MTN Town Magazine Winter/Spring 2018

MTNtown C o l o r a d o ’ s M o u n t a i n To w n M a g a z i n e

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GRANDS & GROMS TELLURIDE #Ride A notherDay

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HIGH COUNTRY WINTER GO! GUIDE

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mtntow nm a ga zi ne.com | W I N T E R / S PR I NG 2 0 1 8 Winter /Spring

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I N G B E N E F I T

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publisher’s greeting

Welcome to the Winter/Spring 2018 issue of MTN Town Magazine. If you are not familiar with us let me give you a brief reintroduction. This magazine is about our passion for living at altitude within the Colorado 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 and determination. We live here because want to be here and we figure out how to make it work so we can stay.

We are in the midst of the winter season with Spring Break soon on its way. I can’t lie, the season has been a weird one so far and I truly believe that we will see some big snows as we head into March and April. Living here is about balancing life with skiing and snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice climbing and snowmobiling. It is a mecca for young and old and if you look around you will see many long-time locals still out killing it, chasing their outdoor pursuits with vim, vigor, and vitality! We love the Grands & Groms articles featuring some profiles of both the young and old from all of our Colorado mountain towns. Our Priorities page is a tribute to the tenacity of our mountain town tribe with the most beautiful picture of Chasm Lake in the Rocky Mountain National Park by “The Hiking Mermaid”, Chelsea Stockton.

Our opening article is written by Katie Klingsporn and gives an insider’s perspective on why her town of Telluride is so special. 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. Telluride is a good example of how our passions are intertwined and connected to the outdoors.

After a day out we love to Eat and our Dining pages are filled with suggestions that will make your mouth water. Be sure to check the Calendar in the Go!Guide so you can plan for some epic days in our amazing Colorado MTN Towns. Lastly, our final page discusses the #Rideanotherday initiative. It is a sobering look at what can happen when we are not careful and looking out for those around us enjoying our Colorado ski areas. Please read this piece from Kristen Lummis aka The Brave Ski mom, it is important. ~Enjoy, Our mountain towns are so special Holly Battista-Resignolo, Publisher

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contents

14 PLACE 18 FAVS 20 VIEWS 22 PRIORITIES 24 GEAR 26 ENTREPRENEUR 28 WELLNESS 30 TRAIL 32 FAMILY 34 BIZ 36 Grands & Groms Feature 52 REAL ESTATE 56 STAY 58 ART 60 NIGHTLIFE 62 MATRIMONY 63 DINE LOCAL 66 COCKTAILS 68 EAT 84 GO!GUIDE 86 CALENDAR 98 LAST CHAIR

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SHE WAS 5.

YOU WERE DOING 50.

Magazine Cover Image ‘SnowDancing’ photo by MBPhoto13

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98 Elise Johnson was just learning to ski when an out-of-control 23 year-old struck and killed her.

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Learn more at nsaa.org/safety-programs/collisions And remember — safe skiing saves lives.

# R I DE ANOTHER DAY

YO UR NE W MO UN TA IN HO ME AW AIT S.

THEMEADOWS WILLOWS THE

Townhomes Grand Park is a mountain community in the heart of the Fraser Valley, just minutes from Winter Park Resort. Homes offered, range from 1-4 Bedrooms, with plenty of living space for family gatherings. We design our homes to adapt well in the natural setting which is truly authentic to Colorado. Make memories that will last generations.

Visit our website and discover your new Colorado mountain home.

Call to schedule a tour today 970.726.8700

www.grandparkco.com

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published by

MTN Town Magazine

publisher

Holly Resignolo

associate publisher Joy Elizabeth Martin

communications Gaynia Battista

contributors

Katie Klingsporn, Kristen Lummis, Joy Martin, Chelsea Stockton, Michelle Smith, William Dujardin, Kim Fuller, Dina Sanchez, Rick Eisenberg, Holly Resignolo, Sarah Morin, Karlee Rotoly,

visionaries

Ryan Bonneau, Marla Merideth, Chelsea Stockton, Jay Rush, Xander Bianchi, Jack Affleck, Linda Rokos Watts, Kim Fuller, Danielle Scroggs, John Fellows, Michelle Smith,

cover image

Pepper Hamilton

method behind the means

FEATURED LISTING The Historic 1923 Fairplay Valiton Hotel

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Includes popular Restaurant / Saloon. On the Hwy 285 Corridor and near Breckenridge. National Registr y of Historic places. $972,50 0

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Please visit us at MTNTownMagazine.com to subscribe to our publication released quarterly

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Contact our corporate office or request a Media Kit: Email: MTNTownMagazine@gmail.com Office Phone: 970 485 0269

features

Cheyenne Nystrom A ssistant B r e c ke n r i d g e . K e y s to n e . F r i s c o Sil ve r th o rn e . Dillo n Copper . Park County . Grand County

RE@COLORADO.NET 970-547-4662 WWW.RICKEISENBERG.COM

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

Telluride

A Town with Beauty, Brawn and Brains

by Katie Klingsporn

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The beauty of Telluride is what hits everyone first.

Like a smack across the face, driving into the valley for the first time always elicits a gape-mouthed disbelief.

In the early days, what drew people to Telluride was the promise of gold, silver and other precious minerals in its surrounding hills. Today though, most of us come to Telluride first for the skiing, and there’s good reason for that. At 8,750-feet in elevation, Telluride provides incredible access to deep-and-steep San Juan Mountain terrain.

Telluride’s resort isn’t the biggest one out there, but its lines are short, its powder days the stuff of legend and its views unparalleled. Much of the mountain’s terrain provides glimpses into the massive and cliff-strewn Bear Creek Basin, where the earth plummets away amid snowy pillows of land, or westward to where the mountains give way to the deserts of Utah. The resort’s tree skiing is dreamy, the expert terrain is dynamic and the hike-to terrain is killer. To climb to the top of the 13,320-foot Palmyra Peak (the highest hike-to point on the mountain) is to gain a perch amid a sea of mountains, and descending from the peak is a wild journey through cliffs, outcroppings of rock and bomb holes leftover from avalanche mitigation work.

But as great as the resort is, Telluride is so much more than its ski area. These mountains offer a yearround recreational wonderland where the options are endless. In the winter, there’s fat-tire biking, Nordic skiing, backcountry ski tours and hut trips. In the summer, a whole other world opens up and it’s time for high-country mountain biking, backpacking through sub-alpine basins, wildflower tours in the high country, trail running, multi-pitch climbing, river floating, fly-fishing and peak bagging. There’s even amazing mushroom hunting, though I would die before disclosing where my stashes are.

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Photo Credit: Town Image and page 16 Ski Image - Ryan Bonneau

Many mountain towns claim to be “nestled” in the mountains, but few are as tucked into the toothy mineral-stained peaks as Telluride is in the San Juans. Look closer, and the beauty of the box canyon town will only come into sharper focus.

Waterfalls, frozen into intricate winter sculptures of ice, tumble down the cliffs; elk graze on the open space land known as the Valley Floor; the San Miguel River burbles as it winds its way around one edge of town; trellises and mills, remnants of Telluride’s mining heyday, dot the high basins; and snowy trails snake out in every direction into the peaks, meadows and forests surrounding this mountain town high in the San Juans.

As expected, Telluride’s outdoor riches attract mountain lovers of all stripes, and the town is home to a rugged batch of athletes whose feats in the high country are astounding.

North Face big mountain skier, Hilaree Nelson (the first woman to summit Mt. Everest and neighboring Llotse in a 24-hour period), is a resident, and Olympic silver-medalwinning skier Gus Kentworthy grew up here. It’s common to hear of friends who do massive backcountry tours before work, run 30-milers on the weekends or bag a peak on a Tuesday. Despite that, it’s not a one-dimensional town of mountain jocks and ski bums whose interests don’t stray beyond powder days and first ascents.

Instead, Telluride attracts a dynamic community of creative, cerebral and colorful individuals who make the experience of living in the town incredibly rich.

It’s been like that since the early days. George Westinghouse and L.L. Nunn built the first long-distance transmission of commercial AC power in a Telluride hydropower plant in the late 1890s, and the town has been a magnet for brainy, creative and innovative folks ever since. Many of these individuals recognized in Telluride more than just a place to play, and over the decades their 16

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5. pioneering efforts in the realms of art and education have resulted in a wealth of festivals, community theatre, world-class speakers and the kind of entertainment you would normally only have access to in the big city.

Which is why Telluride is not just a trove of recreational opportunities, but also cultural amenities. It hosts festivals like the tony and star-studded Telluride Film Festival; the geeky and psychedelic-minded Telluride Mushroom Festival and the celebration of climbing and indomitable spirit that is Mountainfilm Festival. You can catch indie films in the tiny Nugget Theatre, national touring acts, like Pearl Jam or Beck, on Telluride’s Town Park stage or worldclass comedians, like Tig Notaro and Ed

Helms, at the historic Sheridan Opera House.

And it’s not all imported talent.

Not even close. Some of Telluride’s

Photo Credit Marla Merideth

2.

Photo Credit Telluride Blues & Brews

HEALTHY, HYDRATED SKIN is beautiful!

most thrilling cultural events unfold when the town’s incredible arsenal of local talent comes out of the woodwork for hometown favorite events, such as the Telluride AIDS Benefit Fashion Show, KOTO Lip Sync or anything offered by the top-notch theater company, Telluride Theatre, which has single-handedly raised the bar of what’s possible in community theatre with a string of audacious, boundary-pushing and sharplyintelligent stage work.

970.423.6404 PEAK10SKIN.com

And with a healthy population of nonprofits, many of Telluride’s denizens are working to create a better world. The Pinhead Institute offers a fountain of opportunities for young people to engage in science education; the Telluride AIDS Benefit raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for prevention programs and client care and Telluride Adaptive Sports Program provides outdoor recreational opportunities to people with disabilities.

Of course, it’s not all rainbows and powder days in Telluride, and like any mountain town, it’s a struggle to sustain a life and career in here. Real estate is off the charts, housing is pinched, job opportunities are limited and businesses have to deal with the highs and lows of a tourist economy. The locals who are able to gain a foothold through affordable housing or other avenues generally work their butts off and make many sacrifices to do so.

But they are rewarded deeply. With powder clauses and great live music, yes. But also with the experience of being a part of a solid community of individuals who are passionate about one another and the mountains that they share.

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TRENT BONA

Step in and Run out fully equipped to handle a easy run around town or enter a challenging Durango race. We are your source for everything trail!

Mon-Sat: 10am to 6pm Sun: 12pm to 5pm (970) 764-4366 473 E. College Dr. Durango, CO 81301 www.durangorunning.com

MTN

favs

NoSo Patches

We love this product! Why didn’t we think of this ourselves…? We know you’re all going to be saying that. NoSo Patches are apparel patches with strong permanent adhesive that you can use to mend and repair your gear. Feathers sticking out of that little rip in your puffy? NoSo will fix that. Stick one of their cool patch designs on the area needing repair, heat it and the NoSo is permanently affixed in place. Also good for sleeping bags, tents, tarps, climbing pants, etc.

Gogglesoc

MTN Town found this simple goggleprotection product at Outdoor Retailer, and we are smitten. Gogglesoc’s are a protective microfiber cover designed to simply stretch right over your goggles while they are on your helmet when not in use, or on the days you’re not out on the hill. You can ball Gogglesoc up and stuff it into your pocket while you’re skiing or snowboarding, and the bonus: they are produced from recycled plastic bottles. They have over 70 styles to choose from, but if you buy a POW sock, 100% of the proceeds go to Protect Our Winters. www.gogglesoc.com

Know Brainer Coffee YAMPACA Farm to Head? Yes. Yampaca produces wonderful knit hats from llama fleece that are waterrepellent, soft and warm and don’t itch, like wool. Each hat is handcrafted from Yampaca’s Steamboat Springs Llama fleece and knitted onsite. Fashionable, functional and locally-sourced. We love our new hat, and you will, too. www.yampaca.com

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Smarten up your morning routine and make your coffee routine a “no brainer” with Know Brainer instant coffees and creamers. Know Brainer enhances mental clarity, supports weight-wellness, and enables you to travel light. Filled with brain-boosting, metabolism-movin’, taste-bud-friendly ingredients that will do your body and mind good. These ketogenic coffee creamers and instant coffees, teas and hot chocolates fuel the mind and metabolism with healthy fats; not sugar. www.myknowbrainer.com

PROTECT OUR WINTERS You’re not imagining the lack of snow and the weird warm weather. Here in our Colorado mountain towns, the lack of winter weather is way too real - especially this year.

In every issue, we discuss an important Non-Profit that applies to our lives. We think you may have heard of them - Protect Our Winters, POW for short - is on a mission to engage and mobilize the winter sports community to lead the fight against climate change. Their focus is on educational initiatives, advocacy and the support of community-based projects. It starts with each one of us. How, you ask? Measure and reduce your carbon footprint 20% each year. Eat less red meat. Take public transportation. Buy an energy-efficient car. Reduce your energy consumption at home: install solar panels; use energy-smart appliances; change your old light bulbs to energy efficient bulbs; take shorter showers. I bet you can do at least one of these. Get involved.

WE ALL NEED WINTER. www.protectourwinters.org

GREEN GLOVE DRYER I bet you’re asking “what is that?” Our answer: a brilliant tool that will assist you in drying your gloves, socks, boots, mittens, water bottles, sneakers, shoes...you name it. The Green Glove Dryer was designed to go overtop your forced air vent (floor or wall) to allow warm air to circulate through the individual tube vents to efficiently dry each item without using an additional power source. We used it outside on a lawn chair on a warm day and it worked just as well. The product can pack up into a small container so you can take it camping, on a winter escape or tropical getaway, too. www.greenglovedryer.com

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views

SILVERTHORNE URBAN RENEWAL One of the first stops off of I-70 after you cross the Continental Divide is Silverthorne, Colorado. Silverthorne is no longer a fuel stop. It has become a destination of outdoor adventure with a newly formed and quickly thriving arts and culture scene. Silverthorne sits amidst nature’s playgrounds, statuesque peaks topping out above 14,000 feet, bold rivers with renowned rapids and fishing holes, and hundreds of miles of wilderness. Shopping too attracts visitors from around the region. Dining and award-winning craft brews are also on the towns menu of attractions. What has been missing for a long period of time was a Town Center.

This past June Silverthorne unveiled its new performing arts center housing the Lake Dillon Theatre Company. Next on their list of to-do’s is to develop 3.8 acres between 3rd and 4th Streets and area known as the Fourth Street Crossing in downtown Silverthorne. This will cover a full city block and feature shopping, drinking and dining opportunities, festival plaza, a hotel as well as residences for mountain town community members. The town hopes it will attract visitors who come specifically to Silverthorne rather than just stopping for gas or outlet shopping, as well as new residents.

Groundbreaking slated for this summer. Stay tuned.

www.silverthorne.org

MOUNTAIN VENTURES SUMMIT RETURNS TO TELLURIDE What does it take to develop a healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem in mountain town communities? The world of work is changing - people can work from anywhere and create companies with international reach from their coffee table. Mountain town governments need to leverage this shift by attracting startups and an intelligent mindset. This year the 2nd Annual Mountain Venture Summit will set the stage for discussion April 5th through the 7th in Telluride.

The group is focused on attracting entrepreneurs and community leaders

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interested in making active efforts to diversify their local economies and build their entrepreneurial ecosystems during this 3-day workshop. In a true “unconference” format, the forum will use the knowledge in the room to help identify best practices and generate new ideas for specific things that can help our towns make faster and more reliable progress in developing their communities entrepreneurial scene.

Topics will include- The nuts and bolts of setting visions, getting buy-in, and the execution of efforts such as:

Coworking, accelerators, incubators, housing, broadband, venture capital funds, angel networks, events, working with governments, working with ski areas, avoiding small-town politics, regional strategies, etc. Learn how to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem in your mountain town. The goal is to learn from other communities and share experiences from each community.

No one is alone in their efforts, and together this event can assist in helping this movement go even faster!

www.mountainventuressummit.com

MAKE ROOM TO GROOM This is the season of the snowplow. Greg Stacy, superintendent for CDOT’s Maintenance Section 3, headquartered in Durango wants folks to know that “In order for our plows to remove snow efficiently and apply sand or deicing agents safely, a maximum speed of 35 miles per hour is required. This speed may seem slow to some drivers following a snow plow, but to attempt passing is very, very risky!” Here is a friendly reminder that when your traveling and you come upon snow removal operations on the road and highway, CDOT officials recommend this guidance: • Never pass on the right — Never a good idea! Many plows use a blade extension (wing plow) on the right hand side of the truck. The blade extends the plowing area towards the shoulder of the road, leaving no room to pass. Also, plows are designed to push all the snow, slush, rocks and other debris to the right of the truck. The flying debris will damage your vehicle and obstruct your view of the road.

• Never pass during tandem/echelon plowing — Tandem/echelon plowing staggers multiple plows to cover all lanes and clear the entire roadway in one coordinated sweep. This is the safest and most efficient snow removal method to clear the entire roadway. It is extremely dangerous for motorists to try and pass plows in this formation because you could encounter white out conditions, ridges of snow between lanes or get trapped between the snow plow trucks.

• Never tailgate — Plows need to drop deicer and sand, so make sure you stay back at least three to four car lengths of space. If you’re too close, your visibility is reduced and deicer and sand could hit your car.

You also never know when a plow might need to suddenly stop make sure you have plenty of room to do the same. www.codot.gov

ONE PASS. 23 DESTINATIONS Alterra Mountain Company announced January 25th its new 2018-2019 pass product, the Ikon Pass.

North America’s top mountain destinations have joined together to offer skiers and riders the Ikon Pass uniting ​ 12 ​d estinations from Alterra Mountain Company and 11 premier destination partners. The Ikon Pass gives skiers and riders the opportunity to access nearly 50,000 skiable acres of unique terrain across the continent, with pass privileges that range from full unlimited access to a set number of days that vary by destination.

From a week-long vacation to unlimited days, the Ikon Pass was built with the guest in mind, to provide the best experience possible. With 23 destinations, in nine states and three Canadian provinces, the Ikon Pass is the gateway to a like-minded community.

The Ikon Pass is a collaboration of seven industry leaders - Alterra Mountain Company, Aspen Skiing Company, Alta Ski Area, Boyne Resorts, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, POWDR, and Snowbird. Each

demonstrates integrity, character and independence that is reflected in their mountains and guests. Alterra Mountain Company’s destinations are ​S teamboat, Winter Park Resort, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain, Big Bear Mountain Resort, Stratton, Snowshoe, Tremblant, Blue Mountain, Deer Valley Resort, and CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures. Ikon Pass partner destinations are Aspen Snowmass, Copper Mountain Resort, Eldora Mountain Resort, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Big Sky Resort, Killington Resort, Sunday River, Sugarloaf, Loon Mountain Resort, Alta Ski Area, and Snowbird.

“The Ikon Pass is a collaboration of like-minded mountain destinations across North America where incredible terrain, unique character, and local traditions are celebrated,” said Erik Forsell, Chief Marketing Officer for Alterra. Be sure to sign up for the 2018/19 season and make it a memorable one.

www.ikonpass.com

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MTN

priorities

What You Don’t See...

“The 2am wake up call, the 4am start time. The brutal sub zero temps caused by the most wild and insane winds I’ve ever decided to hike in! The numerous breaks to just BREATH and cool down because hiking when you arrive from a little above sea level the night before is a little more challenging. The 11 hours we decide to brave the wilderness that day! There’s so much you don’t see with a pretty photo.”

“Here’s to breaking out’ta your comfort zone!” ~Chelsea Stockton, aka The Hiking Mermaid

Chasm Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park

MTN

gear

KULKEA - LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD

BY KRISTEN LUMMIS David Abramowitz is an engineer with a passion for skiing. In 2012, Abramowitz launched Kulkea, a ski and boot bag manufacturer with his brother Steven. Among the company’s first offerings was a reimagined ski boot backpack called the Boot Trekker.

In lieu of a cavernous central compartment holding randomly tossed gear, the Boot Trekker has pockets, pouches, and compartments to hold specific pieces of ski gear.

It’s an engineer’s delight. .

The Kulkea Micro Pack After expanding their line to include large volume heated boot bags, ski bags, and traditional ski boot backpacks, Kulkea changed it up this winter with the Micro Pack.

Designed specifically for snowsports, the Micro Pack is for skiers and snowboarders who have stuff to carry on the mountain but don’t want to fill their pockets to bursting or wear a heavy backpack while skiing and riding the lift.

With external dimensions of just 17.5” H x 8.75” W x 3” D, the Micro Pack is less a pack than a set of connected pockets, pouches, straps, and holsters.

At first, using the pack can be a bit disorienting. For while it looks like a cross between a traditional daypack and a small hydration pack, there is no top opening. Instead, there is a side-opening zipper pocket where I might put my wallet and phone and someone else might put a sandwich. A roomy top pocket is clearly made to hold goggles, while a two-sided adjustable holster is perfect for water bottles.

Additional pockets and attachment straps offer users the ability to stow or strap on other essentials.

According to Abramowitz, the inspiration for the Micro Pack came from skiers.

“We looked at the issues skiers face,” he explains. “We identified that skiers are in need of things like swapping goggles for sunglasses, shedding a mid- or top-layer as things heat up in the afternoon, or a good solution for spring skiing when they aren’t wearing a jacket with pockets.”

The tag that comes with the Micro Pack delineates suggested uses for each pocket and set of straps. And while 24

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the purpose of the bag is to help skiers and snowboarders minimize their load, we decided to test it by loading it up.

Put to the Test Our test scenario was carrying everything we’d want on a spring day skinning up at a resort.

Our packing list included snacks, a thermos, gloves, glove liners, a helmet, goggles, a neck gaiter, beanie, sweater, sunscreen and lip balm. With the exception of the sweater and helmet which were both strapped on (not a great solution when snow is falling), everything else fit internally. Best, the entire load weighed less than 5 pounds and was very comfortable. Skiing down, we’d put on the helmet and sweater and strap the climbing skins in their storage bag to the outside of the pack.

While it’s not suitable for the backcountry, the Micro Pack is a good solution when you have items you need to carry, but want to go as light as possible.

We think it’s also well-suited to cross-country skiing and short summer hikes.

Two Drawbacks and One Very Smart Solution While we are intrigued by the “traveling light” capabilities of the Micro Pack, it has two inherent drawbacks.

First, the Micro Pack works very well for one person.

But it would be hard to carry lunch and gear for a family (although hand warmers, snacks, and water for three or four are a possibility).

Second, it’s a backpack. If you don’t like skiing or riding chairlifts with something on your back, you probably won’t like the Micro Pack, despite its ultra-low profile.

However, if your primary aversion to skiing or riding with a pack is fear of getting stuck on the lift and becoming a dangler (we’ve all seen the videos!), Abramowitz’s design has you covered.

If the Micro Pack gets entangled on a lift or elsewhere, buckles on the front of the pack quickly release the shoulder straps, detaching you from the Micro Pack and allowing you to ski away from any danger.

Smart. Engineer smart.

kp.org

HEALTH CARE THAT LINKS TOGETHER THINKS TOGETHER. At Kaiser Permanente, we’ve connected our primary care doctors, specialists, nurses, and technicians to create an integrated system entirely dedicated to your health. Because the more your caregivers share information with each other, the better your overall care is. It’s just one more way we make it easier to live well, be well, and thrive.

MTN

entrepreneurs

TAILWIND NU TRITION

All You Need. All Day. Really.

BY JOY MARTIN

A revolution in sports nutrition is happening deep in the Animas Valley of Southwest Colorado, where Tailwind Nutrition is changing the way endurance athletes fuel their feats. From the pros to everyday adventurers, traditional sport fuels (think gels, bars, shots, baby food, electrolyte pills and peanut butter sandwiches) have been turning tummies into warzones for years.

Bayfield-based, Tailwind Nutrition, says enough is enough. To think it was all started by a man with his head in a trashcan.

Tailwind’s whirlwind story begins in 2011 when co-founder, Jeff Vierling, found himself upchucking Muesli at the finish line of the Leadville 100. It was the last straw for the ultra-athlete, who was sick and tired of insufficient fueling products “hijacking the blood, sweat and tears” of his training.

So he did as any problem-solver without a background in biochemistry would do: he started researching the science behind sports nutrition and the inner-workings of the complex, fickle digestive tract. He learned that our bodies can only process 200 to 300 calories an hour; anything more and the inevitable gut-bomb syndrome kicks in. He also found that protein doesn’t improve endurance during exercise (hasta la vista, peanut-buttersandwich theory).

His goal was to craft an easy-to-use endurance product that tasted good enough to want to drink, would maintain his energy levels and ultimately propel him to the finish line in fine, vomit-free form. So the wizard got to work, tossing stuff into his cauldron of a KitchenAid mixer.

The end result was a clean, simple recipe of all-natural, organic, vegan-friendly, gluten/wheat/soy/dairy-free ingredients that could be mixed with water, providing steady, small doses of fuel that pass right through the stomach. The mix matches what the gut is designed to absorb, so that, once in the bloodstream, the glucose fuels muscles directly, without taxing the digestive tract, states the website.

As a bonus, it comes in many flavors and can be scooped into hydration packs or bottles and won’t leave a gooey residue or weird aftertaste. Thus, Tailwind Nutrition was born, touted to be “like having the wind at your back, not like a kick in the gut at mile 45.”

He separated the white powder mix into Ziplocs and passed out the baggies to biking buddies at local trailhead parking lots.

Despite its suspicious appearance, the biking buddies loved it, and Jeff and his wife, Jenny, started selling the product out of 26

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the back of their truck at races around the Four Corners.

In 2012, Tailwind made its legitimate debut at the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic in Durango. The product was nearly an overnight success, sending the husband and wife back to their kitchen for midnight sessions whipping up more batches.

After Iron Horse, they launched a website for easier ordering with competitive, sensible pricing based on the fact that, for a 10hour race, the body needs roughly 2,500 calories. For the same amount of calories from other energy products, racers would spend around $29. Tailwind costs $17.50 per 2,500 calories.

Demand had spiked beyond their mom-and-pop approach, so they opened a manufacturing facility in Bayfield. They got a logo, official packaging and a team of employees, who to this day take turns fulfilling and shipping the bags replete with the customer’s name and a handwritten note of thanks.

“Personalization is in our DNA,” says Jenny, who also doesn’t have a sports nutrition background. “We feel vested in every single customer who buys Tailwind.”

Six years after Jeff’s horrific trashcan experience, Tailwind Nutrition has evolved into an institution for endurance athletes around the world. Coming this March, Tailwind will release their newest product called Rebuild, a surprisingly-tasty recovery drink with a mathematically-developed, patent-pending balanced ratio of carbohydrates and complete proteins - just what the body needs in that crucial restorative period 30-minutes after a hard workout or endurance effort.

To further their sports nutrition revolution, Tailwind just received a $250,000 grant from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT). Through OEDIT, the State invests in businesses that show strong potential for growth and manufacturing, which leads to job creation and more funds for local communities.

To learn more about Tailwind or to order this tried-and-trusted game-changer, checkout tailwindnutrition.com.

Jasmine / Adventurer Environmental Studies

ADVENTUROUS LOCATIONS THAT INSPIRE YOU TO AIM HIGHER. LIKE 9,000 FEET. 11 Rocky Mountain Campuses

dosomethingMAJOR.com

wellness

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VWhatI Rto know T Ubefore A L youCsee A aRdoctor E on your smartphone or computer

•

BY DR. THOMAS BIUSO It’s winter, and thoughts turn to hot chocolate, football standings and the holidays.

Between the fun and the mundane, we’re all stretched thinner than ever due to our jobs, school events, housework, child care and errands– and many of us feel we have little time to take care of ourselves.

In our precious downtime, nearly 80 percent of us rely on a smartphone to stay connected to news, services and each other. A recent survey by UnitedHealthcare shows that nearly 30 percent of Americans use the internet or mobile apps as our first source for information about their health conditions. In fact, you might have noticed a growing number of apps that enable you to receive medical care virtually. Virtual care, also known as remote care, telehealth, telemedicine or online visits, is medical care that’s delivered using technology rather than through an in-person consultation.

Research has found that 77 percent of consumers are open to the idea of replacing an in-person doctor visit with a virtual one. Yet fewer than 20 percent of people have tried virtual visits. To see if virtual care is a good choice for you, here are some tips before you get started:

•

•

•

•

The Case for Virtual Care QUALITY

ACCESS

91%

As good or better through virtual care.1

PRODUCTIVITY

22%

OF PAYROLL COSTS

2 3

BMC Health Services Research (2010) The Advisory Board Company (2016) American Well (2017)

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4 5 6

65% OF PEOPLE

Average time consumers wait for an in-person appointment with their primary care doctor.2

Say they would like to see their doctor via video.3

LOWER COSTS

COMPETITIVE EDGE

6B

$

Are due to planned and unplanned employee absences.4

1

19.5 DAYS

OF HEALTH OUTCOMES

EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION

PER YEAR

Potential savings if all employees used telemedicine to maximum capacity.5

HRMorning (2014) Willis Towers Watson (2014) National Business Group on Health (2016)

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90% OF LARGE EMLOYERS

Plan to offer telehealth in 2017.6

Check your benefits: Some health plans offer virtual visits as a benefit, through physicians in their local care provider networks and/or through a national online service. Independent telehealth services and apps outside your health plan may also be available.

You’ve probably used the technology: Virtual visits are as easy as FaceTime or Skype. You’ll need a smartphone, tablet or computer with video and audio capabilities. Via an online connection that uses special security to protect your privacy, a doctor, physician assistant or other clinician sees and hears your concerns and symptoms, and prescribes treatment or any follow-up if needed. A virtual visit can take place anywhere you have Wi-Fi or data access, at your convenience, and in many cases 24/7.

Use virtual visits for the right things: Virtual visits are for nonemergency, minor medical conditions. They can be a huge time-saver for people who suspect they have a bladder or urinary tract infection, a respiratory or sinus infection, a rash, stomach-ache or diarrhea, or a migraine headache. Some care providers offer telehealth visits for ongoing help for chronic conditions or behavioral health issues.

Know when a virtual visit won’t do: In an emergency, call 911 or go to an emergency room. Virtual visits aren’t appropriate for a hands-on physical exam or treatment, or for certain tests or X-rays.

Understand the cost: Virtual visits through your health plan usually cost the same or less than an in-person doctor visit.

Independent telehealth services usually charge $50 to $75 per visit. In any case, your cost for virtual visits is usually lower compared to urgent care and emergency room visits. Virtual visits covered by your health plan might count toward your annual deductible and out-of-pocket maximum, just like inoffice visits.

Talk with your doc before and after: To understand whether virtual care is a good option for you and your family, discuss it with your doctor. If you opt for a telehealth visit, ask the virtual care provider to send a summary of your visit to your primary care physician so your medical record is complete and your doctor can follow up with you appropriately.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) pointed out that a virtual visit saves 106 minutes on average, compared to an in-person appointment. Tapping an app could give back more than an hour of your day.

Best of all, virtual visits can help you access the care you need, when you need it. Whether that means your cough is nothing serious or start your treatment sooner when pinkeye appears on a Saturday night, virtual care might be just what the doctor ordered.

Dr. Thomas Biuso is the Chief Medical Director for the Western Region of UnitedHealthcare.

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trail

ski run

Photo Credit: AspenSnowmass

LONGSHOT C o l o ra d o ’ s l o n g e s t

Welcome to Longshot on Burnt Mountain Requires a short but strenuous hike to the top of the trails upper portion Comprised of over 75 Acres of natural Glades this is natural ungroomed terrain This Trail is over 3.5 miles in length and drops 3400 vertical feet to the base of two creeks No direct return to the elk camp area from long shot Due to remoteness of the area it is strongly suggested that you do not ski alone Enjoy

According to Colorado Ski Country, this is one of the longest descents in Colorado as brings you from the top of Burnt Mountain and down 5.3 miles to 30

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the base of Two Creeks. Want a little burn? Then trek to Snowmass and head up to Burnt Mountain.

Need more reasons? Snowmass Ski Area and Snowmass Village, just 9 miles from Aspen, are celebrating their 50th Anniversary this season. Both the ski hill and the community are undergoing significant changes in their 50th year. The Aspen Skiing Company is investing millions of dollars in new, summer-oriented activities on the mountain -- from an alpine coaster to new mountain bike and hiking trails to ziplines and climbing areas.

Meanwhile, a new community and public center — Snowmass Base Village — is being built at the base of the mountain, with 10 new buildings being planned that will include a new hotel, condominiums of all shapes and sizes, restaurant and retail space, a public “Discovery Center” and a public plaza that planners hope will become

the new town square for Snowmass Village.

The pedestrian-oriented Snowmass Base Village has two of the three base area lifts located just steps from the new public plaza. It marks the completion of a vision for a pedestrian-oriented community, modeled after European resorts from then (and now) first expressed by Fritz Benedict, the iconic Aspen architect and artist who helped make that community (Aspen) what it is today.

And in case you were wondering, the longest descent in the U.S. can be found at Jackson Hole, which has been measured at 7 miles long. Other resorts with long runs include: Big Sky: 6.1 miles Heavenly: 5.5 miles Taos: 5.2 miles Winter Park: 5.1 miles Ski ya later~ HR

UNPARALLELED

FOR YOUR

VACATION HOME

VACASA IS NOW IN BRECKENRIDGE vacasa.com/breck 970.822.0830

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family

L e a r n -T o - S k i & S n o w b o a r d

t o o ls

ADVICE FROM THE BRAVE SKI MOM BLOG

We review which tools you should definitely buy, which tools work well for beginners and independent turners, and which tools must be used with caution.

The Essential Edgie-Wedgie for Beginner Skiers If you are only going to buy one learn-to-ski tool, this is the one. Also known as a tip connector, the Edgie-Wedgie (or similar product) is a short piece of rubber tubing that clamps to each ski tip. Tip connectors keep children’s skis in a safe position. Tip connectors prevent ski tips from getting too close together and crossing. They also prevent ski tips from drifting too far apart and forcing your child into the splits.

Equally important, tip connectors help a child learn the basics of turning while in a controlled, but not exaggerated, wedge. Recommended and mandatory at many ski schools, an Edgie-Wedgie is worth every penny of the $15 investment.

The Burton Riglet Reel for Beginner Snowboarders Since not every child will start on skis, the Burton Riglet Reel is a good tool to help your young rider control his or her speed and direction. The Riglet Reel attaches to the tip of a child’s board and lets you pull your child on flat ground while they get the feel for sliding.

The Riglet Reel is used at many ski and ride schools.

Available for approximately $35, it’s the essential tool for little snowboarders.

Bonus Tip: Even before you hit the snow, give your child a head start by letting her or him play and practice with a board inside, moving it from tip to tail and edge to edge.

Then when you get out on snow with the Riglet Reel, your child will already have a feel for movement on the snowboard.

Additional Learn-to-Ski Tools for Beginners Good Old Fashioned Hands: Two of the best learn-to-ski tools are found at the end of your arms. Ski alongside your child with your hand out. Ask your child to place his or her hand on top of it. Hand-to-hand connection allows you to sense how nervous your child might (or might not) be.

You can also tell how well they are balancing on their own, which is, as always, the goal.

Hula Hoop: A ski instructor favorite, a hula hoop helps parents control their child’s speed and direction. To use a hula hoop, the child stands inside the hoop and holds on to one side while the parent stands outside the hoop and holds onto the back. The child is always in front and the parent is always in back. Make sure your child is balancing on her own, not leaning forward onto the hoop or pulling backward from it.

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A Long Ski Pole or Bamboo Pole: Sometimes, the best tool is one you already own. To use a ski pole, ski sideby-side with your child, both of you gripping the pole like a bike handlebar. This position allows you to monitor your child’s balance. It also allows you to control speed and turning if necessary. Again, make sure your child is balancing on his own, not leaning on you or the pole.

Learn to Ski Tools for Skiers Who Can Turn Independently SkiRing™: The SkiRing™ is a plastic ring, shaped like a car’s steering wheel, which helps keep a skier’s focus downhill. Used in place of ski poles, it reinforces proper hand position and balance and lets beginners focus on turning.

Designed by professional ski instructor, the SkiRing™ is used by ski schools and as a training tool for beginner ski racers.

Everyone in our family (along with numerous friends) has tried the SkiRing™. We think it is a useful tool for skiers of all ages, when used as a reminder to keep shoulders and hips pointing downhill.

Slope Ropes: Slope Ropes are like an elongated and floppy Hula Hoop. A large circle of rope with two plastic handles, the child skis inside the circle with the rope at his or her waist. The parent skis outside the circle holding onto a handle.

When used properly the ropes are slack, not tight, and the child is supporting his own weight and balancing independently.

Slope Ropes are useful for reinforcing a forward skiing stance. If the child leans backward, the ropes will fall. This benefit is also a drawback: if the rope falls, both the parent and child need to be careful not to get entangled.

Harnesses: Use With Caution While parents may think of harnesses as a speed control device, using them as brakes works against proper skiing technique. If there is constant tension on the reins, the child is usually riding in the backseat and leaning against the back of the ski boots. That’s not good.

If you use a harness make sure the reins are slack and that your child is holding himself or herself up without your help.

The child should be turning and sliding on their own, with you behind them as a safety net.

Also if you do use a harness, get one that attaches at the child’s waist. This can help minimize the tendency to lean back.~Kristen Lummis

From the common cold to those skiing the wild side...

we’ve got you covered wherever you land!

WALK-INS WELCOME St. Anthony Copper Mountain Clinic** 970-968-2330 | 860 Copper Road, Copper Mountain St. Anthony Breckenridge Community Clinic Emergency Center** 970-453-1010 | 555 South Plaza, Shavano Building, Breckenridge St. Anthony Keystone Medical Center** 970-468-6677 | 1252 County Road 8, Keystone

LIMITED, SAME-DAY APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE, PLEASE CALL AHEAD. CHPG High Country Healthcare – Breckenridge 970-547-9200 | 400 North Park Avenue, Suite 1A, Breckenridge CHPG High Country Healthcare – Frisco 970-668-5584 | 360 Peak One Drive, Suite 260, Frisco CHPG High Country Healthcare – Silverthorne 970-468-1003 | 265 Tanglewood Lane, Suite E1, Silverthorne ** Only open during ski season.

Centura Health is the largest health care network in Colorado, for additional specialty care in Summit County, please visit summitmedicalcenter.org

H 970-668-3300 340 Peak One Drive, Frisco, CO 80443

Centura Health does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, religion, creed, ancestry, sexual orientation, and marital status in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activities, or in employment. For further information about this policy contact Centura Health’s Office of the General Counsel at 1-303-673-8166 (TTY: 711). Copyright © Centura Health, 2018. ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-720-321-0490 (TTY: 711). CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 1-720-321-0490 (TTY: 711).

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biz

Second Home Dreaming

BY LARRY STONE What’s your favorite Christmas song? Is it Mel Torme’s classic “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire?” Maybe it’s Elvis’s “Blue Christmas.” For Christmas 2016, the top song was “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey. Whichever you prefer, these artists know that the way to success is with a Christmas song. And no matter what the Christmas song is about, it is often a commercial success.

Yet no one has reached the achievement of success and achievement of the most valued Christmas song ever – Bing Crosby’s version of Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas.” The dream of enjoying a “White Christmas” with glistening tree tops, listening children and hearing sleigh bells in the snow bring warm and cozy images to our minds. The song was a key component for a movie project called Holiday Inn which began in 1941. The “White Christmas” was one of many holiday theme songs written by Irving Berlin for this movie - the filming was stopped due to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. So, Bing Crosby first introduced the song on a Christmas day radio broadcast in 1941.

Crosby’s estate owns the original recording from that show – providing his family with a never-ending Christmas gift. With the release of this movie in 1942, the song hit the charts and rose to Number One. In 1943, the song received the Academy Award for Best Original Song. But the song just never stopped being popular. It’s sold over 100 million copies making it the most popular song ever, according to the Guinness Books of Records. It fuels the desires of many in their pursuit of their American dream.

And what made the simple song so popular? The movie, Holiday Inn, tells the tale of a musical act from the New York City nightlife scene. Jim Hardy (Bing Crosby) wishes to retire to a Connecticut farm with his love, Lila Dixon (Virginia Dale). But his dream would result in breaking up the popular act which included his best friend, Ted Hanover (Fred Astaire). And Lila, his true love, isn’t ready for the quiet life as she wanted to stay in the nightlife scene. Farming is difficult.

What to do? Jim turns his farm into an entertainment venue only opened on holidays called Holiday Inn. That’s right, the well-known hotel chain took its name from this show. With Bing Crosby’s songs and Fred Astaire’s turns on the dance floor, the story filled everyone with dreams of vacations with family and friends. (To complete this image, naturally Lila returns to her true love surrounded by the glistening tree tops, listening children and hearing sleigh bells ring from the Connecticut countryside...)

In the true Hollywood tradition, one success deserves another sequel. Yes. A movie called “White Christmas” was made using the same themes as the Holiday Inn tale in 1954.

“The Old Man,” a beloved commanding officer, General Waverly (Dean Jagger), retires from the military at the end of the war and opens an inn located in Pine Tree, Vermont. Two famous entertainers, Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye), who had served under “The Old Man,” arrive at the inn.

As with many remakes, Bing Crosby returned but not Fred Astaire, who declined this role. As a result, Danny 34

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Kaye appeared as the second lead. They learned that their beloved “The Old Man” owned the inn and his business was failing. With romantic eyes on the entertaining sisters act of Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy (Vera-Ellen), the famous entertainers seek to save “The Old Man” by putting on a Christmas show, bringing in his devoted troops and rallying their support. Let’s not forget the endless supply of glistening tree tops, listening children and hearing those sleigh bells ringing, as only offered by the comfort of Vermont.

Today, millions of Americans dream of a vacation retreat in the mountains. According to the National Association of Homebuilders, 7.5 million homes are second homes in the United States (as of 2014), http://eyeonhousing.org/2016/03/ where-are-the-nations-second-homes-2014-data/. The dreams sparked by the images of Irving Berlin and the deep tones of Bing Crosby has developed a national desire for that holiday getaway.

Initially, second homeowners were simply motivated to use their properties to build ties with family and friends. Nowadays, many second homeowners want to receive some revenue or simply reduce the cost of owning their dream. With their eyes focused on glistening tree tops and joyful family occasions, many have jumped into the so-called “sharing economy.”

Arming themselves with tools provided by Airbnb, HomeAway and VRBO, they seek to realize their dreams with their homeaway-from-home.

Irving Berlin’s original vision of White Christmas is no longer just a small-town dream. It’s big business, with resorts making their own snow on demand each season. Holidays in the mountains, the beaches or wherever you want to go are available as often as you wish. Renting a second home is no longer a chore but a task, which is as easy as setting up entry into an online service. As a result, Irving Berlin’s dreams of holidays and time away in the snow and mountains continue to flourish with all those willing to take its mantle.

The results are easy to measure. According to the Northwest Council of Governments in Colorado, 61-percent of the houses in Summit County, Colorado, are second homes.

The trend continues and is empowered by the dreams of the many who share Irving Berlin’s vision to find a place for family and friends. As long as dreams continue and as long as people what to improve those important family and friend bonds, a second home is the vision of happiness for many.

No matter what your vision or dream, you will make many choices to realize them. Santa’s elves in Congress have created specific tax breaks to allow you to enjoy your second home dreams. But be sure to pay attention to how you implement this decision to avoid the Grinches at the IRS! You have to dot your I’s and cross your t’s to ensure that your dream is not crushed. No matter how much you share Irving Berlin’s dream of a White Christmas, you can have strategies which enable you to achieve them. We will be glad to assist you planning your second home tax strategy to allow you to save dollars. www.coloradotaxcoach.com

Two Words

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Pack your reusable bag or buy one of ours.

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Find out more at sustainablebreck.com

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Image: Old Man in the Mountain

GRANDS & GROMS

Getting older isn’t easy, but folks in Colorado’s mountain towns don’t take aging sitting down.

People here are active and most remain that way far into their golden years. We focused on a few “Grands” and wished we could have covered them all.

We also profiled some up and coming Groms, hence the title Grands & Groms. Here is a bit of food for thought in case these folks don’t inspire you. We kind of doubt it but...

1. “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.”

-Henry Ford 2. “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” ~Mark Twain 3. “As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.”

-Andrew Carnegie 4. “Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.”

-Stanislaw Jerzy Lec 5. “Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty.”

-Coco Chanel 6. “Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength.”

-Betty Friedan 7. “There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.”

-Sophia Loren 8. “You don’t stop laughing because you grow older. You grow older because you stop laughing.”

-Maurice Chevalier 9. “Growing old is no more than a bad habit which a busy person has no time to form.”

-Andre Maurois We like this: 10. “It is not how old you are, but how you are old.”

Artist: John Fellows

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Jacques Houot

BY MICHELLE SMITH

“I was smoking cigarettes...a pack a day, “ Jacques said. After getting some health advice from his boss, he threw all of his cigarettes away, and exchanged the flat lands of Miami for the mountains. He moved back to Colorado – to rebuild his heart.

Most days of the week, depending on the season, one will find Jacques (a.k.a. The Frenchy) either attached at the hip to his mountain bike or attached by the foot to his skis - and we aren’t talking about a casual attachment to his sporting gear either. He is out there racing these sports, up to one race per week, if at all possible. How does he do it? His journey to achieve eternal youth wasn’t an easy one.

“Never give up. And pace yourself.

Listen to your body,” He says, in a rarely-heard serious tone.

GRANDS

“I am forty-one years old in each leg,” Jacques Houot blurts out while laughing with his thick French accent when asked his age. Like most people, he has two legs, so that makes him eighty-two. But based on his highly-energetic and outspoken demeanor paired with his activity level, he could get away with counting just one leg as his age, and then reading that number backwards. Take away the wrinkles and the white hair, and Jacques could easily be mistaken for a fourteenyear-old. If the fountain of youth exists, Jacques has found it.

“I should have died twenty-three, maybe twentyfour, times!” Jacques yells. He keeps a well-documented list of “close calls,” at his home in Carbondale, Colorado - from being born blue at birth in France to surviving cancer.

One of his closest calls may have saved his life.

At age 52, Jacques was a sailor in Miami. One day, he took the bus to go to his job. The bus didn’t stop.

He sprinted after it, caught it, and by the time he got to work he knew that something was wrong. “There was this big pressure on my chest, ” he remarks.

A co-worker told him to walk two blocks to the fire station to get checked. “I walked those two blocks, by hitting my heart. I was doing CPR on myself,” he explains. When he got there, he collapsed. A day later he woke up in the hospital, to learn that he had just survived a heart attack.

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He settled in the Roaring Fork Valley on the western slope of Colorado. While working odd jobs, mainly as a French cook, he went up and down the mountains of Colorado by bike or skis on a daily basis. Thirty years later, he is still at it.

Exercise isn’t the only way that Jacques is able to stay young though. His social energy is tireless and he has an ability to find humor in any situation.

“Allez! Allez! Go!” The shout echoes across a cyclo– cross race course in Carbondale, Colorado, as he runs alongside the racers with a beer in his hand, spilling it across his arm as he cheers. He has raced already, and now he’s supporting the other athletes. He encounters a female spectator and asks if he can kiss her on the cheek. She laughs and allows it.

Approach him, and he won’t be shy. He will shower you with his tales of surviving life and leave you with one of his many words to live by.

“Every time you laugh, you will add one extra hour to your life. I am going to die very old, because I love to laugh, ” He will tell you, all while laughing.

Want to see Jacques in action for yourself? No Problem! This spring, The Frenchy, a film about the one and only Jacques Houot, will be premiering at a film festival near you. Stay tuned by searching #thefrenchyfilm on facebook and Instagram, and follow @michellescreative.

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Ralph Tingey M

o u n ta i n

Boy

BY JOY MARTIN PHOTOS BY XANDER BIANCHI

You know you’re old when you have a real-life Robert Frost anecdote to share about that time you sat by the fireside, listening to the classic American poet spout words of wisdom from a rocking chair. Now-75-year-old Ralph Tingey remembers well when an impressionable college classmate raised her precocious hand and asked Mr. Frost if, in such-and-such poem, did he mean such-and-such?

According to Tingey, Mr. Frost smiled and said, “Well, you know, I didn’t then, but I do now.”

At the end of my interview with Tingey for this article,Ralph he used these words to affirm whatever notes I took from our chat would be accurate - even if he didn’t mean them exactly as such at the time. This frank, childlike openness is woven into the climbing-rope fibers of this mountain man’s soul, and traces of it can be seen in every frayed, vibrant page of Tingey’s adventurous life. This is only part of his story.

Renowned American alpinist, Ralph Tingey, was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1943 to a nurturing family of formal outdoor recreationists and, naturally, devout Mormons. His father, Dr. Ralph Tingey, was part of the first graduating class of the University of Utah Medical School in 1941.

In the doctor’s spare time, young Ralph remembers being “hauled out” by his father every Friday and Saturday to go hunting or fly fishing.

They’d often rendezvous with his mother’s brother, Jim, who worked as a forest ranger in Southern Utah.

Tingey’s grandfather and greatgrandfather had also worked as forest rangers.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Tingey and his brothers joined the Boy Scouts of America and achieved Eagle Scout status. Like all boys exposed

f o r

Li

f e

to the great outdoors at a young age, Tingey discovered that adventure was only limited by imagination, and Tingey was blessed with a wooly-mammothsized imagination.

In 1956, his appetite for exploration was sealed for life on a river trip through Glen Canyon. Tingey was 13-years-old and had no idea this area would no longer exist in eight years time. He recalls purchasing yellow life rafts from the army surplus store for $1 - the same one-man boats that would later inspire his future wife, Sheri, to manufacture the first Alpacka packrafts in 2000 in Alaska.

But, at 13, a wife was the last thing on Tingey’s mind.

A year after the Glen Canyon expedition, 14-year-old Tingey and his buddy, Milt, set out from Salt Lake City and trekked a 20-mile round-trip to the summit of rugged, 11,253-foot Lone Peak. The formidable “monarch of the Wasatch Mountains” can be seen from North Salt Lake to Provo, and, according to Summit Post, “is considered by many to be the hardest 11,000-foot peak in the Wasatch due to the mileage and elevation gain required to sit atop its summit.”

“I had on cut-off Levi’s just below the knees,” recalls Tingey. “I remember the cold, prickly plants, and the water dripping off the granite, and I remember having a tuna fish sandwich with my feet dangling 400feet over the top of Lone Peak.”

It was the most thrilling experience of his life to date, and he returned home exhausted and elated.

His father had two books in the house on climbing: The White Tower, by James Ramsey Ullman, and a book on Mount Everest. Tingey devoured those and was officially “off to the races” with his newfound alpine obsession, pouring every ounce of energy into climbing the high places rising from

his backyard.

“School suffered. Everything else suffered,” he laughs. “My loving parents were clueless.”

For work, he cooked at the local hospital and threw newspapers, spending every penny on climbing gear: a Goldline rope, iron pitons, Henke boots. He still has a few of these “antiques” stored in what his kids call “The Museum Box.” He eventually earned enough money to buy a Jeep when he was 16, and his world burst beyond the temples of Salt Lake.

Just before his 20th birthday, Tingey headed to Finland for his two-year Mormon mission. There, he discovered an aptitude for languages.

He returned home fluent in Finnish in 1964 and enrolled in the pre-med program at the University of Utah but forewent the practical future and salary of a doctor and switched his major to Classical Greek.

In 1969, halfway through a PhD program in Near Eastern Languages at Johns Hopkins University, Tingey journeyed to Egypt. The exotic pyramids and perfumes served as the perfect backdrop to hone his Arabic, while Israeli jets buzzed overhead and he rubbed shoulders with President Nasser. He graduated in 1971, hopeful to teach Arabic, but there was no demand for the obscure language back in the States. This only phased Tingey for a moment, for he had a grander opportunity.

Throughout his school years, Tingey had held down a dream summer job for a burgeoning mountain man. In 1965, right after Tingey began his language studies, Rick Reese, a childhood climbing buddy, called to tell him Jenny Lake Ranger Station was hiring climbing rescue rangers. So Tingey applied for a National Park Service job and got it, mtntow nm a ga zi ne.com | W I N T E R / S PR I NG 2 0 1 8

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“I have a foot in both worlds,” says Tingey. “I can go to Egypt and speak Arabic, but there’s nothing like that freedom of the outdoors and the wilderness experience.

That is home for me.”

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joining Reese and a couple of other young twentythe river or whatever might be lurking, I feel so comfortable when I’m in those places. That is something’s in Grand Teton National Park. They home for me.” were paid $2.84 an hour - to climb.

In 2012, Tingey moved to Ridgway, Colorado, “There weren’t many climbers in those days,” pulled by the abundance of sunshine and climbing says Tingey. “This was back when climbing was partners. He not only met his current partner, Nori dangerous, and sex wasn’t.”

Francis, but his son, daughter-in-law, daughter And so, lofty as they were, his sophisticated and ex-wife also live just over the hills in Mancos. studies and cosmopolitan travels were easily The strongest lure for leaving the wilds of Alaska overshadowed by the majesty of the Teton Range was, per usual, the access to climbing desert in Western Wyoming. They couldn’t hold a candle sandstone, rock walls in Gunnison Gorge and ice to the mountains in Tingey’s mind. falls in Ouray.

The climbing rangers threw their souls into A year after his 70th birthday celebration in the peaks and formed a climbing club called the Indian Creek, Tingey was painfully working his Alpenbock. Besides Tingey and Reese, there was way up a crack in what is now Bears Ears National George Lowe, Pete Sinclair and, later, Bob Irvine, Monument. The next day, he had a much-needed Ted Wilson and Mike Ermath, who would all be hip replacement. He went into the surgery in tip-top involved in an epic, newsworthy rescue mission on physical shape and credits his stubbornness for the North Face of Grand Teton in 1967.

His studies wrapped up in 1971, and Tingey, armed with a useless PhD, took a full-time job as a National Park Service Ranger, which included little money but the invaluable riches of a mountain-man lifestyle: he would get paid by the federal government to ski and climb year-round.

Tingey lived in the Tetons till 1981 before accepting the job as assistant superintendent in Denali National Park. He later moved to Kotzebue in the These days, Tingey’s climbing partners and friends gather frequently to play outside by day and reminisce over margaritas at night. At a recent party in Ridgway, fellow alpinist and former president of the American Alpine far north of Alaska, managing Club, Jim Donini, commented that this gathering was like the “La Brea tar pits for old climbers.” the whole of Alaska’s National Park Service as associate regional director. In total, never sitting still with why he healed up so quickly.

Tingey’s career with the National Park Service “If you let that illness or disability take you lasted from 1965 till 2006. down, it’s hard to get back in shape,” he admits.

In Alaska, Tingey fell head-over-heels in love “So don’t stop. Don’t give up. Once you stop with the ultimate “wilderness with a lowercase w,” moving, it’s real hard to get going again. The group replete with memories of patrolling on Denali Peak I hang out with are all of that same mentality. wrapped in wolf skins and visions of grizzly bear, Their brains tell them they can’t stop. When Dahl sheep and 525,000 caribou animating the you’re young, hangout with old folks. When you’re tundra “like ants.” old, hangout with young people. They keep me He learned to race sled dogs, and, with his enthused and energized. I forget my age. I’m a wife, Sheri, spent two weeks at 40-below-zero child again.” exploring frozen rivers with their five-year-old son, With his 75th birthday on the horizon in March Thor, on the runners and two-year-old daughter, 2018, Tingey will be rowing a boat down the Daphne, in the sled. They became quickly adept at Colorado River through Grand Canyon with a group staying warm, sparking fires in the snow, sleeping of friends, an adventure he’s always dreamed of embarking upon. on caribou hides and befriending the natives.

“In hindsight, I should’ve been a doctor,” “I’ve spent a lifetime building the skills to feel laughs Tingey. “Just goes to show that you can comfortable in the wild,” says Tingey. “There’s only be young once, but you can be a child the rest a lot of unknown, and, where some people feel of your life.” threatened, afraid of the bears or falling into

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Ellen Miller

BY KIM FULLER

Ellen Miller Is Still Climbing.

One of the Vail Valley’s most accomplished mountaineers is healing and keeps inspiring.

As Ellen Miller knows so well, climbing a mountain isn’t just about standing on the peak, but all the ascending and descending steps it takes to fulfill the journey.

As an incredibly accomplished mountaineer and coach, Miller says 2018 will be a year of intentional exploration of her physical, emotional and mental well-being. Last spring, Miller had a hip reconstruction on one of her two artificial hips. The metal in one hip was not interacting favorably with her bones. Along with a new artificial hip, her surgeon put in a metal plate and three screws, and 44

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Miller is the first to admit the recovery has been an uphill challenge.

“I’m a mountain climber, so I’ve been very fortunate that a lot of my rehab is to climb mountains,” Miller shared in early January 2018. “So I went up on Quandary last week, and I went up there again today. I’m just coming to terms, emotionally and mentally, with what it’s like to be in this body — it’s been through a lot in the last year; that I’m not the same anymore, and what will it take to get back to a place that I’m happy with?”

While Miller is incredibly humble about her achievements, she has accomplished so much in her 59 years of life. Miller is the only American woman to climb Mount Everest from both sides (one of five women in the world), among countless

other mountaineering feats all over the world. In 2002, she was voted Colorado Sportswoman of the Year for longevity and achievement in athletics.

She is currently a certified endurance and athletic coach, and works as an outdoor fitness coach in the Vail Valley. She is also coach and manager for the U.S. Women’s Mountain Running Team.

“Looking back on this last year and just the whole process of my hip, now I’m starting to think that mountaineering trained me for all of these hip surgeries and the recoveries,” she said. “I’ve learned tenacity; I’ve learned about attitude; I’ve learned about patience. I’m so glad that I was an athlete in my younger years, because so much of those natural lessons that we learn are really applicable when you’re trying to

get through these things — whether it’s a surgery or an illness or general aging.”

Coaching Balance Miller’s focus hasn’t shifted away from climbing mountains and setting life goals, but she has certainly become more in tune with honoring the aging process, and also encouraging younger athletes to start caring for their bodies early.

“I think in the old days, we thought more was better and higher mileage was better, and just more more more,” she shared, “and now we have a lot more science available; a lot more scientific evidence about training, and different modalities to recovery.”

Miller encourages athletes of all ages to create balance in their training, which includes high-intensity work, as well as ample recovery.

“Whether someone is in their thirties or forties, we can be smarter about the way we age,” Miller explained. “To understand the importance of high quality rest, and the importance of high quality nutrition, because I do believe all that stuff adds up, and it tends to really show itself as you’re aging.”

Connie Leaf met Miller after living in Vail for five years. Leaf said that

although she was having fun, she wasn’t pushing herself out of her comfort zones. It was Miller, shared Leaf, who pushed her toward a path of purpose and self discovery.

“Ellen, always with the utmost respect and support, taught me how to live intentionally and with clear goals,” said Leaf. “She showed me how to build up my self esteem, self care and self love. She taught me how to tune in to my needs, my surroundings and my greatest aspirations by taking conscious steps to living each day with strength, courage and gratitude.”

Among the myriad of lessons Miller shares with her “tribe” on a daily basis, Leaf said perhaps the most paramount to her journey is the commitment to shaping one’s thought patterns, an exercise in neuroplasticity that happens in the prefrontal cortex of the human brain.

“Ultimately, success is achieved through mental toughness, a thing Ellen describes as grit,” shares Leaf. “And I take this lesson with me always.”

Grit and Grace Getting older can be a hard reality for anyone to face, Miller said, but she is more and more adamant about respecting the process while also playing an active role in it.

“I’m never going to be as fast as I was in my 30s, that’s fine; I’m never going to be as strong as I was in my 40s, that’s fine; but you know it’s just coming to terms with it all,” she said.

“But how can I nurture my body going forward and respect it? I also have enough science knowledge to know that people can gain a lot of strength back in their sixties, even in their seventies. You know, we don’t have to pack it all up and go home.”

Miller also teaches restorative yoga and recommends the practice for athletes of all ages.

“Whether it’s strength training, or yoga, or meditation — there are so many great things that we can all tap into so that we can age a little more gracefully,” she says.

Every year, Miller said, a couple of her friends drop out of sports or activities they once loved because of pains or injuries.

“And that’s very sad to me,” she shared. “They have aches and pains so they shy away from doing these activities that they once loved, and sometimes they are even simple activities like hiking. So my paramount message to young athletes is to take care of your body, so that when you’re my age, you can do whatever you want to do.”

Jon Clay Patterson

& GROMS

BY WILLIAM DUJARDIN

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Let’s be real: Colorado is having one of its worst snow years in a generation. Skiers and snowboarders thrive on snow - especially the junior athletes on the Crested Butte Mountain Sports Team (CBMST). With 2017’s snow totals and a highlypublicized “Snowmageddon” last January in Crested Butte, the athletes were able to use the snow-covered terrain on CB’s legendary steeps to push their training and make sensational progress. Conversely, we’ve made it halfway through January in 2018 and the Gunnison area is at 29% of last year’s totals and 48% of the annual average. That’s rough.

In the 2017 season, Jon Clay Patterson, a 17 year-old on the CBMST originally from Taos, NM, and currently living in Crested Butte, was able to take the win at the IFSA Junior North American Championships in Kirkwood last April and subsequently the overall title for the 15-18 ski men division.

A year like this can become a challenge when you want to repeat your success or even come close. Jon Clay was the

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first Rocky Mountain region (CO and NM) athlete to take the junior men’s overall since eventualFreeride-World-Tour champion, George Rodney, did it in 2012 with Team Summit.

“Winning champs and the overall has been a goal of mine since I began skiing big mountain at age 11. Achieving that by 16 blew my mind and exceeded what I thought I was capable of doing.

I’m heading into my last 2 years in high school with nothing but a good time in mind so I can keep progressing,” explains Jon Clay.

That kind of attitude is crucial when the majority of ungroomed terrain still isn’t open at most mountains in Colorado. The terrain park, cat tracks, and fun jumps around the mountain become places where athletes can hone in their air awareness and style with tricks. Furthermore, the lack of snow forces athletes to really focus on their technique and fundamentals. If you are not good at rolling over your ankles and staying in the front of your

boot while skiing Paradise Bowl groomers and bumps, how are you going to do that on Headwall or even the tree-littered steep chutes of the North Face?

For Jon Clay Patterson and the CBMST, teamwork, camaraderie, and a willingness to adapt to conditions is carrying them through a season seemingly bereft of snow. Competitions have been postponed and cancelled leaving athletes to wonder how they will qualify for champs. So it’s time to hit more jumps. The team improvised a trip to Jackson, WY, for an opportunity to compete at a regional event and at least get some training in on steep terrain with snow. So it’s time to keep skiing and pushing ourselves.

It really just comes down to attitude. Despite the low snow, Jon Clay says, “I hope to continue last year’s success with my teammates; I’m excited for the future.”

Things could be worse, right?

At least the chairlifts are spinning.

There are no bad days when you click into skis or a snowboard.

We’ll see you out there!

Kyja Fitzgerald

BY SARAH MORIN

Skiing doesn’t end when the snow stops falling; it just begins.

Kyja Fitzgerald, 17 years young, is an indispensable member of Winter Park’s elite Competition Center.

This grommet lives for mogul skiing, powder days, friends, family and everything about the outdoors.

Kyja owned her first set of skis at three-years-old. Now, competing with the Competition Center for six years, she spends six days a week in the winter season skiing mogul runs. Kyja trains over 100 days a year on the ski slopes and at Utah’s Olympic Park during summertime.

Whatever the season is, you’ll find this poised, passionate, and kind-hearted team player soaking up the Rocky Mountains outdoor activities seven days a week.

A true Colorado native, born and raised in Winter Park, Kyja first took an interest in skiing at a young age.

Kyja said, “I remember my first time watching the U.S. Ski Team Selections compete on moguls, performing impressive aerial tricks over huge jumps, and I looked over at my Dad and told him this is what I want to do.”

After that, I went and signed up for Winter Park’s Competition Center.

At age 11 Kyja took first place in her first competition and has gained momentum ever since.

Kyja comes from a family of winter athletes. She started skiing because it’s truly a part of her family inheritance. Her grandfather, mother and father all grew up skiing Michigan.

Before mogul skiing was a title in the Olympics, Kyja’s Dad, Billy, competed as a professional mogul skier, touring during the late 70’s and late 80’s.

B illy was her first couch and biggest mogul skiing inspiration. Kyja 48

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explains, “I hope to have some of the same experiences that my Dad had while mogul skiing professionally.”

Above: Kyja and her dad, Billy.

Kyja’s spunk and passion treads farther than the slopes. Winter Park is a small mountain town, and you have to get creative to keep busy.

She traveled throughout Colorado to cheer on friends all summer long at their downhill mountain biking competitions. “I love fly fishing, hiking and have most recently picked up a love for downhill mountain biking. It’s funny how I can perform aerial tricks on the slopes all day long, but my parents are way more apprehensive of my new passion that involves the concrete versus the powder.”

Above: Kyja, left, and her friend, Lizzy McPherson, who is 15 years young.

B etween the slopes and school, Kyja has many high aspirations for the next five years of her life. Looking forward to graduating Middle Park High School at the end of this winter, Kyja is also applying to a competitive college program – the School of Business at Colorado University – Boulder. Here she plans to complete a fall semester, ski all winter, and then re-apply for courses in spring.

Kyja hopes to start competing with NorAm (where the States and Canada compete together). With her never-ending hunger for mogul skiing and progression, her ultimate goal is to apply for the U.S. Ski National Team. Kyja exerts all of her energy into her ski practice so that she will be fully equipped to complete and compete in this final goal. Kyja tells me during winter, “I ski 6 days a week.”

S o, how does Kyja prep herself

before competitions? “To do well I have to ski with high energy! Pushing myself with high energy, I can ski faster and perform better. Before a competition is the only time I listen to music; when skiing, I need the full concentration to stay in control. I envision myself taking the run I plan; I then imagine myself perfecting it.”

L ast season this grommet made the Junior National Team, travelling to Sun Valley, Idaho, to compete amongst athletes from all over the country. Kyja sees no defeat - only lessons learned. She goes on to tell me that, “I was upset I didn’t get the results that I wanted but still having the experience was amazing. Also traveling outside of Colorado with my teammates was a lot of fun.”

QUICK Q & A with an athlete: What advice would you give any future grommets?

Always keep a positive attitude because, if you are trying to work on something specific and don’t see progress, a negative attitude will only create more frustration. Have an encouraging attitude towards your teammates as well; when you see that others have a negative attitude try and lift them up. Always have a growth mindset and visualize successfully.

What are your favorite places to ski in the states?

Telluride is really so beautiful, the Aspen Highlands, and then honestly, Winter Park. We get amazing snow and the top of the panoramic lift is an unbeatable view.

What are some of your top skiing destinations of the world?

There are so many places I hope to ski one day – Argentina, Chile, Italy, France and Zermatt, Switzerland.

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Sixteen year old Aaron Blunck has made a significant splash in the world half-pipe skiing this year.

to take a lot of time and effort on and off the slopes, whether that means I have to be in the gym for two hours a day or on the ski hill for seven hours a day.”

The Crested Butte native has three podium finishes, including a 1st at What was it like growing up in the Aspen Open, as well as a 7th Crested Butte? place at the X-Games. With his successes, Aaron has found himself traveling and competing around the “Growing up in Crested Butte has world, where he pursues his ultimate been the best thing in the world. I am so lucky and blessed to live in goal of attaining a spot on the such an awesome town. Everybody United States Olympic Team. We from Crested Butte is so supportive recently caught up with Aaron after of one another. We are like one big his Aspen Open victory. family. I could not imagine living anywhere else in the world.”

First off, congratulations on your success so far this season. How have things changed and what has How has training at the Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy the experience been like? progressed your skiing?

“Thank you. A lot of things have started to change, both in the way I “Training at Vail Ski and Snowboard ski and the way I look at myself as an Academy has helped me so much. athlete. I have goals that wont come It’s a world class facility. With the support from our school I am able easy. But the experience has been awesome. I have gotten to see new to travel and be gone for a couple weeks, then come back and be right cultures and eat a lot of different back on schedule. The teachers are foods. I have had days where I am on cloud nine, and days where I feel so supportive and help me whenever I need it, even at odd hours. Also the lower than low. You have to re-act is amazing. We train on and off the quickly.” mountain all year. I have learned so much from them.”

You’ve had two podium finishes that have counted towards What’s next for you this season?

Olympic qualifying. What’s it Are you going to find yourself going to take to get a spot for skiing this summer?

Sochi 2014.

“It is going to take a lot to make it but “I’m off to Europe for World Halfpipe Champs, European X Games, and with two podiums that go towards Junior Worlds. I will definitely be qualifying I have set my self up skiing this summer! I want to ski as pretty good so far. It will probably much as possible this summer, so take more but I am happy to have come next season I can pick up these two under my belt. It’s going where I leave off.”

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At Press: Aaron took 6th place at the 2013 Freestyle World Championships

Aaron Blunck Hometown: Crested Butte USOlympicHalfPipeHopeful

Aaron Blunk

Photo Credit: Cave Camara

In 2013 we had heard about a local Crested Butte Grom who was taking the Freestyle skiing world by storm. After our article Blunck competed in the men’s halfpipe event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He qualified for the final, where he placed seventh out of 12 competitors.

Blunck won the gold medal at the 2017 Winter X Games in Aspen in the men’s superpipe and is now heading to the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics. He and 30 other athletes from Colorado will be competing in this event. That is 12.8% of Team USA’s delegation.

Look for, and cheer on Aaron and the rest of these Colorado Olympians: Casey Andringa, Freestyle Skiing, Boulder

Arielle Gold, Snowboarding, Steamboat Springs

Ben Berend, Nordic Combined, Steamboat Springs

Jake Pates, Snowboarding, Eagle

David Chodounsky, Alpine Skiing, Crested Butte

Joanne Reid, Biathlon, Boulder

Chris Corning, Snowboarding, Silverthorne

Mikaela Shiffrin, Alpine Skiing, Eagle-Vail

Mick Dierdorff, Snowboarding, Steamboat Springs

Troy Terry, Ice Hockey, Highlands Ranch

Alex Ferreira, Freestyle Skiing, Aspen

Meghan Tierney, Snowboarding, Eagle

Bryan Fletcher, Nordic Combined, Steamboat Springs

Katie Uhlaender, Skeleton, Breckenridge

Taylor Fletcher, Nordic Combined, Steamboat Springs

Lindsey Vonn, Alpine Skiing, Vail

Red Gerard, Snowboarding, Silverthorne Lauren Gibbs, Bobsled, Denver

Nathan Weber, Bobsled, Pueblo West

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Jasper Good, Nordic Combined, Steamboat Springs Simi Hamilton, Cross Country Skiing, Aspen Nicole Hensley, Ice Hockey, Lakewood Noah Hoffman, Cross Country Skiing, Aspen Tess Johnson, Freestyle Skiing, Vail Hagen Kearney, Snowboarding, Norwood Gus Kenworthy, Freestyle Skiing, Telluride Wiley Maple, Alpine Skiing, Aspen Keaton McCargo, Freestyle Skiing, Telluride Alice McKennis, Alpine Skiing, New Castle

Torin Yater-Wallace, Freestyle Skiing, Basalt

Photo Credit: Dave Camara

Pine Needle Mountaineering 970-247-8730

www.pineneedle.com

835 Main Avenue Durango, CO

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MTN

real estate

Mountain Living Dreams Come True with New Builds and Remodels in Colorado Mountain Towns and Beyond New home construction permits are at an all time high in Summit County, especially in Breckenridge and Silverthorne. The reason is that many families and investors are choosing to design what they want, their dream home. They love the idea and are ready to walk into a fresh new build with all the latest features and design trends.

Time Management & Communication Planning The biggest thing to remember is that this process will take time. Always keep in mind that if someone tells you it will take x amount of days be prepared for the time 52

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H O ME 9 Easy Steps to Follow When Building Your Dream Home

By Dina Sanchez

frame to get delayed for a variety of reasons (weather, permits, shipping, labor are a few of the reasons). If it gets done earlier than anticipated you’ll be happy and not disappointed that your expectations were not met. This is a process that certain times things are just beyond your control.

If you get in a mindset that the completion date could be longer than first communicated then you will be better prepared for this journey.

To keep you better prepared you should set up a good communication schedule with all involved.

Communicate effectively and ask a lot of detailed questions with goals and dates, don’t assume anything. Set up in advance a

communication schedule that works for each tradesman, contractor, architect etc. That way everybody knows about updates on what is happening and what the game plan is to resolve any issues at hand.

Budget Know your numbers. Talk with an architect and or building contractor. As an example of one item that can take you off course is if your plans need to be approved by an HOA and your community planning department, you must consider that time in the process especially if they come back to you and tell you a revision in the design is required. To start, the land is the number one most important part of your new construction process,

and your HOA and governing docs will dictate how your project will proceed.

Location Where is the lot? How much sun exposure are you wanting? What kind of a setting is important to you? I want sun all day, while others want to be tucked in the woods. Is the lot upsloping, downsloping or is it relatively flat to build? That will determine pricing in the amount of land work you have to do and the home you will eventually have designed. If you are buying raw land with no home design attached to that purchase then it could take months to nail down the final design before anything has been done to the land. Work with a local REALTOR mtntow nm a ga zi ne.com | W I N T E R / S PR I NG 2 0 1 8

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who will listen to your needs and will help you find that perfect property.

Consult with Architects and Builders Talk to local professionals who understand the environment.

Look at their projects to see if their design style compliments yours. What you need is an Architect who will look at the lot and maximize the unique attributes of the property to design the home with features to maximize and enhance the views, sun exposure and lay of the land.

Creating the Home You Want to Live in How will you live in your space? Is this your full time residence and are you raising kids? Is this your mountain retreat, your secondary home? Is this a family legacy property where you will entertain and will have guests and family staying with you most of the time? If so, then you’ll want to plan ahead for those situations.

Budget Your overall purchase price will include the lot you buy and then the cost of building a home. When building your dream home you might get carried away with a new appliance options, smart home features and of course the overall design of the home. You should talk with a banker if you are seeking financing to find out what your max budget is. If you are not seeking financing then you need to set a realistic budget for your max overall spend. Keep in mind that landscaping and outdoor rooms are really popular and can add up quickly.

Furniture, Artwork and window coverings are items you should also put in the budget. Some items you may find a deal on, while others will end up costing more than you budgeted for.

Also, if you can, set some extra money aside as much as 20% if possible. That way if you decide to upgrade you have some wiggle room.

Contingency Plans Plan for mistakes. Not everything in life goes the way we want or expect it to, so being prepared for, and having the ability to adjust your expectations will help you enjoy the process and keep you stress free. You’ll see that it all works out in the end, and you’ll be happy you hired good experienced people who will make it right and stand behind their work.

Contractors / The building process Hiring a contractor that you feel comfortable talking with, as they will give you an anticipated timeline and comprehensive schedule. Understanding and communicating about the timeline will help you understand the process and have realistic expectations.

725 Ten Mile Drive (behind 7-11) Frisco, CO 80443 970-668-1000 Store www.morespaceplace.com www.ifurnish.com

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The Punch List A punch list is a list created at the end of construction that shows what needs to still be done or what needs to be repaired on the new construction. You and your contractor will create this list the week before closing when you go through your final walk through. You should be taking notes every time you visit your construction site or do a walk through.

Dina Sanchez is a local Realtor with Coldwell Banker Mountain Properties and long time local who is passionate about where she lives. She loves to help families become a part of our community and loves all things Home Design and Remodels.

In our 23 years in Grand County, we have built more than beautiful, custom homes.

We have built lasting relationships with our homeowners.

Together let’s make your dream home a reality.

WWW.CHILLCOOTS.COM

| 970.722.0108 | TRUST BUILT THROUGH TIME

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FA IR P L AY VA L I T ON HO T E L O N B U T O F F T H E B E AT E N PAT H

The South Park area of Colorado lies in the approximate geographic center of Colorado surrounded by the 14,000 ft. peaks of the Mosquito and Park Mountain Ranges. South Park may just be one of the best kept ‘secrets’ in Colorado.

In 2009, President Barack Obama signed a bill designating the South Park National Heritage area in recognition of the area’s natural resources and historic significance. With very low population density in the valley, space is ample with room to explore without crossing the paths of other visitors.

There is a rich mining history, gorgeous scenery, and endless year-round recreational opportunities. Downhill skiing and snowboarding is a quick and scenic 30-minute drive to Breckenridge, located on the other side of the Continental Divide over Hoosier Pass. A few other ventures include fishing in numerous gold medal rivers, hiking, Jeeping, and gold mining.

Along the Highway 285 corridor of South Park, about 90 miles south of Denver, lies the historic town of Fairplay, and the historic Fairplay-Valiton Hotel. The Fairplay-Valiton Hotel was designed and completed in 1922 in the popular Rustic style of the time, and sits on the site of the original Valiton Hotel initially built in the boom times of mining (1873), but it burned to the ground in 1921. The Older Valiton Hotel and the newer Fairplay-Valiton Hotel have a long history of local legend, hosting diverse events benefiting the community, and yes, the current hotel still has a few ghost stories which still linger. Stepping into the grand lobby of the hotel brings you back 150 years in time, with its creaky wooden floors and historic artifacts yet include all the modern conveniences needed for a comfortable stay.

The Fairplay-Valiton hotel is a popular destination for travelers touring through Colorado, as well as skiers, recreation enthusiasts and visitors looking to attend the many festivals and events that take place throughout the year, which include South Park Trail Half/Full Marathon, Festival in the Clouds music and arts fest and Burro Days...a festival and race event celebrating the role of the burro from the mining days, an example of how Colorado thrives on fun, quirky events.

The hotel boasts 20 guest rooms, a cozy restaurant, bar, and billiards table (the bar itself is from the neighboring town of Alma, and dates back to the late 1800’s). The location is a hot spot among locals and tourists alike. Guests enjoy a free continental breakfast daily. Each uniquely styled guest room, decorated with antiques, features satellite TV, free Wi-Fi access, and requisite mountain views. There are some great restaurants within walking distance as well as the new South Park Brewery, Maybe you would like to stay full time. The hotel and bar/restaurant was recently listed for sale and the current owner is looking for a qualified owner/operator who will help continue the rich tradition of the hotel for both locals and the community at large. ~Rick Eisenberg

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Discover a Legacy Mountain Home Where Breathtaking Views + Luxury Living = Endless Memories...

Imagine What You and Your Family Will Discover The Outlook on Discovery Hill coming Spring 2019

Great Vacation / Rental Property Income

Private Gondola Access

Are You Dreaming of a Colorado Home Uniquely Your Own?.

Mountain Habitat helps home buyers find the perfect location for their lifestyle pursuits and assists current property owners through the steps of preparing your home to be listed on the market.

Contact us to schedule a confidential consultation with longtime local and Breckenridge-based realtor, Dina Sanchez, Associate Broker for Coldwell Banker Mountain Properties.

Contact: Dina Sanchez (970) 390-2343 Info@MountainHabitat.com www.Mountain Habitat.CO

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art

Durango’s Studio & Turns Eight!

Photo Credit: Scott Griggs

by Joy Martin In downtown Durango, there’s a sunny space dedicated soulfully to creating art, elevating ideas and promoting progress.

With their 8th anniversary on the horizon in March 2018, Studio & (pronounced ‘Studio And’) is a thriving cooperative of inspired individuals determined to not only express themselves but also engage the community to dig art and support local artists.

With 11 galleries and a host of other creative endeavors buzzing around Southwest Colorado, Durango’s art scene is alive and well. But the part-studio/ part-gallery/part-brainstorm-arena at & offers a next-level opportunity for public interaction.

“When you enter the gallery, you will be meeting at least one of the artists who works there, and it’s likely you’ll catch them in a creative act,” says & artist, Elizabeth Kinahan.

Throughout the year, Studio & is open six days a week with a fresh show each month, including individual and group exhibits. They also collaborate with other pioneering organizations to showcase ‘challenge’ shows and live performances.

And, when the world gets crazy, Studio & becomes a sanctuary for folks to find haven, vent a little and maybe even create something beautiful from the frustration.

“Helping other artists get their work out there is one of the most rewarding aspects of being involved with the art community in Durango,” says Kinahan.

While Studio & is currently home to five artists on paper, the dream wouldn’t happen without dozens of other artists, art patrons, supporters and thinkers contributing to the hullabaloo. Studio &’s 58

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upcoming anniversary party on March 17 is meant to honor these allies.

“From day one, people blindly supported us,” says & artist, Tim Kapustka. Kapustka is the sole remaining founder of the Studio.

“The party is a big celebration of them.”

Over the years, the anniversary themes have been fanciful and wildly entertaining.

They’ve held spirited carnival games, allplaid parties, a tennis premise with rackets hanging from the ceiling so that you had to step around them, and even an event dedicated to potatoes, where some folks walked around all night with a fistful of mashers.

Whether you stumble into an opening show, live dance performance, juried exhibit or their annual raucous anniversary soiree, you’re guaranteed a good time with fascinating people and, of course, delicious wine. Everyone’s stoked because it all adds up to Studio &’s vision: supporting local artists.

“Supporting the artists isn’t the same as supporting the arts,” suggests Kapustka.

“Supporting the artists is like supporting the starting line; it’s a long term way to support the arts.”

In order to make Durango a place where artists can live, create and thrive, Kapustka says to start with something as simple as taking your family to “go and look at art” or telling other people to go look at art.

Spread the word about art or artists you like on social media, or go old-school by putting the artist’s sticker on the chairlift.

“The more people that know about artists, the better it is for the artists,” says Kapustka.

Kinahan adds that folks willing to pay a slightly higher price for a handmade

work of art directly from the artist are not only supporting the artists but small businesses. The more we shop at local,

Photo Credit: Scott Griggs

independent businesses, the more money stays in our mountain-town economies. Mountain-town dwellers sacrifice making money over quality of life, so it’s imperative to keep as much money as possible cycling through these isolated communities. But first, to make money, we have to get creative.

“Individuals have to get creative [to live here], excelling in some particular niche and making a living from it,” says Kinahan.

“When I think about the artists of this community, I include not just visual or performing artists, but the cooks, bakers, tailors and other entrepreneurs who simply have to get creative to sustain their residence in a charming mountain town.”

“We’re not getting rich in boats,” laughs Kapustka. “I have zero boats. But we’re rich in satisfaction.”

For more on Studio &, checkout anddurango.com, or stop by the gallery next time you’re in Durango (1027 Main Ave). And put March 17 on your calendar for Studio &’s 8th Anniversary Party. Leprechauns and Irish Carbombs potentially included.

WHERE ART MEETS ADVENTURE

FIND MORE INFORMATION AT SILVERTHORNE.ORG | (970)-262-7370 @SILVERTHORNECO

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Silverthorne

nightlife

Photo Credits: Schmiggity’s

THE HISTORIC BROWN

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Tucked away in an unassuming historic Victorian home you will find the newly refurbished Historic Brown & Fox’s Den Bar and Venue. Even the most avid historians cannot decipher just when “The Brown” was built, although its place in the history of Breckenridge is quite significant. It was built in the 1860’s as a private residence, operated as a school and later as a hotel by its namesake Tom and Maude Brown.

In 1985 Michael Cavanaugh, took ownership and served fine dining style food to locals and skiers. In 2009, he changed it to a locals favorite watering hole. Today, The Historic Brown has transformed into a bona fide music venue where live music can be found almost nightly. There is no one genre of music playing here.

Their lineup includes everything from disco to reggae, hard rock, blues & ska. Local acts, national acts, they all line their docket of musical performances.

Like their musical line-up, the Historic Brown is pretty unique. As you step through their front door you are transported in time. Follow the long narrow hallway and it brings you out into an open bar area and if you turn right you will find yourself in a classic Victorian Era parlor. There are game areas on the left side of the entrance hallway where many a tournament have been played. As you continue beyond the bar you will end up above the Fox’s Den performing area. This is the modernized addition to the structure. Once an old stable, this space was renovated and now is a two-story space with a balcony that looks down to the stage below. The lower level also houses a recording studio and another bar.

This place jams so if its too tight down below you can watch the performance on TVs on the main level. Oh, and why is it called the Fox’s Den... well because fox’s used to make the stables their home.

206 N. Ridge Street, Breckenridge www.historicbrown.com

Exhibition: NOISE | On view through Feb 25

Sonic Lodge | Jan 27

BREW: Ideas + Creation Lab | Jan 18, Apr 19

MakeShift | Feb 8, Mar 15, Apr 10

Int’l Snow Sculpture Championships | Jan 22–29

Secret Love Collective: Open Art | Mar 7–28

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. breckcreate.org

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A Higher Union

mountain top matrimony

Take your love higher and get married winter, spring, summer or fall at one of these high altitude Colorado mountain town locations Loveland Ski Area: 12,050 feet

The 27th Annual Valentine’s Day Mountaintop Matrimony ceremony and reception is a Loveland tradition where new couples are joined in matrimony and married couples renew their vows in a mass wedding at The Ptarmigan Roost Cabin, elevation 12,050 feet, located at the top of the Ptarmigan Lift. The Honeymooner’s Apres Party for all participants and their guests follows the ceremony at Loveland’s Basin featuring music, wedding cake, spirits and even a best-dressed contest.

Participating couples must pre-register online in order to receive the Marry Me Ski for Free 2-for-1 lift ticket special.

Tempter House, Telluride Ski Resort: 12,000 feet

Perched atop a ridge in one of the most spectacular settings in the Rocky Mountains, Telluride Ski Resort’s Tempter House is one of the most unique and highestelevation homes in North America. Located adjacent to the famous Gold Hill, the home overlooks Telluride Ski & Golf Resort and the dramatic 2,000 vertical foot Tempter Chute.

Amenities include steam shower, jacuzzi tub, pool table, Sub Zero appliances, ski-in/ski-out accommodations, log fireplaces, feathered beds, the finest linens and spectacular views from all rooms.

Game Creek Chalet, Vail: 10,500 feet

Nestled in the glades of the Game Creek Bowl atop Vail Mountain, this impressive offsite residence combines the peacefulness of complete seclusion with the usual comforts found onsite at a luxury resort. Located 2,000feet above Vail Village, the four-bedroom, five-bathroom residence boasts stunning mountain scenery, gourmet kitchen (with a private chef for an additional charge), an outdoor hot tub and ski-in, ski-out access.

Tennessee Pass Sleep Yurts: 10,423 feet

Just nine miles north of Leadville, the highest incorporated city in North America, is The Tennessee Pass Nordic Center, Cookhouse, and Sleep Yurts that offer a unique romantic experience. A mile-long ski, snowshoe or hike under the stars leads to a warm yurt and a four-course candlelight dinner followed by a night’s sleep in off-the-grid sleeping yurts with soapstone woodstoves, handcrafted log beds and down comforters.

The Lodge at Breckenridge, Breckenridge: 10,200 feet

Nestled on a forested cliff, the Lodge at Breckenridge is a newly renovated 45-room lodge that offers rustic Colorado charm with spectacular million-dollar views of Boreas Pass, Breckenridge Ski Resort and the Tenmile Range. The lodge is located only 5 miles from historic downtown Breckenridge.

In addition to the Lodge guest rooms, they also offer 2 spacious and cozy private luxury homes for rent.

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Trapper’s Cabin, Beaver Creek: 9,500 feet

Trapper’s Cabin is Beaver Creek’s ultra-luxurious, private, on-mountain lodge accessed by snowcat in winter, and by 4x4 Jeep in summer. It’s a seamless lodging experience that offers couples the opportunity to stay at the true height of luxury. The property offers modern amenities, warm pine tones and open-beam ceilings, a floor-to-celling granite fireplace and oversized windows to the alluring scenery in a mountain-paradise setting

Strawberry Park Hot Springs, Steamboat: 7,000 feet

Couples can stay the night in a rustic cabin, repurposed train caboose, or a covered sheep herders wagon after a day spent in the varied temperature rock pools heated by the hot spring located on the mountainside above. Guest can indulge in a couples massage or Watsu next to the Hot Springs Creek or take a short drive to downtown Steamboat Springs for romantic dining options in the comfort of a cozy mountain town.

The Little Nell, Aspen: 7,808 feet

The Little Nell, Aspen’s only Five-Star, Five-Diamond, skiin/ski-out hotel offers couples an unparalleled romantic getaway. Upon arrival to the newly renovated guest room or suite, the couple is pampered with a welcome amenity. Couples can indulge in a cocktail made from the top-shelf liquor and martini shaker in the in-room wet bar, a long bubble bath in the sunken tub or a dip in the heated outdoor pool or Jacuzzi under the stars with champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries.

Vista Verde Guest Ranch, Clark: 7,752 feet

Vista Verde Guest Ranch’s doting staff, “ranchy yet fancy” cuisine and customized excursions create a romantic winter ranch stay. Situated in the Routt National Forest, Vista Verde’s three- to seven-night, all-inclusive vacations include lodging, meals and activities such as sleigh rides, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snow biking, horseback riding, dog sledding, wine tasting and cooking classes. Ranch guests can make the 45-minute trek to Steamboat Ski Resort or relax from a private outdoor hot tub.

Strater Hotel, Durango: 6,512 feet

An 1887 confection of white cornices, native red bricks and Gold Rush-era tales, the Strater Hotel in Durango is a romantic place to step back in time. Today, hand-painted wallpapers, velvet draperies and ornate stained glass recreate the original Victorian atmosphere, and a fun night in the ragtime Diamond Belle Saloon shows couples why Western novelist Louis L’Amour always requested the room right above it. ~LOVE.

The Telluride AIDS Benefit fights HIV/AIDS by raising awareness and generating financial support for prevention programs and client care. Visit aidsbenefit.org to learn more.

Dine Local

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cocktails

BONFIRE BREWING

by Pepper Hamilton

You can dance around it and urge the snow gods to let it snow and you can drink it...and still urge the snow gods to let it to snow. Bonfire Brewing has been crafting delicious brews since 2010 in Eagle Colorado. Like a lot of great beer stories, Bonfire Brewing started with a homebrew kit and from there was taken to the garage. When evil forces of money began to influence their lives, they looked upon their little hobby as one potential way to pay their rent. Today, Bonfire is steered by Andy and his wife Amanda Jessen as they continue on their path of sustainable growth.

They opened their doors at 127 West 2nd Street in Eagle Colorado with three beers on tap: Two Hands Wheat, Demshitz Brown, and Firestarter IPA. They continually added “fuel to their fire” with the slow but sure accumulation of equipment and individual beer creations. Fast forward to 2018 and they now have both the Taproom at the 2nd Street location and a Production Facility across the river in Eagle where their Kindler Pale Ale, Firestarter IPA, Demshitz Brown Ale and Brush Creek Blonde Ale are produced, canned and shipped throughout the state.

Craft enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers gather around apres activities at Bonfire Brewing in Eagle, Colorado, where the beers are driven by quality, curiosity, and community. It helps that there’s an epic bonfire in the center of notably Vail Valley’s best patios at the brewery’s 2nd Street location. Bonfire is committed to the community and from what we have seen the community is committed to them. Every time we have walked 66

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into the taproom it has been filled with local folks and their dogs.

Most impressive is the amount of beer available on tap, there are 20 different possibilities to explore that will please every palate.

There is no food, but popcorn galore is available to munch upon and you can step next door and grab at some appetizers, snacks and pizza at Pickups Pizza to bring back over. Even better was the opportunity to take a few cans home with us.

Not only do they have great beer but they have a great commitment to community. In 2017 Bonfire contributed more than $55,000 to philanthropic efforts. $23,000 in cash sponsorships helped fund local music, club hockey and rec sports. An additional $20,000 in product and swag were also donated. Bonfire recently signed on to 1% for Land and Rivers where one percent of all to-go beer and merchandise sales at the taproom goes directly to the Eagle Valley Land Trust and the Eagle Valley Watershed Council.

Last year, Bonfire Brewing hosted its largest Block Party yet.

Seven thousand attendees drank 156 kegs of Bonfire beer. This event raised $4000 for Cycle Effect. The 9th annual Man of the Cliff marked the annual burly lumberjack competitions, beards, and brews in September. This event raised $8000 for First Descents.

Bonfires usually involve a gathering of people and Bonfire Brewing is an expert at bringing their community together and keeping them stoked. www.bonfirebrewing.com

steamboat dining

cocktail bar: Wed - Sat | 2pm - 10pm tasting room & Gift shop: Wed - Sat |11am - 6pm kitchen: Wed - Sat | 4pm - 9pm happy hour specials | 5-6pm: $2 off Shared Plates | $5 Cup of Chili | 1/2 Price Beer & Wine $5 Ski Town Mules | $6 War Horse Whiskey Mules 55 11th STREET | STEAMBOATWHISKEYCO.COM

Come Explore With Us! 2018 Winter Programs Tuesdays & Thursdays Ski With A Naturalist Mt. Werner 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Free Fridays Uranium Mine Snowshoe Fish Creek Falls 10 am - 1 pm Registration Req. - Free Saturdays Emerald Mtn Snowshoe Howelsen Hill 10 am - Noon Registration Req. - $20

Back Country Film Festival February 17 - 7 pm Chief Theater $20 pp Snowshoe Through History February 27 - 4:30 pm Legacy Ranch - FREE Registration Req. Moonlight Snowshoe Tour Emerald Mountain March 1 - 5:30 pm Registration Req. - $20 Snow Science Overnight Yurt Trip to Pearl Lake March 4 - 5 - $125 pp

For more information visit www.Yampatika.org or call (970)871-9151

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off the beaten path

Sharon’s Steamboat Spring has a bevy of breakfast options available but if your up for driving 5 minutes west past downtown Steamboat then your in for a treat.

Sharon’s restaurant is an off the beaten path gem serving breakfast and lunch/brunch. Made to order omelettes, plate sized blueberry pancakes, BACON ROSES…yes bacon roses, biscuits and gravy as well as lunch entrees are all served up like you are a personal friend. Both Breakfast and lunch are offered from 6am to 2pm at her location 2851 Riverside Plaza off of Lincoln Avenue. (970) 761-2467 Check their site on Facebook- Sharon’s.

The Hangar & BreckFast On your way in to Breckenridge to ski? Looking for Breakfast, maybe a quick grab and go? The Hangar and BreckFast (both sharing the same space) have grab and go or sit down Breakfast entrees, coffee and more to get your day started. Breakfast ends at 11:30am and Lunch starts up at 12pm when the space is officially The Hangar. Burgers, Philly Cheese Steaks and great Sandwiches grace the menu and are served with a heaping of freshly made french fries. A full bar is available and they serve until 9pm. These guys are proud of their place and the food reflects it. 1900 Airport Rd, Breckenridge, Colorado (970) 453-1475

The Gas Cafe One Stop Get fueled up in Crested Butte with some amazingly delicious breakfast and lunch selections from a long list of Breakfast Items, Cold Sandwiches, Hot Sandwiches and Fried Foods. Belly up to counter to place your order or call in and have it waiting and ready when you need it. For breakfast grab a hot locally roasted coffee, a McStop Egg Sandwich, a Hashbrown or French Toast Stix and your on way to a good day. Come back for lunch, you can’t beat the Hot Sammies and Burgers. 602 Butte Ave, Crested Butte, (970) 349-9656. Order online to gascafe1stop.com

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VOTED STEAKHOUSE IN

Durango (970) 247-5707 OpEn 5Pm DaIlY

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Truffles ~ Bean to Bar ~ Caramels Hot Chocolate ~ Fudge ~ Espresso ~ Local Gifts

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Lose your soul to chocolate...

920 MAIN AVE. | Durango, colorado | 970.317.5761

www.local-first.org

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eat

K ennebec Cafe Gold in La Plata Canyon

by Joy Martin

Just when you think you’re driving off into the sunset and all of Southwest Colorado’s fine dining options are in the rearview mirror, you pass an unassuming cafe at the turnoff for La Plata Canyon 20 miles west of Durango.

It looks extra cozy with that dramatic backdrop of tiny farms and majestic mountains framing the horizon.

Could the food be any good, you wonder?

The answer is a resounding cavolo, si! Do not let the casual veneer fool you, for inside elegance awaits and flavors that’ll knock your socks off. Chefs and owners, Barbara Helmer and Miguel Carrillo, and their warm, welcoming staff take great pride in making sure every detail of this inconspicuous gem will put a smile on your face and make you feel right at home.

Settle into this European-style cafe and order a cocktail (Kennebec Gold Margarita, anyone?) while you drool over the fabulous menu options. Dinners feature soul-warming dishes, like Beef Bourguignon and Chicken Pot Pie. Seared Sea Scallops or lip-smacking Lamb Chops Scottadito will leave you wondering if you made the right choice. But, at the Kennebec, top-quality meats, savory vegetarian selections and house-made 70

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pastas ensure that any choice is going to leave you feeling positively satiated.

Of course you should save room for dessert, considering Barbara’s put some extra love into each of her signature desserts. From Tiramisu to Sour Cream Apple Pie and a boozy, sinful cheesecake loaded with Bailey’s Irish Cream, you’ll be daydreaming about how much real estate costs up-canyon so you can move closer to these decadent treats.

On the weekends, don’t miss brunch. Steaming cups of coffee or fancy cappuccinos get the meal started right, or, if you’re feeling crazy, savor a house-made Bloody Mary or Mimosa. Make it easy on your party and order Brioche French Toast for the table while you consider one of the Kennebec’s prized breakfasts of Kennie-Bennies or Huevos Kennebec.

After this pure indulgence, you might not want to drive a mile farther. No problem! Take advantage of Casa Miccola, the Kennebec’s new Airbnb apartment. As well, the Kennebec caters parties and weddings, so feel free to reach out for more information at kennebeccafe.com or by calling 970.247.5674. Located at 4 County Road 124 in Hesperus, Colorado. Closed on Mondays. Bon appetit!

frisco dining

get working

get connected

get together

Homemade Organic Euro-American Fine Dining Happy Hour & Dinner 310 Main Street, Frisco (970)668-0340

www.VinnysFriscoRestaurant.com

From the creators of the Boatyard Grill The Uptown on Main is Now Open Same Great Menu Hip Modern Atmosphere Come in for Lunch, Happy Hour or Dinner 7 Days a Week.

311 W MAIN STREET . FRISCO 970-668-1728 | theuptownfrisco.com

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Grit, vision and passion defined the journey that transformed a historical Leadville building into the divinelyscrumptious Treeline Kitchen, a contemporary eatery that the town totally deserves.Opening its doors in the summer of 2017, this new option for eating, drinking, and getting lost in 14,000foot mountain-top views, is raising the bar for gathering, celebrating food, and fellowship.

Eric Wupperman and his wife, Christine Street, spent years commuting to the Vail Valley while working at and for different food establishments. Luckily for Leadville residents, tourists, and food enthusiasts, this power couple decided to create their dream kitchen on Main Street, Leadville. Over 25 years of experience are combined to create a new and exciting option for the area. Relying heavily on experience and affection for delicious dishes, Wupperman brings skills from cooking in New York, London, Barbados, Maine, and even on a lobster boat. With the confidence of understanding what is craved and needed in the community, Treeline Kitchen was born, and, with the confirmation that this is where they wanted to live, work, and raise their family, the two entrepreneurs began with the goal of embracing both the history and ever-evolving presence of growth in the small, mountain town. According 72

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to Wupperman, the goal of the space was to “harness the history while making something new.” As you walk into Treeline Kitchen, you can see the mixture of worlds – some historical concepts kept, some refinished, and some brand-new. A 100-year-old tongue-and-groove bar is contrasted with shiny new metal, and century-old boards can be found on the walls with an assortment of plants growing out of them: the historical-Leadville and the evolving-Leadville intertwined in perfect harmony.

When a talented chef gets his own show, it can be exciting to see what arrives. Wupperman’s revolving menu stems from his passion for staying a step ahead of what people crave. Caribbean Pork and Beans, Beef Stroganoff, and Cast Iron Cornbread dwell on the menu right next to Tuna Tartare, Lobster Artichoke Pasta, and Vegetable Curry. With an a la carte feel to the menu, diners can recreate a classic comfort food meal with chosen plates such as the Bistro Streak, Fried Chicken, and sides like Baked Mac and Cheese, Creamed Spinach Greens, and Red Cabbage Slaw. Interesting and individualized combinations are at your fingertips, and the menu offers vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.

As much as they are able, Wupperman and Street

Treeline Kitchen Leadville

by Anna Sitton

incorporate organic and local produce, and they aspire to build their ever-changing menu around available native items. The Treeline menu is printed in-house, which allows for constant revision and specials offerings. By taking casual dining up a notch and adding unique twists, Treeline Kitchen is offering an experience that is filling a niche for the hungry locals and visitors of Leadville and surrounding areas.

The level of ingenuity is not limited to the food menu. Street and Wupperman are passionate about using local favorites for their cocktail menu. Their $7 craft cocktail menu uses 10th Mountain Whiskey and Spirit Company and Deerhammer Distillery spirits, to name a few, and you will find a wide array of tap and bottled beer options from your favorite Colorado breweries and beyond. Combined with an extensive wine list, there is something for everyone to sip on from the room with a view. Being that it’s cold 10 months of the year at 10,000 feet, they offer a fantastic hot drink line-up, including the “Crack of Noon Club” hot toddy, a reference of a necessity to Street and Wupperman when they tried to take all three of their kids skiing.

Both Wupperman and Street acknowledge that they wouldn’t be where they are today without the support of an

amazing and professional staff. A building full of a familial spirit and the nicknames of “mom and dad” fondly give the restaurant a warm and comforting feel. Street acknowledges that it’s the local community that keeps them going. Backed by such powerful encouragement, we can look forward to many years and many delicious meals from this duo and their staff.

Between the views from the rooftop patio, the food menu that can take you on an international journey or back to your Grandma’s kitchen, and drink options for every palate, this new stop in Leadville is not to be missed. Wupperman and Street have created a hot spot in the neighborhood: unpretentious, delicious, and welcoming. Check out their website for current specials and events. From enjoying live music 2-3 times a week, indulging in monthly themed dinners, and taking the family to a monthly community movie night, there is no excuse for not living the good life when the days are short and dark.

Treeline Kitchen, located at 615 Harrison Avenue, is open daily starting at 3:30. Happy Hour specials boast $2.00 off all bar drinks 7 days a week from 3:30-5:30. Parties of 8 more are asked to call ahead or reserve online at www.treelinekitchen.com.

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AURUM Food & Wine

Steamboat Springs

by Pepper Hamilton

There is a lovely spot in Steamboat Springs where you may want to linger for awhile and enjoy the view as well as this restaurant’s relaxing ambiance.

Aurum Food & Wine located along the banks of the Yampa River on Yampa Street in Steamboat Springs is a class act with exceptional service and delicious menu selections.

There is a feeling of elegance mixed into the contemporary design of the restaurant that is enhanced by the friendly, experienced service staff.

If you start with Happy Hour the bar area has a great seating area with a fireplace as the focal point. Outside there’s inviting alfresco seating with a large fire ring that you may want to enjoy no matter what time of year it is.

The dining room is a treat with views of the Yampa River flowing by as well as views of Howelsen Hill Ski area that is lit up each night in the winter.

The menu is just as inviting as the establishment’s atmosphere. All of their appetizers are familiar with items like Nachos, Pork Ribs, Beef Burgers but are prepared with flair. I love their Latin Street Tacos with slow-cooked pork carnitas, scallions, cilantro and crema. Their Crispy Curried Cauliflower is another treat. The Dining Room Dinner Menu is an exploration of Buffalo, Duck, Salmon, Striped Bass and Lamb along with Salads and Small Plate selections, each prepared to perfection.

I had the honor of meeting Aurum’s owner Phillips Armstrong where we shared the delight of great dining experiences. Phillips is a lifetime restaurant professional who’s secured his first restaurant position as a dishwasher when he was 13. Although he headed off to college and studied Special Education the restaurant scene called him back. He has worked

in every corner of the resort market from St. John to Telluride, Vail and here in Steamboat. He loved his role in the dining room and is relentlessly committed to hospitality and obsessed with service. He believes that serving experiences is the key to success in the restaurant industry.

He and I agreed that well-prepared food is key but how a place makes you feel is king. In addition to Aurum, he also owns Table 79 in Steamboat and will be opening a second Aurum in Breckenridge this spring. These are very exciting times for Phillips and his staff.

Make a reservation, we highly recommend a visit when you are in Steamboat Springs.

In Steamboat Springs: 811 Yampa Street (970) 879-9500 www.aurumsteamboat.com *Coming to Breckenridge Late Spring 2018

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breckenridge dining ROCKY MOUNTAIN EVENTS

Breck’s Best Deck!

July 28, 2018 •

Stop by and enjoy lunch on our deck over looking the Maggie Pond this summer. With 12 beers on tap, a menu featuring contemperary American dishes and friendly service, it’s the perfect place to relax at the end of a long summer day!

Located in the Main Street Staaon, overlooking the Maggie Pond

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The Best Italian Food in Breck!

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If you’re in Silverthorne, try our sister restaurant:

NEW AMERICAN CUISINE. CRAFTED COCKTAILS.

STRAY FROM THE NORM Visit breckenridgedistillery.com/restaurant to make a reservation.

Free shuttle service is available from our downtown tasting room to the restaurant + Distillery.

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970-547-5959 | www.SauceOnTheMaggie.com 655 S. Park Ave., Breckenridge, CO 80424 (In the Village at Breckenridge on South Park Ave, across from F lot)

AT BRECKENRIDGE DISTILLERY

©2018 Breckenridge Distillery Restaurant, Breckenridge, Colorado.

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1925 Airport Road | (970) 771-3251

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August 25, 2018

970-547-5969 | quandarygrille.com | 505 S. Main St., Breckenridge

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breckenridge dining

Wine & Dine Treat yourself to our Colorado eclectic menu paired with a delicious glass of wine or hand-crafted cocktail.

Come Back for Seconds Satisfy your hunger & indulge in an all-you-can-eat, full-course lunch from our gourmet buffet bar.

Located Slopeside Peak 9 at Beaver Run Resort 620 Village Road, Breckenridge For reservations call 970.453.8755.

www.BeaverRun.com

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LA FRANCAISE FRENCH BAKERY B R E C K E N R I D G E

BY K ARLEE ROTOLY

Crunchy crusted baguettes, melt in your mouth brioche, sweet and airy whipped creams; savory or sweet, La Francaise, will deliver with decadence. This hidden gem, tucked away on the South end of Main Street in Breckenridge is serving up an array of delicious classics.

Upon entering the bakery you are greeted with the warm familiar aroma of buttery baked goods. Second to welcome patrons in is the glistening glass display case showcasing the impressive skill of head baker, Roy Smith. Roy is a classically trained French baker who works overnight to ensure that every day only the freshest product is available for purchase.

Lisa Velte, has owned the business for the past seven years, however, La Francaise has been a staple in Breckenridge for more than fourteen years. A self proclaimed “corporate America escapee”, Lisa moved up to the mountains to enjoy the lifestyle and says she really enjoys the freedoms that owning this bustling little bakery has allowed her.

When asked what menu item was a real stand-out, without hesitation Lisa said the almond croissant. A labor of love, this French staple, takes three full days to make and is filled with homemade almond paste and topped with toasted slivered almonds. With a crunchy, flakey outside, melt in your mouth, buttery inside and a robust almond flavor this is a delight for the tastebuds.

Alongside the sweets there is an impressive menu perfect to be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Paninis, baguette sandwiches quiches and crepes make up this menu and are not to be missed! La Classic Brie crepe, ham, brie and tomato, was served hot off the grill with a golden toasted outside and a warm gooey center. The buckwheat flour used for the crepe provides an earthy flavor with a light airy texture. The smokey ham and rich creamy brie are perfectly cut by the fresh, cool contrast of the tomato. Simply fantastic.

Let’s not forget their liquid menu, complete with espresso drinks, freshly brewed coffee, hot chocolates and overthe-top smoothies or frappes adorned with any of their six flavors of homemade whipped creams.

Whether you’re just looking for a perfect cappuccino, indulgent treat or a satisfying meal, La Francaise is a definite must try for locals and visitors alike.

La Francaise Frech Bakery 411 S Main St Breckenridge (970) 547-7173

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Dine Local Directory ASPEN

Mawa’s Kitchen 305 Aspen Airport Business Center #F Aspen, CO (970) 710-7096 mawaskitchen.com

BRECKENRIDGE

B reckenridge Distillery 1925 Airport Road Breckenridge, CO (970) 925-9788 breckenridgedistillery.com

Briar Rose 199 Lincoln Avenue Breckenridge, CO (970) 925-9788 briarrosechophouse.com

Fatty’s Pizzeria 106 South Ridge Street Breckenridge, CO (970) 453-9802 fattyspizzeria.com

Goldenhorseshoe Tour Co. Breckenridge, CO (970) 453-2005 coloradosleighrides.com

The Mug Shot Cafe 435 North Park Avenue Breckenridge, CO (970)423-8821

Park & Main La Cima Mall 500 South Main Street Breckenridge, CO (970)453-9343 parkandmainfood.com

Quandry Grille Main Street Station 505 South Main Street Breckenridge, CO (970) 547-5969 quandrygrille.com

Sauce on the Maggie Village at Breckenridge 655 South Park Avenue Breckenridge, CO (970) 547-5959 sauceontheblue.com

Spencer’s Peak 9 at Beaver Run Resort Breckenridge, CO (970) 453-6000 beaverrun.com

CRESTED BUTTE

Montanya Distillers 212 Elk Avenue Crested Butte, CO (970) 799-3206 montanyarum.com

Dogwood Cocktail Cabin 309 3rd Street Crested Butte, CO (970) 453-9802 thedogwoodcb.com

DURANGO

Animas Chocolate Company 920 Main Avenue Durango, CO (970) 317-5761 animaschocolatecompany.com

Cyprus Cafe 725 East Second Avenue Durango, CO (970) 385-6884 cypruscafe.com

Eno Cocktail Lounge & Wine Bar 723 East Second Avenue Durango, CO (970) 385-0105 enodurango.com

Ore House 147 East College Drive Durango, CO (970) 247-5707 orehousedurango.com

Eat Local Durango, CO local-first.org

FRISCO

Kemosabe Sushi 605 Main Street Frisco, CO (970) 668-2100 kemosabesushi.com

Silverheels Bar & Grill 601 Main Street Frisco, CO (970)668-0345 silverheelsrestaurant.com

The Uptown on Main 304 Main Street Frisco, CO (970) 668-4728 theuptownfrisco.com

GEORGETOWN

The Alpine 1106 Rose Street Georgetown, CO (303) 569-0200 alpinerestaurantgeorgetown. com

Cake 710 6th Street Georgetown, CO (303) 569-5043 georgetowncake.com

SILVERTHORNE

Sauce on the Maggie 358 Blue River Parkway Silverthorne, CO (970) 468-7488 sauceontheblue.com

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS

Aurum 811 Yampa Street Steamboat Springs, CO (970) 879-9500 aurumsteamboat.com

Sharon’s 2851 Riverside Plaza Steamboat Springs, CO (970) 761-2467

Steamboat Whiskey Company 55 11th Street Steamboat Springs, CO (970) 761-2467 steamboatwhiskeyco.com Table 78 811 Yampa Street Steamboat Springs,CO (970) 879-9500 aurumsteamboat.com

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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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P INK VA IL Love skiing? Hate cancer? This is a Colorado mountain town highlight of the winter season and an impressive event on top of it all - literally! Everyone dresses up (mostly in Pink, but many other cancer-related colors too), snaps on their skis and snowboards and head out for a ton of fun raising money to conquer cancer on Vail Mountain. Pink Vail proceeds benefit all patients at Shaw Regional Cancer Center through improvements to patient care and by funding their Spirit of Survival program. This program provides all patients the opportunity to receive free exercise training, nutrition coaching, emotional support, massages, acupuncture, outdoor adventures and much more. These unique services can dramatically impact a patient’s quality of life but are not typically covered by insurance. Get involved for the biggest ski day to assist in conquering cancer on March 24th, 2018. www.pinkvail.com

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GO Guide Events

GET FAT & GO!

Fat Bikes are becoming fixtures on groomed multi-use trails throughout Colorado, and many Nordic centers and ski resorts are now allowing them on their trails.

With fatter tires and handlebars and not-kidding-around treads, these new bikes aren’t speedy, but they can go just about anywhere, f loating on the snow and giving people of all skill levels a new mode of exploration. Many ski areas offer lessons with staff instructors; the bikes’ threepoint stance and low center of gravity make it an easy activity to pick up.

Some areas are even hosting competitive races — Como puts on the annual 20-mile Abominable Winter Fat Bike Race; Crested Butte, always ready to adopt biking innovations, is home to the Alley Loop Fat Bike Race and Fat Bike World Championship; Sunlight Mountain Resort in Glenwood Springs and Copper Mountain both host races and rides guided by moon and bike lights; the Cloud City Wheelers bicycling club in Leadville coordinates its Winter Mountain Bike Race Series throughout the snowy season; and the 10-hour Silverton Whiteout race debuted in 2015.

Check out the Nordic Inn in Crested Butte for their great Fat Bike & Lodging Packages. They are located close to Crested Butte Mountain Resort and trails. Use the promocode FATBIKE which includes a free fat bike rental with a two-day stay.

Spagetti For Wishes Sundays Sunlight Mountain Resort The Mini Mayor officials at Sunlight Mountain Resort announced that the ski area will now serve full plates of spaghetti on Sundays with 10 percent of proceeds to be donated to the Make-a-Wish Foundation of America. The move comes after five-year-old Colby Rogers, currently serving as Sunlight Mini-Mayor, issued an executive order calling for spaghetti to be added to Sunlight’s menu.

At Rogers’ request, Sunlight will donate 10 percent of all spaghetti sales to Make-a-Wish, a non-profit organization that seeks to grant the wishes of children diagnosed with critical illnesses. Through the work of tens of thousands of volunteers, donors, and supporters, a wish is granted to children in the U.S. every 34 minutes on average, according to the organization.

To help raise awareness for Spaghetti Sundays, Sunlight officials said they will paint one chair on the ski area’s Tercero lift pink, a move that also came at the request of Mini- Mayor Rogers.

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BR E W S K I Frisco FCopper E EMountain L G O O D F R ID AY S Ski or ride for a good cause! Feel Good Fridays is a collaboration between Powdr, the High Fives Foundation and local non-profits including Adaptive Action Sports to raise money and awareness for organizations involved in the winter sports community.

On Feb. 23, March 2 and April 13, $5 of each lift ticket purchased will benefit High Fives as well as Adaptive Action Sports, an organization based right here at Copper.

February and March events are $85 for lift tickets are April’s event is just $78. These tickets must be purchased online in advance, no window sales allowed. Purchase now: the day will also include a special happy hour and giveaways right in Burning Stones Plaza, Center Village!

Once you’re done on the hill for the day, join AAS and High Fives for a special happy hour at Ten Mile Tavern and receive $1 off all draft beer and cocktails!

The 3rd Annual Frisco BrewSki is a happy hour ski tour at the Frisco Adventure Park and Frisco Nordic Center March 10th from 2:00pm5:00pm. This family-friendly event is for all ski abilities and ages, and costumes are encouraged (maybe even a little bit required). The skiing portion of the event will start at the Frisco Adventure Park Day Lodge and head onto the groomed and scenic terrain at the Frisco Nordic Center. The after-party at the Frisco Adventure Park Day Lodge will wrap up the skiing portion of the event with prizes and refreshments.

This is not a race, but instead, it is a chance to form a team with friends and family, dress up in costumes and enjoy a fun ski tour through the woods with an occasional stop for beverages and snacks. There will be no professional timing and prizes will be for best costume, toughest costume to ski in and more.

MOUN TA IN P R IDE F E S T I VA L S Telluride Gay Ski Week

Breck Pride

Telluride Gay Ski Week is a community event where the LGBT community, Town of Telluride and Mountain Village come together for some fun in the mountains. Telluride Gay Ski Week was founded in 2002. Since then, it has been a week to look forward to, for participants and locals alike with a fun opening-day party, daily après ski, pool parties, late-night lounge happenings, including the signature White Party and much more. Historically, Telluride Gay Ski Week has coincided with Telluride Aids Benefit fashion show gala, an event run by TAB who are “dedicated to fighting HIV/ AIDS by raising awareness and generating financial support for prevention programs and client care.” www.telluridegayski.com

Get up to Breckenridge for Breck Pride March 7th through the 11th.

They’re celebrating in the amazing snowy, sun-soaked historic town of Breckenridge, Colorado! Join in on the fun whether you’re a skier or a boarder or just want to be a part of the early spring celebrations. Great lodging deals abound, Live events, reception, and a dance party, plus daily après meetups. From ski & board lessons to tours, shopping, dancing, dining and more Breckenridge is United with Pride. www.breckpride.com

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events calendar WINTER / SPRING 2018 January

January 19 – 21, 2018 GO SkiMo Series, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

January 20, 2018 International Women’s Ski Day, Telluride

January 15, 2018 Bud Light Cowboy Downhill, Steamboat Resort

January 19, 2018 The Motet at Warren Station, Keystone

January 21, 2018 Butte Banked Slalom, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

January 16 - February 27, 2018 Ski Cooper 2fer Tuesdays, Copper Mountain

January 19, 2018 Paint & Sip Class, Leadville

January 22 – 29, 2018 28th Annual International Snow Sculpture Championships, Breckenridge

January 17, 2018 McDonald’s Twilight Nights Race Series, Purgatory Resort January 17, 2018 Go Skimo Series, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

For a complete list and details on Colorado Mtn Town Events visit our website!

MtnTownMagazine.com January 17, 2018 2018 Vail Jazz Winter Series, Vail January 18 - March 29, 2018 Ski Cooper $30 Thursdays and Live Music, Copper Mountain January 18 – 21, 2018 Ouray Ice Festival,- Ouray January 18 – 21, 2018 Telluride Fire Festival, Telluride January 19, 2018 6th Alley Bar & Grill Beer Supper Club - Thai Night, Arapahoe Basin January 19 – 21, 2018 Elan Women’s Weekend, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

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January 19, 2018 Town Challenge Race, Monarch Mountain January 19, 2018 Country Western Dance, Silverthorne January 19, 2018 Steamboat Friday Nights, Steamboat Ski & Resort January 20 - March 31, 2018 Live Music at Katie O’Rourke’s, Copper Mountain January 20, 2018 CB Unplugged, Crested Butte Mountain Resort January 20, 2018 5th Annual Stagecoach Classic Point-to-Point Cross Country Tour & Race, Devil’s Thumb Ranch January 20, 2018 Spontaneous Combustion Community Bonfire, Frisco January 20, 2018 Pinkalicious The Musical at Warren Station, Keystone January 20, 2018 Kids on Lifts & Lids on Kids, Monarch Mountain January 20, 2018 Kehoe Cup and Haller Cup Ski Races, Steamboat Ski & Resort

January 22, 2018 Ski Free Day! , Monarch Mountain January 23, 2018 Rise and Shine Rando Series #6, Arapahoe Basin January 23, 2018 Concert with 3-Time Grammy Winner Bill Miller, Leadville January 24, 2018 Go Skimo Series, Crested Butte Mountain Resort January 24, 2018 McDonald’s Twilight Nights Race Series, Purgatory Resort January 25 – 28, 2018 X Games, Aspen January 25 – 28, 2018 Fat Bike Worlds, Mt. Crested Butte January 26t, 2018 Winter Welcome Bounce Party, Keystone Resort January 26, 2018 Paint & Sip Class, Leadville January 26, 2018 Town Challenge Race, Monarch Mountain January 26, 2018 Ladies Turn, Purgatory Resort

January 26, 2018 Salida Chamber of Commerce presents the Annual Community Awards, Salida Steamplant January 26, 2018 Steamboat Friday Nights, Steamboat Ski & Resort January 27, 2018 Moonlight Dinner Series- A Night in Italy, Arapahoe Basin January 27, 2018 Moonlight Dine & Ski, Copper Mountain January 27, 2018 Junior Nordic Program, Devil’s Thumb Ranch January 27, 2018 Golden Fights Cage Wars MMA, Grand Junction January 27-28, 2018 Grand Mesa Summit Sled Dog Race 2018 – 12th Annual, Grand Junction January 27, 2018 Distilled: Backcountry and Bourbon at Warren Station, Keystone January 27, 2018 Ski with a Ranger Day, Loveland January 27, 2018 Park Smart Education, Monarch Mountain January 27 – 28, 2018 USASA Slopestyle Competition, Purgatory Resort January 27, 2018 Heart of the Rockies Wedding Association Mi Amor – Wedding Fair, Salida January 27, 2018 Brewers Rock for Rescue – A Beer Festival to benefit Summit County Search and Rescue, Silverthorne January 28, 2018 Skyway Skuffle Nordic Ski Race, Grand Junction

January 28/29th, 2018 USASA Slopestyle, Powderhorn Mountain Resort

February 2, 2018 Town Challenge Race, Monarch Mountain

January 29 – 30, 2018 SIA On-Snow Demo, Copper Mountain

February 2, 2018 New Moon Snowshoe Hike at Angler Mountain Trailhead, Silverthorne

January 31, 2018 Go Skimo Series, Crested Butte Mountain Resort January 31, 2018 Full Moon Parties at Ten Peaks, Crested Butte Mountain Resort January 31 – February 4, 2018 Snowdown 2018, Durango January 31, 2018 Shopkins Live! Shop It Up! , Grand Junction January 31, 2018 A Taste of Italy Dinner with Wine and Cocktail Pairing, Leadville January 31, 2018 McDonald’s Twilight Nights Race Series, Purgatory Resort

FEBRUARY February 1, 2018 Telluride Art Walk, Telluride February 2, 2018 First Fat Friday Parade, Carbondale February 2 – 3, 2018 February 2, 2018 Abominable Adventure, Como February 2, 2018 Women’s Classic Ski Clinic, Devils Thumb Ranch February 2, 2018 1st Friday Tea School, Idaho Springs February 2 – 3, 2017 Winter Bluegrass at Warren Station, Keystone Resort

February 2, 2018 Steamboat Friday Nights, Steamboat Ski & Resort February 3, 2018 16th Annual Beacon Bowl and Après Party, Arapahoe Basin February 3, 2018 2018 Winter Mountain Bike Race Series – Winterbike, Copper Mountain February 3, 2018 Moonlight Mountaintop Yurt Dinner, Copper Mountain February 3 – 4, 2018 IFSA Junior Regional Freeskiing Competition, Crested Butte February 3, 2018 Junior Nordic Program, Devil’s Thumb Ranch February 3, 2018 48th Annual Frisco Gold Rush, Frisco February 3, 2018 Eat, Ski & Be Merry – Food, Drinks & Cross-Country Skiing, Frisco February 3 – 4, 2018 Our Gang Ice Racing, Georgetown February 3, 2018 The Cannonball Run at Powderhorn Mountain Resort February 3, 2018 Biathlon with Red Ryder BB GunsFun Races, Pagosa Springs February 3 – 4, 2018 Winterfest Weekend 2018, Pagosa Springs February 3, 2018 Ski Spree & Taste of Sunlight, Sunlight

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February 4, 2018 Big Game Party at Butte 66, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

February 10, 2018 Junior Nordic Program, Devil’s Thumb Ranch

February 4, 2018 Ski Joring Clinic, Devil’s Thumb Ranch

February 10, 2018 Wine & Chocolate Festival, Estes Park

February 4, 2018 Ski Spree Mountain Treasure Hunt, Sunlight

February 10, 2018 Mardi Gras 4Paws Parade, Frisco

February 7, 2018 Museum Winter Lecture Series, Frisco February 7- 11, 2018 105th Winter Carnival, Steamboat Ski & Resort February 9, 2018 2 Star Freeride World Qualifier, Crested Butte Mountain Resort February 9, 2018 6th Alley Bar & Grill Supper Club Mardi Gras Night, Arapahoe Basin February 9, 2018 Wine at the Mine, Leadville February 9, 2018 Town Challenge Race, Monarch Mountain February 9, 2018 Steamboat Friday Nights, Steamboat Ski & Resort February 10, 2018 Moonlight Dine & Ski, Copper Mountain February 10, 2018 Colorado Special Olympics, Copper Mountain February 10 – 11, 2018 4 Star Freeride World Qualifier, Crested Butte Mountain Resort February 10 – 11, 2018 USASA Slopestyle and Rail Jam, Crested Butte Mountain Resort February 10, 2018 CB Unplugged, Crested Butte

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February 10, 2018 Frisco Freeze Fat Bike Race, Frisco February 10 – 11, 2018 Our Gang Ice Racing, Georgetown February 10 2018 Ice Addiction on Blue Mesa, Blue Mesa Reservoir, Gunnison February 10, 2018 20th Annual Twin Lakes Ice Fishing Derby, Leadville February 10, 2018 33rd Annual Chocolate Lover’s Fantasy, Salida February 10, 2018 33rd Annual Chocolate Lover’s Fantasy, Salida February 10, 2018 Bud Light Street Rail Days, Snowmass February 10, 2018 Steamboat Mardi Gras, Steamboat Ski & Resort February 10, 2018 Rock The Boat Concert Series, Steamboat Ski & Resort February 10, 2018 Chocolate Lovers’ Fling, Telluride February 10, 2018 Winter Park Resort’s Uphill Battle, Winter Park February 11 – 16, 2018 Women’s Ski Week, Breckenridge February 11. 2018 Ski, Spa & Sip Women’s Clinic, Devil’s Thumb Ranch

February 11 – 13, 2018 Summit 50+ Winter Games, Frisco February 11, 2018, Powderhorn CMU Invitational/Maverick Takeover February 11, 2018 Owl Creek Chase, Snowmass February 13, 2018 Mardi Gras Celebration, Breckenridge February 13, 2018 Mardi Gras Party and Gumbo Kickoff at River Run, Keystone Resort February 14, 2018 27th Annual Valentine’s Day Mountaintop Matrimony Ceremony, Loveland February 14, 2018 Ski with a Ranger Day, Loveland February 13, 2018 Mardi Gras Parade and Celebration, Snowmass February 14, 2018 Women’s Classic Ski Clinic, Devil’s Thumb Ranch February 14, 2018 Museum Winter Lecture Series, Frisco February 14, 2018 A Man and His Prostate starring Ed Asner, Grand Junction February 14, 2018 Valentine’s Comedy Show, Silverthorne February 14, 2018 Torchlight Parade & Fireworks, Steamboat Ski & Resort February 16, 2018 6th Alley Bar & Grill Supper Club - Beer Makers Dinner featuring Sierra Nevada, Arapahoe Basin February 16, 2018 Eminence Ensemble at Warren Station, Keystone

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February 16, 2018 Town Challenge Race, Monarch Mountain

February 21, 2018 Museum Winter Lecture Series, Frisco

February 16, 2018 Country Western Dance, Silverthorne

February 21, 2018 2018 Vail Jazz Winter Series, Vail

February 16, 2018 Steamboat Friday Nights, Steamboat Ski & Resort February 17 – 18, 2018 Rails in the Rockies, Estes Park

February 22 – 25, 2018 Prater Cup, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

February 17, 2018 Bud Light Street Rail Days, Snowmass

February 22 – 25, 2018 Wells Fargo Ski Cup, Winter Park

February 17, 2018 Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series, Aspen/Snowmass February 17, 2018 2018 Winter Mountain Bike Race Series – 18th Annual Tennessee Pass Night JAM, Copper Mountain February 17, 2018 Nordic Demo, Devil’s Thumb Ranch February 17, 2018 Winter Wine Tasting at Warren Station, Keystone Resort February 17, 2018 Leadville Loppet, Leadville February 17, 2018 PBR Pond Hockey Tournament Aprés Ice Party, Silverthorne February 17, 2018 FSA North American Junior Freeride Series, Sunlight February 18, 2018 Cannonball Run, Powderhorn Mountain Resort February 19, 2018 5th Annual Bubble Gum Race Series, Frisco February 21, 2018 Women’s Classic Ski Clinic, Devil’s Thumb Ranch

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February 22 – 24, 2018 Aspen Snowmass Freeskiing Open, Aspen/Snowmass

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February 23, 2018 Town Challenge Race, Monarch Mountain February 23 – 25, 2018 Winterwondergrass, Steamboat Ski & Resort .

February 24, 2018 Gothic Mountain Tour, Crested Butte Mountain Resort February 24, 2018 Nordic Demo, Devil’s Thumb Ranch February 24, 2018 Junior Nordic Program, Devil’s Thumb Ranch February 24 – 25, 2018 Our Gang Ice Racing, Georgetown February 24-25, 2018 Banff Centre’s Banff Mountain Film Festival, Grand Junction February 24, 2018 Canvas Uncorked at Warren Station, Keystone Resort February 24, 2018 Ski with a Ranger Day, Loveland February 24, 2018 Bud Light Street Rail Days, Snowmass February 24 – March 3, 2018 Telluride Gay Ski Week, Telluride

February 24, 2018 SKI for MS, Vail February 24, 2018 2018 Vail Jazz Winter Series, Vail February 25 – 26, 2018 SoGnar Camp, Powderhorn Mountain Resort February 26, 2018 5th Annual Bubble Gum Race Series, Frisco February 28, 2018 12th Annual Fire Hose Relay, Arapahoe Basin February 28 – March 5, 2018 13th Annual Durango Independent Film Festival, Durango February 28, 2018 Museum Winter Lecture Series, Frisco February 28, 2018 Telluride Aids Benefit Gala Fashion Show + After Party, Telluride

MARCH March 1, 2018 Full Moon Parties at Ten Peaks, Crested Butte

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

MOUNTAIN THRILLS. TOWN CHARM.

townoffrisco.com With its own tubing hill, beginner ski/ride hill and Nordic Center. Sandwiched between 6 world-class ski resorts.

VAIL

COPPER MOUNTAIN

BRECKENRIDGE

KEYSTONE

ARAPAHOE BASIN

LOVELAND

March 1, 2018 Telluride Art Walk, Telluride

March 3, 2018 Snowshoe for the Cure, Frisco

March 2, 2018 10th Mountain Day At Ski Cooper, Copper Mountain

March 3, 2018 DreamCatcher Half Marathon, Grand Junction

March 2 – 4, 2018 USASA Boardercross/Skiercross, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

March 3, 2018 Head for the Hills at Warren Station, Keystone

March 2, 2018 Snowshoe for the Cure Pink Party, Frisco

March 3, 2018 2018 Winter Mountain Bike Race Series – Mineral Belt Mayhem, Leadville

March 2 – 4, 2018 Our Gang Ice Racing, Georgetown March 2, 2018 1st Friday Tea School, Idaho Springs March 2 – 4, 2018 Leadville Ski Joring and Crystal Carnival Weekend, Leadville March 2, 2018 Town Challenge Race, Monarch Mountain March 2, 2018 Bud Light Street Rail Days, Snowmass March 2, 2018 Steamboat Friday Nights, Steamboat Ski & Resort March 2, 2018 Defiance Challenge, Sunlight March 3, 2018 Moonlight Dinner Series - A Night in India, Arapahoe Basin March 3, 2018 Moonlight Mountaintop Yurt Dinner, Copper Mountain March 3, 2018 Crafted Tasting Event, Crested Butte Mountain Resort March 3, 2018 Junior Nordic Program, Devil’s Thumb Ranch March 3, 2018 Whiskey Warm Up, Estes Park

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March 3, 2018 Audi Power of Four Ski Mountaineering Race, Aspen/ Snowmass March 3, 2018 Sunset Snowshoe Hike at Angler Mountain Trailhead, Silverthorne March 3, 2018 Rock The Boat Concert Series, Steamboat Ski & Resort March 4, 2018 CDA Relay, Powderhorn Mountain Resort March 3, 2018 Uncle Clyde’s Run & Slide, Purgatory Resort March 3, 2018 Sunlight Safety Day, Sunlight March 3, 2018 Yard Sale! Spring Music Series Parties On! Sunlight March 3, 2018 Chow Down Pet Supplies Giant Slalom, Wolf Creek March 4, 2018 Ski Joring Clinic, Devil’s Thumb Ranch March 4, 2018 Cool Dual Bike Race, Steamboat Ski & Resort March 5, 2018 Moonlight Mountaintop Yurt Dinner, Copper Mountain

March 5, 2018 5th Annual Bubble Gum Race Series, Frisco March 5 – 10, 2018 36th Annual Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships, Vail March 7 – 11, 2018 Breck Pride, Breckenridge March 7, 2018 Museum Winter Lecture Series, Frisco March 9 – 11, 2018 IFSA Junior National Freeskiing Competition March 9, 2018 Bud Light Street Rail Days, Snowmass March 9, 2018 Steamboat Friday Nights, Steamboat Ski & Resort March 10, 2018 BrewSki, Frisco March 10, 2018 Rock The Boat Concert Series, Steamboat Ski & Resort March 12, 2018 5th Annual Bubble Gum Race Series, Frisco March 12, 2017 Rotary Red Ball, Powderhorn Mountain Resort March 13, 2018 Ten Peaks Sunset Soirees, Crested Butte March 14, 2018 Museum Winter Lecture Series, Frisco March 14, 2018 Ski with a Ranger Day, Loveland March 14, 2018 2018 Vail Jazz Winter Series, Vail March 16, 2018 Country Western Dance, Silverthorne

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO F R E E AVA L A N C H E AWA R E N E S S T R A I N I N G Know Before You Go is a free avalanche awareness program. Not much science, no warnings to stay out of the mountains, no formulas to memorize. In 1 hour, you will see the destructive power of avalanches, understand where and why they happen, and learn how you can have fun in the mountains and avoid avalanches.

S C H E D U L E Y O U R F R E E P R E S E N TAT I O N T O D AY http://avalanche.state.co.us/know-before-you-go-colorado

March 16, 2018 Bud Light Street Rail Days, Snowmass

March 19, 2018 5th Annual Bubble Gum Race Series, Frisco

March 24, 2018 Alternative Health Expo, Grand Junction

March 16, 2018 Steamboat Friday Nights, Steamboat Ski & Resort

March 20, 2018 Ten Peaks Sunset Soirees, Crested Butte

March 24 – 25, 2018 Terrain Park Boot Camp, Snowmass

March 17, 2018 St. Patrick’s Day Party, Copper Mountain

March 21, 2018 Ten Peaks Sunset Soirees, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

March 24, 2018 Rock The Boat Concert Series, Steamboat Ski & Resort

March 17 – 18, 2018 Helly Hansen Big Mountain Challenge, Breckenridge

March 21, 2018 Museum Winter Lecture Series, Frisco

March 24, 2018 Yard Sale! Spring Music Series Parties On! Sunlight

March 17, 2018 CB Unplugged, Crested Butte

March 22, 2018 Collective Soul, Grand Junction

March 24, 2018 Pink Vail, Vail

March 17, 2018 Distilled: Summit’s Best Whiskey Cocktail at Warren Station, Keystone

March 22-24, 2018 The Daily Sentinel RV Show, Grand Junction

March 25, 2018 Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series, Aspen/Snowmass

March 23, 2018 6th Alley Bar & Grill Supper Club Fish Fry Night, Arapahoe Basin

March 25, 2018 Kid Olympics/PHAST Family Day, Powderhorn Mountain Resort

March 23 – April 1, 2018 Bud Light Spring Jam, Aspen/ Snowmass

March 25, 2018 Pond Skim, Powderhorn Mountain Resort

March 23 – 24, 2018 The Gore - Tex Grand Traverse, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

March 25, 2018 3rd Annual Banked Slalom, Snowmass

March 23-24, 2018 Rocky Mountain Country Fest at Warren Station, Keystone

March 25, 2018 Yard Sale! Spring Music Series Parties On! Sunlight

March 23, 2018 Steamboat Friday Nights, Steamboat Ski & Resort

March 25, 2018 Telluride Rotary Red Ball Express, Telluride

March 24, 2018 Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series, Aspen/Snowmass

March 26, 2018 5th Annual Bubble Gum Race Series, Frisco

March 24, 2018 10th Annual Save our Snow and Demo Day, Arapahoe Basin

March 26, 2018 Closing Day, Powderhorn Mountain Resort

March 24, 2018 Copper Uncorked, Copper Mountain

March 27, 2018 Ten Peaks Sunset Soirees, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

March 24, 2018 Winter Chainless Bike Race, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

March 28, 2018 Museum Winter Lecture Series, Frisco

March 17, 2018 2018 Winter Mountain Bike Race Series – New 50k Race, Leadville March 17, 2018 Rock The Boat Concert Series, Steamboat Ski & Resort March 17, 2018 Torchlight Parade & Fireworks, Steamboat Ski & Resort March 17, 2018 Yard Sale! Spring Music Series Kicks off St. Patty’s Day! Sunlight March 18 – April 23, 2018 Thirty days of play at Breckenridge Spring Fever, Breckenridge March 18, 2018 Al Johnson Telemark Race, Crested Butte Mountain Resort March 18, 2018 Yard Sale! Spring Music Series Parties On! Sunlight March 18, 2018 Mesa Meltdown 20K Nordic Ski Race, Grand Junction March 18 – 19, 2018 U12 Championships, Powderhorn Mountain Resort

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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

March 28 – 30, 2018 Burlesque: A Fundraiser for Telluride Theatre

April 1, 2018 Frisco Kids Easter Egg Hunt, Frisco

March 29, 2018 Exclusive Day for Season Passholders, Silverton Mountain

April 1 – 30, 2018 Leadville History Month, Leadville

March 30, 2018 Bud Light Street Rail Days, Snowmass March 30, 2018 Steamboat Friday Nights, Steamboat Ski & Resort

970.945.4766 | IronMountainHotSprings.com | *no chemicals

April 1, - 15, 2018 Steamboat Springalicious® Festival ‘18, Steamboat Ski & Resort

March 31 – April 11, 2018 USASA National Championships, Copper Mountain

April 1, 2018 Yard Sale! Spring Music Series Finale! Sunlight

March 31, 2018 Get the Girls Out Women’s Ski Day, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

April 1, 2018 Golden Bunny Classic, Winter Park

March 31, 2018 Full Moon Parties at Ten Peaks, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

March 31, 2018 15th Annual Brewski, Silverton Mountain March 31 – April 1, 2018 Terrain Park Boot Camp, Snowmass March 31, 2018 Rock The Boat Concert Series, Steamboat Ski & Resort

SUBSCRIBE! W W W. M T N TOW NM AGA ZI NE .COM 94

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April 1, 2018 Clauson Classic, Silverton Mountain

March 31, 2018 Moonlight Dine & Ski, Copper Mountain

March 31, 2018 CB Unplugged, Crested Butte

FI N D US WA I T I NG IN YOUR M A ILBOX

April 1, 2018 Amazing Giant Easter Egg Hunt, Loveland

March 31, 2018 The Howlin’ Wolf Super-G / Downhill, Wolf Creek

APRIL April 1, 2018 World’s Largest Easter Egg Hunt, Copper Mountain April 1, 2018 Easter Egg Hunt, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

April 2 – 8, 2018 Ski Cooper Spring $25 Ticket Deal, Copper Mountain April 4 – 10, 2018 Taste of Vail, Vail April 5, 2018 Moonlight Mountaintop Yurt Dinner, Copper Mountain April 5, 2018 Telluride Art Walk, Telluride April 6 – 8, 2018 Closing Weekend and Pond Skim, Crested Butte Mountain Resort April 6, 2018 1st Friday Tea School, Idaho Springs April 6 – 8, 2018 Sister’s Meeting in the Mountains, Silverton Mountain April 7, 2018 Breck Spring Beer Festival, Breckenridge April 7 – 8, 2018 Ski Cooper Beach Party, Copper Mountain

Presents

LAST CALL TO PURCHASE TICKETS! Saturday, February 10, 2018 | 12-9PM Vail Mountain School

USE PROMO CODE SayYEStoMTNTownMag FOR $25 OFF YOUR TICKET

Learn more & purchase tickets at

TEDxVail.com

celebrating SEVEN inspiring years of yoga Meta Yoga Studios would like to express our gratitude to our incredible instructors. We appreciate your constant commitment to deepening your practice and sharing this knowledge with our studio. We are so grateful to be on this journey with you!

join us on december 3rd for our 7 year anniversary celebration (visit our website for details)

special offerings

upcoming yoga teacher trainings

yoga studio boutique

Eddie Modestini Kate Mulheron Yin & Thai Massage Yoga for TBI Buti Yoga Mantra, Myth & Movement Intro to Yoga Series

Unlock Your Inner Teacher and Develop the Skills to Teach.

Instruction in Asana, Anatomy, Ayurveda, Meditation & Pranayama, Yoga History & Philosophy, Mantra, Sanskrit, & Purposeful Sequencing

Lululemon, Onzie, Manduka, Om Collection, Bonjuli, Jade, Wild Balance, Made in Colorado Goods

metayogastudios.com 118 s. ridge st. breckenridge

970.547.YOGA

April 7, 2018 Moonlight Mountaintop Yurt Dinner, Copper Mountain

April 15, 2018 Rock The Boat Concert Series, Steamboat Ski & Resort

April 7, 2018 Mike Love at Warren Station, Keystone

April 15, 2018 Splashdown Pond Skim, Steamboat Ski & Resort

April 7, 2018 Father Dyer Postal Route Ski Race, Leadville

April 15, 2018 Rock The Boat Concert Series, Steamboat Ski & Resort

April 7, 2018 10th Annual Cody’s Challenge, Steamboat Ski & Resort

April 20, 2018 Country Western Dance, Silverthorne

April 7, 2018 Red Ball Express, Steamboat Ski & Resort April 8, 2018 Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series, Aspen/Snowmass April 8, 2018 Closing Day, Silverton Mountain April 8, 2018 Closing Day at Telluride Ski Resort April 11, 2018 Ski with a Ranger Day, Loveland April 11, 2018 Kick Off To Summer / Business After Hours, Salida April 11, 2018 2018 Vail Jazz Winter Series, Vail April 13 – 15, 2018 Desert R.A.T.S. Trailrunning Festival, Fruita April 14, 2018 Redbull Slope Soakers, Copper Mountain April 14 – 15, 2018 Sunsation, Copper Mountain April 14, 2018 2018 Winter Mountain Bike Race Series – East Side Epic, Leadville

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April 21, 2018 Free Admission Day at the Colorado National Monument April 21-22, 2018 Rumble at 18 Road Multi-sport Trail Festival, Fruita April 21-22, 2018 Grand Junction Renaissance Faire, Grand Junction April 21, 2018 Springtopia, Winter Park April 22, 2018 Imperial Challenge, Breckenridge April 22, 2018 50th annual Spring Splash, Winter Park April 28, 2018 Pints & Pools Craft Beer Festival, Pagosa Springs April 29, 2018 Pole Pedal Paddle, Crested Butte Mountain Resort April 29, 2018 17th annual Corn Harvest, Loveland

For a complete list and details on each of these Colorado Mtn Town Events MtnTownMagazine.com/ EVENTS

V CC.   .

MTN

last chair

# R ID E A N O T HE R D AY

From a Family Tragedy to a National Snowsports Safety Campaign Chauncy Johnson doesn’t mean to be a buzzkill. He never wanted to scare anyone, bum anyone out or put a damper on their ski day.

But this Wyoming father has a story to tell.

A lifelong skier, and father of five, who “loves the sport,” Johnson and his wife Kelli were skiing with their children on Christmas Eve in 2010, when Kelli and their oldest child Elise were involved in a serious accident.

“I remember going up the chairlift with her, and we were discussing which run we wanted to go on,” Kelli Johnson shared with Colorado Public Radio in January 2017. “I remember starting out that run with her…she actually was doing so well that I was actually having her follow me.”

From this point on, Kelli’s memory is limited. She remembers that Elise fell and lost a ski. She remembers helping Elsie put her ski back on.

And then everything goes blank.

At that moment, Kelli and Elise were struck by a 23-year-old snowboarder riding at a high speed.

Elise was killed instantly. The snowboarder was killed instantly. Kelli was in a coma, with a severe brain injury and a paralyzed arm.

The #RideAnotherDay Campaign In 2017, Chauncy and Kelli Johnson launched the #RideAnotherDay safety campaign in cooperation with the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) in Lakewood, Colorado.

In a recent conversation, Chauncy Johnson shared that the inspiration for the campaign came to him while Kelli was healing and rehabilitating at Craig Hospital in Denver.

Kelli Johnson was at Craig Hospital for several months. After she regained consciousness, Johnson had the terrible task of telling his wife that their daughter had died weeks earlier.

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SHE WAS 5.

YOU WERE DOING 50.

Elise Johnson was just learning to ski when an out-of-control 23 year-old struck and killed her.

Learn more at nsaa.org/safety-programs/collisions And remember — safe skiing saves lives.

And yet during this time of suffering, a sense of compassion for the deceased snowboarder and his family grew with Johnson.

“He was someone else’s child. I feel for his family,” explains Johnson.

“No one deserves to die just because of a poor choice.”

“Because I don’t want anyone else to have to a similar experience, I became interested in helping people make safe decisions.”

While recognizing that severe accidents, like the one that changed his family forever, are blessedly rare, Johnson believes in sharing his family’s story. He believes that it can be used to build a culture of individual responsibility and on-mountain safety.

Working with NSAA and Boulderbased Active Interest Media (the current owners of Warren Miller Entertainment), the Johnsons developed a three-point, common sense safety message.

• Be Ready. Be ready to avoid objects and other skiers and riders.

• Stay Alert. Stay alert to what’s going on around you.

Be especially alert to other skiers and riders.

• Plan Ahead. Ease up at blind spots. Check uphill when merging onto trails. Give others plenty of room when passing. # R I DE ANOTHER DAY

As the trade group representing ski areas and ski resorts in the United States, NSAA is instrumental in getting messaging and campaign materials to ski areas, so that they can share the #RideAnotherDay campaign with guests.

Earl Saline is the campaign point person for NSAA. “The primary message of the #RideAnotherDay campaign is recognizing that there are real consequences for our actions on the slope. Consequences not just for us individually, but for those around us - our families, our friends,” explains Saline. “#RideAnotherDay is focused on helping skiers and riders understand this and, just as important, what actions they can take individually to prevent incidents like this from happening now and in the future.”

As for the Johnsons, they are hopeful that their message will spread from the resorts and ski areas, where it has thus far been focused, to individual skiers and snowboarders.

“We don’t want to scare anyone away from snowsports,” shares Johnson. “But whenever you are skiing or riding, it’s important for everyone to remember that you are responsible for more than just your own safety.”

“I never expected to have a life-altering experience while doing my favorite thing. Use our story to examine your own behavior. If you see something dangerous, say something and do something about it.”

Talk to ski patrol, or other ski area employees if you see dangerous behavior. Educate your family and friends about the importance of on-mountain safety and personal responsibility. Examine your own behavior and make changes.

Make a point of being ready, staying alert and planning ahead, so that we all can #RideAnotherDay.

Wild Irishman on the Snake River, Keystone

450 Elk Circle Keystone River Course

$2,000,000.00 6 Bedrooms/6.5 Bathrooms On the Snake River and Golf Course Views of the Continental Divide Barbara J. Schneeman (Broker/Owner) Call: 970.485.0654

$1,495,000 5 Bedrooms/5.5 Bathrooms Over looking the Snake River and on the shuttle route in Keystone, conveniently located near Lakeside Village.

Barbara J. Schneeman (Broker/Owner) Call: 970.485.0654

Estate On William Fork Reservoir

$1,999,999 Stunning! Only private home on lake. 49+ acres. No expense spared.

4 seasons of fun out your front door.

Ned Walley (Broker/Owner) Call: 970.445.0735

200 Middle Park Court

$1,940,000 4 bed, 5 bath, 4,910 sq ft, 3 car garage Adjacent to national forest with Eagles Nest trailhead located mtntow nm a ga zi ne.com | W I N T E R / S PR I NG 2 0 1 8 immediately at the end of the 99 driveway.

Ned Walley (Broker/Owner) Call: 970.445.0735

S    . S .

ANOTHER SEASON, ANOTHER CHANCE TO CONNECT WITH W H A T ’ S I M P O R TA N T – F A M I LY, F R I E N D S A N D T H E N AT U R A L B E AU T Y T H AT I S C O P P E R M OU N TA I N. B U T A S S U R E A S T H E S N OW P I L E S U P, S O A R E T H E C H A N G E S H E R E . L I K E A N E W M O R N I N G G A T H E R I N G S P O T, A N I N V I T I N G C R A F T C O C K T A I L L O U N G E A N D A N E N E R G E T I C A N D L I V E LY A P R É S A D D I T I O N AT T H E B A S E .

L I K E YOU R T I M E H E R E, T H I NG S JU S T K E E P G E T T I NG B E T T E R AN D BETTER. IT’S THE DOWN-TO-EARTH PREMIUM SKI EXPERIENCE Y O U L O V E W I T H O U T T H E P R E T E N S E . T H AT ’ S B E I N G R A I S E D O N C O L O R A D O AT C O P P E R M O U N T A I N .

W . S  .

C O P P E R C O LO R A D O.C O M

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888 219 2441