Live Well Estes Fall 2022

PHOTO BY:

Happy Autumn! Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park are great places to live well in the fall. The leaves has changed, wind is in the air and wildlife is active.

In this issue, you will find important news about new and old faces at Estes Park Health. You can also read about EPH’s plans for the future.

There is a lot going on this season at The Stanley and the Rec.

Flip through the pages to get ideas about some great hikes you can take to stay in shape.

As always, we are grateful to our sponsors. Without them, we would not be able to deliv er this publication to you.

Enjoy!

Michael Romero, Publisher

Wendy Rigby, Managing Editor/Reporter

Matthew Poust, Lead Reporter

Dawn Wilson, Freelancer

Tim Mosier, Freelancer

Daniel Sewell, Advertising

Wendy Rigby / Estes Park Trail Gazette

The sun peeks out over rocks on Trail Ridge Road on a sunny October morning.

Dawn Wilson / Estes Park Trail Gazette

level Lake Estes on Oct 22 to

By Estes Park Health For the Trail Gazette

We all know that the world was changed by the pandemic. In the medical field, the impact will be felt for many years. It’s very difficult to fill many nursing, clinical, and support staffing positions

Hospitals everywhere have had to hire very high priced temporary contractors to fill the gaps. This factor alone has created severe financial pressures Add this to pres sures from government, reg ulatory bodies, insurance and pharmaceutical compa nies, supply chain delays and rising costs the chal lenges are at a level not seen during the careers of most modern hospital leaders.

It is likely that there will be a shortage of skilled labor in the nursing and oth er clinical professions for many years to come.

All hospitals and hospital systems are undergoing changes to help stay afloat now and in the future. Estes Park Health is taking signifi cant steps to do the same: reducing certain service lines, optimizing different parts of the business, and looking at new revenue opportunities. There has been much information pub lished and, in July, August, and September, many elec tronic town halls and discus sions at Park Hospital Dis trict board meetings were held to help provide infor mation about those chang es.

This article describes some of the good steps that are being taken to reinforce

the core services of EPH and help us stay strong as we provide those “basic necessities” of a high moun

Estes Park Health / Courtesy photo

months. We’ve been able to restart

our chemotherapy program,

Estes Park Health is planning for the future

Estes Park Health is a wonderful place to work, as we build and strengthen to serve all of you, here in our beautiful mountain paradise.

Dawn Wilson / Estes Park Trail Gazette

Dr Paige Dekker, a new family physician at Estes Park Health, looks forward to helping the Estes Park community work towards healthy, active lifestyles.

livE WEll EstEs Fall 2022 • 5

Dr. Paige Dekker joins Family Medicine team at EPH

By Dawn Wilson Trail Gazette

With the enthusiasm and energy of an Energizer bunny, Dr Paige Dekker leads me through the corridors of Estes Park Health as we look for a workable location for her photo.

We head outdoors to the front of the hospital and then walk around the back to the emergency room doors. Surprisingly there were few plac es with a smaller logo to use as a backdrop, but Dekker was all giggles about having a photo taken, showing signs of nerves when worrying about how to sit, what to wear and if she should keep on her badge.

The enthusiasm and ener gy of a young doctor was refreshing, invigorating and uplifting

And that is exactly what Dekker brings to her prac tice style too

“I am looking forward to building long term relation ships with my patients,” said Dekker. “I really like to talk and being at a smaller com munity hospital is a good way to see patients for longer periods of time to provide more patient care ”

Dekker, who is originally from Connecticut, started her path to becoming a phy sician by finishing a Bachelor of Science degree in biology at Coastal Carolina Universi ty in South Carolina. She went to Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in South Carolina before trans ferring to Tacoma Family Medicine in Tacoma, Wash , for her residency.

It was in that friendly port

city on Washington’s Puget Sound that Dekker met her future husband, Pep

Her face lights up when she talks about him as she reiterated the stories behind the photos she had in her office of her and their grow ing family

“I met him on Valentine’s Day in 2020 at a bar,” said Dekker “The place was packed and just by coinci dence we sat next to each other at a small table Turned out he lived in the same complex as me and I had never even met him ”

They were married by October of that year. Nine months later, identical twin girls arrived.

After medical school, Dekker worked in telehealth but when she married Pep Dekker and they learned they were expecting, they moved to Estes Park where

Dr. Paige Dekker / Courtesy photo

Pep carries the babies on one of the Dekker's backcountry camping trips this summer to Sandbeach Lake.

Dr Paige Dekker / Courtesy photo

The Dekkers pose for a photo inTacoma, Wash , before they moved to Estes Park

Time for a tea party?

By Daniel Sewell Trail Gazette

For Daisy and Michael St. Pierre and every one in the Estes Valley, Oct 21 was the official open ing day for SereniTEA’s Tea Room, located at 207 Park Lane, which is next door to Seasoned: American Bistro, across the street from Bond Park, and closer to down town than their existing tea and accessories shop Rocky Mountain SereniTEA, locat ed at 400 E. Elkhorn Ave.

The elegant Tea Room is ideal for traditional english afternoon tea, they can host small parties of up to 30 people

Reservations are required for the Tea Room, which is open 10 a m to 4 p m reserve online at www.seren

up to 30 people

iteastearoom.com, www opentable com, or call 970 502 8761.

Daisy has hired a baker, Jade Maniak, to create home made desserts, scones, pas

tries and more Afternoon tea will include the classic 3 tiered Krockery serving stand, with tea sandwiches, homemade scones and delec table desserts, along with an unlimited pot of tea in their best bone china. They also serve light breakfast and lunch sandwiches, salads, and soups.

For those who wish to have a cup of tea to go, the patio will be available, which is a great place to enjoy a moment to relax, and enjoy any dainties or menu items that may be available.

Reserve a time for after noon tea today! For the rest of 2022 the reservation fee will be waived for any group party, just mention this arti cle in the Trail Gazette.

Visit the tea shop to choose from a selection of hundreds

of loose leaf teas and unique accessories, which are also available at www.rocky mountainserenitea com

For Daisy and Michael St. Pierre and everyone in the Estes Valley, Oct 25 was the official opening day for SereniTea’s newest shop called the Tea Room, located at 207 Park Lane, which is next door to Seasoned: American Bistro, across the street from Bond Park, and closer to downtown than their existing apothecary and accessories shop located at 400 E. Elkhorn Ave.

The elegant Tea Room is ideal for traditional English style tea of up to 30 people.

Reservations are required for the Tea Room, which is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with three primary serving times see party, pg 21

Daniel Sewell / Estes Park Trail Gazette

The elegant Tea Room is ideal for traditional English style tea of

Ophthalmology returns to Estes Park Health

By Dawn Wilson Trail Gazette

On Sept. 19, Estes Park Health brought oph thalmology services back to the hospital with the hiring of Dr Sarah Dech

At nine months pregnant, Dech is eager to give birth to her and her husband, Pat rick’s, first child, but she is also excited to start her career and ophthalmology practice at Estes Park Health.

When asked about why she chose ophthalmology for her specialty, she gave a big grin as she recalled her early years in medical school

“In my first year of medical school, Dr. Weber gave the best eye lectures,” said Dech “He cared about his patients and was so kind.”

Dech elaborated that Weber was really the biggest reason why she chose to be an eye doctor but there were other milestones in her deci sion.

“In my second year, I saw a lecture by Dr. Tabin from the University of Utah,” said Dech. “He would go on these adventure trips in places like the Himalayas He loved out door adventure and would go on epic trips but also helped people in these remote regions.”

Dech’s description of Tabin didn’t really communi cate the sense of impact this physician has had in the visu al sciences and his sense of adventure A Harvard Medi cal School graduate, Tabin is the co founder of the Himala yan Cataract Project, has been named the “unsung hero” by the Dalai Lama for

work to eradicate unneces sary world blindness and sustain ophthalmic health care in the developing world, and is the fourth person to climb the seven summits, the highest point on each conti nent.

Dech spoke with awe about how Tabin found a way to combine a love for adven ture, the outdoors, travel, and ophthalmic health care.

By her third year, Dech was hooked on ophthalmolo gy and rotated into the spe cialty

“I love giving people quali ty of life, not just quantity of life,” said Dech. “That’s why I chose this specialty. People have such a great quality of life after cataract surgery.”

In addition to cataract sur gery, Dech also performs surgeries for lid lesions,

cysts and styes, as well as glaucoma laser surgery and secondary cataract laser sur gery.

“Estes Park is a perfect place to be,” said Dech. “There is such a need for ophthalmology up here because of the age group in town ”

Dech, a native of Grosse Pointe, Mich , completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan, and still passionately roots for the Michigan Wolverines during college football season She obtained her medical degree at Ohio State University Col lege of Medicine and then finished her residency at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston.

After her residency, Dech worked at Front Range Eye Physicians in Longmont

before accepting the position at Estes Park Health that was vacated when Dr Michael Prochoda retired in 2021.

“I came to Estes Park because I wanted to start my own clinic,” said Dech. “Everyone here was very kind and it is such a beautiful place to be I plan to estab lish a strong practice where I can really get to know my patients.”

Dech’s goals include becoming an active member in the Estes Park community, teach people how to under stand their diseases and diagnoses, and help patients with preventative care to avoid permanent eye dam age, such as those with dia betes.

In addition to dedicating time for work and family, she likes to hike.

Dr Sarah Dech / Courtesy photo

An avid hiker, Sarah Dech was excited about her summit of 14,065 foot Mount Bierstadt

By Wendy Rigby Trail Gazette

When Pat Samples took the job as Chief Nursing Offi cer (CNO) of Estes Park Health (EPH) in May of 2020, the pandemic was in full swing She was ready to face those challenges. Little did she know the next two years would also involve evacuating the entire hospi tal during a wildfire, moving see samples, pg 22

Pat Samples / Courtesy photo

Pat Samples is the Chief Nursing Officer of Estes Park Health

Pat Samples / Courtesy photo

Pat Samples has been married for 35 years. She has two adult children and five grandchildren.

Estes Park Health plans to add new fluoroscopy machine

By Dawn Wilson Trail Gazette

Seeing inside the human body has been around since the late 1800s when a German professor of physics invented the x ray in 1895. The following year, the fluoroscope was invented but medical experts quickly real ized the health hazards of the technology Since then, the safety of fluoroscopy has sig nificantly improved and it has become a key component in the suite of diagnostic meth ods for medical professionals.

Fluoroscopy is a medical procedure that makes a real time video of the movements inside a part of the body by passing x rays through the body over a period of time. Considered a cornerstone of radiology procedures, fluoros copy is most frequently used for swallow tests to verify if a patient, including stroke patients, can safely swal low solid foods; to per form pain injections for surgi cal patients; and to evaluate gastrointestinal issues such as acid reflux.

“Fluoroscopy is a real time x ray,” said Dr John Knudt son, radiologist with Estes Park Health. “It is like turning on a phone camera and taking a video, but I can see through you and how your body is functioning ”

The current machine is near the end of its useful life. Parts have become more difficult to find and the technology has become dated. There’s more downtime with the machine and repairs take longer.

“If our current fluoro machine is down, one of our x ray rooms is down,” said Philisha McBride, radiology

technician with Estes Park Health and frequent adminis trator of fluoroscopy proce dures, who spoke about the connection between the two units “The new machine will work faster, smarter, better, clearer. It is also safer for techs and patients when trans ferring patients during a scan.”

The plan is to purchase another Siemens fluoroscopy machine for an easier, smooth

er transition. The current machine is a manual, 14 year old Siemens Axiom Luminos TF. The hospital plans to pur chase a Siemens Luminos Agile Max

“Fluoroscopy is a basic part of our diagnostic tools, provid ing so many things for general healthcare,” said Stephen Tidd, Senior Director of Ancil lary Services with Estes Park Health. “We have already invested in a room based on a

Siemens machine, so this upgrade makes sense to stay with the same company”

Having a new fluoroscopy machine at Estes Park Health provides a tremendous conve nience for local residents. Most fluoroscopy procedures only take 30 minutes from walking in the door to com pleting the appointment. For patients who have to do this down the hill in Longmont, Loveland or Fort Collins, the total time can be in excess of three hours with drive times, waiting room delays and the procedure, and sometimes require more than one scan.

“This new machine is going to be fantastic,” said Dr. Knudtson “It will allow us to do diagnostic radiology and fluoroscopy in one room, so it will improve patient turn around and patient satisfac tion, and provide results much faster to specialists It will be open to any specialist who wants to use it, like orthope dics and urology”

In addition to improving see machine

Dawn Wilson / Estes Park Trail Gazette

Dr John Knudtson, Estes Park Health’s radiologist, reviews scans in his office

Dawn Wilson / Estes Park Trail Gazette

Radiology technician Philisha McBride preps a female patient prior to a fluoroscopy scan at Estes Park Health

Keeping Estes entertained

By Matthew Poust Trail Gazette

With balmy weather gracing the valley this week, anyone unaccustomed to the Colora do seasons wouldn’t be able to tell it, but Winter is right around the corner. With traf fic lightning in the downtown sector, seasonal stores clos ing and community events decelerating, Estes Park is entering into what one could call its hibernation period.

If you’re a year round resi dent of Estes don’t let the boredom take over just yet, however, for The Stanley has events to keep people enthralled through the new year Here is your guide to finding the ones that fit your fancy.

Tickets and information for all of these shows and events can be found at www Stanleylive com Doctor Sleep ‘less’ Fri day and Saturday, Nov. 4-5

The following event infor mation has been offered by members of The Stanley This autumn, in the Rocky Mountains, horror doesn’t

end with Halloween. You are invited to attend a two day trip into terror at the legend ary Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado The Stanley Hotel became infamous thanks to Stephen King’s horror classics, “The Shin ing” and its sequel, “Doctor Sleep”. And on November 4th and 5th Doctor Sleep will become Doctor Sleep less.

Spend the weekend with renowned horror creator Mike Flanagan, director of the Doctor Sleep movie, and creator of Netflix horror series such as, “Haunting of Hill House”, “Haunting of Bly Manor,” and “Midnight Mass.” Joining Mike is Kate Siegel, one of the stars of those Netflix series as well as the star and co writer of the movie, “Hush” Mike & Kate will be screening the director’s cut of “Doctor Sleep” and answering ques tions about the movie and the inspiration they draw from the haunted Stanley Hotel. Don’t miss your chance to engage with these outstanding creators who are elevating horror to new

heights.

And at this event, the doc tor will be sleepless. Because the NoSleep Podcast will be performing live with a cast of David Cummings, Linsay Rousseau, Mick Wingert, Nikolle Doolin, and Kyle Akers. Featuring a live musi cal score performed by Brandon Boone This perfor mance will feature a brand new, never before heard chapter from the Goat Valley Campground series. An orig inal script written for this stage by author Bonnie Quinn featuring the original cast of the Goat Valley Campgrounds series The man with the skull cup will be expecting you.

Along with these two events will be your chance to experience the splendor and spookiness of the Stanley Attend a cocktail party while being served drinks by Mike & Kate and the NoSleep team. Meet authors Matt & Harrison Query as they sign copies of and discuss the Nosleep subreddit short sto ry origins that led to their new horror novel, Old Coun try coming soon to the big

screen. Ghost tours, meet & greets, all with the glorious Rocky Mountains as the backdrop. It’s an event you won’t want to miss Tickets are now on sale.

Doctor Sleepless at The Stanley come out and shine with us!

Bruce Fest – Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Dec. 1 3

The following event infor mation has been offered by members of The Stanley Bruce Campbell, American actor, writer, producer, and director, may be known best for his role as Ash Williams in Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead franchise

Bruce invites you back to the Stanley Hotel for BruceFest, the definitive Bruce Campbell Film Festi val featuring Watch With… live commentary movie screenings, Panels, Game Rooms, Prop exhibits, Photo and Signing Ops, Scavenger Hunts, Cosplay Contest, Dance, Surprise Special Guests and so, so much more! Join us in our intimate weekend for the ultimate fan experience, with a total see entertain

File photo / Estes Park Trail Gazette

The Stanley Hotel has events to keep people enthralled through the new year.

Find your perfect place to stay in Estes Park

By Visit Estes Park For the Trail Gazette

Where you call home base can make all the difference when it comes to your vacation. Luckily you can’t go wrong in Estes Park when mountain views are included with every stay. When choosing where to lay your head how ever, we all tend to prioritize different things. Are you on a budget? Looking for a romantic riverside cabin? A place that will entertain your kids for days? We put together some ideas based on the type

of trip you’re yearning for.

For the whole family YMCA of the Rockies

This isn’t your average YMCA. You could never leave this property during your visit and still get a fulfill ing Estes Park experience with the family. They have it all: dog friendly trails, arts and crafts, sledding, ice skat ing, fishing, miniature golf… the list goes on This is the perfect place to gather your family unit or if you’re brave enough, invite all the branch es of your family tree.

Visit Estes Park / Courtesy photo YMCA of the Rockies isn’t your average YMCA

Visit Estes Park / Courtesy photo

Live vicariously through dream homes during your mountain stay

For the remote workers

The Ridgeline Hotel

This hotel features modern suites with the perfect desk making for the best com mute. If you want to work outside the room, the Ridgeline also has fun lounge spac es and is connected to Lati tude 105 so you can take your next meeting with a burger nearby. Its central location allows you to get out on the town right as the clock hits 5 p.m.

For the winter lovers

McGregor Mountain Lodge

Watch the snow fall from one of these charming cabins

and enhance your stay with one of their one of a kind packages. From the sweet heart package to the snow shoe package, McGregor Mountain Lodge will take care of you. Our pick is the Old Fashioned Christmas Package offered at both McGregor Mountain Lodge and Castle Mountain Lodge Marvel at their holiday light display, take a trip into the backcountry to cut down the perfect Christmas tree and say hello to Santa This is tru ly the snowy holiday experi ence you and your kids have been dreaming of

For the romantic

Boulder

Brook

Tucked away on Fall River between downtown and RMNP, this is the cabin vibe you’re looking for in any and all seasons. Reserve the romantic spa suite and enjoy your private deck, cozy fire place and jacuzzi tub with riv er views

For the homey ones

Windcliff Vacation Rentals Live vicariously through these dream homes during your mountain stay Choose from condos with panoramic views and houses with pri vate hot tubs and prioritize

solitude. The cool thing about staying in a vacation rental is that you do truly feel at home during your vacation.

For the history enthusi asts

Seven Keys Lodge

Seven Keys Lodge, former ly known as The Baldpate Inn has been a piece of Estes Park history since 1917 The historic key room is home to over 20,000 keys that unlock doors from over the world. Read more about this story here Stay in one of their unique cabins or inn rooms and immediately become part of the family

Entertain

capacity of 350, ensuring you get the most out of our time together!

The Stanley Hotel, which inspired Stephen King’s The Shining, is tucked away in the Rocky Mountains of remote Estes Park and is tru ly the perfect setting for our groovy weekend.

Goblin – Suspiria Friday & Saturday, Dec.9 – 10

The following event infor mation has been offered by members of The Stanley

from page 11

Composer Claudio Simon etti has written and recorded some of the most influential soundtracks in horror, including Dawn of the Dead, Demons, Deep Red, Tene bre, and countless others, with his seminal work still informing the genre to this day. This year, Simonetti’s Goblin celebrates the 45th Anniversary of Dario Argen to’s iconic picture, Suspiria, with a live performance of the score set to a screening

of the film.

Following the finale of the cult classic, the collective will return after a brief inter mission to deliver a set of quintessential Goblin materi al alongside clips from the songs’ cinematic counter parts

Murder by Death Friday and Saturday, Jan. 6-7 – Friday and Saturday, Jan. 1314

Starting Jan. 6, guests are invited to The Stanley Con

cert Hall to enjoy an intimate performance by the six piece indie rock band Murder by Death. The shows will be Murder by Death’s 10th annu al concert series at The Stan ley and they never fail to keep fans engaged, oftentimes tak ing the notorious ballroom picture from “The Shining” with crowd members. A docu mentary was even made on Murder by Death’s time at The Stanley, which can be found on YouTube

Visit Estes Park / Courtesy photo The Ridgeline Hotel features modern suites with the perfect desk making for the best commute.

Visit Estes Park / Courtesy photo

Tucked away on Fall River between downtown and RMNP , this is the cabin vibe you're looking for in any and all seasons.

Staff’s top 10 hikes

By Estes Park Trail Gazette Staff

Gem Lake Dawn Wilson

A 3.4 mile moderate out and back trail that leads up to Gem Lake in Lumpy Ridge, views from this trail are some of the best in the area to see all of the features that make Estes Valley one of the most scenic regions in northern Colorado Views from this trail include Mount Olympus, Lake Estes, Kruger Rock, Longs Peak and the Continental Divide.

Bierstadt Lake – Dawn Wilson

from reaching the basin, the area does offer a great expe rience.

Lake Helene Dawn Wil son

Named for Enos Mills, the “Father of Rocky Mountain National Park,” Mills Lake is a serene lake sitting on the northwestern side of Longs Peak.

Bierstadt Lake is named for Albert Bierstadt, an American landscape painter who explored the West dur ing the late 1800s. He admired the region in 1877 while visiting Colorado with his friend, Irish aristocrat Windham Thomas Wynd ham Quinn, the Fourth Earl of Dunraven.

The 3 2 mile loop trail starts off navigating through a small section of lodgepole pine trees before climbing steeply up the Bierstadt Moraine.

Mills Lake Dawn Wilson

The trail to Alberta Falls from the Glacier Gorge park ing lot sees a lot of traffic throughout the summer and fall.

Follow the trail another 1 7 miles, however, and the crowds not only clear up but another one of Rocky Moun tain National Park’s beautiful lakes awaits hikers.

Named for Enos Mills, the “Father of Rocky Mountain National Park,” Mills Lake is a serene lake sitting on the northwestern side of Longs Peak. Although difficult to photograph because the high mountain walls on either side of the lake prevent good light

When at the Bear Lake Trailhead, follow the signs to the right to take the Flattop Trail, which starts off the northeast side of Bear Lake Hike about a half mile through a pretty aspen grove, which should be in peak color in late September, and a mixed pine forest to a sharp left switchback to con tinue following the trail towards Flattop Mountain and Odessa Lake Most of the 1,341 feet of elevation gain happens in the first mile of this route

Once at Lake Helene, take time to explore the meadows, views to the north and majes tic peaks above you, now col ored in shades of fall in the tundra plants Krummholz trees dot the landscape in this area and large boulders make ideal rest areas for a light snack at this 10,650 foot elevation stop before heading back to Bear Lake

Homer Rouse Trail Wen dy Rigby

This is a four mile round trip journey that took us about two hours and provid ed many delightful moments You could hike it a lot more quickly, but we were having too much fun exploring and taking photographs.

The trail is a cooperative effort between the Estes Val ley Recreation and Parks Dis trict and Larimer County.

This trail is rarely crowded and I’m told is a favorite of locals. It’s open to people walking dogs on a leash, bicyclists, runners and horse back riders.

To get to the start of the trail, we walked the gravel

File photo / Estes Park Trail Gazette

The fundraiser is Wednesday, Nov 30 For pick up at 4:15 6:45

p m at Mama Rose's Restaurant, place your order by Nov. 25 at www .tinyurl.com/ BetterToGo.

By Becky Weller, Restorative Justice Program Coordinator

For the Trail Gazette

Each fall Estes Valley Restorative Justice Partnership (EVRJP) invites the community to cel ebrate and support restor ative justice and its impact on the community. Save the date and join EVRJP for a Better To Go Fundraiser Dinner on Nov. 30, a takeout event with great food in sup port of a great cause, to be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home

Special menu items from Mama Rose’s Restaurant can be ordered for pick up between 4:15 and 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 30. Choices include Lasagne (meat), Tri Colore Pasta (vegetarian) and Salmon & Vegetables (gluten free, dairy free). All entrees include a house salad served

family style and tiramisu dessert. Orders can be placed through Nov 25 at www.tiny url.com/BetterToGo.

Thanks to the generous donation of the meal by Julie and Rob Pieper, owners of Poppy’s and Mama Rose’s, all proceeds will benefit EVRJP and support restor ative justice programming in the Estes Valley. Pay what you wish in support of Restorative Justice; contribu tions will be accepted.

EVRJP is a unique alliance formed in 2002 between the Estes Valley Community and Estes Park Police Depart ment Current programming includes Community Group Conferencing, Restorative Community Mediation, Facilitated Conversations, Community (Reentry) Cir cles, Community Conversa tions, Student Support & Accountability Circles, Boys see Support, pg 21

Restorative Justice Courtesy image

The Rec offers something for everyone in Estes Park

By Estes Valley Recreation and Park District

For the Trail Gazette

We had a fantastic summer season at the Estes Valley Recreation and Park District! The golf courses, camp grounds and marina were busy and now that the weather is turning colder, it’s time to head indoors at The Rec.

There’s something for everyone from swim les sons and aqua-fitness classes to weights, cardio, group fit ness classes, adult and youth rec sports and a walking track to lifelong learning art classes and games. The Rec also has various facilities for your group events, confer ences and receptions in the lower level, as well as rental opportunities for parties in the aquatic center. Give us a call at 970-586-8191 or stop by 660 Community Drive to find out more.

Fall

EVRPD / Courtesy photo

The Rec has something for everyone from swim lessons and aqua fitness classes to weights, cardio, group fitness classes, adult and youth rec sports and a walking track to lifelong learning art classes and games.

EVRPD / Courtesy photo

and winter are great times to enjoy indoor sports like basketball

EVRPD / Courtesy photo

The Rec also has various facilities for your group events, conferences and receptions in the lower level, as well as rental opportunities for parties in the aquatic center

During

in

EVRPD Member

Spotlight: Sarah Collar

By Estes Valley Recreation and Park District

For the Trail-Gazette

Sarah Collar has lived in Estes Park since 2018 Her family is from Minnesota, and like many of us, vacationed in Estes until it was time to call our mountain town home.

In 2010, Collar earned a B.S in Business Administra

tion and Marketing from CSU in Fort Collins.

She had the opportunity to work in Australia in 2017, and during that time, com pleted her 200-hr. Vinyasa Yoga Instructor Certifica tion in Bali.

During the COVID lock down in 2020, Collar became fascinated with bodybuilding and NPC Biki ni Competitions see Collar, pg. 21

YMCA of the Rockies readies for the holidays

By YMCA of the Rockies For the Trail Gazette

Snow Mountain Ranch

Kick off the holiday sea son and make it tradition to visit Snow Mountain Ranch during the holidays. Come stay and take home your freshly cut Christmas tree, enjoy hot chocolate and sto ries by the fire at our Cozy Winter Wonderland, or join in Reindeer Games. And that’s just some of the fun planned at Snow Mountain Ranch this year starting right after Thanksgiving!

Holiday Magic In The Mountains

Make YMCA of the Rock ies Estes Park Center part of your Rocky Mountain holi day celebration! The Holiday Magic in the Mountains event from November 26 January 1, offers fun activi ties including festive Santa visits, cookie decorating, the drive through Christmas Vil lage, making gingerbread houses, ice skating on the frozen pond and much more! There is plenty of fun for all ages to experience as we soak in the season!

Come stay and take home your

hot chocolate and stories by

Wonderland, or join in Reindeer

YMCA of the Rockies / Courtesy photo

freshly cut Christmas tree, enjoy

the fire at our Cozy Winter

Games

EVRPD / Courtesy photo

COVID lockdown

2020, Sarah Collar became fascinated with bodybuilding and NPC Bikini Competitions.

What should you do before and after calling 911?

By Susan Cunningham, for UCHealth

For the Trail Gazette

In an emergency situation, it’s critical to call for help when needed. But before and after calling 911, there are steps you can take if you are able to take them to help first responders get you to an emergency room more quickly.

Dr Dave Richter, an emer gency medicine physician with UCHealth, outlines those tips below

Have a visible address

Whether you live in a sin gle family home, a townhouse or a condo, make sure your house number is clearly marked so first responders can find you easily.

“We can hear when EMS gets called out, and while they may know where the place is, trying to find the spe cific location can be extreme ly difficult at times,” Richter said.

Unlock the doors

For first responders to pro vide help, they need to be able to enter the residence Unlock doors, especially if you’re waiting in a back room where you may not hear emergency medical techni cians arrive.

Put away pets

This tip applies to all pets, whether they’re aggressive or people lovers “Even if pets seem friendly, they can still get in the way,” Richter said. “And pets can escape, caus ing unneeded delays on the scene.”

Bring a list of current medications

Before an emergency hits, take a few minutes to list out all of your current medica

You never know when you may need emergency medical help but understanding what to do before and after calling 911 can make it easier for first responders to help.

tions, then leave the list in a place that’s easily accessible, such as on the refrigerator door or in your wallet

“There will be times we are presented with a bunch of pill bottles or a weekly pill con tainer with medications mixed together that we’ll have to go through,” Richter said. “If you have a list of cur rent medications, that’s super helpful to us and can save precious time.”

Be upfront and honest with medics

People sometimes wait until they’re talking to the physi cian in the emergency depart ment to reveal medical condi tions or drug and alcohol use, and that can complicate care

“Patients can sometimes be guarded with medics, but if we get differing information between medics and hospital staff, that can cause confusion

and delays,” Richter said “People should provide medi cal history, social history, and any drug and alcohol use up front so we can treat them correctly.”

Clear a path

If the patient isn’t mobile, it can be helpful to clear a path so medics can quickly get a stretcher into the house. “Clearing a path to the per son, if time permits, is cer tainly helpful,” Richter said.

Be sure you’re in a safe place and stay put

As long as you’re in a safe place, it’s best to wait for help to arrive

Richter recounts one time when the parents of a child decided to drive to meet paramedics, but since neither party knew exactly where the other was, it ended up causing a big delay.

For people living in rural

areas, it may be helpful to drive to a halfway point to meet EMS, but that should be carefully arranged and communicated.

Stay on the phone

Don’t call for help then hang up in a panic. Stay on the line and follow the guid ance the dispatcher provides

“They’ll give medical advice, such as how to open the airway and start CPR, so being on the line is a huge resource,” Richter said.

Don’t forget a thank you

Once your situation is tak en care of, it can be a nice gesture to thank the team that helped you through.

“A big thank you to our EMS crew is always nice, because they work hard to protect and help all of us,” Richter said

This story first appeared in the Steamboat Pilot.

Austin Studio Denver / Courtesy photo

from page 7

10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 3:30 p m reserve online at www.sereniteastearoom.com.

Daisy has hired a baker, Jade Maniak, to create home made desserts, scones, french macarons, pastries and more Afternoon tea will

Collar

include the classic 3 tiered Krockery serving stand, with fresh delectable dainties. The menu also includes sand wiches, salads, and soups

For those who wish to have a cup of tea to go, the patio will be available, which is a

from page 19

She recalled, “I had a choice to sink into unhealthy habits or embrace a new, healthier path”.

Collar is competitive by nature and loves being on stage for the NPC Competi tions She also appreciates the drive and sense of pur pose that bodybuilding has given her, along with the dedication and self disci pline required to achieve her goals

Collar emphasized, “You have to say no more than yes to get where you want to go in this sport of patience. It’s worth it, though, I feel clearer and more focused in addition to being stronger.”

Collar’s goal is to become certified as a personal train er and start her own fit ness based business to share what she has learned with as many people as pos sible

great place to enjoy a moment to relax, and enjoy any dainties or menu items that may be available.

Reserve a time for after noon tea today! For the rest of 2022 the reservation fee will be waived for any group

Support

party, just mention this arti cle in the Trail Gazette

Visit the apothecary to choose from a selection of hundreds of loose leaf teas and accessories, which are also available at www.rocky mountainserenitea com

from page 17

Council, Girls Circle and Unity Circle By facilitating proactive and responsive processes that enhance cooperation, encourage understanding and strength en relationships, EVRJP is building and restoring com munity one relationship at a time.

Estes Valley Restorative Jus tice Partnership is recognized as tax-exempt by the IRS under section 501(c)(3) All donations are tax deductible

to the full extent of the law.

Learn more about Estes Valley Restorative Justice Partnership at www estes org/restorative justice. Place your order for the 2022 Better To-Go Dinner by Nov 25 (the day after Thanksgiving) at www.tinyurl.com/BetterToGo

Unable to participate? Sup port EVRJP’s success by donating online at estes org/ restorativejustice.

road from the parking lot near Fish Creek Road to the arching sign that says “Che ley Camp ” Instead of going into the camp, we went straight and saw the sign announcing the start of the Homer Rouse Trail.

Brainard Lake Recreation Area – Wendy Rigby

The U.S.D.A. Forest Ser vice’s Brainard Lake Recre ation Area near Ward, Colo , is a hiker’s delight about an hour south of Estes Park. The website describes Brainard as a “wilderness area home to moose & bears with hiking routes, camping & lakes ringed by peaks and pines.”

According to the Forest Service, Brainard is the most popular destination in the Boulder Ranger District. The elevation is higher than Estes Park at 10,300 feet. The best times to visit are from July on.

Ouzel Falls – Wendy Rigby

The hike begins at the Wild Basin Trailhead in the south east corner of Rocky Moun tain National Park. You reach this part of the park by head ing south on Highway 7 from Estes Park, toward Meeker Park and Allenspark. The roundtrip length of this hike is 5 4 miles It’s considered a moderate hike with an eleva tion gain of 950 feet.

Standing below Ouzel Falls can be like taking a fresh mountain shower.

Mount Olympus Wendy Rigby

Anyone who has even been to Estes Park can’t help but notice the looming Mount Olympus that dominates the eastern view from town If the gods need a good perch to survey Northern Colora do, this is the place they would use.

About a mile out of town, you will notice a sign that says “Leaving Roosevelt National Forest.” There are several dirt spaces for hikers

to park their vehicles Shortly into the hike, you come upon an open area that provides a spectacular view of the valley. It’s a bird’s eye perspective of Lake Estes, the town and the glorious peaks beyond. On the day I was there, the Rockies were still painted with snow The view was jaw dropping.

Fern Lake Trail – Tim Mosier

In 2020, the East Trouble some Fire burned roughly 15 miles of trails in Rocky Mountain National Park with a few of those miles being part of the popular Fern Lake Trail. After being at least par tially closed for nearly a year due to fire damage, the trail has now been completely reopened for nearly a year with vegetation and wildlife beginning to return.

After the work of park staff and volunteers, the 7.6 mile out and back trail was official ly reopened in the in July 2021, 10 months after the East Troublesome Fire ignited.

Moraine Park – Matt Poust

Moraine Park Valley is a verdant meadow cut by mean dering streams that is given character by the alluring sun rise to the East and the snow capped Rockies to the West.

This area is home to the Moraine Park Loop trail and is an ideal spot for anglers hop ing to land a fish Visitors can gain access through the Bea ver Meadows entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park.

The loop trail is accessible from paralleling Fern Lake Road, but if you’re into a little seclusion you can find a park ing area at the end of South Moraine Road. For those look ing to do some fishing, Fern Lake Road gives great access to Fern Creek, while the latter route will butt you up against the Big Thompson River

Samples

nursing home patients from Estes Park to different facil ities and dealing with a huge surge of COVID in November and December of 2020

“This is the hardest I have ever worked in my 35 years of nursing,” Samples said “It’s been the toughest two years ever.”

Having a CNO for the hospital is a State of Colora do requirement.

“The expectation and the philosophy is that nurses report to nurses,” Samples explained “My responsibili ty is to lead the clinical departments of the hospital, not only nursing, but radiol ogy, pharmacy, lab…any area were clinical care is delivered ”

About 40 nurses report to Samples, including those who work in the emergency room, surgery, the medi cal/surgical unit and the infusion center

“For me, it’s about trust,” she emphasized. “People trust us to come into their lives at the scariest, most vulnerable times. For us, that is an honor That’s how we should embrace every patient.”

Samples grew up in a large family on a farm in Eastern Colorado. She said when she was nine or 10, her little sister got sick and it was always the nurse who helped her family the most

“Two of my sisters are also nurses,” she noted. “We were raised in a faith based servant home.

She went to nursing school at the University of Northern Colorado right out of high school and start ed out as a pediatric inten sive care unit nurse. She earned has Masters in nurs ing from Regis in 2012

Samples has worked for large and small hospitals.

She also spent some time with a consulting agency in Fort Collins learning leader ship, team building, organi zation, development and coaching

She took the job at Estes Park Health because, she said, “I want to inspire nurs es. I want to develop nurses. I want nurses to know that it’s a wonderful profession and it’s hard. We have to support each other.”

When Samples came to EPH in the spring of 2020, she remembered there was a lot of fear on the part of healthcare workers and everyone in the hospital. So much was unknown at the point about the spread of COVID and the care of patients

“I liken it to when we first had HIV patients in the late 80s and we were isolating them,” she recalled. “That’s when we first really learned about the importance of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and gloves and gowns AIDS really changed the care delivery model.”

Samples pointed out that she and her staff did now allow patients dying from COVID to die alone They did their best to make sure that family members had a chance to say goodbye

“I still round on patients at least once a week,” Sam ples emphasized “That’s what keeps me grounded. Patient care is why we are here ”

Samples has been mar ried for 35 years. She has two adult children and five grandchildren.

“I love baseball and I’m a New York Yankees fanatic,” she said. “I like to hang out with my family. I also like to scrapbook and drive fast cars. I bought myself a red Camaro.”

and we expect it continue to grow in the next months and beyond.

That service area is now in the space that our rehabilita tive services (physical, speech, occupational thera pies) vacated when we moved them in 2020 to the Urgent Care Center off Big Thompson Avenue at Steam er Drive. The chemothera py/infusion suite is a beauti ful spot at our main campus, looking to the east toward Mount Olympus, and we’ll continue to enhance that space and service as time goes on.

Our ophthalmology servic es are coming back up, with the arrival of Dr. Sarah Dech and her staff She will be continuously full time early in 2023, though she has already begun seeing some patients during the latter part of 2022.

We’ve had the great for tune to hire internal medi cine physician Cynthia DiLauro, MD, to take the spot of the retired Amanda Luchsinger. Dr. DiLauro begins to see patients in November, and it is a very exciting time to add her to the already great group of internists at EPH (Juli Sch neider, MD; Nicholaus Mize, DO; Joseph Lee, MD; and Ingra Marske, PA C).

We also had the great for tune to add Paige Dekker, DO, to the ranks of our fami ly practice physicians, and she has already begun to settle into the Estes commu nity. In tandem with other family practitioners (Robyn Zehr, DO; Bridget Dunn, MD; and Lena Belleau NP Family Medicine and Psy chiatry), Dr. Dekker is an important part of our family care team.

We continue to replace and upgrade key clinical equipment when needed,

and to create redundancy wherever we can

This year, we brought in a new MRI into our radiology suite, and not only solidified operations, but are now able to do procedures much more quickly for our patients.

We will soon replace our aging fluoroscopy machine, which you may have seen other articles about recently.

In our lab, the last two years have been a renais sance, including replace ment of our workhorse chemistry analyzers with two top of the line Ortho Vit ros machines, for maximum redundancy and continuity of operations.

We did the same with our hematology equipment, and with our COVID Diasorin machines Redundancy is a tremendous factor to ensure virtually 100% uptime in our laboratory for our patients and medical practitioners.

Running a hospital is a challenge, anytime Operat ing a small critical access hospital in a small town in the high mountains is always a tough challenge.

Keeping a hospital up and running through fires and evacuations and two year global pandemics and tre mendous regulatory and governmental and staff ing pressures is a super tough challenge. But there is so much good every day, so many good deeds per formed by the nurses, physi cians, clinical staff, and sup port staff all around the building, for our outpatients and inpatients, for our com munity members and visi tors and it’s those thou sand good deeds a day that makes EPH a wonderful place to work, as we build and strengthen to serve all of you, here in our beautiful mountain paradise.

Dekker

Pep’s parents settled after they retired.

She continued to work in telehealth when the job at Estes Park Health opened up.

“I love the small town feel of Estes Park,” said Dekker. “It gets you to take better care because you know the patients personally, they are friends, you know their fami ly ”

As a board certified family medicine physician, Dekker provides newborn to end of life care.

“I am passionate about preventive care,” said Dekker. “My mom died unexpectedly in 2012 at age 55 So much of my mom’s health issues could have been prevented but she was taking care of my grand mother and didn’t focus on her own health.”

This past summer, Dekker spent a lot of time helping at the Urgent Care Center

“I am always excited to get patients to do their

Machine

screenings,” said Dekker “I like procedures so working at urgent care gave me even more opportunities to help patients.”

Dekker went on, as she continued to beam her warm, sincere smile, to explain how she never wants patients to feel over whelmed. She wants to take things one step at a time creating manageable care plans for each patient to get them back to a healthy, active lifestyle

In her spare time, Dekker goes backpacking, camping and does a lot of traveling with Pep and her kids. The twins are the first grandchil dren for Pep’s parents, so the family spends a lot of quality time together. That work life balance is impor tant to the Dekkers and it shows in her commitment to quality care and a quality of life here in Estes Park.

To make an appointment with a family medicine phy sician at Estes Park Health, call 970 586 2200.

from page 10

patient satisfaction and throughput, the new machine delivers a much lower dose of radiation, provides the lat est technology and quality for specialists evaluating patient scans, and has a smart sys tem rather than a manual set up for adjusting the amount of radiation

Each year, the Estes Park Health Foundation sets a tar get for their primary cam paign. This year’s goal is $300,000 towards the total cost of $600,000 for the new fluoroscopy machine at the hospital.

The Estes Park Health Foundation has currently raised $88,000 towards the

new fluoroscopy machine

The Foundation will kick off their fall campaign in Octo ber to continue raising funds for the new machine through the end of the year. With an end of life date of January 1, 2023 on the current fluoros copy machine, the hospital anticipates purchasing and installing the new machine in winter 2023 so it is ready for use in time for the busy spring, summer and fall sea sons when many seasonal residents return to Estes Park.

For more information about Estes Park Health’s fundraising, visit www.Give ToEPH.org.

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