FEBRUARY 2020
Backcountry
HEROES Search & Rescue Prepares for It All
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©2020 Zoysia Farm Nurseries, 3617 Old Taneytown Rd, Taneytown, MD 21787
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Volume 51
Number 02
February 2020 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE COLORADO RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION COMMUNICATIONS STAFF Mona Neeley, CCC, Publisher/Editor mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org Cassi Gloe, CCC, Production Manager/Designer cgloe@coloradocountrylife.org Kylee Coleman, Editorial/Admin. Assistant kcoleman@coloradocountrylife.org ADVERTISING Kris Wendtland, Ad Representative advertising@coloradocountrylife.org | 303-902-7276 National Advertising Representative, American MainStreet Publications 611 S. Congress Street, Suite 504, Austin, TX 78704 | 800-626-1181 Advertising Standards: Publication of an advertisement in Colorado Country Life does not imply endorsement by any Colorado rural electric cooperative or the Colorado Rural Electric Association. Colorado Country Life (USPS 469-400/ISSN 1090-2503) is published monthly by Colorado Rural Electric Association, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216-1731. Periodical postage paid at Denver, Colorado. ©Copyright 2020, Colorado Rural Electric Association. Call for reprint rights. EDITORIAL Denver Corporate Office, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216 mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org | 303-455-4111 coloradocountrylife.coop | facebook.com/COCountryLife Pinterest.com/COCountryLife | Instagram.com/cocountrylife Twitter.com/COCountryLife | YouTube.com/COCountryLife1 Editorial opinions published in Colorado Country Life magazine shall pertain to issues affecting rural electric cooperatives, rural communities and citizens. The opinion of CREA is not necessarily that of any particular cooperative or individual. SUBSCRIBERS Report change of address to your local cooperative. Do not send change of address to Colorado Country Life. Cost of subscription for members of participating electric cooperatives is $4.44 per year (37 cents per month), paid from equity accruing to the member. For nonmembers, a subscription is $9 per year in-state/$15 out-of-state. POSTMASTER Send address changes to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216
On the
Cover FEBRUARY 2020
Backcountry
HEROES Search & Rescue Prepares for It All
Routt County Search & Rescue members Jason Blair, Harry Sandler and Matt Karzen attend to a mock patient during a training session on Rabbit Ears Pass, just outside of Steamboat Springs, in January. Photo by John Russell.
“Deer One” by Sandy Calwell, a consumer-member of Yampa Valley Electric Association.
4 VIEWPOINT 5 LETTERS 6 ASK THE ENERGY EXPERT 7 YOUR CO-OP NEWS 12 RECIPES
PINTEREST SNEAK PEEK
14 NEWS CLIPS
COCountryLife pinned: Get the recipe at coloradocountrylife.coop.
16 COVER STORY BACKCOUNTRY HEROES 20 INDUSTRY 22 GARDENING 24 OUTDOORS 26 MARKETPLACE
FACEBOOK CHATTER
28 COMMUNITY EVENTS 29 YOUR STORIES 30 DISCOVERIES
Monthly Contest Enter for your chance to win an Adventure Medical Kit: Mountain Series. Visit our contest page at coloradocountrylife. coop to learn how to enter.
Win a Free First Aid Kit coloradocountrylife.coop
Colorado Rural Electric Association shared: Highline Electric Association’s new 1.5-megawatt Riverview solar project will produce enough energy to power 300-500 homes or about 20 irrigation wells.
INSTAGRAM PIC of the month cocountrylife posted: Colorado Country Life is always looking for #books by local Colorado authors for our annual #bookreview issue. #readytoread
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2020
3
VIEWPOINT
Regional Transmission Organization Colorado needs a robust electricity market BY KENT SINGER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
I
n most parts of the United States, regional transmission organizations (RTOs) or independent system operators (ISOs) oversee the regional transmission system and operate wholesale electricity markets. These nonprofit entities determine power requirements, on a day-to-day and hourto-hour basis, and dispatch power from the most efficient units. They also set transmission rates across lines owned by multiple utilities and plan the regional transmission system. These companies, such as the Southwest Power Pool, the Mid-Continent Independent System Operator and the California Independent System Operator, were created by groups of electric utilities in the various regions of the country to reduce costs to consumers by maximizing the efficiencies that can be achieved with multiple sources of power generation and transmission capacity. They also enable utilities to incorporate more renewable energy into their power supply mix by providing a system where the resources of one utility or power marketer are more easily accessed by another utility. Colorado’s electric utilities, including the electric co-ops, do not operate within the boundaries of an RTO or ISO, although co-op power supplier Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association operates
within an RTO outside of Colorado. For a variety of reasons, Colorado and its neighboring states have not created a regional electricity market despite the benefits that could be realized by electricity consumers. The largest electric utilities in Colorado worked together for several years, and it appeared that an RTO would be expanded to include Colorado, but ultimately the effort failed when one large utility pulled out. Currently, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission is soliciting comments in a proceeding that stems from the passage of S.B. 19-236 during last year’s legislative session. One provision of that bill, the “Colorado Transmission Coordination Act,” required the commission to initiate an investigation into the merits of an RTO or ISO and report back to the legislature. Many parties, including several electric co-ops and the Colorado Rural Electric Association, filed comments in that proceeding in favor of the creation of an RTO that would include Colorado’s electric utilities. Reasons given for supporting a regional market include greater access to lower cost resources; the elimination of transmission “pancaking” costs; and opportunities for the integration of additional renewable generation. In this proceeding, there is near-unanimous support by electric
An RTO in Colorado,
we think it is a good thing.
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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2020
KENT SINGER
utilities, environmental groups and other stakeholders for the creation of an RTO. While the discussion of this issue by the Colorado PUC is important, the Colorado legislature should also weigh in and pass legislation that would move Colorado electric utilities toward an RTO in a more expedited manner. Other states have passed similar legislation to spur the move toward an organized electricity market, and the Colorado General Assembly should follow their lead. Of course, there are costs associated with the creation of a new RTO or expansion of an existing RTO that has to hire employees and incur other expenses so it can provide service to Colorado electric utilities. In the other parts of the country where RTOs have been established, these costs have been outweighed by the savings that are possible with a more efficient dispatch of generation and transmission resources. With the adoption of H.B. 19-1261 last year, the Colorado legislature established aggressive requirements for electric utilities to significantly reduce their carbon emissions over a short period of time. A regional electricity market is a necessary tool to enable utilities, including electric co-ops, to reach those goals. We urge the Colorado legislature to act this year to help establish an RTO for Colorado electric utilities. Kent Singer is the executive director of the Colorado Rural Electric Association and offers a statewide perspective on issues affecting electric cooperatives. CREA is the trade association for your electric co-op, the 21 other electric co-ops in Colorado and its power supply co-op.
LETTERS
FROM THE EDITOR
A magazine and its amazing readers
BY MONA NEELEY
I
EDITOR
love Colorado Country Life readers. Since I put out my plea for the best pie places in Colorado, I received lots of delicious suggestions for bakeries and cafes around the state. I’ll report back once my husband and I have done some taste testing. I also recently heard from Elisabeth Berger, an Empire Electric consumer-member from Cortez. She faithfully took her copy of Colorado Country Life on a recent trip to India and it led to what she described as “the most heartwarming moment of the whole trip.” She and a friend visited a local park in Kakinada, India, on Children’s Day. When Elisabeth pulled out her magazine to take a photo to send to CCL, it was a conversation
starter. She spent a MONA NEELEY half-hour talking with the children (who spoke English), their teachers, the driver who was ferrying her and her friend around the city and even the local police. There was “an underlying understanding and harmony in this precious situation with no room for differences (despite) backgrounds, various age groups, different cultures and languages,” she noted. The group spent “some truly valuable time together [to] build great memories.” All because of a magazine. Mona Neeley is the statewide editor of Colorado Country Life, which is published in coordination with your local electric cooperative.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The Peak of Racing
We enjoyed “Racing for the Top” (August ’19). We later met Chris Lennon at a Colorado Springs library and heard him talk about the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. He also published his first book, The Peak of Racing — Pikes Peak through the Racer’s Eyes (peakofracing.com). For us old-timers, the Hill Climb has been part of our lives and Lennon’s book is full of historical details. Judy Kilgore, Black Forest Mountain View Electric consumer-member
Lights for All
While I enjoyed “Christmas lights on a dark, cold night” (December ’19), I found it ironic that just below it was an ad for Energy Outreach Colorado. That ad stated that for “some of our neighbors” the security of knowing their “lights will turn on” doesn’t exist. The holiday lighting contest, offering credits on electric bills as prizes, seems counterintuitive. I wish there were ways to pass the electric bill credits to those who need them most, rather than to those who decorate with thousands of lights. It would be my Christmas wish that all co-op customers have a warm, safe and comfortable Christmas. Mary LaPorta via email Mountain View Electric consumer-member
Holiday Stories
Kent Singer’s story of “Christmas With the Fords” in Vail (December ’19) reminds me of my dad’s big skiing story. His family took a trip to Aspen in 1964 when he was 10. He got going too fast and slammed into a pretty lady, sending her sprawling. She was asking him if he was OK when several scary-looking men grabbed my dad and gruffly sent him on his way over the protests of the nice lady. Dad told his parents about it that night. They’d just read in the paper that Jackie Kennedy was skiing at Aspen. My dad saw the photo and confirmed it was the same lady he sent flying into a snowbank. Nan Hassey, Rye San Isabel Electric consumer-member
SEND US YOUR LETTERS Editor Mona Neeley at 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or at mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org. Include full name and contact information. COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2020
5
ASK THE ENERGY EXPERT
COLORADO LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORY Download Our Mobile App for FREE! Stay in touch with legislators while on the go.
Energy Efficiency Upgrades Take these first three steps today
BY PAT KEEGAN AND BR AD THIESSEN aking your home more energy efficient can be done by taking one step at a time, or by taking it on all at once as a larger project. Either way, it’s helpful to have a plan in place before diving in so you don’t do unnecessary work or repeat steps along the way.
M
Here’s a three-step checklist to help you get organized: 1. Set goals and constraints. Set your primary goal. Are you looking to save money on your home’s energy bills, make it more comfortable, increase the resale value or help the environment? Next, set a deadline for the project’s completion. This may affect whether you do some of the work yourself and which contractor you choose. Last, set your budget. How much is it worth to you to live in an energy-efficient home? One way to look at this is to review your annual energy bills. If they’re around $2,000 per year, ask yourself how much you’re willing to spend if you could cut that expense in half. Maybe you’re willing to spend $10,000 to save $1,000 each year. That would be a 10% rate of return on your investment. Or, if your home is drafty and cold, how much are you willing to spend to make it more comfortable? 2. Educate yourself. Weighing the costs and benefits of each potential improvement is crucial. There are many helpful lists of small and large energy efficiency upgrades available online. There are also some great resources like the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Star® and Consumer Reports. Your local electric co-op may have a home energy advisor on staff or available literature that can help. 3. Schedule an energy assessment. An energy assessment will help you prioritize so you can spend money on the measures that bring the most benefit. An energy advisor can help in other ways. For example, if you hire a contractor to do major efficiency upgrades around your home, an energy advisor or auditor can inspect the work and ensure the level agreed in the contract is met before you pay the bill. This column was co-written by Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen of Collaborative Efficiency.
Download the FREE App today! Using the camera on your smartphone, scan this code to get the download link.
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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2020
Visit coloradocountrylife.coop to find out four more ways you LEARN MORE ONLINE can save on your home energy costs. Look under the Energy tab.
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Leading Ingredient For Acid Reflux Bouts Linked To Anti-Aging Phenomenon Scientific studies show breakthrough acid reflux treatment also helps maintain vital health and helps protect users from the serious conditions that accompany aging such as fatigue and poor cardiovascular health by David Waxman Seattle Washington:
A published study on a leading acid reflux ingredient shows that its key ingredient improves digestive health while maintaining health levels of inflammation that contributes to premature aging in men and women. And, if consumer sales are any indication of a product’s effectiveness, this ‘acid reflux pill turned anti-aging phenomenon’ is nothing short of a miracle. Sold under the brand name AloeCure®, its ingredient was already backed by research showing its ability to neutralize acid levels and hold them down for long lasting day and night relief from bouts of heartburn and, acid reflux, gas, bloating, and more. But soon doctors started reporting some incredible results... “With AloeCure, my patients started reporting, better sleep, more energy, stronger immune systems... even less stress and better skin, hair, and nails” explains Dr. Liza Leal; a leading integrative health specialist and company spokesperson. AloeCure contains an active ingredient that helps improve digestion by acting as a natural acid-buffer that improves the pH balance of your stomach. Scientists now believe that this acid imbalance could be a major contributing factor to painful inflammation throughout the rest of the body. The daily allowance of AloeCure has shown to calm this inflammation through immune system adjustments which is why AloeCure is so effective. Relieving other stressful symptoms related to GI health like pain, bloating, fatigue, cramping, acid overproduction, and nausea. Now, backed with new scientific studies, AloeCure is being doctor recommended to help improve digestion, and even reduce the appearance of wrinkles – helping patients look and feel decades younger. FIX YOUR GUT & FIGHT INFLAMMATION Since hitting the market, sales for AloeCure have taken off and there are some very good reasons why. To start, the clinical studies have been impressive. Virtually all participants taking it reported stunning improvement in digestive symptoms including bouts of heartburn. Users can also experience higher energy levels and endurance, relief from chronic discomfort and better sleep, healthier looking skin, hair, and nails.
A healthy gut is the key to a reducing swelling and inflammation that can wreak havoc on the human body. Doctors say this is why AloeCure works on so many aspects of your health. AloeCure’s active ingredient is made from the famous healing compound found in Aloe Vera. It is both safe and healthy. There are also no known side effects. Scientists believe that it helps improve digestive by acting as a natural acid-buffer that improves the pH balance of your stomach and helps the immune system maintain healthy functions. Research has shown that this acid imbalance contributes to painful inflammation throughout your entire body and is why AloeCure seems to be so effective. EXCITING RESULTS FROM PATIENTS To date millions of bottles of AloeCure have been sold, and the community seeking non-pharma therapy for their GI health continues to grow. According to Dr. Leal, her patients are absolutely thrilled with their results and are often shocked by how fast it works. “For the first time in years, they are free from concerns about their digestion and almost every other aspect of their health,” says Dr. Leal, “and I recommend it to everyone who wants to improve GI health before considering drugs, surgery, or OTC medications.” “All the problems with my stomach are gone. Completely gone. I can say AloeCure is a miracle. It’s a miracle.” Another user turned spokesperson said, “I started to notice a difference because I was sleeping through the night and that was great. AloeCure does work for me. It’s made a huge difference.” With so much positive feedback, it’s easy to see why the community of believers is growing and sales for the new pill are soaring. THE SCIENCE BEHIND ALOECURE AloeCure is a pill that’s taken just once daily. The pill is small. Easy to swallow. There are no harmful side effects and it does not require a prescription. The active ingredient is a rare Aloe Vera component known as acemannan. Millions spent in developing a proprietary process for extracting acemannan resulted in the highest quality, most bio-available levels of acemannan known to exist, and it’s made from organic aloe. According to Dr. Leal and leading experts, improving the pH balance of your stomach and restoring gut health is the key to revitalizing your entire body.
When your digestive system isn’t healthy, it causes unwanted stress on your immune system, which results in inflammation in the rest of the body. The recommended daily allowance of acemannan in AloeCure has been proven to support digestive health and manage painful inflammation through immune system adjustments without side effects or drugs. This would explain why so many users are experiencing impressive results so quickly. REVITALIZE YOUR ENTIRE BODY With daily use, AloeCure helps users look and feel decades younger and defend against some of the painful inflammation that accompanies aging and can make life hard. By buffering stomach acid and restoring gut health, AloeCure’s ingredient maintains healthy immune system function to combat painful inflammation...reduce the appearance of winkles and help strengthen hair and nails ... maintains healthy cholesterol and oxidative stress... improves sleep and energy…. and supports brain function by way of gut biome... without side effects or expense. Readers can now reclaim their energy, vitality, and youth regardless of age.
AloeCure Taken Daily • Helps End Digestion Nightmares • Reduces appearance of Wrinkles and Increases Elasticity • Supports Healthy Immune System HOW TO GET ALOECURE This is the official nationwide release of the new AloeCure pill in the United States. And so, the company is offering our readers up to 3 FREE bottles with their order. This special give-away is only available for a limited time. All you have to do is call TOLLFREE 1-800-746-2898 and provide the operator with the Free Bottle Approval Code: AC100. The company will do the rest. Important: Due to AloeCure’s recent media exposure, phone lines are often busy. If you call and do not immediately get through, please be patient and call back. Those who miss the 48-hour deadline may lose out on this free bottle offer.
THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE, OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. ALL DOCTORS MENTIONED ARE REMUNERATED FOR THEIR SERVICES. ALL CLINICAL STUDIES ON ALOECURE’S ACTIVE INGREDIENT WERE INDEPENDENTLY CONDUCTED AND WERE NOT SPONSORED BY THE AMERICAN GLOBAL HEALTH GROUP.
RECIPES
Make Meatless Meals More Mmm A Colorado chef shares vegan morning recipes even a carnivore wants to devour BY AMY HIGGINS
GET ANOTHER RECIPE Even if you aren’t vegan, try the No-Sugar Whole Grain Banana Pancakes. They are delicious! Go to the Recipes page at coloradocountrylife.coop.
| RECIPES@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG
Vegan breakfast recipes you just have to try.
F
ort Collins resident Jan Findlater has more than 30 years in the food industry. During that time she was a chef, certified nutritionist, culinary school owner, cooking instructor, event planner and caterer, which includes high-profile catering contracts with Gov. John Hickenlooper, Sen. Mark Udall and singer Willie Nelson, to name a few. She also opened and sold Great Harvest Bread Co., and received certifications as a sommelier and chocolatier. About three years ago, Findlater converted from vegetarian to vegan and wanted to find ways to create tasty recipes that typically require animal products. When we discovered she taught cooking classes at the Grand Lake Center and reached out to her, she offered to share a few vegan breakfast recipes. Whether you’re vegan or not, this recipe is seriously delicious and would be gobbled up even at the biggest meat lover’s table.
Chickpea Flour Omelets With a Latin Twist 1 cup chickpea (garbanzo) flour 1 cup water 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 2 scallions, finely chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley 2 tablespoons chopped mild or hot canned chili peppers Optional fillings and toppings: chopped roasted pepper, chopped tomato, chopped artichoke, chopped cilantro, sliced black olives, avocado, shredded vegan cheddar (or regular cheddar cheese) Whisk or blend together the chickpea flour, water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, mustard, salt, pepper, onion powder, baking powder and turmeric. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.
CHEF’S TIP Substitute the Spray Jan Findlater likes to use avocado oil in the place of cooking spray. Avocado oil is packed with nutrients you can’t get from traditional cooking spray.
Add chopped scallions, cilantro (or parsley) and chili peppers. Heat a small pan over medium heat and spray generously with cooking spray. When hot, ladle 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the mixture into the pan. The poured batter should not be more than 1/4-inch thick. Thick batter will make the omelet too gummy. Swirl to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan and let steam until the bottom is lightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Loosen carefully and flip the omelet; cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Enjoy as is or add optional fillings and/or toppings. ©2019 Jan Findlater. All rights reserved.
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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2020
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NEWS CLIPS
Co-op Power Supplier Greens its Future The closures of coal-fired power plants announced in mid-January and the addition of eight new solar and wind projects adding 1 gigawatt of renewable energy mean cleaner electricity for 18 of Colorado’s 22 electric co-ops. Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, which supplies electricity to the majority of Colorado’s electric co-ops, is closing Escalante Station in New Mexico by the end of 2020 and Craig Station plant and Colowyo Mine in northwestern Colorado by 2030. It has also cancelled the Holcomb coal project in Kansas and committed to cease development other coal facilities. “Serving our members’ clean energy and affordability needs, supporting state requirements and goals and leading the fundamental changes in our industry require the retirement of our coal facilities in Colorado and New Mexico,” said Rick Gordon, chairman of the board of Tri-State. These closures, along with the new resources announced, are part of Tri-State’s Responsible Energy Plan that is
Tri-State Generation and Transmission CEO Duane Highley announces its new Responsible Energy Plan at the State Capitol on Wednesday, January 15.
fundamentally transforming the power supplier while maintaining a strong financial position and stable rates. Six new solar projects and two wind projects will be added to Tri-State’s portfolio by 2024 at which time it will provide 50% of the electricity consumed will come from renewable resources. Tri-State’s clean energy transition significantly expands renewable energy generation while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and extending the benefits of a clean grid to its cooperative members. It will also share more flexibility for self-generation with members. “We’re not just changing direction, we’re emerging as the leader of the energy transition,” said Tri-State CEO Duane Highley.
GFCIs HELP KEEP YOU SAFE Help prevent electric shocks in your home by installing ground fault circuit interrupters. GFCIs can provide protection against shock from an electrified appliance, from equipment in contact with water and from a damaged or defective appliance. GFCIs should be installed in areas near water. This includes bathrooms, kitchens, garages, basements and the outdoors. A GFCI detects an abnormal flow of electricity and shuts off the power, preventing shock or electrocution. Electricity is always looking for a path to ground. A ground fault is an unintentional electrical path from the power source and a grounded surface. Under normal conditions, current flows in a circuit, traveling from the source, through the device it operates and back to the source. If an electrified appliance gets damaged by water, that flow is broken. Without a GFCI, your body could become that path to ground for the electrical current.
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Tri-State is focused on the needs of the 600 employees and their communities that are affected by the closures. “As we make this difficult decision, we do so with a deep appreciation for the contributions of our employees who have dedicated their talents and energy to help us deliver on our mission to our members,” Highley said. Tri-State will work with state and local officials to support affected employees and their communities during the transition. “Our focus is on making these changes with the care and respect our employees and their communities deserve — easing the transition whenever and wherever possible,” Highley said.
SOLAR RECORDS SET The U.S. residential solar market reached a new record for solar installations in the third quarter of 2019, according to a report from the Solar Energy Industries Association. Residential installations totaling 712 megawatts were recorded in July, August and September. The industry also reported that, overall, 2.6 gigawatts were installed during the quarter, increasing total U.S. solar capacity to 71.3 gigawatts. That is a 45% increase over the previous year.
NEWS CLIPS
CO-OPS BEGIN RESEARCH ON UTILITY-CONNECTED HOME Electric cooperatives are researching the best ways to connect to smart homes in their service territories. The nonprofit utilities recently launched a Connected Home Research Project through a partnership between the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and Dakota State University in South Dakota. The university, a national leader in technology and cybersecurity education, is creating a “home hub” that would allow the growing number of smart devices in consumer-members’ homes to communicate with co-ops to save energy and money. From WiFi thermostats to smart appliances, there is increased adoption of smart home technologies among co-op consumer-members. Those devices can help manage electricity usage and benefit consumers, but there is a gap between the capabilities of those technologies and the ability of the local electric co-op to connect to those technologies, if the consumer wants that kind of assistance. Co-op directors and employees attending the NRECA Annual Meeting in March will see a model of a utility-connected home. It will include a home hub that gives consumer-members a dashboard to
The co-ops’ national trade association is working with Dakota State University on a Connected Home Research Project to find ways that co-ops can help their members save energy and money. Photo Courtesy: East River Electric Cooperative.
access their smart home devices. It also connects to the co-op so that the co-op can learn a member’s preferences and make energy adjustments depending on when the consumer used electricity.
Average Prices for Residential Electricity 2018 figures, in cents per kWh U.S. Average: 12.9¢ per kWh WA 9.8¢ OR 11¢
NV 11.9¢
CO-OP VOTERS AND THE 2020 ELECTION Pollsters are predicting a record turnout for this coming fall’s national election. Find out more about what issues are important to voters in electric co-op territory by listening to “Along Those Lines,” a podcast presented by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. The January edition delves into how co-ops are making sure their consumers’ voices are heard and what to expect in terms of political engagement in co-op country. Listen to the podcast page at crea.coop/crea-podcasts.
CA 18.8¢
MT 11¢ ID 10.2¢
UT 10.4¢
AZ 12.8¢
ND 10.3¢
WY 11.3¢ CO 12.2¢ NM 12.7¢
SD 11.6¢
MN 13.1¢
NE 10.7¢ KS 13.4¢ OK 10.3¢ TX 11.2¢
WI 14¢
IA 12.2¢ MO 11.3¢ AR 9.8¢ LA 9.6¢
MI 15.5¢
VT: 18¢ NH: 19.7¢ MA: 21.6¢ RI: 20.6¢ NY CT: 21.2¢ 18.5¢
PA 13.9¢ OH IN IL 12.8¢ 12.3¢ 12.6¢ WV VA KY 11.2¢ 11.7¢ 10.6¢ NC TN 11.1¢ 10.7¢ SC 12.4¢ GA AL MS 12.2¢ 11.5¢ 11.1¢
ME 16.8¢
NJ: 15.4¢ DE: 12.5¢ MD: 13.3¢ DC: 12.8¢
FL 11.5¢
AK 21.9¢ HI 32.5¢
Residential Average Price (cents per kilowatt-hour) Over 12.5¢ Under 10 ¢ 10¢ to 12.5¢ Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration Numbers rounded to nearest tenth of a cent
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2020
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COVER STORY
Backcountry HEROES BY EUGENE BUCHANAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN RUSSELL
HELICOPTER RESCUE TRAINING Routt County Search & Rescue team members Jason Blair and Matt Karzen hunker down as a Classic Air Medical helicopter, piloted by Bryce Frankenberry, kicks up snow while hovering above the scene of a search and rescue training mission on Rabbit Ears Pass in January.
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Routt County Search & Rescue prepares for it all
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ou’ll have to excuse Dan Gilchrist if he’s not at the head of his hand-built, Sunday dinner table for pot roast with his family. If his daughters Caroline, 15, and Mackenzie, 10, are staring at an empty seat, he’s likely out on a call as a volunteer for the Routt County Search & Rescue team in Steamboat Springs. “That’s usually when they get the calls,” says his wife, Karen. “It’s often around 7 p.m., which is right around dinner time. That’s when people are reported missing.” Karen knows it comes with the territory of the man she married. A loving father and builder, Gilchrist realizes it sometimes takes time away from his family, but it’s a calling that’s rooted deeply. “We worry but we support him — even though it means missing out on time with the kids,” Karen says. “It’s his way of giving back and we know it means a lot to him.”
Giving with a risk Gilchrist, as with the team’s other 25 members, has a lot to give. The longtime local is an expert backcountry skier and outdoorsman and knows the terrain of the area’s Park Range as well as he does the dinner table he built. He also has the skills to reach it. Still, the worry isn’t without reason. Oftentimes, rescuing someone else means putting yourself at risk. Take a rescue back in January 2017, for instance. During a 30-inch storm that blanketed the backcountry, with temperatures dropping below zero, a skier and a snowboarder lost their bearings atop Buffalo Pass and became lost in the
COVER STORY cliff-riddled North Fork Fish Creek drainage outside Steamboat. During the rescue, an avalanche released on the south-facing slope, burying search and rescue board president and team member Jay Bowman. “I was carried about 400 feet down, bouncing over rocks and tumbling in the snow the whole way,” says Bowman, 56, an eightyear member of the team. “Luckily I was able to hook myself around a tree, with my head and arm barely above the surface. But I was scared … I didn’t expect to survive it.” While he was in good hands — the rescue team got to him within two minutes — the call home to his wife afterward was difficult. It’s the type of call Karen hopes she never fields while spooning gravy onto mashed potatoes for Caroline and Mackenzie. Still, at least the danger of that kind of hazard is less in Steamboat than it is in other areas of Colorado. In more avalancheprone regions like Aspen, the slide danger is even more prominent. In February 2019, when Aspen locals Owen Green, 27, and Michael Goerne, 37, were reported missing and later confirmed dead in an avalanche in the Elk Mountains, local search and rescue personnel started out at midnight but had to suspend their search until the avalanche danger subsided. A similar situation arose closer to home in February 2017 when Steamboat musician and father-of-three Jesse Christensen, 55, was killed by an avalanche while riding his Timbersled (a motorcycle snowmobile) in the Flat Tops mountains. The rescue went from a search to body retrieval,
“We always joke that we see the area’s most beautiful spots in the dark with a headlamp.” Routt County Search & Rescue volunteer Dan Gilchrist
putting rescuers in the same risky terrain. “It seems like it happens a lot on holidays and weekends,” Gilchrist says. “And we definitely get calls at night a lot. We always joke that we see the area’s most beautiful spots in the dark with a headlamp.”
Skills to help others Growing up in Minnesota, Gilchrist moved to Steamboat in 1988 to ski. He brings that background, as well as rope skills, off-road-vehicle experience, freak-like endurance and more to the search and rescue table. The organization’s other members, including a seven-person board, each bring their own skills to the equation, a formula that seems to work. Bowman says he didn’t have any specialized search and rescue skills when he joined the organization, other than being a lifelong skier, mountain biker and climber, and explorer of northwestern Colorado’s backcountry for the past 23 years. With his wife being a physician, he didn’t have to work as
Routt County Search & Rescue team members pose for a group photograph before a training mission. They serve in Yampa Valley Electric’s service territory. COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2020
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COVER STORY much, affording him the time to volunteer. And he says his master of business administration degree helps him manage the organization on the business side. “For me it’s a perfect fit,” he says. “It takes me away from the family a fair amount, but it allows me to give back to the community I love.” This turns the team into a surrogate family of sorts as well — dealing with trauma and helping others has a way of bringing people together. “We all enjoy what we do,” Bowman says. “It’s something we choose to do, outside in an area we love, so it builds a real bond.” While the volunteers are on call all the time, they can pick and choose which missions they go on, he adds, responding only when commitments allow. “If a call interferes with birthdays and anniversaries and things, I try to stay with the family,” he says. “Unless it’s something urgent.” And with everyone’s different skill sets, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. “Some people are physically fit for the demands it requires, others excel at motorized aspects and others are good at things like logistics and navigation,” Gilchrist says. “It’s this mix that makes it work.” Of course, not all rescues — like that of Christensen — have happy endings.
Members of Routt County Search & Rescue train after the lights go out at Howelsen Hill.
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“It takes me away from the family a fair amount, but it allows me to give back to the community I love.” Routt County Search & Rescue board president Jay Bowman
“Unfortunately, the ones that stand out the most are the ones that weren’t necessarily a rescue,” says Gilchrist. “They’re the recoveries. But when you do help someone, whether they’re injured or weren’t prepared to spend the night out, it feels great.” Working under the jurisdiction of the state and the local sheriff ’s department, as with the state’s other 45 search and rescue teams, Routt County Search & Rescue was formed in 1968 by a group of friends who were often called on by other friends to help them get their snowmobiles unstuck in the backcountry. They then trained in other aspects of wilderness rescue to help others who might need assistance. That concept of helping strangers as though they’re friends remains the organization’s driving mantra today. There are similar starts for the state’s other teams, all of whose volunteer members are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in any type
of weather. While the incident commanders work on a rotating schedule, for the rest of the volunteers, “If the pager goes off and your schedule allows, you go,” says Gilchrist, who runs his own business, Alpine Craftsman, which affords him such flexibility. The calls they receive vary depending on the time of year and their location. Teams in the San Juans of southwestern Colorado, or the Elk Mountains surrounding Crested Butte and Aspen, might get more avalancheand mountaineering-related calls, and even those pertaining to high-altitude complications. The Routt County team fields a lot of hunting accidents and lost snowmobiler and hiker calls. The average mission, says Bowman, takes five to eight hours start to finish. “You never know what it’s going to be when the pager goes off,” Gilchrist says. “You have to be prepared for everything.” And it can get tricky in an area like
Anders Lowenfish, a paramedic with Classic Air Medical, guides a Routt County Search & Rescue team toward a waiting helicopter during a training session where search and rescue and Classic Air Medical members, including pilot Bryce Frankenberry and nurse Hunter Maddox, work together training on the proper way to secure, transport and load a patient on to a helicopter in the field. On this day, the teams were training on Rabbit Ears Pass just outside of Steamboat Springs.
COVER STORY
“It’s not always obvious at first what the best solution is; you have to figure it out as you go.” Routt County Search & Rescue volunteer Dan Gilchrist
northwestern Colorado, where Rabbit Ears Pass includes portions of three counties — Jackson, Grand and Routt — each of which has its own search and rescue team. Typically, a call comes into dispatch, which runs it through that county’s sheriff ’s department, which then assigns it to that region’s search and rescue team. If one team’s members are already busy or otherwise can’t reach the location quickly, they might assign it to another nearby team.
Assistance for law enforcement Local law enforcement is happy for the assistance. “They provide a much needed and widely used service to our community and are a big help,” says Routt County Sheriff Garrett Wiggins. “They’re a team of highly dedicated volunteers who train hard and dedicate themselves to saving others.” Bowman says the number of missions they go on each year is dropping, bucking statewide trends. Along the Front Range and elsewhere, more and more people are heading out into the backcountry, often unprepared, and they can access rough terrain relatively easily. This has resulted in more calls for assistance. Routt County is farther off the beaten path, however, meaning people have to want to come here, Bowman adds. And the terrain is different; they field more calls for people who are lost or have stuck snowmobiles than the injuries other Colorado teams might field. “We used to average about 100 missions per year, but now it’s decreased to about 60
with the advent of cellphones and handheld GPSs,” he says. “A lot of times we can walk people out over the phone.” And there’s a difference between a search and a rescue, he adds. If it’s a rescue, there’s no break; they’ll do whatever they can to evacuate the victim as quickly as possible. Searches can sometimes last days, with the team retiring at night to resume again the next dawn. In 2005, cross-country skier Charles Horton, 55, was rescued after spending nine days stranded in the Flat Tops Wilderness Area with a broken leg. To do so, the team employs a fleet of eight ATVs, eight snowmobiles, one snowcat, two rescue trucks, an SUV and a mobile communications center. It also has a wheeled litter for areas they can’t access with machines due to terrain or wilderness area designation. They might also use dogs — coordinated through the Colorado Search & Rescue Board — especially for searches that have gone on for awhile. All this costs money, for which they’re constantly scrambling. Funded primarily from donations, as well as hunting and fishing license purchases and snowmobile, ATV and boat registrations, all of its services are free, save for medical transportation by aircraft or ambulance. Proceeds from licenses and off-road vehicle registrations go to a state fund administered by the Department of Local Affairs. Teams then request a grant from the department, or a reimbursement
if costs are high on a particular mission. Local fundraisers, Bowman adds, are key to keeping the operation going. For the victims in question, it’s a great, free insurance policy for when things go wrong. All they have to cover financially is official medical transportation if it is needed. This has arisen in a handful of rescues that Gilchrist remembers well. Once he was called on a mission where a utility task vehicle had rolled near Lynx Pass in southern Routt County. The vehicle’s driver died on the scene, with the passenger suffering a broken back and pelvis. The rescuers had to first get her back up onto the trail, and then down the trail to a suitable location for a helicopter evacuation. Another time was on a popular hiking trail to King Solomon Falls, which requires scrambling up a creek bed to a set of waterfalls. Two hours into her hike, a woman was hit by rockfall, resulting in a severe lower leg injury. The team had to reach her, rig a litter to lower her, “carry her across a crazy sidehill along the creek” and then haul her back up another cliff. “A lot of times you have to improvise,” Gilchrist says. “It’s not always obvious at first what the best solution is; you have to figure it out as you go.” He was late for the dinner table again that night. But, boy, was his family glad to see him. Writer Eugene Buchanan writes about the outdoors from his home in Steamboat Springs. COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2020
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INDUSTRY
THE COLORADO RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION 75 Years of Representing Colorado’s Electric Co-ops BY KYLEE COLEMAN
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EDITORIAL ASSISTANT | KCOLEMAN@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE .ORG
ost Coloradans don’t know life without electricity — it’s ready and available when they need it and at the flip of a switch. Yet in relatively recent history, simple electric lighting and service were not part of life in many rural areas. “The first 50 years of my life, I lived without electricity,” Paul Huntly said. A board director at Buena Vista-based Sangre de Cristo Electric Association from 1948 to 1977, Huntly once reflected about his experience growing up on an isolated 10,000-acre ranch in rural Colorado. In the February 1977 issue of Colorado Country Life, he said, “What was life like without electricity? [We were] walking through the snow to an outdoor toilet, carrying water from a well, using a coal oil lamp. We took our baths in a washtub in the kitchen, after heating the water on the cookstove.” Longtime Hugo-based K.C. Electric Association board member Bob Bledsoe also remembers when electricity came to his family’s ranch in eastern Colorado when he was 4 or 5 years old. His dad took him out to watch neighbors bring line in and set the power poles by hand. “Son, take a good look at what you see right now,” his dad said to him, “because
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this is really going to change our country.” And it did. Neighbors helped neighbors in their collective effort to bring electricity to Colorado’s rural areas starting in 1936. Communities had solid plans based on the new Rural Electrification Act and people collected signatures and $5 fees to form local electric co-ops.
To work together on shared goals, these new, small, local electric co-ops banded together in 1945 to create what was then called the Colorado State Association of Cooperatives. This month, the Colorado Rural Electric Association celebrates its 75th anniversary as that trade association for Colorado’s 22 electric co-ops and power supplier Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. Few Colorado rural electric cooperative founders are still living these days, but their original efforts and legacy still power our lives. That’s why the collective cooperative story deserves telling — and retelling.
Statewide support At its inception, CREA primarily worked on advancing legislative issues and political agendas promoting the rural electrification movement both locally and nationally. As needs arose, CREA’s focus expanded to indirectly support member co-ops’ consumer-members. Your co-op’s goal is to provide safe, reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible electricity to your community and home. CREA is a tool that co-ops rely on to make that possible. Simply put, CREA has a statewide perspective and a holistic approach to serving co-ops so your community co-op can serve you better. CREA continues the much needed work on shared co-op issues at the state Capitol as well as working on shared goals in other areas.
Safety and training A commitment to keep your co-op and its employees safe has always been at the forefront of CREA’s efforts. Since its formation, job training and safety has been a valued service offered by CREA. From providing training programs to organization-wide safety assessments, classes and seminars for all 22 co-ops across the state, the four-person
INDUSTRY safety team reaches far and wide. The safety team also facilitates mutual aid efforts. When the power goes out in a community or town due to a major weather event, there are 21 other Colorado co-ops that can assist with getting the power back on.
Education Education is an important spoke of the CREA wheel, and it helps perpetuate industry best practices. Through CREA’s education services, co-op staff and board members can advance their learning and leadership. A range of courses are available for directors, mechanics, accountants, member service managers and human resource specialists, as well as other co-op employees. CREA helps your co-op to support future leaders. For 25 years, CREA has promoted and organized Colorado co-op high schoolers’ annual Washington D.C. Youth Tour. A great opportunity for the students who are selected to go, the tour allows Colorado teens to meet with nearly 1,900 students from across the country to learn about cooperatives, the legislative process and sightseeing. A weeklong summer Leadership Camp in Steamboat Springs, offered since the 1970s, also gives teens a unique opportunity to learn about the co-op model, develop leadership skills and simply have fun.
Delegates of the 2019 Colorado Youth Camp.
Communication Along with these programs, CREA assists local co-ops with communication services and telling the cooperative story. Colorado Country Life, (which was originally published under the name Colorado Rural Electric News and, later, Rocky Mountain Rural Life) is now in its 67th year of production. This magazine is the most accessible and efficient way for your co-op to keep you informed. Readers get a little bit of everything: local co-op news and business, community events, local scholarship opportunities and relevant safety issues. Consumer-members also enjoy stories on interesting Colorado people, places, discoveries, recipes, political issues and gardening.
Serving Colorado communities and beyond Making space for local and international philanthropic efforts has evolved for CREA over the last 75 years. For eight years, Colorado’s electric cooperatives have sponsored a team in the Pedal the Plains bike tour across the eastern plains. The team raises money for Energy Outreach Colorado, a nonprofit organization that helps people with electric bills and energy efficiency updates in homes across Colorado. In 2018 and 2019, CREA partnered with co-ops from Oklahoma to travel to Guatemala where crews of volunteer linemen
electrified small, remote villages. Giving power to people who have never had it before is a proud and important moment for both the linemen and the co-ops they represent.
Still going strong Since day one of modern rural electrification, the co-op industry evolved remarkably fast. New technologies and generation sources are developed nearly every day and electric service is not going away. Neither is the co-op model. As Bledsoe says, “CREA, in its history, made a profound effect on the infrastructure in Colorado and the people who are served by it. CREA should be a community effort to make sure all the co-ops have affordable and reliable electricity.” And that, it is. Although the statewide trade association has changed over the past 75 years to meet modern cooperative needs, one thing remains the same: CREA continues to fight for co-op issues and encourage a new generation of people to connect with their cooperatives. CREA looks forward to many more years of representing and serving co-ops and consumer-members across the state. Kylee Coleman is the editorial assistant at Colorado Country Life magazine. She writes about innovations at Colorado’s electric cooperatives and enjoyed sifting through print archives researching CREA’s history.
Delegates of the 1973 Colorado Youth Camp. COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2020
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GARDENING
CREATE A CULINARY KITCHEN Bring your garden indoors for freshly made recipes BY VICKI SPENCER
MASTER GARDENER | GARDENING@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE .ORG
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ulinary gardens can be grown in the winter. Although, unless you have a greenhouse or grow plants indoors, you will be limited on what can survive. The easiest things to grow are salad greens, spinach, kale and herbs. You can grow them from seeds or plants. If you want to grow winter greens outside and don’t have a greenhouse, you can create a mini greenhouse with a little creativity. One idea that requires little effort is to use a clear plastic storage tub. Place the lid bottom side up on a flat surface in full sun, lay a bag of garden soil flat on top and then cut a hole in the middle of the bag using a utility knife. Be sure to leave wide edges on top of each side so soil won’t fall out. If any of the soil is compacted in the bag, loosen it up with your hands and scoop out excess soil to keep it below the cut edges. The idea is to prevent soil from washing over the edges when you water. Next, spread a packet of seeds over the soil and cover by gently rubbing your hand over the top. Sprinkle some spare soil lightly over the seeds if they are still visible. Salad green seeds are so small they should not be buried deeply or they won’t germinate. Gently use a watering can, carefully avoiding washing the seeds away. Last, place the plastic tub on top of the bag to create an inexpensive greenhouse. You should only need to water once per week after germination. If you see condensation inside the tub, prop one end open a few inches until the water dissipates. If you live in the high country, it will be too cold and snowy for this makeshift greenhouse to work. Fortunately, you can grow lettuce, spinach and kale in small pots on your kitchen counter
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along with all your herbs. You can even mix the greens in one large pot for a beautiful display. Growing herbs indoors is not as difficult as you might think. If you don’t have the time to grow from seeds, which initially requires more attention, you can find a wide variety of plants at your garden store. A basic herb garden contains parsley, basil, sage, rosemary, thyme, mint and oregano. Most herb plants available to purchase can be kept in their pots unless they are root bound. You can also create a decorative display by mixing different herbs in larger containers. Use well-draining soil and cover up to the base of the plants where roots begin. Be sure to label individual plants if you are not familiar with their leaves. You can enjoy herbs longer if you prevent them from getting tall and spindly. Encourage horizontal spread by crowding the plants more than you normally would and pinch off leaves at the top of the stems. It’s easy to give herbs the attention they need when placed in the kitchen where they are easily accessible while cooking. Gardener Vicki Spencer has an eclectic background in conservation, water, natural resources and more.
LEARN MORE ONLINE Read previous gardening columns at coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Gardening under Living in Colorado.
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Advanced Technology Allows Macular Degeneration Patients To See Again And Allows Many Low Vision Patients To Drive Again While there is currently no cure, promising research is being done on many fronts. everything and anything possible to keep a person functioning,” says Dr. Stamm, “Even if it’s driving.” A scene as it might be viewed by a person with age-related macular degeneration
For many patients with macular degeneration and other visionrelated conditions, the loss of central visual detail also signals the end to one of the last bastions of independence driving. Colorado optometrist, Dr. Robert Stamm is using miniaturized telescopes which are mounted in glasses to help people who have lost vision from macular degeneration and other eye conditions. “Some of my patients consider me their last chance for people who have vision loss,” said Dr. Stamm, one of only a few doctors in the world who specializes in fitting bioptic
Same scene of rancher as viewed by a person without macular degeneration
telescopes to help those who have lost vision due to macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases. Imagine a pair of glasses that can improve your vision enough to change your life. Bioptic telescopes may be the breakthrough in optical technology that will give you back your independence. Patients with vision in the 20/200 range can many times be improved to 20/50. Bioptic telescopes treat both dry and wet forms of macular degeneration as well as other vision limiting conditions.
bioptic telescope is that the lens automatically focuses on whatever you’re looking at,” said Dr. Stamm. “It’s like a self-focusing camera, but much more precise.”
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www.LowVisionofColorado.com COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2020
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OUTDOORS
READER POETRY Memories
Memories like sunsets are slipping away as colors fade out by end of the day. Photographs capture a sunset in place, but memories dim, and time will erase. Ancients left paintings on walls of the cliffs or pecked them on stones we call petroglyphs. We’ve pencils and pens, computer keyboard. We don’t need stone tools with which to record. Tell of your era, events, others’ lives. Get words down on paper, create your archives. Families will treasure the stories you leave much more than you know, more than you believe. This window of time — twilight until dark closes down quickly, commit, leave your mark. Jane Ambrose Morton Mountain View Electric Association consumer-member
DO YOU WRITE POETRY? Send us your best work; we’d love to read it. Submission: Submit your poetry, name and address via email to: mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org or mail poem, name and address to: Colorado Country Life 5400 Washington St. Denver, CO 80216
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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2020
Erring on the Safe Side
It’s better to have too much than not enough BY DENNIS SMITH
OUTDOORS@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE .ORG
I
grew up in the southern Catskills decades ago when everything was decidedly simpler — including deer hunting. When we took to the woods after whitetails in those days, we did so with little more than a rifle, a belt knife, a hank of rope and a ham sandwich. Everything fit in the pockets of our heavy, woolen mackinaws. There were no hydration bladders or Lexan water bottles then — hell, Lexan wasn’t even a word — so we drank from brooks and natural springs in the woods. None of us had ever heard of Giardia and, luckily, none of us ever got it. Getting lost or injured or risking hypothermia never crossed our minds. In retrospect, I suppose we were ill-prepared but, in our defense, getting lost wasn’t much of a threat, since we hunted from a cabin in woods we knew well. Even if you managed to get “turned around” a bit, there are few mountains in the Catskills that aren’t crisscrossed by hiking trails or logging roads and following one of those would inevitably bring you to civilization. Our winter weather patterns were reasonably stable; storms blew in, of course, but they were rarely spontaneous or extreme. When we moved to Colorado, all that changed. The mountains here can kill you. They are rugged, remote and fearsomely unforgiving. Weather conditions, particularly at high altitude, can change from balmy to raging blizzard quicker than a duck on a June bug. I won’t hunt the Colorado backcountry these days without survival gear, a first aid kit, foul weather clothing, bottled water and a few other items vital to a safe and comfortable day (or night) in the boonies. The first aid kit is a self-contained affair stocked with basic wound care supplies, assorted medications and an instruction manual, all in a small zippered pouch. My
emergency gear consists of two space blankets, two fire starter kits with lighters and waterproof matches, 50 feet of paracord, orienteering compass, maps, Swiss Army knife, emergency whistle, headlamp, a compact high-intensity flashlight, walkie-talkie and a cellphone. Spare batteries for everything. I carry two of some items because critical equipment can fail when you need it most; hence, two is better than one, and three is better yet. Both kits fit in a red waterproof bag. Another sack holds foul weather gear: a down sweater, fleece vest, rain jacket, extra stocking cap, gloves and air-activated hand warmers. Bags of jerky, trail mix, dried fruit and cheese provide snacks and emergency grub. Yet another bag contains field dressing paraphernalia — latex gloves, fixed-blade knife, folding saw, drag rope and antibacterial hand wipes for cleanup. Oh yeah, and an insulated butt pad to sit on. It’s considerably more than we carried in the “old days,” but ’tis better to be safe than sorry. Dennis Smith is a freelance outdoors writer and photographer whose work appears nationally. He lives in Loveland.
MISS AN ISSUE? Catch up at coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Outdoors under Living in Colorado.
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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2020
1320 E 7th St., Wayne, NE | 402-375-4770
Watch our Factory Tour Online | hhofne.com
As a cooperative we are taking bold steps to change how your energy is produced. That means fewer emissions and 50 percent of your electricity coming from renewable energy by 2024. Because whatever the future holds, we’ll power it.
To learn more about our Responsible Energy Plan, visit www.tristate.coop COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2020
27
COMMUNITY EVENTS February 15 Colorado Springs
Winter Hobby Wine Competition Event Preregistration Preferred Bear Creek Nature Center 7-9 pm • 719-520-6977
February 15 Longmont
February 20 Society for Range Management Events Range Practicum, National Western Complex, Denver The U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management will lead a full-day workshop session about training wild horses, and a half-day session will be held called Women in Ranching. Smaller sessions include Soil Health, Winter Livestock Watering, NRCS Rainfall Simulator and more. For more information, visit http://www.srm2020.org/range-practicum.html. Healthy Grasslands Expo, Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel, Denver Learn about the importance of rangelands; the effects that humans and animals have on grasslands; how grasslands store carbon; and the function, health and ecosystem processes of rangelands. For more information, visit http://www.srm2020. org/healthy-grasslands-expo.html.
February 2020 February 6-9 Copper
Dew Tour Ski and Snowboard Competition and Festival Copper Mountain dewtour.com
February 6-9 Lamar
High Plains Snow Goose Festival Lamar High School highplainssnowgoose.com
February 7-9 Greeley
“Shrek the Musical” by Stampede Troupe and Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra Union Colony Civic Center ucstars.com
February 8 Telluride
Chocolate Lovers’ Fling Sheridan Opera House 7 pm • 970-728-5842
February 9 Aspen
Owl Creek Chase Race Snowmass Cross Country Center 9 am • 970-429-2093
28
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2020
February 13 Grand Junction
Doo Wop Project Avalon Theatre 7-9 pm • avalontheatregj.com
February 13 Montrose
Beaded Medallion Class Preregistration Required Ute Indian Museum 6-7:30 pm • 970-249-3098
February 14 Colorado Springs
A Valentine’s Evening in Nature Preregistration Required Bear Creek Nature Center 6-8:30 pm • 719-520-6972
February 14-17 Creede
Cabin Fever Daze Various Creede Locations creede.com
February 14-15 Loveland
Loveland Sweetheart Festival Downtown Loveland visitlovelandco.org
Valentine’s Cuddles at the Sanctuary Good Life Refuge 2-4 pm • goodliferefuge.org
February 15 Loveland
Spring Toy Show and Sale Larimer County Fairgrounds 9 am-3 pm • lovelandlionsclubs.org
February 16 Fraser
Pregnancy Resource Connection Fundraising Banquet Preregistration Required Young Life Crooked Creek Ranch 5 pm • 970-887-3617
February 16 Grand Junction
Avalon Theatre Bow Wow Film Fest 1-3 pm • avalontheatregj.com
February 16 Steamboat Springs
Ski Free Sunday Howelsen Hill steamboatsprings.net
February 18-22 Aspen
Aspen Laugh Festival Various Aspen Locations aspenchamber.org
February 18 Fort Collins
Mini Makers: Up-Cycled Cardboard Box Creations Fort Collins Museum of Discovery 1:15 pm • fcmod.org
February 20 Aurora
Free Admission Day Plains Conservation Center 10 am-2 pm • botanicgardens.org
SEND CALENDAR ITEMS 3 MONTHS IN ADVANCE
February 21 Leadville
Women’s Suffrage in Colorado Lecture Healy House Museum 12 pm • historycolorado.org
February 22 Denver
Women’s Vote Centennial Symposium History Colorado Center 8 am-5 pm • historycolorado.org
February 22 Manitou Springs
Carnivale Parade Memorial Park • 12 pm manitousprings.org/carnivale-parade
February 22 Lake City
Ice Fishing Derby Lake San Cristobal Public Dock 7 am • 970-944-2527
February 22 Niwot
Let’s Wine About Winter! Tasting Event Various Historic Niwot Locations 1-5 pm • niwot.com
February 24 Denver
“Ale Throughout History” Program History Colorado Center 6-8 pm • 303-447-8679
February 27 Denver
“Battling the Japanese Beetle” Presentation Denver Botanic Gardens 6:30-8:30 pm • botanicgardens.org
February 27 Montrose
Family Dream Catcher Class Reservations Required Ute Indian Museum 6-7:30 pm • 970-249-3098
February 29 Gould and Walden
Gould Ski Scramble & Snowshoe Stomp, Potluck and Dance Gould Comm. Cntr./State Forest State Park • gouldskiscramble.com
Calendar, Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216; fax to 303-455-2807; or email calendar@coloradocountrylife.org. Please send name of event, date, time, venue, brief description, phone number, a photo, if you have one, and email and/or website for more information.
YOUR STORIES
READERS’ PHOTOS
FUNNY STORIES When my daughter was young she
Picture perfect! Dwayne, Nicola, Robin and Daniel Hopkins snap a shot with CCL at one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World: Table Mountain in South Africa. The Hopkins’ are consumermembers of Poudre Valley REA.
had some health problems and had to learn to swallow pills at an extremely young age. Her brother was seldom sick and couldn’t swallow pills until he was an adult. One day, when the kids were still young, they were in the back seat of the car bickering about something. My son was upset with his sister. All of a sudden, my daughter shouted, “OMG, take a chill pill! Oh, that’s right — you can’t swallow one!” Diane Churchill, Black Forest
One morning, after a long and
unrestful night, I started making pancakes for the kids prior to school. Once all the ingredients were added and mixed together, I poured the first couple for my 7-year-old son. As I watched them cook I noticed they weren’t quite right. Through my foggy mind I realized I forgot to add the sugar. Knowing my son has quite the sweet tooth, I told him I’d add sugar and make him some new pancakes, but he told me he wanted to try the nonsugar ones. As he began to eat them, he exclaimed, “Dad, these pancakes have no joy!” Timm Smith, Greeley
I recently had the joy of an outing
Colorado Country Life travels halfway around the world to visit the iconic Sydney Opera House in Australia with Gordon and Julie Racine, consumermembers of San Isabel Electric.
Empire Electric Association consumer-members Mary Ann Graff and Beth Carter bring CCL on a visit to Patmara, Nepal, where they served local women through health education classes.
WINNER: Sharon, Bryon, Alan and Megan Fessler, and Terri and Casey Meadows bring CCL on a snorkel trip in Bonaire in the Caribbean. This fun bunch are all consumer-members of Poudre Valley REA.
It’s easy to win with Colorado Country Life. Simply take a photo of someone (or a selfie!) with the magazine and email the photo, your name and address to info@ coloradocountrylife.org. We’ll draw one photo to win $25 each month. The next deadline is Monday, February 17. Name, address and co-op must accompany photo. See all of the submitted photos on Facebook at facebook.com/COCountryLife.
with my grandsons — the youngest had just turned 4. As we drove up Buckhorn Road in Larimer County he yelled out that he had to go “number two” immediately. I pulled over, ran to the back seat and unstrapped him from his car seat. I grabbed him, pulled his pants and underpants down and held him up so that he could go. To my surprise nothing came out his rear but from his front instead, soaking the clothes I was wearing. As we climbed back into the car he proudly and happily told his brothers, “I peed on Grandpa!” It took me four hours to dry out. Roger Person, Loveland
We pay $15 to each person who submits a funny story that’s printed in the magazine. At the end of the year we will draw one name from those submitting funny stories and that person will receive $200. Send your 2020 stories to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or email funnystories@ coloradocountrylife.org. Don’t forget to include your mailing address, so we can send you a check.
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2020
29
DISCOVERIES
SNOW COOL WINTER GEAR
Colorado-made products to enjoy this winter Photo courtesy of Grass Sticks
Sundance Leather In Guffey, Sundance Sheepskin & Leather owners Dylan Anderson and his mom Jean are busy constructing boots, moccasins, hats and more, just as his dad Barry and Jean did starting nearly 50 years ago. Using sheepskin from colder climates in Colorado, New Mexico and other Western areas — which the company touts produces a “superior, thicker pile” — Sundance merchandise lasts for years and keeps you warm on the coldest days. Find Sundance products at its Buena Vista retail store and online at sundanceleather.com.
Connect to Care for Your Camera More than a decade ago, Colorado Country Life featured Backcountry Solutions’ KEYHOLE® Hands-Free Camera Harness. Since then, the Tabernash-based company adapted its design to accommodate customers’ needs even more. The Universal KEYHOLE® harness attaches to all types of backpack straps and uses a standard knob that attaches to your camera to hold it in place, leaving your hands free to explore the world around you. Cost is $54.95 and info can be found at backcountrysolutions.com.
Hit the Hill In 2010, brothers Caleb and Morgan Weinberg built eight pairs of skis in their garage and gave them to their friends. While their appearance wasn’t exactly jaw dropping, the functionality was. Caleb and Morgan realized they were onto something, so they went back to work and created a collection of attractive, durable skis that they sold to the public that following year. Romp Skis, the Crested Butte-based company, has an array of stock skis but can also custom-make customers’ skis to fit their needs. For more information, call 970-3495353 or visit rompskis.com.
Trusty Ski Accessory — Pick Your Pole Bamboo is the primary ingredient for Grass Sticks’ ski poles and the element that makes the Steamboat Springs company stand out. Grass Sticks’ poles are flexible and lightweight yet rigid and resilient, and each set is designed with the user in mind. Simply provide the desired length of the pole and the preferred type of strap, and then pick the colors of the grip and basket. Also available in SUP and canoe paddles. For more information, call 970-4391624 or visit grasssticks.com.
30
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2020
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