The Uncorked Mountain Wine Festival at Keystone, Colo features delicious wines, award winning jazz, and a juried fine art show in River Run.
Photo credit: reid.neureiter on Best Running / CC BY-NC-SA
Mountain Operations: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly and which includes lift ticket, ski & snowboard school, dining, retail and rental businesses
Photo credit: reid.neureiter on Best Running / CC BY-NC-SA
Nor Am Cup Giant Slalom Season
GIANT SLALOM.Colorado. Keystone Travis Ganong wrote the following column Nov. 25 while waiting for his delayed flight to Colorado for the opening race of the Nor Am Cup season – a giant slalom at Keystone Resort on Monday.
Tree Hugging Know Your Limits
Collision ABC Correspondent John McWethy
TREE COLLISION.Colorado. Keystone. A coroner says the skier who died after hitting a tree at Keystone Ski ResortWednesday morning was former ABC correspondent John McWethy.
Vail Resorts Redevelopment Proposals
Redevelopment Of The Mountain House Base Area
Photo credit: reid.neureiter on Best Running / CC BY-NC-SA
If you’re not moving forward, you’re going backwards” Building heights, employee housing and parking were listed as key issues during a recent review of a Vail Resorts proposal to redevelop the Mountain House base area at Keystone.
State-of-the-Art Amenities
World-Class Motorcycling Destinations
Located approximately 90 minutes west of Denver, Keystone’s state-of-the-art amenities and infrastructure, as well as its proximity to world-class motorcycling destinations within Colorado’s Rocky Mountain …
Spring 2008
Sustainable Commitments
100% Certified Organic Starbucks Coffee And Fair-Trade Espresso
MOUNTAINS. Colorado. Vail. Vail Resorts is expanding that commitment, by pledging to only serve 100 percent Certified Organic Starbucks coffee and Fair-Trade espresso and to eliminate the use of all artificial Trans Fat at its 90 dining facilities at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly, eight RockResort properties and at the Company’s other restaurants beginning with the 2008-2009 ski season.
Fire Threat Removals
Photo credit: elgringospain on Best Running / CC BY-NC-ND
Western Slope Beetle-Killed Trees Removal
Gov. Bill Ritter signed a half-dozen forest-health bills into law at Keystone Wednesday to help communities on the Western Slope remove beetle-killed trees that pose a fire threat to neighborhoods, water ..
Keystone Leadership Conference
Annual Leadership Conference
GOALS Move the annual Leadership Conference from February back to August, to more
Summer 2008
35-acre Fishhook Parcel
Scenic Access Snake River near Summit Cove
Hikers and anglers will have access to a scenic section of the Snake River near Summit Cove under a new management plan for the 35-acre Fishhook parcel.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Jazz, Art and Tastings
The Uncorked Mountain Wine Festival
The Uncorked Mountain Wine Festival at Keystone, Colo is August 22-24 and features delicious wines, award winning jazz, and a juried fine art show in River Run.
Annual Sign-Ons
SingleSign-On and The OpenSSO Team
The OpenSSO team are in Keystone, CO this week for the first annual SingleSign-On Summit.
Leader and Speaker Series
Emerging Summit County Leaders
Photo: Visual Hunt
Leadership Summit is a nine-month adult-leadership training program offered through The Keystone Center that equips emerging Summit County leaders with the skills and relationships necessary to lead …
Mountain Speaker Series
The Keystone Science School is starting a mountain speaker series in benefit of the Student Scholarship Fund.
Fall 2008
Vail Resorts in Colorado and California
The Ski Area Citizens’ Coalition. Vail Resorts. Colorado. California.
Average Resort Score: 50.4%
1 Heavenly Mountain Resort 51.3% (C)
2 Beaver Creek Resort 58.7% (C)
3 Breckenridge Ski Resort 36.1% (F)
4 Keystone Ski Resort 53.3% (C)
5 Vail Ski Resort 52.7% (C)
Vail Resorts
Photo credit: Thad Roan – Bridgepix on Best Running / CC BY
is a vertically integrated operation that controls many of the companies that service resort visitors in their respective markets. Its 3 primary operational units are the Mountain unit which owns and operates
Mountain Unit: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly
Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly and which includes lift ticket, ski & snowboard school, dining, retail and rental businesses;
Vail Resorts Hospitality and Vail Resorts Development Company
Vail Resorts Hospitality which owns and/or manages a portfolio of luxury hotels under the RockResorts brand (which consists of 8 properties located in both ski and beach destinations and an additional 6 properties currently being developed, 7 hotels and condominiums located in proximity to the company’s ski resorts, 3 resorts at Grand Teton National Park and 6 golf courses); and Vail Resorts Development Company
Time to see for ourselves.
Soak up what the mountain resorts have to offer.
Relax.
And, get answers to our questions.
What’s been going on?
Steps:
25) Compare what “life” was like in those communities before the Great Recession, how resilient each was during the economic downturn, and to what degree did each bounce back after with any “economic hangover.”
28) Which lifestyles profiled in the western resort towns during 2008 – 2009 remained five years later in 2013-2014? Which disappeared entirely? Why? Which new lifestyles emerged, grew or moved in to shift the neighborhood mix? Have longtime locals been forced out by escalating property
30) Review headlines and relevant news as far back as you can find online to surface each community’s unique pulse and identify information necessary to make your decision. Is there a “ticking time bomb” issue you may uncover that eliminates the resort from your bucket list? Search on topix.com.
An excerpt from Book Three in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams.
5-Year Time Frames — 2003 – 2008
What about Frisco and Copper Mountain Resort?
Comparing lifestyle changes over the next five year period, what happened?
Shouldn’t you expect a similar abrupt change in community neighborhoods?
Source: Google Maps
First of all the Dillon Reservoir separates Dillon and Frisco by 6 miles and the route takes under 15 minutes to drive.
But the distance between Breckenridge and Copper Mountain resorts, 21 miles by car on 1-70 and CO 9, may take 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic and road conditions.
Getting there takes time, but if you could travel as a crow flies, you’d soon discover their ski runs share opposite sides of mountain peaksfairly close together.
I-70 delivers you within minutes of Copper’s entrance.
Will that fact make a difference over the ensuing five years?
Not only that, unlike Breckenridge, two community neighbors with four core lifestyles did not change.
Why?
Or why not?
Did the Great Recession treat the mountain communities differently?
Highlights and Headlines.
Winter 2007 – 2008
Arresting Development Copper Style
Photo: Visual Hunt
Snowball Trial
SNOWBALL. FIGHT. ARREST.Colorado. Copper Mountain. A seasonal worker from Australia is scheduled to go on trial Thursday for allegedly injuring an acquaintance when he launched a snowball at her last season at Copper Mountain.
High Alpine Bowls, Not Enough?
Backside Of The Mountain Preserved For Wildlife
MOUNTAINS.WILDLIFE.Colorado.Copper Mountain Resort has begun to open portions of their high alpine bowls on the backside of the mountain preserved for wildlife.
Environmental Report Card vs. Development
Photo: Pixabay
Copper and Breck on Bottom of Environmental Report
Top 10 ski resort scores, by score 1. Aspen Mountain Ski Resort – Colo. A 88.9 2. Buttermilk Mountain Ski Resort – Colo.
IntraWest owns Whistler, Copper and Steamboat.
MOUNTAINS. VAIL RESORTS. INTRAWEST. Colorado. Vail.Bill Jensen, the top executive at Vail Mountain and president of its mountain division, is leaving Vail Resorts to work for rival ski company Intrawest that owns Whistler, Copper and Steamboat.
Base Area Redevelopment Plan
Density, parking and transportation will be some of the key topics as the Board of County Commissioners starts to scrutinize Copper Mountain Resort’s latest base area redevelopment plan at a 1:30 p.m. work …
10-Story Hotel
Copper Mountain’s proposal to concentrate density in the core of the resort includes preliminary plans for a 10-story hotel on the site of the existing Chapel parking …
Leadville to Minturn
Photo: Visual Hunt
Interstate 70 Is Closed At MM 195
Westbound Interstate 70 is closed at MM 195 due to multiple accidents. An alternate route is to use Highway 91 from Copper Mountain to Leadville and then take Highway 24 to Minturn.
Leapers and Super Pipes
Photo: Visual Hunt
Main Vein Super Pipe
Copper Mountain’s Main Vein Super pipe will be closed Monday, Feb. 25, re-opening Friday, Feb.
Leap Day Take The Day Off And Ski And Ride Day
Today, leap day, Copper Mountain Resort is holding their first annual National take the day off and ski and ride day or N.T.T.D.O.A.S.A.R.D. Leapers get to ski for free, while everyone else just gets to play
Summit County Community
Summit High School Alpine Team
Coach Tory Hauser was pleased with the Summit High School alpine team’s performance in Friday’s giant slalom at Copper Mountain, even though the Tigers were unable to top the podium.
Fundraising For Summit Community Care Clinic
Summit Community Care Clinic will be holding its first ever major fundraising event on March 8 from 6:30-9 p.m. at the Copper Mountain Conference Center.
Spring 2008
Season Passes Lowest Possible Prices
Season passes for three of Colorado’s favorite resorts –
” Winter Park, Copper Mountain and Steamboat, all of which have enjoyed incredible snow this season – ” are available for the lowest possible prices …
Not counting bicycling accidents, snowboarding injuries accounted for a quarter of all emergency-room visits related to outdoor sports injuries in 2005-2005, according to a new federal report.
What’s Right Around the Corner?
Summer Music Acts, Cycling, And Running Events
Copper’s Summer schedule features national music acts, cycling, and running events.
Summer 2008
Run the Rockies
Colorado. Copper Mountain.Frisco.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Johannes Rudolph celebrated his 43rd anniversary of being alive by winning Run the Rockies Saturday in Frisco with a time of 1 …
Half-Marathon Is 75 Percent Downhill
COLORADO. MOUNTAINS. SKI-TOWNS.Colorado. Copper Mountain. The half-marathon is 75 percent downhill and the Tenmile Creek is 100 percent downhill.
Just Like That
Surprise Road Closure
Denver Water closed our road without communicating with anyone in Summit County, the towns of Breckenridge, Frisco, Silverthorne, Dillon, Montezuma and the Keystone community.
Cross Promotion Beery Good
Promotional Use Of The Resorts’ Logos By MillerCoors
MillerCoors LLC has reached a joint marketing deal with Colorado’s Copper Mountain and Winter Park ski resorts that includes event sponsorship and promotional use of the resorts’ logos by the brewer.
Master Plan Development
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Copper Mountain’s Development Proposal
Tenmile Planning Commission hearings on Copper Mountain’s development proposal When: Wednesday and Thursday, 5:30 p.m. Where: Ptarmigan Room, Copper Mountain Conference Center.
Master Plan With 600 New Residential Units
The Tenmile Planning Commission gave Copper Mountain Resort the green light to build nearly 600 new residential units under a reconfigured master plan.
Fall 2008
What About Jobs?
Local Job Fair
The Frisco Workforce Center and the Town of Silverthorne will host a free job fair this Thursday from noon to 5 p.m. ‘We had a steady group of …
Reduce and Realign
Photo: Visual Hunt
Intrawest Will ‘Reduce And Realign’ Its Workforce
MOUNTAINS.Colorado. Copper Mountain. Intrawest announced Wednesday that it will ‘reduce and realign’ its workforce, but the Canadian-based resort company did not specify if any of the cuts would be felt at Copper Mountain.
Intrawest – Think Global, Act Local
10 Ski Resorts In Canada And The United States
Intrawest owns or manages 10 ski resorts in Canada and the United States, 16 resorts and “villages” in Canada, the United States and France and both Canadian Mountain Holidays Heli Skiing and Whistler Heli Skiing.
Solitude, Squaw Valley, Mammoth Keystone, Copper and Winter Park
Intrawest is best known as the developer of mountain villages in Whistler BC, Panorama BC, Blue Mountain ON, Mt. Tremblant QC, Stratton VT, Mountain Creek NJ, Snowshoe WV, Solitude UT, Squaw Valley CA, Mammoth Lakes CA, Keystone CO, Copper Mountain CO, Winter Park CO and Arc 1950 France.
Developing Or Re-Developing “Villages” June Lake And Steamboat Springs
Intrawest is also currently developing or re-developing “villages” at June Lake CA, Steamboat Springs CO
Mountain Resorts By The Numbers
The Ski Area Citizens’ Coalition Rates 53 Of The 83 Resorts
MOUNTAINS.SUSTAINABILITY SCORECARD.Colorado. Utah. The Ski Area Citizens’ Coalition says that region-wide, 53 of the 83 resorts it reviewed this year boosted their scores, but seven received failing grades.
Colorado Copper Mountain’s “F,” Expansion And Real Estate Development
The resort with the lowest score was Colorado’s Copper Mountain, which ranked at 31.9 points for an “F,” the coalition said. Copper Mountain’s score was almost entirely due to an expansion of terrain and real estate development, coalition research director Hunter Sykes said.
Colorado’s “A” Aspen Mountain to “F” Copper Mountain
# Name Grade
1 (A) Aspen Mountain Ski Resort 85.7%
20 (F) Copper Mountain Ski Resort 31.9%
The Ski Area Citizens’ Coalition. Intrawest Ski Areas
# Criteria Maximum Points Awarded Points
10 ski areas totaling 21,913 acres of skiable terrain.
# Name Grade
1 Copper Mountain Ski Resort 31.9% (F)
2 Steamboat Ski & Resort 61.1% (C)
3 Winter Park Resort 48.9% (D)
Winter 2008 – 2009
Just the Tip of the Iceberg
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Business Could Drop Between 5 And 15% This Season
The leadership of the Aspen Skiing Co. anticipates business could drop between 5 and 15 percent this season.
Practice, Practice, Practice
U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix
MOUNTAINS.SNOWBOARDING GRAND PRIX.Colorado. Copper Mountain. Halfpipe superstars from across the globe have descended upon Copper Mountain this week in preparation for the season’s first U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix coming up …
Part Three:
Steps:
25) Compare what “life” was like in those communities before the Great Recession, how resilient each was during the economic downturn, and to what degree did each bounce back after with any “economic hangover.”
28) Which lifestyles profiled in the western resort towns during 2008 – 2009 remained five years later in 2013-2014? Which disappeared entirely? Why? Which new lifestyles emerged, grew or moved in to shift the neighborhood mix? Have longtime locals been forced out by escalating property
30) Review headlines and relevant news as far back as you can find online to surface each community’s unique pulse and identify information necessary to make your decision. Is there a “ticking time bomb” issue you may uncover that eliminates the resort from your bucket list? Search on topix.com.
This contours along the “Continental Divide, an imaginary line that marks the flow of precipitation. Rain falling on the west of the Divide makes its way to the Pacific Ocean. Rain on the east makes its way to the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.”
An excerpt from Book Three in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams.
Rocky Mountain Region. WikiTravel
As you leave Telluride, the next travel region on your BOF bucket list takes you to Northwestern Colorado.
Where is it?
South of the Wyoming state line.
Along the western slope of the Rocky Mountains, but east of Utah state line.
It includes Mesa, Pitkin and Summit counties.
If you are like most people you’d recognize the region in relation to Interstate 70.
Well, draw a line 50 to 100 miles south and you’ve found its southern border.
Follow I-70 from the western portal of the Eisenhower Tunnel in the east to the Utah state line in the west and you’ve got it covered.
Wikitravel describes the region this way:
Splitting the Difference at the Continental Divide – WikiTravel
This contours along the Continental Divide, an imaginary line that marks the flow of precipitation.
Rain falling on the west of the Divide makes its way to the Pacific Ocean.
Rain on the east makes its way to the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.
Exploring Summit County first, makes the most sense, because more resort towns ranging from innovation to early maturity can be visited in fewer vacation days.
And, guess what?
Patchwork Nation says Summit County can be added to the “Monied Burbs List.”
Across the county you’ll discover 8 or 9 towns that might capture your imagination.
In fact you’d probably recognize the names of the four major ski and snowboarding resort areas already.
Over the next five years Breckenridge changed the most.
Compared to the other Summit County mountain resort towns.
Of the four Maturing Resorts community lifestyles only two remained.
And, the lone representative of the Distant Exurbans vanished as well.
Breckenridge said goodbye to couples, families, and mid lifers in the 30-44 age range.
Three “anchor lifestyles” remained – singles, empty nesters and Baby Boomers ages 20-29, 25-54 and 55+.
Why?
To find out, let’s start with how things were in 2008.
And, with the December, 2007 to February 2008 ski and snowboard season.
Highlights and Headlines.
Winter 2007 – 2008
History and Holiday Arts
Breckenridge Heritage Alliance and the Summit Historical Society
Edwin Carter Log Cabin Naturalist Museum Source – Wikipedia
“It’s one of few of its kind that exists.” The Breckenridge Heritage Alliance and the Summit Historical Society recently announced that the William W. Boyd Horseshoe Collection will be on display at the Edwin Carter Museum in Breckenridge.
Third Annual Arts District Holiday Party
The third annual Arts District Holiday Party is Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. at the Breckenridge Theatre at 121 S.
Providing Medical Services
Level V Trauma Center Breckenridge Medical Clinic
Breckenridge Medical Clinic recently passed a re-certification test to stay a Level V Trauma Center with a perfect score from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Trauma Services Division.
Land and Water Conservation
Plan For Carter Park
“This probably represents more of a compromise” Following a recent presentation about a plan for Carter Park designed by a community advisory group and recommended by the majority of citizens who got involved, Breckenridge Town Council gave the go-ahead.
We’re Protecting The Land And The Water
Photo: Visual Hunt
“I’m representing the people of the state of Colorado to make sure we’re protecting the land and the water” The massive budget bill passed by the U.S. Congress this week includes nearly a $1 million in federal funds for the Highway 9 widening project bet
Mining Town to Destination Resort
One Of America’s Favorite Alpine Destinations
Breckenridge, Colorado is one of America’s favorite alpine destinations. Breckenridge was founded over 140 years ago as a mining town.
Photo: Visual Hunt
2nd-Home Market In Old-Style Victorian Mining Town
“This is really a 2nd-home market” The holiday rush may be over, but January and February don’t slow down in Breckenridge, Colorado, an old-style Victorian mining town turned modern ski mecca.
Films, Festivals and Fun
Mountainfilm in Telluride
Mountainfilm in Telluride, a festival of adventure, cultural and environmental films, is partnering with Breckenridge’s nonprofit Mountain to Mountain by bringing three nights of film to the Speakeasy. MountainFilm support and attendance helped CRMS Thank you to all who supported and attended the Colorado Rocky Mountain School’s presentation of Telluride MountainFilm on Tour this year.
North American Open Freeskiing Videos
Christopher Blunck. Photo: Visual Hunt
Watch freeskiing videos from this weekends North American Open in Breckenridge, hosted by Simon Dumont and Jon Olsson.
Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships
For the 18th year, Breckenridge is hosting the Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships at the Riverwalk Center in Breckenridge.
Celebritiesand Salaries
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
Photo: Visual Hunt
Breckenridge, Colorado is among the hot spots to be featured on the new season of E!’s Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
Salaries Of The Breckenridge Town Council Members
An ordinance that will increase the salaries of the Breckenridge Town council members elected this spring recently passed the second reading with a 5-to-1 vote.
Spring 2008
Hut, Hut, Hut …
Backcountry Shelter Considered By Summit Huts Association
The Summit Huts Association is considering several spots near Breckenridge for a new backcountry shelter, but proponents are wary of environmental concerns that scuttled the last effort.
Summer 2008
Early Signals?
Hotel Occupancy In Vail, Aspen And Breckenridge
Whatever the cause, hotel occupancy this year in Vail, Aspen and Breckenridge is down slightly this year from the first six months of 2007.
Victorian Historic District
Eco-Friendly Solar Panels Into The Town’s Historic District
Photo: Visual Hunt
Colorado – Breckenridge officials are grappling with how to usher eco-friendly solar panels into the town’s historic district while preserving its renowned Victorian charm.
First Documented Gold Strike On The Western Slope
Breckenridge is home to the first documented gold strike on the Western Slope, but the story as told may be inaccurate.
Foundation Endowment
$100,000 to the Summit Foundation
The Grand Lodge on Peak 7 recently gave $100,000 to the Summit Foundation for an endowment through which the donors can designate the specific beneficiaries.
Local Celebrity
Breckenridge Snowborder
DeAnna Pappas is down to two final bachelors on this season of ABC-TV’s “The Bachelorette.”
Festivals and Celebrations
Summer Festival of Film
The Breckenridge Festival of Film, which took place June 5-8, 2008 has announced its choices for best of this year’s festival.
28th Annual Breckenridge Festival Of Film
High drama, suspense and political intrigue drew audiences from the four corners of the nation for the World Premiere of “Washington, You’re Fired” at this year’s 28th annual Breckenridge Festival of Film.
Parade Down Main Street
The fun begins on July 4th, with a parade down Main Street.
Second Annual Kingdom Days Celebration
Mobile outhouses, mine tours and gunfights aim to lure folks to Breckenridge this weekend for the second annual Kingdom Days celebration.
Kickoff Of The Up With People
Special to the Daily FARMER’S KORNER – Lovisa Cehlin traveled from her home country of Sweden to Breckenridge for the kickoff of the Up With People …
Quaint Shops
Photo: Visual Hunt
New Tin Shop Artists Arrive
The Arts District of Breckenridge’s Tin Shop is located at 117 E.
Hamlet’s Bookshoppe
“While vacationing in Breckenridge, Colorado, over the Fourth of July weekend, I stopped by a quaint little bookstore in town called Hamlet’s Bookshoppe,” emails publicist Amber Childres.
Retreats
Signature Health And Wellness Retreats
Sacred Tree, a holistic health and wellness center in Breckenridge, is launching a line of signature health and wellness retreats.
Mountain-Pine Beetle Aftermath
Turned From Removal To Replanting
The Breckenridge mountain-pine beetle program’s emphasis has turned from removal to replanting.
Music, Touring and Walking
Blue River Series at the Riverwalk Center
The Breckenridge Music Festival will present Cowboy Junkies with special guest Monahans as part of the Blue River Series at the Riverwalk Center in Breckenridge on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The Cowboy Junkies were …
Continental Divide Land Trust Walking Tour
A walking tour of Breckenridge highlighting what remains of the wildflowers and native landscapes indigenous to our area will be offered on Saturday, August 2, by Continental Divide Land Trust.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Ride The Rockies Bicycle Tour
After seven days and 435 miles, over 2,000 cyclists will cross the finish line in Breckenridge Saturday for this year’s Ride the Rockies bicycle tour.
On and Off the Road
A Dozen Thefts Of High-End Road Bikes
Breckenridge police believe thieves are targeting high-end road bikes after a dozen thefts since June.
Surprise Road Closure
Denver Water closed our road without communicating with anyone in Summit County, the towns of Breckenridge, Frisco, Silverthorne, Dillon, Montezuma and the Keystone community.
Breckenridge Free Ride’s New Diesel-Hybrid Bus
A bright grin under a white bucket hat and Wayfarer-style shades greeted riders boarding Breckenridge Free Ride’s new diesel-hybrid bus Friday.
Fall 2008
Early Start to New Season
Making Snow After First Big Winter Storm
The first big winter storm allowed the resort at Breckenridge, Colorado to start making snow.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Top 10 Resorts
7. Breckenridge, Colorado and Whistler, British Columbia,
18 – 20 Inches of Base Depth
As I write this, nothing but sun is falling anywhere in the Western U.S., but in the last few days and weeks snow has begun to accumulate. In Colorado, Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Breckenridge, Loveland, Copper, and Wolf Creek are open and reporting a base depth of 18 to 20 inches.
Snowboarder Tara Weldon
After a taste of Breckenridge for an episode of MTV’s ‘Made,’ aspiring competitive snowboarder Tara Weldon is devouring the whole meal.
What’s So Funny About That?
First Laughs And Lifts Comedy Festival
If you’re all smiles today with Breckenridge, Keystone and Copper mountains opening for the season, the good vibe continues into the night and weekend with the first Laughs and Lifts Comedy Festival in Breck.
Putting the Twang in Country and the Cult in Culture
three20south in Breckenridge
Bringing a mix of country, rock and a little bit of twang, the Colorado band Great American Taxi is bringing its self-proclaimed ‘Americana without borders’ sound to three20south in Breckenridge on Saturday.
‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’
In Breckenridge, will show the 1975 cult classic, ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’, on Friday and Saturday at 6:45 p.m. and 9 p.m. on both days.
Where to Go for Drugs
New Owners Of The Drug Store In Breckenridge
Mark and Mary Waldman recently purchased the Drug Store in Breckenridge and say they plan to build on the Drug Store’s tradition of service and convenience. The Waldmans will host a grand opening at the Drug …
Getting Around Past and Present
Photo: Visual Hunt
Historic Locomotive
Breckenridge town council on Tuesday gave the nod – by a 4-3 decision – to install historic Locomotive No.
Modification Of Breckenridge Freeride Routes
Breckenridge Freeride routes have been modified for this winter to accommodate the community and its visitors more efficiently
An Explosive Situation Leading to Stress Reduction
Dynamite Found in Frisco
What’s selling, who’s buying, who’s selling.
Tibetan Massage Therapy
A man who lived three years in a cave, escaped China on foot and nearly passed out in the trunk of a taxi now practices Tibetan massage therapy in Breckenridge.
Keep in Clean Now
Cleaning Up The Water In Breckenridge
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is helping clean up the water in Breckenridge.
25) Compare what “life” was like in those communities before the Great Recession, how resilient each was during the economic downturn, and to what degree did each bounce back after with any “economic hangover.”
28) Which lifestyles profiled in the western resort towns during 2008 – 2009 remained five years later in 2013-2014? Which disappeared entirely? Why? Which new lifestyles emerged, grew or moved in to shift the neighborhood mix? Have longtime locals been forced out by escalating property
30) Review headlines and relevant news as far back as you can find online to surface each community’s unique pulse and identify information necessary to make your decision. Is there a “ticking time bomb” issue you may uncover that eliminates the resort from your bucket list? Search on topix.com.
Then in June, management at Mammoth Mountain, the resort that dominates the town, trimmed staff, cut salaries and announced the shuttering of its June Mountain ski operation.
Photo: Visual Hunt
By the Winter of 2013 -2014 the first Premier Resort lifestyle segment flew into the scene –midlife families on the fast-track taking advantage of the real estate deals.
An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.
Before we get to the early snow, the new businesses, the zipping skiers and beaming boarders at Mammoth Lakes, let’s remember how bad things have been this year for this corner of the Eastern Sierra.
Photo: Stephen G. Howard
How bad was it?
Scant Snow In The 2011-12 Season Shuttering Of Its June Mountain
First, Mother Nature delivered scant snow in the 2011-12 season, driving tourism down just as the larger economy seemed to be recovering. Then in June, management at Mammoth Mountain, the resort that dominates the town, trimmed staff, cut salaries and announced the shuttering of its June Mountain ski operation — a painful blow to the tiny mountain community of June Lake, 20 miles north of Mammoth.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Financial Hardships
Mammoth Lakes Declared Bankruptcy
Oh, and in July the town of Mammoth Lakes declared bankruptcy after it lost a breach-of-contract lawsuit. Recovery, town officials said, would depend on layoffs, pay cuts and a plan to make debt payments of $2 million a year for 23 years.
June Lake Local Businesses Are Doing Without
These have been hard times, especially in June Lake, where local businesses are doing without their own ski mountain for the first time in decades.
Deals to bring skiers and boarders back for new season
Westin Monache Resort Mammoth
Westin Monache Resort Mammoth, 50 Hillside Drive, Mammoth Lakes; (760) 934-0400, http://www.westinmammoth.com. Some 230 rooms (all with kitchenettes) in contemporary style, with Whitebark restaurant downstairs. Winter rates $299-$599 for most rooms, more during peak time.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Village Lodge
Village Lodge, 1111 Forest Trail, Mammoth Lakes; (800) 626-6684, http://www.thevillagelodgemammoth.com. Vacation condos. Winter rates $289-$669 for a one-bedroom condo, plus $20-a-night resort fee.
Swiss Chalet Bed & Breakfast Inn
Swiss Chalet Bed & Breakfast Inn, 101 Hill Street, Mammoth Lakes; (760) 914-3452, http://www.swisschalet-mammoth.com. Opened this summer, the inn has two rooms with private baths in a modern log home with a spacious great room, picture windows and a deck with whirlpool. Winter rates typically $200-$275.
Mammoth Mountain Inn
Mammoth Mountain Inn, 10001 Minaret Road, Mammoth Lakes; (800) 626-6684, http://www.themammothmountaininn.com. A short walk from the lift lines, but gets mixed marks on TripAdvisor. Some 217 rooms. Winter rates $129-$398
Our second profile glance picked up some of changes to Mammoth’s community.
By Winter of 2013 -2014 the first Premier Resort lifestyle segment flew into the scene –midlife families on the fast-track taking advantage of the real estate deals.
Two of the WRMR – Maturing Resort – lifestyles, 55+ age Empty Nests and Mainstream Families depart.
But, another Mainstream Family, age 25-54, moves in.
In 2008 Mammoth said goodbye to the younger 20-29 Millennials.
Now, two Baby Boomer lifestyles fly away.
The first, 32F3T2 families, like in South Lake Tahoe, disappear from all the California, Nevada and Colorado mountain towns we visited.
Photo: Visual Hunt
But, the second, 28M2T2 Empty Nesters, show up in almost all of the those towns surrounding Lake Tahoe.
Like snow flurries that fall and don’t stick, at the end of the season in spring, Mammoth said hello and then goodbye to its only Premier Resort, Fast Track family lifestyle.
They, the 35-54 year old Young Accumulators (20F2T1), moved on to Olympic Valley – Squaw Valley.
Reading some of the 2013 headlines, in hindsight, you can notice some new opportunities and something positive was in the air.
Were things returning to normal?
Three seasons of highlights and headlines provide some clues.
Highlights and Headlines
5-Year Time Frames2009 — 2014
Spring 2013
Extending Spring Snow Conditions
Tons Of Snow And Will Be Open Through Memorial Day
Photo: Visual Hunt
But not to worry, the resort has tons of snow and will be open through Memorial Day; In the meantime, it’s using those balmy temperatures as part of this quirky lodging deal:
Thriving in Lifestyle Businesses
Howard Sheckter, The Weather Sage Of The Eastern Sierra
A hailstorm ignited Howard Sheckter’s obsession with the elements. For three decades, the real estate agent has doubled as the weather sage of the eastern Sierra.
Range in Temperatures
Daily High Temperature At Main Lodge
Officials said the daily high temperature is based on the high temperature at Main Lodge recorded on the ski patrol website. To book, go to mammothmountain.com/VacationPlanning/Deals/.
Deals and Incentives
Discounts For Two Or More Nights
If you stay two or more nights at Mammoth from Saturday to May 23, you will receive a nightly discount based on the high temperature for the previous day. That means if it’s 50 degrees, you’ll get a $100 discount upon checkout for your two-day stay.
Summer 2013
June Mountain Season Passes https://www.junemountain.com/winter/plan-a-vacation/plan-a-vacation/deals-packages
Open for Family Fun
Reopening Of June Mountain In Winter
This coming season also marks the reopening of June Mountain, the family friendly neighbor that closed last season. At Mammoth, meanwhile, Unbound Playgrounds and Adventure Zones, which offer a go-slow introduction to terrain parks for beginners and children, will have some additional interactive elements this winter.
Water Rights Settlement
LADWP Drops Two Lawsuits For $5.8 Million
In return for $5.8 million, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power drops two lawsuits. Each agrees not to challenge the other’s water rights.
Snowboarding Training and Contests
U.S. Olympians Training Ground
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Assn. has chosen Mammoth Mountain as an official training ground for U.S. Olympians in freeskiing and snowboarding. Mammoth Mountain, celebrating its 60th season this year, will help them prepare for upcoming Winter games in Sochi, Russia, which start in early February.
Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix
Around since the late ’90s, freeskiing involves jumps and tricks on terrain park features usually reserved for snowboarders. Additionally, the 2014 snowboarding team for halfpipe will be announced at Mammoth during the final Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix Jan. 18 and 19.
Fall 2013
Fall Colors in Creeks and Canyons
Quick Trip To Mammoth For Brilliant Fall Colors
California: Near Mammoth, fall color starts to creep in. Don’t believe California has fall color? Neither did a Vermont friend, so I took her on a quick trip to Mammoth last year so she could see for herself. She was surprised.
Photo by Stephen G. Howard
Rock Creek May Be At Its Brilliant Best This Weekend
Timing and elevation are everything, of course, so if you’re planning a trip this year, know that colors are beginning to appear at higher elevations. In fact, Rock Creek may be at its brilliant best this weekend.
Lundy Canyon, Bishop Creek and Rock Creek Canyon
From our trip last year, here’s what we saw along with some early color reports from this month. Just north of Lee Vining is Lundy Canyon, identified by California’s Eastern Sierra Color Guide and Map as one of the best places to see color (we also chose Bishop Creek and Rock Creek Canyon).
Waterfalls And Trails, Vistas And Forests
None of the drives was more than about 40 minutes from Mammoth. Lundy Canyon and Lake is beautiful any time of year, with waterfalls and trails, vistas and forests, but fall is special.
Photo by Stephen G. Howard
Color Has Now Descended To The 7,000 Feet In Elevation
Color spotter Christie Osborne reports in CaliforniaFallColor.com that color has now descended to the 7,000 feet in elevation and is approaching full peak at Mammoth Lakes, five hours away from L.A.
60s Daytime Temps Nights In The 20s And 30s
Poimiroo says daytime temps have been in the 60s with no wind. Nights remain cool in the 20s and 30s, providing optimal conditions for fall colors to intensify. The canyon roads west of Mammoth are always aflame in October, and the June Lake Loop is a can’t-miss destination.
Deer Spotting
Feeding Deer at June Lake, Past Village, Down Along Silver Lake
Best June Lake stretch is just past the village and down along Silver Lake, where tunnels of aspen line the road and deer come out to feed just before dusk. Bring a book, a camera, a camp chair and something to sip. Leave the rest to Mother Nature.
Steps:
25) Compare what “life” was like in those communities before the Great Recession, how resilient each was during the economic downturn, and to what degree did each bounce back after with any “economic hangover.”
28) Which lifestyles profiled in the western resort towns during 2008 – 2009 remained five years later in 2013-2014? Which disappeared entirely? Why? Which new lifestyles emerged, grew or moved in to shift the neighborhood mix? Have longtime locals been forced out by escalating property
30) Review headlines and relevant news as far back as you can find online to surface each community’s unique pulse and identify information necessary to make your decision. Is there a “ticking time bomb” issue you may uncover that eliminates the resort from your bucket list? Search on topix.com.
On a more level terrain with more room and no hidden rocks, logs or deep trenches, we were able to take about a dozen small, tight back and forth turns to flip around and trace our path back.
Photo by Stephen G. Howard
To the very same turnouts we had originally declined for lack of snow on the way up.
We parked.
We hiked.
We snapped photos.
Photo by Stephen G. Howard
How could we not with such a panoramic view looking off in a distance from our gray dirt and blond foliage-lined plateau?
Across the tops of dark green pine trees on our side to the Mammoth mountain range covered in white gleaming snow.
Photo by Stephen G. Howard
Out in the open with darker whites and light blues reflecting the deep, high altitude blue sky, and black sprinkles in the canyons and shoots cascading from the crest.
Another overlooking the Mammoth power plant.
It looks like a rectangle box with two sets of three or four rows of power generating units bordering the length reflecting sunlight glare so they look round at their tops.
Photo by Stephen G. Howard
And metal roofed structures with pipes and tubes and other equipment connecting the two sets.
Finally, and the least expected – what’s left of a rusted brown, reddish Ford Model-T?
From a distance it looked like as if the tires and under carriage were buried up to the running board.
Photo by Stephen G. Howard
Only it sat on dirt, not deep piles of snow.
Up close you could see its wounds.
Torn limb from limb and dented and twisted.
For some reason there weren’t two of anything.
One door, the passenger.
One head lamp.
But, no engine block, hood or any sign of them.
Rusted steel violently fell close by.
How did it get there?
How long has it been there?
Was it pushed off some cliff?
Wait we’re not anywhere near a cliff.
And who shot it full of bullet holes?
Two years later during our next winter reunion a second mystery consumed me.
25) Compare what “life” was like in those communities before the Great Recession, how resilient each was during the economic downturn, and to what degree did each bounce back after with any “economic hangover.”
28) Which lifestyles profiled in the western resort towns during 2008 – 2009 remained five years later in 2013-2014? Which disappeared entirely? Why? Which new lifestyles emerged, grew or moved in to shift the neighborhood mix? Have longtime locals been forced out by escalating property
30) Review headlines and relevant news as far back as you can find online to surface each community’s unique pulse and identify information necessary to make your decision. Is there a “ticking time bomb” issue you may uncover that eliminates the resort from your bucket list? Search on topix.com.
We wanted to take a sharp left turn around a substantial tree and climb a steep incline about 20 yards long in deep snow onto the next plateau.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Which is why as soon as my sons passed their drivers test I had them gun our SUV in the empty parking lot at the base of the mountain on the next Mammoth trip.
An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.
Driving through the intersection on CA 203 we found Old Mammoth Road, running parallel to US 395 and took a right instead of driving on Substation Road to Mammoth’s power plant.
Then we looked for ways into patchy white wilderness foothills.
In areas where snow had just melted the color of the path was darker – slightly muddier.
With persistence we found fresh snow and we made the first tire tracks.
Not quite as epic as snowboarding through the trees on fresh powder, but fun anyway.
We had to guess how deep the fluffy white drifts were and where the dirt trail underneath actually was.
Leafless scrub brush broke through intermittently.
Photo by Stephen G. Howard
So did large rocks.
We kept vigilant for deep ruts.
The kind that could trap us.
Then it happened.
We wanted to take a sharp left turn around a substantial tree and climb a steep incline about 20 yards long in deep snow onto the next plateau.
We slipped.
We slid sideways.
We momentarily got hung up in a trench.
Full disclosure?
I experienced a flashback.
No, not that kind.
But further back to the winter in high school merely months after getting my driver’s license.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Having grown up in a suburb of Cincinnati when every season between December and January or February several storms would drop inches maybe a foot or more of snow.
More than on the ground this trip in the Sierras, and probably with a layer of ice underneath.
My father had taken me out to the vacant church parking lot covered in about 6 inches of snow, told me to slide behind the wheel and gun it.
Do what?
That’s right, punch it he told me.
Twin emotions overcame me.
Sheer fear and sheer joy.
We slipped and slid all over the place.
Photo: Visual Hunt
I turned the wrong way and accelerated the sideways loss of control, fearing I’d bang into something solid.
But, soon enough I got the hang of it.
Turning into the direction of the skid.
Except for that one time.
It was my mother’s brand new station wagon.
Her new baby.
Still had that new car smell.
I had pleaded my case.
Dad certified I knew how to successfully tackle every challenge a winter snow storm could provide.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Except this one time.
Like all mom’s do.
She probably experienced an intuition that this wouldn’t turn out well.
But, she was my mom.
She let go.
She let me go.
Anxious about what would happen next.
Driving down the steep hill and making a hard right hand turn onto the street leading to my best friend’s house, tucked away in the woods, was a little sketchy.
But, I mastered it.
I smiled from ear to ear.
Until.
Photo: Visual Hunt
My best friend’s driveway unfolded on three different levels with three different turns.
Piece of cake I thought.
Until I tried to navigate the drop from the top-level to the middle with a left hand turn.
I could have sworn, and did later to my mother, that no one could have anticipated where the turn began.
Or, that slipping off the driveway and sliding towards the trees could have turned out worse.
No, I didn’t hit the biggest one head on.
I swerved out of it’s way.
Photo: Visual Hunt
But it creased her passenger side from just behind the front wheel all the way back to back seat door.
Which is why as soon as my sons passed their drivers test I had them gun our SUV in the empty parking lot at the base of the mountain on the next Mammoth trip.
But, snapping out of the flashback, we still were stuck.
We rocked forward and backward to get traction.
I got out and pushed.
Nothing worked.
No cell service.
No AAA road service.
Photo: Stephen G. Howard
If we could just free ourself and get a running start while I pushed maybe, just maybe we could take the incline to the top.
We really didn’t have much choice, since the path was too narrow and tree-lined to risk turning around on the lower level.
We tried another trick I learned from my Dad years earlier.
We let a little air out of the tires for more traction.
Kept our fingers crossed.
Part Five:
Steps:
25) Compare what “life” was like in those communities before the Great Recession, how resilient each was during the economic downturn, and to what degree did each bounce back after with any “economic hangover.”
28) Which lifestyles profiled in the western resort towns during 2008 – 2009 remained five years later in 2013-2014? Which disappeared entirely? Why? Which new lifestyles emerged, grew or moved in to shift the neighborhood mix? Have longtime locals been forced out by escalating property
30) Review headlines and relevant news as far back as you can find online to surface each community’s unique pulse and identify information necessary to make your decision. Is there a “ticking time bomb” issue you may uncover that eliminates the resort from your bucket list? Search on topix.com.
It verified the drip, drip, of snow melting and sliding off brown wood shingles would not turn into ice cycles any time soon.
Winter Road Trip in the Easter Sierras
But one year, the highway patrol flagged you down at a blinking yellow light to check out your chains with one of those abnormally long flashlights they always carry.
An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.
By the fall of 2010, with the help of local business owners, the Village had seen a resurgence of new restaurants and stores.
But, if you and the Swall Meadows family had Googled “Mammoth Real Estate Market” in 2011, you would have come across links to realtor blogs discussing foreclosures and distressed properties.
In August Jeff Warwick reported on the sales of bank-owned (REOs), foreclosures, pre-foreclosures and short sales.
Of all those closed 2011 sales, 89 of them were distressed (REO’s or Short Sale) transactions.
43.4% of all 2011 fell into the distressed real estate category.
He pointed out that only 5% of the listings are distressed, but 43% of closed sales are distressed.
And nearly 1/3 of all closed sales were cash buyers — a market indicator that the investor-buyer accounted for a stronger component.
Wikipedia picks up the story thread:
The California Court of Appeal, Third District, affirmed the judgment in December 2010, and the California Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal on March 23, 2011.
On Monday July 2, 2012, Mammoth Lakes filed for bankruptcy in the face of the judgement.
Later the same year, the bankruptcy was dismissed as a result of a settlement between the town and their largest creditor.
Having guessed right all those years, maybe we were due for a Thanksgiving-like winter in February of 2012.
Bad news for the rest of the family, but not so bad for me because I hadn’t fully recovered from my skiing accident surgery.
Sure, I’m easy with solitude, but even I can catch cabin fever.
Upstairs there’s a loft between the third bedroom and second bathroom.
Where the bunk beds accommodate the younger and single family members
Usually you can look directly out through the top window across from the bunk beds to see snow laden fir trees giving way to streams of snow blowing off the mountain peak.
Only this year, not so much.
Yes, lots of snow packed the upper third of the mountain.
But in town not so much.
Even the black pavement, often treacherous at night with black ice patches, dried to gray.
There’s a huge round thermometer in the glassed in porch overlooking the hot tub where we dip into a winters supply of firewood,.
It verified the drip, drip, of snow melting and sliding off brown wood shingles would not turn into ice cycles any time soon.
You couldn’t grab the green disc or red plastic sled out of the closet to slide in the deep snow on the two stage slope along the side of the condo complex.
Well you could, but you wouldn’t make much progress.
Unless you slid a foot, hopped up and ran to the next patch sat with your feet and knees pulled up for the next two feet, and so on and so on.
But the lack of deep snow meant one thing.
Another off road adventure exploring the area on the opposite side of the turnoff to Mammoth Lakes.
We backtracked on Meridian Blvd to where it dumped into CA 203 (or Main Street in town) turned right and drove to US 395 intersection.
Winter Road Trip in the Easter Sierras
In years past we collectively held our breath, arriving near or past midnight in our SUV at that intersection.
During a normal snow season roadside signs told you you needed to put on your chains before you could climb the final hill into the town and your condo.
We wanted to take our chances each time.
But one year, the highway patrol flagged you down at a blinking yellow light to check out your chains with one of those abnormally long flashlights they always carry.
Reluctantly I flipped open the hatchback.
Grabbed some gloves and a flashlight.
Pulled out the rear tire chains and fumbled for 45 minutes fastening them.
Not noticing that the blinking yellow check point closed.
Oh well.
Other years, having learned from my ordeal, we’d shell out the going rate to locals for installing our chains, while we stayed warm inside listening to the final songs on our road trip playlist.
25) Compare what “life” was like in those communities before the Great Recession, how resilient each was during the economic downturn, and to what degree did each bounce back after with any “economic hangover.”
28) Which lifestyles profiled in the western resort towns during 2008 – 2009 remained five years later in 2013-2014? Which disappeared entirely? Why? Which new lifestyles emerged, grew or moved in to shift the neighborhood mix? Have longtime locals been forced out by escalating property
30) Review headlines and relevant news as far back as you can find online to surface each community’s unique pulse and identify information necessary to make your decision. Is there a “ticking time bomb” issue you may uncover that eliminates the resort from your bucket list? Search on topix.com.
We began coverage of Mammoth Lakes during the Summer of 2008.
Across mountain towns in California (Mammoth), Montana (Whitefish) and Colorado (Pagosa Springs, Durango and Silverton) the younger Distant Exurbans those 56Y3T4 Millennials disappeared.
An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.
Many tourists playing in the Eastern Sierra adventure communities may believe that Mammoth Lakes would be similar to Bishop.
Bishop’s Patchwork County (Inyo County) description after all is “Service Worker Centers.”
“Midsize and small towns with economies fueled by hotels, stores and restaurants and lower-than-average median household income by county.”
The more in-depth description provides clues.
“Some of the Service Worker Centers are small-town vacation communities along the coasts or near inland lakes that get a boost through tourism.
Residents make their money working at cafés, restaurants and curio shops, while the local governments draw revenue from hotel taxes.
Others are simply local commerce hubs for the scattered populations around them, places to buy necessities or do business with local government.
These are not places you go to do high-end shopping.
Bishop, California
The Service Worker Centers generally holds places with one main street or main intersection that is more designed around needs than wants – diners more than four-star restaurants.
There is a strain conservatism that runs through these counties, largely arising out of distrust of big city wealth and big government, but those conservative leanings do not have the same social conservative undertones to them.”
However, for Mono County, the Patchwork Nation Profile is “Immigration Nation”
“Communities with large Latino populations and lower-than-average incomes, typically clustered in the South and Southwest.”
The more in-depth description doesn’t seem to ring true, may be emerging or overlooked byvacationers like us.
“These places are not necessarily overwhelmingly or even majority Hispanic, rather they are places with large Hispanic populations where there tends to be a strong divide in the community between Hispanics and Anglos.
Immigration Nation counties often hold communities within communities – one where almost all business and conversation is done in English and one where Spanish dominates.
Walk or drive a few blocks and you might find not only different kinds of grocery stores and different languages are the registers, but different products on the shelves.
The different ethnicities and backgrounds of the people in these counties can cause increased tensions from both sides.
In some communities these tensions can lead to dysfunctional relationships and governance.”
With so much change at hand, we take three glances at the Mammoth Lakes profiles.
One during the summer of 2008 which serves as a baseline.
The second during one of our winter ski and snowboarding holiday trips at the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014.
And the third eight years after Mammoth’s baseline during the summer of 2016.
Let’s start with the beginning baseline.
Profile At-A-Glance (Summer 2008)
Life Stages: Singles, Couples, Families, Baby Boomers, Empty Nests
Over the following five years the 20-29 Singles leave by the winter of 2013 – 2014 eliminating two segments of Wireless Resorter lifestyles – Resort Suburbans and Distant Exurbans.
The WRRS Resort Suburbans vacated rentals on the edge of town, while the WRDE Distant Exurbans moved away from their more rustic living digs.
Three long time neighborhood lifestyles commonly associated with Maturing Resort communities remained.
Older Mainstream Singles, Empty Nesters, and Mainstream Families.
Most likely those who could wait out the worst that 2009 to 2014 would bring.
While Mammoth, like Whitefish, Montana, said goodbye to the 42Y3T3, Striving Single, 20-29 year olds, the zip code surrounding Tahoe City and Sunnyside bordering Lake Tahoe said hello .
Such wasn’t the case for the second lifestyle.
The goodbyes to the 20-29 striving singles used to rustic living and lower incomes felt more permanent.
Winter Fun
Across mountain towns in California (Mammoth), Montana (Whitefish) and Colorado (Pagosa Springs, Durango and Silverton) the younger Distant Exurbans those 56Y3T4 Millennials disappeared.
They probably returned home as so many other Millennials did during the Great Recession.
NOTE: Don’t feel too bad for them. According to our 2016 update, they may be flocking back to Telluride, Colorado.
20) Pivot. Maybe the lists of best places don’t appeal to you. Where can you go to make a fresh, new start? Don’t limit your imagination. Think anywhere — across the globe. Where do you really, really want to live, work and play? Why not live where it’s a vacation all year round?
26) If you know the zip code you can discover the lifestyles living in the community. You can compare your profile with theirs to estimate your degree of fit.
27) Estimate how well suited you are for the resorts. Refer to “Profiles-at-a-Glance” comparing 2008-2009 and 2013-2014 for changes in Life Stages – Singles, Couples, Families, Midlife, Empty Nests, Baby Boomers and Seniors; Ages – 20-29, 25-54, 30-44, 45+ 45-65, 55+ and 65+; and mix of Lifestyles in neighborhoods. Does the resort still offer the age, life stage and lifestyle profiles you prefer?
28) Which lifestyles profiled in the western resort towns during 2008 – 2009 remained five years later in 2013-2014? Which disappeared entirely? Why? Which new lifestyles emerged, grew or moved in to shift the neighborhood mix? Have longtime locals been forced out by escalating property valuations and sky-high property taxes?
To top it all off for the winter 1976 – 1977 ski season Mother Nature decided to dump only 94 inches making the disaster the worst in Mammoth’s history.
Mammoth Mountain Ski Area was sold to Starwood Capital Group in a deal that valued Mammoth at $365 million- a far cry from the $135,000 he borrowed in 1953 to build the first lift.
An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.
If the Swall Valley family needed to relocate, either temporarily or permanently, after the Round Valley Fire, and they chose Mammoth then their commute to the school district would be closer and less expensive.
Like the Swall Valley community the Mammoth Mountain Ski area and town of Mammoth Lakes, since the 1940s, suffered their share of economic, prolonged climate and seasonal weather-related setbacks too.
From Mammoth Mountain Resort – History
Establishing Mammoth Mountain as a growing ski area wasn’t easy for Dave McCoy when he switched from McGee Mountain in 1941.
At the end of the 1950s his entrepreneurial burning desire was almost snuffed out by a drought.
Roughly a dozen years later the Southern California economy almost collapsed with a spike in gas prices triggered by the 1973 oil crisis.
Drivers who had to fill up at much higher fuel prices, but only on odd or even days of the week, weren’t about to risk getting stuck somewhere along US 395.
To top it all off for the winter 1976 – 1977 ski season Mother Nature decided to dump only 94 inches making the disaster the worst in Mammoth’s history.
Mammoth Yosemite Airport from Wikipedia
But, in the ‘90s Alpha Airlines flew resorters from LA to the small Mammoth Airport you drive past on US 395.
In the mid- to late- ‘90s investors wanted a piece of McCoy’s dream.
Here’s how Wikipedia described the time
In January 1996, Intrawest Corporation and Mammoth Mountain Ski area announced that Intrawest Corporation had purchased 33% of Mammoth and June Mountain ski operations, as well as all of the developable real estate owned by Mammoth Mountain Ski Area.
In 1998, Intrawest increased their partnership interest to 58%.
5-Year Time Frame 2003-2008
When the new millennium began in the Eastern Sierra’s times were better.
Horizon Airlines offered service round trip between Mammoth and Los Angeles and the Bay Area and Reno.
Not just for winter holidays, but for all four seasons too.
The Malibu fire hadn’t forced Scott Palamar from the mountains to Owens Valley yet.
The Great Recession hadn’t dashed the hopes of millions yet.
With Intrawest’s investment, McCoy realized a significant portion of his dream.
The development of three new village areas: The Village at Mammoth, Sierra Star, and Juniper Springs, has brought new developments to the resort.
The Village at Mammoth, a European-style and pedestrian-only complex, was built in a style similar to other Intrawest properties, such as Whistler or Keystone.
The Village opened in 2003 with various stores, restaurants, galleries and 166 luxury condominiums.
The 15-passenger Village Gondola, which departs from the Village, transports skiers and snowboarders directly to the Canyon Lodge base.
By 2005 McCoy had designed, build and run the ski area for almost 70 years.
So, he decided to sell his stake in Mammoth Mountain Ski Area and announced it during the winter ski season in 2005.
Maybe he just wanted to enjoy skiing for a few more years without all the headaches and responsibilities he had shouldered for 68 years.
Or maybe his knee began bothering him.
Three years later he had a knee replacement.
Or maybe he wanted to take more time to enjoy his family.
As of 2008, he and Roma’s family numbered 6 children, 16 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren according to Wikipedia.
At any rate, in the first week of October, 2005 Barry Sternlicht of the real estate private equity fund, Starwood Capital Group, bought McCoy’s ownership stake.
Wikipedia reported the details
Mammoth Mountain Ski Area was sold to Starwood Capital Group in a deal that valued Mammoth at $365 million- a far cry from the $135,000 he borrowed in 1953 to build the first lift.
Timing is everything.
Because of a poor economy in California, beginning in 2007, many of the stores and restaurants in The Village closed.
As the recession hit, the Town of Mammoth Lakes owed tens of millions of dollars for a deal that fell through.
Wikipedia says
In 2008, after a jury trial, the Mono County Superior Court entered a $43 million judgment against the Town of Mammoth Lakes for breach of a development agreement.
Part Two:
Steps:
24) Determine which maker or breaker community issues you will find across all resort communities vs. those unique only to the quality-of-life towns at the top of your best places list.
25) Compare what “life” was like in those communities before the Great Recession, how resilient each was during the economic downturn, and to what degree did each bounce back after with any “economic hangover.”
30) Review headlines and relevant news as far back as you can find online to surface each community’s unique pulse and identify information necessary to make your decision. Is there a “ticking time bomb” issue you may uncover that eliminates the resort from your bucket list? Search on Topix.com.
Sure, I’m easy with solitude, but even I can catch cabin fever.
Even the black pavement, often treacherous at night with black ice patches, dried to gray.
Not noticing that the blinking yellow check point closed.
Region: Western United States,
“Midsize and small towns with economies fueled by hotels, stores and restaurants and lower-than-average median household income by county.”
If the 
The development of three new village areas: The Village at Mammoth, Sierra Star, and Juniper Springs, has brought new developments to the resort.
As of 2008, he and Roma’s family numbered 6 children, 16 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren according to Wikipedia.