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Colorado - Mon. 12/29/25 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR J. ROBERT “BOB” YOUNG
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Dear Friends, Colleagues, and Community, J. Robert “Bob” Young passed away peacefully on Dec. 11, 2025. He was a father, partner, grandfather, and community leader, as well as the founder of Alpine Bank. He lived a life rooted in caring for others, guided by integrity, independence, and an unwavering belief in people. His legacy — as a father, a community leader, and the founder of Alpine Bank — continues to live on through the many lives and communities he touched across Colorado.
Our family invites you to join us to remember Bob, share stories, and reflect on the values that mattered most to him.
- Celebration of Life
Monday, Jan. 5, 2026
1 to 3 p.m.
The Orchard Church
110 Snowmass Dr., Carbondale, CO
- The celebration will also be available via livestream: The Orchard Church - YouTube
Bob often said that “the most valuable thing one person can give to another is caring.” We hope this gathering reflects that spirit — a time of connection, gratitude, and community. Condolences and memories may be shared in the online memorial guest book at the link below. With sincere appreciation, The Young Family & the Alpine Bank Family In lieu of flowers, donations in Bob’s memory may be made to the J. Robert Young Foundation. The foundation aims to provide financial support to organizations making a tangible difference in community well-being, particularly for children and underserved populations. Donations to the foundation may be made at any Alpine Bank location. Alternatively, feel free to donate in Bob’s name to a nonprofit of your choice in your community.
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CHRISTMAS WEATHER: RECORD HIGH TEMPS, RAIN, RECORD LOW SNOWPACK AT RESORTS
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What a Christmas! Weather-wise that is. Southern California recorded its wettest Christmas Eve-Christmas Day ever, with Santa Barbara Airport getting 5.91 inches. More than 17 inches fell in one area of the Ventura County mountains. Most of that moisture remained on the West Coast, however. Although there actually was some rain on Christmas Day in Colorado, it was only because of record high temperatures. In Aspen on December 25, 2025, the high temperature reached 47 degrees, only one degree cooler than the warmest Christmas recorded since 1914. Aspen’s 2025 Christmas Day tied with measurements in 1936 and 1946 for the second-warmest Christmas on record.
In Dillon, a weather station smashed the all-time daily record-high temperature on Christmas Day, recording a temperature of 54 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Weather Service. That’s five degrees warmer than it has been at that station on Christmas in over 100 years, with the previous record being a tie between 1919 and 1971, when temperatures on Dec. 25 were 49 degrees. As of Dec. 25, Colorado’s statewide snowpack stood at just 3.2 inches of snow-water equivalent and had reached the zeroth percentile, or its lowest point in at least the past 30 years, according to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s snowpack telemetry, or SNOTEL, system.
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HOME INSURANCE RATES IN COLORADO CONTINUE TO SOAR
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Home insurance rates rose nationwide over the past decade, but nowhere has the surge been as dramatic as in Colorado. The average Colorado home insurance premium increased by 137 percent, from $1,745 to $4,142 between 2015 and 2024, according to mortgage escrow data published in a working paper in the National Bureau of Economic Research. Comparatively, the average nationwide increase over the past decade was about 64 percent. Colorado had the second-highest home insurance premiums in the U.S. in 2024, behind only Florida. Florida homeowners shelled out $4,448 that year. The most expensive home insurance in the state in 2024? Aspen, of course, with an average premium of $6,385. Colorado homeowners paid the least for insurance in 2024 in Rio Blanco County, also on the Western Slope, with an average premium of $1,929.
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RTD: FREE RIDES ON NEW YEAR’S EVE
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RTD trains and buses will operate their usual Wednesday night hours on New Year’s Eve, however, all RTD trains and buses will be free after 7 p.m. Fare collections will resume at 7 a.m. Jan. 1. Access-a-Ride and FlexRide services will also be free on New Year’s Eve. The final train will leave Denver Union Station between 12:48 a.m. and 1:26 a.m., depending on the line. Final bus departure times range from 12:14 a.m. to 1:10 a.m. There will be a reduced schedule on New Year’s Day. The free rides are sponsored by Coors Molson. Coors has offered free rides since 1988, providing as many as 10 million free rides in Denver, Washington, Dallas, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Charlotte, Washington, D.C., and Chicago.
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COLORADO HOSTS ANOTHER WATER MEETING: 4 STATES IRRIGATION COUNCIL
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In 1952, the Four States Irrigation Council formed, composed of irrigators, water district representatives and other water users in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and Wyoming. The council will hold their annual meeting at the Delta Hotel in Northglenn on Jan. 14 and 15. This is a critical time in terms of big picture infrastructure issues and the annual meeting will discuss those as well as explore new developments in water measurement, canal operations, dam safety, on-farm irrigation efficiency, project financing, legal and legislative issues, and more. The annual meeting will include updates from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Family Farm Alliance, state water resources offices, university staff and other experts from across the Four States region. Complete information and registration is available at 4-states-irrigation.org.
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REGISTER YOUR VOTE ON THE DESIGN OF ASPEN/PITKIN COUNTY AIRPORT
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The process of building a new terminal at the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) has reached the point where there are two final conceptual design layout options. The process has involved months of public outreach and the Common Ground Recommendations, a set of guidelines for the airport modernization project, were established. Now, Pitkin County officials are seeking a direct public response in shaping the design of the terminal, by selecting one of the options: Concept 2+ or Concept 3+. Respondents will be able to review the design graphics, and comparison slides available at the survey link to inform their choices between the two concepts. Participants are encouraged to share feedback on the proposed terminal layout, options for ground transportation center and parking, and the overall look and feel of the airport terminal design that reflects the Roaring Fork Valley’s values and culture.
Input from the survey will help determine the final concept before advancing to the schematic design phase, which will result in more precise design layouts including information on the square footage. The terminal design survey is now available and will remain open through Jan. 4, 2026. Results will be summarized and shared publicly following the closing of the survey. Community members can take the survey, learn about the modernization project, current planning efforts, additional information, and updates at aspenairport.com/modernization.
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PITCO SENIOR SERVICES BEGINS MEAL PROGRAM FOR SENIORS
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Pitkin County Senior Services announced it is expanding its older adult nutrition program and will be offering meals five days a week beginning in January. Breakfast and lunch will be served Monday through Friday at Pitkin County Senior Services Center, 0275 Castle Creek Road. Breakfast will be from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and lunch will start at noon. Mondays will feature vegetarian meals for “Meatless Mondays.” Meals will be prepared by Chef Cam Stainton and Assistant Chef Don Brown. Adults 60 and older are not required to pay for their meals, donations are encouraged based on income, with a $4-$5 suggested donation per the press release. Attendees under 60 are asked to pay $18 per meal. Reservations are required to attend and should be made 24 hours in advance. Call 970-429-6161 to make a reservation.
Due to limited parking at the Senior Center, guests are encouraged to utilize the Senior Van or the Castle Maroon bus route. Those driving are advised to arrive early to allow time for parking. Additional parking is available at the Health and Human Services Building, following the walking path down to the Senior Center.
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COLORADO’S GRAIN, MILLING, BAKING COMBINATION: SAN LUIS VALLEY TO BOULDER
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About eight years ago, Michael Jones and his wife Sarah moved back to his family’s farm in Hooper in the San Luis Valley. The San Luis Valley is well known for its potatoes, and Jones Farms Organics grows potatoes, but the Joneses were looking for crops to rotate with potatoes, as harvesting the potatoes is disruptive to the soil. While exploring alternative and specialty grains for rotating crops, they called chefs on the Front Range to see if there was interest in heirloom grains. A callback came from Kelly Whitaker, the founder of Dry Storage, a Boulder-based mill seeking to make locally grown grains more accessible to Colorado bakers. Together with the Jones Farms, they decided to plant 30 acres of grains they thought might do well: White Sonora, Rogue de Bordeaux and Turkey Red.
Dry Storage now works with 11 local producers to cultivate five diverse types of wheat: White Sonora, Rogue de Bordeaux, Yecora Rojo, India Jammu and Winter Langin – as well as spelt and rye. In 2025, the company contracted 1,000 acres of grain, up from just 240 acres the year prior. In 2026, it expects to double production to 2,000 acres. Dry Storage incentivizes farmers by allowing them to buy seed on credit and also commits to buying the harvest at more than double the market rate. That way, if there’s a problem with the crop, the farmer isn’t on the hook for the cost with nothing to sell. For both the producer and the miller, the entire process is integral to being local, sustainable and regenerative. Emily Philpott, CEO and board chair of Dry Storage, characterizes it this way, “We're not selling an anonymous commodity. We’re selling ingredient-grade flour with identity, provenance and purpose.”
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RENTS ARE DROPPING: DENVER AREA AMONG LARGEST RATE DROP IN NOVEMBER
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In November, the median asking rent across the 50 largest U.S. metro areas was $1,693, down about 1 percent from a year earlier and marking the 28th consecutive month of year-over-year declines, according to Realtor.com listings data. Nationally, the median rent fell to $1,367, down 1.1 percent from a year earlier, according to Apartment List’s data. These 10 cities recorded some of the steepest year-over-year drops in median asking rent in November, using data for the 50 largest U.S. metro areas, according to Realtor.com:
- Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos, Texas: −6.6 percent
- Denver–Aurora–Centennial, Colorado: −4.8 percent
- Birmingham, Alabama: −4.6 percent
- Jacksonville, Florida: −4.2 percent
- Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler, Arizona: −4.0 percent
- San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad, California: −3.5 percent
- Las Vegas–Henderson–North Las Vegas, Nevada: −3.0 percent
- Houston–Pasadena–The Woodlands, Texas: −2.7 percent
- Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach, Florida: −2.7 percent
- San Antonio–New Braunfels, Texas: −2.7 percent
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“MOST CARING” CITIES
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WalletHub released its listing of “Most Caring” cities. WalletHub compared the 100 largest cities across 38 “key indicators of a compassionate spirit.” That used data such as the share of people experiencing homelessness who are sheltered, volunteer hours per capita and the share of income donated to charity. Colorado Springs was tapped as the eighth most-caring city in the U.S.; Denver finished at No. 28 while Aurora ranked No. 32. It’s in line with previous WalletHub research recognizing Colorado as the sixth-most charitable state in the country.
The 10 most caring cities in the country, according to WalletHub:
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Gilbert, Arizona
- Fremont, California
- San Diego, California
- Chesapeake, Virginia
- Colorado Springs
- St. Paul, Minnesota
- Madison, Wisconsin
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MARKET UPDATE - 12/26/2025 Close
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(Courtesy of Alpine Bank Wealth Management*)
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Canadian dollar (per U.S. dollar)
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Mexican peso (per U.S. dollar)
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30-year fixed mortgage rate (Freddie Mac 12/24/2025)
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*Not FDIC insured. May lose value. Not guaranteed by the bank.
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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.
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| © 2025 Alpine Bank. |
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