In this episode of the OutThere Colorado Podcast, Spencer and Seth chat about Hunter S. Thompson, ski country updates for the 2024-2025 winter season, a big change coming for a tiny Colorado mountain town, a new trail on Pikes Peak, and more.
[00:00:00] Welcome to the OutThere Colorado Podcast. I'm your host Spencer McKee. Today I'm here with Seth Boster and we have all sorts of interesting things we're going to be chatting about today. As always. But a little bit of a diversion from our initial plan is we were going to chat a little bit about Hunter S. Thompson, famed or maybe infamous writer for books like Hell's Angels and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, right? And The Campaign Trail. Yeah, and The Campaign Trail. Yeah, Gonzo Journalism.
[00:00:31] Called the Aspen area his place of residence for several decades later on in his life. I think died there in 2005. Very interesting character and as Seth and I were chatting about this, Seth started talking about when he went to a little tavern that Hunter S. Thompson is known about for his story. So, yeah, and you're very interesting. Yeah, I'm like, I'm like, you know, I'm like, you know, we can talk about e-bikes another day.
[00:01:00] We got a whole list of things here that we want to talk about, but this might just be a podcast about Hunter S. Thompson. We'll see. So either way, I think I cut you off there because I wanted to save this story for the podcast, but.
[00:01:15] You didn't want any spoilers. Yeah, didn't want any spoilers there. So let's maybe dig into it a little bit.
[00:01:21] So you've never been to Woody Creek. I've never been to Woody Creek and the tavern, namesake of the town, right? Yep. Woody Creek Tavern. Right.
[00:01:29] A place that Hunter S. Thompson was said to spend much of his time, like.
[00:01:34] His watering hole. Yeah. And I mean. Home away from home.
[00:01:38] There's so many different layers to this story, too. It's like you got the Woody Creek Tavern aspect. You got. He ran for sheriff once.
[00:01:44] That's right. After he campaigned for a mayoral candidate in 1969, I believe, whom he he respected as a quote unquote honest freak.
[00:01:54] Like. Well, what and so you just said you mentioned how he wanted to rename the town of Aspen to something else. Fat City.
[00:02:03] Yeah. Because he because he he wrote that way. The quote unquote human jackals could not capitalize on the name Aspen any longer.
[00:02:12] It was human jackals. Well, and a lot of a lot of his stuff that he wanted to do in Aspen was kind of preventing the development of the area.
[00:02:19] Right. Like there's like this whole level that you don't really hear about with him where it's like it maybe not sustainability, but like preservation in a sense.
[00:02:27] Like. Yeah. Yeah. His his his dream of Aspen or his fears of Aspen were probably more and more realized over his years.
[00:02:35] Yeah. And that's where Woody Creek comes in. Right. I mean, it is like like the impression I got of it and talking to folks around there was like very much like.
[00:02:43] I mean, what, it's less than 10 miles or something from Aspen, but they are very like anti Aspen, like, you know, people I talk to.
[00:02:51] It makes it is like it has a small town vibe. Right. Right. Like and people live in trailers, you know, trailer homes.
[00:02:57] Well, yeah. And and Woody Creek Tavern has been a staple of that community for a long time.
[00:03:03] Still open today. Yeah. You can still go there.
[00:03:05] It's it's kind of like has like this from what I've seen, like this dive bar vibe.
[00:03:09] Yeah. Yeah. That situation. It's good.
[00:03:12] It seems like an interesting place. And I think what I wrote a little brief piece about Hunter S.
[00:03:17] Thompson and Aspen a week or so ago.
[00:03:21] But what kind of pulled Woody Creek into that was this this excerpt from a book by E.
[00:03:28] Jean Carroll called Hunter, the Strange and Savage Life of Hunter S.
[00:03:32] Thompson, which is a bit more satirical than autobiography.
[00:03:36] It kind of goes back and forth, I think.
[00:03:37] Fittingly for Hunter S. That's that's that's probably how we want it.
[00:03:40] Yeah. Yeah. Paying a little bit. Not too serious.
[00:03:43] Yeah. And and part of this, it starts out and I would venture to say a lot of our audience has probably seen it online.
[00:03:49] But the list of his like daily routine with just a ton of hard drugs and et cetera.
[00:03:55] A ton of booze like started waking up at whatever, like noon and then just partying until 6 a.m.
[00:04:01] Yeah. Caps his night with a meal of dove bars and fettuccine Alfredo.
[00:04:06] And it's it is hot.
[00:04:08] Yeah. It is hot.
[00:04:08] It is Woody. Woody Creek hot tub.
[00:04:12] But yeah, very interesting. But at one point in this routine, he goes to Woody Creek Tavern and he orders he comes in.
[00:04:21] Apparently it orders a Heineken, two margaritas, coleslaw, a taco salad, a double order of fried onion rings, carrot cake, ice cream, a bean fritter, Dunhill's like cigarette.
[00:04:32] Right. Another Heineken does a little bit of hard drugs.
[00:04:35] We are not condoning that. And then for the ride home, they said this, this, this, this thing says that he got what he calls a snow cone, which is a glass of shredded ice with three or four jiggers of Chavasse Regal.
[00:04:49] OK. I was told he liked the Chavasse.
[00:04:52] Yeah. So and absolutely ridiculous.
[00:04:54] Like obviously I think like no one, no one can do a routine every day, especially.
[00:04:59] But I did not know about that going in there.
[00:05:01] I would have totally tried to try to get as close to the order.
[00:05:05] Yeah. Well, and I looked it up and it's like they don't have everything.
[00:05:08] They still have the margaritas. The margaritas are $13 each.
[00:05:11] So that's $26 of margaritas to kick you off there.
[00:05:14] They probably still have a Heineken, I would guess.
[00:05:16] They have onion rings and apparently got two orders.
[00:05:18] They're $17 each.
[00:05:20] They also have a hand dipped ice cream sandwich, $12.
[00:05:23] So just this.
[00:05:24] I don't remember coleslaw.
[00:05:26] Yeah, there wasn't coleslaw on the sides anymore.
[00:05:28] There was no bean fritters.
[00:05:29] Man, they should totally bring that back.
[00:05:30] I know, right?
[00:05:31] They're just like the sampling platter.
[00:05:33] They could make a killing on that.
[00:05:34] Right. Yeah.
[00:05:35] That's what I was hoping.
[00:05:36] The gonzo platter.
[00:05:37] Yeah. Because I was like, here's how you can go eat.
[00:05:39] That was going to be the headline.
[00:05:40] Here's how you can go eat like Hunter S. Thompson at this little mountain town.
[00:05:43] Yeah.
[00:05:43] This little mountain town bar.
[00:05:45] I just got a burger.
[00:05:46] Yeah. Apparently it's good.
[00:05:47] I mean, it's highly rated.
[00:05:48] A lot of people are fans of it online.
[00:05:51] It feels very far away from Aspen for sure.
[00:05:54] Yeah. Yeah.
[00:05:54] I couldn't imagine.
[00:05:55] And I mean, you went there.
[00:05:57] So tell us what that was like.
[00:05:59] So yeah.
[00:06:02] To go commune with the holy hallucinogenic ghost of Hunter S. Thompson.
[00:06:09] I was told, do not go asking about Hunter S. Thompson.
[00:06:12] Right.
[00:06:13] So I went and asked about Hunter S. Thompson.
[00:06:16] Eventually.
[00:06:17] Eventually.
[00:06:18] I started off wrong because I did talk to this guy.
[00:06:22] I think his name was Tex.
[00:06:23] He was like the first guy I talked to.
[00:06:25] Or he said his name was Tex.
[00:06:26] Right.
[00:06:27] And I did ask.
[00:06:28] And that was kind of the first lesson.
[00:06:30] Like he very much was like, get off my lawn.
[00:06:34] Yeah.
[00:06:35] Because I mean, he threw up a middle famous.
[00:06:37] And people do.
[00:06:38] Everyone, you know, who'd been there long enough, who stayed long enough, does have like stories
[00:06:43] of Hunter S. Thompson.
[00:06:45] Yeah.
[00:06:45] Including.
[00:06:45] I was.
[00:06:46] I did get told some of the Super Bowl stories by some of the woody creatures.
[00:06:51] Tell a Super Bowl story.
[00:06:52] They don't get.
[00:06:53] That's almost as much as like, you know, there were there.
[00:06:56] There were lots of shots is like, you know, and it doesn't, you know, the stories don't
[00:07:00] go much further than that.
[00:07:01] At least from when I was.
[00:07:02] The woody creatures, they call themselves.
[00:07:04] Right.
[00:07:04] The people who linger at the tavern long enough.
[00:07:07] That's funny.
[00:07:08] And you were there in 2017.
[00:07:09] It was a while ago.
[00:07:10] 2017.
[00:07:11] Yeah.
[00:07:13] And so, yeah.
[00:07:15] A waitress did tell me who'd been working there through the Hunter S. Thompson days that
[00:07:23] he would call and make some combination of orders along those lines that you were talking
[00:07:27] about.
[00:07:28] But she specifically, I remember, mentioned a salad and or steak enchiladas because his
[00:07:33] peacocks also liked those items.
[00:07:36] Yeah.
[00:07:37] How many peacocks did he have?
[00:07:38] I don't know, man.
[00:07:39] And then, yeah, one of the woody creatures did agree to drive us to his house, Hunter S. Thompson's
[00:07:47] house, just outside the gate.
[00:07:49] You know, it was gated.
[00:07:50] What's that like?
[00:07:51] Did you see the house?
[00:07:53] Yeah.
[00:07:53] A lot of trees.
[00:07:55] Is it big?
[00:07:55] Big house.
[00:07:56] Yeah, big house.
[00:07:57] Yeah.
[00:07:57] Right off the road.
[00:07:58] I mean, up the hill, essentially.
[00:08:00] I'm not telling people where to go.
[00:08:02] I don't know how available or not it is.
[00:08:04] But, yeah, I'm recalling, was there like a statue of a peacock?
[00:08:09] There was some kind of bird statue.
[00:08:12] Anyway, maybe that's giving too much away already.
[00:08:16] But, yeah, it was kind of a trip.
[00:08:18] These guys just hung out and one of them kept saying, I got to go.
[00:08:21] I got to go.
[00:08:22] OK, I'll take it.
[00:08:23] I'll have another, you know.
[00:08:25] He kept talking, you know.
[00:08:28] Well, and you were talking about how, so Hunter S. Thompson died in 2005.
[00:08:34] Yep.
[00:08:35] After a breakfast of jello and gin, I think.
[00:08:38] Yeah.
[00:08:38] It's probably fitting based on what his meal order was there just at the Woody Creek Tavern.
[00:08:44] Yep.
[00:08:45] But you're talking about how his remains or his ashes were shot out of a cannon.
[00:08:49] Yes.
[00:08:50] Is that right?
[00:08:50] Which, yeah, I'm reading an article right now from New York Riders Institute.
[00:08:55] It says they were blown into the sky from a 153-foot tower as relatives and a star-studded crowd bid their farewell to Mr. Thompson.
[00:09:06] Johnny Depp oversaw things?
[00:09:08] Is that right?
[00:09:08] Yeah.
[00:09:09] There's a photo of Johnny Depp here.
[00:09:10] And, yeah, so pretty interesting dude.
[00:09:13] Lived in Aspen.
[00:09:15] You know, was very influential in that community, apparently.
[00:09:18] They used to have a little kind of a shrine up on one of the ski hills or up on one of the slopes there where you could go and, you know, pay respects to Hunter S. Thompson.
[00:09:29] I think that was removed.
[00:09:30] I want to say it was 2021.
[00:09:32] I didn't realize that, huh?
[00:09:33] Yeah, well, I mean, and it's on Forest Service land, right?
[00:09:35] So you're not allowed to do that.
[00:09:37] So I think that's why it was removed.
[00:09:39] He probably wouldn't want it anyways.
[00:09:40] Yeah, it's very true.
[00:09:41] Yeah.
[00:09:41] Especially with this whole sustainability, like, or preservation of, like, the natural aspect with.
[00:09:48] I think another thing he wanted, along with the town to be renamed Fat City, I think he wrote about residents being the only ones who could hunt and fish.
[00:09:58] Oh, that's interesting.
[00:09:59] So that the outsider, quote-unquote, geeks couldn't come and shoot up everything.
[00:10:03] Well, he also apparently wanted the police to have no more guns in Aspen.
[00:10:09] That's right.
[00:10:09] I mean, he wanted the pedestrian, like, walkways to pretty much overtake downtown to where it wasn't like cars driving around.
[00:10:17] It was more just like all these grassy pedestrian malls.
[00:10:20] Yep.
[00:10:21] That you can just walk around and enjoy nature.
[00:10:23] So kind of, you know, it's larger-than-life character.
[00:10:28] Everyone knows that.
[00:10:29] No doubt.
[00:10:30] It definitely holds true.
[00:10:33] One book I enjoyed from him, or just found very interesting, was his Hells Angels book, which I think, didn't he tour around with the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club while he was riding that?
[00:10:43] He got kind of cozy with them, I think, right?
[00:10:44] Yeah.
[00:10:45] Yeah.
[00:10:45] Or at least they let him in.
[00:10:46] Yeah.
[00:10:47] And that's, I mean, that's often considered a contributing factor to just, like, how many people, whether they ride motorcycles or not, know the Hells Angels name.
[00:10:56] Yep.
[00:10:57] A big part of that was Hunter S. Thompson's coverage of him.
[00:11:01] So, yeah, pretty interesting situation.
[00:11:03] So I guess-
[00:11:04] Woody Creek Tavern.
[00:11:05] Woody Creek Tavern, if you want to go check it out.
[00:11:06] Yeah, don't go asking about Hunter S. Thompson, or do so very carefully.
[00:11:10] They have, like, they have some memorabilia there, though, right?
[00:11:13] Yep.
[00:11:13] Like, it's-
[00:11:14] I recall some pictures on the wall, yeah, of him.
[00:11:17] But really, I also kind of recall, like, they don't-
[00:11:20] I don't remember it being, like, you walk in, and there's this big celebration of Hunter S. Thompson.
[00:11:28] Like, you know, there's pictures here and there.
[00:11:30] Yeah.
[00:11:31] But they, you know-
[00:11:32] There's a lot of pictures everywhere, right?
[00:11:34] Yeah.
[00:11:34] Just everything.
[00:11:35] Exactly.
[00:11:35] Yeah.
[00:11:36] Just pictures of a bunch of locals and regulars over the years.
[00:11:38] That's kind of what dominates, as I was remembering.
[00:11:41] Yeah.
[00:11:41] Yeah.
[00:11:41] I kind of recall them, like, wanting to be a place, you know, a local place, not like the Hunter S. Thompson place.
[00:11:49] Yeah.
[00:11:49] Yeah, that's fair.
[00:11:50] I think that was kind of the feel I was getting.
[00:11:52] Kind of lose your charm, in a sense, as that, like, local spot, local dive bar spot if you start leaning too hard into that direction.
[00:12:01] So, yeah.
[00:12:02] Yeah, makes sense.
[00:12:03] But either way-
[00:12:04] The woody creatures, though, they'll be there at the bar.
[00:12:06] You'll notice them.
[00:12:08] The guys who maybe have had one too many.
[00:12:13] Love it.
[00:12:14] All right.
[00:12:14] Well, moving on from Hunter S. Thompson.
[00:12:16] How do we move on from Hunter S. Thompson?
[00:12:18] Oh, where we go from here.
[00:12:21] One thing that I was pretty interested in when I was reading about the other day that you were putting out, Seth.
[00:12:26] Again, Seth's a features writer for the Car House Springs Gazette.
[00:12:30] He travels the state on a very regular basis, going to all these little mountain towns around the state, known for his Craving Colorado series, where he checks out all these little restaurants like the Woody Creek Tavern.
[00:12:42] Eating too much.
[00:12:43] Yeah, I'm very jealous of that aspect of your job, for sure.
[00:12:48] But one thing was your ski country updates.
[00:12:50] Oh, yeah.
[00:12:50] So, you put out, like, a whole list of everything that's new that's coming to Colorado's ski country.
[00:12:55] Yeah.
[00:12:55] I thought that was pretty interesting because, I mean, yeah, ski season in Colorado.
[00:13:00] Ski season's here.
[00:13:01] Point that up.
[00:13:02] Yeah, got some big snow on some of these mountains already.
[00:13:05] I think Wolf Creek has more than 60 inches so far this year.
[00:13:09] Is that right?
[00:13:10] Yeah.
[00:13:10] Wild.
[00:13:11] And, I mean, we have a bit of a dry week this week.
[00:13:14] But, so far, it's been a snowy start to the ski year.
[00:13:18] So, at least in certain parts of the state, southwest Colorado particularly.
[00:13:23] Central Mountain's got some good snow and some recent storms.
[00:13:25] But, yeah, a lot of stuff going on.
[00:13:28] Yeah.
[00:13:28] One comes to mind is that I think you came by the, is it $45 tickets at Cooper?
[00:13:36] Oh, yeah.
[00:13:37] Yeah.
[00:13:37] Yeah, $45 tickets at Cooper.
[00:13:40] Monday through Thursday.
[00:13:41] Yeah, certain days of the week.
[00:13:42] Like, also one, I included in so many stories that I'm writing about, but the kind of demand-based pricing down in Durango.
[00:13:52] Right.
[00:13:52] Where some of their tickets are like $9 a day.
[00:13:55] Yeah.
[00:13:55] That's wild.
[00:13:56] Yeah.
[00:13:56] And then it can, like, flip on the total opposite spectrum, right?
[00:14:00] Yeah.
[00:14:00] Do you remember that?
[00:14:01] What was that story?
[00:14:01] Was it Arizona?
[00:14:02] Was there some ski resort?
[00:14:05] Yeah, it was Arizona.
[00:14:06] Where it was just bonkers?
[00:14:08] It was all $150 for a Lyft ticket.
[00:14:10] Yeah.
[00:14:10] They got, like, it was, I think it was late season, not many spots open.
[00:14:14] And then they got a ton of snow, like 60 inches of snow or something that, like, is almost unbelievable.
[00:14:20] That was accompanied by huge demand.
[00:14:22] Yeah.
[00:14:22] And hence the big prices.
[00:14:24] Those all just.
[00:14:24] So it can swing both ways.
[00:14:25] Straight up, yeah.
[00:14:26] Yeah.
[00:14:27] Yeah, which I'd be interested, too, because Durango's kind of out there, like, a bit.
[00:14:30] Like, if you're going from Colorado Springs to Durango, you know, it's probably, like.
[00:14:34] Yeah.
[00:14:34] Well, I think that's their big calling card.
[00:14:36] Like, six hours.
[00:14:37] Get away from the front range mountains.
[00:14:39] Get away from the I-70, you know.
[00:14:41] Yeah.
[00:14:41] Craziness.
[00:14:42] Definitely part of the appeal.
[00:14:43] But I wonder if that, if you'll see that same uptick with the demand.
[00:14:47] Like, will there be enough people that are wanting to make that, oh, dang, there's a bunch of powder.
[00:14:52] Yep.
[00:14:53] Roads are going to be bad inherently, too, on the way there.
[00:14:55] Yeah.
[00:14:56] Yeah.
[00:14:56] Like, there's limiting factors to it swinging real high.
[00:14:59] Yeah.
[00:14:59] Yeah.
[00:14:59] It's a small area.
[00:15:00] But, I mean, at the same time, that doesn't take that many people, probably, to really amp that up, in a sense.
[00:15:06] Yeah.
[00:15:07] Oh, one other thing that I'm thinking about, too, just speaking of kind of these, like, not the mega resorts, but, like, these other resorts that are worth visiting and worth checking out.
[00:15:16] Did you see the stuff about Eldora potentially getting bought by Nederland?
[00:15:21] Oh, really?
[00:15:21] The town?
[00:15:22] Huh.
[00:15:22] I said it wrong again.
[00:15:23] It's going to be, like, a running joke.
[00:15:24] I say it wrong every time.
[00:15:25] Yeah.
[00:15:25] I was even thinking in my head.
[00:15:26] I'm like, Nederland, Nederland, Nederland.
[00:15:28] The town going in, huh?
[00:15:30] Yeah, the town.
[00:15:31] I saw a headline on that.
[00:15:32] I think they addressed it on social media yesterday.
[00:15:36] The town made a big post about it, estimating that the purchase price would probably be somewhere in between, like, $100 million and $200 million for the town.
[00:15:47] Gosh, what's that town's budget?
[00:15:48] Right.
[00:15:49] Well, and they – so very, very much so in, like, the exploratory phase, we'll call it.
[00:15:54] Yeah, yeah, sure, sure.
[00:15:56] They don't, yeah.
[00:15:57] Like, they're just looking into seeing if it's a possibility.
[00:15:59] Powder is the resort or the ski conglomerate that owns it.
[00:16:03] Listed for sale over the summer.
[00:16:04] Yeah.
[00:16:11] Yeah.
[00:16:13] And, again, no contracts, no agreements have been made by any means.
[00:16:17] Mm-hmm.
[00:16:18] But if they go forward in pursuing that, it'll probably be kind of a mix of how they fund it.
[00:16:22] But they don't want to add any debt to the town by funding it.
[00:16:25] So it'll be a lot of work with, like, private partnerships, grants, et cetera.
[00:16:29] I see.
[00:16:29] And, ultimately, the goal would be to really expand the range of events that they host here
[00:16:38] to where it's, like, they'd be trying to have summer activities there.
[00:16:40] They'd be doing, like, town concerts there.
[00:16:43] So kind of very interesting just because, I mean, it's, you know, it's in Boulder County.
[00:16:48] Yeah.
[00:16:49] You can skip I-70 and just go there.
[00:16:51] I think they have 600, 650-ish skiables.
[00:16:54] It's definitely gotten more popular since it went on Icon years ago.
[00:16:58] Yeah.
[00:16:58] And that makes sense.
[00:17:00] And, I mean, it is easy.
[00:17:01] It's, like, even if you're – even if it's not a ton of skiing, skiable terrain compared
[00:17:06] to, like, Vail, right?
[00:17:07] Like, it's a fifth of Vail, we'll say.
[00:17:11] It is just one of those things where it's, like, hey, you want to do a couple laps and
[00:17:14] not deal with traffic.
[00:17:16] Yep.
[00:17:16] It makes sense.
[00:17:17] But, yeah.
[00:17:18] Yeah, so that's something to follow.
[00:17:20] Well, and we just mentioned Cooper.
[00:17:22] Lake County owns Cooper.
[00:17:24] I mean, there's an example of a municipal-owned ski area, and it's operated by, like, essentially
[00:17:34] the county oversees the day-to-day operations of the nonprofit that run the ski area.
[00:17:41] Oh, that makes sense.
[00:17:41] Yeah.
[00:17:42] And there's other examples like that around the country.
[00:17:44] Howlson Hill in Steamboat.
[00:17:46] There you go.
[00:17:46] That's town.
[00:17:47] Yeah.
[00:17:48] Obviously a very small ski hill, but also very notable in terms of ski history.
[00:17:51] Pretty much just kind of wraps into their parks and rec almost in a way.
[00:17:54] Yeah.
[00:17:54] Yeah.
[00:17:55] Yeah.
[00:17:55] Just a property.
[00:17:56] And that's the oldest continuously operated –
[00:17:59] North America, right?
[00:17:59] Yeah.
[00:17:59] I think in either Colorado or North America.
[00:18:02] But, yeah, it's – yeah, I think it opened up in, like, 1914 or something.
[00:18:07] Like, a long, long time ago.
[00:18:09] Yep.
[00:18:10] Right around there.
[00:18:10] Yeah.
[00:18:11] Yeah.
[00:18:12] Let me get that date so I'm not – so I'm not totally wrong here.
[00:18:15] Because I did just write about that.
[00:18:17] Howlson.
[00:18:18] Howlson.
[00:18:19] Yeah, 1914.
[00:18:20] There you go.
[00:18:21] Yeah.
[00:18:21] It's gotten more – you know, and that's very much like a locals training jump place, you
[00:18:27] know?
[00:18:28] Mm-hmm.
[00:18:28] But it's gotten more kind of outsider-friendly, more visitor-friendly over the years.
[00:18:34] Yeah.
[00:18:34] They've made some infrastructure.
[00:18:36] I think they do free days on Sunday.
[00:18:38] Ah, yeah.
[00:18:39] Are they still doing that?
[00:18:41] I remember they were doing that.
[00:18:42] Yeah, it's on the city of Steamboat Springs.
[00:18:44] Yeah.
[00:18:45] Howlson Hill will host free skiing every Sunday throughout the winter season.
[00:18:49] So look it up on the Steamboat Springs website if you're listening to this.
[00:18:52] But, yeah, I mean, it's a small hill.
[00:18:54] But, I mean, it is known for having just heavy, heavy ties with just the winter Olympic sports
[00:19:01] there as well.
[00:19:02] That's right.
[00:19:03] Yeah, and I mean, I guess their website says 1915, so –
[00:19:06] Steamboat likes to claim producing more Olympic skiers than anywhere else.
[00:19:09] Isn't that right?
[00:19:10] Yeah.
[00:19:10] Yeah.
[00:19:10] Yeah.
[00:19:11] And I think it's – yeah, I think they've had over 100 now come from the Steamboat area,
[00:19:17] which makes sense.
[00:19:19] I mean, you also – obviously, you also have, like, the Vail area, the Vail Valley area,
[00:19:23] and that's also known for its Olympic skiers.
[00:19:27] Also new to – speaking of Eldora, was that that Caribou Lodge ribbon cutting?
[00:19:32] Yeah, we talked about that not too long ago.
[00:19:33] With the adaptive sports center.
[00:19:35] Yeah.
[00:19:36] And it'll kind of be their lower mountain base.
[00:19:38] That's nice.
[00:19:39] Two – what is it?
[00:19:40] Two floors?
[00:19:41] Yeah, that'll be really nice to have that additional development.
[00:19:45] Yeah.
[00:19:45] Because you were saying it was, like, pretty undeveloped in terms of their adaptive skiing situation.
[00:19:50] Yeah, the adaptive program that's been going on for 50 years was, like, in, like, a trailer before this.
[00:19:57] Yeah, dang.
[00:19:58] What about new terrain?
[00:19:59] Anywhere have new terrain openings?
[00:20:00] I was going through the list here.
[00:20:03] I was trying to think about that because we've had some, like, massive terrain openings in recent years.
[00:20:08] I don't think I saw anything that was, like, that same level.
[00:20:12] Yeah.
[00:20:12] Last year, you know, I mean, there was a lot of buzz about Heroes and Aspen,
[00:20:16] and then Keystone really unlocked the Bergman Bowl with the lift going up there.
[00:20:22] Yeah.
[00:20:23] And Beavers at A-Basin a couple years before that, right?
[00:20:27] Yep.
[00:20:28] Yeah, that's –
[00:20:31] Copper keeps doing things over on the Western Territory, as they call it,
[00:20:37] Timberline Express getting upgraded this year.
[00:20:39] No-Name Basin.
[00:20:41] Monarch.
[00:20:41] Oh, sure.
[00:20:42] Yeah.
[00:20:42] That one's 300.
[00:20:43] I'm literally quoting your article here.
[00:20:47] 377 acres?
[00:20:48] No, and that'll be open next winter.
[00:20:50] Next winter.
[00:20:51] Okay.
[00:20:52] That's exciting.
[00:20:53] That'll be a big deal for Monarch.
[00:20:55] But it's all – I guess they really got it all in place.
[00:20:58] I mean, they cut the trails this summer.
[00:21:00] They've got the lane to put the lift in there,
[00:21:04] which is the plan to put that in this summer.
[00:21:06] Nice.
[00:21:07] But, yeah, I have a feeling people are going to be tempted to want to go in there
[00:21:11] on their own and check it out.
[00:21:13] And ownership and operators are trying to keep people out until that lift comes in.
[00:21:19] Yeah.
[00:21:19] And that makes sense.
[00:21:20] So heads up, people.
[00:21:21] Yeah.
[00:21:21] Yeah.
[00:21:22] It'd be tough to clear it at the end of the day.
[00:21:24] Yeah.
[00:21:25] Yeah.
[00:21:25] Operational.
[00:21:26] I love Monarch Mountain, too.
[00:21:27] It is just like – it's, you know, there's no long lines there.
[00:21:31] Easy to hit.
[00:21:32] This is – yeah, I mean, that's a big upgrade for them, 377 acres.
[00:21:35] It's like –
[00:21:36] And that's the thing.
[00:21:36] I mean, the way we've talked about Monarch, great,
[00:21:38] but just – you always wish there was just a little more.
[00:21:41] So this is kind of the answer to that.
[00:21:43] Yeah.
[00:21:44] They've been waiting for it for more than a decade.
[00:21:46] Yeah, like right now, so reading here,
[00:21:49] there's total skiable acres right now is like 800.
[00:21:51] And they do have guided backcountry stuff, too.
[00:21:54] That's right.
[00:21:54] Which they're known for their cat skiing.
[00:21:55] Like, that's a big thing.
[00:21:56] Which people who've done that will know No Name Basin.
[00:21:58] That's where that's been going on.
[00:22:00] Oh, nice.
[00:22:00] Oh, nice.
[00:22:01] That's cool.
[00:22:02] That'll be – open that up a bit more.
[00:22:04] And I always love the Mirkwood Trees area there.
[00:22:06] Yep.
[00:22:07] Some of my favorite tree skiing in the state, probably, to be honest.
[00:22:11] Of course, a lot of people are talking about that $20 for parking at A Basin.
[00:22:16] That is a point of conversation.
[00:22:18] Talk about new.
[00:22:18] Yeah.
[00:22:20] December 21st through May 4?
[00:22:22] Yeah, and I think it's Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
[00:22:24] Weekends.
[00:22:24] Yeah.
[00:22:25] And holidays.
[00:22:26] Yeah.
[00:22:26] And then there's more expensive parking on peak days, too, I think.
[00:22:30] I think it starts at around $35, $40 on some days.
[00:22:33] And also, so A Basin, in the last few years, they've really made a push toward pushing everything online.
[00:22:39] Like, you can't buy Lyft tickets, I don't think, anymore at A Basin.
[00:22:42] You have to purchase it ahead of time online.
[00:22:45] And, again, like, we've chatted about it a little bit before, but, like, I think their goal is just to try to preserve, just make it a less crowded spot, in a sense.
[00:22:55] And, like, where you're paying, you're paying for that Lyft ticket, how do they provide the best experience?
[00:23:01] So, that's something.
[00:23:02] They have the beach, too.
[00:23:03] I did not see how much the beach parking tickets are going to be for this year, but I love the beach.
[00:23:08] I've spent many a Saturday morning at the beach, spending more time sitting there with beer and barbecue instead of skiing.
[00:23:18] You ever skied Powderhorn?
[00:23:20] No, I haven't.
[00:23:21] I've always been curious about that.
[00:23:22] I have, too.
[00:23:23] Over at the Grand Mesa?
[00:23:24] Yeah, I have, too.
[00:23:25] They're calling this season, here's a good sell for folks curious, Mission Affordable.
[00:23:31] They've pledged to freeze or reduce prices this year.
[00:23:34] Nice.
[00:23:35] Across the board over there.
[00:23:36] At the window ticket and cafeteria.
[00:23:38] Yeah, yeah.
[00:23:38] As quoted from Seth Boster, as I'm staring at your articles.
[00:23:41] On the Grand Mesa.
[00:23:42] And I sense, you know, like, everyone in Grand Junction knows it, but on the other end of I-70, a lot of us don't know much about it.
[00:23:51] Yeah.
[00:23:51] And it says also maybe some free learning programs here, is what you're reading.
[00:23:56] Discounted passes.
[00:23:57] That's pretty interesting stuff.
[00:23:59] Yeah.
[00:24:00] Yeah, you've been, I guess, that's probably enough about ski updates, right?
[00:24:03] We've covered it.
[00:24:04] Yeah, and you're right.
[00:24:04] I mean, there isn't, like, major new terrain.
[00:24:07] Yeah.
[00:24:07] I mean, the Monarch one will be exciting next year for sure.
[00:24:10] Yeah.
[00:24:11] Yeah.
[00:24:11] But yeah, so what about a, so there is a new trail on Pikes Peak.
[00:24:16] Yeah.
[00:24:18] Tell us about that.
[00:24:18] That has been under construction for years.
[00:24:21] What?
[00:24:21] I think this was the sixth summer.
[00:24:22] They're making just steady, slow, steady progress on that new Devil's Playground Trail.
[00:24:28] So that's the, a lot of people know Bar Trail, of course, as we associate with the front side of the mountain.
[00:24:35] But that's on the backside where you go up Crags and then Devil's Playground up to the top.
[00:24:40] For people doing, like, the out and back, you know, not shuttling down the highway or something, that's the way we go, you know, out at Devil's Playground.
[00:24:47] Oh, yeah.
[00:24:48] I never do Bar Trail unless it's the, yeah.
[00:24:50] I'm always, yeah.
[00:24:51] Crags.
[00:24:51] It's 14 miles.
[00:24:52] Way more.
[00:24:53] Yeah.
[00:24:53] That's right.
[00:24:54] More doable.
[00:24:55] And I think this new trail is going to extend that length by a bit.
[00:25:00] I'm trying to remember.
[00:25:01] But when it comes down to time, you know, I mean, it won't be as steep, right?
[00:25:07] It's going to switch back more.
[00:25:08] That makes sense.
[00:25:09] As a sustainable trail.
[00:25:11] So, you know, you'll be moving faster.
[00:25:12] Is it following roughly the same, like?
[00:25:14] Going to trend a little more south.
[00:25:15] A little bit more south.
[00:25:16] Of the current alignment.
[00:25:17] Okay.
[00:25:17] So will it still follow that road area at all?
[00:25:19] Or is this like, like, does it lead up to that?
[00:25:22] It'll meet up.
[00:25:23] Yep.
[00:25:23] It'll meet.
[00:25:24] It'll tie in with the existing trail right around that kind of parking area.
[00:25:29] Okay.
[00:25:29] Yeah, so you're still doing the same scramble at the end, essentially.
[00:25:32] But you know that incised, I mean, what they're trying to get away from,
[00:25:36] that portion that's just super cut in and eroded.
[00:25:39] Oh, yeah.
[00:25:40] Yeah.
[00:25:41] Yeah, where you can drop off into that little bottomless pit area.
[00:25:46] Oh, yeah.
[00:25:47] Is that that area?
[00:25:48] Well, I'm talking about the trail itself.
[00:25:50] That's just like it's been in bad shape.
[00:25:53] Yeah.
[00:25:53] No, that makes sense.
[00:25:54] When are they expecting to have that?
[00:25:55] Yeah, it could be another few years.
[00:25:59] Yeah.
[00:26:00] Just that construction, especially as it gets up to treeline, which they're hoping to get
[00:26:03] to next summer.
[00:26:04] That'll slow progress down.
[00:26:05] But there's like a lot of, you know, erosion mitigating structures, timber steps and rock
[00:26:13] steps and retaining walls.
[00:26:15] Yeah.
[00:26:16] So that's what's kind of led to, well, we think about building a trail, but maybe we
[00:26:20] don't think about all those kind of sustainable elements that take some time.
[00:26:25] Yeah.
[00:26:25] And I mean, and I'm looking at the hiker numbers around the different peaks in Colorado.
[00:26:31] And Pikes Peak is, according to Colorado 14ers Initiative, one of the most hiked peaks in
[00:26:36] the state.
[00:26:36] 10,000 to 15,000 people hike it every year.
[00:26:40] Or I don't know if that's split between Bar Trail and the Crags route, potentially.
[00:26:45] So maybe that's a little bit less.
[00:26:46] I can't remember where they put the counters in.
[00:26:47] Yeah.
[00:26:48] Yeah.
[00:26:48] But either way, that puts it up in the top, just guessing here, looking at these other numbers.
[00:26:55] But that puts it up in the top 20% of these 14ers, I would imagine.
[00:27:00] Still about half of the people that are on Quandary Peak.
[00:27:03] And this is 2023 numbers.
[00:27:06] And there was a drop in, I think there was a drop in climbing in 2023, which is interesting.
[00:27:11] That's right.
[00:27:11] Yeah.
[00:27:12] Yeah.
[00:27:12] There were 260,000 hiker days in 2023.
[00:27:17] We keep seeing that drop.
[00:27:19] 279 in 2022.
[00:27:21] Yeah.
[00:27:21] Ever since COVID.
[00:27:22] Yeah.
[00:27:23] Yeah.
[00:27:23] Kind of gone the way people were sort of expecting land managers and types, thinking, are we going
[00:27:29] to see a new baseline or are we going to return to that baseline?
[00:27:32] You know?
[00:27:32] And it kind of seems like it's returning to it.
[00:27:34] Yeah.
[00:27:35] And I mean, I love being in Colorado Springs and having Pike speak so close.
[00:27:39] It's just...
[00:27:40] And people kind of give it a little bit of crap sometimes on that Crags route, just because
[00:27:45] you are right by the road.
[00:27:46] You get to the top and there's like a, what, $20 million summit house, maybe more, maybe less.
[00:27:51] I don't know.
[00:27:51] But once you, when you can smell the donuts, you know, you're getting closer.
[00:27:54] Yeah.
[00:27:55] I mean, I still love it though.
[00:27:56] I think it's absolutely awesome that it's a, it's that beautiful and it just makes the
[00:27:59] mountains so much more accessible.
[00:28:01] The Crags, I've always said is like the region's quintessential hike.
[00:28:04] Oh yeah.
[00:28:05] Yeah.
[00:28:05] And, you know, it's like, you get like, kind of like that, like Lord of the Rings hobbit
[00:28:08] vibe when you're on the backside of the mountain.
[00:28:10] Yeah.
[00:28:10] It's kind of roaming through the hillsides.
[00:28:12] Yeah.
[00:28:13] It's idyllic back there, isn't it?
[00:28:14] Yeah.
[00:28:14] Yeah.
[00:28:14] It is.
[00:28:15] See the rock, that granite that's so iconic to this region.
[00:28:19] Yeah.
[00:28:20] Nice and steep too.
[00:28:21] Yeah.
[00:28:21] You go through the forest, you go, there's a little creek that you go along.
[00:28:25] Yeah.
[00:28:25] It's like, I always love the 14 is where it's like, uh, like over the, or through the forest
[00:28:30] and over, what's, what's that saying that I'm thinking of?
[00:28:34] Over the creek and through the forest.
[00:28:35] There's like, oh.
[00:28:36] You might be coming up with it.
[00:28:37] Yeah.
[00:28:37] I don't know.
[00:28:38] But it's, it gives you that like feeling of you're going through different like ecosystems.
[00:28:42] Like you, you start out at the trailhead by the creek and then you go up a really steep
[00:28:46] hike and then you get to this like above tree line area, you get the marmots, then
[00:28:50] you get the scrambling.
[00:28:51] It is, it is nice in that regard.
[00:28:53] The whistling of the marmots.
[00:28:54] Yeah.
[00:28:54] The singing of the little critters.
[00:28:56] Yeah.
[00:28:56] I love that.
[00:28:56] You're chirping.
[00:28:57] I love that.
[00:28:58] What else?
[00:28:58] What you been up to?
[00:28:59] What you been, what you been writing on lately?
[00:29:01] You know, I mean, this is totally, maybe of interest, I don't know, but, uh, went to
[00:29:06] the outlet malls at Castle Rock.
[00:29:07] Oh yeah.
[00:29:07] For the first time.
[00:29:08] For the first time.
[00:29:09] Really?
[00:29:09] First time I've ever been there.
[00:29:10] Yeah.
[00:29:10] I've been here 10 years and never went up there.
[00:29:11] A 45 minute drive.
[00:29:13] And every, I was shocked.
[00:29:14] It was like, cause like I've been to outlet malls before, you know, but it's like having
[00:29:19] all the like mountain shops, you know?
[00:29:21] Yeah.
[00:29:21] Like, yeah.
[00:29:22] Um, places like Cotopaxi and, uh, Mamut.
[00:29:25] Fall or, what's it?
[00:29:26] What am I thinking of?
[00:29:27] There's like North Face, Columbia, Arc'teryx, Mountain Khakis, which I like, I like my big
[00:29:33] fan of Mountain Khakis.
[00:29:34] Um, but yeah, it was, that was blown away.
[00:29:36] I thought that was a great experience.
[00:29:38] Good discounts.
[00:29:38] You get some deals.
[00:29:39] Oh dude, everything's on like those Black Friday deals right now.
[00:29:42] Oh.
[00:29:42] It was like 50% off everything.
[00:29:44] Ooh.
[00:29:45] Like it was crazy.
[00:29:46] I probably, you remind me I should get there.
[00:29:47] I mean, I, when I just, you know, odds and ends, you know, like socks or workout shirts.
[00:29:52] I'm wearing right now.
[00:29:53] Yeah.
[00:29:53] This shirt, this was $20, nice North Face sweater.
[00:29:56] Yep.
[00:29:57] Um, but yeah, no.
[00:29:58] Under Armour.
[00:29:59] That's what I was up to.
[00:29:59] Under Armour store is there.
[00:30:00] Yeah.
[00:30:01] Under Armour store.
[00:30:02] That's what you were up to.
[00:30:03] Yeah.
[00:30:03] Get a little Auntie Anne's.
[00:30:04] Uh, how's your, I, I tried, but I was, we, we had just gotten other food and I was,
[00:30:11] I was told that I should not also get Auntie Anne's by my brother and girlfriend.
[00:30:15] Yeah.
[00:30:16] Good.
[00:30:16] I'm glad you scored some deals, man.
[00:30:18] You're, I haven't been there in a while.
[00:30:19] You remind me.
[00:30:20] Yeah.
[00:30:20] Around Black Friday.
[00:30:21] That's the time.
[00:30:22] Gotta go up there.
[00:30:22] And it was bustling.
[00:30:23] Like anytime you're, I, I, I probably count the times I've been in a mall on the one hand
[00:30:28] over the last decade, but.
[00:30:29] Time to shop.
[00:30:30] Yeah.
[00:30:30] I was like, it was, it was nice atmosphere.
[00:30:32] You know, they had like music playing.
[00:30:34] Oh yeah.
[00:30:34] Like big tree up.
[00:30:36] Yeah.
[00:30:36] The lights.
[00:30:37] They strung up the lights.
[00:30:39] And I think, I think they're up already.
[00:30:40] Yeah.
[00:30:40] It was, it was bustling.
[00:30:41] But yeah.
[00:30:42] So I'll be going back then.
[00:30:43] Also went to Red Rocks.
[00:30:44] Saltiesto.
[00:30:45] That's right.
[00:30:45] That was good.
[00:30:46] As, as can be expected.
[00:30:48] It was good to get to Red Rocks, but yeah.
[00:30:51] Pretty, pretty good little Denver weekend there.
[00:30:55] Yeah.
[00:30:55] Nice, man.
[00:30:56] But aside from that, I haven't been up to too much.
[00:31:01] Yeah.
[00:31:01] What about, what else you got?
[00:31:03] There's this stuff in the Idaho Springs.
[00:31:05] Oh yeah.
[00:31:05] I've been interested in chatting with you about that.
[00:31:07] Cause you've been reporting on this and it's a, yeah.
[00:31:09] It seems like they're really developing this area where it's kind of like in the middle
[00:31:13] of travel space where people usually if they stop in Idaho Springs, they might be getting
[00:31:18] food or beer on their way somewhere else.
[00:31:21] Yep.
[00:31:21] Gas.
[00:31:22] But yeah.
[00:31:22] Tell us, tell us a little bit about that.
[00:31:23] Idaho Springs is really going to, is putting itself more and more on the map with this development
[00:31:28] for sure.
[00:31:29] Sure.
[00:31:29] The mayor, the mayor called it, um, the, uh, the biggest thing to happen to Idaho Springs
[00:31:35] since the gold rush.
[00:31:36] That's how he's calling it.
[00:31:37] Dang.
[00:31:38] And so this is, we all know the Argo driving by I-70.
[00:31:42] You see that red structure over there and that's a tourist attraction, right?
[00:31:46] The, uh, um, you get the, you can tour the mill that really powered the, the, the gold
[00:31:52] rush and in a little bit into the tunnel, not too far into the tunnel actually.
[00:31:55] Um, but anyway, that ownership is now building a gondola, a scenic gondola.
[00:32:01] That's going to go up that mountainside and get you to a scenic perch where I guess there's
[00:32:05] going to be like a restaurant place to grab a beer.
[00:32:09] Dang.
[00:32:09] Um, and just beautiful views.
[00:32:12] Trail access.
[00:32:13] Where you look.
[00:32:13] And trail access.
[00:32:15] Yeah.
[00:32:15] That's cool.
[00:32:15] So it's going to be a launch point for this trail system.
[00:32:19] Um, there's already 12 miles that they've opened up.
[00:32:21] Virginia Canyon is what they're calling that trail system.
[00:32:23] And I think it's going to be like, I think they have a plan for like 28 miles total.
[00:32:28] Dang.
[00:32:28] And mountain biking too, right?
[00:32:30] It's all big mountain biking.
[00:32:31] Yeah.
[00:32:32] Built by mountain bikers for mountain bikers, but also, um, large portions open to hikers.
[00:32:37] Is the gondola, is that going to help mountain bikers get up the hill?
[00:32:41] I think mountain bikers will for sure want to get on the gondola and ride down.
[00:32:45] Okay.
[00:32:46] Yeah.
[00:32:46] That's cool.
[00:32:46] Right now they can ride up.
[00:32:48] Oh, okay.
[00:32:48] And I'm sure many will continue riding up or they'll buy a ticket and drop, drop down.
[00:32:54] That's awesome.
[00:32:55] Kind of like, like it's Colorado mountain bike association that's overseeing that construction
[00:32:59] and, and they're definitely kind of, uh, uh, uh, billing it as something closer to like
[00:33:04] what you see at like, you know, lift serve ski resorts.
[00:33:07] Yeah.
[00:33:07] That's, that's cool.
[00:33:08] Yeah.
[00:33:09] Cause I mean, you have right off I-70 there.
[00:33:10] Yeah.
[00:33:10] And you have like, like trestle park is kind of in that area.
[00:33:14] Like you could easily, you could easily try to hit both of those spots in a weekend trip
[00:33:18] to that, that part of the state.
[00:33:20] Yeah.
[00:33:20] Um, yeah.
[00:33:21] Yeah.
[00:33:21] I think Keystone has quite a bit of downhill, uh, biking as well.
[00:33:25] Crested Butte.
[00:33:27] Yeah.
[00:33:27] It'll be interesting as this, as, as things develop more, which they're saying it could be
[00:33:34] as early as, gosh, did, did she tell me as early as next fall slash winter when they're
[00:33:39] thinking that gondola could be running?
[00:33:41] Um, next year or 2026 potentially.
[00:33:45] Dang.
[00:33:46] But, um, yeah, I mean that the town is already seeing a massive influx of mountain bikers or
[00:33:52] saw a massive influx of mountain bikers.
[00:33:54] And, uh, I think there's definitely some growing pains.
[00:33:57] You know, there's, there's a lot of locals talking about parking being a big issue.
[00:34:02] Um, the town has a plan to build a parking structure right by downtown.
[00:34:08] You almost have to if you're, if you're going to try to develop outdoor recreation that much.
[00:34:13] Yeah.
[00:34:14] And, and, and, you know, they did, the town did the traffic study and it feels confident
[00:34:19] that it can handle this new influx.
[00:34:21] You know, the mayor kind of points to the train in Georgetown just like Georgetown handles
[00:34:25] those crowds.
[00:34:26] But I don't know.
[00:34:27] Like I, I feel like when I'm in Georgetown, I feel like there's more space.
[00:34:32] Yeah.
[00:34:32] You know?
[00:34:33] Yeah.
[00:34:33] Yeah.
[00:34:34] I would agree.
[00:34:34] I mean, Iowa Springs feels like it's a couple streets.
[00:34:36] Yeah.
[00:34:37] Like, I know you got Bojo's there.
[00:34:39] Right.
[00:34:39] And Tommy Walker brewery.
[00:34:40] Two of my favorites.
[00:34:41] Yeah.
[00:34:42] But yeah.
[00:34:43] I mean, that makes sense.
[00:34:44] It'll be interesting to see how it goes.
[00:34:45] I'm sure they'll figure it out.
[00:34:46] Big development.
[00:34:47] Yeah.
[00:34:48] Big development.
[00:34:48] Scenic gondola.
[00:34:49] I mean, there's going to be a lot of tourists that land in Denver and scoot up the highway
[00:34:54] to get on that.
[00:34:55] I think.
[00:34:56] Yeah.
[00:34:56] I mean, that's like 30, 40 minutes from Denver.
[00:34:59] Right.
[00:34:59] Like, right.
[00:34:59] Yeah.
[00:35:00] So, I mean, that's, I mean, that I could see that pulling in.
[00:35:02] And I mean, they could have a huge influx of people just.
[00:35:05] They've got.
[00:35:06] I can't remember the numbers they're anticipating.
[00:35:08] The Denver metro area alone.
[00:35:09] Just.
[00:35:09] Mm-hmm.
[00:35:10] Just because, yeah.
[00:35:11] I mean, any trail around Denver tends to be pretty crowded.
[00:35:14] So, anytime new stuff opens up, people are pretty quick to check it out.
[00:35:18] Yep.
[00:35:19] 28 miles of trail.
[00:35:20] That's a big deal.
[00:35:21] Yeah.
[00:35:22] That is.
[00:35:22] Cool.
[00:35:23] What was that?
[00:35:24] Yeah.
[00:35:24] I don't know.
[00:35:27] I was looking to make sure when they were thinking they could be doing the, yeah, rides
[00:35:33] could start as soon as next winter.
[00:35:35] Dang.
[00:35:35] The ownership is saying.
[00:35:37] Big stuff.
[00:35:37] And it'll be visible from the highway, I would imagine, too.
[00:35:39] Yeah.
[00:35:39] Exactly.
[00:35:39] It's kind of one of those things where people driving by, markets itself, you know, it's
[00:35:43] like they just see that and they're like, hmm, wonder what's going on in Idaho Springs.
[00:35:47] I guess the cabs are going to be like gold, like gold nuggets going up, going up.
[00:35:50] Oh, that's cool.
[00:35:52] Is the thinking.
[00:35:54] I like it.
[00:35:54] Thousands of people, though.
[00:35:55] I mean, they're anticipating, I was going back to look at what the numbers that they're
[00:36:00] calling for that could potentially be going to this thing.
[00:36:08] Yeah.
[00:36:08] Idaho Springs.
[00:36:09] Beautiful area, though.
[00:36:10] Yeah.
[00:36:10] And Georgetown, also a beautiful area.
[00:36:12] They do the ice racing out there, which is.
[00:36:13] I was just at the train not long ago.
[00:36:16] This fall, I got on the train for the first time.
[00:36:18] Nice.
[00:36:19] Georgetown loop.
[00:36:20] Yeah.
[00:36:20] Pretty.
[00:36:21] Very pretty.
[00:36:22] Yeah.
[00:36:22] Very good things.
[00:36:24] Yeah.
[00:36:24] And I love the restaurant right there when you get into town.
[00:36:31] What's that called?
[00:36:32] Cooper's by the Creek.
[00:36:34] Good.
[00:36:36] Yeah.
[00:36:36] Gondola ridership is projected to be around 500,000 per year.
[00:36:42] Wow.
[00:36:43] That's a lot.
[00:36:44] Is it year round?
[00:36:46] Yeah.
[00:36:47] Yeah.
[00:36:47] I think that's what they're anticipating.
[00:36:49] That would make sense.
[00:36:49] Projected to be about, this is their press release, about 500,000 per year at stabilization.
[00:36:54] I don't know exactly what that means.
[00:36:56] At established when it's established.
[00:36:59] According to a market analysis.
[00:37:01] Jeez.
[00:37:02] That's a lot of people.
[00:37:03] So, yeah.
[00:37:04] I mean, you imagine, I mean, there's got to be a lot of people in Idaho Springs feeling
[00:37:08] like, you know, what's happening to our little town.
[00:37:12] But just as many as there's those, there's probably a lot of business owners saying we
[00:37:16] got to.
[00:37:17] Exactly.
[00:37:17] You got to.
[00:37:18] Yeah.
[00:37:19] A lot of people that are homeowners there that are about to probably see their prices.
[00:37:22] Sure.
[00:37:23] Jump up quite a bit.
[00:37:24] Yep.
[00:37:25] Big time.
[00:37:26] They just passed a, the general election had like a land swap, right?
[00:37:29] Like the project wanted to clear some, some private and public property lines, just make
[00:37:37] things a little more clear, you know, for the park.
[00:37:41] And that was approved by like 64%.
[00:37:45] So, you know, that would maybe suggest that people are feeling.
[00:37:48] That's a good support.
[00:37:49] Okay about things.
[00:37:50] Yeah.
[00:37:50] That's some good support there.
[00:37:52] Yeah.
[00:37:53] Awesome.
[00:37:53] Interesting to follow.
[00:37:54] Yeah.
[00:37:54] I think that's probably about all we got for today, I guess, unless anything else come
[00:37:59] to mind you want to touch on today?
[00:38:01] We'll have to save it for the next time.
[00:38:03] Save it for the next time.
[00:38:04] Keep people coming back.
[00:38:05] Yeah.
[00:38:05] Unless they're bored, too bored already.
[00:38:09] If they've made it this far into the episode, hopefully they're not.
[00:38:12] I mean, if we start with Hunter S. Thompson, you can't expect it to, you know, it goes downhill
[00:38:16] from there.
[00:38:17] That's true.
[00:38:18] That's true.
[00:38:20] Wonder how many more people will go to Woody Creek Tavern now.
[00:38:23] Oh, right.
[00:38:23] You got to go.
[00:38:24] I know.
[00:38:25] I got to go.
[00:38:25] I got to go.
[00:38:26] And it's also funny, now that I guess we can chat about it again real quick.
[00:38:30] I think his name's Jim Graber, I want to say, but the dude who's behind 10 Cup Whiskey.
[00:38:35] Oh.
[00:38:36] Uh-huh.
[00:38:36] Something Graber.
[00:38:37] What's his name?
[00:38:39] But, uh, and Stranahan's, I think, as well.
[00:38:42] Uh, but he's, I was chatting with him one time, Jess Graber.
[00:38:47] I was chatting with him sometime, and I believe he's in that area, too, and also speaks very
[00:38:52] highly of the Woody Creek Tavern.
[00:38:53] He's like, that's like a great spot.
[00:38:56] Uh, yeah.
[00:38:57] Jess Graber.
[00:38:57] Yeah.
[00:38:57] 10 Cup Whiskey.
[00:38:58] Any time I get to chat about them, it's kind of funny because they do, they make their
[00:39:01] whiskey with the water from, and they cut it with the Eldorado Springs water, which is
[00:39:05] like some of the highest rated water in the world.
[00:39:07] Uh, and then they do their 14ers bottles every year, which is like their 14 year aged whiskey
[00:39:12] bottle.
[00:39:13] And they commemorate, or not commemorate, they like highlight a different peak every year.
[00:39:17] Oh.
[00:39:17] That's cool.
[00:39:18] They did, uh, uh, the Quandary was the, or it was Long's Peak, then Quandary, and I
[00:39:23] think they just did Sneffles is this year's, uh, I think the bottle retails for like 70
[00:39:28] bucks, which for a 14 year old bottle of whiskey, like that's, it's actually on, yeah, it's
[00:39:33] actually like maybe on the lower end even a little bit, but yeah, it's, uh, in terms
[00:39:38] of pricing, but yeah.
[00:39:39] So kind of interesting, another connection there to 10 Cup Whiskey and Woody Creek.
[00:39:43] It is very much so like a Colorado spot.
[00:39:46] I feel like.
[00:39:46] Yeah.
[00:39:47] Yeah.
[00:39:47] The other side of Aspen for sure.
[00:39:49] The other side of the tracks as they say.
[00:39:51] Yeah.
[00:39:52] Yeah.
[00:39:53] All right.
[00:39:53] Well, yeah.
[00:39:53] All right, folks on that.
[00:39:55] Yeah.
[00:39:55] We'll, uh, we'll let you go.
[00:39:56] Thanks so much for tuning in and for sticking with us here.
[00:39:59] Uh, we will be back either later this week or next week with some of the other
[00:40:03] more stuff to talk about.
[00:40:05] So see you folks.
[00:40:06] Have a good one.
[00:40:06] Talk later.