|
Colorado - Tue. 05/12/26 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
|
|
View in Browser
|
|
|
| |
HEAVY SPRING SNOW LETS A-BASIN HANG ON FOR ONE MORE WEEKEND
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
The heavy spring snow that blanketed the foothills and some Front Range areas on Tuesday and Wednesday also dropped a foot of snow on the Arapahoe Basin Ski Area in Summit County. As a result, Arapahoe Basin Ski officials on Saturday said that A-Basin would be open for one more weekend, Friday, May 15, to Sunday, May 17. The resort will be closed from Monday through Thursday before reopening at 9 a.m. Friday. Closing weekend lift tickets are available for $39, and season and Ikon passes still apply. The announcement came just days after ski area officials confirmed that the last week the area would be open would be May 8-10. Arapahoe Basin is the last Colorado ski area still open after a winter marked by dismal snowfall.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
MORE BAD NEWS ABOUT THE COLORADO RIVER WATER SITUATION
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Colorado River Basin Forecast Center hydrologist Cody Moser was frank on Thursday, May 7, as he gave his final update for the season on conditions across the basin that supplies water for 40 million people. Moser said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s models for how much water will flow through the Colorado River have been constantly trending downward and the latest models estimate inflows into Lake Powell to be just 800,000 acre-feet this year. That is the lowest level ever recorded since the reservoir behind the Glen Canyon Dam began filling in 1963. Since the start of the “water year” in October, the Colorado River Basin above Lake Powell has seen just 79 percent of normal precipitation, according to the forecast center. The Colorado River Headwaters region, which includes much of northwest Colorado, has had among the lowest precipitation, with less than 70 percent of normal.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
GOV. POLIS SIGNS THE COLORADO FY27 BUDGET OF $46.8 BILLION
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Gov. Jared Polis, on Friday afternoon, signed the state’s $46.8 billion budget which will go into effect July 1, 2026, and run through June 30, 2027. The budget development by the Colorado Legislature’s Joint Budget Committee was a daunting task as they were faced with a budget deficit of about $1 billion and had to deal with the soaring costs of Medicaid to the state as well as lower tax revenue from federal tax code adjustments. Further, the budget is the only legislation that the Colorado General Assembly is constitutionally required to pass and, perhaps the most difficult requirement, unlike the federal budget, the Colorado state budget must be balanced. While Medicaid saw some of the biggest cuts, lawmakers also trimmed spending from a suite of other programs, including financial aid for adoptive parents and grants providing mental health support for law enforcement.
|
| |
|
- Colorado Newsline, 05.09.26
|
|
|
| |
IN SPITE OF SOME DIRE REPORTS, PALISADE PEACH CROP LOOKS GOOD
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
The Colorado peach crop was very early this year, with warm weather accelerating growth and many trees in bloom, when a potentially deadly freeze hit the Western Slope on April 17 and 18. Although peaches growing in Paonia, Hotchkiss and Delta suffered from the early freeze with many orchards losing their entire crop, peach growers in Palisade and the Grand Valley now estimate 80 to 90 percent of their peaches survived and are thriving, in fact the peaches will be extremely early this year. In all, some 30 million pounds of Colorado peaches are expected to begin appearing in stands and at markets by the second week in June. Many growers in the Grand Valley say this is as early as they can ever remember peaches being available. The peach season this year will be strongest in July and August, instead of lasting into September.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
SPIKE IN JET FUEL PRICES HAMMER FRONTIER AIRLINES
|
| |
|
|
| |
U.S. airlines spent an additional $1.8 billion, or 56 percent more on fuel in March than they did in February, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Some of that reflects higher seasonal demand, but it is mostly about higher fuel prices. Denver-based Frontier Airlines, in its latest earnings report, told investors that its fuel costs in the first quarter averaged $2.88 a gallon. They are expected to average closer to $4.25 a gallon in the second quarter, assuming the conflict doesn’t heat up again.
Compounding the problem of the soaring cost of jet fuel for Frontier, as a low-cost carrier, Frontier CEO Jim Dempsey said the airline is only able to offset 35 to 45 percent of its extra fuel spending via higher fares and cost-cutting. Unlike traditional airlines that have the cushion of higher-margin business class seats or that can trim extras like meals, ultra-low-cost carriers like Frontier already run lean. Their selling proposition is affordability, and it is being challenged.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
RESERVATIONS FOR MOUNT BLUE SKY NOW OPEN
|
| |
|
|
| |
Officials of Denver Parks and Recreation opened reservations for Mount Blue Sky on Friday and said visitors can now save a spot to drive to one of Colorado’s most popular 14ers, set to reopen later this month after a 20-month closure. Mount Blue Sky will open to travel on May 22 and timed reservations for road access are available and can be booked up to 30 days in advance. People visiting the park must book a reservation if planning to park and visit Mount Goliath Natural Area, Summit Lake Park, or the summit of Mount Blue Sky between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Denver Parks and Recreation took over managing the recreation area starting this spring through an agreement with Arapaho National Forest leaders. Because of the city’s management, federal lands recreation passes will not be accepted at Mount Blue Sky, Denver officials said. Free passes will be available through Clear Creek County and Denver Public Libraries. Mount Blue Sky reservations are $20, or $15 for motorcycles. Bicycle access is free.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
FRONTIER DRIVE-INN ADDS MORE ACCOMMODATIONS
|
| |
|
|
| |
In 2022, the Frontier Drive-Inn opened. Yes, the former Frontier Drive-In, which opened in 1955 in Center, Colorado in the San Luis Valley, was a traditional drive-in theater where customers drove in and parked in front of the movie screen. The Frontier Drive-In closed in 1986. The revitalized Frontier Drive-Inn had 10 yurts and several steel sheds that were outfitted to accommodate overnight guests. For this summer, the drive-inn added double the occupancy with eight new steel Quonset huts outfitted as “suites” with wood-paneling, trendy decor, private bathrooms and in-floor heat.
Also added this summer were five vintage Airstream trailers to the property, hookups for 20 RVs and seven campsites for tents, camper vans and teardrop trailers. Additionally, the company manages four apartments in downtown Center that offer full-sized kitchens, dishwashers and refrigerators for families or larger groups seeking a more conventional Airbnb-like stay. The Frontier Drive-Inn season begins May 21 and continues through Oct. 31. Popcorn is always free. For complete information, go to frontierdriveinn.com.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
APRIL REPORT: MORE JOBS ADDED THAN EXPECTED, UNEMPLOYMENT STEADY AT 4.3%
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
The Bureau of Labor Statistics Friday reported that nonfarm payrolls rose by a seasonally adjusted 115,000 for April, down from the 185,000 created in an unusually strong March, but better than the 55,000 forecast in the Dow Jones consensus estimate. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.3 percent, as economists had expected. The April report, coming after strong jobs gains in March, shows how the labor market is holding up better this year than the last. While healthcare is still leading the way in job gains, other sectors now appear to be picking up. Transportation and warehousing added 30,000, retail rose by 22,000, and social assistance saw a gain of 17,000. On the downside, information services lost 13,000, part of a continuing trend that has seen the category down 342,000 jobs since November 2022, coinciding with the rise of artificial intelligence. That has equated to a loss of 11 percent of jobs during the period.
|
| |
|
- Wall Street Journal, 05.08.26
|
|
|
| |
LOOKING FOR A TRUE “ONE OF A KIND” REAL ESTATE HOLDING IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST?
|
| |
|
|
| |
If you wanted an “exclusive” piece of property, which is different, yet located in the Mountain West, where would you look? The answer may be in Montana…at Flathead Lake. Cromwell Island is now for sale through Hall and Hall for $72 million, making it the most expensive home listing in Montana. What is Cromwell Island? It is a 348-acre private island that features three miles of untouched shoreline, thick forests, and a four-story stone mansion that resembles the start of a European palace. In keeping with the individual appeal of the property, the "palace house" is still unfinished, allowing the buyer to personalize it. Robert M. Lee, an explorer and conservationist, imagined the mansion before he died in 2016. Now, his unfinished villa sits at the center of the island. Its high ceilings and empty rooms, centered around a grand staircase, quietly reflect the feeling of a dream that was never finished.
Cromwell is near the southern end of the glacially-formed Flathead Lake. About 40 percent of the island is covered in forest, 46 percent is grazing land, and the rest is split between irrigated fields and homesites. In its history, the island was a "safe" place for Salish and Kootenai people who used it to protect horses from raids by rival tribes. It even has a tale of a monster from the Kootenai, who told of a huge eel-shaped creature up to 40 feet long. There have been 109 reported sightings since 1889, starting when a steamboat captain and about 100 passengers saw something whale-like on the water. The property features the main residence, called The Villa, and a separate Guest Villa. The Villa was designed to look like a 16th-century French architectural masterpiece and offers over 45,000 square feet of partially finished space.
There is a ferry landing and boat ramp on the mainland serving the crossing in all seasons for year-round access. The sale also includes a 1961 custom-built, 60-foot barge with twin Vortec V6 engines and Volvo Penta outdrives. The barge has heavy-transport pontoons, a spud system, a one-ton crane, and a stern-mounted aerator. The boat dock has five slips.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
IF YOU ARE PLANNING A ROAD TRIP, SOME TOP HOTELS, INCLUDING ONE IN COLORADO
|
| |
|
|
| |
Thinking about a road trip this summer…maybe to the Northeast, or Yosemite, or Austin, Texas, maybe the Ozarks…here are some top hotels to include on your trip:
- The Lake Estate on Winnisquam, Tilton, N.H.: About 90 miles from Boston, this 114-room-and-suite luxury resort and spa has mountain views and more than 3,000 feet of shoreline on 36 acres in New Hampshire's Lake Region.
- Under Canvas Yosemite, Groveland, Calif.: Located on 85 acres about 10 minutes from Yosemite National Park’s Wilderness Center at Big Oak Flat Information Station, this glamping spot has 71 tents, each with king-size beds, bathrooms and decks.
- The Compton, Bentonville, Ark.: While many people know Bentonville as the headquarters of Walmart, The Compton caters to cyclists with a cycling concierge available and a complimentary bike valet service that includes storage and post-ride hot or cold towels. The focus is riding in the Ozarks.
- The Driskill Hotel, Austin, Texas: The historic hotel, built in 1886, is now completing a major renovation of its 189 rooms and suites, common areas and restaurants which should be done by the end of May.
And if just traveling in Colorado:
- Tumbling River Ranch, Grant, Colorado: The ranch has eight guest buildings with accommodations that include king rooms, cabins with one to three bedrooms, and a four-bedroom ranch house. All-inclusive rates include hiking, yoga, archery, square dancing, live music and s’mores kits, as well as three meals, snacks and beverages.
|
| |
|
- New York Times, 04.29.26
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
MARKET UPDATE - 05/11/2026 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 05/07/2026)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
*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. |
| © 2026 Alpine Bank. |
| |
|
|
