perks Photography

Abba Eye Care Acuity

Abracadabra

Academy Mortgage

Ace CB Adam Frisch for Colorado

Adaptive Sports Center

Agenti Media Services

All Sports Replay Almont Resort

Alpengardener

Alpine Express

Alpine Loop Technical Consulting

Alpine Lumber Alpine Outfitters

Altitude Painting

AM Salvage

American Family Insurance

American Legion Auxiliary

Amy Jo Odubhaigh Amy Kowal

Anderson Associates

Anderson Associates extras

Andie Holman- Scar Queen

Andrew Dunda

Antonucci Consulting

APEX Land Management

Apogee Brokers

Appraisal Group of Western Colorado

Arcadia Cognerati

Art in the Park

Ascent Counseling

Atlasta Solar Center

Atmos Energy Greeley

Auto Corral

Avflight

Axis Health system

Back at the Ranch

Back Country Cafe

Backcountry Cannabis Backcountry Hunters & Anglers

Bank of the West Crested Butte

Barb Carroll

Beggin’ For Bagels

BenchMark Mortgage

Berkshire Hathaway Gerald Lain

Berkshire Hathaway Kelsey Loftis

Bethany Baptist Church Bible Gems

Big C Builders Bill Knowles

Black Canyon Quilt Show

Blackstock Bistro

Blaze Blister

Blue Bird Boutique

Blue Mesa Baptist Church

Blue Mesa Music Store

Bluebird Bobby Overturf

Bluebird Steve Mills

Bluebird Boutique - Maggie Dethloff

Bluebird Real Estate

Bluebird Real Estate Brian Cooper

Bluebird Real Estate Lisa Lenander

Bluebird Real Estate Patti Hensley

Bluebird Realty Bet Egelhoff

B’nai Butte

Bookie Louise, Public Accountant

Boom-a-rang Brian Walker

Buckel Family Wine

Buff’s Collision Specialists

Bureau of Land Management Gunnison

Butterfield Fireplace Services

BV Sportsman’s Association

C.E.D Gunnison

Cattlemen’s Days

CB Center for the Arts

CB Chamber of Commerce

CB Devo (Crested Butte

Development)

CB Festival of the Arts

CB Film Festival

CB Land Trust

CB Majestic Theatre

CB Mountain Heritage Museum

CB Mountain Runners

CB Mountain Theatre

CB Music Festival

CB Nordic Center

CB school of Dance

CB Snowsports Foundation

CB Wildflower Festival

CBMR CBMR Ski Patrol

CDAN/CO Press

Ceara Smith Center for Public Lands

Christopher Klein Construction Inc.

Church

of

Club at Crested Butte

CO Parks & Wildlife

Coldharbour Insitiute

Coldwell Banker Brian Cooper

Coldwell Banker Chris Kopf

Coldwell Banker Joe Garcia

Coldwell Banker Tammy Armour

Coldwell Banker Mountain

Properties

Coldwell Banker-Reggie Masters

Colorado Adventure Rentals

Colorado Cannabis Cabin

Colorado Mountain Mushers

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Colorado West Investments

Colorado Workforce Center

Community Banks of Colorado

Community Church of Gunnison

Community Foundation Gunnison Valley (CFGV)

Cooksey’s Top Notch Detail

CPA Network

Craftsmen Construction

Creative District Creek Side Chalets

Crested Butte Dental

Crested Butte Fire & EMS Volunteer

Squad

CRH Americas Materials

Crumb de la Crumb

Custom Home Accents

Dan’s Fly Shop

Darby Design Studio

Daughters of the American Revolution

Dave Taylor Days Inn

Deer Creek Blinds

Dexter Guerrieri

Diamond Pool and Spa

Division 5 Water Court

Dobrato Resophonic Guitars

Dog Cabin Resort

Dos Rios Golf Club

Dotty’s Double Dragon

Double Shot Cyclery

Dry Wall Supply Yard

Duke Williams

Durango Organics

Eager Beaver Tree Services

Early Childhood Council

EC Electric

Eddie’s Barber Shop

Edward Jones

Edward Jones Rose Tocke

El Paraiso

Electronic Solutions Elks Lodge

EMICO Media

Epiphany Dermatology

Equip Bookkeeping

Fantasy Ranch Farmers Insurance

Fawn Romero

FedEx Firebrand

First Baptist Church

First Friday Art Walk

Flairmont Furniture

Foster Construction

Friends of NRA

Frosty Leaf Dispensary

Frozen Smoke

Fullmer’s Ace Hardware

G Arts Center 2021 Sponsorship

G Excavation

G Home Association

G Jiu-Jitsu

G Rotary

Association G Trails G2 Secure Staff Gatesco GC Abstract Company GC Democrats GC Met Rec District GC Republicans GC Substance Abuse Prevention Project GC Veteran Services

Gene

Gunnisack

Gunnison Anglers Society and Trout

Unlimited

Gunnison Arts Center

Gunnison Bank and Trust

Gunnison Car Club

Gunnison CB Tourism Association

Gunnison Church of Christ

Gunnison City Clerk

Gunnison City Finance

Gunnison City Parks and Recreation

Gunnison City Planning

Gunnison City Police Department

Gunnison City Public Works

Gunnison Congregational Church

Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce

Gunnison Country Folks with Common Sense

Gunnison Country Food Pantry

Gunnison County Administration

Gunnison County Community Development

Gunnison County Dept. of Health and Human Services

Gunnison County Electric Assoc GCEA

Gunnison County Extension Office

Gunnison County Fairgrounds

Gunnison County Human Resources

Gunnison County Public Health

Gunnison County Public Library

Gunnison County Public Works

Gunnison Farmer’s Market

Gunnison Fly Shop

Gunnison Funeral Services

Gunnison Gallery

Harmels

Heady Elephant

Height of Land Publications

Heights Physical Therapy

Hi Country Carpet & Tile

High Alpine Brewing Co.

High Country Conservation Advocates HCCA

High Mountain Liquor

Hinsdale Historical Society

Hispanic Affairs Project, Marketa Zubkova

Hockey Moms

Holy Cross Energy

Home Together Veterinary Services

Homestead Hut

Hope & Glory House

HOUSE/GCT/SHOPPER

I-Bar, Inc. Ice Lab

Ingrid Butts Inn at Arrowhead Inn at Tomichi Village

Interior Visions

iRepair Gunnison Island Acres Motel

J Reeser Architect, LLC Jermaine’s Jim Gelwicks

Jo Laird

Monarch Realty Monarch Ski Area

Montrose Police Department Montrose Regional Health Moore Good Dogs MOPS

Mountain Fireplace Specialists

Mountain Legacy Veterinary Center Mountain Meadows Mall Mountain Roots Food Project Mountain Surfaces Mountain Windows Inc Mountaineer Theater

Move it Right LLC Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church Murdoch’s Salida

Napa Auto Parts

Neptune Retail Solutions (ARBY’S) Nesbitt & Company LLC

New Era LawnScaping, LLC

New Song Christian Fellowship

Nikki Pulitzer

Nonprofit Directory GCM North Fork Auctions

NSA Media Sears Hometown Stores

Nunatak Alternative Energy Solutions

NuVista Credit Union Offcenter Design Ol’ Miner Steakhouse, Inc. OT4 Yoga

Palisades Apartments

Palisades Restaurant & Saloon

Paper Clip Paradox Footwear Paragon Gallery Parker Pastures

Patin, Frank Patriot Pressworks

Pawsitively Native Peace Museum Colorado

Peak Property Management and Sales Pederson Enterprises Pet Au Pairs

Pfister’s Handworks Pie-Zans Pioneer Museum Pitkin Colorado Real Estate

Pitkin Historical & Community Assoc Pizza Mountain Alamo Saloon

Por Tu Salud Post Office Ranch Powerstop

Powur

Precision Automotive Premier Mountain Properties

Project Hope Pure Fire Cannabis

Quad Media Solutions

Quick Draw Carpet Cleaning

Rady School

RE/MAX Community Brokers

Sleep Factory Montrose

SnoTrackers

Sodexo Sportsman’s Liquor Squeeky Kleen Auto Wash

St. Peter’s Altar and Rosary Colette Perusek

St. Peter’s Catholic Church State Farm Pete Klingsmith Stice & Company, LLC

STOR

Studio E Photography Sugarplum Festival

Sundrop Flora Susan Zanol

Sustainable CB Sustainable Crested Butte Swifthaus Design

Taco Bell

TACOCAT

Tango Tava Real Estate Josh Young TAVA Real Estate Ryan Jordi Taylor Canyon Fire Station Taylor Park Marina

Technical College of the Rockies Tenderfoot CFDC Tenderfoot Outfitters

The Coffee Trader The Dispensary

The Dive

The Matterhorn Motel

The Schossow Group The Toad Team Thomas Riser Attorney Three Rivers Resort & Outfitting Thurston Kitchen & Bath Today Realty Toggery

Touch of Care Tough Enough To Wear Pink Town of Crested Butte Town of Mt. Crested Butte

Tracy Pearson Trader’s Rendezvous Treads N’ Threads Trestle Strategy Group TRIC Salon

Trinity Baptist Church Trout Creek Engineering True Media-Murdochs Turner Automotive TWS Action Fund

Upper Gunnison Water Conservancy District UGRWCD Valley Housing Fund Valley Restoration and Construction Varner Equipment Visionary Communications, INC. VSON Alpine Wallin Construction

Warren Homebuilders WCU Center for Learning and Innovation

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Winter recreation sites opening up

Cranor Hill and Hartman Rocks ready to roll

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

After the most recent storm cycle blanketed the ground with over a foot of snow, local recreation sites around the valley are opening up for business. Bikers, skiers and snowshoers alike can snap in for the season and head into the hills for an adventure.

Cranor Hill

For the first time in nearly two years, the much-beloved Cranor Hill Ski Area will open for the season on Saturday, Jan. 7.

Cranor Hill, just northeast of Gunnison off Lost Canyon Road, has been operating for nearly 60 years. The hill was originally owned by the Cranor family but the city purchased it in 1966 under the terms that it would always be used as a public ski area. The area is administered by the Gunnison Parks and Rec Department.

The 310-foot hill uses a Poma Platter Surface Lift, featuring a disk-like support suspended from a cable placed between the legs to pull the skier uphill. Cranor will open only if there is enough snow coverage to prevent groomers from picking up dirt. For opening day, the hill just reached bare minimum, between 12 and 14 inches. There’s no designated routes hill, but that’s just part of the beauty of the place, Dan Vollendorf, director of Gunnison Parks and Recreation, said.

With no designated routes at Cranor, “It’s a choose-your-own adventure,” he said. "There’s no real way to do the hill, and you can go skiing wherever you want on the property.”

New this year, Cranor will have special hours on Wednesday afternoons to accommodate early release in the Gunnison Watershed School District. The mid-week hours are not the first time the hill has welcomed kids during the school week.

“You hear stories from other people who grew up here that the bus used to take them to Cranor, and they'd get an hour to ski after school back when Cranor had lights,” said Ginny Baylor, parks and rec supervisor.

The uptick in usage of the Rec Center during early release hours inspired the idea, Baylor said. She coordinated with CB

Snowsports Foundation and the Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District to offer free daily lift tickets between 1-4 p.m. on Wednesday for the entire 2023 season.

Cranor is open on Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Season passes are available to all, but Rec Center members get a slight discount. Otherwise, daily tickets cost $13 for ages 5-16, $22 for ages 17-64 and are free for those under 5 or over 65.

“It's not like Vail. You know what I mean?” Vollendorf said.

“It's the local ski hill, where kids can go crazy, and it's just five minutes up the road.”

Hartman Rocks

Hartman Rocks Recreation Area is formally open for winter patronage. Gunnison Trails and Gunnison Nordic have already groomed over 14 miles of winding trail networks and road connectors three times. The paths are now groomed for snowshoeing, skiing, hiking and biking — although some recent wind made the trails a little soft for biking, said Tim Kugler, executive director of Gunnison Trails.

After last week’s storm cycle, the organizations received the green light from the Bureau of Land Management to close gates at the bottom of Kill Hill and begin the annual ritual.

Hartmans didn’t receive enough snow last year to merit any grooming, Kugler said, so the wintertime recreation just wasn’t the same.

“Last year, the gates never really swung shut for snow, but they did eventually swing shut for mud, because there was just enough snow out there to make things sloppy,” Kugler said.

The trail system is especially popular for fat bikers. Although the bikes can be ridden anywhere there’s packed snow, like the Van Tuyl trail or the recreation path to Mt. Crested Butte, the trails at Hartman Rocks offer a curated experience.

“The options are pretty limited if you're really looking for a single-track riding experience,” said Kugler. “That's why Hartman’s is great, because we actually do regular grooming specific for riding.”

Grooming reports are available on the Gunnison Trails website. Patrons can check their social channels or sign up for an email list for updates.

(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@ gunnisontimes.com.)

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A groomer on a hill at Hartman Rocks.

Tim Kugler