CELEBRATING AVALON’S CENTENNIAL

Words by Stephen Doyle | Photos courtesy of The Avalon Theatre

On January 23, 1922, Walter Walker, the owner, editor and publisher of The Sentinel, conveyed a bold vision to his readership for an, as yet, unnamed theatre: “The new auditorium would handle the finest road shows, the big artists, concert companies, the big feature movies, conventions, chautauquas, big indoor athletic events, large banquets, private dances and other attractions and gatherings …” For a town that had not yet reached a population of 10,000, this was indeed a bold vision. When compared to roads, housing, rail lines, sanitation, schools, hospitals and water projects, the citizens of Grand Junction surely would not have listed a modern theatre house among the top 10 things missing in their lives! Despite formidable odds, Walter Walker channeled his newspaper, his powers of persuasion, his passion for Grand Junction and a good bit of his ego into rallying investors — large and small — around his proposed project. By

early February 1922, the Grand Junction Theatre Company was incorporated at a 1,000-share capitalization of $100,000, with Grand Junction businessman William Moyer named president and Walter Walker vice president and general manager. On January 5, 1923 — less than 11 months later — the Avalon Theatre had its grand opening featuring Lucy Gates, the “World Famous Singer” and the “Songbird of the West.” She hailed from St. George, Utah, had her vocal training in Germany and was the granddaughter of Brigham Young. Those 11 months were wild ones, which included a big push to attract investors, the theft of bricks, a huge “name-that-theatre” contest (won by Kathryn Forrest), numerous labor disputes, supply chain issues, postponed grand opening dates and major league mudslinging. Rumor-mongers said the balcony would collapse under the weight of its audience due to shoddy workmanship. Three weeks before the grand opening, Walter Walker took this bull by the horn and ordered workers to bring 99,700 pounds of sacked gravel to the balcony — twice the estimated maximum carrying weight. He invited the townsfolk to observe independent engineers as they measured for any signs of sagging. The Avalon Theatre’s first years were glorious. National touring performances of hit theatrical productions, such as The Bat, Potash & Perlmutter and Bombo performed to soldout audiences. Live Vaudeville shows were a twice-weekly occurrence. More than 300 silent films were shown during the Avalon’s first year, accompanied by the six-piece Avalon Orchestra led by Glenn Schrader. The Palisade Stage offered stagecoach service from the Avalon to residents in the Grand Valley’s hinterland. Among the “superstars” of the day who appeared on the Avalon’s stage in the early years were Al Jolson, John Philip Sousa, Ethel Barrymore, three-time presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan and Pulitzer Prize-winning author and poet Carl Sandburg. The Avalon Theatre became the go-to venue for the Grand Valley and used for graduation ceremonies, civic club fundraisers and lectures of every type (including Captain Carl Akeley, the famous gorilla hunter). In July 1923, Grand Junction High School performed The Bells of

Beaujolais (with future Academy Award-winning screenwriter Dalton Trumbo in the chorus). In short, the Avalon Theatre became the very thing that Walter Walker had envisioned. However, the Roaring 20s abruptly ended with the infamous stock market crash of October 28, 1929, which ushered in a multi-year economic depression, resulting in the failure of many banks and businesses, including the Avalon Theatre. The market demand for live theatrical performances rapidly gave way to America’s love affair with motion pictures. The advent of “talkies” in 1927, combined with the fact that most people could barely afford a movie ticket costing a few cents, required the Avalon to pursue a different business model. Although the Avalon’s original investors were wiped out, the theatre itself survived intact and was leased to various companies, primarily to show films. From 1933 onward, it was leased to J.H. Cooper Co. and ultimately sold to the Cooper Foundation in 1943. The Grand Valley’s philanthropic nature was very much on display at the Avalon Theatre during these years. In fact, the Soup Eaters Christmas was celebrated annually (1929 –1939) at the Avalon Theatre and resulted in the Avalon’s stage being filled with piles of Christmas presents for the children of families struggling to survive the hard economic times.

The Avalon Theatre not only underwent a costly modernization, including the bricking-over of its original Romanesque Revival façade, but it reopened in 1947 under a new name, the Cooper Theater. The Cooper Theater fit the post-war period perfectly: sleek, modern and easily the hippest building on Main Street. For the next three decades, the Cooper became the place of first jobs,

first dates, luxurious air-conditioning and where you would go to see movie blockbusters of the day. The five-phased Operation Foresight (19621963) was yet another bold vision realized by Grand Junction heroes, such as city manager Joe Lacy and businessmen Dale Hollingsworth, Jim Gormley and his son Pat Gormley. Operation Foresight played a critical role in the presentday Avalon Theatre. Grand Junction’s downtown was antiquated, dilapidated, flood-prone and shadeless. Operation Foresight transformed downtown Grand Junction into the gentlywinding, tree-lined, beautiful Main Street that we know today. In 1965, famous radio broadcaster Paul Harvey put Grand Junction on the map by raving about its quaint, all-American Main Street. From that period onward, there was something endearing and deeply significant about Grand Junction’s downtown. The Cooper enjoyed its anchor position on Main Street for the next two decades, but by the 1980s, the Cooper’s onetheatre model was sadly rendered obsolete by the onset of multiplexes and shopping malls. The Cooper tried valiantly to compete but eventually went dark in December 1989, just months after the Carmike 7 opened. By this time, the building that looked so sleek in 1947 had become an architectural eyesore on a Main Street struggling to compete against the Mesa Mall and numerous strip malls. The Cooper seemed destined for the wrecking ball.

Enter Pat Gormley (et al), who saw great potential in restoring the Avalon to its original glory. In 1991, Pat Gormley formed the Avalon Project, Inc., which later became the Avalon Theatre Foundation. The understandably reluctant City of GJ was cajoled into purchasing the Cooper in 1994. Numerous grassroots efforts funded by citizens, private businesses, the city and the Downtown Development Authority resulted in critical improvements — most importantly the restoration of the original Romanesque Revival façade and the reopening of the Avalon Theatre in 1996. The icing on the cake came in 1999, when the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra performed its first concert at the Avalon. While the Avalon Theatre continued to function admirably, there was no escaping the reality that it had no long-term future without a major, multi-million-dollar renovation. Enter the Cornerstone Project, a $13.7 million undertaking completed in 2014 that resulted in the beautiful Avalon Theatre that serves as the home of the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra. It not only attracts big-named touring acts but also serves as the preferred venue for many local organizations and fundraisers. Our wonderful theatre is also the home of the biggest movie screen on the Western Slope and has recently hosted red carpet screenings of locally-filmed Dragon Soldiers and the award-winning documentary Buckin’ Bulls — the story of Ty Rinaldo. What’s next for the Avalon Theatre? There were many key components of the Cornerstone Project that were “value-engineered” away due to limited funds: an expanded stage, an orchestra pit, dressing rooms, catering kitchen, freight elevator, etc. At the Avalon’s grand re-opening in 2014, Mayor Phyllis Norris recognized this and wrote, “This week’s grand re-opening is a celebration and presentation of the upgrades to date, but there is much more work to be done to complete the improvements to the theater and to work toward future

The rooftop patio is a popular spot for live music and social gatherings.

The Cornerstone Project, a $13.7 million undertaking completed in 2014, resulted in numerous upgrades.

expansion of the stage and additions to the back of the house.” During the past eight years, your Avalon Theatre Foundation, assisted by a generous matching program by the city of Grand Junction, has invested nearly $500,000 in capital improvements: the completion of the Encore Hall, the donor wall, a state-of-the art sound system, an outdoor digital marquee, portable spotlights, lighting monitors, shading sails for the rooftop terrace, LED lighting, improvements to backstage rigging, etc.

The Avalon Theatre Foundation’s current focus is to take a pause in 2023 from funding capital improvements in order to celebrate the Avalon Theatre’s centennial and its cultural and historical role in the Grand Valley. And what a celebration it will be: two major to-be-named performances in January and November; a monthly film and lecture series featuring films that have played during each decade of the Avalon Theatre; collaborations with the GJSO and the Community Concerts of Western Colorado; the commissioning of a short film celebrating the Avalon Theatre; and Halloween ghost tours of the Avalon. Whether it be from the stage, the seats or both, virtually everyone in the Grand Valley has special memories associated to the Avalon. While we celebrate its centennial, we should gratefully remember the thousands of people over the past 100 years who have supported, cared for, worked for, fought for, donated to and loved the Avalon Theatre. Its history is our history. :

Many headlines have generated uncertainty around the local and national housing market. Lower inventory, inflation and interest rates have created pause in the market. And while our very active market did need to rebalance, opportunities await those who are ready to make a move to buy or sell. Depending on who you listen to, the U.S. economy is or will be in a recession soon. Housing is traditionally one of the first sectors to slow as the economy shifts, but it is also one of the first to rebound, according to Ali Wolf, Chief Economist at Zonda. Additionally, Freddie Mac notes that interest rates also decline during a recession. Over the last six recessions dating back to 1980, interest rates have declined 1.8 percentage points from the peak seen during the recession to the trough. Both points bode well for what is developing to be a more balanced market.

So, reasons for optimism exist and as we work our way through a hyper-local market, we have expectations that the market will remain active, and sellers and buyers will adjust their expectations. We are here to help answer questions, provide guidance and be a resource even if you are not looking to make a move today.

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Words by Kristen Grace | Photos courtesy of UpRoot Colorado

Food is a golden thread intricately and deeply woven throughout every part of humanity. From our well-being to our cultures and history, food touches every area of our lives. For generations, people relied on their land and neighbors to produce food — a local food system. The rise of globalization, though, has left us swimming in the sea of the global food system. Food systems describe the people, activities, processes and infrastructure involved in producing, distributing and consuming food. We’ve shifted from a purely local food system to being engulfed in a global food system that, in this age of convenience, is hard to escape, but perhaps it’s time to embrace a new mindset when it comes to agriculture and our meals. Many studies have found that, although the global food system succeeds at meeting the growing demand for food, people are left to tackle another set of challenges and inadequacies in the wake of the global food system. To meet the world-wide need for

food, agriculturalists choose to push land and animals to produce in unnatural excess. This type of production, evidence suggests, has harmful impacts on the environment, because it takes more resources and results in destructive outputs. The modern, global food system might be to blame for the United States’ food waste epidemic, because, as Rita Hennigan, UpRoot Colorado co-director, believes, individuals are no longer intimately connected to the sources of their food. UpRoot is a nonprofit organization that works to increase the nutrition security of Coloradans by harvesting and redistributing surplus, nutrient-dense foods while supporting the resiliency of farmers. People with food equity take for granted the abundance of food that is available, and they assume that it will always be available. Yet, last year, one in three Coloradans worried about having enough food. Meanwhile, good food left on farms or forgotten in the refrigerator is sitting with the garbage. “[Across the U.S.] 34 billion pounds of surplus remains on farms, while about 60 billion pounds of food is wasted by individuals and homes each year,” Hennigan shares. As the copious amounts of waste sit in landfills with little oxygen, the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted builds up. The global food system is more susceptible to casualties since there are so many interconnected parts. Disruptions in the global food system can be linked to climate shocks, conflict and strife, and transportation and storage facility miscommunication, among other matters. These events can hinder people’s access to nutritious food. Coloradans experienced this first hand when Glenwood Canyon was closed due to flooding after the Grizzly Canyon Fire. Grocery store shelves emptied out, because trucks carrying food from other parts of the country weren’t able to make it to parts of Western Colorado. The global food system is not regenerative nor is it resilient. Building a patchwork of robust local food systems, though, could create a more sustainable global food system. “Starting in your own backyard, starting locally, is the way

With 100 locally owned retail shops and restaurants located in Downtown Grand Junction, there’s something for everyone on your list!

to create a global system that is regenerative,” says David Laskarzewski, UpRoot Colorado codirector. Local farmers and growers, typically, value practices that are healthier for humans and the environment. “To produce healthy food for people, to produce healthy people, you have to start with the soil and the microbiome. You can do it on a [large] scale, but it hasn’t been readily done,” Laskarzewski explains. “If we use [food] well, we ourselves will be at our best. We’ll realize more of our potential, we’ll have more joy, we’ll have more balance and we’ll be able to contribute more meaningfully to our society.” As Dr. Dawn Thilmany, professor and codirector at Colorado State University’s Regional Economics Development Institute, points out, without the global food system, Americans would not have beloved items such as coffee or pineapple, and nobody wants that. Perhaps, we don’t have to eat strictly locally or exclusively globally; however, most people don’t even realize that their spinach is from Mexico and don’t investigate local options. She suggests shifting our mindsets around food to include both systems. Although what we have done in the past aligned with our goals (a world-wide food system intended to feed the world, for instance), some of our goals have changed as our cultures have evolved. Plus, not all societies desire the same things from their food systems (some groups of people value organic produce, while others may place more emphasis on traditional food, for example), and local food systems allow for these diversities. “[Local food systems] are starting to allow places to have their own value systems, priorities and cultures reflected in the food systems,” Dr. Thilmany explains. Rosie Skovron, Slow Food Boulder County volunteer board member, shares, “The way that we eat and grow has been shaped so dramatically by the pressures of globalization and capitalism. In a perfect world, I would like to think of a balanced food system in which the global food system is an arena for the exchange of ideas, inspiration and a few incredibly regionally-specific ingredients, while local

food systems should form the foundation of our diets.” Jodie Popma, chair of Slow Food Boulder County and certified nutritionist, says that building a balance between the local and global food systems will take time. The Slow Food chapters throughout Colorado strive to educate the community about good, clean, fair food for all. They do this through community gardens, educational events at local farms and potluck events on the Western Slope. Finding local foods can be tricky, especially in the winter. Unfortunately, as Laskarzewski

points out, we don’t currently have the infrastructure in place to make eating locally year-round an easily achievable goal. Experts agree that contributing to our local food system is rooted in awareness — understanding how many hands your food goes through before it gets to you and how many aspects of your life the golden thread is wrapped around. You can choose to grow, preserve and produce some of your own foods, and a little research can lead you to farms that produce in the winter months, such as Flipside Farm in Hotchkiss. Plus, there are many farm stores that sell locally produced food, such as Blain’s Farm Store in Clifton. Even chain stores like Natural Grocers and Whole Foods sometimes provide access to locally grown, nutritious foods. The USDA does not define what the term “local” means as it relates to food; it can vary widely based on region. Popma guides, “Knowing your farmer is key.” Not only do local food systems provide community members with more nutrient dense foods, strengthen the local economy and, currently, use the environment’s resourses in a more responsible way, they also keep local food cultures alive. “In my opinion, food culture is similar to art culture. It is beautiful, regional and special. The more global we become as a society, the lines can blur related to food culture,” Popma says. Skovron emphasizes, “To improve our relationship to our soil, water, air and neighbors (humans and others!), we should eat locally. Food is a means for people to share and celebrate aspects of their identity and culture.” We can promote local food systems by supporting farmers and producers with our purchases, elevating food workers to reflect the vital role they have in the community and educating ourselves and our children. Awareness is the first step in understanding the nuances and diversities of food systems, and awareness will, inevitably, lead to a profound appreciation of our food, the earth from which it comes and the people who strive diligently to bring it to our tables. :

YEAR-ROUND, ATHLETES TRAIN PHYSICALLY + MENTALLY THE LIFE OF A TRIATHLETE

Words by Kimberly Nicoletti | Photos courtesy of Xterra

Brian Smith, his wife Jennifer and their daughter.

Triathlons aren’t just for young or uberathletes; these days, people of all ages and levels are joining in for the fun, camaraderie and fitness aspects. Patty Simpson completed her first triathlon in her early 40s and launched Moms Who Tri in 2014 during a church dinner in Grand Junction. “You don’t have to be the best at any part of it,” Simpson says. “You can just enjoy it. It’s such a great community. And, for women specifically, it’s really empowering, because you think you can’t do it — our club started with a woman who didn’t know how to swim — but it’s empowering when you finish.” While just about every amateur triathlete works or goes to school at least part time, if not full-time, scheduling training when you’re a mom adds an extra challenge. To overcome these challenges, Moms Who Tri bring their kids to training sessions, creating an even greater sense of community, and most wake up early; Courtney Barella gets up at 6 a.m. to fit in her workouts, and Simpson gets up between 3 and 4 a.m. “Goals and having something to train for kind of keeps me sane,” Barella shares, “and it’s so good for your physical and mental health.”

While training programs vary for each triathlete — depending on age, goals and available time — a typical conditioning cycle usually involves three swims, three bikes and three runs lasting an hour to 90 minutes (runs may go up to three

hours) for three weeks, followed by a recovery week with less intense exercise or complete rest. But, as Carbondale-based triathlete and personal trainer David Clark points out, “It doesn’t work the same for everybody.” As he approaches the upper end of his age group, 64, he focuses more on the quality of the workouts and less on quantity. Rather than spending six hours a week doing long, easier rides, he might spend four hours a week cycling at higher intensity. Brian Smith, who lives in Gunnison and is in his late 40s, does the same. Instead of the 50 to 60 miles a week he used to run, he’s cut it down to 20 to 30. On a big week, he packs in 15 to 20 training hours, and on a “cruisy” week, he clocks in about 10. 60-year-old Simpson is also careful not to overtrain, so she focuses on biking and swimming, then runs 10 to 12 miles a week. “I check in with how my body feels and what I’m doing next for training,” she says. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Torin Lackmann trains with Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, where they usually run three hours a week, bike over 1.5 hours three times a week and swim three days a week, along with two weight sessions. She adds two extra running sessions and spends a lot of time cross-country and alpine skiing in the winter. “I like getting outside in the winter, and crosscounty skiing is good for bike cross-training,” Lackmann says. “I downhill ski a lot, because I enjoy it, and it makes your quads stronger.” Smith also alpine skis in the winter and has competed in winter triathlons, which combine running, biking and cross-country skiing. “You come off a season of that, and you’ve got a pretty high level of fitness,” he says. “It’s really important to have a sport that people can use for cross-training. It’s healthier than being in a single sport.” In fact, he relies on a variety of activities, so if his knees don’t feel great, he can limit his runs and focus on swimming or biking. Because he’s busy with his family and a full-time job, he and his wife, Jennifer, train in the kitchen on a bike trainer. Jennifer earned fourth in 2006 in the XTERRA World Championship, and he placed third in 2007. In winter months, 55-year-old Karla Araneda of Moms Who Tri uses her Peloton app but still runs and rides outside. “Even if it’s really cold, you can bundle up pretty good,” she says. For indoor training, Clark recommends apps like TrainerRoad, which, in addition to tracking things like heart rate, cadence and power output, controls bike trainers, making it harder to pedal at times; Zwift, where gaming meets fitness by allowing participants to compete with others around the world through structured workouts and a social community; and JAZ, which offers videos of specific outdoor rides that become harder or easier based on the terrain. He says treadmills have also advanced, providing curved surfaces that more accurately simulate running on ground. “A lot of things have come to the market that have made it easy to train year-round,” he says.

Courtney, with Moms Who Tri.

“Recovery is where you get the benefit from the workout you’ve been doing, because in a sense, you’re breaking down your body (when training), causing microtears in muscle fibers,”

Clark says. “During recovery, the body adapts to the stress and comes back stronger.” Younger athletes like Lackmann can push harder and take less recovery time than older athletes, he says. Since Lackmann doesn’t race in the winter, she emphasizes longer training sessions to increase her aerobic conditioning and adds more weights for strength. “You can break down your muscles more, because they don’t have to function at their prime (for triathlons),” she says. Still, she uses yoga, rollers and sleep to recover. “(Sleep is) where the real magic occurs, and we get stronger, fitter, faster and healthier from all of our workouts,” Clark believes. “Most people don’t focus on sleep as a recovery tool, but it is likely the most beneficial.” He also employs Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization, created by Dr. Pavel Kolar at the Prague School of Rehabilitation and based on movement patterns like crawling, reaching and standing up, which are naturally ingrained in everyone as babies. “It was mainly designed as an injury rehab protocol, but I use it as a recovery protocol, and it really works well for me and my athletes,” Clark says, adding that he prefers active movement, like laying on the floor or on a fitness ball and moving the body in all different directions and planes to static stretching. “Walking is one of the most underrated and best forms of recovery.” Athletes use percussion massagers, compression boots, rollers, magnesium and other supplements to increase blood flow and promote recovery. Araneda adds physical therapy, hot tubs and bioidentical hormones. Smith relies on two cups of Epsom salts in a bath nearly every night. “My legs feel 50% better from just a 20-minute soak. If you’re doing any running or pounding, Epsom salt baths are essential,” he states. “Especially being an older athlete, you can’t do enough recovery. We pretty much hit recovery from every angle.”

Both competing in and training for triathlons is mentally challenging, so athletes like Lackmann visualize successfully going through each part of their race, especially when it’s about a week away. She also practices mantras comprised

of a couple words “to remind myself that I’m capable,” she shares. Lately, it’s been: “You are strong.” She anticipates how that feels in a race and visualizes herself floating like a butterfly while running. “A triathlon, to me, is the mind, body and spirit,” Simpson says. “It’s the whole thing,

because you can’t have just one goal — the physical.” In fact, Clark says that, physically, most people are capable of more than they think, “but it becomes a mental challenge of getting yourself out the door every day to do the training.” He coaches time-crunched athletes and also advocates mental recovery, where athletes regroup and review all the good work they’ve done. And, he encourages doing activities like hiking or biking just for sheer pleasure, without any time constraints, measurements or goals. Then, when it comes to the event, he tells competitors to have confidence in the training they’ve done, let go of expectations and adopt a mindset, and behaviors, that allow them to have fun in the process, like egging on the spectators to cheer. He reminds them that, “Removing yourself from the intense focus of what you’re doing and trying to have fun and engage with it brings joy and fulfillment while you’re doing the event, rather than just after it.” :

Karla Arenada at the St. George Half Iron Man finish line.

COURTESY OF MESA COUNTY’S HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTIONS

HAZARDOUS OR HARD TO RECYCLE? HELP IS HERE

Words by Sharon Sullivan

Have you ever wondered how to responsibly dispose of dead batteries, burned out, mercury-containing florescent bulbs or those empty fuel canisters from a camping trip? And, what about leftover cans of paint or motor oil? Those items, plus televisions, computer monitors, printers, DVD players and other electronics, contain materials hazardous to humans and the environment and, thus, are not allowed in landfills. Out of 64 Colorado counties, only eight offer permanent household hazardous waste collection services, and four are located on the Western Slope! While many county solid waste sites host special collection days once every year or two, permanent collection facilities in Mesa, Eagle, Pitkin and Summit counties accept household hazardous waste year-round — meaning you don’t have to store it on your property while waiting for a special collection day.

Mesa County’s Household Hazardous Waste Collections Facility, located at 3071 U.S. Hwy 50 in Grand Junction, is a “one-stop-shop” where you can drop off household hazardous materials, as well as mattresses and yard waste. It’s all either recycled or disposed of properly. Organic materials like tree trimmings, grass clippings, brush, leaves, etc. are turned into compost and mulch, which people can then purchase, if they wish. Mesa County residents can drop off products like latex paints, stains, pesticides, fertilizers, auto products and cleaning supplies at the county site for free (businesses pay a fee). Items that are unopened or in good condition are set out in the facility’s reuse room for residents to take for free. Typical products include partial cans of latex paint, motor oil, household cleaning products, fuel canisters, adhesives and lighter fluid. You’ll also sometimes find swimming pool and hot tub chemicals; “Those go really fast,” says hazardous materials manager Daryl Hillyer. Poor quality oil is disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner, while cleaner oil is filtered and can be used for heating. In fact, Mesa County uses donated oil to heat three of its buildings! If paints are in good shape — Hillyer says he can tell by shaking the can — they’ll put those in the reuse room, which people often take to use for painting sheds, shelves, garages or for artwork. Some people will mix paints together to create different colors, he says. “There are some good whites we hold back and mix together in a 5-gallon bucket to create a nice white or tan latex paint,” Hillyer shares. Those are sold for $25 because of the labor involved. “People save over $100 to $125 what they’d pay for new,” he says. “Right now, I have five buckets on the shelf. I bought one and painted two rooms and still have half a bucket left over. It’s really thick, good paint.” There is a fee for dropping off electronic products. Mesa County charges 65 cents per pound to cover costs of sending items to a Front Range recycler. CORRecycling, a private Grand Junction company, charges less but collects only electronics; it does not collect other household hazardous waste.

Visit mesacounty.us/swm/hours-ofoperation/ for more information and hours of operation.

In Eagle County, residents pay just 20 cents per pound to drop off their electronics — unless you’re 65 or older, then it’s free. Other household hazardous waste can be dropped off for free (again, commercial companies pay a fee). And, like Mesa County, Eagle County collects sharps (needles, syringes, scalpels), which are sent to a company that sterilizes the objects, which can then be landfilled. Unlike, Mesa County, Eagle does not accept medications, though meds can be disposed of locally at pharmacies and county sheriff drop boxes, says Joseph Walls, operations manager for Eagle County Solid Waste and Recycling. Eagle County also has a small reuse item area. Residents stop by daily to pick up free auto products, latex paint and oil-based stains — a lot of it new, says Walls. The county does not recycle mattresses; although, it accepts them for disposal in its landfill.

Visit eaglecounty.us/ solidwasteandrecycling/landfill for hours and more information.

At the Pitkin County Landfill in Aspen, people may bring their household hazardous waste year-round for free. Disposal of electronic items ranges from $10 to $45, depending on the size. Aspen also recycles mattresses. Though Pitkin County does not set out for reuse collected chemical products like paints, pesticides, oils or anti-freeze, it does have a reuse area full of other, perhaps more interesting, objects.

COURTESY OF PITKIN COUNTY

At the Pitkin County Landfill in Aspen, people may bring their household hazardous waste year-round for free.

The Motherlode Mercantile opened in June at the Pitkin landfill, where you’ll find quite reasonably-priced items that have either been donated or were destined for the landfill. The Motherlode Mercantile contains patio furniture, artwork, frames, dishware, construction materials, sports equipment and other high-quality objects. While the items are not free, “It’s all sold for a very reasonable price — $5-$10,” says Pitkin County solid waste director Cathy Hall. And, you don’t have to be a Pitkin County resident to shop there.

“Specialty” items in the Mercantile are priced higher. For example, a donated 1990s large, lighted globe set on a nice wooden stand, if new, would have gone for $14,000, says Hall. The Mercantile priced the secondhand globe at $200, and it sold that same day. An antique Chinese one-seater horse cart is another “specialty” item currently for sale at the shop. Pitkin County also collects organic waste, including food waste and biosolids, which is then used to make compost that is sold to the public.

Visit landfillrules.com for hours and a full list of accepted items.

Summit County Resource Allocation Park (SCRAP), located at 639 Landfill Road in Dillon, accepts household hazardous waste, such as paints, thinners, aerosols, old gasoline and pesticides, for free from Summit County residents and recycles those items with companies on the Front Range. It tries to steer commercial-sized volumes directly to the Denver-area companies with whom it recycles materials. SCRAP does not have a reuse area. SCRAP recycles electronics for a fee, depending on the item and its size. Summit County also takes organic matter, which is turned into compost and sold. Organic materials are collected for a fee — $31 per ton or $10 minimum. SCRAP also recycles mattresses. In addition to collecting materials yearround, Summit County hosts an annual “hard to recycle” event for its residents every spring in Frisco, which is considered a central Summit County location. :

For more information visit: summitcountyco.gov/103/Landfill.

Compiled by Olivia Lyda | Photo courtesy of Breckenridge Tourism Office

International Snow Sculpture Competition in Breckenridge

The Polar Express Train Ride

Recreate the magical story of a child’s Christmas Eve at the Polar Express Train Ride! The excursion is full of enchanted holiday surprises, all with a beautiful, snowy backdrop. durangotrain.com Winter on the Mountain

From a tunnel of holiday lights to a giant musical Christmas tree, this has all the holiday spirit. Make sure to head to Glenwood Caverns Adventure park for the Winter on the Mountain Celebration. With so many fun-filled winter activities to choose from, this event will be fun for the whole family. glenwoodcaverns.com Olde Fashioned Christmas

Palisade Chamber of Commerce’s Olde Fashioned Christmas kicks off with a tree lighting ceremony followed by the iconic Parade of Lights. The next day, visitors can enjoy Breakfast with Santa and a gingerbread-making contest. This year’s theme is A Very Vintage Christmas. This magical event offers fun for all ages! visitpalisade.com

The Telluride Fire Festival, inspired by Burning Man, truly brings together fire and ice during the winter season. Celebrate community, fire and art in the mountains, and watch inspired artists and their dynamic visual fire performances. telluridefirefestival.org

Lighting of Breckenridge & Race of the Santas

Watch as the streets of downtown Breckenridge light up like a Christmas tree to kick off the holiday season — all while a parade of Santa Clauses crowds the street. The Lighting of Breckenridge & Race of the Santas will be sure to put you in the holiday spirit! Times will be posted once the event draws near. gobreck.com

Paonia Holiday Art Fair

Head to Grand Avenue for Paonia Holiday Art Fair with over 50 arts and ag vendors, kids’ winter crafts, gingerbread houses, a puppet show, library book sale, ice cream and hot drinks, open houses, and shop and eat local deals! northforkcreative.org

Summit for Life

The 17th annual Summit for Life uphill race will now offer an in-person and virtual race for 2022. The Chris Klug Foundation invites local enthusiasts and regional sports junkies to strap on a headlamp and race up 3,000 vertical feet to the top of Aspen Mountain. aspenchamber.org

Ullr Fest offers four full days dedicated to all fun-loving activities involving snow. What better way to get into the holiday spirit? The festival celebrates the Norwegian god of snow, with traditions such as the Ullr ball, the Ullr bonfire, the Ullr parade, snow sculpting, Ullr King and Queen, the Ullympics and the Ullr dating game. gobreck.com

Royal Gorge Bridge and Park Holiday Light Show

Enjoy a drive-thru light show experience full of holiday cheer this December to get in the festive spirit! royalgorgeregion.com

Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration

Lights will be twinkling, temperatures dropping and the spirit of the holidays filling the air. Enjoy a magical walk along the Downtown River Walk during the Old Fashioned Christmas on December 17 as you celebrate the season. visitpagosasprings.com

The MusicFest Steamboat Springs

The perfect getaway filled with music, relaxation and the beautiful, champagne powder of Steamboat Springs lies just at your fingertips with a trip to MusicFest. MusicFest Steamboat Springs has a venue for everyone with over 200 hours of live performances. Grab your ticket before the event sells out! themusicfest.com

The Rocky Mountain Ski Fest includes an exclusive concert with headliner Old Dominion and an on-mountain activity, all raising awareness and funds for pediatric cancer. Learn more and reserve tickets online. rockymtnskifest.com

Wintersköl

Toast to Aspen’s majestic winter with this festival dedicated to the town’s unique lifestyle. The fourday fest features on-mountain activities, film screenings, a winterfest, broomball, fat-biking competitions and other celebratory events. aspenchamber.org

Aspen Gay Ski Week

Aspen Gay Ski Week (AGSW) is the oldest annual, week-long, gay ski event in the nation. AGSW visitors enjoy four mountains of varied skiing and snowboarding terrain, as well as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and winter hiking trails in the Elk Mountains of Colorado. Make sure to take part in this week’s many events and show pride for the community! gayskiweek.com

Ouray Ice Festival

Ice climber pros, novices and fans alike can experience the nailbiting competition of the Ouray Ice Festival. The three-day festival includes qualifying rounds, finals and speed rounds, along with an educational experience for all ice climbing enthusiasts. More information regarding the festival to come. ourayicepark.com

Skijoring combines Pagosa Country’s finest skiing heritage with its cowboy roots, creating a fast and curious spectator event. The Skis & Saddles Event will be a great reason to get outside with some great entertainment to enjoy Southern Colorado’s best kept secret, while hanging out with friends and family. skisandsaddles.com

Rio Frio Ice Fest

Enjoy a jam-packed weekend with the Rio Fest 5K on the frozen Rio Grande River, a polar plunge, ice carving, fire and ice bonfire and many more winter fun activities. riofrioice.com

Winter X Games Competition

ESPN X Games announced that X Games Aspen 2023 will return to Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen Snowmass with 100 of the world’s best action sports athletes competing in 14 disciplines for the 22nd consecutive year. Make sure to head to their website to check out all of the events during the weekend. xgames.com

3 Lakes Ice Fishing Contest

Join in on the longest-running ice fishing tournament west of the Mississippi. Sign up for one, two or all three days of fishing on beautiful lakes in the Granby area. All proceeds from this fundraiser benefit Destination Granby. destinationgranby.com International Snow Sculpture Competition

This world renowned snow sculpting competition consists of 16 teams from around the world descending on Breckenridge to hand-carve 20-ton blocks of snow into enormous, intricate works of art. Make sure to visit to view these masterpieces! gobreck.com

Snowdown Durango

This jam-packed event has everything you could ever ask for. Snowdown Durango showcases more than 100 events packed into five-days — everything from the annual Parade of Lights down Main Avenue to an adults-only fashion show to winter sporting contests and beer dunks. durango.com

NBS Black Ski Summit 2023

Join and celebrate this amazing event put on by the NBS (National Brotherhood of Skiers) that brings over 1,500 people of color together on the mountain. eventbrite.com

Full Moon Dinners at Buttermilk Mountain

Skin or hike up Tiehack on Buttermilk to dine at Cliffhouse under the full moon. Get there early to enjoy free hot chocolate from 5 to 6 p.m. around the Cowboy Cauldron over a roaring fire. À la carte dinner options, snacks and a cash bar will be offered inside Cliffhouse starting at 6 p.m. aspenchamber.org

Aspen Snowmass Open — Revolution Tour

The Rev Tour at the Aspen Snowmass Open is set to kick things off with halfpipe, slopestyle and big air competitions. Competitions will take place on the X Games Aspen courses, providing a taste of what it takes to compete at the pinnacle of free ski and snowboard competition. Make sure to check it out and support these young snowsport athletes! aspensnowmass.com

Steamboat Winter Carnival

Say goodbye to your cabin-fever during late winter months and take part in the Steamboat Winter Carnival. The event highlights outdoor activities for local youth to participate in, as well as traditional experiences around town, such as the soda pop slalom, snow sculptures and the recognition of Winter Carnival Royalty and Grand Marshals. sswsc.org

Pabst Colorado Pond Hockey Tournament

Get ready to gather your friends for this old-school ice hockey tournament! The Pabst Colorado Pond Hockey Tournament is a great opportunity to play against other motivated teams on a frozen solid pond. coloradopondhockey.com

Laugh to your heart’s content over this fun and undeniably funny festival! Watch live performances from big name and up-and-coming comedians. sheridanoperahouse.com

Aspen Laugh Festival

After a two-year hiatus due to, well, life not being a barrel of laughs, the Aspen Laugh Festival is bringing funny back to the Wheeler. With five days of the best and brightest comics on the main stage, you can enjoy side-splitting, bellyaching laughs from your seat in a beautiful, historic opera house. Make sure to buy your tickets to this full-of-laughs festival before they sell out! aspenchamber.org

Banff Mountain Film Festival

Explore the world of mountain sports, and make your way to the Banff Mountain Film Festival. Watch the most inspiring and thought-provoking action, environmental and adventure mountain films. The event goes from 6 to 10 p.m. both days, with proceeds supporting BOEC’s programs for adaptive recreation and outdoor education. boec.org WinterWonderGrass Festival

Gather together with friends and family to join this community event. This year, listen and dance to headliner Trampled by Turtles, while enjoying beer tastings, food trucks and coffee bars. Reserve your tickets and plan your trip before it sells out! winterwondergrass.com :

Wherever you live on the Western Slope and wherever you’re going, skip the long drive to DIA and get there easier through Grand Junction Regional Airport. No icy conditions, no unexpected road closures, just five fast, convenient flights per day to the Mile High City with hundreds of one-stop connections worldwide. Book now at Fly GJT.com.

Words by Kristen Grace | Photo courtesy of Chill Angel

Steamboat Springs resident and creator of women’s apparel brand Chill Angel, Betsy Seabert is zealous to empower women to lead more fulfilling lives by promoting better sleep. As a breast cancer survivor, Seabert understands firsthand how sleep can be altered by shifts in the body. For 30 years, Seabert managed sales and operations for outdoor apparel brands such as Spyder Skiwear, Orage, Point6 and Smartwool. “Moving to Steamboat in 2000 to work with Smartwool, a leading merino wool sock and apparel brand, was a game-changer for me. I had not experienced the amazing comfort of merino wool before then, and I quickly became a believer in this natural wonder fabric. Merino is my goto for everyday clothing, as well as for sports. Nothing matches the versatility and comfort of merino in the heat or in the cold,” Seabert shares. Through working in these industries and her active, outdoor lifestyle, she gained a deep selfawareness of her body and how it felt in different conditions. In 2014, Seabert was diagnosed with breast cancer. One week after her chemotherapy started, her oldest son passed away. She was in shock physically, mentally and emotionally. After chemotherapy, Seabert began a five-year journey on an estrogen blocker to prevent the cancer from returning. Her body was being pushed to the limit, and she began experiencing even more intense changes in her body. “The side effects of the medication were extremely challenging. My body temperature was all over the place — hot flashes, night sweats and chills were in constant battle with my body. I absolutely could not sleep. I became more and more exhausted as time went on,” she recalls. After realizing that her polyester pajamas were not helping the problem, she set out to fill a void in the market, and Chill Angel Merino Wool Sleepwear & Loungewear was born. “Chill Angel keeps the body dry by moving moisture before sweat even forms — when the relative humidity increases but sweat hasn’t formed yet. Merino is highly breathable, so the heat and moisture are transported away from the skin, which prevents the normal flash of heat and sweat from happening,” Seabert explains. “I am proud and honored to help others to be more comfortable and sleep better.” Seabert’s mission is to make a positive impact on the world. She’s making waves by helping women enjoy their sleep and eliminate interruptions thanks to Chill Angel’s incredibly soft and luxurious apparel. She hopes to bring comfort and relief to women who suffer from nightly battles with their bodies. Seabert has resided in Colorado most of her life and still loves living the mountain lifestyle. She enjoys spending time in Colorado’s glorious outdoors with her husband of 22 years and their family. Seabert encourages everyone to support small businesses and to keep trying new products and new ideas, because, as she says, “the world is full of amazing innovations and creative solutions.” :

To learn more about Betsy Seabert and Chill Angel, visit chillangel.com.