|
Colorado - Tue. 03/18/25 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
|
|
View in Browser
|
|
|
| |
NCAA TOURNAMENT MEN'S BASKETBALL MATCHUPS IN DENVER ARE SET
|
| |
|
|
| |
The NCAA Tournament is coming back to Ball Arena for the second time in three years. The Mountain West Conference will host men’s basketball games in downtown Denver on Thursday and Saturday. As of last week, there were still tickets available for the two sessions on Thursday and Saturday’s session. The big headliner of the group is Big Ten Tournament champion Michigan, which will open the NCAAs against Big West champion UC San Diego in the first round of the South Region. The Tritons have won 15 in a row since losing at UC Riverside on Jan. 18. The winner of that game will face the winner of Texas A&M-Yale.
Yale is in the tournament for the second year in a row after defending its Ivy League title. A year ago, the Bulldogs upset No. 4 Auburn in the first round. The other quadrant in Denver is out of the East Region, with Big Ten Tournament runner-up Wisconsin getting a No. 3 seed and No. 14 seed Montana in the first round. The Grizzlies took Northern Colorado down in the Big Sky Conference championship. One of those two teams will face the winner of No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 VCU.
Here are the matchups:
South Region
- No. 5 Michigan (25-9) vs. No. 12 UC San Diego (30-4), 8 p.m.
- No. 4 Texas A&M (22-10) vs. No. 13 Yale (22-7), 5:25 p.m.
East Region
- No. 6 BYU (24-9) vs. No. 11 VCU (28-6), 2:05 p.m.
- No. 3 Wisconsin (26-9) vs. No. 14 Montana (25-9), 11:30 a.m.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
COLORADO'S NEWEST BACKCOUNTRY HUT IS ALSO ITS OLDEST, DATING BACK TO 1883
|
| |
|
|
| |
After spending five years transforming a ramshackle 140-year-old structure at the foot of a 13,000-foot pass into one of Colorado’s most unique backcountry huts, the moment of truth had arrived for Jeff Crane and partner Kate McCoy. A Park County building inspector was on site to give the historic preservation project a final lookover before signing the certificate of occupancy. It had been their dream to turn what remained of the North London Mine Office, built in 1883, into a backcountry destination. They lined up historic preservation grants, determined to rehabilitate the building in a manner that was faithful to its original appearance. They defied skeptics who didn’t think it could be done.
The hut, which sits adjacent to the remains of the historic North London Mill, had a soft opening last winter and is now available for reservations. Situated in a magnificent basin at 11,450 feet, it sleeps six to eight with hot and cold running water, a shower, a kitchen stocked with utensils, a flush toilet, solar electricity and Wi-Fi from Starlink. There also is an old Victrola record player that belonged to McCoy’s grandmother — and it still works. The hut is less than 2 miles from the trailhead with an ascent of less than 500 feet.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
VAIL RESORTS TO LAUNCH NEW MY EPIC APP FEATURES FOR SKI, RIDE SCHOOL
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Broomfield-based Vail Resorts will launch new ski and ride school features inside of its My Epic app with the goal of creating a “seamless” lesson experience. My Epic Pro will offer digital check-ins, real-time lesson updates, photo sharing, skill tracking and other features starting in the 2025/2026 ski season for group lesson participants at Vail Mountain, Beaver Creek Ski Resort, Breckenridge Ski Resort and Keystone Resort. The new features will be part of the My Epic app, which allows users to purchase lift tickets, track time on the mountain, check lift lines, book gear and ask an AI-powered chatbot a variety of questions. The technology will be automatically available for any child or adult participants in group lessons at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone during the 2025/2026 season on the My Epic app.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
SUMNER SCHACHTER NAMED GLENWOOD SPRINGS' 2024 CITIZEN OF THE YEAR
|
| |
|
|
| |
Sumner Schachter was named the 2024 Dean Vogelaar Citizen of the Year during the 2025 Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association’s Annual Gala and Awards Ceremony on Saturday. Schachter, a five-decade long Roaring Fork Valley citizen, joins a list of more than 50 previous Glenwood residents that were honored for their outstanding commitment to upholding the community within the Roaring Fork Valley. Digging school districts out of financial holes and helping with the “Yes for Workforce Housing” committee, which approved funding for workforce housing in the City of Glenwood Springs, are two of countless examples of things Schachter has done to improve the community throughout his tenure as a Glenwood Springs resident.
Robin Tolan received the Athena Award and Yesenia Silva Estrada was honored with the Athena Young Professional Award. Tolan has made her mark from Rifle to Aspen, helping the youth gain access to economic education. She was on the YouthZone board, helping bring attention and non-profits to the valley. She guided conversations about affordable housing and was responsible for getting grants for Habitat for Humanity.
Yesenia Silva Estrada was raised in the Roaring Fork Valley and is a Colorado Mountain College alumni. Estrada has shown an undying commitment to proving that the Latina community has just as much to contribute than anyone else. The dedicated single mother to two boys is the Vice President of Planning and Chief of Staff at CMC. Estrada is committed to giving every student — no matter their background — equal opportunity to succeed.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
LADIES-ONLY SKI FESTIVAL WITH NAKED LAP READIES FOR FIFTH YEAR IN GLENWOOD SPRINGS
|
| |
|
|
| |
The Boot Tan Fest, an all-female ski festival, is a sun’s out, buns out celebration of womanhood, coming to Sunlight Mountain Resort in Glenwood Springs, April 10-12. Now in its fifth year, the festival has grown to include multiple days of live music, comedy and snowsport workshops. The signature event, however, remains the naked lap, which happens at midday on Friday, April 11. The Boot Tan Fest rented out the entirety of Sunlight Mountain Resort, adding a layer of privacy for those who choose to strip down and shred.
Founder Jenny Verrochi accidentally started this now annual event in 2021, when she organized a casual, ladies-only naked lap at a small backcountry ski area in Kremmling. The idea proved so popular that Boot Tan Fest has steadily grown over the years, welcoming about 800 skiers and snowboarders in 2024. For its fifth anniversary, Verrochi has planned what she touts as the best festival yet, complete with an all-female staff of bartenders, volunteers, lifties and security personnel. The Boot Tan party starts at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, when the venue opens to ticket-holders. For all the details and to buy tickets, visit boottanfest.com.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
GJ RECEIVES $500,000 FOR MATCHETT PARK IMPROVEMENTS
|
| |
|
|
| |
The city of Grand Junction was awarded a $500,000 grant from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) to help fund improvements at Matchett Park concurrent to the construction of a recreation center. GOCO announced the award Friday. “The City of Grand Junction will develop outdoor facilities at its first Community Recreation Center (CRC) at Matchett Park,” GOCO’s announcement stated. “Grand Junction is the largest city on Colorado’s Western slope, with a growing need for more recreational spaces, particularly in underserved areas near Clifton. The CRC will serve as a central gathering space, addressing community concerns about youth isolation and recreation access.”
The city has received several other grants to fund the improvements. The outdoor amenities were included as part of the city’s 2022 plan for the recreation center at Matchett Park, although they are being funded separately from the sales tax increase voters approved in 2023 to build the recreation center. The outdoor improvements will be constructed concurrently with the ongoing recreation center construction and using some of the same contractors. The outdoor facilities are expected to be completed slightly before the center is finished, with the goal of both being ready for the center’s ribbon-cutting, anticipated in mid-2026.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
RATE YOUR SOIL HEALTH WITH COLORADO'S NEW STAR TOOL
|
| |
|
|
| |
Ever wondered how your field’s soil health is doing? Bring the doctor to your field with the new STAR (Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources) Tool. Using an online application, Colorado producers can find out how their field ranks on a nationally recognized scale that assesses the health of their soil. The free, straightforward, easily interpretable score reflects the many beneficial practices producers can implement to improve their soil health. Using a scale of 1-5, the STAR rating communicates a commitment to climate smart agriculture and stewardship practices that keep Colorado soils healthy. The STAR Tool was already available to nearly 400 producers enrolled in the Colorado Soil Health Program, but it has now been made available for any producer in Colorado to use.
The first 100 new fields in Colorado to receive a rating through the STAR Tool will also be eligible to receive a free, comprehensive soil analysis through CDA in the spring to further support soil health goals. The STAR Tool was developed by the national STAR non-profit with support from the Colorado Dept. of Agriculture, Colorado State University, and a USDA Climate Smart Commodities Grant. The STAR framework began in Illinois to help farmers reduce nutrient pollution through practicing reduced tillage and planting cover crops. You can find the tool at startool.ag. Email cda_star@state.co.us with any questions about the web tool or if you have trouble using it.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
CORE TRANSIT ELIMINATES SYSTEM FOR PAYING FARES WITH CASH UPON BOARDING
|
| |
|
|
| |
Core Transit is set to eliminate the fareboxes it has used to collect cash from passengers boarding its buses on Monday. Instead, riders will need to pay for their rides using Core Transit’s mobile payment system or pre-pay for their rides in Vail or Gypsum. Only passengers riding to or from Gypsum and Leadville on the transit line’s buses will be impacted by this change, as only riders boarding or alighting in Gypsum and Leadville currently pay fares. Stops in every location on the rest of the system have been fare-free since May. A one-way ride to or from Gypsum costs $3, while a one-way ride to or from Leadville costs $7. Riders can also purchase a monthly pass, for $63 for Gypsum and $200 for Leadville.
One perk of the mobile payment system is that riders can pay daily fares, and, once they have reached the price of a monthly pass, can then ride for free throughout the rest of the month. Riders who are unprepared or unaware of the change “will be given the opportunity to ride, with a complimentary ride if necessary.” They will also receive information, including a QR code, flyer and resources, on how to move to the mobile fare payment system.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
WARNING ISSUED FOR COLORADO MOUNTAINS AS MULTIPLE STORMS ARE EXPECTED DURING SPRING BREAK WEEK
|
| |
|
|
| |
The Colorado Rocky Mountains are due for another round of snow as the spring break season hits full swing. The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for Summit County and much of the mountain region starting Tuesday, March 18, at 6 a.m. and running through Wednesday, March 19, at 6 a.m. Travel on the Interstate 70 mountain corridor will be impacted. Between 4 to 10 inches of snow are expected, along with winds gusting as high as 60 mph, according to the winter weather advisory. Rabbit Ears Pass, Rocky Mountain National Park, parts of Grand and Clear Creek counties above 9,000 feet, and most of Eagle and Pitkin counties are also under a winter weather advisory.
Thursday is expected to be dry, before a “fast-moving storm” is expected to drop snow from Thursday night through Friday morning, with 3 to 6 inches of snow expected in the northern and central mountains. Snow will also be possible Saturday and Sunday, with the northern mountains being favored by that storm, though it’s too early to predict snow totals.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
NATIONAL PARKS LOG RECORD VISITATION AMID CUTS
|
| |
|
|
| |
America's national parks reported record visitation in 2024 as government cuts loom over federal lands in Colorado and beyond approaching the busy season. As part of a sweeping set of stated cost-saving measures under President Donald Trump, the latest reports suggest the administration is considering a 30 percent slash to the National Park Service's payroll. Those reports come after weeks of what the National Parks Conservation Association described as "devastating" cuts to staff, resignations and freezes on new hires and seasonal employees. And that's as the National Park Service recently reported nearly 331.9 million visits to destinations nationwide last year — a 2 percent increase year-to-year and about a million more visits from the previous record year in 2016.
Approaching summer, the lobbying group has told visitors to anticipate closed visitor centers and campgrounds, canceled programs and less search and rescue support. Representing search and rescue teams in Colorado and across the West, Mountain Rescue Association in a recent letter said the National Park Service has rescinded contracts "for law enforcement and emergency medical services for this coming year in both seasonal and permanent positions."
- In Colorado, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument last month announced closing Mondays and Tuesdays due to staffing.
- The Teller County preserve was one National Park Service unit that saw more people in 2024: the reported 71,499 visits were up 12 percent from 2023.
- In western Colorado, Curecanti National Recreation Area also reported a year-to-year increase: 980,899 visits, up 2 percent.
- Elsewhere in that part of the state, Colorado National Monument tallied 488,038 visits last year, close to 2,000 more than the year prior.
- Rocky Mountain National Park was America's fifth-most visited national park, with 4.1 million logged last year. The top four were the Great Smoky Mountains, Zion, Grand Canyon and Yellowstone.
The National Park Service maps 13 parks and monuments in Colorado, along with national historic sites and national recreation areas that are among 433 units the agency oversees across the country. Last year, the agency estimated the total 325 million park visits amounted to $26.4 billion in spending around "local gateway regions," supporting 415,000 jobs. In Colorado, the economic benefit from national park tourism has been estimated at $1.2 billion.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
MARKET UPDATE - 03/17/2025 Close
|
| |
|
(Courtesy of Alpine Bank Wealth Management*)
|
| |
|
Canadian dollar (per U.S. dollar)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Mexican peso (per U.S. dollar)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
30-year fixed mortgage rate (Freddie Mac 03/13/2025)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
*Not FDIC insured. May lose value. Not guaranteed by the bank.
|
| |
|
| |
Alpine Bank is an independent, employee-owned organization with headquarters in Glenwood Springs and banking offices across Colorado's Western Slope, mountains and Front Range. Alpine Bank serves customers with retail, business, wealth management*, mortgage and electronic banking services. Learn more at alpinebank.com.
*Alpine Bank Wealth Management services are not FDIC insured, may lose value and are not guaranteed by the bank.
|
| |
|
|
| |
| Make changes to your subscription or unsubscribe here. |
| © 2025 Alpine Bank. |
| |
|
|
