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THE STEAMBOAT INCUBATOR THE YAMPA VALLEY’S BOOMING BUSINESSES
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HIGH COUNTRY WINTER GO! GUIDE & A SPECIAL WEDDING FEATURE
Winter 2015/16
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LOCAL’S CHOICE BEST SHOPPING
CLOTHING | SHOES | JEWELRY | HOME GOODS
AVON | BRECKENRIDGE | DENVER HIGHLANDS NEW! | EDWARDS VALLEYGIRLBOUTIQUE.COM | SHOPRUBYJANE.COM
SKILOVELAND.COM
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publisher’s greeting Welcome to the newest issue of MTN Town Magazine. I feel a reintroduction is necessary now that the magazine can be found along the Colorado Front Range. This magazine is about our passion for living within the Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. It is a place of incredible beauty, filled with a multitude of recreational and lifestyle opportunities. The people who live here are tenacious and possess a high degree of persistence, determination and perseverance. We live here because want to be here and we figure out how to make it work so we can stay. Our main feature, The Steamb(o)at Incubator, is a good example of making it work in order to stay in a place we love. The story is born from our desire to know why Steamboat Springs has produced so many successful businesses; is it the water? Writer Jim Felton searches out some of the area’s top business owners to find out what makes them tick and how the area contributed to their entrepreneurial successes. Being outdoors plays a huge role in the reason people chose to live at elevation. 365 days of vacation sits right outside our front and back doors. Access to trails are almost immediate and play a big part in our day. Crested Butte
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is a good example of our passion to be connected to the outdoors. Skiing is ingrained and so is biking. It is no wonder winter Fat Biking is taking off there and in our other Colorado mountain towns. Take a look and read more on page 44 about this engaging new sport. If you like riding bikes then this sport has to be experienced. There are so many talented folks within our communities; Artists, Chefs, Tech Geeks, Athletes, Moms, Dads, Philanthropists, Students, Entrepreneurs, Musicians, Brewers, Educators, Entertainers, the list is remarkable. MTN Town Magazine was created to tell these unique stories and celebrate the individual passions that make each town unique. Within our pages we cover Entrepreneurs, the Art scene, Restaurants, Gear, Real Estate and more. If you love Colorado mountain towns then this magazine is for you! ~Enjoy, Winter is Here! Holly Battista-Resignolo, Publisher
Forever & Always TELLURIDE
W hether you are planning an intimate gathering or grand affair, we have breathtaking mountain vistas and extraordinary service to exceed
your expectations. The Telluride Ski & Golf Resort boasts spectacular views and venues in the most beautiful place you’ll ever say “I do.”
Contact us for information: 855.441.2561 | TellurideSkiResort.com/weddings
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contents
12 PLACE 16 FAVS 18 VIEWS 20 PRIORITIES 22 GEAR 24 ENTREPRENEUR 26 WELLNESS 28 TRAIL 30 FAMILY 32 BIZ 34 The Steamboat Incub(o)ater Feature 44 Fat Bikes in Crested Butte Feature 60 ART 62 GREEN SCENE 64 EAT 66 COCKTAILS 76 BAKERIES 80 GO!GUIDE 96 GETACTIVE 98 LAST CHAIR Magazine Cover Image ‘Looking Out’ photo by Tom Fricke
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published by
MTN Town Magazine
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Holly Resignolo
editor at large Troy Hawks
copy editor Gaynia Battista
sales & Development Jim Felton
contributors
Jim Felton, William Dujardin, Holli Owen, Gaynia Battista Nancy Rebek, Kathryn Grohusky, Pepper Hamilton, Troy Hawks, Amy Kemp
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cover image Tom Fricke
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features
If you would like us to consider you for a feature, please contact us at 970 485 0269 or email us at mtntownmagazine@gmail.com 2015 MTN Town Magazine. All rights reserved. No portion may be duplicated, in whole or in part, without the written consent of its publishers. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication. The publisher assumes no responsibility for accuracy of information or omissions from the material provided. MTN Town Magazine cannot be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services rendered by the advertisers published in this magazine.
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place
With its summit situated on Compass Mountain, Sunlight offers skiers beautiful vistas of majestic Mount Sopris and the surrounding Elk Mountain Range, as well as hundreds of acres of mild greens, intermediate slopes and black diamond extremes to satisfy all levels of abilities.
Take a trip and get away to a spectacular little ski resort with a big experience set back in the Roaring Fork Valley and enjoy a relaxed getaway with friends and family. Sunlight’s intimate, unpretentious atmosphere can be attributed to its small-town roots - named after a once-thriving coal mining town in the area that disappeared in the early 1900s. With its summit situated on Compass Mountain, Sunlight offers skiers beautiful vistas of majestic Mount Sopris and the surrounding Elk Mountain Range. Hundreds of acres of mild greens, intermediate slopes and black diamond extremes will satisfy all levels of skiing and riding abilities. The Sunlight Ranch Company opened for business on December 16, 1966 on 420 acres of private land and 2081 acres of U.S. Forest Service (U.S.F.S.) land, under a 30-year U.S.F.S. special use permit. In 1966, with a handful of trails and one chairlift, Sunlight opened with 15,000 skier days. During the first years of operation Sunlight operated on a shoestring budget. Part-timers and volunteers managed the lift; all other services were operated by local contractors, including ski rental equipment, restaurant facilities and the ski school. This year brings another round of improvements to the ski area including expanded food and beverage concessions, major renovations to the Sunlight Lodge Bed & Breakfast, several on-mountain maintenance projects, and a new, recently-launched website. The Out of Bounds Grill in the Sunlight base lodge has transformed it into an open-flow cafeteria featuring a full line-up of made-to-order menu items including Sunlight’s Signature Burger, the infamous housemade mesquite-smoked pork green chili, as well as chicken sandwiches, brats, and homemade soups. A renovated outdoor service station located on the west end of Sunlight’s deck is allowing skiers and riders to enjoy the convenience of slope-side food and beverage service on the weekends. An added fireplace and overhead canopy make this the perfect après ski spot for basking in the sun while enjoying local musicians.
PH OTO CR ED IT: SUNLIG HT MOUNTAIN RESOR T
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sunlight
Mountain Resort
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1. 1. Sunrise on Compass Mountain 2. Terrain Parks and Compa 3. Smoke Modern Restaurant 4. Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park 5. Sunlight Trail Map 6. Gladed Powder Runs 7. Iron Mountain Hot Springs 8. Delicous Dining The 19-room Sunlight Lodge underwent a major renovation this summer including the addition of more than 2,000 square feet of new wood grain tile flooring and more than 6,000 sq. ft. of new carpet. Greeting guests this year will be a new reception area and stone work incorporated in the lounge bar and restaurant. The lounge boasts a new menu of delectable après ski entrees including Shepherd’s Pie, chili Macaroni and cheese, and gourmet flame-grilled hamburgers - all prepared by local chef Tim Gomez. Sunlight’s on-mountain improvements include a renovated retail outlet in the base lodge, as well as strategic regrading of some its beginner terrain making it easier for those new to the sport to develop their skills. Other maintenance projects include the replacement of the main power feed to the top of the mountain and the Tercero lift received a new paint job. What I love most about the ski area is the ambiance. The area is laid back and so relaxing; it is rarely crowded and the beautiful scenery really adds to that vibe. I can come with friends and family and enjoy both easy flowing terrain as well as some fun steeps and gladed powder stashes.Views at the top are gorgeous and Après is plain old fun! Here are a few fun facts about Sunlight Mountain that you might not have known about either:
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Sunlight Mountain is home to one of the steepest liftserved runs in Colorado…the Heathen drops away from your boot heels at a breathtaking 52 degrees.
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Sunlight is also home to one of the longest runs in the state, Ute. Ute is our most popular runs because it borders our scenic backcountry Nordic terrain and offers a long 2.5 mile ride along rolling terrain in lush Aspen groves.
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The resort’s snowmobile tour is one of the most popular in the state. Folks love the full-throttle adventure of freeriding in Baylor Park, a powder-filled oasis deep in the White River National Forest.
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Parents and groups love Sunlight because all trails lead right back to the base area.
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The most frequently heard comment about Sunlight is: “My kids learned to ski there.”
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Sunlight was the first ski area in the nation to offer a special pass program for grade school students. It has been offering a free season pass to all fourth graders for about three decades, and thousands of kids have taken advantage of the program since that time.
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For those looking to do more than a day trip some really cool lodging opportunities await you right there at the base of Sunlight Mountain as well as Glenwood Springs and Carbondale. The Sunlight Lodge is tucked in at the base of Sunlight Mountain offering newly renovated rooms and the convenience of being right by the mountain as well as an easy 10 mile drive to Glenwood Springs’ many attractions. The Brettelberg Condominiums are located on the slopes of Sunlight to allow you a full ski-in ski-out experience with the convenience of fully equipped kitchens, access to hot tubs, and cable and wifi in each unit. Looking for something closer to the Hot Springs and attractions of Glenwood Springs? Try the Glenwood Hot Springs Lodge or Hotel Denver. The historic Hotel Colorado is also an amazing lodging location. Carbondale too has lodging opportunities less than 15 miles from Sunlight Mountain. Try the Marble Distillery Luxury Inn & Lounge, a new inn located in the heart of Carbondale within walking distance of great shopping and outstanding restaurants. Besides skiing there are a ton of adventures to be found surrounding the mountain. Snowmobiling, Cross Country Skiing, the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, Iron Mountain Hot Springs, Glenwood Hot Springs Pool, incredible shopping and world class dIning are all very close by. We love Smoke Modern Barbeque and the Pullman restaurants in Glenwood Springs. Phat Thai and Allegria in Carbondale are also wonderful dining options in Carbondale. Don’t forget to grab a beer at Glenwood Springs Brewing Company or a tour and tastings at Carbondale’s Marble Distilling Company or Woody Creek Distillers in Basalt. Be sure to visit Meier Skis headquarters right there in Glenwood Springs. Hand made with local forest products, you might want to buy a pair to bring home with you. Do you have a soon-to-be high school graduate? Use this trip to take a tour of the Colorado Mountain College Glenwood Springs campus. This might be the place for your graduate to land for their undergraduate degree. Think about all of those fun visits you could have. Sunlight gives you a full day of skiing for about half the cost of the mega resorts. You’ll park for free, walk to the lifts, and never stand in line. Without the big crowds, their powder lasts for days. All 67 trails lead right back to the lodge where you can stow your gear, meet your family and friends, and get something hot and delicious at the grill. No hassles. No hype. It’s exactly why you go skiing or riding. Give the area a try.
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The Path Less Traveled Begins at Mountain Outfitters. A Full Service Shop: Â Retail / Service / Rentals Mountaineering . Backcountry Touring . Randonee Racing A Dynafit Competence Center Family Owned and Operated since 1985 112 South Ridge Street Breckenridge 970-453-2201
Let your next adventure begin at Mountain Outfitters 7.
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Colorado Ski Chairs High above Manitou Springs retired skis and snowboards are making a comeback as hand crafted Ski Chairs and Furniture. Designs range from adirondack ski chairs to ski tree houses, snowboard benches, wine racks, mailboxes, and everything else in between. Custom paint jobs with unique designs are placed on everything they craft. For business owners, their painted chairs offer a unique and useful space to market individual brands with hand painted logos and images. Do you have a shed filled with old boards? Now you know what to do with them.
www.coloradoskichairs.com
OFF PISTE SKI ATLAS
SYNC STRETCH PUFFY
This photographic guide gives an enormous amount of helpful info on SIlverton and Crested Butte backcountry terrain. It consists of aerial photos and information on ten popular locations. It neatly lays out the elevations, descent lengths, aspects, trailhead directions, winter maintenance and parking info, snowmobile access, skin tracks, and exit info. Combined with helpful photos, this gives backcountry travellers a very good idea of what is going on.
Get 360 movement from your puffy with the SYNC Stretch Puffy. This Vail Valley technical athletic apparel company uses a revolutionary stretch Motion 360 knit fabric. allowing the jacket unsurpassed freedom of movement and features a breathable coating, anti-microbial treatment, durable water repellency, waterproof breathable shoulder overlay and a Primaloft down blend for warmth.
www.offpisteskiatlas.com
www.syncperformance.com
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SKIING SHERPA Copper Mountain’s onmountain audio guide has a whole slew of features to enhance your time skiing and having fun at Copper Mountain. Discover onmountain audibles telling you which lines to take, where to find the best snow and more. In addition to official Copper audibles placed across the resort, visitors, staff and locals can leave their own audible markers for others to hear. Sherpa will also track and map your runs for you giving you access to your top speed, average speed, vertical and more. Bring your headphone to maximize the app’s functions. www.sherpa. coppercolorado.com.
www.sherpa.coppercolorado.com
Biff’s Book Off kilter wisdom, along with an inside look at mountain town living at its best and worst are all compiled in Breckenridge resident, Jeffery Bergeron, aka Biff America’s newest release Mind, Body, Soul - The Backcountry Years. This book is a compilation of columns from Backcountry Magazine containing two decades of observations and insights written with zany wit and wisdom that will delight, excite and maybe even horrify you a little. A great read coming from a higher elevation. Head to Backcountry Magazine’s website to order:
www.shop.holpublications.com
CRESCENT MOON SNOWSHOES Made right here in Colorado Crescent Moon Snowshoes are delivering a superb product with an incredible binding system that connects you to the platform of your snowshoe. In addition to the anatomical fit the binding is easy to get into as possible with a single pull strap that captures your entire foot in every direction. Snowshoe models include Men’s, Women’s childrens, Running, Backcountry, Trail and Mountain models. www. crescentmoonsnowshoes.com
www.crescentmoonsnowshoes.com
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KNOW BEFORE YOU GO - #KBYG
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center and the Utah Avalanche Center reached a HUGE milestone this season with Know Before You Go. The two organizations officially launched this new avalanche awareness program intended for distribution across North America. This is a very ambitious program involving many dozens of supporters and contributors. Aaron Carlson, Executive Director of Friends of CAIC said “We are exhausted but very proud of the results. Our goal is to reach an estimated 300,000 backcountry users this winter across North America and to deliver the message that they can get out in the snow, have fun, and come home alive by following some simple guidelines�. Take some time and head to their website to watch this educational presentation so you will know before you go.
www.kbyg.org
T E D X VA I L Naturally global, naturally grateful, naturally sustainable and naturally extreme; these are the themes that Tedx will bring to the Vail Valley on January 8, 2016. The discussions involve our connection with nature and how it shapes us. Speakers include Para-Athlete Melissa Stockwell, Harley K. Dubois Cofounder of Burning Man Project, Composer Daniel Tyler Pohnke, Professional Skier Chris Anthony, Dr. Ira Helfand and many more who will inspire you with thought provoking commentary and ideas. A full day of events will be brought to you in Beaver Creek from 1pm - 9pm at the Vilar Performing Arts Center.
www.ted.com
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PURGATORY RESORT IS 50 New ownership, a new high speed detachable quad chairlift, new terrain, additional snowmaking and the revival of its original name makes Purgatory one bright shiny 50 year old resort to visit. A lot has gone on at this lovely little resort tucked away in the San Juan mountains perched above Durango. The improvements stretch beyond the above mentioned to their restaurants with improved menus offering more sustainable, locally produced menu items. Two new advanced trails and an intermediate run have been added for those looking for more challenge. Don’t miss their 50th Anniversary Reunion Weekend Celebration February 5 - 7, 2016 with fireworks, concerts and a ton of fun parties.
www.skipurg.com
HIGH FIVES FOUNDATION Bill Jensen Joins Telluride Ski Resort
This is one important non profit now making its mark here in Colorado. Conceived and started in Truckee, California the High Fives Foundations mission is to support the dreams of mountain action sports athletes by raising injury prevention awareness as well as providing resources and inspiration to those who are suffering from life altering injuries. Several Colorado fundraising events are slated, the first being a winter sports industry happy hour at the Annual SIA trade show - anyone attending should stop by the Phunkshun Wear booth #762. A small donation gets you a custom printed High Fives Foundation cup and unlimited beer until the kegs run dry. Two spring events, a Retro Ski-A-Thon and a Gelande Quaffing competition, are being planned locations TBA. A successful Vail Valley Golf Tournament will be held again in September. Stay tuned for more Colorado events to assist in this worthy non-profit.
Bill Jensen has joined Telluride Ski and Golf Resort as a Partner and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Jensen has enjoyed an influential career leading at Vail Resorts as COO of Breckenridge and Vail Mountains then as CEO of Intrawest, North America’s second largest ski resort company. “This is a significant step towards bringing Telluride to its potential. Having Bill as a partner brings depth to the ownership of this resort, and our shared interest in bringing together community and resort sustainability with a long term vision is the core purpose for our partnership,” stated Chuck Horning, Majority Owner of Telluride Ski and Golf Resort. Bill and Telluride are both lucky to have one another.
www.tellurideskiresort.com
www.highfivesfoundation.com
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BOO BICYCLES Bamboo combined with our enthusiastic biking crowd seems like an unlikely combination in Colorado but Fort Collins-based Boo Bicycles has made it possible through a unique relationship that crosses the Pacific to Vietnam. Building performance bamboo bicycles is a new concept that involves a lengthy and intensive process. But what people are discovering are the rewards of creating bikes using this incredibly strong grass, which results in a ride that is durable, stiff yet forgiving, and very smooth. Meet Boo Bicycles founder and current Breckenridge resident, Nick Frey. What began as a class project at Princeton University for a mechanical and aerospace engineering course turned into much more than a completed class project that he and a few classmates created. Nick and his classmates built a bamboo frame that turned out to be not only rideable but also race-worthy capable of a collegiate bike race (Nick raced the group’s project frame at a collegiate race at Rutgers). The project set the wheels in motion to bring bamboo bicycles from the classroom to the consumer. Nick was contacted by James Wolf, an American who had been living and working in Vietnam for almost two decades as a bamboo craftsman. The two refined the building process and launched Boo Bicycles in the summer of 2009. The idea at first seems somewhat crazy, but after looking into the engineering properties of this material you can see how this makes sense. Boo Bicycles frame tubing comes from Dendrocalamus strictus, also known as Iron Bamboo. Iron Bamboo
BY ALLISON BATTISTA is one of the strongest of bamboo species and is commonly used for building applications throughout Asia. Boo Bicycles harvests their bamboo from one specific farm in Vietnam, where James maintains the mature bamboo culms and has a workshop devoted just to bamboo workings. He selects and cuts the bamboo by hand, once a year, when the tubes have reached their peak maturity and strength. Once cut, the bamboo is sun-dried and then further seasoned in a specially sealed room. This allows a drying period to ensure all moisture is out of the tubes. Once dried, the tubes are tempered using widely varying humidity, resulting in a natural selection of usable tubes. The tubes are then drilled out to a specific wall thickness. Larger frames have thicker tube walls to give the frame more stiffness, whereas a lighter rider, or someone looking for a softer ride, could go with a thinner wall. Boo frames are built using tube-to-tube construction and then bound together using hand-wrapped carbon fiber, and are available in stock and custom geometries. Aluboo and Alubooyah frames are built using hand-welded aluminum lugs and bamboo inserts, which are held in place using aircraft grade epoxy, and are available in stock sizes. The average Boo Bicycle frame takes 40-50 hours of labor to construct. Mountain, fat, cyclocross, road, commuter bikes and framesets are all offered by Boo Bicycles. Reviewers are very positive and embrace both the smooth ride and the ecological benefits of using this natural resource. www.boobicycles.com
Luxury Luxury Vacation Rentals in Mt. Crested Butte!
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entrepreneurs
PRO EDITORS BY HOLLY RESIGNOLO Wondering if you’re like me, you have a Go Pro, Phone Video capabilities and a ton of raw footage sitting on your computer. I think most of you are nodding your head yes. Meet Patrick Latcham, founder and CTO Tyler Chase-Nason of ProEditors.com. Patrick had an idea, a really good idea that was brought from concept to reality and created a video editing solution to transform your raw GoPro footage into professionally edited movies. After a successful run in a position with New York Life Patrick was not feeling good about what he was doing and really wasn’t sure what path to take for his career. He and a buddy decided to pack up all their belongings in a car and head off for adventures in the mountains of Telluride where Patrick began working as a ski instructor. He then moved on to work for the resort. His ah-ha moment for ProEditors came after assisting his girlfriend with a family video editing project and realizing how time consuming it is to create a good video edit. He thought “wow! so many people have video that just sits in their camera and nothing ever comes of it”. Patrick brought his idea to The Telluride Venture Accelerator – an intense boot-camp for entrepreneurs based out of Telluride. This startup incubator assists fledgling businesses with the process of taking on funding and learning about the details of the venture capital world, and through the long hours and sleepless nights of turning an idea into reality. This entrepreneur soft launched ProEditors.com and has been creating quality video edits and movies for the average person. The company makes it quite simple. No need to edit or adjust your footage – just upload straight out of the camera to them. ProEditors make sure they include all of your favorite scenes by pointing them out in their systems’ ability for you to ‘Moment Grab’. You choose from four themes to set the mood for your video. They have themes for Family & Kids, Winter Vacation, Rafting Trips and Event Promotion with the intent to have more
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themes coming in the near future! If you want special audio you can include that too. The company even has scenic drone footage of areas that can be included in your edit. Once your video is done you can share it on Facebook, download & burn to a DVD, or email a link to your relative; they’ve got you covered. Whether you have a short clip of your latest day out on the hill, a mountain bike ride or a bunch of footage from your family event, they can create a video edit you will be very proud of. Pricing is very reasonable too. Their first tier pricing of $50 allows the following: Upload up to 30 minutes raw footage 12 Moments included 0:30 – 1 minute final video One revision included Links to download & share Their second tier pricing of $100 allows for a bit more: Upload up to 2 hours raw footage 24 Moments included One revision included 1-3 minute final video Links to download & share Have more? The company is very happy to work with you to create the perfect piece. This story is such a great example of the unique entrepreneurs carving their niche in our Colorado mountain towns and helping them to make these communities their homes. Learn more at www.proeditors.com and get a discount by mentioning code MTNTownMag.
ALL THINGS FUN - WINTER OR SUMMER
970.453.8100
970.453.4455
N. Park & Airport Road
Parkway Plaza
Follow us!
No matter what season, Alpine Sports is your one-stop shop for all things fun! Alpine Sports has three convenient locations for all your sport rental needs - from skiing to riding and biking to stand-up paddle boarding. We also offer a huge selection of accessories, clothing and outdoor gear to choose from. Alpine Sports can come to you and deliver your rental equipment in the winter. Reservation required. Or take advantage of our summer Bike Shuttle and cruise down from the summit of Vail Pass to Frisco on new cruiser bikes from Specialized.
alpinesportsrental.com
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wellness
WINTER SPORTS INJURY PREVENTION & TIPS town
We asked Dr. Terrell Joseph at Vail Summit Orthopedics this question. Dr. Joseph often presents to the Beaver Creek ski patrol as part of the group’s pre-season training to discuss what to look for when they come upon an injury to help make a correct diagnosis. Ask the Ortho: What causes the majority of injuries on the hill? The majority of accidents take place at the end of the day when protective muscles are tired and less quick to respond. “Faulty equipment is still a periodic problem but less and less common as the predictability and quality of the gear improves,” says Dr. Terrell Joseph. “The phenomenon of the ‘weekend warrior’, who gets more easily fatigued versus the well-conditioned athlete, is a common factor. We regularly see injuries in patients who ski or snowboard beyond their ability. And above all else, most of our surgeries are the result of one party or another being out of control.” Dr. Joseph says staying reasonably fit, having an awareness of others around you, staying in control of your body, and not trying things like “leaving the earth without a plan”, can make skiing and snowboarding a rewarding lifetime sport that keeps you fit, active and healthy. Winter sports injury prevention tips … •
Before you hit the slopes, be sure you are physically fit.
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Cold muscles, tendons and ligaments are vulnerable to injury, so warm up thoroughly before getting out there.
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Stretch before and after a day of skiing or riding.
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Drink plenty of water.
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If you are new to the sport, take a lesson… or several! Make
sure you learn how to fall correctly to reduce your risk of injury.
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Jumps are the most common cause of spinal injuries among snowboarders, so make sure you have instruction before leaving the ground.
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Wear a helmet to prevent head injuries.
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Rest when you are fatigued.
Stretches and exercises that can help keep you healthy: Stand with your knees slightly bent and your arms crossed in front of you. Slowly look over one shoulder and let your whole body follow until you feel a good stretch in the back and side. Hold for 5 seconds and then repeat in the other direction.
Downhill skiing places huge demand on your quads (the muscles located on the front of the thigh), so condition these muscles with regular sessions of step aerobics or stair climbing. Balance exercises can increase your stability which is an important factor for reducing risk of injury. Single foot balance squats and balance step-ups on unstable surfaces increase the stability of the knee and ankles. Foam rollers are also great for stabilization exercises. Progression and variation of exercises such as wall sits, tuck walks, and tuck jumps can help prevent fatigue.
Chris Robinson Brotherhood | Jan 5
Fire Arts Festival | Jan 28-31
BREW: Ideas + Creation Lab | Jan 21
BandSwap: A Colorado Music Convergence | Feb 19-21
Int’l Snow Sculpture Championships | Jan 26-Feb 7
Nat Geo Live! | Mar 4
Discover the creative side of Breckenridge with a year-round calendar of concerts, performances, festivals, exhibitions, as well as classes, workshops, and special events in the Breckenridge Arts District. Presented by Breckenridge Creative Arts. breckcreate.org mtntow nm a ga zi ne.com | W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 / 1 6 27
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trail If you haven’t traveled into the Colorado San Juan mountains it’s time to plan a trip. The Opus Hut is like a shining star of Nazareth perched in the middle of their craggy peaks. Each year my girlfriend Chance and I pick two adventurebased trips to conquer together. Typically these trips involve some type of challenging wilderness experience, like desert climbing, river or mountain based travel, but we had not discussed a winter off-piste ski trip since College. In my small mountain community of Ophir Colorado my neighbor, Bob Kingsley had a formidable dream of acquiring a mining claim and building a ski hut. After much research with the county assessor’s office in Telluride he found a claim and after a year of legalities was able to dig dirt. His goal was born out of his love of the mountain lifestyle, to turn people on to the mountain environment and travel. His guiding background and appreciation of the mountains was his driving force. Ultimately building the hut would bring him closer to the mountain lifestyle he was aspiring to lead. European hut experiences influenced the customized building and the level of service was inspired by his travel to tea houses in the small mountain communities of Nepal. Bob’s vision was to offer this warm, cozy full service experience to skiers and hikers in his own back yard. The hut in all reality feels much more like a retreat then what may come to mind when I say hut trip; the only rough part is getting there. Chance, a Sante Fe local, arrived at my house in Ophir the night before our hut trip. Like most of our trips the planning is left to the planner, which happened to be me for this particular undertaking. She was surprised to learn our adventure would begin the following morning right out my front door. By 9am we were scrambling out the door, half pro wilderness traveler, half junk show, with my food bag and water tied to the outside of my ski pack, so I could cram the important things in my pack; the bag of limes to accompany the bottle of tequila Bob had slogged up on his back the day prior, a tube of lip gloss, Dior show mascara, all the important things a girl brings on wilderness experiences. Pulling apart Chance’s skins, that had been stuck together for the last half decade, was a literal game of ski skin tug a-war in my overpopulated neighborhood of extreme skiers (insert junk show here). Finally we were on our way. The ski up to Opus begins at Ophir pass and then follows an old jeep road to Swamp Canyon and turns back towards the pass by some tiered beaver ponds; from there the 3000 foot climb starts up a steep face to a saddle just shy of 12,000 ft. We picked a blazing hot sunny March weekend for our Opus trip. For two ladies who work out daily on some level or another, the skin up was underestimated. Totally whooped at the top of the climb, we earned our afternoon treats at the hut. After the beautiful ski down we were greeted with another good climb up to the hut, flicking through our levels of ski risers to the highest, (think skinning in stilettos). Getting to the hut is like finding the spring in the middle of a parched desert, except this desert is the San Juan peaks which are epically gorgeous.
OPUS HUT STORY BY HOLLI OWEN . PHOTOS BY DREW CAHILL
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The hut is constructed out of beautiful, perfectly worn barn wood that Bob laboriously brought in from a turn of the century dairy farm in Wisconsin. It is perched on the side of a gladed mountain and surrounded by endless skiing. From the decks you can pick from far too many runs that you would never be able to accomplish with an entire winter spent at the hut. After changing out of our wet base layer, hydrating and a quick ski out the back door, Bob whipped up some frosty margaritas. The ice was sans the icicles from the eaves of the hut. Next up, homemade Cream of Local Mushroom soup which Bob serves daily at 4pm sharp (just
about the loveliest surprise imaginable after an exhausting day in the mountains). One margarita in and we were making friends with the rest of the guests at the hut and listening to their various adventures in the San Juan mountains that day. The hut sleeps 16 guests in 4 bedrooms, plus the hut keeper’s accommodations. The rooms are all furnished with a queen bed, bunk above and insane mountain views. Although you are advised to pack in a sleeping bag, clean sheets, pillows and cozy wool blankets are available for each guest. Dinner at the hut consists of some hearty dishes with locally sourced sustainably farmed ingredients. Our favorite was the chicken pot pie, with thick buttery crust cooked in a Dutch oven. Don’t worry vegans, there was a separate equally delicious meal prepared for you. Wine and beer is available for purchase; yes indeed the opus hut is actually liquor licensed. This does qualify Bob for bragging rights! Chance and I stuck to glasses of Colorado grown grapes, from Sutcliff Vineyards outside of Cortez, Colorado, a stone’s throw away as the crow flies. After dinner and a hilarious game of apples to apples among 40 something’s, we hit the sauna. Getting to the sauna was a true experience in itself; the 20 yard path of packed snow would have any recreational star gazer losing themselves in the night sky for a good long mountain moment. The 10 person sauna gives off that rich, hot, cedar smell. At 108 degrees, you literally sweat out the rest of any toxins left in your body after the ski in. Like any vain mountain girl, I was worried about the one amenity important to my daily life, a hot shower. Not to worry, there was a large galvanized bucket in the sauna. Seconds after you fill it with snow (that you gather just outside the hut) it is melted into warm refreshing water to ladle over yourself; hands down best mountain shower ever! Chance and I requested a private room, but honestly, sharing would have been just fine too; it is amazing the quick camaraderie you gain with people in the mountains. We slept tucked in tight, looking out our windows that were hand crafted in the European
style by an artisan company in Seattle, staring out at billions of stars, mountain silhouettes, and the plunging drop to the valley floor, we felt like we could be in a narrative for a children’s story. In the morning we woke up with the sun, to fresh coffee and cream, homemade hot breads (gluten free especially for me through my online request form), fresh butter and jams, complete with eggs and breakfast meats. It beats most Sunday brunches at my house. After breakfast group by group the hut guests ventured out on their skis. Some venturing far to the mountain chutes across the valley where the skiing looks endless with long steep, wide open snow fields. We choose the gladed 1400 vert down to the river below the hut, which we never wanted to end. The skiing was fantastic. Four new inches had fallen the previous night creating a dreamy layer that felt as though we were skiing through butter. The climb up and out of the valley to a high alpine lake qualified for a week of barre classes. We found a southern facing bench beside Crystal Lake where we dug out snow seats for lunch to poster us up for another giggle fest of turns back to the hut. The Opus Hut could be my all-time favorite trip Chance and I have taken together. Maybe it is my love of the San Juan Mountain’s, where I am lucky enough to call home, but I think it absolutely has to do with the level of service and comfort that the hut and Bob provide. I asked Bob to describe the hut in five words to me and I think he nailed it: Eco-friendly, cozy, vast terrain, sunny, mountainmodern Directions: Park on HWY 550, 5 miles north of Silverton, Colorado. At the turn off for Ophir pass road there is a large parking area, park and begin from this point. The other access is from the town of Ophir, a 45 minute drive around the Sneffles Mountain Range, just outside Telluride, Colorado. Alpine tours are possible from the Telluride Ski Resort, a unique experience on its own and a high alpine route the whole way. The ski in from either side is approximately 2 to 3.5 hours and is 3.5 miles from either direction. OpusHut.com
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family Meet Eli, a 5-year-old boy, and his best friend Mort, a red moose, two great friends that comes to life on the pages of the popular children’s book series that has risen from “Eli and Mort’s Epic Adventures.” Authors Elyssa Pallai and Ken Nager created these stories to capture the excitement of life in a ski town through the eyes of a child. Choose from Eli and Mort’s Epic Advetures in Vail, Steamboat, Breckenridge and Beaver Creek. Some of the stories have also been reproduced in Spanish as well. Each book moves through the duos adventures alphabetically. The books contain illustrations created by each areas local children and is absolutely adorable! Authors Elyssa Nager and Ken Nager along with the characters illustrator Eduardo Paj help show kids and their parents some of the really cool things about our awesome Colorado mountain towns. Your kids will love them, so will you.
We love when a kids book chats up the Colorado Ski scene. New this year from The Little Rippers part 1 is Volume 2 Go West, Little Rippers! After a fun weekend in Vermont, Max and Molly Beckett are looking forward to their next reunion with the skiing kids group, the Little Rippers. So, when their friend Jenna invites all of the Little Rippers to COLORADO for some steep powder skiing, both Max and Molly pack their bags. Accompanied by their Grandpa, Max and Molly marvel at the big mountains of the West, and the woolly bullies they meet along the way. However, when they arrive at Big Grizzly Mountain for slope side skiing, Jenna’s big sister, Jackie, challenges them to a mountain race. The Little Rippers will have to rely on a trail mail to get them down the slope...and fast. But, a mysterious “X” marks the spot on Max’s map, and the Rippers find themselves embarking on an exciting all-mountain adventure. What will the Little Rippers discover on Big Grizzly Mountain? And what does the magical “X” on the trail map mean? Join the fun as the LITTLE RIPPERS find out the meaning of friendship and family... both on and off the slopes. Grab this great book off Amazon or special order through your local bookstore. www.thelittlerippers.com
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TAKE YOUR HEALTH TO NEW HEIGHTS. Quality care and coverage coming to Eagle & Summit Counties, January 2016.
We’re making health care easier for you. Quality care and coverage, in one plan, coming January 2016 to Eagle and Summit Counties. So now you can get out there and stay out there, with no worries to distract you from what you love doing the most. Visit kp.org/mountains today because together we thrive.
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biz
THE STARTUP SCENE IS REACHING A PEAK IN MOUNTAIN TOWNS BY AMY KEMP The forecast in the Colorado Rocky Mountains is looking bright for skiers and snowboarders. No. We’re not talking about El Nino (although we’re excited that Mother Nature IS delivering the goods this season). We’re talking about the outlook for startup businesses, entrepreneurship and remote working.
Welch was a pioneer of mountain town coworking when he opened Durango Space five years ago. Since then, dozens of coworking spaces have opened in mountain towns, like Frisco, Basalt, Avon, Eagle, Breckenridge and Steamboat, and many have joined together to form the Mountain Coworking Alliance.
Colorado leads the nation for economic growth (Business Insider, 2014), entrepreneurship (Entrepreneur Magazine, 2013 and US Chamber of Commerce, 2014) and startup activity (Kaufmann Index, 2015). And before you assume that we’re only talking about Denver and Boulder. Think again.
Welch then helped to found SCAPE, the Southwest Colorado Accelerator Program for Entrepreneurs, in July 2013. Since then, the accelerator program has helped to grow and launch 10 companies with another five slated for this year.
There’s a flurry of startup activity, entrepreneurship and remote workers in mountain towns like Telluride, Durango, Breckenridge, Steamboat and Frisco. “Colorado’s population is growing and business is also booming. There’s a lot of momentum here,” says Lindsey Stapay, director of the Northwest Small Business Development Center, an entity that supports small businesses, as well as startups with workshops, business coaching and events in a region that covers mountain towns like Steamboat, Breckenridge and Vail. “The business growth (with startups and entrepreneurs) is helping to diversify our economy and strengthen our mountain town communities.” Mountain towns have always attracted pioneers and risk takers from the gold miners to skiers and snowboarders and now these towns are attracting entrepreneurs and tech workers and not just for their annual week-long ski trip. If you could work from anywhere, why wouldn’t you choose a Colorado mountain town? Thirty-two-year-old Sarah Stillings is one of these tech transplants. She moved to Summit County near Keystone Resort this past year from the East Coast with her boyfriend, a car full of climbing gear, skis and a tech job for Pearson, a Boston-based company. She works remotely at one of the new coworking spaces in Frisco, Colo. “I was pleasantly surprised to find so many like-minded tech moguls … pun intended ... in what, at first glance, seemed like a resort community,” Stillings says. “What’s even better is that (our community) has leaders who create environments for the tech and entrepreneurial community to come together, network and collaborate.” According to Jasper Welch, the founder of Durango Space, the first coworking space in the Colorado mountains, the advent of technology, internet access and flexible workspaces has allowed smaller mountain town communities in Colorado to compete in the global marketplace. “Creating a community, such as a Durango, Frisco, Telluride or Boulder will attract talent, investment and creative ideas to Colorado. And this includes a mix of local talent that is here in Colorado and new talent that is relocating to our state,” Welch adds.
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Just north of Durango, the Telluride Venture Accelerator is in the midst of its fourth class. Founded in 2012 with a focus on outdoor recreation, tourism and health and wellness, TVA’s aim is to build and strengthen the Telluride region by creating jobs, nurturing ideas and amplifying the energy. That’s the same goal that the organizers of Startup Weekend have. “We want to help launch businesses and ideas,” says Larry Sullivan, lead organizer for Summit County’s Startup Weekend. Summit County is one of the mountain communities hosting events like Startup Weekend where entrepreneurs pitch an idea, form a team and work all weekend to launch a business. Sullivan noted that all 11 teams from the two separate Summit County Startup Weekend events in 2015 are still pursuing their business and idea. “That’s an unusually high rate of success and continuation,” Sullivan adds. “That speaks volumes about the passion, tenacity and drive of our community.” It’s this drive that prompted Doug Clayton to create 8150, a collaborative group of entrepreneurs and people who do “cool stuff” in the mountains. Based in Avon, Colo., the group is hosting its first Startup Weekend this spring and hosts weekly meetings. In Frisco, ELEVATE coSPACE also hosts weekly meetups,, as well as a meetup group for Startups Who Ski & Ride and signature events like a Startup Ski Summit and Startup Bike Summit. With the rise in coworking spaces, meetups, accelerators, workshops, investor groups and other resources in mountain towns, the question isn’t whether there’s an increase in startup and entrepreneurship activity, it’s: When will you join? “The new American dream is creating something amazing and doing what you love to do and if you make something people will pay for and you are successful you look to cash in on your startup. People are realizing that you don’t need to be in Silicon Valley. You don’t even need to be in Boulder or Denver. The garage entrepreneur is back as well as Entrepreneurs working at Coworking spaces,” says Clayton. And it’s happening on and off the slopes in Colorado mountain towns. More information: Mountain Coworking Alliance http://www.elevatecospace.com/news/2015/8/25/news-work-
Breckenridge is out to change the world, one bag at a time. There is a ten cent (10¢) fee on most paper and plastic bags given out in retail stores. Customers who use reusable bags
CHANGING THE WORLD
at checkout will not be charged the fee. Fee revenues are
ONE BAG AT A TIME
used to promote the use of reusable bags.
REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE
www.sustainablebreck.com
MTNTownMag TOB.indd 1
11/24/15 3:07 PM
#coworking with altitude
Any Season BUSINESS MATTERS Coaching/Strategy Finance/Marketing Free to Low Cost Local Resources
Coworking Get Working
www.NorthWestSBDC.org
Community: Get Connected
CoSPACE Get Together
www.elevatecospace.com 711 Granite Street // Frisco, CO 80443 #coworking with altitude
made in Colorado
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The Steamboat Incub(o)ater How Steamboat Has Become the Little Entrepreneurial Engine That Could
Story by Jim Felton Photo: Brendan Durrum
Given the tendency to distill everything we encounter in the world to make them more understandable and relatable, it’s a safe bet that most people would characterize Steamboat Springs by the three R’s- ranching, recreation and real estate. Yet, quietly, a fourth R - that of running a start-up is a rising economic trend that figures to impact the future of this fabled town anchoring the northwestern quadrant of Colorado for decades to come. Some Steamboat start-ups have been around for decades, most are about gear, all are manifestations of an idea brought to fruition by vision, risk, work and luck.. A CHILLY RECEPTION
Despite selling his stake in a second bicycling company, MOOTS, to start his third, Kent Eriksen Cycles, the namesake of this custom bike frame builder paused over the term “accidental entrepreneur” before warming to the suggested description of his 40+ year business career in Steamboat. How accidental? “I’d biked through the west from Wisconsin and I stopped where I ran out of money, which was Steamboat Springs,” he said. It was a less than a warm welcome. Upon his arrival on New Year’s Eve of 1974 after hitchhiking from Aspen, he camped in the town park on a -44 below night. “My sleeping pad snapped in half when I woke up,” he recalls. Like most young people moving to a mountain town, work and future were secondary to living for the moment, the next ride, the next powder dump. But after seeing his first boss, despite running a solid business, lose his house after incurring too much debt, he started slowly when opening Sore Saddle Cyclery shortly thereafter. Sore Saddle’s capital management in the early days meant splitting the summer and ski seasons with some ski shop operators and availing himself of “affordable housing” by living in a tree house off the grid. Innovation took shape when, in the early 80’s, he affixed an old Champion Cruiser with 26-inch wheels with a five gear derailleur - a mountain bike was born, and so was Moots, named after Mr. Moots, a childhood toy alligator in tux and top hat. (Incidentally, Mr. Moots was at the helm of a van that petered out while Eriksen was sheparding a dozen hitchhikers over a pass in Jackson Hole, but you’ll have to stop by the shop to get that story firsthand). Riding and racing against the likes of legends Ned Overend, Alexi Grewal, Mike Kloser and others further fueled a fixation with bike frame geometry and gear ratios. Mountain biking was in its infancy, and Eriksen describes his business growth through those
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years as growing his business “a little at a time and staying out of banks.” He also partnered with others as a way to increase innovation and reduce risk. The result? After building Moots to a company making nearly 1000 bikes a year with over 30 people on the payroll, Eriksen cashed out in 2002, consulted for another five years, and launched his custom bike building enterprise with wife Katie and two other employees. “We’re making 130-140 bikes a year right now, and we’re right where I want us to be.” As for customer service, his latest company designs custom bikes upon request with no obligation to potential customers. “I’ve learned that, in most instances, they eventually come around to wanting us to build them their bike.” Some folks say 40 years accounts for a generation. Despite never having taken a single college class, Eriksen looks back at a career in business virtually unblemished by a down year. He shows little interest in the classic tools of entrepreneurship: market segmentation, strategy, analytics, systems and structures. Rather, innovation, sound capital management and attention to customer service have served him just fine. What then, would he pass on to the next Steamboat dreamer? “Be frugal and take measured steps. I was patient and worked very hard and understood my numbers. I started in a small town where everyone could talk about what you were doing, and with the Internet, everything’s a small town now, so answer your phone and go above and beyond to fix a problem. It’s an opportunity to deepen allegiance from your customer.” Kent and Katie today live not far from the tree house of decades ago, and in much the same fashion by being off the grid. He’s building a machine shop on his land now. Why? “I’m inventing some things,” he said. Despite professing a desire to not have to go into work every day at 60 years old, it’s likely the lights from his solar generated shop will be on a lot, probably nightly.
Kent Eriksen Cycles
Owner, Kent Eriksen
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TOP LEFT: HALA Gear Products TOP RIGHT: Point 6 Owners Patty & Peter Duke BOTTOM RIGHT: Point 6 Sock Creations BOTTOM LEFT: HALA Gear Peter Hall in Action
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STILL CHASING THE BALL
“I liked chasing the ball-” And with no plans to ever retire, CEO Peter Duke of Point6 Socks apparently always will. Duke was referring to his chance to work his way up the Yankees farm system as a 17-year old outfielder from the Adirondacks in explaining his thrill of the chase. Lucky for the active feet the world over that skiing, another passion, became his professional pursuit rather than fly balls. Duke has a history of performance: rather than pursue professional baseball, he chose skiing, and soon emerged as a peak performer there as well when named to the elite Professional Ski Instructors of America Demo team in 1970. Arriving in Steamboat in 1986 after stints teaching skiing both in Vermont and California, Duke recounts the materials technology of the day. “Materials were a big part of the ski world then,” Duke notes, “synthetics like polypropylene, nylon, and Gore-tex were touted as state of the art in the moisture- wicking, body warming material. The synthetics wicked it away, but merely transferred it to the boot or shoe, so everyone had clammy cold feet,” he explained. ” After a season of literally pouring water out of his ski boots after work each day in a ski season of synthetic socks, the epiphany of a better product occurred to him the next season when trying a pair of merino wool socks given him by a friend. “My wife Patty and I were operating a ski hat retail store then,” Duke noted. “But when I tried the merino socks, I thought ‘Now I understand.’” The transition from retail to manufacturing and wholesaling was like starting all over, he said, but by year three, Duke said he knew they were onto something. “People were telling us they were having to find ways to rotate their merino wool socks because they couldn’t get enough new ones- I knew we had a tiger by the tail.” Another Steamboat success story, SmartWool, was launched. It was later bought by Timberland, which in turn was later bought by multi-billion dollar apparel conglomerate VFC. The phrase “be careful what you ask for” might be more applicable to the entrepreneur than most. “That kind of growth is very exciting, but you have to find investors - ramping up is great but it has its difficulties.” One difficulty for a peripatetic Duke was a five year non-compete after selling SmartWool. “I was bored,” he said. Point6 socks, named after the precise decimal in the human body temperature, was the cure. Yes, he concedes that his repeated success means he’s sought out for advice. “My axiom for them is – simply be the best at it. I’m in the merino wool business,” he said. “And if you think you know all there is to know about merino wool, you don’t know anything. I tell others that if you’re not optimistic about the business, get out.” His supply chain is global; he takes a decidedly fair trade approach to buying raw merino sheep wool from farmers and ranches in New Zealand, has it spun for production in the textile belt of Tennessee and Alabama. Point6 Socks means stable, year-round work for about a dozen employees in Steamboat, to say nothing of the jobs created in the south and commodity price stability for the wool growers of New Zealand. “There are a lot of independent business owners in Steamboat doing their own thing, just like it was when we were starting out,” he said. “It’s nice.”
RIDING THE WHITE YEAR ROUND
Peter Hall arrived in Steamboat in 2006 when “ski instructor” emerged as a talent discerned in a vocational test. Mountain town living meant partaking of the assorted activities of the area funded by “work” as a ski instructor and Spanish teacher in the Steamboat Mountain School. Five years later, the very snow he’d ski on in the winter became the basis for a business that, since opening in 2011, has doubled annually. How? By a singular focus on the company mantra: “Design. Adventure. Better.” “I’d ruined some surf boards in the whitewater of the Yampa and discovered there were no high end river paddle boards or paddles,” he said, so Hall launched Hala Sports, a specialized component of the fast-growing river boarding segment of paddleboards. “Our niche is the inflatable board in the white water space,” said the 32-year old. “River boarding is relatively known in Colorado, but it’s just beginning everywhere else.” Hall tested his friends on boards, most of whom were all too eager to take their shot at the Yampa, one of Colorado’s epic rivers. “The early prototype was huge for stability and durability, and while we’ve cut down on the size, we will still do big boards. Reducing weight is not ideal- a lighter bike is a more expensive bike, but a lighter paddleboard for the river is cheaper,” he noted. Refining design and materials at home soon led to the life of a riverboard roadie to ply his wares at river festivals throughout the west. Orders flowed in (pun intended) and Hala took off. “Steamboat was very conducive to my deciding to pursue Hala. I could see SmartWool, Point6, Moots, Honey Stinger, Big Agnes, Kent Erickson, and high end ski manufacturers and ski pole companies,” said Hall. “Steamboat is great for inspiration with lots of enthusiasts for brainstorming and product testing and I could see what others achieved here. Peter Duke’s guidance (see above) in particular was great.” Hala has expanded its line of river paddleboards from two to 11, has improved on a rocker shape (akin to today’s high performance alpine skis) for better responsiveness, patented a specially designed “butter knife” paddle and has four more patents pending (watch for what Hall calls “inflatable carbon technology”). “I’m looking for stronger material that is less rigid,” he said. An investment in a 3-D printer has aided product development. Among the more interesting innovations is a retractable fin that’s spring loaded so it retracts if it hits a rock. He’s travelled the typical financing route: first loan from family and friends, an SBA loan, then another, with all proceeds plowed back into Hala. The focus remains on product improvement. He manufactures in several places in Asia and the U.S. and enjoys sales throughout the U.S. and a dozen countries. Hall sees the big the ocean-based paddleboard companies eyeing his niche. “Our biggest challenge is the bigger companies with better buying power, so we continually improve our quality. Moots sells an $8000 dollar mountain bike, and their success shows there’s a market for quality.” Hall backs up that quality with a three year warranty unmatched in the industry, and the company has a promotional video to show how resilient the boards are. Hall says some of the bigger water sports companies are “adopting” some of his innovations, and he realizes the possibility of a bigger player removing Hala from the competitive arena with a buy-out. “I don’t have an exit strategy, but you always listen to offers,” he said. “I want to stay in product development and would be
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happy to let someone else handle accounting and patent attorneys.” Hall’s partner is his wife Anna, and together they’ve launched their latest growth prospect, their 8-month old daughter Stella. Work days are still long, but now he can pop on home for a quick cuddle during the day. Ah, the joys of small town living.
A GROWING FAMILY
Bronco Bob’s One Hand Sandwiches were delicious…they just weren’t profitable. That was a lasting lesson learned in the restaurant business by Rex Brice over 20 years ago. Unlike many in our compilation whose rise to entrepreneurial success seems as much a function of happenstance as circumstance, Brice knew, as a 14-year old kid in North Carolina, that cooking is what he wanted to do. He also knew he wanted to live in Colorado, and, upon arriving in Steamboat Springs in 1993, he knew he’d found the right place. “Unlike so many other great resort towns in Colorado, Steamboat has a real heritage and community feel,” he said. Culinary school helped him learn the business and technical aspects of being a restaurateur, a choice made clearer by the counsel of a mentor. “He said there were three ways to create a good future for oneself and family: one, to work for the government, with the prospect of a pension; two, work for a corporation for possible promotions; and three, open my own business. I wasn’t very good at following rules, so…I loved being a chef, but saw that the way to make a good living was to start my own business - my first was Bronco Bob’s.” Bob’s taught him that sales don’t automatically translate to profits, and, despite strong sales, thin margins spelled the end for One Hand after about six months, but if at first you don’t succeed… “After One Hand I looked for bricks and mortar full service locations but nothing was coming together, so I opened a coffee shop and supplemented my income by consulting on menus, recipes and operational systems, something I continue to do some of today.” So how did the coffee shop manage to stay, thrive and form the basis for several other concepts while Bronco Bob’s was relegated to the compost pile of restaurant history? Brice said, “Restaurateurs make two mistakes: one is having just ONE concept and finding a location to match that concept and therefore overpaying for space and, two, keeping an eye on a space in hope that it’s the only spot that will work for them. We found motivated landlords who had struggling restaurants and I developed concepts to fit the space we were taking over.” He grinned. “We have four of the worst locations in Steamboat and the four busiest restaurants.” Brice made sure Rex’s Family of Restaurants retained firm financial footing. Low debt allowed Brice to take advantage of opportunity during the downturn of 2008 with the addition of Lil House County Biscuits, Laundry Kitchen and Cocktails, and Catering. No doubt food and service have been essential to that success, but Brice looks to serve the locals. “We try to hire, train and gear toward the locals,” he said. “It’s the best path to good year round business, and locals give good referrals. We saw good growth in 2006-7 with the construction boom; contractors and builders were here throughout the shoulder seasons. When the economy crashed that all went away but we are starting to see business in off seasons finally return.” With about 200 employees on the payroll, Brice works to get everyone on the same sheet of music as it relates to the
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mission and vision for his restaurants. Those values extend beyond the customer to the community as well. “The best way to get everyone on board for our restaurants is for us to live it - we can preach mission and philosophy all day, but that’s not going to do much for you without putting it into daily practice.” That commitment has been recognized in the industry and community with awards citing Rex’s Family of Restaurants for philanthropy, business leadership, and community service from the City of Steamboat Springs, the Yampa Valley Community Foundation, National Restaurant Association and others. The Family grows; a sixth restaurant, Salt and Lime, featuring fare described by Brice as “progressive Mexican fare, not TexMex” is due to be open by Christmas of 2015. Rex and wife Bettina also have a growing baby girl Grace, namesake for Family member Gracie’s Grocer.
THE STEAMBOAT GAMBER
The annals of American business are filled with examples of family businesses started, built and lost, a phenomenon often referred to as “third generation amnesia.” Too often the hard work and vision that builds a strong business fails to translate to the grandchildren, and in the course of a century, the legacy of entrepreneurship is obliterated. Not gonna happen in the Gamber family. Steamboat’s Bill Gamber has built three businesses in town based on lessons learned in the Pennsylvania honey business started by his grandfather with just two hives. Those led to the creation of Dutch Gold Honey, the largest supplier of honey to such giant enterprises as the major cereal makers, Smuckers jams and the like. Though the newest of his three companies, Gamber’s Honey Stinger, the maker of honey-based performance and protein bars, gels, chews and waffles (with gluten free waffles coming soon) is the company with closest ties to granddad’s early efforts. “My dad took what my grandpa started and really grew that business nationally, which helped get him on the National Honey Board,” Gamber recalls. “They were looking at honey as fuel for high performance athletics; my dad saw the potential, but he was just too busy with the core business. I was racing triathlons, and I found honey-based fuels were a natural fit.” With capital being a major issue in launching a new enterprise, Gamber was in the enviable position of self-funding Honey Stinger from proceeds from Big Agnes, an earlier startup he co-founded 16 years ago, focused on high performance camping gear, namely sleeping bags and tents. “We just saw room for a lot of improvement in sleeping bags,” he said. “There really hadn’t been any improvements in 20 years, and things like slipping off the sleeping pad and such - well, we knew we could make it more of an integrated system.” Gamber and associates experimented with some prototypes, knew some sales reps who liked them, generated great initial interest and…lost money for the first couple of years. Major sports retailer REI took them on and when Outside Magazine cited the Lost Ranger down bag as a “Killer Value,” Big Agnes got bigger fast. Not content to merely sleep under the stars, Gamber started improving tents with similar success. “When we developed lightweight tents, we really grew fast,” he noted. It didn’t hurt that Backpacker Magazine lauded the company’s super light tent for singles in its very first year either. Production needed ramping up. “Like so many businesses, we were intent on making
UPPER: Rex Brice Rex’s Family of Restaurants BOTTOM: Bill Gamber Big Agnes, HoneyStinger and Bwear Action Products (BAP)
everything in the U.S.” he said. “I’m from a family business background that liked to keep business local, but there was just no way to keep the prices down given the costs of U.S. manufacturing, so we’ve established some good relationships with some smaller family-style custom manufacturers in Asia.” In completing the circle, Gamber imported more than himself when he arrived in Steamboat. His Bwear Action Products (BAP) began in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania when he started selling bike shorts and triathlete gear from his dorm room. BAP today has expanded to include insulated outerwear, jackets and clothing for adults, children and even babies. With sales, production and distribution worldwide, Gamber remains committed to the Boat, but he concedes that trade-offs are unavoidable. “It’s great to mountain bike outside our office, skin up the hill at the resort before work, and have employee camp outs where we really get into thinking about our products, about ways to improve them. We have Steamboat all over our products….we are proud of who we are and where we work and live. At the same time, we can end up having employees unloading containers at 20 below or pushing delivery trucks out of the ditch during a snowstorm, but everyone working here knows it’s a tradeoff worth making.” Growth continues in the Gamber enterprises; employment has more than doubled in less than five years to some 100 employees, and a payroll of $6 million is just a portion of the economic impact on the area. “We have some efficiencies with three businesses, and that helps us employ people year-round with benefits and profit sharing,” he said. It’s a success story as sweet as honey.
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STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
Diversifying the economy to more year-round jobs insulated from the uncertainties of weather and the ever-changing tastes of tourists has been the clarion call of Chambers of Commerce throughout every mountain town in the west. Steamboat has attracted the brains, work ethic, capital and production to add a whole other chapter to this storied Colorado mountain town with many of these local success stories reaching across the rest of the planet. It’s a model worth emulating for mountain towns everywhere.
E xceeding expectations in real estate
and transforming the industry.
Luxury in Steamboat Springs 6 Bedrooms, 7 Baths, 6,364 Square Feet 15 Acres with a 5 Car Garage Borders National Forest
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charlie dresen 970.846.6435 S T E A M B O A T S M Y H O M E . C O M
FAT BIKING Crested Butte leads the Winter Fat Bike scene with new trails, events and opportunites on their snowy trails.
Story By: WILLIAM DUJARDIN
Photo: Trent Bona
Fat biking has started to sweep mountain towns around the US as winter destinations look to expand on activities other than skiing and the ever-loved après scene. It’s no surprise that Crested Butte is leading the charge considering the town is a bike mecca in the summer. It feels like a prerequisite to own at least 3 different bikes to live here. The town rallies around biking with Crested Butte Bike Week every June, Bridges of the Butte and the Chainless, not to mention spontaneous townie tours erupting for anything from full moons, fundraisers, parties, and even 4/20 when there isn’t snow on the ground. Some people have a summer townie and now a fat bike winter townie while some people are even riding fat bikes in the middle of summer on dirt trails, because, why not? Did you know the fat tires provide more natural suspension? Crested Butte, CO, a name synonymous with mountain biking, is one of many towns incorporating fat bikes into the winter sports scene. with rentals available at four locations in town and even the Nordic Inn including a free rental with your stay. Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) allows winter fat biking on the resort outside public lift operating hours. The local Crested Butte Mt. Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce has
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Photo: Dave Kozlowski spearheaded the fat biking initiative by coming out with a local fat biking guide, grooming fat-bike specific trails open to all users, and most importantly, announcing the inaugural Borealis/Odell’s Fat Bike World Championships coming up January 27-31, 2016. With winter’s climate becoming more variable, it’s becoming easier to ride throughout the winter. Popular mountain biking trails like the Upper Loop have been riding well into December. Hartman Rocks, a big single-track system just south of Gunnison, is only 40 minutes away and often has sunny skies and low snow. It’s no secret that you do not want to be fat biking in fresh snow unless you like the feeling of slogging through sand and pushing your bike. Riding single track, either groomed or on a mountain bike trail, is really where people familiar with mountain biking will love fat biking. With Fat Bike Worlds coming up, as the aforementioned Borealis/Odell’s event is affectionately being called, the town is gearing up for a grand weekend January 27th through the 31st. “We’ve been hosting Fat Bike races for the last 4 years in Crested Butte so Worlds is a chance for us to step it up a notch and showcase it to our community,” says Dave Ochs, the Director of the Chamber of Commerce. “We are bike culture here in Crested Butte, and fat biking is just a way to bike all year around, so we see this kind of becoming a winter version of CB Bike Week,” he continued. The Chamber expects all types of riders from seasoned pros and world-class athletes to beginners looking just to try fat biking to attend the event. There will be 18 vendor tents over 4 days of activities and races and you’ll have access to fat bikes just by registering to race, you don’t even have to own one.
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We know Crested Butte has more than its fair share of ridiculous endurance mountain biking athletes, and Neil Beltchenko, a recent Colorado Trail Race winner and 3rd place finisher of the Trail Divide race, looks at fat biking as more than just another winter recreational option. “With Crested Butte’s name in mountain biking,” Neil says, “it’s natural for Crested Butte to host this Worlds event.” But what about getting used to the actual sport? Neil explains, “There really isn’t much difference to mountain biking other than wearing warmer clothes; don’t forget to wear slightly bigger shoes so that you keep the blood flowing in your feet on those extra cold days or nights.” If you haven’t tried this sport yet it seems like you should be getting into it, right? “Just going out on groomed trails is a novel experience in itself, but people are really getting into it on established trails like the Upper Loop trail system,” says Neil. “There are enough people with fat bikes in town riding the Upper Loop we are going to be able to maintain the trails just by riding them through the winter, not to mention the single track Lily Lake loop that the Chamber has been grooming is so ridiculously fun, “ he adds with a smile. Both loops will be connected into events at Fat Bike Worlds, and are ready to ride right now in Crested Butte. As with any new sport, there is a transition period and what one might call growing pains. There have been questions about access and trail use balancing between backcountry snowmobile users and the Crested Butte Nordic Center. “It kind of feels like snowboarding,” says John Norton, the director of the GunnisonCrested Butte Tourism Association and long time ski industry expert, touching on the beginnings of a new sport. If you don’t
AVAILABLE AT
108 South Main Street Breckenridge, Colorado 970-453-9307
Photo: travelcrestedbutte.com
“Get out here and get on one.”
Crested Butte Winter Fat Bike Resources RENTALS:
know by now, snowboarding saved skiing in the ‘90s not just by rejuvenating the numbers on the hill but affecting ski design and technique. “There isn’t just one solution to filling empty beds during winter in Crested Butte, we need a growing number of alpine skiers, Nordic skiers, fat bikers, back country skiers and others to fill those spots.” People are respecting that the fat biking is bringing in business. Not to mention, “When we need a rest from skiing on the mountain, a fat biking day may be just the ticket to keep us outside and in good health,” Norton adds. So what are you waiting for? If you love mountain biking or are just looking to switch up the winter activities, fat biking is something you need to try. With the winter climate becoming ever harder to forecast, fat biking isn’t just fun in the winter months, it’s common sense! John Norton, a man who understands the boom and bust nature of mountain towns and sport fads, explains: “I’m not suggesting that fat biking is going to replace skiing—in all its forms--as the anchor sport here. But I do believe it could join skiing as an anchor sport.” That might seem like it’s saying a lot but what can you say, Crested Butte and bikes go together like skis and a chairlift and fat bikes are here to stay. Get out here and get on one!
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Big Al’s Bicycle Heaven$45 for 24 hours, $30 for half day, and $20 for 2 hours. 207 Elk Ave, 970-3490515
GUIDES:
A terrific resource can be found at this link: travelcrestedbutte.com/crested-butte-biking/ crested-butte-fat-biking/
LODGING PACKAGES: Nordic Inn Fat Bike Experience Package
Only $169 per day (2 day minimum)
2 nights lodging in Signature King room for two people Daily continental breakfast One day fat bike rental for two people included
real estate
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What You Can Get Homes In Colorado Mountain Towns Curious about the Colorado mountain town Real Estate market? Here are a few homes at different price points to give you an idea of what is out there.
51 Red Fox TABERNASH Key Facts
What: Perfect floor plan with two living spaces. Enjoy a large deck with great views, tons of natural light, and easy access off of Hwy 40. The flat lot has been mitigated providing beautiful, healthy trees all around. Plenty of room for your toys in the large garage. In the heart of Grand County within minutes from all activities.
How Much:
$430,000
Square Footage: 3454
2 Story Single family home Year built: 1982 Price/Sq Ft: $124 4 Bedrooms Approximately 10 miles to Winter Park Resort and 15 miles to Ski Granby Ranch. Close to Nordic Skiing, Golf, Hiking and Mountain Biking. Brokered by Real Estate of Winter Park. Jennifer Hughes
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254 Redstone Blvd REDSTONE What: This newly constructed home has been designed to fit right in with the historical village charm of Redstone. Once you step through the antique arbor you are welcomed by wonderful mature landscaping, stone walking paths and incredible flower garden. One step up and you are on an inviting covered porch that you can relax on. The inside of this home offers an open floor plan, stone wood burning fireplace, custom finishes and artisan work studio with running water on the second level that that could also serve as a third bedroom.
How Much:
$595,000
Square Footage: 1746
Key Facts 2 Story Single family home Year built: 2009 Price/Sq Ft: $341 2 Bedrooms Approximately 30 miles to Aspen/Snowmass and Sunlight Mountain. Close to Nordic Skiing, Golf, Hiking and Biking. Brokered by Coldwell Banker Mason Morse Real Estate, Sherry Rubin >
140 High Trails Drive DURANGO What: Live in a Colorado style home with the Florida River running through the property. This gorgeous home was custom built to enjoy the river from every room possible and is being sold with all furnishings and fixtures included. The great room boasts a large dual river rock fireplace gracing both in the living areas and master bedroom.
How Much:
$750,000
Square Footage: 2543
Key Facts 1.5 Story Single family home Year built: 1982 Price/Sq Ft: $124 3 Bedrooms Approximately 10 miles to Purgatory. Close to Fishing, Water sports, Nordic Skiing, Golf, Hiking and Mountain Biking. Brokered by The Wells Group, Robin Williams
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1261 Harwig Circle STEAMBOAT SPRINGS What: Perched on a hill in the convenient Fish Creek neighborhood between downtown and the ski area, this luxurious townhome is perfectly situated to take in Steamboat ski mountain and Sleeping Giant views. An open concept living, dining and kitchen area are filled with natural light. The kitchen yields granite countertops, cherry wood cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, pantry and a breakfast bar. Southeast facing living room windows open up to views of the Steamboat ski area.
How Much:
Colorado Classic … Crested Butte Original The Nordic Inn is truly a slice of
$819,000
nostalgia from the early days of skiing in Colorado. You are
Square Footage:
surrounded on three sides by the Gunnison
2891
National Forest and at the heart of one of the finest year-
Key Facts
round recreational
3 Story
playgrounds in North America.
Townhouse Year built: 2000 Price/Sq Ft: $283 4 Bedrooms
Less then 5 miles to Steamboat Ski Resort, close to town, Nordic Skiing, Golf, Hiking and Mountain Biking .Brokered by Steamboat Sotheby’s, Charlie Dresen
970.349.5542 • 1.800.542.7669
nordicinncb.com
Your bed and breakfast base camp for all mountain adventures.
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507 Summerwood Drive DILLON What: Magnificent Views Of Lake Dillon, Keystone, Ten Mile And Gore Ranges. This Home Is Uniquely Sited On Two Lots With Panoramic Views Of All Of Summit County. The Exterior Finishes Were Completely Updated In 2015! Contemporary Design Will Be Appreciated By A Discriminating Buyer Who Appreciates The Finest Quality And Is Looking For A Spectacular Property For Either Entertaining Or Privacy
How Much:
$1,899,000
Square Footage: 5,934
Key Facts 2 Story
725 Ten Mile Drive (behind 7-11) Frisco, CO 80443 970-668-1000 Store www.morespaceplace.com www.ifurnish.com
5 beds, 5.5 baths Home size: 5,934 sq ft Lot size: 16,814 sqft Year built: 1991 Price/Sq Ft: $320 Approximately 5 miles to Keystone Resort and in close proximity to Breckenridge, Copper and Arapahoe Basin. Brokered by Colorado Real Estate Company, Barbara Schneeman
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Colorado Real Estate Company
Mountain Bluebell, Keystone $1,749,000
Elk Circle, Keystone $2,499,000
Summerwood Drive, Dillon $1,899,000
Ruby Ranch Homesite $299,000
River House, Keystone $1,595,000
Gentian Road, Keystone $1,249,000
Three Peaks Homesite $290,000
Saw Whiskers Log Home, Keystone $1,250,000
Golf Course Homesite, Keystone $270,000
www.BarbaraSchneeman.com Schneeman@Earthlink.net Mobile: 970.485.0654
707 East Anemone Trail, Suite 4 Dillon, Colorado 80435
WEDDINGS
BEAUTIFUL VENUES IN COLORADO’S MOUNTAIN TOWNS
FROM TELLURIDE SKI RESORT TO THE TOP OF A 14’ER, A RANCH WEDDING AT THE IBAR IN GUNNISION OR INDOORS AT DEVILS THUMB, COLORADO’S MOUNTAIN TOWNS HAVE A SPOT FOR YOUR SPECIAL DAY We profile two great locations and provide a few honeymoon ideas too.
TOW N PAV I L ION, SI LV ERT HOR N E LOCATION: The Silverthorne Pavilion, Silverthorne THE VENUE: The Silverthorne Pavilion is a stylish, yet affordable venue that will provide a serene mountain setting, excellent customer service and wow your guests with spectacular views of the Gore Range. With hardwood f loors throughout, handcrafted chandeliers, exposed trusses and custom ironwork, the Pavilion is a unique facility capable of accommodating both ceremonies and receptions of all types and sizes. The rustic, yet elegant, facility boasts almost 12,000 square feet of space, including a 1,600 square foot lobby that faces the Blue River. Guests arrive at the Pavilion by crossing a historic
bridge over the river, and are greeted by a patio complete with a large, stone fireplace. Silverthorne is an ideal location for destination weddings. The Town sits on either side of the famed Blue River with its Gold Medal designated waters, ideal for f ly fishing, and is located within minutes of Summit Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ski resorts.The Pavilion is just down the road from the Raven at Three Peaks golf course and is adjacent to the Blue River, perfect for photo opts.The Outlets at Silverthorne offer your guests an extraordinary shopping experience and are also ideal for last minute needs. Area lodging ranges
from hotels to condos to private homes and ranches. There is something for everyone! GUEST ACCOMMODATIONS: The weddings venues are connected by a free gondola service that runs daily from 7am until midnight. The venues are the mid-station between the quaint historic town CONTACT: www.silverthornepavilion.com 970.262.7391 Photo Credits: Town of Silverthorne
DEV I L’S T H U M B R A NCH , TA BER NA SH LOCATION: Tabernash, Colorado THE VENUES: High Lonesome Barn: The 4,200 square foot High Lonesome Barn, was painstakingly reconstructed from a Civil War-era Ohio barn and features breathtaking East-facing views of the Continental Divide and is perfectly suited for weddings of up to 350 guests. A converted hay loft provides additional space for intimate receptions and small gatherings and 2 Rumford style stone fireplaces add to the historic charm of this special space.
recovered from a Civil War-era Indiana barn and features a 25 foot vaulted ceiling, 7 x 10 feet windows and a 2,200 sq. ft. deck with stunning views of the Continental Divide. It’s the perfect venue for weddings up to 160 persons. We also offer more intimate spaces for smaller weddings. Additional Spaces: For smaller parties Devil’s Thumb Ranch offers exquisite restaurants like Heck’s, John Ls’ Wine Cellar & Uncorking Room, Grotto Suraboza and Ranch House Restaurant.
GUEST ACCOMMODATIONS: The weddings venues lodging accomodations are all located in The Broad Axe Barn: This 2,900 square foot indoor property at Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa - private cabins, cozy lodge rooms and the most reception room, is built from hand hewn beams
comfortable beds will keep your guests comfortable while attending your special event. ACTIVITIES: There are frozen lakes to skate across, thrilling hills to sled down. And all of them are available at Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa. Of course when you stay here you’re only minutes away from Winter Park, one of America’s premier downhill resorts. In the summer go ziplining, f lyfishing, rafting, learn to SUP or head out horseback riding. Take a hike anytime or attend a yoga class. CONTACT: www.devilsthumbranch.com Photo Credits: Devil’s Thumb Ranch
SNOW M A SS Looking for a stunning slopeside location for your wedding vows? Have a large group you want to entertain? Searcing for impeccable service, dining and lodging options? Look no further then Snowmass. The areas scenery is spectacular and the location feels like the whole mountain is yours alone. From an intimate cabin to a spectacular hotel this is the place for a wedding celebration. Elk Camp Elk Camp showcases engaging architecture and is a true mountain experience — easily reached by 9-minute scenic gondola ride. This venue provides f lexibility by offering a spacious great room that will host up to 250 guests. It features a separate bar area, a cozy fireplace and expansive outdoor patio space surrounded by an iconic mountain setting. Lynn Britt Cabin If you are looking for a spectacular mountain location, this lovely, rustic log cabin nestled among towering aspen trees with endless mountain views on Snowmass takes top billing. Lynn Britt Cabin is available for intimate weddings, private snowcat dinner rides and other private functions in the winter. But once summer arrives, options are expanded and the cabin — as well as the adjacent, f lower-filled meadow — can accommodate 20 to 200 guests. Viceroy Snowmass The hotel offers the perfect venues to host to all weddings from intimate gatherings of 10 to large scale celebrations for 280 with the dramatic backdrop of Snowmass Village and the Rocky Mountains. An unforgettable venue for your picturesque wedding celebration and lodging accomodations in Snowmass. 60
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M T N TOW N HON EY MOON I DE A S In Colorado, romance goes further than simply soaking in the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Here, couples can take part in unique experiences and unparalleled adventure. Whether newlyweds want to indulge in the great outdoors in a secluded, backcountry hut or cozy up in a luxury hotel by the fire, Colorado has an abundance of activities for after the “I do’s.” Below is a sampling of romantic honeymoon destinations, offerings and experiences throughout Colorado’s Mountain Towns. A Backcountry Hut Adventure at the 10th Mountain Division Hut -Frisco For adventurous couples looking to explore the backcountry, escape to a 10th Mountain Division Hut. Shrine Mountain Inn and Janet’s Cabin are recommended for an unforgettable stay near Frisco. Whether guests are first-time snowshoers or expert skiers, the nearby Frisco Nordic Center offers rentals for the countless trails and terrain easily accessible for all-level adventurers. Prices start at $35 per person per night for a unique stay that is true to the spirit of Colorado. On the Slopes Romance at Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro -Aspen Consisting of four mountains, over 330 trails, 42 lifts and terrain to suit every level, Aspen’s legendary slopes are a must. After a day of skiing or riding, Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro, located midway up Aspen Highlands, offers iconic views of Maroon Bells accompanied by Swiss cuisine and an acclaimed wine list. To truly arrive in style, snow cat tours take couples up 10,750 feet all the while taking in night-time views of downtown Aspen. Elegant Lodging in the Colorado Mountains at Della Terra Mountain Chateau -Estes Park Romantic escapes at Della Terra Mountain Chateau allows guests to breakaway and find themselves above Estes Park at the Fall River entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. With the booking of any suite, couples can opt for a romantic setup that includes champagne, rose petals and flameless candles upon arrival. To experience Estes Park in true extravagance, a two hour road-trip in a 1939 Rolls Royce rental from Boulder Denver Limousines comes complete with chauffer, red carpet service and furnished with champagne bucket, ice and glasses for $375. Luxurious Cabins in an All-Inclusive Dude Ranch at Vista Verde -Steamboat Springs Couples are invited to cuddle up for a romantic weekend in the mountains. Vista Verde Ranch borders Routt National Forest, making for the perfect backdrop for outdoor winter activities. Here, couples can take advantage of Colorado’s top pursuits in one vacation. Vista Verde offers stays as short as 3-nights beginning at $1,295 per person where lodging, meals and activities are all included. Horseback rides in the snow, sleigh rides and wine tastings are just a few of the inclusions. Endless Amenities in a Winter Wonderland at the Westin Riverfront Hotel -Beaver Creek In the heart of the Vail Valley, the Westin Riverfront Hotel is located at the base of Beaver Creek Mountain where guests are surrounded by spectacular views of snowy peaks and dense forest. The hotel’s Spa Anjali offers a Spa, Sparkling and Savasana package for couples. Starting at $249 per night, a three-night minimum stay includes luxurious overnight accommodations, a $250 spa credit, a bottle of champagne, valet parking, unlimited yoga/fitness classes at the Athletic Club and a $100 credit to Maya, the Westin’s modern Mexican kitchen.
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art
BRECKENRIDGE CR E AT I V E A RT S by Nancy Rebek Photos by Liam Doran
102 S Main Street Breckenridge, Colorado breckcreate.org 62
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At a time when the arts struggle for funding in major cities, town and schools across America. the Town of Breckenridge has impressively stepped up to make all disciplines a vital part of the community. Established in 2014, Breckenridge Creative Arts was developed by the Town to support and promote arts, culture, and creative experiences throughout Breckenridge. The nonprofit organization is responsible for the successful management of a series of programs, facilities, and partnerships that collectively bring to life the cultural corridor in the heart of downtown Breckenridge. Breckenridge Creative Arts, also dubbed BreckCreate, or BCA, is headed by arts and festival veteran Robb Woulfe who moved to Breckenridge following a long and successful career as the Executive and Artistic Director of the internationally lauded Ann Arbor Summer Festival. As President and CEO of BreckCreate, he envisions the initiative as “making Breckenridge a world-leading creative destination.”
Towards that purpose, Breckenridge Creative Arts has three main responsibilities, according to Woulfe. The first is to manage the town’s cultural venues (including the 750-seat Riverwalk Center, a favorite for locals and visitors); the second, to provide additional programming for all of the town’s venues to maximize assets throughout the year; and third, to serve as an umbrella and advocacy organization. In doing so, notes Woulfe, the non-profit works to grow and leverage artistic and creative resources throughout Breckenridge. In 2015, Riverwalk Center saw a surge in programming and recognition, hosting such sold-out shows as Emmylou Harris and humorist David Sedaris. Already on the books for 2016 is an anticipated show by The Chris Robinson Brotherhood (CRB), featuring the former lead singer for The Black Crowes. Additionally, three major festivals – Fire Arts Festival, WAVE and the Breckenridge International Festival of Arts (BIFA) – are curated and produced by BreckCreate. Most of the energy that drives Breckenridge Creative Arts in is curating ideas, spaces and talent that enables artistic visions and creative collaborations to flourish. Their multi-disciplinary work cuts across music, film, dance, spoken word, literary and visionary arts, education as well as the technology sector. By presenting a yearround schedule of performances, exhibitions, screenings, classes and workshops, BCA supports and serves artists, cultural enthusiasts, tourists and the community. Events are offered within the five cultural facilities overseen by BCA, including multiple studio workspaces on the new one-acre Arts District campus on just off Main Street. Many of the educational events, festivals and other community-based activities are either free or have a minimal charge, and are open to all. A sampling of the ambitious January calendar includes a Chakra/ Energy Workshop, Glow-in-the-Dark Fitness, Still Life Boot Camp, Writing for Publications and BREW: Ideas + Creation Lab.
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The highlight of the winter season is the Fire Arts Festival (FAF), programmed and scheduled to complement the hugely popular International Snow Sculpture Championships. With pyro performances, music and fire sculptures, FAF runs throughout the Breckenridge Arts District January 28-31.
The hope, he stresses, is that given the stunning location in the Rocky Mountain region, both visitors and residents will find an arts environment allowing them to exchange ideas, collaborate and find inspiration in unique places. Woulfe notes, “I believe these programs can help define a community’s identity and engage people in public spaces to create a sense of place. Festivals can transform a location from everyday settings into temporary, public art spaces. For us, they are designed to promote community-building, place making and economic development in Breckenridge.” 2016 will also see the roll-out of WAVE: Light+Water+Sound in early June and the return of the remarkably attended and critically praised BIFA in mid-August. According to Woulfe, such festivals not only present innovative and bold programming, but just as important, they engage the community as a creative partner, offering artistic experiences that showcase Breckenridge’s global identity. Upon its creation, Breckenridge Creative Arts established the mission to promote Breckenridge as a vibrant, year-round creative destination by developing inspiring collaborative experiences that attract visitors and enrich the lives of our citizens. As it enters its second full year of programming, it is clear that mission is being accomplished.
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Come in and see the funnest store in town! twowildsisters.com 100 North Main Street 970.547.8347 Breckenridge, CO
Lincoln St. Ski Hill Rd.
Festivals such as this are the hallmark of work done by BreckCreate. “Having been in the festival world for the majority of my career, I have an affinity to large-scale, multi-day celebrations that transform public spaces into hubs of performance, exhibition and other cultural activitty, “ explains Woulfe. “Since one of our key focus areas is eco-themed programs and place-based relevancy, we aim to produce unique experiences that celebrate art and nature.”
Main St.
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CANNABIS TOPICALS Historically Cannabis has been used to treat a variety of health conditions by topical application (application to the skin). Cannabis Topical preparations are absorbed through the skin to affect a targeted area. This is a minimally invasive way to administer medications, and with Cannabis a way to reduce side effects.The skin is one of our largest organs and is capable of absorbing medications and expelling waste.Tinctures, salves and balms are preparations that allow a medication to directly affect the site that medication is needed. The medication within the product gets absorbed direct to the area that is most desirable and will have less of chance to reach areas that are undesirable. Applying a cannabis preparation to the skin does not usually affect the brain and has little effect on cognition or memory.
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It does not produce the intoxicating effect that has caused so much debate about marijuana “mind altering” effects. Patients report that many of these conditions respond favorably to topically applied cannabis. Skin disorders, in particular, do well with topical cannabis. Psoriasis, eczema, contact dermatitis, itching and even skin infections have been reported to improve with topical cannabis. Marijuana may also be used topically for stopping migraines, headaches or pain. A term often heard and associated with the healing properties of the Marijuana/ Cannabis plant is Cannabinoid. Cannabinoid’s are chemicals unique to the Cannabis plant. There are over 480 natural components found within the Cannabis sativa plant, of which 66 have been classified as “cannabinoids”.
Cannabis Indica, as opposed to Cannabis Sativa, is best for providing relief for physical symptoms. Some benefits of Indica are â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to reduce pain, relax muscles, relieve spasms, reduce inflammation, reduce nausea, relieve headaches and migraines, and have been used as a successful anticonvulsant for some though it is time consuming as it takes several weeks for the product to mature. There are quite a few companies producing professionally prepared treatments here in Colorado. Cannabis oil has a multitude of uses. It is an excellent pain reliever because it stimulates localized THC and CBD receptors throughout our bodies. It also acts as an antiinflammatory by stimulating circulation. Massage oil is not only good for a body rub, but assists in taking swelling and pain away from arthritic joints. Topical alcohol rubs are ideal for arthritic joint pain or sore muscles. Salves may be used anywhere you would use a first-aid ointment. You can use it for cuts and scrapes, infections and dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis and bruises. Some patients prepare cannabis in alcohol extracts and apply it as a rub to the affected body part. Others use cannabis oils or balms that they procure at dispensaries or privately prepare.
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Eats & treats
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IT’S THE BEST BEER ON THE MOUNTAIN There is a brewery in just about every town here in the Colorado mountain communities. It is pretty darn cool to be able to drink a little something that came from each area and maybe it is extra cool that you can consume a true Vail Valley product and get a little of the areas DNA in you. Crazy Mountain Brewing Company has some amazing beers and the new Shane McConkey brew just grabbed our attention. To me it says something about the brewery and how their owners operate. The brewery was founded by Kevin and Marisa Selvy in 2010, after working as a brewer with Anchor Brewing in San Francisco. Kevin returned here to his home state with his wife Marissa and began this Edwards based brewery, escaping the possibility of becoming high rise serfs, settled into corporate cubicals, battling traffic and worrying about a lawn. Instead they chose to brew great beer, get out into the great outdoors and become the Vail Valley’s first beer production company. Named after a mountain on the Selvy family’s ranch in Central Colorado - “Loco
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Mountain” - it was the perfect name for their crazy pursuit. Today they produce eight year round beers along with two seasonal products on a consistent basis. You have to love the creativity of not only the beer but the names to represent them; Lava Lake Wit, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, Mountain Livin’ Pale Ale, Hookiebobb India Pale Ale, Boohai Red Ale, Cara De Luna Black Ale, Old Soul Strong Belgian Ale, and Lawyers, Guns & Money. Some great eye catching artwork always adorns their cans and bottles. The brewery has grown steadily and garnered a huge following in the Vail Valley and beyond. The latest news is their soon to be opened location at 471 Kalamath Street in Denver where the Breckenridge Brewery was formerly headquartered. An August opening will include a tap room and Barbeque restaurant. Be sure to visit them at the WinterWondergrass Festival in Avon this February too, they are a great supporter of that event and many others. 439 Edwards Access Road, B-102 Edwards, 471 Kalamath St. Denver
FREE, Mesmerizing Fire Art Performances, Spectacular Fire Art Cars & Sculptures.
telluridefirefestival.org A 501 (c) (3) organization
Get the 4-Night VIP All Access Pass for the best savings! Tickets availble online: telluridefirefestival.org
Presenting Sponsor:
Photo by Ryan Bonneau
January 14â&#x20AC;&#x201C;17
Check out the other events and activities from free workshops, to ticketed events including Rob Garza (of Thievery Corporation) performing January 15, and the fantastical Fire Ball January 16.
MEXICAN FOOD FAVORITES BY PEPPER HAMILTON
Mexican Food in Colorado’s Mountain Towns is easy to come by and usually pretty darn delicious. We rounded up some of our favorites to share with you. Warm hearty dishes and quick to grab fare are found in these locations. Many are family owned and run, not a chain that you can find in any ol’ town. Vamos a comer!
TACO CABO Steamboat Springs More then just a take out taco stand, dine in or during warmer days hit the outdoor patio seating. Freshly prepared, authentic cuisine from Kent Hall and his wife. Fish tacos, Carne Asada, Barbacoa, Chili and more in Burritos, Bowls, Tacos and Tortas. Try their fresh desserts and drinks too 1755 LINCOLN AVE (US Highway 40) www.tacocabo.com
TEQUILA’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT Glenwood Springs Part of the Tequila’s Mexican Restaurant group this location is close to the Hot Spring’s and Adventure Park. Great service and a huge menu to chose from will satisfy everyone in your group. Serving lunch and dinner with a full bar 132 W 6th STREET www.tequilasglenwood.com
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LA COCINA DE LUZ Telluride
HACIENDA REAL Frisco
Mexican and southwestern cuisine with whole foods and contemporary influences, juice bar, espresso drinks, daily specials, beer, wine and margaritas. Traditional recipes include mostly organic ingredients with many vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes.
This great family style restaurant is cozy and on the ball with a full menu of classic mexican dishes from appetizers, salads, soups, veggie, fajitas, seafood, Kids specials, and combinations and burritos. The bar has plenty of tequilas, and 25 different flavors of Margaritas.
123 E COLORADO AVE www.lacocinatelluride.com
842 N. SUMMIT BLVD Unit 31-32 www.haciendareal.com
POCO TACOS Salida
ZIA TAQUERIA Durango
Great food from the freshest ingredients is their motto. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with an empahasis on tacos, burritos and tortas. Try their changing tapas menu at dinner time. Located in downtown Salida amongst the areas shops and galleries.
We love this community-minded, fast-service, freshmex restaurant that uses locally-grown food; grilled meats & vegetables; made-from-scratch salsas, sauces, marinades, and rubs. Pulled pork, chicken tinga, barbaco, rice and beans,salads and more. Two locations in Durango . 3101 MAIN AVENUE or 400 S. CAMINO DEL RIO www.ziataqueria.com
123 WEST 1st STREET www.pocosalida.com
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Briar Rose Chophouse A Classic Chophouse in Breckenridge
The definition of a chophouse is a restaurant that specializes in steaks, chops, and similar fare. The question that does not get answered is what makes a great Chophouse? There is more to that definition in my book. A great chophouse incorporates a well run establishment with a beautiful interior of wood paneling, rich fabrics, white table cloths adorned with, sparkling wine glasses, candles and utensils that include thick steak knives. The menu should be stacked with a variety of well aged, choice and prime cuts of beef, pork and lamb. In addition seafood, salads and a selection of a la carte accompaniments make that menu complete. Lastly but not the least is the establishments service and attention to detail.
excellent as well.
There is a distinctive aroma of grilled dry aged beef, freshly baked breads, garlic, candles and the starch of white table cloths fused together in the air of a fantastic steakhouse. That is the first thing you will experience when you enter The Briar Rose Chophouse and Saloon in Breckenridge. The restaurant has been in the business of preparing the finest aged beef and fresh wild game in their landmark restaurant for over 40 years. The unique building is named after the old Briar Rose Mine on Peak 10, which began operation in the late 19th century. The building had originally operated as a boarding house serving meals to tired miners.
If a full meal is not in your plans then a visit to the back bar/saloon is highly recommended. Their bar menu is filled with a great selection of appetizers and snacks. I always order their Shishito Peppers and Parmesan popcorn when I hit the restaurant’s Happy Hour. Try the Beef Short Rib Egg Rolls, Carolina Short Rib Sliders or Rosemary-Skewered Shrimp Romesco. All of it is delicious and well prepared. Please note that the bar is very popular amongst locals and visitors.
In 2011 the Nelson brothers and their business partner purchased the building and did an immense upgrade to the aging interior complementing the space with elegant finishes that brought the beautiful dining room and bar/saloon area back to life. The menu was completely revamped and a crew of knowledgeable staff were brought in. The restaurant partners with premium suppliers Harris Ranch Beef and Emerald Valley Ranch to bring the best of American beef and meats to the Chophouse table. Chef/Owner Todd Nelson travels to Harris Ranch two to three times a year to work with the cattle ranchers and butchers to buy their custom beef cuts for the menu. His menu is al a carte offering Appetizers, Salads, Chops and Meat Cuts, Side and sauce selections are on the menu to compliment your meal. If you have room the dessert menu is
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Wild Game Sausage, Steak Tartare, Shrimp Cocktail and Escargot are some of their Appetizer selections. Salads include a Spinach, Caesar and a chophouse classic, the Wedge. The Main Course selection is tremendous and has wild game as well as fish incorporated within it. I personally love the sides and sauces; try the Port Wine, Wild Mushroom or Lingonberry Demi Glace, a delicious compliment to your cut of meat. The bearnaise and hollandaise sauces are classically prepared perfect for fish and vegetables too. All of it is delightful, delicious and a meal that will be remembered. The house made desserts are a treat that you should make room for, sharing is the perfect solution to a full belly.
If this review isn’t enough the restaurant has won a variety of awards. They are recognized as one of the Top 5 Restaurants in Summit County and recently received Open Table’s 2015 “Diners’ Choice” award. On a side note, the restaurant is very supportive and involved in community events and non profit fundraising and hosts several wine and food related events each year. The Briar Rose Chophouse and Saloon is perfect palce for you romantic night out, an evening with friends or a Happy Hour stop while your Breckenridge, it is a great chophouse. . 109 Lincoln Ave. Breckenridge (970) 453-9948 www.briarrosechophouse.com
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Surrounded by the Grand Valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agricultural community this restaurant is farm fresh.
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PHOTO CREDIT: Amanda Baker Photography
Bin 707 Food Bar The New Culinary Scene in Grand Junction If you live in one of Colorado’s mountain towns then you surely find yourself escaping in the early spring to the Grand Junction area. On a trip this past fall I was utterly surprised and delighted to discover Bin 707 Food Bar in Downtown Grand Junction. I will no longer view Horizon Drive as Grand Junction’s only food destination. Bin 707 Food Bar is a comfortable, unique,contemporary bistro with terrific service and fresh, delicious food. The menu is a study of culinary creativity with a farm to plate feel. Charcuterie and Artisan Cheese Selections, Fried Artichoke Hearts, Roasted Beet Salad, Grilled Broccolini Salad and an entree of Lobster and Grits were shared by a group of us to experience the food. Each plate’s presentation was a feast for the eyes and stomach.
The entire focus of the cuisine is on fresh, local, Colorado and domestically sourced foods. Designing dishes that are in tune with the season’s local markets is their specialty. After a day exploring the Colorado Monument, biking in Fruita or experiencing area wineries head to downtown Grand Junction. Bin 707 Food Bar is A MUST! 225 N 5th St. #105 Grand Junction, 80501 970-243-4543 | Bin707.com
This great addition to the area’s culinary scene was opened February 4th, 2011 by Josh and Jodi Niernberg. I had a chance to talk with Josh who is the restaurant’s Chef and Co-owner, a food & beverage veteran with over 20 years of experience. Seasonal American is his passion and the theme of the establishment.
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PHOTO CREDIT: Amanda Baker Photography
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CITY ON A HILL L E A D V I L L E
BY PEPPER HAMILTON
During a pannier trip I stopped into City on a Hill for a cup of coffee to keep my legs going after coming over Fremont Pass. I remembered how smooth and delicious it was and made sure to stop in again during an early morning fall trip to Leadville. This time I needed a bit of breakfast. I remembered that they had baked goods and sandwiches, surely they had breakfast. Breakfast – burritos, sandwiches, eggs and all of the fixings were there on the menu and the place was buzzing with energy and people grabbing a bite to eat. Hunger does not normally hit me at 7am but the aromas and offerings were tantalizing and the green chili and black bean breakfast wrap was sounding mighty good. My order was placed, my latte was steamed and I had a few minutes in between to take in the artwork and details of the old building City on a Hill Coffee & Espresso is housed in. Leadville has such great old structures, I always love driving over and stopping and wandering through the town. What I discovered is City on a Hill is also a roasting company offering signature blend gift bags and coffee by the pound. Situated at 10, 152 ft above sea level this may be the highest coffee roaster in the US, maybe even the world. Coffees from Africa, Central America, Indonesia and South America are roasted and sold from this establishment. The staff is very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about their products and have been well trained in the art of brewing and pouring. In addition to great coffee the food was excellent. The green chili and black bean breakfast wrap was outstanding. The Chili’s were freshly roasted and incredibly flavorful. This was hand crafted, not from a jar or canned product and it made all the difference. Heading to Leadville? This town always deserves a stop if it is not your final destination and Cloud City Coffee & Espresso is a must. 508 Harrison Ave Leadville, CO (719) 486-0797 www.cityonahillcoffee.com
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frisco dining
frisco dining
Happy Hour Daily Live Music 6 - 9pm Wed - Sat in the Bar
605 Main Street, Frisco CO 970-668-2100 www.KemosabeSushi.com
Seafood, Steaks and Entrees Casually Elegant, Moderately Priced with Great Specials 601 Main Street, Frisco 970-668-0345
FOOD HEDZ WORLD CAFE
Sourcing organic & all-natural foods from Thailand to the Heartland. Seasonal Menu I Voted #2 Best Restaurant in Summit
Specializing in contemporary American cuisine
Food Hedz Mediterranean, cateringâ&#x20AC;Ś Southwestern, and including
Locally Sourced
Custom Menus for All Occasions Pacific Rim influences
Organic Cuisine
Voted Caterer. in Summit Stop#1inBest for Lunch Relax & Enjoy Dinner . Daily Specials Full service Breakfast, Lunch, Full Serviced Patio Deck Dinner & Receptions Happy Hour 4 -6pm, 7 Days a Week
Open Everyday 11am - 10pm 842 Summit Blvd. I Frisco MAIN STREET . FRISCO . 970-668-4 28 (970)304 668-2000 Chef David7Voted foodhedzcafe.com Best Chefs in America
Lunch, Happy Hour & Dinner
310 Main Street . Frisco . 970-668--0340 www.VinnysFriscoRestaurant.com mtntow nm a ga zi ne.com | W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 / 1 6
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breckenridge dining
indulge
in a full buffet style
BREAKFAST & LUNCH
enjoy
or order off the menu for a casual and relaxed dining experience. then a Colorado game and seafood focused
DINNER
Reservations recommended for dinner. Located Slopeside, Peak 9 620 Village Road, Breckenridge BEAVERRUN.COM | 970.453.8755
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When the occassion calls, our beautiful dining room serves the finest aged beef and fresh wild game in our landmark downtown restaurant. But not every day requires such a grand presentation. For those other dining days, we welcome you to the hospitality of our Saloon and its Small-Plates Menu, well stocked bar and casual setting. Dining out tonight? We are here to serve you.
breckenridge dining
comfort food
re{de}fined
200 S Ridge St, Breckenridge • 970.547.7100 (reservations recommended)
American style dining with a little Colorado flavor. 137 S Main St, Breckenridge • 970.453.0989 Reservations recommended • Events welcome
Happy hour 4-6 •Dinner 5-Close Visit ww w.twistbreck.com to see our full seasonal menu
Dinner 5- Close • Bar happy hour: 4 -5:30
SiSter reStaurant
Read our Zagat review at www.zagat.com/r/relish-breckenridge
Visit relishbreckenridge.com to see our complete seasonal menu
SiSter reStaurant
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Gguide! MTN
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Venue Spotlights F e s t i va l N o t e s High Country Events Calendar
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WinterWondergrass Festival brings Music, Brews and the Mountains together for the ultimate winter bluegrass festival February 19 - 21, 2016. Gatherings of bluegrass, roots and string bands with Colorado craft breweries, whiskeys and local brands for three days of music under the Colorado stars is an event not to be missed.
WINTER WONDERGR ASS A V O N
Headliners Greensky Bluegrass, Leftover Salmon and the Wood Brothers will perform along with 16 other fabulous bands. The open aired main stage is surrounded by Nottingham Park’s greens for dancing. In between performances hit the Jamboree and Pickin’ Perch Stages and taste some great Colorado produced brews. If your still jones’ing for more get ready to head out for their late night acts. WinterWondergrass is committed to sustainability and supporting the local community. Get your tickets now.
www. winterwondergrass.com
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Icy Events
LEADVILLE SKIJORING What is Ski Joring....you ask? Ski Joring is a competition where a horse and rider pull a skier at a fast pace through a course that has gates, jumps and rings. The skier is timed through the course, and penalties are assessed by missing gates or jumps, and by missing or dropping any of the rings. The competitors race for cash prizes, and teams are made up by a randon draw before the start. Leadville Ski Joring events have been going on in Leadville since 1949, and is one of the premier events of its kind in the country. Ski Joring is always the first full weekend in March, and it is a good idea to book your room well in advance if you are planning on heading to Leadville either to participate or spectate.
www.leadevilleskijoring.us
OUR AY ICE F E S T I VA L The biggest Ice Festival in North America is poised to celebrate its 21st year to help support the operating costs of the Ouray Ice Park, a 401c3 Non-Profit. Ice climbers, manufacturers, inspiring speakers and enthusiastic climbers will converge on the town of Ouray for this event. The Ice Festival kicks off Thursday January 14th and celebrates women in ice climbing. Parties, music, films, gear expos and of course competitions will entertain spectators and test competitors through the entire weekend. Not an Ice Climber? This event is a great spectator sport too. Head to Ouray.
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Fiery Events
TELLURIDE F I R E F E S T I VA L The annual nonprofit Telluride Fire Festival made its debut in January 2015 an event inspired by Burning Man, the annual celebration of community, art and fire, that draws 70,000 people to the Nevada desert every Labor Day weekend. The goal was to bring the Burning Man ethos to Telluride along with the larger-than-life fire art to the region to allow more people the ability to see, interact with, and create this visual magic. Dynamic art performances are scheduled each evening on the public plaza in Mountain Village and on Telluride’s historic Main Street— FREE to all. Additional ticketed entertainment, including Rob Garza of Theivery, and an over-the-top Gala at a subterranean mine are available to guests after the free, outdoor art and performances. Free workshops in welding and other events will be available. This January 14th - 18th be dazzled, don’t miss the fiery art!
www.telluridefirefestival.com
BRECKENRIDGE FIRE ARTS F E S T I VA L It’s going to get hot in Breckenridge with the first annual Fire Arts Festival produced to celebrate and complement the 25th year of the Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships. The multiday exhibition will feature burning sculptures, fiery performances, pyrotechnical effects, and other spark-filled attractions at the newly opened Breckenridge Arts District. Highlights include large- and small-scale pieces by nationally known fire sculptors that will be illuminated in and around the campus, including flammable metal works and installations by Orion Fredericks, Jamie Vaida, and other artists. Throughout the festival week, the outdoor Kiln Yard will be lit up with free raku firings, wood firings, and blacksmith forging demos, and the indoor studios will be aglow with heat- and flame-related workshops including candle making with Bernadette Foley, encaustic painting with Victoria Eubanks, silversmithing with Martha PetersonGlomb, music and more.
wwwbreckcreate.org
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town town
events calendar WINTER 2015 DECEMBER December 15, 2015 Rise and Shine Rando Series, Arapahoe Basin http://arapahoebasin.com/ABasin/ mountain/calendar.aspx December 15, 2015 Aspen Snowmass SkiMo Race, Aspen https://www.aspensnowmass. com/while-you-are-here/events/ aspen-snowmass-skimo-series December 15, 2015 Anderson Ranch Arts Center Holiday Open House, Snowmass info@andersonranch.org. December 16, 2015 Rock On Ice, Crested Butte http://www.skicb.com/events
For a complete list and details on Colorado Mtn Town Events visit our website!
MtnTownMagazine.com December 16, 2015 Ski Mountaineering Clinic 1, Frisco http://www.townoffrisco.com/ events/ski-mountaineeringclinic-1/
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December 17, 2015 Opening Day, Powderhorn December 18, 2015 Grand Traverse SkiMo Academy, Crested Butte http://www.cbsantacrawl.com/ December 18, 2015 Festival of Lights, Dillon December 18 – 19, 2015 The Music Man, Durango http://durango.com/events/ December 18, 2015 Cupcakes & Canvases, Keystone December 18 – 19, 2015 Keller Williams and His Compadres, Keystone http://www.keystonefestivals. com/event/keller-williams-andhis-compadres/2015-12-19/ December 19, 2015 Santa visits A-Basin!, Arapahoe Basin http://arapahoebasin.com/ABasin/ mountain/calendar.aspx December 19, 2015 – January 2, 2016 Beaver Creek Loves Teens Too, Beaver Creek www.beavercreek.com/teens. December 19 – 20, 2015 SAFE AS, Copper Mountain CopperColorado.com
December 17, 2015 Crested Butte Film Festival Monthly Film Series presents CitizenFour, Crested Butte http://www.cbsantacrawl.com/
December 19 – 20, 2015 Bootpacking, Silverton Mountain
December 17, 2015 – January 3, 2016 Chocolate Village, Keystone
December 19 – 20, 2015 Vail Family Holidaze, Vail http://www.vail.com/events/ holidaze.aspx
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December 20, 2015, Jingle Bell 5K Run, Carbondale http://www.carbondale.com/ events December 20, 2015 Sunday Spa Enrichment Series, Devil’s Thumb Ranch December 20, 2015 Rudolph Roundup, Gunnison December 20, 2015 Steamboat Holiday Fest, Steamboat Springs http://www.steamboat.com/ winter/winter-events.aspx December 20, 2015 Torchlight Parade and Fireworks, Steamboat Springs .http://www.steamboat.com/ winter/winter-events.aspx December 20 – 21, 2015 Demo Days, Sunlight Mountain http://sunlightmtn.com/upcomingevents December 21 – 24, 2015 Holiday Festivities, Snowmass https://www.aspensnowmass. com/our- mountains/snowmass December 24. 2015 Christmas at Copper, Copper Mountain http://www.coppercolorado.com/ winter/events_and_activities/ calendar/@@index.html December 24, 2015 Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade and Santa’s Sleigh, Crested Butte December 24, 2015 Santa Skis Monarch, Monarch Mountain http://www.skimonarch.com/ event/santa-skis-monarch/
December 24. 2015 Christmas at Copper, Copper Mountain. http://www.coppercolorado.com/ winter/events_and_activities/ calendar/@@index.html December 26, 2015 – January 4, 2016 Santa’s North Pole Adventure Train Ride, Georgetown www.georgetownlooprr.com December 27, 2015 Sunday Spa Enrichment Series, Devil’s Thumb Ranch 970-726-1054 Decemeber 28 – 29 and 31, 2015 USASA Rocky Mountain Series, Copper Mountain CopperColorado.com. December 30, 2015 2015 Audi Ajax Cup, Aspen.https:// www.aspensnowmass.com/whileyou-are-here/events/audi-ajaxcup December 31, 2015 Moonlight Dinner Series- New Year’s Eve, Arapahoe Basin http://arapahoebasin.com/ABasin/ mountain/calendar.aspx December 31, 2015 New Year’s Eve Torchlight Ski Down, Beaver Creek (970) 754-4636. December 31, 2015 New Year’s Eve Family Bash!, Beaver Creek www.beavercreek.com/ newyearseve December 31. 2015 New Year’s Eve Celebration, Copper Mountain CopperColorado.com December 31, 2015 New Year’s Eve Torchlight Parade and Fireworks, Crested Butte December 31, 2015 Keystone’s NYE Celebration, Keystone. December 31, 2015 Monarch Torchlight Parade, Monarch Mountain
December 31, 2015 New Year’s Eve Masquerade, Pagosa Springs December 31, 2015 Tochlight Parade/New Year’s Eve Celebration, Powderhorn December 31, 2015 Torchlight Parade, Purgatory http://www.purgatoryresort.com December 31, 2015 Torchlight Parade and Fireworks, Snowmass http://www.gosnowmass.com/ event/torchlight-parade-andfireworks/ December 31, 2015 New Year’s Eve Torchlight Parade and Fireworks, Steamboat Springs http://www.steamboat.com/ winter/winter-events.aspx December 31, 2014 New Year’s Eve Torchlight Parade and Fireworks, Telluride http://www.visittelluride.com/ event/2015-12-31/new-years-evetorchlight-parade-and-fireworks December 31, 2015 Vail Family Holidaze, Vail http://www.vail.com/events/ holidaze.aspx December 31, 2015 New Year’s Eve Celebration in Colorado’s Favorite Playground, Winter Park:http://playwinterpark. chambermaster.com/events
JANUARY January 2 – 2, 2016 Santa’s North Pole Adventure Train Ride, Georgetown www.georgetownlooprr.com January 3, 2016 Sunday Spa Enrichment Series, Devil’s Thumb Ranch 970-726-1054
January 4, 2016 Beaver Creek Running Series: Snowshoe Edition , Beaver Creek .http://www.beavercreek.com/ events-and-activities/snowshoeseries.aspx#/RaceInfo January 4 – 9, 2016 31st Annual MusicFest, Steamboat Springs http://www.steamboat.com/ winter/winter-events.aspx January 7, 2016 Outdoor Divas Demo Day, Loveland January 7 – 9 2016 16th Annual Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines Festival, Vail http://www.bigbeersfestival.com/ January 8 – 9, 2016 USSA Giant Slalom Race Breckenridge http://www.breckenridge. com/events/events-calendar. aspx?year=2016&month=1 January 8, 2016 Festival of Lights, Dillon January 8, 2016 Our Gang 4 Wheelers, Georgetown .http://ourgangiceracing.com/ January 8, 2016 Town Challenge, Monarch Mountain http://www.skimonarch.com/ calendar/ January 8, 2016 Skier Appreciation Day, Sunlight Mountain http://sunlightmtn.com/upcomingevents January 9, 2016 Two Hearts Wedding Expo, Durango http://fourcornersexpos.com/twohearts-wedding-expo/ January 9, 2016 46th Annual Frisco Gold Rush, Frisco http://www.townoffrisco.com/ events/46th-annual-frisco-goldrush/
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January 9, 2016 Our Gang 4 Wheelers, Georgetown http://ourgangiceracing.com/
January 13, 2016 Ullr Fest, Breckenridge http://www.gobreck.com/events/
January 9, 2016 Go Skimo Series, Crested Butte http://www.skicb.com/ content/2nd-annual-go-skimocamp
January 13, 2016 Go Skimo Series, Crested Butte http://www.skicb.com/ content/2nd-annual-go-skimocamp /
January 9, 2016 Safety Day, Monarch Mountain http://www.skimonarch.com/ event/safety-day/
January 13 – 17, 2016 Mountain High Music Festival, Crested Butte http://www.skicb.com/event/ mountain-high-music-festival
January 10, 2016 Skijoring Clinic, Devil’s Thumb Ranch http://skijornmore.com/skijoring/ January 10, 2016 Sunday Spa Enrichment Series, Devil’s Thumb Ranch 970-726-1054 January 10, 2016 Our Gang 4 Wheelers, Georgetown.http:// ourgangiceracing.com/ January 10, 2016 Bent Gate Mountaineering Demo Day, Loveland January 10, 2016 Demo Day, Purgatory http://www.purgatoryresort.com January 10, 2016 Student/Teacher Appreciation Day, Sunlight Mountain http://sunlightmtn.com/upcomingevents January 11 – 14, 2016 11th Annual STARS All Mountain Adaptive Camp, Steamboat Springs http://steamboatstars.com/ January 12, 2016 Aspen Snowmass Skimo Series, Aspen Highlands https://www.aspensnowmass. com/while-you-are-here/events/ aspen-snowmass-skimo-series/ aspen-snowmass-skimo-seriesjanuary-12
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January 14 – 17 2016 Wintersköl, Aspen http://www.gosnowmass.com/ event/aspen-winterskol/ January 14 – 17, 2016 Ouray Ice Festival, Ouray http://www.ouraycolorado.com/ events January 14 – 17, 2016 Fire Festival, Telluride http://telluridefirefestival.org/ January 15, 2016 Cupcakes & Canvases, Keystone January 16 – 17, 2016 NSAA Skier Safety VillageSaturday, Arapahoe Basin January 16 – 17, 2016 Copper Mountain Safety Fest, Copper Mountain CopperColorado.com
January 16 – 17, 2016 National Safety Month Weekend, Loveland . January 16, 2016 Locals Benefit Day, Purgatory http://www.purgatoryresort.com January 16 – 17, 2016 Winterfest, Purgatory http://www.purgatoryresort.com January 16, 2016 Dynafit Heathen Challenge (COSMIC Race) , Sunlight Mountain http://sunlightmtn.com/upcomingevents January 17 – 24, 2016 Aspen Gay Ski Week, Aspen.http:// gayskiweek.com/ January 17, 2016 Sunday Spa Enrichment Series, Devil’s Thumb Ranch 970-726-1054 January 17, 2016 Our Gang 4 Wheelers, Georgetown http://ourgangiceracing.com/ January 18, 2016 Bud Light Cowboy Downhill, Steamboat Springs http://www.steamboat.com/ winter/winter-events.aspx
January 16, 2016 Durango Wedding Expo, Durango http://durango.com/event/ wedding-expo/
January 18 – February 7, 2016 International Snow Sculpture Championships – Stomping Week. Breckenridge http://www.gobreck. com/events/eventcalendar/#event|internationalsnow-sculpturechampionships|66492
January 16 – 17, 2016 Estes Park Winter Festival, Estes Park http://www.visitestespark.com/ events-calendar/special-events/
January 18, 2015 IFSA Jr. Big Mountain Regionals, Sunlight Mountain http://sunlightmtn.com/upcomingevents
January 16, 2016 Our Gang 4 Wheelers, Georgetown http://ourgangiceracing.com/ January 16, 2016 Free Family Race Day, Loveland
January 19, 2016 Rise and Shine Rando Series (3 or 4), Arapahoe Basin http://arapahoebasin.com/ABasin/ mountain/calendar.aspx
Family Adventure in Silverthorne
Free Sledding at Rainbow Park | Blue River Trail Recreation Path Free Nordic Skiing and Snowshoeing at The Raven Free Ice Skating at North Pond | Gold Medal Fly Fishing Trailheads to National Forest Service Hiking 64,000 square foot Recreation Center with Aquatics Area
For More Information: Call 970.262.7370 | www.silverthorne.org 430 Rainbow Drive, Silverthorne
January 20, 2016 Go Skimo Series, Crested Butte!http://www.skicb.com/ content/2nd-annual-go-skimocamp
January 25 – 27, 2016 STARS and Stripes Heroes Week, Steamboat Springs http://www.steamboat.com/ winter/winter-events.aspx
January 30-31, 2016 U10/U12 Festival, Sunlight Mountain http://sunlightmtn.com/ upcoming-events
January 20 – 22, 2016 SKADI Fest, Vail http://www.vail.com/events/ event-calendar.aspx
January 26 – February 7, 2016 International Snow Sculpture Championships. Breckenridge http://www.gobreck. com/events/eventcalendar/#event|internationalsnow-sculpturechampionships|66492
January 30, 2016 Mary Jane’s Birthday Bash, Winter Park http://www.winterparkresort. com/events-and-activities/ events-calendar
January 21 – 24, 2016 Winter Culinary Weekend, Beaver Creek http://www.beavercreek.com/ events-and-activities/food-andwine-weekend.aspx#/Events January 22 – 23, 2016 Winter Bluegrass Weekend, Keystone.http://www. keystoneresort.com/ events/events-calendar. aspx?year=2016&month=1 January 22, 2016 Country Western Dance, Silverthorne January 23, 2016 Moonlight Dinner Series- A Night In Italy, Arapahoe Basin.http:// arapahoebasin.com/ABasin/ mountain/calendar.aspx January 23 – 24, 2016 WinterBike, Copper Mountain. CopperColorado.com January 23, 2016 BrewSki, Frisco http://www.townoffrisco.com/ events/brewski/ January 24, 2016 Sunday Spa Enrichment Series, Devil’s Thumb Ranch 970-726-1054 January 23, 2016 3rd Annual Stagecoach Classic Point-to-Point Cross Country Race & Tour, , Winter Park www.stagecoachclassic.com January 24, 2016 Telemark Festival, Monarch Mountain .http://www.skimonarch.com/ event/telemark-festival/
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January 27, 2016 Go Skimo Series, Crested Butte http://www.skicb.com/ content/2nd-annual-go-skimocamp January 27, 2016 Ski Mountaineering Race, Frisco http://www.townoffrisco.com/ events/ski-mountaineering-race/
January 31, 2016 Sunday Spa Enrichment Series, Devil’s Thumb Ranch 970-726-1054 January 31, 2016 Twilight Skate, Silverthorne
FEBRUARY
January 28 – 31, 2016 2016 Winter X Games, Aspen/ Snowmass http://xgames.espn.go.com/ xgames/information/aspen-2016/ tickets
February 2, 2016 USASA Rocky Mountain Series, Copper Mountain www.rockymountainseries.com
January 29 – 30, 2015 Fat Bike World Championships, Crested Butte
February 3 – 7, 2016 101st Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival, Steamboat Springs http://www.steamboat.com/ winter/winter-events.aspx
January 29 – 31, 2016 Gilson Snowboards Demo Day and Homerun Challenge, Loveland January 26 – February 7, 2016 International Snow Sculpture Championships. Breckenridge http://www.gobreck.com/ January 30, 2016 CM Unplugged, Crested Butte http://www.skicb.com/content/ cb-unplugged January 30, 2016 Rail Jam, Purgatory.http://www. purgatoryresort.com January 30, 2016 Brewers Rock for the Rescue Silverthorne Pavilion
February 4, 2016 Outdoor Divas Demo Day, Loveland
For a complete list and details on each of these Colorado Mtn Town Events visit our website on your phone, tablet or computer! MtnTownMagazine.com/ EVENTS
February 4 – 7, 2016 50th Anniversary Reunion Weekend, Purgatory http://www.purgatoryresort.com
February 6 – 9, 2016 Carnivail, Vail http://www.vail.com/events/eventcalendar.aspx
February 4 – 9, 2016 2016 FIS Masters Cup, Snowmass https://www.aspensnowmass. com/while-you-are-here/events/ fis-masters-cup
February 6, 2016 The Village Mardi Gras Celebration, Winter Park http://www.winterparkresort.com/ events-and-activities/eventscalendar
February 4 – 9, 2016 Mardi Gras Celebration, Steamboat Springs http://www.steamboat.com/ winter/winter-events.aspx February 5, 2016 Bud Light Street Rail Fridays, Snowmass http://www.gosnowmass.com/ event/bud-light-street-rail-fridays/ all/ February 5, 2016 Ski for Deso Day, Steamboat Springs February 6, 2016 14th Annual Beacon Bowl and Après Party, Arapahoe Basin http://arapahoebasin.com/ABasin/ mountain/calendar.aspx February 6, 2016 Crested Butte Nordic: Alley Loop, Crested Butte http://cbnordic.org/alley-loopnordic-marathon/ February 6 – 7, 2016 IFSA Junior Regional Freeskiing Competition, Crested Butte http://www.skicb.com/content/ ifsa-junior-nationals-freeskiingcompetitions-qualifying February 6, 2016 Mardi Gras for Paws, Frisco http://www.townoffrisco.com/ events/mardi-gras-for-paws/ February 6, 2016 Our Gang 4 Wheelers, Georgetown http://ourgangiceracing.com/ February 6-7, 2016 Ski Spree, Sunlight Mountain http://sunlightmtn.com/upcomingevents
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February 7, 2016 Skijoring Clinic, Devil’s Thumb Ranch http://skijornmore.com/skijoring/ February 7, 2016 Sunday Spa Enrichment Series, Devil’s Thumb Ranch 970-726-1054 February 7, 2016 Snowshoe & Ski Orienteering, Devil’s Thumb Ranch www.rmoc.org. February 7, 2016 Our Gang 4 Wheelers, Georgetown http://ourgangiceracing.com/ February 7, 2016 Super Bowl Party, Purgatory http://www.purgatoryresort.com February 9, 2016 Aspen Snowmass Skimo Series, Aspen Highlands https://www.aspensnowmass. com/while-you-are-here/events/ aspen-snowmass-skimo-series/ aspen-snowmass-skimo-seriesfebruary-9 February 9, 2016 Mardi Gras, Breckenridge February 9, 2016 Mardi Gras Party and Gumbo Competition, Keystone http://www.keystonefestivals. com/events/list/ February 9, 2016 Mardi Gras, Purgatory http://www.purgatoryresort.com February 9, 2016 Mardi Gras Celebration, Snowmass
February 11 – 14, 2016 Sheridan Arts Festival 17th Annual Comedy Festival, Telluride http://www.visittelluride.com/ event/2016/sheridan-arts-festival17th-annual-comedy-festival February 12, 2016 US Nationals Ski Mountaineering, Crested Butte http://www.ussma.org/events February 12, 2016 Cupcakes & Canvases, Keystone February 12, 2016 Father Daughter Date Night, Silverthorne Call 970-262-7377 February 12, 2016 Bud Light Street Rail Fridays, Snowmass http://www.gosnowmass.com/ event/bud-light-street-rail-fridays/ all/ February 13, 2016 Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert, Aspen Snowmass https://www.aspensnowmass. com/while-you-are-here/events/ bud-light-hifi-concert-series February 13 – 14, 2016 Subaru WinterFest, Copper Mountain CopperColorado.com February 13 – 14, 2016 Rails in the Rockies, Estes Park http://www.visitestespark.com/ events-calendar/special-events/ February 13, 2016 Spontaneous Combustion Community Bonfire, Frisco http://www.townoffrisco.com/ events/spontaneous-combustioncommunity-bonfire-2/ February 13, 2016 Our Gang 4 Wheelers, Georgetown.http:// ourgangiceracing.com/ February 13, 2016 Winter Wine Day, Keystone.http:// www.keystonefestivals.com/ event/winter-wine-day/
photo: toddpowell.com photo: toddpowell.com
Mountain Magic > Few things are more magical than a mountain town. With a charming Main Street. Sandwiched between 6 world-class ski resorts. Copper | Breckenridge | Keystone | Arapahoe Basin | Loveland | Vail
*With its own tubing and ski/ride hill. Check us out. TownofFrisco.com
Main Street of the Rockies
*
February 13 – 15, 2016 I Heart Purg Weekend, Purgatory http://www.purgatoryresort.com February 13 – 14, 2016 USASA Slopestyle – Rocky Mountain Series, Winter Park http://www.winterparkresort.com/ events-and-activities/eventscalendar February 14, 2016 Sunday Spa Enrichment Series, Devil’s Thumb Ranch Call 970-726-1054 February 14, 2016 Our Gang 4 Wheelers, Georgetown.http:// ourgangiceracing.com/ February 14, 2016 Valentine’s Day Mountaintop Matrimony 25th Anniversary, Loveland February 14, 2016 Torchlight Parade And Fireworks, Steamboat Springs February 15, 2016| Teacher Appreciation Day, Purgatory http://www.purgatoryresort.com February 18, 2016 2016 Aspen Snowmass Freeskiing Open, Aspen https://www.aspensnowmass. com/while-you-are-here/events/ aspen-snowmass-freeskiing-open February 18, 2016 USSA Dan Prater Memorial Cup, Crested Butte http://www.skicb.com/event/ ussa-dan-prater-memorial-cup February 18, 2016 Aston Martin On Ice 2016, Crested Butte http://www.gunnisoncrestedbutte. com/event/aston-martin-ice-2016 February 19, 2016 Country Western Dance, Silverthorne. February 19, 2016 Bud Light Street Rail Fridays, Snowmass
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February 19, 2016 Chris Bove Memorial Uphill Race, Snowmass http://www.gosnowmass.com/ event/challenge-aspen-chrisbove-memorial-uphill/ February 19, 2016 WinterWonderGrass, Avon WinterWonderGrass.com.https:// www.vailvalleypartnership.com/ event/winterwondergrass-festival/ February 20, 2016 Moonlight Dinner Series- Foods Of The Pacific Rim, Arapahoe Basin http://arapahoebasin.com/ABasin/ mountain/calendar.aspx February 20, 2016 Talons Challenge, Beaver Creek http://www.beavercreek.com/ events-and-activities/talonschallenge.aspx#/TalonsOverview February 20, 2016 Hope on the Slopes, Breckenridge http://www.hopeontheslopes.org/ February 20, 2016 Copper Uncorked, Copper Mountain CopperColorado.com February 20, 2016 Gothic Mountain Tour, Crested Butte http://www.gunnisoncrestedbutte. com/event/gothic-mountain-tour February 20, 2016 Ski, Spa & Sip Women’s Clinic, Devil’s Thumb Ranch www.active.com February 20, 2016 Blue Mesa Ice Fishing Tournament, Gunnison http://tightlineoutdoors.com/ February 20, 2016 Leadville Winter Mountain Bike Series Night Jam, Leadville .http://www.cloudcitywheelers. com/events-rides/ February 20, 2016 Free Family Race Day, Loveland
February 20 – 21, 2016 Ski Bike Festival, Purgatory http://www.purgatoryresort.com February 20, 2016 Red Ball Express, Purgatory www.durangoredball.com February 20 – 27, 2016 Gay Ski Week, Telluride http://telluridegayski.com/ February 21, 2016 Sunday Spa Enrichment Series, Devil’s Thumb Ranch Call 970-726-1054 February 21 – 23, 2016 Summit County 50+ Winter Games, Frisco http://summitwintergames.com/ February 24 – March 5, 2016 USSA U-19 National Championships, Copper Mountain CopperColorado.com February 26, 2016 2 Star Freeride World Qualifier, Crested Butte http://www.skicb.com/event/2star-freeride-world-qualifier February 26 – 28, 2016 Arizona Weekend, Purgatory http://www.purgatoryresort.com February 26, 2016 Bud Light Street Rail Fridays, Snowmass http://www.gosnowmass.com/ event/bud-light-street-rail-fridays/ all/ February 26 – 28, 2016 41st Annual Wells Fargo Ski Cup, Winter Park http://www.winterparkresort.com/ events-and-activities/eventscalendar February 27, 2016 The New Belgium Mountain Adventure, Arapahoe Basin http://arapahoebasin.com/ABasin/ mountain/calendar.aspx February 27, 2016 Hope on the Slopes, Purgatory hopeontheslopes.net
February 27, 2016 Audi Power of Four Ski Mountaineering, Aspen Snowmass February 27 – 28, 2016 4 Star Freeride World Qualifier, Crested Butte http://www.skicb.com/content/4star-freeride-world-qualifier February 27, 2016 CB Unplugged, Crested Butte http://www.skicb.com/content/ aprespalooza-0 February 27, 2016 Our Gang 4 Wheelers, Georgetown http://ourgangiceracing.com/ February 28, 2016 Colorado Special Olympics, Copper Mountain CopperColorado.com February 28, 2016 Sunday Spa Enrichment Series, Devil’s Thumb Ranch Call 970-726-1054 February 28, 2016 Our Gang 4 Wheelers, Georgetown http://ourgangiceracing.com/ February 29 – March 5, 2016 Burton US Open, Vail http://www.vail.com/events/eventcalendar.aspx
MARCH GE T OU R N E W SL E T T ER ,
March 4, 2016 Nat Geo Live: K2, Danger and Desire on the Savage Mountain @ Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge
FI N D US WA I T I NG IN YOUR M A ILBOX
March 5, 2016 Snowshoe for the Cure, Frisco http://www.komencolorado.com
SUBSCRIBE! W W W. M T N T OW N M AG A Z I N E .COM 94
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March 5-6, 2016 USASA Rocky Mountain Series, Copper Mountain March 10, 2016 95.7FM The Party’s Ski Hooky Days, Loveland Ski Area
get active
SNOWSHOE FOR THE CURE REGISTER NOW!
WWW.KOMENCOLORADO.ORG
March 5, 2016
A N A VA L A N C H E E D U C AT I O N PROGRAM FOR THE CHILDREN OF COLORADO. For more information or to schedule a presentation visit www.colorado.gov/avalanche
Romp to Stomp lives on with Komen Colorado. Our passion continues.
FRISCO NORDIC CENTER 3K Walk - 5K Walk - Lil Stomper Dash FREE use of Tubbs snowshoes! Prizes for TOP FUNDRAISERS! Pink Party hosted by Town of Frisco!
Help support avalanche safety in Colorado with a tax-deductible donation to the Friends of CAIC. For more information and to support Your avalanche center, go to: www.colorado.gov/avalanche.
Vendor & Sponsor Expo! Proceeds benefit Susan G. Komen Colorado’s efforts to pay for local breast cancer care and national breast cancer research.
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celebrating 5 spectacular years! 118 south ridge street in breckenridge 970.547.YOGA metayogastudios.com
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get active FAT BIK I NG Winter fat biking has evolved into one of the fastest-growing trends in biking. With tires as wide as 4.7 inches (far wider then mountain bike tires), these fat tired bikes allow riders to grip snowy single track and float over dirt, rocks, deep sand and mud. These fat bikes are the ultimate winter vehicles and something fun to do while our mountain towns get snowy. Try Breck Bike Guides in Breckenridge, Twenty2Cycles in Glenwood Springs or Telluride Gravity Works to rent or head out on a tour. Gunnison Crested Butte Fat Bikers has a great Facebook page full of info as well. Photo Credits: Gunnison Crested Butte Fat Bikers.
NORDIC SK IING Nordic skiing is the perfect way to escape the crowds. Wether you want to do a tour on backcountry trails, learning to skate ski or gliding along on a set of classic skis you will not be disappointed. Nordic Centers can be found in every mountain town. Try Crested Butte, Telluride, Frisco, Breckenridge, Devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thumb and Steamboat Springs. There are trails for everyone almost everywhere. Photo Credits: Play Winter Park
F LY F I SH I NG The winter brings cold temperatures to the low waters of late fall. The cooler temperatures kick the bug activity down and but the fishing is still good for these hungry critters. This is still a great season to get out for wade flyfishing as the drop in river and stream levels allow better access to the water. The Colorado, Blue, Yampa, Gunnison, Arkansas, Animas and Roaring Fork Riverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all offer great fishing. Try Emerald Water Anglers in the Aspen Area, The Colorado Angler in Silverthorne, Gunnison River Fly Shop in Gunnison, Ark Anglers in Buena Vista or The San Juan Angler in Durango. Photo Credits: Colorado Angler
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The Slope & Soak 4 Pack
www.sunlightmtn.com
Slope & Soak 4 Pack Nothing pairs better with a great day of skiing than a rejuvenating soak in a luxury natural hot springs.
Four Full Day Adult Lift Tickets to Sunlight Mountain Resort Four Passes to Iron Mountain Hot Springs
$199
Simply bring this ad with you to the Sunlight Mountain ticket window to redeem, or download a copy of this ad for your ticket to awesomeness at www.MTNTownMagazine.com Offer not valid with other offers or promotions. Offer not valid Feb. 1315, 2016. Offer ends March 17, 2016
Enjoy 16 thermal mineral pools nestled on the Colorado River. 970.945.IRON (4766) ironmountainhotsprings.com
281 Centennial St, Glenwood Spgs
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last chair Why Do We Love MTN Town Winters?
Because snow storms charge my batteries... The feeling of flying on the way down and the peace on the climb up gives me perma-grin.
We love winter cause no matter how cold it gets you know that there is a mountain waiting for you to go adventure on!
I love winter because I love to ski. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ski, what else are you going to do when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cold?!
I love winter because I get to ski with my my mom, dad and my little sister. I also love winter because we get to sled with friends in our backyard!
HAPPY HOUR Experience life redefined at one of the most coveted ski-in/ski-out locations in the world. Secure your legacy at Breckenridgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Peak 8 and be part of the transformation of this iconic destination. Construction pricing now available. Visit the Sales Center at 100 S. Main Street or GrandColoradoOnPeak8.com.
A new slopeside resort from Breckenridge Grand Vacations. Grand Colorado on Peak 8 is not developed or affiliated with Vail Resorts or any of Vail Resortsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; subsidiaries. Source Code MTNTN
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