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Colorado - Fri. 11/13/26 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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WIDESPREAD OUTAGE HITS OUTLOOK, OTHER MICROSOFT APPS
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A widespread outage hit Microsoft platforms including Outlook on Thursday, with many users encountering trouble using their email accounts and other errors across the tech giant’s suite of apps. Nearly 130,000 users on outage tracker Downdetector reported problems accessing Outlook just after 1 p.m. ET. New reports have since fallen from that peak, but many said they couldn’t send and receive emails or had trouble loading their inboxes altogether. Thousands also reported issues with Microsoft’s workplace messaging app Teams, as well as its AI assistant Copilot and wider Microsoft 365 services. Microsoft said it was investigating disruptions, notably related to its email and Teams applications. In updates posted on social media, Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft said it was aware of users “experiencing issues accessing Exchange Online mailboxes through multiple connection methods in the Americas.”
Microsoft later said it was testing a fix and rolling out an alternative method for these checks to bring impacted servers back online. “We’re aggressively pursuing all pathways to reduce impact,” the Microsoft 365 Status account wrote on X. Earlier in the day, the company said it had “successfully restored” problems related to Microsoft Teams in North America, although some users continued to report connectivity issues.
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MAJOR EXPANSION COMPLETE AT FAMED MOUNTAIN BIKING HUB IN COLORADO
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Around this time of year, mountain bikers on Colorado’s Front Range plan a pilgrimage to the Western Slope’s warmer, drier desert, home to one of the state’s most legendary trail networks. If they haven’t been in a while, they’ll find an even greater destination. That’s how local riders and advocates have described the expanded North Fruita Desert network, better known as 18 Road. In October, those enthusiasts gathered to cut a ribbon over a new trail ー the latest singletrack completing a 30-mile expansion that doubles the system across rolling, rocky terrain backdropped by the Book Cliffs.
The road in has been paved ー no longer the notorious, bone-rattling drive. A 3 ½ -acre gravel parking lot has been created, greatly expanding the stage for races and events. And 68 campsites have been designated in hopes of curbing degradation from the kind of free-for-all that contributed to the name of the nearby “party ditch.” The BLM plans to add another 25 reservable campsites, further advancing the North Fruita Desert master plan. Trails new and old are all open to Class 1 e-bikes under the BLM’s 2019 approval.
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BELLA HADID BUYS HISTORIC COLORADO MOUNTAIN HOME FOR $5.5 MILLION
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Model Bella Hadid has purchased a house in Crested Butte, for $5.5 million, according to listing agent Channing Boucher of LIV Sotheby’s International Realty. Hadid, 30, has been living in the Crested Butte area for several months, said Boucher. The model, who appeared in a Victoria’s Secret fashion show in October, is dating construction-project manager Nathan Lacy. Lacy’s father owns a construction company in the area, said Boucher. Hadid’s father is real-estate developer Mohamed Hadid, and her sister is model Gigi Hadid. Private-wealth manager Joe Currier and his wife, writer Elizabeth Le Coq Currier, listed the house for $6.995 million in June.
The roughly 2,000-square-foot house has three bedrooms and sits on about 0.18 acre. It was built in 2001 around two old coal-miner’s sheds dating back to the early 1900s. While many real-estate markets in western ski areas slowed this year, the Crested Butte area’s luxury market has continued to appreciate, The Wall Street Journal previously reported. In the upper Gunnison Valley, where Crested Butte is located, the median sale price from January to October was about $1.23 million, up about 23 percent from the same period last year. Hadid was represented by Joe Garcia of Coldwell Banker Mountain Properties.
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RTD GENERATES $3.7 BILLION ECONOMIC & COMMUNITY IMPACT
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The Regional Transportation District generates billions of dollars in economic activity and community benefits every year, according to a new study commissioned by the metro Denver transit agency. RTD creates a $2.1 billion economic impact and another $1.6 billion in community and mobility benefits, researchers with the Boston-based firm EBP said in a report released Thursday. RTD paid roughly $100,000 for the study. The leaders hope the study makes the case for the district to receive more funding. The agency is operating on a budget deficit, and RTD’s Board of Directors has previously discussed pursuing a ballot measure in 2028 to ask voters for more money. The transportation district is planning for a $148 million shortfall next year and plans to cut $20 million in services, which could include bus routes.
To estimate RTD’s economic and community impact, researchers used the agency’s data along with other formulas to see what life in metro Denver would look like without any public transportation — and found it would include more traffic, more pollution, fewer people able to get to their jobs and more car crashes, including those that kill or seriously injure people.
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MAROON CREEK, CASTLE CREEK ROADS CLOSE FOR THE SEASON
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Both Maroon and Castle Creek roads have officially closed for the winter season as of 6 a.m. Tuesday. The roads, just past T-Lazy-7 Ranch for Maroon Creek Road and just past Ashcroft for Castle Creek Road, are routinely set to close for the season on Nov. 10 every year — a plan that was developed in 2023. Visitation for both roads this summer was on par with visitation in 2025, according to traffic counts. Prior to this week’s seasonal closure, the construction project on Castle Creek Road has been “all buttoned up,” with paint striping officially completing the work. The project was aimed at fixing heaving and cracking of the road, with substantial completion on Oct. 21 following an initial, targeted completion date of Sept. 24.
Completion took longer than expected due to excess water and mud under the road, as well as additional seeding and mulching that delayed the project. Following the winter closure, crews will spend around a week on both roads to clean up or trim trees, ditch debris and sweep the pavement prior to reopening. Reopening the roads for the spring is weather-dependent, with an annual goal of May 15.
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LA PLATA COUNTY ESTIMATES $56 MILLION IN FLOOD DAMAGE AS IT SEEKS FEDERAL AID
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Flooding caused an estimated $56 million in damages to private property and county infrastructure in La Plata County, a figure that is likely to increase as assessors evaluate damage and more homeowners report losses. The county estimates flooding caused about $47 million in damages to private properties – based on 518 submissions to its Crisis Track Disaster Survivor Portal – and $9 million to roads and bridges. The county has just over $7 million budgeted in its restricted emergency fund. However, that money would cover damage to county infrastructure only, not city infrastructure. The county is awaiting a federal disaster declaration from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which would make federal assistance available to help residents affected by the flooding.
Gov. Jared Polis initially requested a federal disaster declaration for Archuleta and Rio Grande counties, where the state identified nearly $27 million in damages eligible for federal public assistance. La Plata County officials are gathering information about damages to homes and public infrastructure, including roads, bridges and public buildings, and sharing those assessments with state officials for consideration. President Donald Trump denied federal disaster assistance to Southwest Colorado after last October’s flooding, which caused an estimated $13.8 million in damages to public roads, culverts and other infrastructure, including debris removal costs.
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STEAMBOAT HALFPIPE GETS OLYMPIC-SIZED UPGRADE THANKS TO FREE DIRT FROM NEW HOTEL
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When Jake Ingle heard he could get his hands on 40,000 cubic yards of free dirt, he knew he couldn’t pass it up. For Ingle, the slope maintenance manager at Steamboat Ski Resort, that dirt meant he could add to or amend the existing mountain terrain beyond what his budget afforded this winter. And while Ingle considered doing rudimentary projects like grading trails in beginner-friendly areas, he ultimately decided to do something he’s really good at: Build an Olympic-sized halfpipe. Folks who visit Steamboat Springs to ski this winter will find that Maverick’s Superpipe has grown longer and steeper thanks to dirt that was removed to build the foundation of the forthcoming Stockman hotel and repurposed in the terrain park. Construction is expected to wrap this week on the dirt work, Ingle said, and he hopes it will be covered in snow and ready to shred by Christmas, weather permitting.
The Stockman, a luxury hotel and residential property with 95 units, is within walking distance of the slopes. “I’m never going to get another chance to have somebody say to me, ‘Hey, how about we give you 40,000 cubes of free dirt and we rent you some equipment? It’s gonna save us money and you get to build a halfpipe with it,’” said Ingle, who also designed the pipe with assistance from an engineering firm and his mentors in the industry. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing.” Steamboat Ski Resort is currently scheduled to open on Nov. 21.
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INVESTIGATION REPORT INTO KNOWLES FIRE FIREFIGHTER DEATHS RELEASED
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The U.S. Dept. of the Interior has released the results of the investigation into the June 27 burnover incident that killed four wildland firefighters and injured one. Emily Barker, 38, of Clinton Township, Michigan, Nick Hutcherson, 27, of Glendale, Arizona, and Sydney Watson, 27, of Warrior, Alabama, were killed June 27 after being overtaken by fast-moving flames in the blaze west of Grand Junction. Nathan Matthews, 43, of Lincoln, Nebraska, died a month later from injuries suffered in the burnover. “The investigation found that this tragedy resulted from the cumulative interaction of complex factors, including extraordinary fire behavior, strained communications, incomplete situational awareness, jurisdictional complexity, gaps in aerial supervision, and extreme operational tempo,” the report stated.
“They were engaged in initial attack operations on the Knowles and Gore fires in western Colorado when they were overtaken by the larger Snyder Fire, which crossed complex canyon and mesa terrain at a speed and scale not previously observed in wildfires in the area,” the release stated. The firefighters were engaged with two 1/10-acre fires, the Knowles Fire and the Gore Fire, when the Snyder Fire ran 7 1/2 miles and overtook both fires. The Snyder Fire’s behavior was described as “shocking” and “unfathomable” in the report. The report stated, “No single decision or system failure fully explains the outcome. Instead, the events reveal the cumulative effects of known limitations operating under extraordinary tempo and conditions.”
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FLOOD RELIEF DISTRIBUTION CENTER TO BE ESTABLISHED AT DURANGO MALL
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A flood relief donation and distribution center will begin distributing household essentials on Monday at the Durango Mall. The flood relief center is seeking donations and volunteers to fill the shelves before opening day. The flood relief donation and distribution center, operated by the Durango Food Bank and La Plata County, is now accepting donations of essential household supplies. Donations can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Nov. 21 at Unit G10 next to the former J.C. Penney at the Durango Mall, 800 South Camino del Rio. Donations must be clean, in new or like-new condition and ready for immediate use.
The most needed items include the following:
- Recovery essentials such as shovels, rakes, wet/dry vacuums, fans and tarps
- New/sealed hygiene and personal care products
- Toilet paper and paper towels
- Cleaning supplies, buckets and trash bags
- Diapers, wipes and feminine care products
- New socks and underwear
- Bedding, linens and clean clothing
- Flashlights and batteries
- Gift cards for gas, groceries, dining and home improvement stores
Food assistance remains available at the Durango Food Bank’s regular pantry location at 194 Bodo Dr., Suite C. Volunteers are also needed at the flood relief distribution center. Volunteering opportunities include receiving donations, sorting and stocking donations, assisting families with check-in and supporting people while they shop. More information on donations and volunteering is available via QR codes accessible at the link below. Residents seeking to utilize the flood relief distribution center should schedule a time to pick up the free household essentials. They need to bring identification and documentation of a flood-impacted address or bring a rapid tag.
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CAMP HALE SITE WHERE CIA TRAINED TIBETAN SOLDIERS NAMED TO COLORADO STATE REGISTER OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES
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In the late 1950s and early ’60s, while World War II veterans Peter Seibert and Earl Eaton were hiking, dreaming and scheming to build Vail ski area out of sheep pasture along Gore Creek, 20 miles or so to the south, CIA officers were training Tibetan freedom fighters at Camp Hale. Seibert had trained at Camp Hale in the ’40s to fight the Nazis in the mountains of Italy, where he was wounded in combat. He and other veterans of Camp Hale and the U.S. Army’s famed 10th Mountain Division came home to start so many of the nation’s great ski areas.
A far-less famous tale of heroism in the face of overwhelming autocracy and a brutal invasion is that of the Tibet’s Chushi Gangdruk Army fighting an insurgency campaign against Mao Zedong’s People’s Liberation Army that invaded Tibet in 1950. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, seeking to stem the spread of communism, trained hundreds of Tibetans at Camp Hale from 1958 to 1964, but the exact site of a training camp called “The Ranch” by the CIA and “Dumra,” or Garden, by the Tibetans, was a mystery — along with many details of the entire operation — until 2024. That was when EagleVail’s Tracy Walters teamed up with CU Boulder’s Dr. Carole McGranahan, an anthropology professor who has long studied the Tibetan perspective of China’s invasion and occupation of Tibet, to find the exact site. They celebrated that discovery at Camp Hale in 2024, along with the sole CIA survivor, Bruce Walker, and many Tibetans.
In September, the site, known as #5EA.197, was listed in the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties. The official designation took place on Sept. 24, 2026, “in recognition of this property’s contribution to the heritage of the state of Colorado,” according to an Oct. 19 letter to Eagle County officials. In 2022, Camp Hale was in the global spotlight, designated a national monument by President Joe Biden. But, from housing prisoners of war and German and Italian Americans whose loyalties were questioned during WWII to serving as a CIA training ground to still occasionally hosting modern-day winter warfare operations by psyops troops headed to Afghanistan, Camp Hale certainly has a much darker side than its famed ski-industry legacy.
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WINTER PARK SKI RESORT TO OPEN TODAY, NOV. 13
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Winter Park Ski Resort is opening on Friday, Nov. 13. The first chair will begin running at 9 a.m. Starbucks, Derailer, select Moffat Market offerings, rentals, retail and the Tune Shop will open for the season. Learn to Ski and Ride Group Lessons and Early Season Private Lessons will also begin that day. Send’er November and Rope Drop Club will also continue this year. Passholders who ski or ride at least two days in November will receive perks throughout the season, including Rope Drop Lanes at Super Gauge and the Gondola.
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HOME SALES IN OCTOBER PLUMMET TO 16-YEAR LOW
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October home sales declined to their lowest level since 2010, a new trough for a housing market that has been hovering near rock bottom for more than four years. Sales of existing homes fell 5.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.75 million, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday, marking the steepest decline since January. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal expected a decline of 3.8 percent. The last time sales were this low was August 2010 when the economy was still reeling from the housing bust and the recession that followed. Sales fell 8.8 percent from last October, which marked the largest year-over-year decrease since 2023. The October sales mostly reflect purchase contracts signed in September, when a selloff in the bond market caused mortgage rates to take off beyond 7 percent. Real-estate agents and mortgage lenders have reported that ever since then, open houses have gone quiet and buyers have stopped their search.
- Rates rose even higher in October, indicating that the worst sales numbers may be yet to come; 30-year mortgage rates fell to 7.11 percent from 7.18 percent last week, the fourth consecutive week of declines, according to Freddie Mac. A year expected to herald the housing market’s resurgence is instead drawing to a close on a dour note.
- The national median existing-home price in October rose 0.4 percent from a year earlier, to $416,700, NAR said. Prices have largely leveled off as mortgage rates have frozen demand, but they have still crept to record levels as homeowners have held on to their low mortgage rates from years ago, hurting inventory.
- Mortgage rates briefly touched below 6 percent in February, spurring a flurry of buyer activity and belief that home sales were on their way back to prepandemic levels. They jumped after the U.S. attacked Iran and have continued rising as the war has drawn on and artificial-intelligence firms spend wildly, which together have boosted inflation.
- The Labor Dept. said this week that consumer prices rose by 0.4 percent in October, which surpassed expectations. That caused 10-year Treasury yields, which mortgage rates track, to rise.
- Goldman Sachs Research economists forecast last month just 3.9 million existing home sales in 2027, compared with well above 5 million before the pandemic. The last time sales for a calendar year came in below 4 million was 1995.
- Sellers have been offering significant concessions, often to help buyers buy down their mortgage rates. Sixty-five percent of October closings in the Denver market included seller concessions.
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MARKET UPDATE - 11/12/2026 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 11/12/2026)
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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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