One of my favorite Tahoe places, Northstar, is expanding its terrain. In some ways, it is very much like Okemo. The mountain's character and clientele is similar to our local Vermont favorite.
Northstar Expanding
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Northstar Expanding (Yahoo!)
One of my favorite Tahoe places, Northstar, is expanding its terrain. In some ways, it is very much like Okemo. The mountain's character and clientele is similar to our local Vermont favorite.
Northstar Expanding
Monday, June 26, 2006
Sizing up the growth of Vail
Edward Stoner : June 25, 2006
VAIL - The arguments over the Crossroads proposal highlight a conundrum that successful ski resorts must solve, said Greg Ditrinco, executive editor of SKI magazine.
"Skiers have always viewed the mountain as a refuge from the urban landscape," Ditrinco said. "But increasingly, they are looking to resorts to provide urban-style amenities."
Some Crossroads opponents say the size of the proposed 99.9-foot-tall building would hurt Vail's success - a success quantified by Vail's repeated ranking as the No. 1 ski resort in North America in SKI magazine's annual survey. Deer Valley in Utah earned the top spot last year. Vail was No. 2.
The problem is offering those amenities without high-density development or urban-style congestion, Ditrinco said.
"There is a tipping point where the experience becomes less rural mountain, more downtown city," Ditrinco said.
Right now, Ditrinco said, Vail manages that split.
"Vail, in its current iteration, still pulls off an urban buzz with a small-town feel," he said. "That's hard to do."
Though he hasn't seen specific plans for Crossroads, Ditrinco said the success of a big building will be determined in large part by how it's executed. If it has good architecture and is people-friendly, density can be disguised, he said.
The fate of the Crossroads proposal will be decided July 11 in a townwide vote.
Already urban?
The Crossroads proposal, called Solaris, would bring a three-screen movie theater, a 10-lane bowling alley, an ice rink/public plaza, stores and restaurants - things proponents say Vail needs to infuse life back into the town.
"Some collection (of amenities) like that is very valuable and necessary," said Ford Frick, a resort analyst with BBC Consulting and Research in Denver.
Solaris also has 69 condos, with about $4 million in street improvements and $1.1 million in public art pledged by the developer.
Keeping Vail small-scale is moot at this point, Frick said.
"Vail has made a commitment to being fairly urban," he said.
That commitment was shown in the recent spate of developments that bring a lot of density into the town, Frick said.
Still, he calls the decision on the redevelopment of Crossroads a difficult decision with "no real objective truth."
"One person can find it an appealing environment and one person can find it over the line," he said.
For Frick, the success of Solaris would depend heavily on its lowest 20 vertical feet - its storefronts and restaurants. Any additional reasons to be downtown are a good thing for Vail, he said. And density is a good thing for ski resorts, too, he said - it's just a matter of how best to configure that bulk.
"I think the town can accommodate that type of height and density and will in fact benefit from the liveliness and body heat that having density brings," Frick said.
Bucking the formula
Potential visitors evaluate Vail in comparison with other resorts, said Ralf Garrison, a ski industry analyst with The Advisory Group. A lot of ski resorts are becoming "formula" resorts, Garrison said. In particular, Intrawest resorts, such as Copper and Winter Park, are copying the formula of Whistler, Garrison said. Those resorts are losing their ability to distinguish themselves, he said.
But Vail was built independent of this "formula" approach, Garrison said.
"It's becoming more important to preserve the distinction in light of the formula village approach," Garrison said.
Many ski resorts are challenged with the appropriateness of scale - whether a big building blends in, Garrison said. Crossroads wouldn't be an unacceptable departure for Vail, Garrison said.
Vail already has its share of tall buildings. The Lodge Tower, at the base of Vail Mountain, is eight stories tall. The Mountain Haus, at the Covered Bridge, is six stories tall. And the under-construction Four Seasons and Vail Plaza Hotel and Club are similar in size to the Crossroads proposal.
Unlike Aspen, Steamboat Springs or Crested Butte, Vail is a "built to order" ski resort - it wasn't a town before it was a resort. Among "built to order" resorts, Vail is already one of the most urban ski resorts, Garrison said.
The balancing act is allowing developments to be economically viable.
"Any new efforts are going to have to be economically prudent, maximizing what they can achieve with their available land to make the numbers work," Garrison said.
Sense of prophecy
There is an obvious difference between the Bridge Street area and the frontage road - where Crossroads is - Frick said. Larger buildings are more acceptable on the periphery of the village near the interstate, he said.
"You don't want to tear down Pepi's and go nine stories there at that site," he said.
Vail's master plan for the village calls for buildings of three to four stories in height along Bridge Street, but five to six stories in some spots along the Frontage Road. The Bridge Street area represents the traditional image of Vail, the plan says. The plan acknowledges a need for "modest" growth while trying to preserve Vail's character.
Meanwhile, as Vail approaches 45 years in existence, it is undergoing $1 billion in development by Vail Resorts, private developers and the town, dubbed "the billion-dollar renewal."
A key part of that redevelopment is in Lionshead, where the Arrabelle at Vail Square hotel-condo project, now under construction, is a centerpiece. Lionshead had been criticized for its monolithic - even "Eastern bloc" - buildings.
But the smaller-scale, Bavarian-style Vail Village meets three criteria that successful destinations have, Frick said. For one, it has a sense of history.
"Vail has some of that," Frick said. "Bridge Street has some remembrance of things past."
Two, it has a sense of activity: a place that's alive with lots of people, Frick said. Three, it has a sense of "prophecy," or potential, he said. Frick applauded Vail for its forward-thinking "renaissance."
"Vail's doing the right thing," Frick said. "It's experimenting. It's taking some chances. It's realizing it can't be just faux Bavarian."
Takes a village? Or a mountain?
With more than 5,000 acres of lift-served skiing, about 350 inches of snow a winter, the famed Back Bowls and the more recent addition of the acclaimed Blue Sky Basin, it's hard to question Vail Mountain's reputation as a premier ski mountain. So does it matter what the buildings at the base of the mountain look like?
Yes, and increasingly so, Garrison said.
"Fifteen to 20 years ago, the mountain was a very large part of a person's decision about where to vacation," Garrison said. "It is becoming less of a determining factor because the community is building up around yearround events and more things to do, where skiing is not just it."
Baby boomers are spending relatively less time on the mountain and more time in the village, Garrison said.
"Certainly, the mountain is the centerpiece of Vail's success," Frick said. "But it has to have a complementary town to make it work."
Dick Hauserman was the chairman of the architectural committee that designed Vail in the early '60s, a committee that included Fitzhugh Scott and Fritz Benedict.
With guidance from Vail founder Pete Seibert, the committee adopted a European feel for the new village. Vail wanted to emulate skiing's meccas in Europe.
"All of the Eastern people in the U.S. were going to Europe to ski," Hauserman said last week.
That original vision is being challenged by Crossroads, he added.
"The one basic thing is don't crowd out the original charm that made it a ski resort, a wonderful place for skiing," Hauserman said. "That's happening if they're not in keeping with the original design."
VAIL - The arguments over the Crossroads proposal highlight a conundrum that successful ski resorts must solve, said Greg Ditrinco, executive editor of SKI magazine.
"Skiers have always viewed the mountain as a refuge from the urban landscape," Ditrinco said. "But increasingly, they are looking to resorts to provide urban-style amenities."
Some Crossroads opponents say the size of the proposed 99.9-foot-tall building would hurt Vail's success - a success quantified by Vail's repeated ranking as the No. 1 ski resort in North America in SKI magazine's annual survey. Deer Valley in Utah earned the top spot last year. Vail was No. 2.
The problem is offering those amenities without high-density development or urban-style congestion, Ditrinco said.
"There is a tipping point where the experience becomes less rural mountain, more downtown city," Ditrinco said.
Right now, Ditrinco said, Vail manages that split.
"Vail, in its current iteration, still pulls off an urban buzz with a small-town feel," he said. "That's hard to do."
Though he hasn't seen specific plans for Crossroads, Ditrinco said the success of a big building will be determined in large part by how it's executed. If it has good architecture and is people-friendly, density can be disguised, he said.
The fate of the Crossroads proposal will be decided July 11 in a townwide vote.
Already urban?
The Crossroads proposal, called Solaris, would bring a three-screen movie theater, a 10-lane bowling alley, an ice rink/public plaza, stores and restaurants - things proponents say Vail needs to infuse life back into the town.
"Some collection (of amenities) like that is very valuable and necessary," said Ford Frick, a resort analyst with BBC Consulting and Research in Denver.
Solaris also has 69 condos, with about $4 million in street improvements and $1.1 million in public art pledged by the developer.
Keeping Vail small-scale is moot at this point, Frick said.
"Vail has made a commitment to being fairly urban," he said.
That commitment was shown in the recent spate of developments that bring a lot of density into the town, Frick said.
Still, he calls the decision on the redevelopment of Crossroads a difficult decision with "no real objective truth."
"One person can find it an appealing environment and one person can find it over the line," he said.
For Frick, the success of Solaris would depend heavily on its lowest 20 vertical feet - its storefronts and restaurants. Any additional reasons to be downtown are a good thing for Vail, he said. And density is a good thing for ski resorts, too, he said - it's just a matter of how best to configure that bulk.
"I think the town can accommodate that type of height and density and will in fact benefit from the liveliness and body heat that having density brings," Frick said.
Bucking the formula
Potential visitors evaluate Vail in comparison with other resorts, said Ralf Garrison, a ski industry analyst with The Advisory Group. A lot of ski resorts are becoming "formula" resorts, Garrison said. In particular, Intrawest resorts, such as Copper and Winter Park, are copying the formula of Whistler, Garrison said. Those resorts are losing their ability to distinguish themselves, he said.
But Vail was built independent of this "formula" approach, Garrison said.
"It's becoming more important to preserve the distinction in light of the formula village approach," Garrison said.
Many ski resorts are challenged with the appropriateness of scale - whether a big building blends in, Garrison said. Crossroads wouldn't be an unacceptable departure for Vail, Garrison said.
Vail already has its share of tall buildings. The Lodge Tower, at the base of Vail Mountain, is eight stories tall. The Mountain Haus, at the Covered Bridge, is six stories tall. And the under-construction Four Seasons and Vail Plaza Hotel and Club are similar in size to the Crossroads proposal.
Unlike Aspen, Steamboat Springs or Crested Butte, Vail is a "built to order" ski resort - it wasn't a town before it was a resort. Among "built to order" resorts, Vail is already one of the most urban ski resorts, Garrison said.
The balancing act is allowing developments to be economically viable.
"Any new efforts are going to have to be economically prudent, maximizing what they can achieve with their available land to make the numbers work," Garrison said.
Sense of prophecy
There is an obvious difference between the Bridge Street area and the frontage road - where Crossroads is - Frick said. Larger buildings are more acceptable on the periphery of the village near the interstate, he said.
"You don't want to tear down Pepi's and go nine stories there at that site," he said.
Vail's master plan for the village calls for buildings of three to four stories in height along Bridge Street, but five to six stories in some spots along the Frontage Road. The Bridge Street area represents the traditional image of Vail, the plan says. The plan acknowledges a need for "modest" growth while trying to preserve Vail's character.
Meanwhile, as Vail approaches 45 years in existence, it is undergoing $1 billion in development by Vail Resorts, private developers and the town, dubbed "the billion-dollar renewal."
A key part of that redevelopment is in Lionshead, where the Arrabelle at Vail Square hotel-condo project, now under construction, is a centerpiece. Lionshead had been criticized for its monolithic - even "Eastern bloc" - buildings.
But the smaller-scale, Bavarian-style Vail Village meets three criteria that successful destinations have, Frick said. For one, it has a sense of history.
"Vail has some of that," Frick said. "Bridge Street has some remembrance of things past."
Two, it has a sense of activity: a place that's alive with lots of people, Frick said. Three, it has a sense of "prophecy," or potential, he said. Frick applauded Vail for its forward-thinking "renaissance."
"Vail's doing the right thing," Frick said. "It's experimenting. It's taking some chances. It's realizing it can't be just faux Bavarian."
Takes a village? Or a mountain?
With more than 5,000 acres of lift-served skiing, about 350 inches of snow a winter, the famed Back Bowls and the more recent addition of the acclaimed Blue Sky Basin, it's hard to question Vail Mountain's reputation as a premier ski mountain. So does it matter what the buildings at the base of the mountain look like?
Yes, and increasingly so, Garrison said.
"Fifteen to 20 years ago, the mountain was a very large part of a person's decision about where to vacation," Garrison said. "It is becoming less of a determining factor because the community is building up around yearround events and more things to do, where skiing is not just it."
Baby boomers are spending relatively less time on the mountain and more time in the village, Garrison said.
"Certainly, the mountain is the centerpiece of Vail's success," Frick said. "But it has to have a complementary town to make it work."
Dick Hauserman was the chairman of the architectural committee that designed Vail in the early '60s, a committee that included Fitzhugh Scott and Fritz Benedict.
With guidance from Vail founder Pete Seibert, the committee adopted a European feel for the new village. Vail wanted to emulate skiing's meccas in Europe.
"All of the Eastern people in the U.S. were going to Europe to ski," Hauserman said last week.
That original vision is being challenged by Crossroads, he added.
"The one basic thing is don't crowd out the original charm that made it a ski resort, a wonderful place for skiing," Hauserman said. "That's happening if they're not in keeping with the original design."
Friday, June 23, 2006
Maybe he's just unlucky, but stupid people have a way of being unlucky
'Bizarre' accident injures former Hailey resident
Ian Reed was snowbound in car for four days last winter
by TERRY SMITH
Emergency personnel tend to Ian Reed, a former Hailey resident, following an accident late Tuesday afternoon west of Fairfield. The vehicle he was driving, barely recognizable as a Suburu station wagon, was the car Reed was snowbound in for four days last winter.
Ian Reed, a 21-year-old former Hailey resident who survived four days last December in his snowbound Suburu station wagon, crashed the ill-fated vehicle into a semi truck late Tuesday afternoon, shortly after he retrieved the car from where it had been stuck in the mountains west of Atlanta.
Reed was transported from the scene of the accident west of Fairfield to a Boise hospital by an Air St. Luke's helicopter, according to Idaho State Police.
Ben Burk, a Hailey man who arrived at the scene within a few minutes of the accident, said Reed suffered a compound fracture of his left thigh. Burk, who works at Les Schwab Tire Center in Hailey, is a former U.S. Air Force emergency medical technician.
According to Idaho State Police, Reed, who now lives in Bliss, collided with a semi truck shortly after 4:30 p.m. on U.S. 20, about five miles west of the border between Camas and Elmore counties. The driver of the truck was identified as Isidro Almarez, 47, of Nampa. Additional information was not available from police Thursday afternoon.
Burk said he spoke with Reed's father, James Reed, of Hailey, and was told that James and Ian Reed retrieved the vehicle from the mountains earlier that day and were taking it to Les Schwab Tire Center in Hailey.
Burk said Ian Reed was following his father westbound when the accident occurred. He said Ian Reed hit the semi truck head on.
The Idaho Mountain Express was unable to confirm that information with Idaho State Police, which is still investigating the accident.
Ian Reed was trapped in the Suburu for four days last winter after he tried to take a shortcut from Boise to Hailey by way of mountain roads. The vehicle became snowbound on Nov. 28 on Roaring River Road west of Atlanta.
He was rescued on Dec. 2 by an Idaho National Guard helicopter from Boise.
Reed said at the time that he used survival skills taught to him by his father to stay alive while stranded in the mountains.
"He was stranded for four days and then he gets into a car accident when he's bringing the car home," said Burk. "That's kind of bizarre."
Burk said he arrived at the scene within five minutes of the accident and tried to help extricate Reed from the vehicle while James Reed comforted his son inside the car.
Ultimately, emergency personnel had to cut the top from the Suburu to remove Ian Reed from the vehicle.
Burk said he came upon the accident while on his way to Boise to see his grandmother, who suffered a heart attack Tuesday morning and was transported by helicopter from Challis. He said his grandmother unfortunately died Wednesday morning.
"It was really odd—a really odd day," Burk said. "I'm not taking any risks right now, that's for sure."
Ian Reed was snowbound in car for four days last winter
by TERRY SMITH
Emergency personnel tend to Ian Reed, a former Hailey resident, following an accident late Tuesday afternoon west of Fairfield. The vehicle he was driving, barely recognizable as a Suburu station wagon, was the car Reed was snowbound in for four days last winter.
Ian Reed, a 21-year-old former Hailey resident who survived four days last December in his snowbound Suburu station wagon, crashed the ill-fated vehicle into a semi truck late Tuesday afternoon, shortly after he retrieved the car from where it had been stuck in the mountains west of Atlanta.
Reed was transported from the scene of the accident west of Fairfield to a Boise hospital by an Air St. Luke's helicopter, according to Idaho State Police.
Ben Burk, a Hailey man who arrived at the scene within a few minutes of the accident, said Reed suffered a compound fracture of his left thigh. Burk, who works at Les Schwab Tire Center in Hailey, is a former U.S. Air Force emergency medical technician.
According to Idaho State Police, Reed, who now lives in Bliss, collided with a semi truck shortly after 4:30 p.m. on U.S. 20, about five miles west of the border between Camas and Elmore counties. The driver of the truck was identified as Isidro Almarez, 47, of Nampa. Additional information was not available from police Thursday afternoon.
Burk said he spoke with Reed's father, James Reed, of Hailey, and was told that James and Ian Reed retrieved the vehicle from the mountains earlier that day and were taking it to Les Schwab Tire Center in Hailey.
Burk said Ian Reed was following his father westbound when the accident occurred. He said Ian Reed hit the semi truck head on.
The Idaho Mountain Express was unable to confirm that information with Idaho State Police, which is still investigating the accident.
Ian Reed was trapped in the Suburu for four days last winter after he tried to take a shortcut from Boise to Hailey by way of mountain roads. The vehicle became snowbound on Nov. 28 on Roaring River Road west of Atlanta.
He was rescued on Dec. 2 by an Idaho National Guard helicopter from Boise.
Reed said at the time that he used survival skills taught to him by his father to stay alive while stranded in the mountains.
"He was stranded for four days and then he gets into a car accident when he's bringing the car home," said Burk. "That's kind of bizarre."
Burk said he arrived at the scene within five minutes of the accident and tried to help extricate Reed from the vehicle while James Reed comforted his son inside the car.
Ultimately, emergency personnel had to cut the top from the Suburu to remove Ian Reed from the vehicle.
Burk said he came upon the accident while on his way to Boise to see his grandmother, who suffered a heart attack Tuesday morning and was transported by helicopter from Challis. He said his grandmother unfortunately died Wednesday morning.
"It was really odd—a really odd day," Burk said. "I'm not taking any risks right now, that's for sure."
Thursday, June 22, 2006
A rough winter for the Vermont ski industy
Oddball winter weather hurts ski industry
June 21, 2006
By Bruce Edwards : Rutland Herald Staff
Faced with challenging weather, skier visits in Vermont fell 6 percent this season, the Vermont Ski Areas Association announced Tuesday at its annual meeting.
The state's 17 downhill ski areas recorded 4,147,467 skier visits for the 2005-06 season compared to last year's 4.4 million visits, the association said. Despite the decline, Vermont remains the No. 3 ski state behind Colorado and California.
"The past season was certainly a challenging one for the industry," said Parker Riehle, president of the Vermont Ski Areas Association, in a statement. "With our resorts' ever-improving snowmaking and grooming capabilities, we were able to survive the wildly variable weather patterns that seemed to hit hardest during our key holiday periods and finish the season stronger than many had predicted."
While overall skier visits were down 6 percent in the state, some resorts fared worse than others, including Killington/Pico, which saw its skier visits tumble by 19 percent.
Skier visits at Mount Snow in Dover dropped nearly 18 percent. Both resorts are owned by American Skiing Co., which reported last week an overall decline in skier visits at its seven resorts of 6.9 percent. Skier visits at its five Eastern resorts fell 15 percent.
The company, which posted a fiscal third quarter profit, said its eastern resorts "were challenged by adverse weather conditions for much of the latter half of the ski season."
"It was the toughest season we've faced weather-wise in Killington's history," said Killington spokesman Tom Horrocks in an interview last week. "(There were) numerous freeze/thaw cycles, rain on key weekends, like Martin Luther King weekend and Presidents (Day) weekend, and that has a pretty significant impact on the drive-up skier market."
Thanks to Vermont's reputation, however, Riehle said Vermont fared "much better than the rest of the Northeast, which was down 9 percent from last year."
The ski industry is considered one of the state's key economic drivers contributing more than $1.5 billion annually to the state's economy.
At the association's annual meeting Tuesday, held at Killington Resort, longtime ski industry veteran Dave Wilcox and sports event producer Bernie Weichsel were honored for contributions to the state's ski industry. Wilcox received the Industry Achievement Award and Weichsel received the Friend of the Industry Award.
Vermont skier visits for the past five seasons:
2005-06, 4.1 million.
2004-05, 4.4 million.
2003-04, 4.2 million.
2002-03, 4.4 million.
2001-02, 4.1 million.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Buyers dig up timeshare deals
Something interesting from the Aspen Times. Normally I would say these things are total rip offs designed to separate foolish tourists from their money and line the pockets of real estate promoters. However in the secondary market, in highly limited land use areas, they may not be as bad as I thought. I still think it's better to simply rent for a week if this is the kind of thing you are looking for. In just about all ski areas you can get a 1 bedroom condo for the week for $1000-$2000 which is going only a little bit more than the maintenance / fees with a time share and you don't have the intial outlay of capital to buy a highly illiquid asset.
---------------------------
By Janet Urquhart June 19, 2006
The secret's out.The Prospector, Aspen's oldest timeshare property, is suddenly getting notice, as a wave of new fractional/timeshare properties capture interest from visitors looking to own a piece of Aspen.But instead of prices that range in the hundreds of thousands of dollars to, in some cases, more than $1 million per share, Prospector sales are popping up in the weekly tally of Pitkin County real estate transactions for sums like $10,000 or $25,000."It's the greatest segue into Aspen, and people are starting to figure it out," said Mary Anne Meyer, a broker
with Mason & Morse who had a couple of Prospector shares listed for $18,000 apiece. Both sold. "It's just this secret that's out now."Earlier this month, one share in each of two different units went to the same buyer for a total of $45,000. The two shares come with six weeks of use altogether, including the Christmas holiday this year.Another owner has offered four shares for sale in three different units. The total package is $300,000, but the deal offers 12 prime-time weeks, including Christmas and the Aspen Food & Wine weekend.The timeshare hotel on Hyman Avenue has 19 one-bedroom, two-bath condos, though the units are also each furnished with a Murphy bed and sleeper sofa to accommodate additional guests.When it opened in 1983, with 285 shares available to sell, it was the first of its kind in Aspen. More than two decades later, six of those original shares - all for low-demand weeks - are still available, according to manager Scott Kirkwood. But when he took on oversight of The Prospector five years ago, there were roughly 50 unsold shares."The Prospector is doing better than it's ever done," Kirkwood said. "It's the best deal in town and has been for quite a while. People are buying two, three and four [shares], and they're looking for more.
"Out-of-state brokers have also picked up unsold shares, good for stays in months such as November, which hints of speculative buying, Kirkwood noted. There's no indication that one entity is buying up shares with the aim of taking control, but the expectation that it could happen might explain the interest in shares deep in the offseason.If one buyer amasses 67 percent of the shares, the remaining shareholders could be forced to sell out, presumably leaving the property in the control of someone looking to redevelop it.Step out onto one of The Prospector's back balconies (each unit has its own balcony and hot tub), or its rooftop patio, and it's easy to see the property's true value. Backed up against Wagner Park, it offers a front-and-center view of Aspen Mountain protected by a city park."The views are guaranteed," Kirkwood said.
Janet Urquhart's e-mail address is janet@aspentimes.com
PS: It's a long long shot, but someone is trying to build a new ski resort by Snowbasin in Utah: A new Utah resort?
---------------------------
By Janet Urquhart June 19, 2006
The secret's out.The Prospector, Aspen's oldest timeshare property, is suddenly getting notice, as a wave of new fractional/timeshare properties capture interest from visitors looking to own a piece of Aspen.But instead of prices that range in the hundreds of thousands of dollars to, in some cases, more than $1 million per share, Prospector sales are popping up in the weekly tally of Pitkin County real estate transactions for sums like $10,000 or $25,000."It's the greatest segue into Aspen, and people are starting to figure it out," said Mary Anne Meyer, a broker
with Mason & Morse who had a couple of Prospector shares listed for $18,000 apiece. Both sold. "It's just this secret that's out now."Earlier this month, one share in each of two different units went to the same buyer for a total of $45,000. The two shares come with six weeks of use altogether, including the Christmas holiday this year.Another owner has offered four shares for sale in three different units. The total package is $300,000, but the deal offers 12 prime-time weeks, including Christmas and the Aspen Food & Wine weekend.The timeshare hotel on Hyman Avenue has 19 one-bedroom, two-bath condos, though the units are also each furnished with a Murphy bed and sleeper sofa to accommodate additional guests.When it opened in 1983, with 285 shares available to sell, it was the first of its kind in Aspen. More than two decades later, six of those original shares - all for low-demand weeks - are still available, according to manager Scott Kirkwood. But when he took on oversight of The Prospector five years ago, there were roughly 50 unsold shares."The Prospector is doing better than it's ever done," Kirkwood said. "It's the best deal in town and has been for quite a while. People are buying two, three and four [shares], and they're looking for more."Out-of-state brokers have also picked up unsold shares, good for stays in months such as November, which hints of speculative buying, Kirkwood noted. There's no indication that one entity is buying up shares with the aim of taking control, but the expectation that it could happen might explain the interest in shares deep in the offseason.If one buyer amasses 67 percent of the shares, the remaining shareholders could be forced to sell out, presumably leaving the property in the control of someone looking to redevelop it.Step out onto one of The Prospector's back balconies (each unit has its own balcony and hot tub), or its rooftop patio, and it's easy to see the property's true value. Backed up against Wagner Park, it offers a front-and-center view of Aspen Mountain protected by a city park."The views are guaranteed," Kirkwood said.
Janet Urquhart's e-mail address is janet@aspentimes.com
PS: It's a long long shot, but someone is trying to build a new ski resort by Snowbasin in Utah: A new Utah resort?
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
A crackdown on "Affordable Housing" violaters
Breck affordable housing scofflaws cop plea deal
A deed-restricted home in the Wellington Neighborhood of Breckenridge, formerly owned by Indiana couple Kirk and Pam Alter, was at the center of a recent local prosecution for violations of the town's affordable housing covenants. The Alters pleaded no contest to the charges, and forfeited the profits made from the sale of the home, in addition to paying town attorney's fees.
Summit Daily/Brad Odekirk
BY HARRIET HAMILTON June 19, 2006 BRECKENRIDGE -
In a potentially precedent-setting case, Breckenridge municipal court Judge Buck Allen accepted a plea agreement from the Indiana couple charged with violating town affordable housing covenants two days before the case was set to go to trial.As required by the agreement, Kirk and Pam Alter pleaded "no contest" last week to the criminal charges and agreed to reimburse the town the profit they realized when they sold the property at 11 Rodeo Drive, in addition to $2,500 for town attorney fees. The terms of the agreement stipulate the money must be paid within 30 days and that final judgment in the case will be deferred for one year, on the condition that neither incurs other criminal charges during that period.Kirk Alter, a professor at Purdue University, and his wife Pam bought the deed-restricted single-family house in the Wellington Neighborhood in July 2004. The Alters paid $305,000 for the new two-story, three-bedroom, two-bath home. At the time, the couple signed an affidavit stating that one of them was employed within Summit County at least 30 hours a week.
During the 18 months the Alters owned the house, it appeared they only visited the neighborhood a few times, town prosecutor Seth Murphy said. Breckenridge filed criminal charges against both Kirk and Pam last fall after unsuccessfully trying to contact the couple. "Under the town code, it's a criminal violation," Murphy said. "Under the code they could have been assessed up to $100 a day (for every day they didn't live in the house)." Because both Kirk or Pam were charged individually, fine amounts against them could have amounted to more than $100,000.In response to the town action, the Alters hired an attorney and filed motions challenging the legality of the prosecution.
In January, with the case still pending, they sold the house to a local family for $379,000. After subtracting the cost of a two-car garage added while they owned the house and Realtor's fees, the Alters took home $13,021 in profit, which must now be returned to the town. The couple's attorney, Paul Dunkleman, blamed poor communication for the misunderstanding."They bought the property with the intention to live and work full-time in Breckenridge," Dunkleman said. "But personal and professional issues made that difficult. And communication (with the town) was a problem."Dunkleman went on to say that his clients never had any interest in violating town covenants."Regardless of how this may appear, they do feel strongly about employee housing," he said.
The Alter case marks the first time criminal charges have been brought in Summit County for an alleged violation of affordable housing covenants. Breckenridge's aggressive pursuit of the judgment stemmed from the town council's commitment to attainable housing, Mayor Ernie Blake said."You just can't have a house that you work so hard to put in place and have it not be utilized," Blake said. "It becomes a big deal." According to Blake, the decision to accept the Alters' plea was not taken lightly by the council."We didn't want to run the risk of not prevailing in a real way," Blake said, referring to the possibility of a potential jury acquittal.Sharyn Steiner, president of the Wellington Neighborhood homeowners' association, which represents nearly 120 households, expressed her satisfaction with the outcome. Enforcement of the affidavit system is vital to maintain the area's character, she said."Otherwise it'll turn into every other neighborhood," she added. "What I love about living here is that it's very much like old-town Breckenridge, before the town got so big."
Affordable housing enforcement in the High Country
In contrast to the 350 or so deed-restricted units monitored by the Summit Housing Authority, Aspen's affordable housing agency is responsible for more than 2,500 units. The Aspen/Pitkin County Housing Authority employs a full-time person to monitor compliance and qualification, executive director Tom McCabe said."We have a scarce commodity and people are desperate to get into affordable housing here," he said. "And they act in a desperate way."McCabe said attorneys working for the Housing Authority have at least one or two civil actions against violators going at all times. Violators are often forced to sell, but his office has yet to file any criminal charges like those filed against the Alters."We always manage to work it out one way or the other," he said. McCabe went on to say every case gives his agency more information about how to prevent non-residents from taking advantage of the affordable housing system.
Improved computer technology has allowed the Aspen-area housing authority to be much more thorough when vetting potential buyers, he added."It's becoming more and more difficult to scam us," he said.Eagle County director of housing K.T. Gazunis admits that intentional violations of affordable housing deed restrictions are also a problem for her office, but that formal legal action has not yet been required to deal with those taking advantage of the system."So far, we've not had to take anyone to court," she said. "Strongly worded letters from attorneys have been enough." Gazunis' office also has a full-time employee responsible for compliance enforcement. In addition to sending out and checking annual affidavits, the agency also randomly audits 25 percent of its units, using methods such as calling employers.Judge Allen, who serves as municipal court judge in Vail as well as Breckenridge, said the Alter case may have an impact on other towns' approach to deed restriction violators."The town attorney over in Vail is going to be looking at what has happened here," Allen said.The affordable housing crunch is not unique to the Colorado mountains. Wealthy baby boomers are affecting housing in many markets. McCabe said his Aspen office receives inquiries about how to deal with violators from as far away as Florida and Hawaii."All over the country, when you have an attractive community, the second-homeowner market is starting to crowd out the workforce," he added.
A deed-restricted home in the Wellington Neighborhood of Breckenridge, formerly owned by Indiana couple Kirk and Pam Alter, was at the center of a recent local prosecution for violations of the town's affordable housing covenants. The Alters pleaded no contest to the charges, and forfeited the profits made from the sale of the home, in addition to paying town attorney's fees.
Summit Daily/Brad Odekirk
BY HARRIET HAMILTON June 19, 2006 BRECKENRIDGE -
In a potentially precedent-setting case, Breckenridge municipal court Judge Buck Allen accepted a plea agreement from the Indiana couple charged with violating town affordable housing covenants two days before the case was set to go to trial.As required by the agreement, Kirk and Pam Alter pleaded "no contest" last week to the criminal charges and agreed to reimburse the town the profit they realized when they sold the property at 11 Rodeo Drive, in addition to $2,500 for town attorney fees. The terms of the agreement stipulate the money must be paid within 30 days and that final judgment in the case will be deferred for one year, on the condition that neither incurs other criminal charges during that period.Kirk Alter, a professor at Purdue University, and his wife Pam bought the deed-restricted single-family house in the Wellington Neighborhood in July 2004. The Alters paid $305,000 for the new two-story, three-bedroom, two-bath home. At the time, the couple signed an affidavit stating that one of them was employed within Summit County at least 30 hours a week.
During the 18 months the Alters owned the house, it appeared they only visited the neighborhood a few times, town prosecutor Seth Murphy said. Breckenridge filed criminal charges against both Kirk and Pam last fall after unsuccessfully trying to contact the couple. "Under the town code, it's a criminal violation," Murphy said. "Under the code they could have been assessed up to $100 a day (for every day they didn't live in the house)." Because both Kirk or Pam were charged individually, fine amounts against them could have amounted to more than $100,000.In response to the town action, the Alters hired an attorney and filed motions challenging the legality of the prosecution.
In January, with the case still pending, they sold the house to a local family for $379,000. After subtracting the cost of a two-car garage added while they owned the house and Realtor's fees, the Alters took home $13,021 in profit, which must now be returned to the town. The couple's attorney, Paul Dunkleman, blamed poor communication for the misunderstanding."They bought the property with the intention to live and work full-time in Breckenridge," Dunkleman said. "But personal and professional issues made that difficult. And communication (with the town) was a problem."Dunkleman went on to say that his clients never had any interest in violating town covenants."Regardless of how this may appear, they do feel strongly about employee housing," he said.
The Alter case marks the first time criminal charges have been brought in Summit County for an alleged violation of affordable housing covenants. Breckenridge's aggressive pursuit of the judgment stemmed from the town council's commitment to attainable housing, Mayor Ernie Blake said."You just can't have a house that you work so hard to put in place and have it not be utilized," Blake said. "It becomes a big deal." According to Blake, the decision to accept the Alters' plea was not taken lightly by the council."We didn't want to run the risk of not prevailing in a real way," Blake said, referring to the possibility of a potential jury acquittal.Sharyn Steiner, president of the Wellington Neighborhood homeowners' association, which represents nearly 120 households, expressed her satisfaction with the outcome. Enforcement of the affidavit system is vital to maintain the area's character, she said."Otherwise it'll turn into every other neighborhood," she added. "What I love about living here is that it's very much like old-town Breckenridge, before the town got so big."
Affordable housing enforcement in the High Country
In contrast to the 350 or so deed-restricted units monitored by the Summit Housing Authority, Aspen's affordable housing agency is responsible for more than 2,500 units. The Aspen/Pitkin County Housing Authority employs a full-time person to monitor compliance and qualification, executive director Tom McCabe said."We have a scarce commodity and people are desperate to get into affordable housing here," he said. "And they act in a desperate way."McCabe said attorneys working for the Housing Authority have at least one or two civil actions against violators going at all times. Violators are often forced to sell, but his office has yet to file any criminal charges like those filed against the Alters."We always manage to work it out one way or the other," he said. McCabe went on to say every case gives his agency more information about how to prevent non-residents from taking advantage of the affordable housing system.
Improved computer technology has allowed the Aspen-area housing authority to be much more thorough when vetting potential buyers, he added."It's becoming more and more difficult to scam us," he said.Eagle County director of housing K.T. Gazunis admits that intentional violations of affordable housing deed restrictions are also a problem for her office, but that formal legal action has not yet been required to deal with those taking advantage of the system."So far, we've not had to take anyone to court," she said. "Strongly worded letters from attorneys have been enough." Gazunis' office also has a full-time employee responsible for compliance enforcement. In addition to sending out and checking annual affidavits, the agency also randomly audits 25 percent of its units, using methods such as calling employers.Judge Allen, who serves as municipal court judge in Vail as well as Breckenridge, said the Alter case may have an impact on other towns' approach to deed restriction violators."The town attorney over in Vail is going to be looking at what has happened here," Allen said.The affordable housing crunch is not unique to the Colorado mountains. Wealthy baby boomers are affecting housing in many markets. McCabe said his Aspen office receives inquiries about how to deal with violators from as far away as Florida and Hawaii."All over the country, when you have an attractive community, the second-homeowner market is starting to crowd out the workforce," he added.
Monday, June 19, 2006
More good news
In addition to ski season starting in Chile -- and someone, somewhere enjoying sports in the mountains -- I have some other good news to share.Jennifer and I are engaged, with plans to be married next year. We haven't figured out each and every detail yet, but as we figure them out we'll keep friends and family posted.
Here's a picture "I" took of us using my ever present Canon ELPH's timer function.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Joyous News for Chileans : Ski Season Starts Tomorrow !
Chile forecasts 15% more visitors for ski season
Although they are still worried whether or not sufficient snow will fall by the time the ski season begins, Chile’s ski industry expects are predicting a 15% increase in visitors during this year’s season in Chile.
Massive investments during the off-season and strong preseason ticket sales suggest a lucrative season well into October.
“The lack of rain has not affected us. In roughly 50% of our years of operation, we have not had any snow by June 1” said Ski Center Association President Miguel Purcell. Purcell also stressed that most ski resorts already have a solid 60 centimeter snow base as a result of last weekend’s heavy rainfall, and are expecting greater precipitation within the next few days.
Ski resorts in and around Santiago have some of the most positive forecasts about the amount of expected skiers. Valle Nevado expects140.000 visitors this year, of which 50.000 will stay for an extended period of time at their hotel. American pop star Britney Spears is even rumored to be coming to Chile on holiday.
“For this season, we expect more than 90% occupation,” said Jaime Vial, a commercial manager at Valle Nevado. El Colorado’s general manager Eduardo Kuhn anticipates similar results at his resort, especially since preseason ticket sales are up a solid 30% over this time last year.
Outside of the Santiago area, employees at Region VII’s Chillán hot springs are also looking forward to a strong ski season. Rodrigo Bravo, commercial manager at Chillán Hot Springs, emphasizes his resort’s advantage as the “only ski and spa resort in the area.” Chile’s Andean ski resorts attract visitors from all over the world but the majority comes from Brazil, the United States and Argentina.
By Matt Malinowski The Santiago Times - News about Chile
Although they are still worried whether or not sufficient snow will fall by the time the ski season begins, Chile’s ski industry expects are predicting a 15% increase in visitors during this year’s season in Chile.
Massive investments during the off-season and strong preseason ticket sales suggest a lucrative season well into October.
“The lack of rain has not affected us. In roughly 50% of our years of operation, we have not had any snow by June 1” said Ski Center Association President Miguel Purcell. Purcell also stressed that most ski resorts already have a solid 60 centimeter snow base as a result of last weekend’s heavy rainfall, and are expecting greater precipitation within the next few days.Ski resorts in and around Santiago have some of the most positive forecasts about the amount of expected skiers. Valle Nevado expects140.000 visitors this year, of which 50.000 will stay for an extended period of time at their hotel. American pop star Britney Spears is even rumored to be coming to Chile on holiday.
“For this season, we expect more than 90% occupation,” said Jaime Vial, a commercial manager at Valle Nevado. El Colorado’s general manager Eduardo Kuhn anticipates similar results at his resort, especially since preseason ticket sales are up a solid 30% over this time last year.
Outside of the Santiago area, employees at Region VII’s Chillán hot springs are also looking forward to a strong ski season. Rodrigo Bravo, commercial manager at Chillán Hot Springs, emphasizes his resort’s advantage as the “only ski and spa resort in the area.” Chile’s Andean ski resorts attract visitors from all over the world but the majority comes from Brazil, the United States and Argentina.
By Matt Malinowski The Santiago Times - News about Chile
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Ski instructor busted
Heh. I guess the droits de ski instructor are now frowned upon. What an idiot.
-----------------------------
Ski instructor accused of raping student
BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
June 14, 2006
BEAVER CREEK - A veteran Beaver Creek ski instructor has been jailed on $50,000 bond for allegedly raping a 17-year-old girl after the two skied together over the winter.
According to authorities, David Lorenzen confessed to the rape during a telephone call with the girl that was set up by police. He did not immediately return a message left for him at the jail Wednesday.
Lorenzen, 43, took the girl skiing during of his days off in January while she was vacationing from Palm Beach, Fla. The police report said the two skied a run and she agreed to have a beer with him. He took her to his apartment where he showed her pornographic videos, gave her alcohol and later raped her despite her protests, authorities said.
"It seemed like this was a plan," Avon police Detective Paul Arnold said.
The girl's family had used Lorenzen as a ski instructor before and he was tipped $100 by the girl's unknowing mother after the alleged attack, police said. Police say the parents learned of the incident from a cousin.
Lorenzen has worked at Beaver Creek since 1988. He has an arrest record that includes four DUIs, possession of marijuana, trespassing, criminal mischief and attempted vehicle theft.
Vail Resorts CEO Robert Katz said the company was "appalled and deeply saddened by the allegations."
"Beaver Creek is a world-class family resort committed to continuing to operate at the highest standards," he said. "The alleged conduct is abhorrent to what our resorts stand for."
Lorenzen also faces charges of second-degree kidnapping and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, Arnold said.
--------------------------
PS: Another flying basset here , although not much altitude.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Snowmass starts summer of construction
Snowmass starts summer of construction
Sounds of development are everywhere as events begin
By Joel Stonington (From the Aspen Times)
June 12, 2006
This is not exactly the summer of peace and quiet in Snowmass.
As the stage went up on Fanny Hill for the third annual Chili and Brew Festival on Friday, the sounds of construction were overwhelming. The noise came from the base, where backhoes, dump trucks and other big machines are working on the hole that will become Base Village.
As Snowmass kicks off summer with more events than ever before - Chili and Brew Festival, Snowmass Rodeo, Friday night outdoor movies, Thursday free music series - there is an air of cautious optimism about all the construction going on at Base Village and elsewhere in Snowmass.
Early signs point to the idea that the mall may suffer more than the Snowmass Center, where restaurants are noting an uptick in offseason sales from construction workers buying meals.
"It's a huge offseason benefit to us to have the project going," said Chuck Zeitz, owner of the Wildcat Cafe in Snowmass Center. Because the cafe is a sit-down restaurant, it is getting many planners and managers who have accounted for roughly 25 extra meals a day.
"It's the difference between really taking an offseason beating and sort of taking an offseason beating," he said.
The Village Market, the supermarket at Snowmass Center, has noticed no major change in sales during the last few months. Manager J. Potter commented said the store's 6 percent increase in sales is average from year to year.
The mall tends to get more tourist activity while the Snowmass Center sees a larger percentage of locals. So construction on certain condominiums has a greater affect on the mall while road and bike path closures tend to affect Snowmass Center.
"I'm waiting to see how the summer goes," said Stacy "Taster" Forster, owner of Taster's in Snowmass Center, who also noted that construction has been good for business so far. "We've never had a project of this size in full swing."
Up in the mall, there wasn't nearly the positive attitude about construction. Though most people said it's still to early to tell what the affect will be, there is a bit more apprehension.
"A lot of tourists are in mass confusion on how to get here," said Julie Schopper, a manager for Gene Taylor Sporting Goods, who commended Snowmass publicity representatives for getting so much to happen in town. "You're going to have to bring in big events to make people want to go through the construction."
Schopper also mentioned that she had hoped the six-pack chairlift would run, and was disappointed that rides on the open lift are not free. That will affect bike rentals and sales, as will the fact that parts of Brush Creek Trail have been closed down for construction.
Even so, store and restaurant owners are optimistic for a good summer in Snowmass, regardless of the constant construction.
"Since they started Base Village, we haven't seen a lack of business," said Rob Carney, manager of the Paradise Bakery, on the mall. "Come talk to me in August: I might have a different story for you. So far, it's been the same."
The Master Plan for the Base Village at Snowmass
He said the construction workers aren't coming up the hill to buy meals at the mall, so there has been no change on that side of things. Mostly, his summer business comes from conferences in Snowmass.
This year, 43 groups are registered to come, from the Colorado Petroleum Marketers to the Texas Veterinarian Medical Association to the Colorado Association of Public Employees.
"There are still 50 percent of people in Snowmass Village who didn't want this project," said Wildcat Cafe owner Zeitz. "I empathize with those people. But it's a double-edged sword - we couldn't survive on locals alone."
You can see the original here
Sounds of development are everywhere as events begin
By Joel Stonington (From the Aspen Times)
June 12, 2006
This is not exactly the summer of peace and quiet in Snowmass.
As the stage went up on Fanny Hill for the third annual Chili and Brew Festival on Friday, the sounds of construction were overwhelming. The noise came from the base, where backhoes, dump trucks and other big machines are working on the hole that will become Base Village.
As Snowmass kicks off summer with more events than ever before - Chili and Brew Festival, Snowmass Rodeo, Friday night outdoor movies, Thursday free music series - there is an air of cautious optimism about all the construction going on at Base Village and elsewhere in Snowmass.
Early signs point to the idea that the mall may suffer more than the Snowmass Center, where restaurants are noting an uptick in offseason sales from construction workers buying meals.
"It's a huge offseason benefit to us to have the project going," said Chuck Zeitz, owner of the Wildcat Cafe in Snowmass Center. Because the cafe is a sit-down restaurant, it is getting many planners and managers who have accounted for roughly 25 extra meals a day.
"It's the difference between really taking an offseason beating and sort of taking an offseason beating," he said.
The Village Market, the supermarket at Snowmass Center, has noticed no major change in sales during the last few months. Manager J. Potter commented said the store's 6 percent increase in sales is average from year to year.
The mall tends to get more tourist activity while the Snowmass Center sees a larger percentage of locals. So construction on certain condominiums has a greater affect on the mall while road and bike path closures tend to affect Snowmass Center.
"I'm waiting to see how the summer goes," said Stacy "Taster" Forster, owner of Taster's in Snowmass Center, who also noted that construction has been good for business so far. "We've never had a project of this size in full swing."
Up in the mall, there wasn't nearly the positive attitude about construction. Though most people said it's still to early to tell what the affect will be, there is a bit more apprehension.
"A lot of tourists are in mass confusion on how to get here," said Julie Schopper, a manager for Gene Taylor Sporting Goods, who commended Snowmass publicity representatives for getting so much to happen in town. "You're going to have to bring in big events to make people want to go through the construction."
Schopper also mentioned that she had hoped the six-pack chairlift would run, and was disappointed that rides on the open lift are not free. That will affect bike rentals and sales, as will the fact that parts of Brush Creek Trail have been closed down for construction.
Even so, store and restaurant owners are optimistic for a good summer in Snowmass, regardless of the constant construction.
"Since they started Base Village, we haven't seen a lack of business," said Rob Carney, manager of the Paradise Bakery, on the mall. "Come talk to me in August: I might have a different story for you. So far, it's been the same."
The Master Plan for the Base Village at Snowmass
He said the construction workers aren't coming up the hill to buy meals at the mall, so there has been no change on that side of things. Mostly, his summer business comes from conferences in Snowmass.
This year, 43 groups are registered to come, from the Colorado Petroleum Marketers to the Texas Veterinarian Medical Association to the Colorado Association of Public Employees.
"There are still 50 percent of people in Snowmass Village who didn't want this project," said Wildcat Cafe owner Zeitz. "I empathize with those people. But it's a double-edged sword - we couldn't survive on locals alone."
You can see the original here
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Content without the car
Valley's toughest commuters ride in all kinds of weather
Nikki Katz (The Vail Trail)
June 12, 2006
EAGLE COUNTY -- Dawes Wilson was on his way home from work last winter when a police officer stopped him on South Frontage Road. They spoke briefly as they stood on ice and fresh snow, and Wilson continued on his way, ignoring the officer's warning.
The officer had told the Vermont native it was too slippery to be on a bike. Wilson told the officer he'd been biking to work in the Vail area for the past 20 years, and he wasn't about to stop.
According to Wilson, the only trick to riding in the winter is having "the proper equipment and the proper attitude."
A whole web site on biking on snow
Wilson said he enjoys the outdoor exercise and the "reduced environmental impact" of biking to work year round.
"It's actually faster to ride my bike in the winter because by the time you scrape off the (car) windows, get it started and park in Ford Park and walk from there, it's just not worth it," Wilson said. "And it's actually warmer for me to hop on my bike and go uphill than it is to sit in my cold car."
Nominate a commuter
ECO Trails will be accepting nominations for Commuter of the Year until June 16. Nominees may commute on foot or bike. To nominate a commuter, e-mail a paragraph or two about that person to Ellie Caryl at ellie.caryl@eaglecounty.us or fax it to (970) 328-3539.
Free of cars
"Commuters deserve a lot of praise," said ECO Eagle Valley Trails Program Manager Ellie Caryl, who is heading a contest for the 2006 Commuter of the Year award. Although Wilson has not yet been nominated, he is a well known cyclist in the Vail area.
With studded tires, two pairs of gloves, goggles, a hat and intense concentration on the road, Wilson can easily be recognized. Locals often honk or wave to him as he rides to and from work, he said.
Wilson is a downhill ski instructor on Vail Mountain in the winter and works at Pedal Power Bike Shop in Avon in the summer. Both commutes are 20 minutes because riding on studded tires is a lot slower, even if the pavement is dry, he said.
Wilson said the biggest challenge of commuting is "the stupidity of motorists."
"I expect them to do silly things, like swerving around, speeding and talking on cell phones," he said. "If I expect it, I can take evasive action."
Other than that, Wilson said he has no complaints.
"Commuting is the best experience," Wilson said. "Not one particular day or occasion, just the accumulation of satisfaction from being free of my car for days at a time."
Commuting as a lifestyle
For Jeff Mohrman of Avon, who owns Colorado Bike Service in Eagle-Vail, commuting is a lifestyle.
"So many times you find yourself running and rushing, trying to minimize your trip to, say Home Depot," said Mohrman, who has been nominated for Commuter of the Year. "But on a bike, you don't rush. You just take your time and enjoy it."
Mohrman said he began biking during an energy crisis in the mid-1970s when he was in high school and college. He said today he bikes out of concern for the environment, and he wants to see more people commuting without their cars.
"I think it's time more people find alternate modes of transportation," he said. "I do it because I love it, but for anyone, once you get out there, you're really happy you're doing it."
Mohrman said he encourages people at his bike shop to make small goals for themselves and commit to them. For people who would have really far commutes, he said he suggests they find a parking lot halfway to work and commute from there.
Mohrman said he rides four miles to work year round, except for on the "really snowy and blizzardy" days. He said he drives his car only about six times a year.
"For me, riding my bike doesn't seem different," he said. "If I were going to get in a car to go to work, that would feel different to me, probably similar to how it would feel for someone who normally drives to work to bike instead."
'The big trips'
ECO Trails' contest for Commuter of the Year will be judged by an 18-person committee, staffed with people who know what it takes to commute.
Committee member Louise Randall calls herself a "fair-weather rider," biking from her home in Vail to work in Edwards three days a week every summer. The ride is 30 minutes there and 45 minutes back because of the hill, she said.
"It's a great way to start the day, and it's relaxing at the end of the day to get that down time," Randall said. "It's also a good way to build a workout into the day."
But for Randall, who has biked cross country twice - west to east and north to south - "commuting is just keeping in shape for the big trips."
Randall said she respected last year's winner Tim Carlson because he commuted in virtually all weather conditions. This year's nominees have quite an act to follow, she said.
"We're looking for a person who truly has a commitment to personal health and the environment here," Randall said. "A person who chooses to cycle (or commute on foot) for reasons that make this a better place to live."
PS: Another flying basset hound
Nikki Katz (The Vail Trail)
June 12, 2006
EAGLE COUNTY -- Dawes Wilson was on his way home from work last winter when a police officer stopped him on South Frontage Road. They spoke briefly as they stood on ice and fresh snow, and Wilson continued on his way, ignoring the officer's warning.
The officer had told the Vermont native it was too slippery to be on a bike. Wilson told the officer he'd been biking to work in the Vail area for the past 20 years, and he wasn't about to stop.
According to Wilson, the only trick to riding in the winter is having "the proper equipment and the proper attitude."
A whole web site on biking on snow
Wilson said he enjoys the outdoor exercise and the "reduced environmental impact" of biking to work year round.
"It's actually faster to ride my bike in the winter because by the time you scrape off the (car) windows, get it started and park in Ford Park and walk from there, it's just not worth it," Wilson said. "And it's actually warmer for me to hop on my bike and go uphill than it is to sit in my cold car."
Nominate a commuter
ECO Trails will be accepting nominations for Commuter of the Year until June 16. Nominees may commute on foot or bike. To nominate a commuter, e-mail a paragraph or two about that person to Ellie Caryl at ellie.caryl@eaglecounty.us or fax it to (970) 328-3539.
Free of cars
"Commuters deserve a lot of praise," said ECO Eagle Valley Trails Program Manager Ellie Caryl, who is heading a contest for the 2006 Commuter of the Year award. Although Wilson has not yet been nominated, he is a well known cyclist in the Vail area.
With studded tires, two pairs of gloves, goggles, a hat and intense concentration on the road, Wilson can easily be recognized. Locals often honk or wave to him as he rides to and from work, he said.
Wilson is a downhill ski instructor on Vail Mountain in the winter and works at Pedal Power Bike Shop in Avon in the summer. Both commutes are 20 minutes because riding on studded tires is a lot slower, even if the pavement is dry, he said.
Wilson said the biggest challenge of commuting is "the stupidity of motorists."
"I expect them to do silly things, like swerving around, speeding and talking on cell phones," he said. "If I expect it, I can take evasive action."
Other than that, Wilson said he has no complaints.
"Commuting is the best experience," Wilson said. "Not one particular day or occasion, just the accumulation of satisfaction from being free of my car for days at a time."
Commuting as a lifestyle
For Jeff Mohrman of Avon, who owns Colorado Bike Service in Eagle-Vail, commuting is a lifestyle.
"So many times you find yourself running and rushing, trying to minimize your trip to, say Home Depot," said Mohrman, who has been nominated for Commuter of the Year. "But on a bike, you don't rush. You just take your time and enjoy it."
Mohrman said he began biking during an energy crisis in the mid-1970s when he was in high school and college. He said today he bikes out of concern for the environment, and he wants to see more people commuting without their cars.
"I think it's time more people find alternate modes of transportation," he said. "I do it because I love it, but for anyone, once you get out there, you're really happy you're doing it."
Mohrman said he encourages people at his bike shop to make small goals for themselves and commit to them. For people who would have really far commutes, he said he suggests they find a parking lot halfway to work and commute from there.
Mohrman said he rides four miles to work year round, except for on the "really snowy and blizzardy" days. He said he drives his car only about six times a year.
"For me, riding my bike doesn't seem different," he said. "If I were going to get in a car to go to work, that would feel different to me, probably similar to how it would feel for someone who normally drives to work to bike instead."
'The big trips'
ECO Trails' contest for Commuter of the Year will be judged by an 18-person committee, staffed with people who know what it takes to commute.
Committee member Louise Randall calls herself a "fair-weather rider," biking from her home in Vail to work in Edwards three days a week every summer. The ride is 30 minutes there and 45 minutes back because of the hill, she said.
"It's a great way to start the day, and it's relaxing at the end of the day to get that down time," Randall said. "It's also a good way to build a workout into the day."
But for Randall, who has biked cross country twice - west to east and north to south - "commuting is just keeping in shape for the big trips."
Randall said she respected last year's winner Tim Carlson because he commuted in virtually all weather conditions. This year's nominees have quite an act to follow, she said.
"We're looking for a person who truly has a commitment to personal health and the environment here," Randall said. "A person who chooses to cycle (or commute on foot) for reasons that make this a better place to live."
PS: Another flying basset hound
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Scam swindles Hotel Jerome in Aspen out of $22,000
Scam swindles Hotel Jerome out of $22,000
A variation of the “Nigerian Scam,” one of the most common tricks in the book, nailed the Hotel Jerome for up to $22,000 recently.
An organization called Christ Embassy allegedly made a group reservation at the Hotel Jerome last month for an agreed-upon amount of $21,000, according to the Aspen police. The group, based in London, then sent the hotel a forged cashier’s check for $27,000, and representatives acted surprised when informed they had paid too much.
The Jerome accounting department acknowledged the overpayment and wired the $6,000 to a bank account Christ Embassy specified.
The swindlers then allegedly called the Hotel Jerome just before Memorial Day weekend, saying three members of the group had died, and canceled the entire reservation. The hotel again wired money, $16,000 this time, back to the group (withholding a nonrefundable deposit of $5,000).
“It was very carefully and meticulously planned,” said Dan Glidden, who took the report for the Aspen police. “Time is on the bad guy’s side. Memorial Day gives them one extra day.”
Glidden said the Hotel Jerome put a stop order on the second wire transfer, so it is unclear if the order went through. Because U.S. banks are closed on Memorial Day and the money was transferred on the Friday before, the holiday might have made all the difference.
The Hotel Jerome declined to comment.
Variations of the Nigerian Scam have been around since the ’80s, and most people with an e-mail account have seen the swindle.
This particular scam is only one deviation of what is known as “419” (named after the portion of the Nigerian penal code that involves fraud) or “advanced fee fraud.”
Generally, someone is singled out for a large payment, usually in the realm of $10 million to $60 million — a lottery prize, bank account of the deceased, purchase of real estate, conversion of hard currency, sale of crude oil — for deposit in a U.S. bank with a percentage for the recipient.
Once the person is hooked, he or she is asked to pay fees for storage, insurance, transportation and other things before the transfer. Often, the communications come on official-looking stationary with seals of Nigerian government, though the scam has gone worldwide in the last decade or so.
The U.S. Secret Service reports that fraud of this type has increased dramatically in recent years, with indications that the scam grosses hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
A variety in which there is a contract for goods or services, paid for by a false check, was what caught the Hotel Jerome. When the check finally goes through the bank, it bounces. That’s only after the victim has wired cash to the front organization.
“Overpayment should be a big red flag,” Glidden said. “Half a dozen phone calls, and this group just walked away with $22,000.”
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Americans bought lots of ski stuff this year
MCLEAN, Va. (June 5, 2006) -- As already announced in May, overall sales for the entire winter sport market (including specialty and chain stores) were up 4% in
dollars to $2.3 billion for the August 2005 through March 2006 period, according
to the SnowSports Industries America (SIA) Retail Audit, conducted by Leisure
Trends Group. Contributing to the banner year in sales were apparel and
equipment accessories. Accessories sales led the charge generating more dollars
than equipment in product sold with an end of the season tally of $779.0
million.
More follows at SnowSports Industry Press Release
dollars to $2.3 billion for the August 2005 through March 2006 period, according
to the SnowSports Industries America (SIA) Retail Audit, conducted by Leisure
Trends Group. Contributing to the banner year in sales were apparel and
equipment accessories. Accessories sales led the charge generating more dollars
than equipment in product sold with an end of the season tally of $779.0
million.
More follows at SnowSports Industry Press Release
I guess the mildly interesting part is how much more accessories were sold compared to equipment. Also it's interesting to see how much helmet sales have grown. I know I've started keeping a bunch around personally.
Skiing sure requires a lot of stuff.
Monday, June 05, 2006
The Basin closes too. 227 day long season. Wow.
Article on the Basin
Also some stuff to do in the high country, during the summer.
Stuff to Do during the Summer
Friday, June 02, 2006
Snowbird just closed
You can see some great season ending pictures from the 'Bird here along with the below comic, which is borrowed from the thread.
Back in 1996, some friends and I went out to Snowbird for some post Easter skiing. It was pretty good, but the snow conditions were not as good as what they enjoyed this year, so despite the coverage, the surface conditions were kind of icy/crusty -- especially where it was not groomed. I remember having to bail out of Regulator Johnson because my skis were too dull to hold an edge on it; fortunately there was a groomed bypass that was right by it.
Back in 1996, some friends and I went out to Snowbird for some post Easter skiing. It was pretty good, but the snow conditions were not as good as what they enjoyed this year, so despite the coverage, the surface conditions were kind of icy/crusty -- especially where it was not groomed. I remember having to bail out of Regulator Johnson because my skis were too dull to hold an edge on it; fortunately there was a groomed bypass that was right by it.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Not really ski related but...
Once upon a time, Basset Hounds could fly as this primeval example demonstrates. They would flap their ears and slowly take wing. Sadly, like turkeys, they grew too heavy and now waddle along at low altitudes. When you hear them baying, it's their anscestral way of crying for the freedom of flight, now denied to their heavy limbed decendants.It's good to be back home.
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