HATS OFF TO FEMALE CHEFS

HATS OFF TO FEMALE CHEFS IN WESTERN COLORADO

Words by Kimberly Nicoletti | Photos courtesy of the Chefs

Emily Oyer

An old proverb quips that a women’s place is in the kitchen, but most professional chefs are men. Still, there are plenty of females cooking up a storm in restaurants, bakeries and catering services throughout the nation. Here are just a few in Western Colorado who bring home the bacon — and fry it up in a pan.

FRENCH PASTRIES

Growing up, all Clémentine Bouton wanted was to get away from her family-owned restaurants in France, which she had worked at since age seven. She finished law school but discovered she “really found pleasure in baking and creating.”

So, she decided to integrate her French pastry heritage into American culture. She follows French traditions like low sugar and no food coloring while making her tarts, eclairs and other pastries — just a little larger for Americans. She began baking three years ago as a hobby, selling pastries at local shops. About six months ago, she started posting on Instagram, and now her followers line up every Sunday morning at The Cirque Boutique in Paonia to savor her sweets.

“That’s where living in a small town can be beautiful. It’s all word of mouth,” she says. She joined Lea Petmezas (below), who needed help keeping up with orders and catering, and the pair now offer weekly community dinners.

“My family’s business taught me that if you choose to go into the food business, you have to go in 100%,” she says. “My dad was a chef, and I’ve kept his memory alive by going into baking. He gave me the creativity; he was one of the first in France to do fish with chocolate. I try to mix flavors that might not work in the mind, like pastries with local goat cheese, or tequila or salted caramel with miso and chocolate. I love to create and just go a little crazy.”

GUILT-FREE SNACKING + CATERING

Petmezas launched Citizen Raw in Los Angeles 10 years ago; she worked with actors and television producers, noticing the need for healthier snacks on sets. At the time, she was a bit of a pioneer, especially when it came to selling raw and sprouted snacks at a decent price.

“It’s important to me to make raw, healthy snacks mainstream and more affordable,” she says. “I think health is finally coming around and people are starting to care.”

Citizen Raw’s organic, vegan, gluten-free crackers, crispy onions and apple slices are made from fresh vegetables, herbs, seeds and nuts prepared at temperatures under 120 degrees to preserve live enzymes. She sells her guilt-free snacks online and at 13 regional stores. Her dad had owned three restaurants, so the food industry was “in her blood.”

“I have no formal education. I have an instinct and know-how that came through my dad to me,” she adds.

Eight years ago, the small town of Paonia attracted this single mom raising four kids. There, she started offering soups and salads at Edesia Community Kitchen. That led to Thursday night dinners where she and Bouton serve about 65 people a week with menus ranging from Greek, Indian and Lebanese to American and French.

“We definitely have a very, very strong following,” she says. “It just fills me up

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Lauren McElroy Stephanie Reece

to see a whole community of people coming together.”

She’ll be losing the space in March, but she trusts things will develop. “I get really quiet and something magic always happens,” she shares. “Something will appear. The community is so behind us.”

GRAB N’ GO + CATERING

Lauren McElroy has been passionate about cooking her whole life. “Ever since I was a little girl growing up, I would raid the pantry and come up with different concoctions that I would test out on my little brother — some good, some, not so much,” she recalls, adding that her grandma gave her hints about what might blend well.

But, McElroy took a circuitous route to becoming a chef. She initially studied business marketing at Colorado State University and marketed insurance, real estate and pharmaceuticals but eventually decided she didn’t like “being worked to death.” So, she earned a degree in culinary arts and worked as a pantry chef, hot line cook and caterer, until she moved back to her “happy place,” Vail, where she met a personal chef who taught her the ropes.

Since 2018, she has been serving fresh food and seasonal ingredients cooked from the heart at Lauren’s Kitchen in Edwards. She loves accommodating dietary restrictions, and her grab-and-go concept, which was unique to the area when she opened, has become immensely popular since the pandemic.

CHEF, FARMER, BREWER

It all started in fifth grade, when Colorado native Camille Shoemaker wrote an essay about how she wanted to be a pastry chef. The essay earned her a student internship in Johnson and Wales University’s pastry program in Denver where she made Oreo truffles, wearing a chef’s coat and hat. She returned to the university as an adult to earn her Bachelor’s in baking and pastry arts and food service management, then moved to New York City to get her Master’s in food studies. There, she learned how women were the first brewers.

She returned to Colorado to be a professional brewer, but after two years, her love for both farming and food called her back. About three years ago, she became a private chef and head baker for Mountain Dweller Coffee Roasters in Frisco.

“Being a pastry chef really brings me the most passion,” she shares. “I love that I never stop learning in pastry; there are so many ways to grow. You never hit a stagnant point.”

FROM PASTRIES TO CHEF

In her early 20s, Stephanie Reece met a mentor in Houston who encouraged her to build an experience for people through food, which is exactly what she wanted to do.

She began as a pastry chef at Bistro Italiano, where owner Brunella Gualerzi — another spectacular female chef — “gave me the wings to get out there and see what I could do.”

Reece’s midnight shifts spilled into the early morning, so she took the opportunity to ask the prep cooks questions about cooking.

“I didn’t even cook well at home,” she admits, but the guys taught her. “There’s more respect for pastry chefs in the kitchen, because you can create things that line cooks can’t. Being a pastry

Clementine Bouton

chef requires a Type A personality. You really have to follow recipes, or you jack it all up.”

Her high-achieving nature has served her well. She now creates intimately curated three- to six-course menus for private dining parties through Glorious Fig in Grand Junction. She balances being a mom and a chef with help from her supportive husband.

“Glorious Fig’s scheduled events help me manage my time at home,” she says, explaining how she’s more intentional about cooking when she’s home, in addition to helping her kids with homework and making sure they’re emotionally okay. “I try to be very present, and that’s a hard thing to do — to turn work off and be all mom and all wife. I’m segmenting my life a lot.”

CATERING WITH A TWIST

Emily Oyer considers herself an “everything chef.” Anything her catering clients want, she creates. For example, she makes a twicecooked chicken, first searing the drumsticks, then removing the meat, blending it with corn, potatoes, cheddar cheese and corn flour, then molding the mix around the bone and frying it.

BEING A WOMAN IN A MALE-DOMINATED BIZ

Female chefs have had all kinds of experiences making their way into professional kitchens, from feeling ignored and blocked to being helped and supported. Here are just a few remarks on the subject:

Lauren McElroy

“Honestly, it never bothered me; yes, mainly guys teaching me and leading, but it never was an issue to climb the ladder and advance. Thankfully, by the time I was in the business, men were generally more accepting of females in the industry.”

Camille Shoemaker

“As a brewer, I worked unpaid a lot. I dated a brewer and wouldn’t get acknowledged. The industry is thankfully changing, but we still have to do a lot (in terms of proving ourselves).”

Stephanie Reece

“I felt more supported by the men. Maybe because I started in the pastry world; it’s easier to be a cook after being a pastry chef. There’s a mutual respect between the two.”

Lea Petmezas

“I’ve always just worked for myself. No male chef ever belittled me. There was some arrogance, and sure, if I were in LA there would be (issues), but it’s never been an impediment. In fact, it’s been an empowerment. That’s what’s really lucky about the North Fork Valley: they’re just really open to good food. (Respect) is based on what you serve.”

Clémentine Bouton

“The French culinary world is very masculine. It’s very complicated and there’s a stigma that women should be home in the kitchen cooking and not at work. I’m sure it’s changing, but it’s still very male-driven. I fit more into American culture. They’re very openminded, and they take you in without a preconceived notion of who you could be or who you should be. It’s a beautiful thing.”

Emily Oyer

“I feel like I have to try harder than men. I’ve felt gaslighted … I’ve learned from men what not to do.”

“My goal is to make the person’s vision come to life,” she says. “One of my favorite things to see is the pure joy on people’s faces when they try the food I create.”

As a banquet chef in Virginia, she catered a lot of specialties for weddings, and now she caters in Aspen for both big-name celebrities and people who splurge only once a year. Last summer, she began incorporating cannabis into her catered parties, dosing or micro-dosing people individually with cannabis-infused finishing oils. She also uses terrapin flavors, like citrus, to complement dishes like salmon. She explains all of the culinary flavors to guests, and how getting high can heighten a dining experience.

“It enhances the food you’re eating, makes you more creative and kinder,” she believes, adding that it’s helped her with depression, anxiety and ADHD.

Her nontraditional approach has led Food Network to feature her. She also won Chopped 420’s second episode.

“With or without infusions,” she says, “I can create any food your mind is craving.” :

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ROICE-HURST HUMANE SOCIETY MORE THAN A SHELTER

Words by Jenna Kretschman | Photos courtesy of Roice-Hurst Humane Society

When Thomas stood at Roice-Hurst Humane Society’s doorstep with his two beloved Chihuahuas, Maisy and Maggie, after receiving an eviction notice, he planned to surrender them to the shelter. As a college student without a fulltime income, finding affordable, pet-friendly housing quickly seemed like an impossible feat. Faced with no other option, Thomas was in tears as he prepared to say a gut-wrenching goodbye to the dogs he’d shared many years of love and companionship with.

Thomas was approached by April Schlauger, Roice-Hurst Humane Society’s Animal Resource Center Coordinator, who offered a solution through Roice-Hurst’s innovative crisis boarding program, giving Thomas, Maisy and Maggie a chance to preserve their bond. Roice-Hurst would provide boarding for the dogs for up to a month while Thomas continued his search for pet-friendly housing for himself and his dogs.

A month later, Thomas picked up Maisy and Maggie from boarding, and they moved into the pet-friendly apartment that Thomas was able to secure during their time in Roice-Hurst’s boarding program.

“He was just so grateful that he didn’t have to give up his animals,” Schlauger says. “Pets are family. It’s always better for a pet to stay with the people who love them.”

As the coordinator of Roice-Hurst’s Animal Resource Center, Schlauger’s job is to help navigate challenges that threaten the humananimal bond by connecting pet owners to resources that allow them to keep their pets.

By providing pet food and supplies, pet vaccines, spay/neuter surgeries, pet behavior counseling and more, Roice-Hurst’s priority is to make the shelter a last resort for pets.

“Despite having a robust enrichment program and compassionate staff and volunteers caring for these animals, the truth is that an animal shelter is simply not the best environment for any pet,” adds Roice-Hurst Humane Society CEO Anna Stout. “By providing these safety-net programs, we’re preventing a pet and pet owner from having to go through the trauma of separation, while the shelter can be reserved for the pets in our community who truly have no other place to go.”

In an effort to keep pets with their people, Roice-Hurst recently collaborated with HomewardBound of the Grand Valley, a human homeless shelter, to provide temporary shelter for people experiencing homelessness with their

Anna Stout, Roice-Hurst Humane Society CEO, and Greg Moore, HomewardBound of the Grand Valley Executive Director, with RHHS dog Ginger.

BRUNO EMMANUELLE

pets through the Homeward Hounds project. Funded by PetSmart Charities, the Abram and Ray Kaplan Foundation, and other local funders, 10 pet-friendly, climate-controlled Pallet shelters are located at HomewardBound’s facility.

Because HomewardBound, like most homeless shelters, isn’t able to accommodate non-service animals inside their building, the Homeward Hounds program allows individuals to sleep securely and privately in dignified housing alongside their pet.

“No other homeless shelter in the country accommodates people sleeping in the same room as their pets,” Stout shares. “We hope that as we develop this program, it can be used as a model in other collaborations across the world.”

Aimee Gilbreath, the president of PetSmart Charities, traveled to Grand Junction from Arizona to spend the night in one of the shelters alongside a shelter dog named Sweet Pea at the project’s unveiling event in December.

“The bond between pets and people is incredible, and the research continues to come out to support how great pets are for our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, especially in times of crisis,” Gilbreath shared at the event. “Why wouldn’t we fund opportunities like this that are collaborative and forward-thinking that make sure that families — including the fourlegged members — stay together?”

Individuals using Homeward Hounds have access to a free, on-site pet pantry stocked by Roice-Hurst, as well as free pet vaccinations and other types of human and pet services from both organizations.

The role that human social work plays in keeping pets happy, safe and healthy isn’t new to Roice-Hurst. In conjunction with human health services, the organization has deployed their mobile veterinary clinic into high-need areas of the community to provide pet vaccinations and spay/neuter.

“When we bring our free or low-cost pet services to human service clinics, our partners often see an increase in participants accessing social services or medical care for themselves,” Stout says. “People truly want to take good care of their pets, and if we can help people become healthier in the process, that’s fantastic. There is an undeniable link between human health and pet health.”

Having a pet around provides numerous health benefits; it lowers stress and blood pressure, encourages movement and exercise, and releases feel-good endorphins. Plus, the responsibility of feeding, socializing and otherwise caring for a pet can enhance mental health by giving purpose to one’s life and providing unconditional companionship.

“We believe that everyone who wants a pet should be able to have a pet that’s right for them,” Stout adds. “We are here to help people be the best pet owners they can be, not only so they can reap the benefits of having that connection with an animal, but so the animal gets a loving family as well.” :

To learn more about Roice-Hurst Humane Society’s safety-net programs, adopt a pet or get involved, visit RHhumanesociety.org.

HOW GLENWOOD CANYON BECAME A MODERN TRAFFIC WAY OVER THE PAST 100 YEARS FROM NATURAL HISTORY TO MUDSLIDES

Words by Kaitlin Emig | Photos courtesy of Glenwood Canyon Historical Society, Schutte Collection

Driving west along I-70 towards Glenwood Canyon, an ancient crater lurks at the base of the Flattops Wilderness. Signs of the past are found in the red dirt as are giant igneous boulders of the Dotsero Crater. Volcanic vents from the last uplift of plates have released hot mineral water into the Colorado River for thousands of years. These natural wonders led to a discovery of spectacular rock formations lining the canyon walls of what was once hidden. Now, as a result of modern innovation and determination, Glenwood Canyon acts as a gateway to and from the Rockies for thousands of vehicles a day. This human traffic way continues to evolve as nature constantly demonstrates who really holds power.

Over billions of years, the rising and falling of ancient seabeds created the dynamic walls of what we see today as Glenwood Canyon. These limestone rock layers are made up of skeletons of single celled creatures forming the book cliffs noted along the eastern section of the canyon.

First, the Ancestral Rockies pushed their way upwards making the backbone of a new continent. Jim Nelson writes in his book

Glenwood Springs: A Quick History that huge swamps filled with primitive plants, bizarre amphibians and giant dragonflies came next. “The coal seams that underlay many of the mountains to the south and west of Glenwood Canyon are the result of those ancient swamps,” says Nelson.

Next, the present-day Rocky Mountains thrust into the air and collected deep deposits of snow and ice that warmed with weather and seasonal changes into water cascading downwards, removing loose material to form a canyon. Exposing layers of rock — everything from igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic to Precambrian — formed a 2,000-foot gorge. “It took the Colorado River most of the last 60 million years to cut through the billion or so years of history which makes Glenwood Canyon,” writes Nelson.

There is no evidence of Paleo-Indians entering this area until the Ute tribe — who controlled much of Colorado and Utah for hundreds of years. The Ute tribe came to the healing springs, which they called “Yampah” meaning “big medicine,” for centuries and utilized the Flattops Wilderness Area for hunting grounds. Travel through the canyon was treacherous and, habitation was kept to the fertile valley to the west.

Bill Knight, the executive director of the Glenwood Springs Historical Society and Frontier Museum, describes early settlement as an exclusive place sought out by the resilient. He says, “Though Glenwood Springs was an ideal location for settlement near hot springs and at the confluence of the Colorado and Roaring Fork Rivers, it was not easy to get here. The Colorado River flowed through steep canyons to the east and west blocking access. To the south and southeast, rugged Rocky Mountains had to be crossed by foot, mule or horse. So, when miners from Leadville began exploring the area, they came over Independence Pass and settled along the Roaring Fork River in the Aspen area first.”

Gold and silver brought explorers further west during the later 1800s. Prior mountain men, solitary trappers and adventurers existed with little impact, similar to their native neighbors, and might’ve visited the Yampah Springs. Richard Sopris was the first recorded non-Native to use the healing waters after falling ill in the present-day Roaring Fork Valley. With more white settlers encroaching on the tribal land, the White River band of Utes signed a treaty in 1849 “agreeing to remain at peace and to recognize the jurisdiction of the United States,” Nelson reports. “In return, they were to retain possession of Western Colorado ‘forever.’”

Thirty years later, an altercation with government Indian agent Nathan Meeker, who insisted on transforming the Utes into farmers, led to a deadly massacre and then the unfortunate removal of the Ute tribes to a reservation in Utah. An Indian agent is an official representative of the U.S. federal government to American Indian

tribes on reservations. “The Utes had resisted the intrusion of other peoples since long before recorded history. However, they could not forever resist the relentless advance of progress, in the form of the white man,” Nelson continues.

With the native tribe gone, the only resident of the Roaring Fork Valley, James M. Landis who claimed squatter’s right to 160 acres a year prior, occupied the present-day Glenwood Springs, until his mother became the first white woman to arrive in 1881. The course of history changed when Isaac Cooper, a semi-disabled Civil War veteran, came to the area around the same time. Originally seeking the healing waters, he purchased Landris’ homestead for $1,500 with the goal of establishing a healing resort. In 1885, with the arrival of Cooper’s wife Sarah, the name of the small town changed to Glenwood Springs.

As silver began to pour from Aspen, lucrative money began to make its way down the valley in the form of the Devereux brothers, who, with the help of a group of British investors, purchased the Yampah Springs and 10 acres of adjacent land from Cooper for $125,000. Their goal was to build the world’s largest hot springs pool, which was completed in 1890.

“It was the railroad that provided access necessary for sustained settlement in Glenwood Springs,” explains Knight. Two railroad companies competed to be the first to reach Glenwood Springs both awaiting coal, silver and future resort passengers. “The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad overcame the Colorado River’s Glenwood Canyon to the east and the Colorado Midland Railroad came to town after first tunneling through the Continental Divide into Aspen,” Knight adds. In 1887, it had taken two years of work in the canyon and over $2 million in investment to blast through the ancient canyon walls leading to the new “Resort City of the West.”

It wasn’t long after the railroad’s completion that a road was planned along the north side of the river. Taylor State Highway, named after the State Senator who proposed the wagon road from Denver to Grand Junction, was completed in 1902 and cost $60,000, “half of which was spent on the canyon east of Glenwood Springs,” notes Nelson.

Development in Glenwood Canyon wasn’t done, and as white settlers continued to prove that engineering and might can win over nature, they set upon capturing the mightiest of the forces rushing through canyon: the river. Then known as the Grand River, the mighty Colorado linked fresh snowmelt all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Hydroelectric dams proved a dependable source of power in a time when more electricity was being brought to cities and coal extraction demonstrated significant difficulties to both the land and the miners. The Shoshone Hydroelectric Complex took four years to complete — finally finished in 1910 — and pumped 1,250 cubic feet of water per second through its innovative tunnel design.

Taylor Road, 1906

During this time a construction camp was established in the canyon for over 1,000 men and their families who served the road and dam. Named Shoshone, the establishment housed a post office, company store, commissary, hospital, apartments, warehouses, offices, a train depot and school for the workmen’s children.

By the late 1930s, funding for an improved Highway 40 linking Kansas to Utah meant big improvements for the “Canyon of the Grand.” The road was widened to 29 feet across, including 25 feet of pavement and two feet of gravel shoulder on either side. In addition, many turnouts and picnic and parking areas provided a more scenic byway. “However,” Nelson writes, “its 57 curves, many of them blind, contributed to (rising) mountain accident rates.”

After World War II, paved highways and more automobiles crept across America. President Eisenhower helped establish interstates for improved transportation, and yet the last section of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon seemed like an impossible feat. Locals saw the scars left on the canyon from a turn of the century railroad and the narrow two-lane road and urged lawmakers to push the interstate either over the Flattops or through Cottonwood Pass. Both alternative options posed even more environmental problems — an extended road moving to 10,000 feet in elevation or another mountain pass with steep grades and winding turns. A citizen’s advisory committee was established to assist the highway department in providing feedback to their planning. Concepts modeled off Italian road-building techniques surfaced, and environmental preservation became an utmost concern for expanding to a four-lane interstate. Restoration practices, state of the art tunnel technology and access to scenic areas like Hanging Lake were all included in the construction, which took 12 years to complete.

The “Crowning Jewel of the Interstate System” was completed in 1992 and cost $500 million. Accessibility for recreation including fishing, boating, hiking and biking along the 8-foot-wide bike path made this project something for the whole family to discover. With the marvelous canyon backdrop, vehicle passengers experienced a fast paced, twisting tour of thousands of years of natural history displayed in the rock walls.

In 2020, a wildfire erupted in Grizzly Creek canyon which left lasting scars on the vegetation. The Grizzly Creek fire burned 32,631 acres of forest and closed I-70 for 13 days. Knight remarks on how we learned that Mother Nature still rules in the canyon. He states, “Without vegetation to hold the soil and rocks in place, all it took was a heavy summer rainstorm in 2021 to wipe out a section of I-70 and halt traffic for almost two weeks.”

Knight believes the town has adapted well to all the road closures and reconstruction. “Mountain people are tough and adjust to yearly disruptions in their daily lives, such as driving in winter weather, wildfires and mudslides,” believes Knight.

Reflecting on how only a couple hundred years of human interaction with this canyon has changed the landscape dramatically, Glenwood Springs still wouldn’t be the place it is today without the lifestyle to support the vision first planned by the founding members. Outdoor adventure like skiing, biking and boating all attribute to Glenwood’s growth — along with the accessibility through the canyon.

“Today’s active population chooses to live in a beautiful place that provides a quality of life that suits them. The question for people already here is when is enough enough? We are faced with a difficult conundrum. We are a tourist town. People are invited to come visit. Some decide they want to live here. How many more people can exist in a small, constrained valley without sacrificing that quality of life and exceeding the carrying capacity of the land? Having lived here for 38 years I am concerned,” Knight confesses.

As we’ve seen in a mere 150 years, once people create opportunities for advancement of modern civilization, a wake of environmental destruction ripples in the existing landscape. Only through collective efforts like in the development of I-70 can we adopt better practices to co-exist. Although, Mother Nature still demonstrates her power, so is this enough? Are we both the cause and effect of these environmental issues which affect our progress as an advanced civilization? :

SPRING 2022

MARCH

Leadville Ski Joring and Crystal Carnival Weekend

Leadville, CO March 4-6

A winter wonderland packed weekend is just around the corner for you and your family and friends. Watch ski joring (where skiers go off jumps and rides while being rope-towed by a horse), or participate in the Nordic events, paint biathlon and more. leadvilletwinlakes.com

Women’s Fat Biking Adventures

Leadville, CO March 5

Explore the legendary high country of Leadville, Colorado along paths and trails through the historic mining district with panoramic views of some of the state’s tallest peaks, all on a fat-tire bike. Sign up online now to experience an epic Saturday. Fee includes fat bike rental, instruction, packing list and a digital photo album of the day. eventbrite.com

Audi Power of Four Mountaineering Race

Snowmass, CO March 5

24 miles and 10,000 vertical feet of climbs — do you think you can handle it? The Audi Power of Four Mountaineering Race will push you to your limit with races in teams of two across all four area mountains, making for an intense day of mountaineering. Participants must

Compiled by Olivia Lyda

register in advance and secure a spot for the race. aspensnowmass.com

Brew and Flow Yoga

Golden, CO March 6, 13, 20 + 27

Yoga and a drink on a Sunday afternoon? No better way to beat the Sunday scaries! Over Yonder Brewing Co. offers a mid-morning yoga flow every Sunday followed by a brew: be that kombucha or a beer. Sign up online. eventbrite.com

Subaru Winterfest

Copper Mountain, CO March 11-13

Enjoy a mountain and adventure centric weekend at Copper. This one-of-a-kind music and mountain lifestyle tour invites everyone to bask in their love of winter and adventure. Come partake in live music, Subaru swag, the latest in adventure gear, free snacks and beverages, activities for your pup and amazing daily giveaways. coppermountain.com

Frozen Dead Guy Days

Nederland, CO March 18-20

Experience an eclectic and unique festival celebrating a cryogenically frozen man, Grandpa Benzo. The unique festival includes live music shows and icy events including coffin racing, polar plunging, frozen t-shirt contests, frozen turkey bowling and more. Learn more about this unique event and purchase tickets online. frozendeadguydays.com Nordic Town Series

Vail, CO March 19

If you love Nordic skiing, but crave a competitive experience, this event is perfect for you. Join the Nordic Town Series’ last event to race either a 3K, 5K or 20K on a lovely Sunday morning. Location TBD; further details online. vailtownseries.com

The Steadman Clinic Vail Cup

Vail, CO March 26

Sign your kids up for this Vail Valley community race. The Steadman Clinic Vail Cup series consists of four races for kids, with March 26 being the final giant slalom. Check online for more information and to register for the event. vailcup.com

The Soul Ski

Breckenridge, CO March 31- April 3

Experience a party-filled weekend like no other in the beautiful mountains of Breckenridge. The Soul Ski includes their signature events including We Got Next Comedy Series, Nightly Theme Parties, late-night pajama parties, after-hours parties, bonfires, hottubbing and more. Get your tickets, with included accommodations, now. eventbrite.com

Bigfoot Days

Estes Park, CO April 1-2

If you enjoy the conspiracy theories on the legend of Bigfoot, this event is right up your alley. Bigfoot days revolve around uncovering more secrets of the giant Sasquatch with celebrity guests, a giant BBQ and more. estesparkeventscomplex.com

Aspen Shortsfest

Aspen, CO April 1-10

Watch unique short films at this Oscar®-qualifying film festival. The Aspen Shortfest has an array of exciting attractions for film lovers, with the opportunity to participate in public screenings, panels, workshops and other festivities that spotlight the art and craft of short moviemaking. aspenfilm.org Steamboat Springalicious Festival

Steamboat Springs, CO April 1-10

The Steamboat Ski Area celebrates the close of the winter season with a festival that includes vendors, free concerts and a boatload of spring festivities. Check back online for the full list of scheduled events. steamboatchamber.com

Bud Light Rocks the Boat

Steamboat Springs, CO April 2 + 9

The first two Saturdays in April will be filled with free live music in Steamboat Springs. Bud Light Rocks the Boat concert series has a variety of music genres with something for everyone. Check out their online schedule of performances! steamboat.com NASTAR National Championships at Snowmass

Snowmass, CO April 4-9

The NASTAR National Championships will be held at Aspen Snowmass this year to make for an exciting viewing of highlevel competition slalom races. aspensnowmass.com

Taste of Vail

Vail, CO April 6-9

Get a taste of every culinary and beverage experience Vail has to offer. The Taste of Vail’s annual signature events and tastings will blow you away — such as the Mountain Top Tasting, Debut of Rosé and many more. Sign up for one, or all, of these amazing tasting events and indulge in the finer things. tasteofvail.com

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Beer Bound 5K

Estes Park, CO April 9

Run in a low-pressure environment and get a complimentary brew for finishing your race. The Beer Bound 5k at Rock Cut brewery is a good opportunity for anyone who is looking for a casual race. eventbrite.com

Taste of Spring

Delta, CO April 9

Taste of Spring is one of Western Colorado’s premier food and beverage tasting events, featuring food, wine, beer, spirits, music and more! All on one night from 5-8 p.m., make sure to get your tickets in advance. eventbrite.com

5Point Film Festival

Carbondale, CO April 21-24

Come together for a fun-filled community festival that celebrates Colorado’s shared love for the outdoors. The 15th annual 5Point festival brings four days days of outdoor films, live art, rich conversation and dynamic performances. Check online for schedule updates. 5pointfilm.org Desert Gravel Co2uT

Fruita, CO April 23

Bike in the ‘no man’s land’ between Colorado and Utah’s border. The Desert Gravel Co2uT race goes from Fruita to the Colorado-Utah border in unique territory not often explored. With multiple options, ranging from a 30-mile to 125-mile race, there’s something for everyone to bike. Register online now. desertgravel.com

Durango Bluegrass Meltdown

Durango, CO April 23, 24 + 25

Every April, the Durango Bluegrass Meltdown breaks up the long winter with incredible bluegrass music, a barn dance and other celebrations for visitors. With a line-up stacked with all of your favorite bluegrass bands and artists, there’s no stopping you from dancing your way through this 3-day event. durangomeltdown.com

Sip Into Spring: A Celebration of Colorado Wine

Palisade, CO April 30

A highly curated collaboration of premier Colorado wineries, coming together in the Vinelands area of Palisade, at the Orchard River View outdoor event center. facebook.com/sipintospring/

MAY

Cañon City Music and Blossom Festival

Cañon City, CO May 4-8

Listen to riveting live band performances. The Cañon City Music and Blossom Festival is the largest community run school music competition in the state, with other fun activities TBA surrounding the event. Learn more online. ccblossomfestival.com

Fruita Fat Tire Festival

Fruita, CO May 6-8

Experience a celebration of fat biking and cycling culture. The 25th anniversary of the Fruita Fat Tire Festival has events for everyone — live music, guided tours and so much more. Register online now. fruitafattirefestival.com

Estes Park, CO May 7

This unique festival revolves around giving back to the community in the form of adopting a “duck” and donating to the charity of your choice. The “duck” is a rubber duck that races against others down the river. Learn more about this one-of-a-kind event online. epduckrace.org

Wild Horse Gravel

De Beque, CO May 14

Wild Horse Gravel showcases the unique high-desert landscape of Colorado’s Western Slope. Cyclists will be treated to a country cookout, campfire, cabins, camping — or glamping — and the best local music. Sign up for the 90-mile or 45-mile race. events.outsideonline.com

Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival

Beaver Creek, CO May 22- 24

Indulge in a food-filled event, perfect for welcoming the summer months. The Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival includes street vendors with fantastic BBQ bites and brews, with live music throughout the event. It’s free to the public, so make sure you check it out. beavercreek.com

Craig, CO May 26-30

Embrace the wild, wild west at the western themed festival on Memorial Day weekend. Experience multiple events such as: Cowboy Shooting Action, Iron Man Ranch Bronco Riding, Brown’s Amusement Carnival, Adventure Zone Kid’s Bounce House Extravaganza, Parrothead’s Beer Garden, live music and so much more. grandoldwestdays.com

Mountainfilm

Telluride, CO May 26-30

Movie buffs in Western Colorado, come see non-fiction films with the beautiful Telluride mountains as your backdrop. Held every Memorial Day weekend, Mountainfilm is a documentary film festival that showcases nonfiction stories about environmental, cultural, climbing, political and social justice issues. mountainfilm.org

Boulder Creek Festival

Boulder, CO May 28-30

The 33rd Annual Boulder Creek Festival is back this upcoming Memorial Day weekend. Kick off the summer with live music, delicious eats, drinks, family fun, art and more. More information about this festival, including performance schedule, the Creekside Beer Fest and participating vendors will be announced at a later date. bouldercreekfest.com

CKS Paddlefest 2022

Buena Vista, CO May 28-30

This Memorial Day weekend, take your family and friends to this outdoor festival. The CKS Paddlefest has a mission to give back to the whitewater and recreation community. Participate in whitewater rafting and kayaking competitions, listen to live music and explore camping options. Event schedule TBA. ckspaddlefest.com

Iron Horse Bicycle Classic

Durango, CO May 28-30

Battle it out on an intense course made for cyclists to push themselves with 50 miles, 5,700 foot elevation gain and crossing over two 10,000 foot passes, or sign up for a casual road race with friends and family. The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic has options for every cyclist of every level, beginner or expert. ironhorsebicycleclassic.com

2022 FESTIVAL SEASON PAGOSA FOLK N’”| BLUEGRASS June 10-12, 2022 15th Annual Jr. & Adult Jam Camps June 7-9 Pagosa Springs, CO FOUR CORNERS FOLK FESTIVAL 26th Annual September 2-4, 2022 Pagosa Springs, CO Tickets & info: ksutpresents.org

ENSTROM CANDIES: A RECIPE FOR SWEET SUCCESS DOUG SIMONS

Words by MacKennea Broyles | Photo courtesy of Enstrom Candies

In what may be its sweetest achievement yet, Grand Junction can now say it is home to a Candy Hall of Fame-er. Doug Simons of Enstrom Candies is a recent inductee.

The nomination came as a surprise to Simons, who recently celebrated his 43rd Christmas at Enstrom’s. “You go on about your business, and you do your thing and then to be recognized with this? It’s really humbling to be honored by your peers in the industry,” Simons reflects. So, how does a bite-size toffee business grow into a confectionery champion? With perseverance, ingenuity and the help of a few friends. Simons explains that the real challenge of going from local storefronts to the bulk aisles of Costco lay at the crux of the science of toffee and a commitment to tradition.

“Our almond toffee is very special. It’s what brought us to the dance,” Simons says. “I had a vision of a system that would allow us to mold it into different sizes, but I wasn’t willing to compromise on the recipe.”

Simons explains that toffee, being largely butterfat, is highly susceptible to oxidation. “And oxidized fat,” Simons points out, “is rancid fat.” Like a banana left unpeeled, the edges of the toffee slabs not enrobed in chocolate must be kept cold and away from as much oxygen as possible, making this form of the carefully crafted confection difficult to transport.

Enter: Toffee Petites. A friend introduced Simons to a company that specialized in confectionery engineering, and after a few tough years fueled by Simons’ determination, the tiny toffee squares snuggled tightly in a casing of chocolate appeared. It was the ideal treat to stock shelves everywhere.

This led to a “sudden boom that ignited a lot of growth for our company,” says Simons, “but there was no compromise on quality.” Quite literally, it was the recipe for success.

When the toffee became portable, so did Simons. QVC, the in-home shopping channel, wanted the distinctive treat in its “In the Kitchen With David” segment, and Simons recalls a time when he would fly from Colorado to Pennsylvania just to be on air for 15 minutes. Now, thanks to the revolutions of remote work, Simons is able to take his setup with him and appear via Skype.

Despite being a jet-setting hall-of-famer, Simons is always one to recognize his roots. Longtime donors to many community organizations and nonprofits, the impact of Enstrom’s philanthropy on the Grand Junction community is in no way petite.

“Starting as a small business in Grand Junction has taught us how to be communityminded,” Simons shares. “We realize that our business sells globally but lives locally, and we have an obligation to share this success with our community.”

Another key ingredient in the recipe for success has been a not-so-secret ingredient: family. Enstrom’s is making its way into its fourth generation of family ownership. Simons recently announced that his two sons, Douglas Jr. and Jim, will be continuing the toffee tradition. Simons, however, has no intention of retiring just yet.

“For us,” Simons says, “it’s not work; it’s the other place we live.” :