September 2005 |
| Breckenridge,
GENUINE ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS Good news for the Summit Foundation, Peter Forsberg will be returning next summer to headline the annual fundraising golf tournament held at the Breckenridge Golf Club and the River Course at Keystone. Through the grapevine it was heard that Peter really likes Summit County because of our laid-back nature and the good people here. The golf tournament is one of the biggest fundraisers for the Summit Foundation who gives away millions of dollars to local non-profits. More info at: http://www.summitfoundation.org . Save a little money when you come to the high country. In Colorado our regular gasoline is 85 octane while many automobile owner’s manuals call for minimum 87. That is because at our higher elevations 85 works the same as 87, according to the Department of Energy. So save a few dollars and fill up on regular. One of the most celebrated local heroes was Father Dyer, the self-proclaimed Snowshoe Itinerant. Father Dyer was known for hiking to the mining camps to preach the gospel in the 1800’s. He built a church at 310 Wellington Rd. in Breckenridge, mostly with his own money, and preached the first sermon in a church on the Western Slope of Colorado in 1880. Last month the congregation celebrated the 125 th anniversary of the sermon with a reenactment of a Victorian Church service. In a blow to the concept of letting local communities control their own fates, a district court judge overturned a Summit County ban on cyanide heap-leach mining, citing that it comes under the control of the Colorado State Mined Land Reclamation Board. This type of mining has been responsible for water quality contaminations from the Battle Mountain and Summitville mines. These became EPA Superfund sites in the ‘90’s. In fact all aquatic life has been destroyed in the Alamosa River as a result of the Summitville contamination. The decision is likely to be taken to the court of appeals with the argument that the governing state statute has provisions for local control over environmental and water quality risks. |
| WHY I LIVE
HERE… A grant from the tobacco settlement has given Public Health Nursing $470,000 to help low-income first time mothers in Summit and surrounding counties. The program currently works with over 100 families. The program is based on 20 years of research on nurse-home visits to first time parents. It emphasizes prenatal care, personal development and involvement of the father. The research shows a significant reduction in child abuse, lower drug abuse, increased child immunizations and improved personal development in the children. Independent studies estimate that the program returns $2-4 for every dollar spent. The town of Frisco is working to improve its environmental contributions. Their first two efforts are concentrating on light pollution and improving recycling efficiency. The town is requiring new trash dumpster enclosures to be large enough to contain recycling bins. Light fixtures in new and remodeled buildings must now be shielded horizontally and upward. Future projects include using hybrid vehicles for all town business, purchasing renewable energy sources for town electricity and improving water conservation. Vail Resorts has pledged $50,000 to the hurricane Katrina relief efforts
on behalf of their stockholders and employees. The will also be setting
up various collection spots for donations from their employees and the
public. |
| SCHOOL NEWS…
The CSAP, state standardized tests, results are in and Summit Schools have once again come in above average across the board. The CSAP is a statewide test administered to measure students’ proficiency in reading, writing, math and science. In 11 of 25 test areas Summit was 10% or more above the state average. Of particular note Breckenridge Elementary third-graders scored 98% proficiency in math where the state average was 78%. Double-digit improvements over last year were made in several areas including 6 th grade math-up 10%, 6 th grade writing-up 13% and 9 th grade reading-up 14%.
Summit High graduate Whitney Anderson, a multi-state champion, is continuing her great career. At the Pan-American Jr. Games in Canada recently she placed third recently in the 5000 meters. This was only her second time competing in the event. She will go onto a full athletic scholarship at Duke University. Best of luck Whitney and perhaps we will see you in the next Olympics.
In nearby Fairplay, the Colorado Board of Education named the Silverheels Middle School the Northwest Region Title 1 Distinguished School for 2005. The Board looked at schools with a 40% poverty ratio and the award was given for improvements to free and reduced fee lunch students. Silverheels was able to show an improvement of 20% for this group in CSAP math scores. The award also came with a $5000 gift to use as the school saw fit. |
| SNOW NEWS
AND OUTDOOR TIDBITS… TransWorld Snowboarding Magazine names Summit County as one of the top five communities in the world for snowboarders. Winners were decided in part by a readers poll, along with regional information on snow quality, length of season and nightlife. The magazine is one of the top magazines for snowboarders and has more than 1 million readers. The magazine gave tips on relocating to the mountains, finding a job, a place to live and getting a season pass. Breckenridge’s emphasis on having the world’s best terrain parks and halfpipes as well as Keystone’s night riding and Copper’s free-riding are the factors pushing Summit County into the top category. Comeonup and see what the hubbub is about. A record 46 new lynx kittens were born in Colorado this year and there are now at least 169 in the state. This marks three straight years of incremental increases in the number of kittens born. The lynx are still predominantly found south of Interstate 70 however; Wildlife biologists believe that the pine-beetle infestation in Grand, Summit and Upper Eagle counties could produce forest regeneration that would open habitat for the lynx. The pine beetles are killing off the overpopulation of lodgepole pines and in their place it is expected fir and spruce will make a comeback. This is the preferred habitat of both the lynx and their favorite food; snowshoe hare. It appears the reintroduction efforts will succeed. If you are planning on buying a season pass now is the time. Breckenridge
and the Colorado Pass are now available for sale at various locations
around the state. Call 303-504-5870 or go to www.Snow.com for more information.
|
| TRAVEL
TIPS… COLORS COME AND COLORS GO… …in fact they fade quickly, so don’t wait, get up here now! My #1 color tour again this year is: From Crested Butte to Glenwood Springs. Plan a full day for this because there is so much to stop and see along the way. Head west out of Crested Butte toward Lake Irwin and Kebler Pass. Lake Irwin is very scenic and worth a stop but don’t stay too long because after you get over the pass you will be under one of the most amazing canopies of aspens you will ever see. The forest floor is lush with vegetation and you can sit and listen to a multitude of streams along the way. As the road heads down the other side the aspens clear out and the valley becomes arid so go ahead and pick up speed. When you get to the intersection of State Highway #133 turn north and head toward McClure Pass and Carbondale. Make haste until you begin up the pass because you will be greeted with infinite photo opportunities here. Somewhere in that sea of aspens is the largest living organism on the planet, although scientists won’t say where. Aspens can grow hundreds of trees from one root so each cluster is really one tree. That is why you see groups of aspens the same color on a hillside. On the way up there are numerous side roads and trails to stretch your legs and over other side of the pass there are many wonderful spots to stop along the stream and relax. When you hit Carbondale you have to make a decision; into the town of Aspen and dinner, perhaps another color tour to the Maroon Bells tomorrow, or to Glenwood Springs for a dip in the best hot springs in the west? #2-West of Gunnison on US50, just as you come to Blue Mesa Reservoir, take a left onto State Highway #149. It winds into the heart of the San Juan Mountains through Lake City and over Slumgullion Pass. The route is spectacular and makes a great multi-day trip whether you camp along the Lake Fork or stay in an historic bed and breakfast in Lake City. This area is known for the legend of Alfred Packer, one of Colorado’s most famous criminals. There will be lots of information on him in Lake City if you are curious. Over the pass and through Creede, you will be following the headwaters of The Rio Grande. The cliffs and deep canyons in this area are as beautiful a spot as you will ever visit. #3-This is my favorite short trip, allow about three to four hours. From Breckenridge take Boreas Pass Road past the ice rink for about thirty miles until you arrive at US285 in Como. From here you can head north to Denver or south to Fairplay and back to Breckenridge. In just a few short miles you will leave civilization and you will be following the old narrow gauge railroad grade up over tree line. This was the railroad that serviced Breckenridge during the mining days. At the top of the pass is an excellent display of interpretive signs and restored ruins for you to learn about the old railroad and its role in keeping Breckenridge alive in the days before the Eisenhower Tunnel. There are some wonderful short hikes from the pass that will give you magnificent views of Summit County, The Continental Divide and South Park. There are some good restaurants in Fairplay for lunch or dinner before returning to Breckenridge. Happy trails.
|
| INVESTMENT
OPPORTUNITIES… Colorado netted about 8000 new jobs in the state with the latest round of military base closures and expansions. The shale oil deposits in western Colorado are said to contain more oil than Saudi Arabia and the oil companies are working feverishly again to come up with ways to economically extract it. Additionally the huge coal and natural gas reserves in the area are being tapped at a record rate. Coal production in Colorado last year reached a record of about 40 million tons worth $1.08 billion, well above the 35.8 million tons in 2003. Industry officials expect an increase of 3% - 5% this year.
Things just keep getting better; Contact Me Today! |
| MARKET CONDITIONS
& OTHER ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS The market was red hot from October '04 till early last month. Many properties that had been sitting unnoticed through the recession were being snatched up. For instance, there were about thirty Liftside condos in Breckenridge on the market last fall. By June all but one of those had sold and the new listings were selling at about 25% more than they were just a few months previous. Other small condos close to the slopes were seeing similar action at all three major resorts with Keystone seeing about 5-15% appreciation. Even in the higher priced and luxury price ranges, property was moving quicker than it had since 2000. Are all the good deals gone? The last month has seen a considerable cooling with many property types that were getting multiple offers now sitting so it could be a good time to bargain again. Additionally, with ski season right around the corner buying now means you will be getting some of the best income of the year about the time your first payment is due. Our inventory is still low but if you think the time has finally arrived for you to improve your lifestyle I can once again find some motivated sellers with top properties for you to enjoy this season and beyond. Contact me before they take them off the market for income season. |