Roaring Fork December 2015

Roaring Fork DECEMBER 2015

RoaringForkLifestyle.com

L

I

F

E

S

T

Y

L

E

™

Let It Snow!

Let It Snow!

THE VALLEY’S AVALANCHE DOGS - DIG ‘EM! TEAM SPUNKY HOUNDS TEARS UP THE TRAILS SOME VERY SPECIAL EDUCATION AT SUNLIGHT MOUNTAIN

“New compaNy, same great team, better priciNg, aNd faster turN times-call us today!”

Our Loan Officers Michael Picore Susie Meraz Susan Horning Deb Onorofskie Kirk Schneider Kristi Picore Ryan Parker

NMLS#339742 NMLS#623396 NMLS#409870 NMLS#389578 NMLS#281552 NMLS#422607 NMLS#1041550

309-2911 274-4666 618-0955 379-0627 618-8284 309-5213 309-6850

1319 Grand Ave, Glenwood Springs, Colorado

2015 GMC YUKON DENALI LUXURY FROM MID-SIZE TO FULL-SIZE TO HEAVY-DUTY

GMC TERRAIN DENALI

GMC ACADIA DENALI

GMC SIERRA 2500 DENALI

Quiet Tuned Interiors • Available Leather Accents • Smart Key Technology with Push Button Start Complete Hands-free Connectivity • Premium Bose® Sound • Available 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot Available Blu Ray Player • USB Ports • Power Liftgates • OnStar® Turn-by-Turn Navigation

BUICK ENCLAVE

BUICK ENCORE

WE HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED & MORE

Trusted Quality and Integrity Since 1944

www.berthodgmc.com

2914 South Grand Ave | Glenwood Springs | 970-945-7466 | 1-800-488-7455

Lifestyle Letter

Joy abounds for powder hounds.

DECEMBER 2015 publisher

Rick French | RFrench@LifestylePubs.com

B

ig fluffy flakes are falling on the deck and Carbondale's Main Street is sporting banners that say "Let It Snow!" One Facebook friend just posted a photo of a gate across Route 82 bearing a sign that says "Independence Pass Closed." Another just uploaded a shot of her pink lawn flamingos (!) covered with powder.

I love Colorado's winters, and I know plenty of Roaring Fork Valley residents who will quickly say, "I resemble that remark!" Many folks say they "moved here for the winters, but stayed for the summers." Joy abounds for us powder hounds because there's always plenty of winter fun to lure us onto the slopes, onto the ice and out of the house.

As you will learn in this month's Parting Thoughts, I'm the daughter of two ski patrollers. I currently teach ice skating to kids ranging from four to 14 at the Glenwood Springs Recreation Center. I have been a ski instructor, and I once worked as a snowshoe guide.

So I thought that I was pretty well-versed in Colorado winter activities.

Not true! While editing this magazine over the course of the past year – December marks the first birthday of Roaring Fork Lifestyle – I have been introduced to many new ways to enjoy our winters. Those include fat biking in the snow, practicing yoga in the Glenwood Hot Springs pool and community grooming of the Spring Valley Nordic trails. With this issue, I can add to that list: training avalanche rescue dogs (they are the true powder hounds), ice fishing and competitive skijoring (think Ben Hur with dogs).

What are your favorite winter activities? What do you dream about as the fluffy flakes begin to fall? What winter stories do you wish this publication would cover?

Find us on Facebook (Facebook.com/RoaringForkLifestyle) and tell me what makes you sing "let it snow, let it snow." Or write to me at ntoussaint@lifestylepubs.com. I love hearing from readers, and being introduced to new forms of frozen frolic just adds frosting to the cake! Who knows, you might wind up introducing the whole valley to something entirely new to do with ice and snow.

editor

Nicolette Toussaint | NToussaint@LifestylePubs.com copy editor

Mason Ingram contributing writers

Dennis Malcolm Byron, Caitlin Causey, Bridget Grey, Ann Murray, Craig Thornburrow, Nicolette Toussaint, Geneviève Joëlle Villamizar

contributing photographers

Dan Berg, Deborah Colley, Jay Dash Photography, Mary Huffine, Nathan Garfield, Trina Haines, Sarah Hutchinson, Tibby Kull, Shannon Maguire, Shannon Muse, Renee Ramge, Casey Thompson, Robin Waters

CORPORATE TEAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

| Steven Schowengerdt

CHIEF SALES OFFICER

| Matthew Perry

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DIRECTOR OF MARKETING ART DIRECTOR EDITORIAL DIRECTOR AD COORDINATORS

| DeLand Shore | Brad Broockerd

| Sara Minor | Nicole Sylvester

| Cyndi Harrington, Chelsi Hornbaker

COPY EDITOR

| Kendra Mathewson

APPLICATION ARCHITECT WEB DEVELOPER

| Michael O’Connell | Hanna Park

Nicolette Toussaint, Editor

by Community ™

RoaringForkLifestyle.com ON THE COVER Avalanche rescue dog Piper at Snowmass.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAN BERG

4

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

JOIN US

TALK TO US

P.O. Box 12608 Overland Park, KS 66282-3214 Proverbs 3:5-6 Roaring Fork Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of Roaring Fork’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors.

Information in Roaring Fork Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

ExcEllEncE in complEtE H omE c onstruction WE ARE MOUNTAIN

We have a General Contractor that is on site running each and every project from beginning to end.

FRE E

E

TES A M I ST

We also have our own cabinet shop which allows our company to do cabinetry and woodworking; adding an even more personal touch to your project.

Bob Brazell Photography Inc.

(970) 948-7044 | www.BurkholderHomesInc.com 1676 COUNTY ROAD 100 UNIT # O-4, CARBONDALE COLORADO 81623

December 2015

Departments

30

16 Local Residencies Attract National

Dance Talent

Meet our Local Avalanche Rescue Dogs.

40 Artistry in Light and Glass

Publisher’s Letter

10

Good Times

14

Around Town

16

Local Limelight

20

Your Neighbor

22

Water & Woods

24

Road Trip

26

Home Matters

34

Family Feature

40

Artist’s Palette

42

Driver’s Notebook

44

Lifestyle Calendar

50

Parting Thoughts

Celebrating one year at Carbondale's Launchpad.

30 True Powder Hounds

8

The sparkling creativity of Shannon Muse.

16

28

40

Lifestyle Publications Arizona | California | Colorado | Georgia | Idaho | Illinois | Kansas | Missouri | Montana | Oklahoma | Texas | Utah | Wisconsin

A Conscious Boutique ESSENTIAL OILS & AURA SOMA YOGA CLOTHING, MATS & PROPS HANDMADE JEWELRY CRYSTALS & DEITY STATUES LOCAL TEA MUGS & CHOCOLATES

Time to find the perfect gift for your loved ones.

Gift cards good for retail, food and beverage, yoga, and spa treatments.

v

t r u e n ature h e a lin ga r t s . co m 100 N 3RD ST • C ARBONDALE 970.963.9900

Publisher’s Letter

Happy Birthday Roaring Fork Lifestyle

W

ow, time has f lown by this year!

This December issue celebrates our first birthday – 12 monthly issues printed and mailed to the residents of the valley.

Roaring Fork Lifestyle would like to say "thank you" to our marketing partners and to local residents for the wonderful support and encouragement we have received. We have grown in both size and content, and we could not have done this without the support of our readers and the business community.

People have asked me if it was hard to start a glossy magazine in the valley. I laugh and say it was "dam hard." But you don’t mind the hard work and long hours when you enjoy what you do and feel you are contributing to the community.

The first step was to find an editor, one who shared my vision of a true “community-inspired” magazine. My stars were aligned when I was introduced to Nicolette Toussaint. She grabbed my vision and jumped in with both feet. You don’t know how nice it is to hear someone say, almost monthly, that “they have never had a job that is so much fun.” Nicolette is the driving force behind all editorial content, Around Town and the calendar. She is a magical wordsmith and unbelievably organized.

8

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

The next step was to truly listen to the needs of our marketing partners. We work to deliver a meaningful message, to help introduce our advertisers to new clients and to help them build deeper relationships with their existing clients. Advertising is advertising regardless of the form of media you use. Roaring Fork Lifestyle distinguishes itself from other media outlets by acting as a marketing consultant, by forming a partnership and crafting the right message – one that benefits both our business community and our readers.

People ask how we choose the editorial features we print. We try to find topics that our readers will enjoy, to offer them something of value and to support organizations (both businesses and nonprofits) that offer incredible services throughout the valley. If we can educate and entertain our readers, and introduce them to local resources, then we are bringing value to them. Gauging from the reader feedback we are receiving, we are accomplishing our goals.

Thank you Roaring Fork Valley! I have to say that 2015 has been a great year. We are looking forward to embracing many more opportunities in 2016.

Rick French, Publisher RFrench@LifestylePubs.com

H ave a W onderful

H oliday S eaSon !

T Hink M udpie , S anTa , J ingle B ellS , and all

THingS

M erry !

a T B ellini ’ S , W e ’ re

ready WHen you are .

(970) 945-9448 916B g r a n d a v e n u e g l e n Wo o d S p r i n g S , Co

B e l l i n i S fa S H i o n a n d B e a u T y . Co M

Good Times

Blessing of the Animals

The fourth annual Blessing of the Animals raised nearly $7,000 for The Colorado Animal Rescue (CARE) shelter. The Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist congregation and CARE teamed up to sponsor the event. PHOTOGRAPHY TRINA HAINES AND NICOLETTE TOUSSAINT

Musicians Jimmy Byrne and Ellen Stapenhorst 10

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

Blessed with a pink bindi

970.945.5112 WWW.MURRAYDG.COM/COSMETIC-DENTISTRY

1512 GRAND AVE., SUITE 202 GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO 81601

A boldly designed car deserves a boldly designed world.

Finally the road is safe for inspiration again. The Audi A7 is setting a whole new standard for design. Behold the dramatic profile and coupe-like styling. Notice the flawlessly crafted interior with the most advanced technology available, like the MMI ® touch with handwriting recognition and navigation enhanced by Google Earth™.* It’s a car engineered with one purpose — to leave a lasting impression on the world around it.

Learn more at audiusa.com/A7. The Audi A7 is here.

The Streetlight, redesigned by Onur Cobanli

Audi Glenwood Springs 100 Riverine Road, Glenwood Springs, 81601 970-945-5200 AudiGlenwoodSprings.com - Under New Ownership! *Navigation with Audi connect is standard on all A7 models. Connect (Google Earth) is a six-month trial. Cellular data plan required after six-month trial period. See dealer for details. “Audi,” “A7,” “MMI,” “Audi connect,” “Truth in Engineering,” all model names, and the four rings logo are registered trademarks of AUDI AG. “Google Earth” is a trademark of Google Inc. ©2015 Audi of America, Inc.

December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

11

Good Times

Basalt Pumpkin Jazz & Roots Festival

Basaltines enjoyed 10 bands at 10 different venues in October. The Pumpkin Jazz & Roots Festival was free and sponsored by the Town of Basalt, the Basalt Chamber of Commerce, Willits Town Center and Alpine Bank. PHOTOGRAPHY ROBIN WATERS

Established 1994

Brad Faber & Hans Raaflaub · Sustainable Construction, with extensive experience in L.E.E.D. Certified projects · Fully Insured & Bonded · Design Build Services Capability · Personalized Service for your Roaring Fork Valley Primary or Vacation Home

www.BandHGeneralContractors.com 970-945-0102

12

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

L o o k in g

for a truLy unique

C hristm as

g i ft t h at C a n b e e n j oy e d Lo n g a f t e r t h e

h o L i day ?

786 County Road 116 Glenwood Springs CO 81601 (970) 790-8997 www.coloradohelicoptertours.com

Surprise them with a Helicopter Tour of the Roaring Fork Valley. With 3 available seats and a heated cabin the helicopter provides the ideal platform to see the snow covered mountains of our beautiful Valley.

Holiday Specials

Tours will be discounted from $700/hour to $500/ hour and 30 min tours will be discounted from $350 to $250 12/1/15 - 12/31/15

Crystal River Meats is protecting land and building soil to sustain food production for ourselves and future generations.

Help us build a healthier world.

1/2 beeves for sale Call 970-963-9996 to arrange pickup or delivery.

ftx

NEW CARBONDALE HOMES! Single Family Completion October 2015

$439,000

6 HOMES AVAILABLE 1,730 sq. ft., 3 BR, 3.5 Bath, Fenced Yard, Storage Shed

MICHAEL R. KENNEDY 0985 Highway 133 Carbondale, CO 970-963-1940

GRI CDPE, SFR, Broker/Owner 970-379-3907 mikekennedy@sopris.net ColoradoHomesRanches.com December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

13

Around Town ROARING FORK LIFESTYLE CELEBRATES FIRST ANNIVERSARY

foot trailer home, nicknamed “Woody,” when they

In November, Roaring Fork Lifestyle magazine celebrated the successful

were living in Houston, Texas. Woody cost about

completion of its 12th issue and one year in business with a ribbon-cutting

$50,000 to build, and the couple put in about a

ceremony held by the Glenwood Springs Chamber of Commerce.

year’s worth of sweat equity, learning construction

The magazine has grown from an initial publication of 32 pages to

skills on the job.

more than 50 pages, and it features more than 45 regular advertis-

The cedar-clad trailer is a jewel box filled with

ers. The publisher, Rick French of Glenwood Springs, and the editor,

well-thought-out modern details: a loft bed, a

Nicolette Toussaint of Carbondale, wish to thank the local advertisers

half-sized refrigerator and eight-inch-deep stor-

who make the publication possible. A special shout-out goes to the

age compartments entered through trap doors

companies that have been cornerstone partners

in the floor. A large sliding-glass door opens onto

in every issue

since the first one published in December 2014:

a deck, giving the couple a place to romp with

Mason & Morse/Coldwell Banker, True Nature

Woody’s other resident, a friendly white mutt

Healing Arts, Bay Equity Home Loans, Janckila Construction, Cornerstone Home Lending, Murray Dental and Capco Tile.

While many talented individuals have contrib-

Happy First Birthday to Roaring Fork Lifestyle!

Joni and Brian Buzzarde

named Sheba.

Brian is currently freelancing architectural design services and the couple is formulating a business to build portable homes. For info, contact Brian at bdbuzarde@gmail.com.

uted to the magazine's stories, Roaring Fork Lifestyle particularly wants to thank its frequent writers: Caitlin Causey, Geneviève Joëlle Villamizar, Carolyn Watt Williams, Andrea Palm-Porter, Lynn Dwyer, Lynette DeNike, Bridget Grey and Paul Andersen. Thanks also go to multiple-issue photographers Renee Ramge, Elizabeth Shields, Tyler Stableford, Trina Haines, Ken Krehbiel, Caitlin Causey, Andrea Palm-Porter, Geneviève Joëlle Villamizar and Carolyn Watt Williams.

BALCOMB & GREEN LAW FIRM MERGER ANNOUNCED Balcomb & Green, P.C. has announced its merger with David Myler of the Myler Law Firm in November. Adding the Myler law firm’s office in Basalt to Balcomb & Green’s existing offices in Glenwood Springs and Aspen provides the firm’s clients with three convenient locations in the Valley.

SOLSTICE FEATURES SPIRAL DANCE & JAPANESE TALE Davi Nikent and the Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist congregation are again teaming up host a free winter solstice celebration at

Balcomb & Green’s merger with the Myler Law Firm follows its

Carbondale’s Third Street Center on Saturday, December 19. The

merger in 2014 with the civil litigation firm of Worrell, Durrett &

open-to-the-public celebration marks the longest night of the year

Gavrell, P.C. Since 1991, Worrell, Durrett & Gavrell, P.C. has specialized

and the return of the sun as the days begin to again lengthen.

in personal injury, estate litigation, business litigation, professional

This year’s celebration, the fifth annual solstice event, will feature

malpractice, contract disputes and divorce. The rebranded Worrell-

an outdoor bonfire, drumming and a spiral dance for more than 100

Durrett-Gavrell practice continues as a special litigation division with-

people. The indoor ritual will include an invocation to the four com-

in Balcomb & Green.

pass directions, caroling and music and the re-enactment of a re-

Founded in 1953, Balcomb & Green is among the oldest and largest

turn-of-the-sun myth from Japan. The myth of Amaterasu, which is

law firms on Colorado’s Western Slope. Details at BalcombGreen.com.

drawn from Shinto traditions, will be portrayed in dance and story in the Round Room at Third Street Center starting at 6:30 p.m. Cookies,

LOCAL DESIGNER'S TINY HOME FEATURED IN DWELL

cider and hot chocolate will be served following the celebration.

The November issue of Dwell magazine featured a spacious layout on a tiny house that recently trundled up the road from Basalt to Mar-

SUNLIGHT NAMES NEW MARKETING/SALES DIRECTOR

ble to a new home site recently purchased by Joni and Brian Buzarde.

In October, Sunlight Mountain Resort named Troy Hawks, former

Joni and Brian, a young designer, began building their 236-square-

communications manager at the National Ski Areas Association

14

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

(NSAA), as its new marketing and sales director. “We’re excited to

LOCAL TO JUDGE INTERNATIONAL SKI COMPETITIONS

have Troy on board and are confident that his solid work experience

Chris Ellis, who lives in Carbondale, has been selected as a U.S.

and network of friends in the industry will be a big benefit to our team

judge for the mogul and invert aerial skiing events at the Federation

effort of taking Sunlight to the next level,” says Tom Hays, Sunlight’s

of International Skiing world championships in Sierra Nevada, Spain

assistant general manager.

in 2017. That job also places Ellis into a small pool of candidates for

Hawks worked for two years at Colorado Ski Country USA (CS-

judges for the Olympic games the following year in South Korea. "I

CUSA) in the areas of marketing communications and managing

have accepted the nomination for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

the passport department that processes and distributes more than

and am excited about the ability to participate at this level in a sport

20,000 ski passes annually. Hawks moved to Colorado from Wiscon-

in which I have devoted so much of my life," says Ellis. "I will be re-

sin in 1992 and worked for 12 seasons as a children’s ski instructor at

quired to judge many events this coming winter and next in Europe,

Keystone Resort. He is a vice president of the North American Snow-

Asia, Russia and the United States."

sports Journalist Association and a member of the Ski Confederation of International Journalists.

Because of the demands of judging, Ellis will be stepping back from teaching solar installation for Colorado Mountain College. Ellis

Skiers and riders at Sunlight Mountain Resort will be greeted with

and his solar students have installed more than a quarter of a million

a number of nice improvements for the 2015-16 season. They include

dollars worth of solar systems on three libraries, assisted with the

expanded food and beverage concessions, a major renovation to the

CARE facility at the Spring Valley campus and helped install CMC's

Sunlight Lodge Bed & Breakfast, several on-mountain maintenance

solar installation at the Rifle campus.

projects and a new website set to launch soon. Sunlight is scheduled to open Dec. 11.

MARBLE DISTILLING RATES AS FINALIST IN NATIONAL COMPETITION In November, the nationwide Good Food Awards announced the 263 finalists for 2016. Marble Distilling Company (MDC) of Carbondale made the list with its Moonlight EXpresso, which was selected from 1,937 entries that represent the best from America’s growing movement of talented and socially responsible food beverage crafters.

Moonlight EXpresso is brewed from a family recipe perfected by distiller Connie Baker. Inspired by the Italian craftsmen who worked long hours in the Marble quarry near Carbondale, Moonlight EXpresso is a complex, dark-roasted coffee liqueur that blends the sweetness of vanilla bean and natural cane sugar. Marble Distilling Company is only distiller in the world to use the world-famous marble stone as a filtering agent.

To become finalists in the Good Food Awards, entries must receive top scores from 215 judges. They must also pass meet specific standards for environmentally-sound agriculture practices, good animal husbandry, transparency and responsible relationships throughout the supply chain.

Marble Distilling is the only Colorado company to be named a finalist in the spirits category. Final results will be announced on January 15 at the Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture in San Francisco.

SYMPHONY IN THE VALLEY PLAYS DEC. 12 & 13 Two Christmas concerts will be given by Symphony in the Valley (SITV) this month. On the evening of December 12, SITV musicians will gather onstage at the Ute Performing Arts Theatre in Rifle to present Christmas classics. The program will repeat at 4 p.m. on December 13 in the Glenwood Springs High School Theatre.

Symphony in the Valley has given local classical musicians opportunities to perform for hometown audiences for 21 years. Players are drawn from between Aspen and Glenwood Springs, and from Vail to Grand Valley. SITV plays four affordable annual concert series: in October and December, at a February dinner dance fundraiser called Symphony Swing, and in a Mothers’ Day performance that features the winner of the SITV concerto competition for young musicians. For more information, visit SITV.org.

December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

15

Local Limelight

Dance Initiative Residences Put Carbondale's Launchpad on the Map ARTICLE NICOLETTE TOUSSAINT | PHOTOGRAPHY RENEE RAMGE & DEBORAH COLLEY

Molissa Fenley and CoMotion; photo by Deborah Colley

W

ith a catch in her voice, Alya Howe acknowledged that a dancer’s life is often a struggle to survive. “As an artist, it’s rare to

be given studio and financial support to develop, share and present your work. My residency at the Launchpad gave me the opportunity to work with my craft, to meet and train dancers who were new to me and to share with them how I put together a choreographic work.”

Effusively thanking Dance Initiative Executive Director Peter Gilbert, she adds, “I am deeply grateful for this opportunity.”

Howe’s original work, Vacuum: a multi media performance, wrapped up an Artist-in-Residency program that hosted three choreographers in 2015. The residencies began March with dancer/choreographer Patrick Mueller, a faculty member at the Colorado Conservatory of Dance who worked with Carbondale’s contemporary dance company CoMotion to create a new work. Next, Dance Initiative welcomed choreographer Molissa Fenley, who has produced over 75 original

Cynthia Gottlob and Sean Ericson heated up Vacuum with an Argentine tango; photo

by Renee Ramge

works that have been performed at the Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, at the American Dance Festival and venues on every continent.

Howe, Dance Initiative’s third resident artist, has danced professionally with the critically-acclaimed Jose Limon Dance Company and has served as a faculty at the Laban/ Bartenieff Institute, both in New York City. Howe also co-curates poetry and storytelling events at salons at Justice Snows in Aspen.

By turns quirky, funny, pensive and melancholy, Howe’s Vacuum pre-

miered at the Launchpad in November. It included a solo by Glenwood

Springs native Emily Fifer and a tango duet between former Joffrey Ballet member Cynthia Gottlob and Sean Erickson, co-founder of Denver-based 16

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

Emily Fifer performs her solo during Vacuum; photo by Renee Ramge

Parasol Arts. Vacuum also featured a video by Emmy-Award-winning film-

maker Krysia Carter-Giez plus Meagan Londy Shapiro, Kirsten Frantzich and Deborah Colley as a vacuum cleaner choir.

Colley, who works for the Dance Initiative and is herself a dancer, says, “Having this space has enabled us to host people who would never have been here otherwise. It makes me look back at all the other places that I’ve worked as a dancer and see that I have more survived than thrived. The dance process is really pretty delicate. Working on dance here is different – it almost has a meditative quality. Artists have studios; writers like quiet places to create. Now I have a place like that for dance. From my personal perspective, that’s just incredible!”

Asked why he wanted to create the residencies, Gilbert explains, “A good part of my dream was that Carbondale could become a place

Alya Howe, creator of Vacuum; photo by Renee Ramge

where dance was created. With the Launchpad, we have a space that’s

conducive to having that happen. Without it, that never would happen.

This allows us to become a place where dance is created not just by locals, but also by nationally- and internationally-acclaimed dancers.”

In the fall of 2014, Dance Initiative partnered with the Carbondale Council for Arts and Humanities (CCAH) to retrofit Carbondale’s old Gordon Cooper Library, transforming it into a 1,150-square-foot, sunwashed home for the arts. Art galleries, an artisan gift boutique and two professional-grade dance studios – an expansive Open Studio and Studio C, a 680-square-foot, sound-proofed space outfitted with mirrors and barres – were built. Spring-loaded Harlequin dance floors, the same type of resilient floor used by New York’s Martha Graham dance company, were added under both studios. Support pillars were removed and multi-story silks were hung for aerial performers and circus classes.

Dance Initiative is planning another round of dance residencies in 2016. So far, they include Hewman, a collective of artists who fuse dance with other media, and Rashaun Mitchell + Sila Reiner; both groups are from New York. Mitchell and Riener, who worked together at the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, create performances that include installations, improvisational dances, proscenium pieces and immersion experiences.

Over the past year, the Launchpad has accommodated dance classes that range from contemporary to tango, jazz and hip hop, and it has hosted 36 different renters. “Now dancers have a professional

Molissa Fenley; photo by Deborah Colley Rehearsal on the silks; photo by Nicolette Toussaint

place to practice," says Colley. "They also get exposed to all kinds of things put together by CCAH.” CCAH’s Executive Director Amy Kimberly ticks off multiple ways that, over the past year, the Launchpad has provided space for arts of all stripes: The recent Dia de los Muertos celebration involved pup-

petry and an outdoor ritual around a fire pit. The facility hosts yoga classes and capoeira is in the works. Paonia’s Blue Sage Art Center used the space for its staff retreat. And in February, the Roaring Fork Follies will return to rehearse its annual burlesque show.

“One of the fun things about working here is all that’s happening,” says Kimberly. “I will come in the morning and there will be people dancing with vacuum cleaners. Or scantily dressed people practicing burlesque. Or aerial rehearsals on the silks. Something's always afoot!”

December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

17

The Staff: The team philosophy of flawless building site management and prudent business management is the foundation for the success of JCI. All highly committed to meeting client standards.

Ken’s Philosophy: The client and those involved in the project are everything. Clients warmly refer Ken to family and friends. The home-building experience goes beyond specifications and budget.

Janckila Construction, Inc. (JCI) was founded by Ken Janckila to build luxury homes, carefully customized for each client. Our clients have unique project goals, such as building a healthy home or protecting the environment by adhering to green building standards. Since 2003, Ken and his staff have been building relationships and building distinctive homes for discerning clients.

50 Sunset Drive, Ste 3 · Basalt, CO 81621

970.927.6714 · JanckilaConstruction.com

The Sports Shop is now the Shop We’ve changed our name because we’re going back to what made us unique—the largest year-round selection of swimwear on the Western Slope. We also carry accessories and top-name resort wear for all seasons, all year.

So whatever your winter plans are, the Shop will get you there in style.

Rediscover all the top brands and latest looks at the Shop, including unique holiday gift ideas. Gift cards available.

(970) 947-2940 • HotSpringsPool.com

18

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

20 Years Locally Owned!

Open 7 Days a Week

970-963-1700

HOme Y er DeLiv bLe A AvA i L

One Stop Shop For All Your Holiday Pet & Large Animal Needs!

r.J. PADDYWAckS Pet OutFitter

400 e. valley road # i/J • carbondale, cO 81623 • Next to city market - el Jebel

aspen glen club

THE ROARING FORK VALLEY’S PERFECT VENUE FOR MAGIC MOMENTS!

Celebrate the Holidays P lan Y our n ext e vent n ow

Aspen Glen Club, The Perfect

Place for your Company Party -

Eat, Drink and be Merry!

WE

Want you to

d irECtor

of

E njoy

E vEnts

thE fun , so lEt our

handlE thE dEtails for you .

Erin . amiChaux @ ourCluB . Com

Celebrate magical memories at | ASPEN GLEN CLUB 0545 B ald E aglE W ay , C arBondalE , C olorado 81623 | 970-704-1905 |

WWW .a spEn -g lEn . Com

Aspen Glen is a private club and requires a member sponsor for events. If you need assistance in finding a sponsor we will happily assist you!

December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

19

Your Neighbor Knight and Clyde race to American Championship in 2014 in Fairbanks Alaska.

Photo by Casey Thompson

T

his fall, Missouri Heights residents glimpsed a strange – and possibly worrisome – sight: a

black hound with a flapping tongue streaking by, towing a woman on a bicycle. This wasn’t just a bike-mounted dog walk getting out of hand. The woman’s hands weren’t even on the leash! That

spunky dog was actually tethered to the bike.

The dog was Pippa and the bicyclist was

Rebecca Knight. They were training for a November bikejoring competition, the International Federation of Sleddog Sports (IFSS) Dryland World Championships in Bristol, Canada, near Quebec. Knight and her dog Clyde brought home a bronze medal from that event.

Knight, who moved to Basalt in June, is an accomplished sled dog musher and a championship skijor racer. She has crossed Alaska by dog team on the famed Iditarod trail. She and her husband spent nine months as caretakers for a 50-mile-off-the-road remote lodge in the Alaskan wilderness. A team of 10 Alaskan huskies kept them company there all winter and allowed Rebecca to explore the area by dog power.

Dog sledding first fascinated her in high school after watching a documentary about Susan Butcher, a four-time winner of the Iditarod. In 1996, Knight traced Butcher’s tracks by taking her own team of eight Alaskan huskies along the 1,000-mile trail, making a 24-day winter camping trip out of it.

A volunteer for the committee that is working with the Snowmass-based Krabloonik dog sledding business, Knight notes, “These dogs, Alaskan huskies, have very strong hearts. They are a very resilient breed of canine that is genetically gifted to do what they do. They are built for distance travel in the far north. They can attain a super athlete level during the racing season. People sometimes think that dog mushing is bad for these dogs. I try to explain to them that these dogs love to run and pull!"

After Knight retired from running distance

sled dogs, she discovered skijoring, a sport that

Rebecca Knight,

has long been popular in Scandinavia. Canadians and Alaskans picked it up in the 1980s, and it soon spread to other snowy states. The sport requires only minimal equipment: Nordic ski

Dog Musher Extraordinaire

gear, a skijoring belt attached to an 11-foot tow-

ARTICLE BRIDGET GREY | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

dogs are not an American Kennel Club-rec-

line, a dog harness and the right dog.

Knight says that sled dogs are primarily and have historically been Alaskan huskies. These ognized breed, but a mix that has been developed over the past century by mixing Siberians,

20

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

Malamutes and other working breeds like pointers and greyhounds.

Many competitive skijorers use German Shorthaired Pointers and pointer mixes with bloodlines from Scandinavia.

Knight’s first skijoring dog was Gypsy, half Alaskan husky and half German short hair. Gypsy had been running for a musher in a six-dog sprint sled team. Because she had been squabbling with a female litter mate, she needed a new home, and Rebecca provided one. Gypsy loved skiing with Knight.

Clyde, Knight’s next dog, was a pointer-husky mix. “Those two together were unstoppable,” Knight enthuses. “They won just about every race in Alaska during the 2009/10 season and qualified for the

Rebecca Knight and Clyde at the IFSS 2013 Winter World Championships North Pole, Alaska. Photo by Tibby Kull Knight with some of her distance sled dogs in Alaska, circa 1998

IFSS winter world championship in Norway.”

Currently, Knight’s “Team Spunky Hounds” includes four dogs: Clyde; Ronin, a husky who is the team’s mascot; and Kate and Pippa, two Pointer sisters from Norway. Knight says she named them after Kate Middleton and her sister Pippa because they were born a month after Kate married Prince William.

Since moving here to be closer to family, Knight, her husband, and their pack have been happily settling in. Knight learned that Aspen is a “very dog friendly town” after taking her Alaskan-born husky Ronin to lunch at the Little Nell where the Alaskan-born pooch “unsurprisingly ordered a salmon, rice and scrambled egg dish off the doggie menu.”

Knight has begun racing with the Rocky Mountain Sled dog club. She has found ways to compensate for the Roaring Fork Valley’s famed banana-belt-of-the-Rockies temperatures while training. “It mostly means training very early in the morning,” she says. “Anything much more than 40 degrees can be too warm for the dogs.

When we race in Fairbanks, the temperatures can plummet to around 30 below at night and can range from zero to 20 below for our races.

The dogs wear lightweight but warm racing jackets and have no problem with the cold. For the skijorer, it's more of a challenge to keep extremities warm when racing up north. “ Why does she brave all that cold and snow? “It’s really the relationship with dogs and working as a team that’s rewarding,” she

Heading towards the finish of the three day Limited North American Championship Fairbanks 2015. Photo

by Casey Thompson

says. “It’s the trust that you build that allows you to work as a team. It just makes me very contented to see my dogs happily doing what they are born and bred to do.”

December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

21

Water & Woods

The Frosty Lures of Ice Fishing ARTICLE CRAIG THORNBURROW

I

ce fishing takes place throughout Canada, Scotland, Russia and Scandinavia, but you don't have to go to Norway to see it. Just look to your right as you're passing through Georgetown along I-70 in the winter, and you'll probably see folks frostily fishing. Harvey Gap Reservoir, near Rifle, Crawford Reservoir near Hotchkiss and Lake Granby are other popular ice fishing spots. Throughout Colorado, fisherman catch trout, kokanee salmon, mackinaw and northern pike from our frozen lakes.

Experienced ice fishermen say there's nothing like heading out onto the frozen lake at dawn with your gear and a warm thermos of coffee. Rick French, Roaring Fork Lifestyle's publisher, comments, "When I tell people I like to ice fish I get this strange look." French says that the person wondering why he wants to sit on cold ice all day isn’t taking into account the preparation that goes into staring into that little hole. "That preparation includes identifying the type of fish you seek, assembling the right equipment, dressing for the weather, taking the right anti-freeze and searching for the right spot to drill your hole in the ice," French says. "All that leads to the reward of enjoying the peacefulness of being the only person dumb enough to freeze his cookies off sitting on a big sheet of ice all day staring into that little hole ice waiting for that little fish to bite!"

The contrast between a peaceful camp-out on the ice and the thrill of catching a big fish makes ice fishing a sport of extremes.

There are many different ways to fish a frozen lake. Some anglers travel light, just setting up a folding chair, while others erect elaborate shelters, complete with heat and battery-generated electricity.

Some fishermen use tents; these have the advantage of folding into small packages that can be easily carried over the shoulder.

22

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

Fishing sleds are also popular. They not only help to transport fishing gear, bait and accessories, but also make it easy to quickly move to where the fish are biting.

There are three basic ice-fishing methods. The spear-fishing technique requires a fisherman to set up a decoy in a hole drilled through the ice. When a fish rises to the surface to check out the decoy, the fisherman must employ a great deal of skill to quickly spear the fish. Because fish normally rise to the surface only for a split second before disappearing into the murky depths, this takes patience and great reflexes.

The second type of ice fishing is the "tip-ups" method, where a fisherman sets up trot lines around a hole in the ice. The least handson type of ice fishing, this methods depends more on the desirability of one's bait than on skill as an angler. For this reason, many beginners choose to start out using the tip-ups method.

The third type of ice fishing is called "light fishing." This is a very effective technique using a short fishing rod and lure. Once a fish has gone for the lure, a fisherman pulls in the line by hand, rather than reeling it in as one would with regular fishing methods. Light fishing is more challenging than the tip-ups method.

It's also more exciting, as bringing in a fish by hand requires patience, strength and cunning.

Whichever type of ice fishing you try, remember to always put safety first and use the buddy system out on the ice. It's also important to be vigilant against weak spots in the ice, and it goes without saying, bundle up well to stay warm out on the lake.

Article source: EZineArticles.com

17776 Hwy 82 970-963-2371 Carbondale, CO 81623 alpinehospital.com

Give your horse the gift of health this Holiday season.

Have his/her teeth floated by Dr. Louise Marron, DVM. Louise has been focused on animal dental health for the last five years.

Free office visit with an in-hospital dental exam and molar correction, plus ten (10%) off the float through February Call us for an appointment – 970.963.2371 Let us keep your horse healthy all year.

Happy Holidays from Our Family to Yours

970.945.4010

1001 Grand Avenue, Suite 101 Glenwood Springs CO 81601

www.gotchacoveredofwesterncolorado.com

255 GOLD RI V ERS C OURT | SUI TE #130 | BA S A LT 970. 279. 5395 | BURNFI TNESSSTUD I O. C O M December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

23

Road Trip

12 Tips for Safe Winter Driving ARTICLE ANN MURRAY

O

ver the holidays, millions of families will head off on road trips even though their cars might not be in tip-top shape.

It’s especially important for Coloradoans to prepare for winter driv-

ing. Car trouble can leave you in danger of being hit by other cars

SEVEN TIPS FOR THE DRIVER

1. Check Out Conditions Online

or being marooned during snowy and freezing weather. Here are a

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) sponsors the

dozen tips – five for your vehicle, seven for you – that can help keep

COtrip.org website. It prepares you with webcams that show moun-

you and your loved ones safe this season.

tain passes, current weather and road conditions, road work, alerts and closures.

A HIGH-FIVE FOR YOUR VEHICLE

2. Be Patient

You want avoid getting stranded on a dark and lonely highway, but

When roads are bad, it takes longer to get there. Leave early. To

you also want to avoid being overcharged for preventative work your

maintain traction, drive slowly and avoid sudden lane changes and

car needs. The car repair experts at the online site RepairPal.com, a

braking. If you do skid, steer in the direction the car's rear end is mov-

nationwide network of certified, pre-screened repair shops that help

ing to recover traction before straightening out.

you find a fair price for quality work, offer five critical tips that can help

3. Get Low

you shape up your car.

When snow is blowing toward you, you're going to want to switch

1. Pick a Good Repair Shop

on your brights – and you will be blinded by light reflecting off the

Walking into the first shop you find on Google is like rolling

snow. Use the low beams.

the dice, so do your homework by searching for a shop with

4. Get Good Snow Tires

certified technicians.

By law, your tires must have at least 1/8 inch of tread. Also carry

2. Know the Magic Number

chains. At times, CDOT will bar your way if you don’t have one or

Research repair prices before visiting the shop and note any prices

the other.

much higher or lower than the average (which may signal low-quality

5. Carry an Emergency Kit

parts or potential over-billing).

Carry an ice scraper, flashlight, emergency food, a first-aid kit that

3. Do a Road Trip Check-Up

includes essential prescription medications, a blanket, cellphone and

Because unexpected breakdowns usually cost more than preven-

charger, wiper fluid and flares.

tative work, get your vehicle inspected at least one week before hit-

6. Bow to the Plow

ting the road.

When you see CDOT’s big orange snowplow trucks, avoid driving

4. Check Out that Warranty

alongside them. Because of the plow’s height and length, the driv-

A poor repair could force you to come back weeks later, so always

er may not be able to see you. Never pass on the right. You will be

choose a shop that offers an excellent warranty.

5. Don’t Trust All Reviews

caught in hard snow, ice and rock thrown up by the plow blade.

7. Drive Sober

While Yelp and Foursquare are great for finding restaurants, fake re-

More than 150 people are killed each year in alcohol-related crashes

views and uninformed customers make them unsuitable for auto shops.

– more than one-third of Colorado’s traffic fatalities. Driving under the

A free online resource called RepairPal independently certifies auto re-

influence of drugs is just as dangerous. In 2013, Colorado tallied 103 fa-

pair shops nationwide, provides data on the average cost of each repair

talities involving drugged drivers. Unfortunately, Highway 82 sees a lot

and offers trusted customer reviews.

of DUI driving around the holidays, so stay sober and drive defensively.

24

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

The Company That Cares Putting a roof over your head is the most important thing your home does.

Roof Inspections

Making sure your roof is sound and secure is incredibly important, yet many homeowners neglect their roofs.

Like everything in your home, it requires maintenance.

Can your roof withstand every storm? If you’re not sure, or you have an aging roof that’s been well weathered, have one of our inspectors come out and take a look. · · · ·

Residential & Commercial New roofs & re-roofs Roof repairs Snow & Ice removal

· · · ·

Inspections Gutters Metal siding Architectural sheet metal

Call 970-945-5366 today for more information.

Behind every great event planner, caterer, production or private party, there needs to be a great rental company, and “Bethel Party Rentals” is that company.

Complete Car Care and tire Headquarters... W e do it

$10 OFF

Any Automotive Service Including Oil Change $40-$140

$25 OFF

Any Automotive Service $150-$299

5396 County Rd 154, Unit #3 • Glenwood Springs, CO 81601

all !

970-947-9700 • www.bethelpartyrentals.com

✓ BRAKES ✓ MAINTENANCE ✓ TIRES ✓ REPAIRS $50 OFF

Any Automotive $300 & Up

Offer Good Through October 31, 2015

·

970-945-6666 www.jimautomotive.com 1304 Grand Avenue Glenwood Springs

Aspen Art Museum Art Crush December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

25

Home Matters

Vinyl Plank Flooring

STANDS UP

to Dirty Deeds LOOKS LIKE WOOD, WEARS LIKE IRON

Photo courtesy of Mohawk Flooring

ARTICLE BRIDGET GREY | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

“L

uxury vinyl plank flooring is really catching on here in the

a hot water leak ruined the floor in her living room. “With two boys,

Roaring Fork Valley,” says Jody Maloley, owner of Network In-

two dogs and friends in and out, I’d be hard-pressed to classify our

teriors Group. “It has a contemporary look, sleek and modern. The

home as anything but high traffic,” she writes. "I wanted something

planks can look like exactly like wood, but they wear like iron.”

that would hide boy dirt and dog hair, and I was impressed with the

That durability was a key reason why Glenwood Medical and the Roaring Fork Co-Op have chosen wood-look luxury vinyl plank floor-

colors, patterns and styles that Shaw had to offer.” She chose Northhampton Plank in Shelton Pecan.

ing for their newly-renovated spaces. “The Co-Op loved what Project

Network Interiors Group, which is based in New Castle and has

Manager Justin Glasenapp put together for them,” commented Malo-

opened a new showroom in Glenwood Springs, has provided luxury

ley. “Justin has worked in the flooring industry for 20 years, and he has

vinyl flooring for the new dental office that Janckila Construction is

had great success throughout the Valley with this product.”

building next door to Alpine Bank in Carbondale. “Justin put together

Luxury vinyl plank flooring, which came onto the market several years

a whole finish package for the dental offices,” says Maloley. “We're

ago and was a bit slow in getting here, is appearing in many high-end

known for flooring, but we also supply countertops, tile, doors, car-

local homes for good reasons: It offers durability that stands up to dirty

peting, blinds, fireplaces and cabinets – you name it! We have put

deeds from dogs and ski boots, resistance to snow-melt and other mois-

together a handsome package that’s going to serve this high-traffic

ture, easy clean-up and affordability. It's also simple to repair. Maloley

dental practice really well.”

notes that it’s actually possible to replace a damaged plank using a hair

Maloley looks for first-quality products that are overstocked and

dryer to cement it back into place. She points out, “It’s far more practical

passes the savings on to clients. “Our package deals always save the

to replace a single plank than it is to have to replace an entire floor.”

customer money,” she says. “The best savings are on our stock items.

The flooring comes in many styles; the planks can look like different varieties of wood, or tile, or even stone. It’s made by several

In our package deals, we bundle products so that we can pass great pricing on to our customers.”

companies – Network Interiors Group sources it from Mohawk and

Locals are invited to check out the Network Interiors Group’s new

Shaw, among other manufacturers – and it comes in a variety of sizes.

showroom at 3768 Highway 82. Maloley says there’s plenty to look at,

Blogger Alison Waken chose Shaw Floors luxury vinyl plank floor-

and promises, “You will enjoy the same great pricing you experienced

ing for her home in Arizona. She began looking for new flooring after 26

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

at the New Castle location.”

where nature meets adventure!

Amazing Cave Tours • Thrill Rides Scenic Tram • Mountain-top Dining Lighted Winter Rides 500,000 Twinkling Lights Giant Musical Tree

Glenwood Springs’

New Hot Spot

Enjoy 16 mineral pools and a large freshwater family pool along the Colorado River.

RElax. REStoRE. REjuvENatE.

NEW

YEAR Quality, Experience, Innovation, Convenience $200 discount for new treatments

NEW YOU!

Are you ready to diet differently?

Board Certified Orthodontist Treatment for children, teens, and adults Locations in Aspen, Basalt, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs or Avon

970-945-1185

HiltyOrtho.com

970-925-1292

You can change your life for 2016!

Get a head start on your new year resolution!

Start in December and save $75 OR reserve your spot for January and save $50.

Weight Management of the Rockies, an HMR® Program 410 20TH STREET GLENWOOD SPRINGS, COLORADO 81601

970-945-2324

WWW.WMROCKIES.HMRDIET.COM December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

27

S-K-I-I-N-G Spells Courage 28

Ski school kids. Photo courtesy of Sunlight Mountain.

L

ast winter, Joanne Clements

heard that Sunlight Mountain was looking for female ski instructors. “So,” she says, “I figured, why not?”

At the age of 82, this was a courageous move. With years of experience in both skiing and teaching under her belt, Clements felt it could be a great opportunity to continue using the skills she had honed over the course of her life.

Learning the Slopes with Joanne Clements ARTICLE CAITLIN CAUSEY PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

She got the job. Clements brought to it a can-do attitude, robust alpine skills, good humor – and not to mention 30 years of tutoring experience. “I started working with kids and adults,” she recalls. “Frequently I would be placed with someone who was really afraid. They would look at the mountain and say, ‘Oh it’s really steep, what do I do?’”

Applying the multi-sensory learning techniques she had picked up in her teaching career, Clements tailored her sessions to suit each ski student. “I might have a real beginner there with me, and I would make the instructions interactive,” she says. “You have to break it all down, teach one part at a time in a way they can learn. Once I had a woman who was particularly afraid of getting off the ski

It was during her time at the Reading Center that Clements became fascinated with multi-sensory learning. She was eager to apply new educational techniques to her work as a tutor. “The question I asked people was, ‘How do you learn best?” she remembers. “By listening to words and describing? By watching someone else and imitating? By doing it yourself? It was amazing to watch people learn something new. It brought a joy to my life, seeing someone achieve something they thought they couldn’t achieve.”

In the 1990s, when her children had grown up and Clements had spent over 30 years tutoring, she embarked on a new adventure – moving to Colorado. She now resides in New Castle.

On weekends and holidays last winter, Clements again had the chance to employ her specific learning techniques on the slopes at Sunlight Mountain.

Clements made sure that her youngest students received more than just tips on how to do “pizza and french fries” with their skis. “Oh I always did a spelling lesson with the kids,” she says, laughing. “It’s about engaging more than one part of their brains. I combine spelling with learning how to keep your skis together, how to turn, keep your weight downhill, all those things.”

She remembers one boy who was having an especially tough time.

Joanne Clements and a young student; photo by Mary Huffine

“He was in fourth grade. He got to the top of the mountain and simply said, ‘I’m not doing this.’ So I go over to him and we start walking down lift. But, I was able

the hill together. And of course I give him a spelling lesson. He spelled

to show her some

famous correctly, so we went on to other words ending in -ous including expeditious. Suddenly I realized: this kid is really bright! Here was a boy

pictures of the correct way—how to put your hands

for whom everything else had come very easy – but skiing was hard.”

forward and stay balanced, and so on.

Clements kept the boy company as they walked. Although she never

And it worked. I saw her the next day, and with a few little reminders,

saw him again after that day, his struggle left an impression on her. “I

she had it down pat. I’ve really learned to appreciate the minute little

really hope he went back and tried again. I wanted to say that yes, it

bits that our brains have to deal with in the bodies we live in.”

is hard. And yes, you may fall down. But that’s the hardest thing there

Growing up in Minnesota, where the slopes aren’t quite as steep,

is about skiing,” she says. “Once you get past that part, it is great fun!”

Her advice for the boy is as applicable on the slopes as it is in real

Clements learned to ski as a child in the late 1930s. She had no idea that her fun wintertime hobby would eventually become a lifelong

life: “Test your courage. Courage is a choice.”

passion. She even remembers the first pair of skis she ever bought

Armed with years of wisdom and experience, Clements is looking for-

with her own money. “In my first job, I saved up and got myself some:

ward to another beautiful Colorado ski season. If you visit Sunlight, you

straight hickory with steel edges. That was way back in the 50s. The

may just catch a glimpse of her with a new class of

resorts in Minnesota have only about a 300 foot drop,” she says with

students learning to ski and spell.

a chuckle. “And it was always so icy. Nothing like here in Colorado.”

As a young woman, Clements left Minnesota briefly to study sec-

Oh, and in case you were

wondering: Clements traded

ondary education at the College of Wooster in Ohio, but soon re-

in her old hickory sticks

turned to her home state to work, start a family – and ski. “When my

long ago. Nowadays

kids were little, I would take the bus once a week to our little local

she glides down

resort and go skiing,” she says. “It was something I did for myself.”

the

Over the years, the joy of the sport never left her; she spent winter af-

mountain

on a new pair

ter winter enjoying the cold, gentle hills of Minnesota. When not skiing

of

gleaming

or raising her three daughters, Clements cultivated another passion:

white Fischers.

tutoring. “After college, I thought I was headed for social work. But, I found tutoring so rewarding that I kept doing it,” she recalls. “I had the privilege of working as a private tutor at the Reading Center in Rochester, teaching kids and adults about words, spelling and reading. I also tested individuals for dyslexia there.”

December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

29

June races to the rescue; photo by Jay Dash Photography

Steve Rausch and June on the lookout. Photo

by Jay Dash Photography

Piper breaks through to buried avalanche victim

POWDER HOUNDS The Amazing Roaring Fork Valley Avalanche Rescue Dogs ARTICLE CAITLIN CAUSEY | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

F

irst chair – every skier dreams of snagging it. For a select group of furry four-legged locals, however, riding first chair is just another part of an honest day’s work.

The Roaring Fork Valley’s avalanche rescue dogs are true jewels sparkling on our snowy slopes. Every morning, they head up the lifts before the skiing public, ready for the call of duty. These specially-trained canines are whip smart, athletic and prepared to work in a variety of emergency situations. Plus, they’re pretty doggone adorable.

Most resorts throughout Colorado ski country have at least one onstaff avalanche (“avi”) rescue dog that is teamed up with a member of the ski patrol. Dan Berg, head of the Snowmass Ski Patrol avalanche dog program, works closely with his dog Piper, a fouryear-old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. Piper is one of

Dan Berg and Piper; photo by Nathan Garfield 30

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

several rescue dogs at Snowmass, including a batch of rookie pups that will begin training this winter.

The most welcome sight of your life, if you're ever caught in an avalanche.

Photo by Nathan Garfield

“The thing about avi dogs,” Berg says, “is that they are ready at any time, but we always hope there won’t be an instance when we’ll actually have to use them. I consider it sort of like an insurance program – we don’t want to need them, but they’re there if we ever do.”

Berg reports that a typical avi dog will train for three seasons before it is officially ready for duty. “With Piper, I started training at about 10 weeks old. Just getting her used to the mountain environment, really. Then we moved on to basic obedi-

norm,”

he

says.

“Plus

ence: sit, stay, come and other commands,” he says. “Basic search

you just don’t

skills usually come in the second season. That’s when a dog has to

see

search a 50-by-50-meter area where two live subjects are buried one

dogs out on the

meter deep. If the dog can pass that test, it can work.”

slopes – most come

The third season of an avi dog’s training is the most intensive, with

adopted

Steve Rausch with June and rescue team. Photo by Shannon Maguire

from special breeders.

exercises in the backcountry. “The third year, the dog needs to clear

June is in maybe one

a 100-by-100-meter area. It will have to find a live subject buried even

percent of avi dogs that

deeper, plus maybe just a sweater or a collection of articles and a

are not purebred. We had

beacon,” Berg says. “Often we’ll reward them with a game of tug o’

her DNA tested, and the results showed she is three quarters Blue

war when they complete a task.”

Heeler and one quarter Australian Shepherd. I didn’t know for sure

On a typical work day this season, Berg and Piper will be found practicing daily obedience and search drills to keep Piper's skills sharp.

Steve Rausch, an avalanche technician with the Aspen Mountain Ski Patrol, also owns a certified avalanche rescue dog. His threeyear-old Blue Heeler mix June quickly became a beloved presence on Ajax Mountain since joining the team two years ago.

“She’s still considered basic-level,” Rausch says. “But we will be getting into more advanced training this winter.”

if she would succeed as an avalanche dog when I adopted her, but I knew that her breed mix has the drive for this kind of work, so I wanted to try.”

Soon, little June was passing every test with flying colors.

“Initially I just needed her to get used to the environment: restaurants, people with gear, loud noises. She was amazing,” he says. In those first important months, June and Rausch worked closely with longtime Aspen Mountain Ski Patroller Patty Spilsbury, a local legend who was in-

June is a rescue dog two times over: a rescue in both her work and

strumental in forming the avalanche dog program in the 1970s and 80s.

in her background. “My family adopted June from Colorado Animal

“The next major hurdle was seeing if she could ride in a tobog-

Rescue in Glenwood back in October 2013,” Rausch remembers. “An

gan,” Rausch says, adding that this is a crucial component of any

opening for a new Aspen Mountain avi dog came up, and we had just

avi dog’s training. Toboggans are used to transport the dogs to

brought her home. So it was kind of like the stars aligning.”

avalanche sites as well as to the bottom of the mountains after

Rausch recalls that although he had faith in June, there was a bit

work, helping preserve their strength and physical condition. If she

of initial uncertainty as to whether she could master the work. “June

couldn’t tolerate the toboggan, there was no point in continuing to

started training as an adult, at about 1 1/2 years old, which is not the

train. But, Rausch remembers, “June was a natural.”

CONTINUED >

December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

31

POWDER HOUNDS (CON TI N U ED)

Piper searches an avalanche field.

A dog has to search a 50-by-50-meter area where two live subjects are buried one meter deep. If the dog can pass that test, it can work.

Not long after beginning at Ajax, June found herself accepted to the prestigious Wasatch Backcountry Rescue International Dog School, a program near Salt Lake City in Utah’s Unita-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Together, she and Rausch completed an intensive training that earned her a doggie diploma and certification in helicopter rescue. “This was a week-long course where we were really able to form a tight bond as a team,” Rausch says. “We worked many hours together, did night training and helicopter practice.” The pair is now also partnered with Flight For Life Colorado, and could be called upon to complete helicopter missions in backcountry areas near Aspen.

This season, June will join her buddy and fellow Aspen Mountain avi dog Zoot for a winter of duty on the slopes. Occasionally they might even venture with their human partners to the surrounding mountains to sharpen their skills.

“We have our own program going on here, and each mountain in this area might have different day-to-day activities for the dogs, but the testing is the same,” Rausch says. “There are a few dogs that work up at Highlands, at Snowmass and one at Buttermilk too – and we will swap territories and do drills to keep their training up.”

Although the hope is that the Roaring Fork Valley’s treasured avalanche rescue dogs will never need to use the skills they have honed, their presence on our ski mountains is an important one. “The bottom line is that the dogs are there on every mountain as an amazing resource for the general skiing public,” Rausch notes. “If there is an emergency, they are ready to go.”

And after work, when the day is done and the brightly colored vests come off? “The dogs go home with their owners,” says Berg. “Piper works with me during the day, but at night she comes home and is my pet dog.”

The same goes for Rausch and June. “At home, June is just our family friend – she’s so loving and relaxed. I like to joke that she really lets her hair down without her jacket,” Rausch says with a laugh.

To Piper, June and all the other Roaring Fork Valley avi dogs: We, the general skiing public, salute you. Enjoy first chair – you deserve it!

32

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

Cranio Facial Release: The art of ballooning the sinus cavity to create expansion within the cranial plates.

• The natural way to create more space in the sinus cavity • Promotes healthier tissue surface warding off sinus

infections and allergy effects • 22 bones in the skull working in unison with every breath you take • Due to concussions, impacts, accidents or prolonged stress due to clinching the jaw these bones do not function optimally Through CFR we mobilize these bones with a small medical balloon creating expansion over 5 sessions over 6 weeks to make you feel normal again.

Visit www.craniofacialrelease.com or www.winhealthinstitute.com for more information

www.winhealthinstitute.com

• 970-279-4099 •

Dr. DaviD Jensen

mention this aD anD get $100 off the first series of cfr

info@winhealthinstitute.com

Frame your Memories

Express your style with creative framing!

2114C Grand Avenue, Glenwood Springs (across from Starbucks)

INFO@FRAMINGEXPRESSIONS.COM • 970-230-9193 December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

33

Family Feature

Carbondale Couple O Chronicles the Camino de Santiago

n November 7, Ted Reed, a former Carbondale Chamber of Commerce president, returned

home after walking the 600-mile Camino de Santiago, a medieval pilgrimage route in Spain. Inspired by a 2010 Martin Sheen movie called “The Way,” Reed spread the ashes of his old friend Karen Anthony DeRiemer along the route, while also raising money to support her disabled son Christian, who suffers from a rare form of muscular dystrophy.

During his two-month walk, Reed blogged about

FORMER CHAMBER PRESIDENT TED REED COMPLETES 1000 KM MEDITATIVE HIKE ARTICLE BRIDGET GREY | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

his experiences. Most evenings, after hiking 12 to 14 miles, he sent iPhone messages to his wife Carla.

“Using an iPhone as a word processor and sender of pictures is far from ideal, at least for me!” Ted commented. “Can’t tell you how many times I deleted text or thought something was sent and it was not.” Even so, Carla published 23 posts from Ted on the website ChristianAndTed.org.

Beginning on September 6, Reed followed the “Camino Frances” through northern Spain, arriving in Santiago de Compostela, the city that marks the end of most pilgrimages, on October 23. Pilgrims who complete the 1000-kilometer trek receive a diploma called a “Compostela” at the Office of the Peregrinos in the Cathedral in Santiago. After waiting for more than an hour to receive his Compostela, Reed noted, “It was interesting…to observe the others in line with the entire range of emotions from quiet calmness, to enthusiastic joy to streams of tears.” The officials, on the other hand, were “very impersonal” and “more interested in talking to their fellow workers than with the pilgrims.”

Reed made many friends while walking the Camino, and in Santiago, he reconnected with Claudio, a friend from Argentina. Reed wrote, “We spent awhile catching up and then went into the Cathedral for the 7:30 mass… Just before the actual service, a very jolly nun did a ‘Sing Along With Mitch / Follow the Bouncing Ball’ instruction for everyone to learn the words that were later sung as refrains during the service.”

“During the actual service, when the Cathedral was filled with the voices of 999 people, it was so inspirational, even if you did not understand the words,” he wrote. (Reed said that he didn’t ruin the sound by singing himself.) The service ended with the swinging of an incense-filled thurible called the

Botafumiero that arcs to a height of 20 meters, held by a pulley that was installed in 1604. Reed found the Botafumiero ritual “thrilling” and the Cathedral “beautiful beyond words.”

Land's end at Muxia 34

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

After Santiago, Reed continued on to Muxia, a town bordering the Atlantic Ocean, reaching it on October 29. The town’s name means “end of the world,” and so it seemed before Columbus found the Americas.

Reed, a practicing Buddhist who traveled the ancient Christian path as a walking meditation and logged more than 700 miles counting sight-seeing side trips, reflected, “I have now walked into Spain from France and walked to the furthest western point of land.

There is a real sense of accomplishment, but I realize that every day is another day of my journey through life. Many say that your true Camino begins at the end of the walk and I believe that is true for me.”

At Muxia, he wrote, “I can’t tell you how meaningful and remarkable this trip has been for me. I am glad I did the blog as I will have it to refresh my memory on the details. The entire journey seems like a dream now that it is coming to a close... Travel for me has always Ted and Carla Reed

been an important part of my life and as much as I love other places and people, I am always reminded that, despite its problems, the Good Old United States is still a wonderful place to call home.”

Ted, who is 69, and who has grown a white beard during his long trek, says, “I have been told by several people along the way that I ‘Walk really fast for an old guy!’”

Carla, an artist who has published dozens of online photos and posts during Ted’s pilgrimage, writes, “As Ted’s return approaches, I am amazed at how quickly the time has passed!

Ted has accomplished his goal and has had a truly amazing and meaningful once-in-alifetime adventure. I am so happy for him and can’t wait to hear all the stories. Although my time back in Carbondale was not quite as exciting, I enjoyed myself immensely, working in my studio, seeing friends and family and just being on my own for awhile. Now I am ready to have Ted back home again, beard and all!”

December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

35

Interiors

NETWORK

WE SELL Hardwood | Tile | Doors Carpet | Fireplaces | Cabinets LVT/LVP | Stone | Blinds Countertops : Granite and Quartz

Mention this ad for

5% off through December 31st

(970) 984-9100 | 3768 Hwy 82 Suite 101, Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81601

RECENTLY SOLD PROPERTIES OVER $500,000 NEIGHBORHOOD

ORIGINAL LIST

BASALT

Willits Ruedi Shores Shadowrock Shadowrock Triangle Park Aspen Junction Aspen Junction River Meadows Holland Hills Elk Run Elk Run

CARBONDALE

Shadowrock River Valley Ranch River Valley Ranch Carbondale Carbondale River Valley Ranch Aspen Glen River Valley Ranch Aspen Glen Harmony Aspen Glen Carbondale

GLENWOOD SPRINGS

Vista Heights Cottonwood Land Ironbridge Glenwood Red Mountain Ironbridge Springridge Reserve Teller Springs Westbank Mesa Springridge Reserve

SOLD PRICE

%SOLD/ ORIGINAL

DOM

BEDS

FULL BTH

HALF BTH

3/4 BTH

$565,000 $595,000 $620,000 $622,500 $695,000 $785,000 $766,500 $925,000 $850,000 $883,000 $1,365,000

$535,000 $570,000 $605,000 $622,500 $639,000 $755,000 $757,000 $837,500 $850,000 $863,000 $1,250,000

95% 96% 98% 100% 92% 96% 99% 91% 100% 98% 92%

206 63 98 404 267 72 231 159 54 92 102

3 3 4 3 2 3 3 4 7 5 4

3 3 4 2 2 3 2 2 4 3 3

0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 1 2 1

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

$310.26 $310.76 $279.36 $357.68 $296.47 $289.51 $271.04 $199.34 $235.96 $223.32 $197.43

$617,500 $675,000 $725,000 $875,000 $879,000 $945,000 $1,295,000 $1,442,700 $1,495,000 $1,925,000 $1,499,000 $2,250,000

$617,500 $670,000 $725,000 $782,500 $785,000 $886,500 $900,000 $1,200,000 $1,300,000 $1,330,000 $1,350,000 $1,850,000

100% 99% 100% 89% 89% 94% 69% 83% 87% 69% 90% 82%

423 51 63 33 167 156 287 176 165 492 152 162

3 4 3 3 4 4 4 4 3 5 4 16

2 3 4 2 4 3 4 3 3 5 4 8

1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0

0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

$240.88 $268.85 $313.20 $240.11 $183.73 $232.69 $160.89 $259.90 $312.01 $239.29 $307.41 $362.76

$530,000 $525,000 $525,000 $599,000 $589,000 $749,000 $695,000 $995,000 $830,000 $789,000

$500,000 $504,900 $525,000 $550,000 $589,000 $667,000 $680,000 $750,000 $760,000 $780,000

94% 96% 100% 92% 100% 89% 98% 75% 92% 99%

131 83 145 91 40 205 53 333 255 60

4 3 3 3 5 4 3 5 3 3

1 3 3 2 2 3 2 4 3 2

0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0

1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1

$211.80 $257.17 $283.90 $328.47 $208.33 $203.65 $162.44 $401.69 $166.36 $357.47

(This data is a sampling of sold properties from 9/1/15 to 9/30/15, Source: Aspen Glenwood MLS)

Voted 2015 Glenwood Springs Realtor of the Year!

I can take the stress out of buying or selling your home. My goal is To EXCEED the expectations of every client I come in contact with. Real estate sales are trending upwards. Interest rates are still low, so the time to buy is now.

Contact me if you are looking for a hardworking, heavily involved, top producing agent. I can get the job done.

Becky Ciani - Broker Associate

970.309.1027 cell or becky@masonmorse.com

thesource

0290 Hwy 133, Carbondale | www.masonmorse.com

SOLD PRICE/ SQ. FT

RIVERSIDE MEADOWS Stunning mountain contemporary home with Frying Pan River Frontage located on Riverside Drive. This five bedroom, four and one-half bath custom home features an open floor plan with vaulted ceilings, a gourmet kitchen perfect for entertaining, fenced backyard with an inviting walkway down to the river. This is the perfect place to escape and enjoy the finer things in life. $2,750,000 MLS#: 141166

CHRISTY CLETTENBERG

970.920.7398 christyc@masonmorse.com

CERISE RANCH Enjoy the beauty of this five-bed, four and one-half bath custom home sitting on 4.14 acres in the prestigious Cerise Ranch community. This home has a very functional floor plan with a main level master and gourmet kitchen. Included 28’ x 28’ detached garage with two 10’ doors, 12’ walls and 18’ ceilings. Cerise Ranch offers a private lake, walking paths, a swimming pool and a workout room. $1,175,000 MLS#: 141355

BECKY CIANI

970.704.3235 becky@masonmorse.com

ELK SPRINGS

CRYSTAL VALLEY

Sweet scents of Pinion and Juniper greet your day taking in spectacular views of Mt. Sopris. Custom built five-bed, three and one-half bath home with exquisite finishes and obvious attention to detail. Deer, elk, turkey and more play on patios. Perfect for the family or entertainer. Miles of hiking/ biking trails out the front door. Priced Reduced - $960,000 MLS: 137603

Located in one of the most scenic areas of Western Colorado. Adjacent to Forest Service and just steps from the Crystal River. Easy living ranch style home. Oversized garage. Almost two acres. No covenants!

Breathtaking views. $600,000 MLS: 141500

RYAN JENNINGS

NANCY EMERSON

970.704.3202 | ryanjennings@masonmorse.com

970.704.3220 | nemerson@masonmorse.com

REDSTONE

CARBONDALE

Surrounded by blue spruce and ponderosa, this log home is highlighted by large open living spaces and floor to ceiling south facing windows. Three-bed, two and one-half bath, office/ library, workshop/studio and an additional building lot included. $795,000 MLS: 141131

A special home with room for everyone and everything. Four-bed, two and three-quarters bath, functional floor plan with over 2,600 sq. ft. of comfortable living space. Fenced corner lot with mature trees make this a highly desirable property. $665,000 MLS: 141391

JEFF BIER 970.963.1061 | jeffbier@masonmorse.com CHRIS LAWRENCE 970.963.1061 | chrislawrence@masonmorse.com

970.704.3229 | bblanton@masonmorse.com

BILL BLANTON

HAT CREEK Best development opportunity in the mid valley. Build your dream home on 2-5 acre lot with amazing views of mountains and valley. Fantastic location across from Willits. Borders BLM, trails out the back door. Includes architectural designs.

Lot 1 - $385,000 - 2.96 acres | MLS 136038 Lot 2 - $285,000 - 2.14 acres | MLS 136039 Lot 1 & 2 - $595,000 | MLS 136037

TAMI WORD

970.920.7383 | tword@masonmorse.com

BASALT - 970.927.3000 | CARBONDALE - 970.963.3300 REDSTONE - 970.963.1061 | IRONBRIDGE - 970.384.5021 GLENWOOD SPRINGS - 970.928.9000

the source for real estate in the roaring fork valley

Artist’s Palette "Seeds" - piece about potential in our lives

Shannon Muse & the P lay of Light ARTICLE GENEVIÈVE JOËLLE VILLAMIZAR PHOTOGRAPHY SHANNON MUSE

P

aradise Art Glass, the studio of glass artist Shannon Muse, sits in one of Carbondale’s old neighborhoods under cathedral-like

canopies of 100-year-old elms. To the south, Muse's “Pillars of Light” grace the town library. To the north, her seven chakra pieces glow from within the gardens of True Nature Healing Arts. How must it feel to live and work between two such landmarks?

Visiting Muse's studio is an experience. Her works-in-progress speak of gypsies, of industry, of roots in the land. One feels whimsy, magic, genius. The bone yard of materials stacked and stored include steel parts, found objects and salvaged bits that fuel creative impulse.

Her medium stretches beyond glass; perhaps it’s light.

Drawn to archetypes, to the feminine and to spirit, Muse leads the visitor from piece to piece, gleefully unveiling what she has learned in fabricating each one.

Via her artistic evolution, Muse continues to delve into the mystical human experience. Not satisfied to simply create, she shares her knowledge and invests in others. Leo Johnson has been learning from Muse for several years, and he is instrumental in creating many Paradise Art Glass pieces.

Throughout the studio one finds the play of light. It sparkles from Muse and radiates from her body language as she’s barely able to contain her enthusiasm. It shines in her eyes, in her grin. To see an artist that unabashedly excited about her own work is a joy.

After a scintillating studio tour, Roaring Fork Lifestyle coaxed Muse to alight and answer some questions about her work.

40

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

(To the Left) Chakras installed at True Nature Healing Arts

Artist Shannon Muse in her studio's garden WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO OUR VALLEY?

I was born here and have several generations of ancestors who were farmers and ranchers.

DESCRIBE YOUR ART.

Here at Paradise Art Glass, my assistant, Leo Johnson and I, use glass and steel to create sculpture and art glass panels for private homes, sacred spaces and public places.

WHAT INSPIRES YOUR ART?

Nature, color and imbibing a place with atmosphere are important. I often have a desire to express universal ideas such as beauty, communion and expansion.

WHAT IS THE CONCEPT BEHIND IT?

Light and the experience of an art piece that is alive with the interaction of time and place.

WHAT PIECE ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF AND WHY?

My most recent piece, “Seeds,� is a culmination of a long-term dream. It represents the story of potential and how it becomes real in our lives.

WHERE CAN PEOPLE VIEW YOUR ART?

My work can be found at the Toklat Gallery in Basalt, at the Carbondale Branch Library, in the lobby of the Forest Service headquarters in Glenwood Springs, at the Valley View Hospital Cancer Center Chapel (seven panels), at St. Mary of the Crown Catholic Church in Carbondale, at St. Mary's Parrish Catholic Church in Rifle, at True Nature Healing Arts in Carbondale and at the Launchpad in Carbondale (glass and steel sculpture on the south side of the building). It can also be seen in my Carbondale studio by appointment: 970.319.1939.

December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

41

Driver’s Notebook

STREET LINES:

2016 GMC Yukon XL Denali-4WD WITH THIS LUXURIOUS SUV, YOU GO BIG OR GO HOME! ARTICLE DENNIS MALCOLM BYRON PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF GMC

W

hether it’s transporting a big family, having a load of ski gear

And the driving experience? Phenomenal. A smooth-running 6.2L

to haul, a fondness to travel in luxurious roominess, the thrill of

V8 Ecotech eight-speed automatic engine brings on the power. It's

turning heads on the road or all of the above, the 2016 GMC Yukon XL

enhanced with an applauded magnetic ride control that delivers a

Denali is a sound choice to answer your desires.

smooth ride regardless of road conditions. Automatic rear load-lev-

Our Denali trim review model was dressed in a striking “Midnight Amethyst Metallic” purple-shade exterior embellished with 22-inch

eling suspension rids the vehicle of the hassle of a dragging bumper when something heavy is hitched.

aluminum wheels with painted insert. HID projector headlamps, pow-

The vehicle merits above-par safety rankings due to numerous air-

er-retractable running boards and a hands-free power lift gate add to

bags (including head curtain and side impact throughout the cabin),

the package, and the latter two deliver quite a show when activated.

a forward collision alert, side blind-zone notifications and a rear-vi-

Inside, the amenities considered standard by GMC’s measures truly pamper passengers. In addition to the plush leather, the

sion camera that gives the driver even more confidence when operating this well-appointed vessel on the road.

tech-savvy will truly appreciate the OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot

When adding the highly suggested Denali Premium Pack-

(three-month trial), Bluetooth connectivity and an Intellilink sys-

age boasting the aforementioned running boards and 22-inch

tem with an eight-inch diagonal touchscreen that includes navi-

wheels; rear seat entertainment system; head-up display, and

gation. A 110-volt AC power outlet and a universal home remote

more ($7,760), this vehicle certainly solidifies its prestigious

provide quite the blissful interior in the roomy, three-row cabin.

standing in the world of large SUVs.

42

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

THE BASICS:

• MSRP: $69,470/$77,925 with Denali Premium Package, $500 Open Road Package Discount and Destination Charge • MPG: 14 city/20 highway, 16 combined For more information, visit GMC.com and Onstar.com CARGO-MANAGEMENT OPTIONS:

• Hitch-Mounted Bicycle Carrier (2 Bikes) - $269 • Hitch-Mounted Bicycle Carrier (4 Bikes) - $299 • Hitch-Mounted Ski Carrier - $249 • Hitch-Mounted Stowage Compartment - $575 • Roof-Mounted Bicycle Carrier - Wheel Mount - $199 • Roof-Mounted Kayak Carrier (Set-to-Go Kayak Saddles) - $179 • Roof-Mounted Kayak Carrier (Folding J) - $189 • Roof-Mounted Ski Carrier - $214 • Roof-Mounted Stand-Up Paddle Board Carrier - $160 • Roof-Mounted Luggage Carrier (Ascent 1700) - $499 • Roof-Mounted Luggage Carrier (Black) - $449

351 Robinson Street, Willits Town Center #1014, Basalt, CO Effective diagnosis leads to the best treatment.

(Conveniently located near Whole Foods in the Willits Town Center)

ADVANCED IMAGING FOR ANIMALS By generating over 300 images in just 18 seconds the new Cone Beam Computed Tomography Scanner will give you and your veterinarian powerful information regarding a variety of conditions which may be affecting your pet.

Ask your veterinarian if your pet can benefit from the Advanced Computed Tomography technology now available from Willits Veterinary Hospital.

By referral only, have your veterinarian call today!

(970) 510-5436 I WILLITSVET.COM December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

43

Lifestyle Calendar

December DEC. 1 & 3

DECEMBER 4

CLUTTERFREE REVOLUTION BOOK TALK

LIGHT UP CARBONDALE!

BASALT AND GLENWOOD

CARBONDALE

Enjoy an evening with professional organizer

First Friday kicks off with a visit from Santa from 3 to 7 p.m. at the

and bestselling author Evan Michael Zislis. Auto-

Launchpad. Main Street's tree lighting starts at 5 and will followed by

graphed copies of ClutterFree Revolution: Simplify

a bonfire and hot chocolate. SoL Theater’s Muppets will sing and the

Your Stuff, Organize Your Life & Save the World will

Carbondale Council for Arts and Humanities will hold its Deck The

be available. Held Dec. 1 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the

Walls show open for shoppers. For info, visit CarbondaleArts.com.

Basalt Library and Dec. 3 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Glenwood Springs Library. Free.

TUESDAYS

DECEMBER 4 VALLEY VISUAL ART SHOW DEADLINE LAUNCHPAD, CARBONDALE

WINTER HOLIDAY ART PROJECT

The Carbondale Council for Arts and Humanities seeks artists for the

WYLY ART CENTER

36th annual show. It's open to artists working in all media who are

Register kids 6 to 12 for the Wyly Art Center's Winter Holiday Art Proj-

CCAH members and reside in an 816xx zip code. Work must be origi-

ect. Artist Pam Porter helps families create handmade greeting cards,

nal, created in the last 12 months and not previously shown at CCAH.

wrapping paper, festive stockings, ornaments and gifts. Drop off and

Carbondalearts.com

open studio from 3:30 to 4 p.m. Tuition is $68. See WlyArts.org, call 970.927.4123 or email art@wylyarts.org.

DECEMBER 4 & 5

DECEMBER 4 HOLIDAY ORNAMENT DECORATING WORKSHOP THE WYLY ART CENTER

WILD AND SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL

The Wyly Art Center presents Just Add Glitter: Holiday Ornament Dec-

CRYSTAL THEATRE

orating from 4 to 7 p.m. Children design their own holiday ornaments

Features conservation and adventure films that illustrate the earth’s

with wonderful Wyly art supplies while they wait for Santa and the

beauty, the challenges facing our planet and the work communities

Basalt Tree Lighting in Lions Park. Free. For details, see WylyArts.org,

worldwide are doing to protect areas they cherish. The Festival hopes to

call 970.927.4123 or email art@wylyarts.org.

inspire permanent protection for public lands in the Thompson Divide.

December 4 and 5 at 7 p.m. See SaveThompsonDivide.org for details.

DECEMBER 4 BOTANICUS MYSTERIA EXHIBITION THE WYLY ART CENTER The Wyly Annex hosts Botanicus Mysteria, featuring nationally-exhibited Basalt resident and artist Kris Cox. Opening reception is from 5 to 7

DECEMBER 4, 5 & 6

p.m. Exhibition runs through January 2. Kris will present

HOLIDAY ART MART

new

THE WYLY ART CENTER

tographic prints. Hours are

The Wyly Art Center presents its Holiday Art Mart from 4 to 7 p.m. on

Tuesday

December 4th, and again from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on December 5th and

noon to 6 p.m. For details, see

6th. This beloved shopping event will feature an array of handmade

WylyArts.org, call 970. 927.4123

gifts created by local artists. For more info, visit WylyArts.org. Con-

or email art@wylyarts.org.

tact 970.927.4123 or art@wylyarts.org.

44

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

archival-quality, through

pho-

Saturday,

CONTINUED >

raining

by Steve Wells

THE VALLEY’S LEADER IN PERSONAL TRAINING

HOW CAN WE HELP? • FINALLY REACH YOUR FITNESS GOALS • LOOK AND FEEL G REAT • LEARN TO EXERCISE SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY • RELIEVE JOINT AND MUSCLE PAIN

TALK TO A TRAINER TODAY.

midland-fitness.com • 970.945.4440

Tom Roach Hardwood Floors A Reputation You Can Stand On Quality Products | Professional Installation

We do it all, so you don’t have to!

Do you know if your floor needs a new coat of finish?

Don’t wait till it’s too late! Free comprehensive floor assessment through November when you mention this magazine!

SPECIALIZING IN USED SNOWMOBILES • 4-WHEELERS & ATV’S REPAIRS • PARTS, ACCESSORIES & CONSIGNMENT SALES • GROOMING EQUIPMENT • CUSTOM WELDING & FABRICATION • CUSTOM SKI & SNOWBOARD RACKS, ETC.

Save $25.00 off winterization when mentioning this ad!

Free Gift: Bona Floor Cleaning Kit with any new floor or sand and finish in the Months of November and December!

Complete Dust-less Refinishing & New Installations Hardwoods, Engineered Wood, Laminates

601 COWEN DRIVE CARBONDALE, COLORADO 81623 970) 963-9195 | SPRINGCREEKLANDANDWATERSCAPES.COM

Owner operated and serving the Roaring Fork Valley since 1993

tomroachfloors.com | 970-379-4959 December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

45

Lifestyle Calendar

(CON TI N U ED)

DECEMBER 7, 14, 21 & 28

DECEMBER 10 - 20

FIGURE DRAWING CLASS

BAKERSFIELD MIST

THIRD STREET CENTER

THUNDER RIVER THEATRE COMPANY

Non-taught, live-model figure drawing sessions meet in the Third

Inspired by true events, this hilarious new comedy-drama by Ste-

Street Center gym every Monday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Facilitated by

phen Sacks asks vital questions about what makes art and people

artist Philip Hone Williams. Monthly subscription $10 per session for

truly authentic. Directed by Thunder River Theatre Company's As-

four three-hour sessions. Drop-in fee is $15. Email HoneWilliams@

sociate Artistic Director Corey Simpson, the production features

gmail.com or stacid72@sopris.net to sign up.

Trary Maddelone and Mike Monroney. Grand opening is Decem-

DECEMBER 7-11 WEEK OF WATERCOLOR

ber 10. Shows held December 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19 and 20. Details at ThunderRiverTheatre.com.

WYLY ART CENTER

DECEMBER 15

Artists of all skill levels are invited to join Sarah Peterson to paint from

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE

9:30 am until 3:30 p.m. Tuition is $390, and Wyly members receive 10

ANDERSON RANCH

percent off. Learn the popular wet-on-wet watercolor technique from

Join Anderson Ranch for a magical evening. Artists-in-Residence and

the best! For details, see WylyArts.org, call 970.927.4123 or email

staff offer artwork for sale from the studios. Starting at 4:30 p.m., chil-

art@wylyarts.org.

dren can enjoy art activities, s'mores and a bonfire. Free and open to

DECEMBER 9 CASA AT THE GRIND

the public. A holiday dinner takes place at 7 p.m. in the Ranch Café for a cost of $20. For dinner tickets, call 970.923.3181.

THE GRIND

DECEMBER 19

Enjoy food, drinks, music and a silent auction from 5 to 8 p.m. at

SOLISTICE CELEBRATION AND BONFIRE

the GRIND. Join Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for its

THIRD STREET CENTER

second annual event, featuring music by the Defiance String Band.

Join Davi Nikent and the Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist congrega-

CASA volunteers advocate for the best interests of foster children

tion for an outdoor bonfire, drumming and a community spiral dance.

in court; a volunteer training begins January 8th. 970.987.4332 or

An indoor ritual will include an invocation to the four compass direc-

CasaOfTheNinth.org

tions, caroling and music, and enactment of a return-of-the-sun myth

DECEMBER 10

from Japan. In Third Street Center's Round Room starting at 6:30 p.m.

Cookies, cider and hot chocolate. Free.

EIGHT VERSES OF MIND TRAINING & RETREAT CARBONDALE COMMUNITY SCHOOL Honored teacher Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi, a student of the Dalai Lama, will visit Carbondale for a retreat, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., to teach practices that allow inner reflection to deepen wisdom and transform. Suggested donation $65. For details see Wocdc.org.

DECEMBER 21-24 SANTA’S MAGICAL VILLAGE SNOWMASS VILLAGE The North Pole comes to the Snowmass Village as Santa’s Magical Village opens to hear the last-minute requests of good girls and boys.

Complimentary photos with Santa are offered December 21-24 from 2 to 4 p.m. On December 23 and 24, Christmas Carolers stroll through the Mall and Base Village.

46

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

Your help matters.

Mountain Family Health Centers has served 15,000 patients at clinics in Edwards, Glenwood Springs, Basalt and Rifle, Colorado by providing high quality integrated primary, behavioral, and dental health care regardless of the patient’s ability to pay.

By donating to our Care Access Pool you’ll assist uninsured patients pay for specialty care, durable medical equipment and food. Funds are available to patients at each of our locations.

Donate and help local patients today.

Visit us online to learn more and to donate: www.mountainfamily.org

The NooNe Law Firm reaL esTaTe The Tamarack Building 1001 Grand Av. Glenwood springs, Colorado 81601

•

waTer righTs

www.noonelaw.com Since 1982

•

BusiNess 970 945-4500 Fax 970 945-5570 rnoone@noonelaw.com

DiD you know?

Connect with

Lifestyle Publication

AND READ FEATURE ARTICLES,

Your favorite

is on facebook!

us today

VIEW SPECIAL OFFERS,

ENTER CONTESTS AND MORE!

facebook.com/ RoaringForkLifestyle December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

47

business directory ANIMALS & ANIMAL CARE

Alpine Animal Hospital (970) 963-2371 alpinehospital.com High Tails Dog and Cat Outfitters, LLC (970) 947-0014 hightailsco-op.com R.J. Paddywacks (970) 963-1700 rjpaddywacks.com Willits Veterinary Hospital (970) 510-5436 willitsvet.com

AUTOMOTIVE

FINANCIAL SERVICES & PLANNING

HOME DESIGN & FURNISHINGS

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Gotcha Covered Roaring Fork (970) 945-4010 Gotchacovered.com

Bay Equity Home Loans (970) 309-2911 bayequityhomeloans.com/ glenwood-springs Burn Fitness Studio (970) 379-7403 burnfitnessstudio.com

Hot Springs Pool & Spa (970) 945-6571 hotspringspool.com Midland Fitness (970) 945-4440 midland-fitness.com

Audi Glenwood Springs (970) 945-5200 audiglenwoodsprings.com

True Nature Healing Arts (970) 963-9900 truenatureheals.com

Berthod Motors GMC - Buick (970) 945-7466 BerthodGMC.com

Weight Management of the Rockies (970) 945-2324 wmrockies.hmrdiet.com

Jim’s Automotive Service (970) 945-6666 jimautomotive.com

DENTISTS & ORTHODONTICS

HOME BUILDERS & REMODELERS 3 G Construction (970) 984-7046

Jack B. Hilty (970) 945-1185 hiltyortho.com

Ace Roofing & Sheetmetal (970) 945-5366 aceroof.co

Murray Dental Group (970) 945-5112 murraydg.com

B & H General Contractors (970) 945-0102 bandhgeneralcontractors.com

FASHION & ACCESSORIES

Burkholder Homes, Inc (970) 948-7044 burkholderhomesinc.com

Bellini’s Fashion (970) 945-9448 bellinisfashionandbeauty.com

48

Janckila Construction (970) 927-6714 janckilaconstruction.com

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

Down Valley Design Center (970) 625-1589

HOME SERVICES

Tom Roach Hardwood Floors (970) 274-0944 tomroachfloors.com

LEGAL SERVICES Balcomb & Green P.C. (970) 945-6546 balcombgreen.com

The Noone Law Firm PC (970) 945-4500 noonelaw.com

MEDICAL CLINICS & FACILITIES Rocky Mountain Family Health Center (970) 945-2840 mountainfamily.org Win Health Institute (970) 279-4099 winhealthinstitute.com

OTHER

Alpine Aviation (970) 790-8997 alpinehelitours.com Aspen Glen Club (970) 704-1905 aspen-glen.com Iron Mountain Hot Springs (970) 945-4766 ironmountainhotsprings.com

JBC Agricultural Management (970) 319-8962 crystalrivergrassfedmeats.com Network Interiors (970) 984-9100 Spring Creek Land & Waterscapes (970) 963-9195 springcreeklandandwaterscapes.com The Glass Guru (970) 456-6832 theglassguruofglenwoodsprings.com The Hotel Denver (970) 945-6565 thehoteldenver.com

PROPERTY & REAL ESTATE

Coldwell Banker Mason Morse Real Estate (970) 963-3300 masonmorse.com Re/Max Mountain West (970) 963-1940 coloradohomesranches.com The Property Shop (970) 947-9300 propertyshopinc.com

SPECIALTY SHOPS Bethel Party Rentals (970) 947-9700 bethelpartyrentals.com

Framing Expressions (970) 230-9193 framingexpressions.com

Dog Training goes way beyond “sit” “stay” and “come”!

(But you DO have to start with the basics) High Tails makes it easy to accommodate your busy schedule and still achieve your dog training objectives. You sign up for Manners 1 or Manners 2, each class is offered in 30 minute sessions every Sunday - you attend whichever one works for you that week. Need to miss a week? No problem! You pay for 5 sessions and you have 90 days to complete them. Classes are one-on-one with the trainer.

Daycare/training packages and private sessions are also available.

970-947-0014

Here, Bridget is learning to

hightailsco-op.com • hightails@sopris.net 50633 Highway 6 Glenwood Springs 81601

be helpful in the laundry.

from all of us at Down Valley Design Center, home of Colorado Kitchens, Ltd.

We do more than kitchens and baths.

Make your dream closet come true with us!

Family Owned and Serving the Roaring Fork Valley Since 1983.

970-625-1589

|

2136 Airport Road, Rifle, CO

|

DownValleyDesign.com |

Free Estimates!

December 2015 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

49

Parting Thoughts

Mom on Patrol WORDS NICOLETTE TOUSSAINT

W

hen my brother Gene and I were moving our mom into assisted

toboggan, or on one of the new, lightweight aluminum akia sleds that

care a few years ago, I came across her National Ski Patrol jacket.

Myra handled so confidently.

Myra Toussaint (Slusser) Devine fought her way onto the

It was because of Myra that I learned to ski before I could walk

all-volunteer – and nearly all-male – National Ski Patrol in 1959.

– or at least before I could walk well. I was extremely pigeon-toed,

It was quite a battle. Myra, who learned to ski in her 20s, had to

and at three, still tripping over my own feet. Our family doctor pre-

learn how to tackle steep terrain in crusty, windy and bitterly cold

scribed leg braces, but Myra hated them almost more than I did.

conditions. She had to be able to handle steel-and-wood tobog-

Her prescription was a pair of skis (cross your skis and you fall).

gans that weighed far more than her 105 pounds. And she had

That led to a remarkable Colorado mountaineering childhood. I

to skin up from Arapahoe Basin's 10,780-foot base to the Midway,

have fond memories of winning blue ribbons at kids’ slalom races

well over 12,000 feet, in a timed and competitive climb. It took

at Climax before the ski area and town closed in 1962. We cheered

several seasons for her to finally rank well enough against the

skijoring races on Leadville’s Main Street. Myra splinted my leg when

boys to make the cut.

I broke it at Winter Park, and she held my hand all the way to Krem-

But make it she did, joining a pretty elite group of women ski “patrolmen.” (That’s what they were called back then.)

mling, where the spiral fracture was set by Dr. Ernest Ceriani, a physician made famous by a 1948 Life magazine photo essay.

The first woman patroller was Jerry Nunn, who joined the Na-

Nothing matched my mom’s aplomb when we had to hang out on

tional Ski Patrol in 1944. After working with the Sugar Bowl pa-

Loveland Pass, waiting for the Seven Sisters avalanches to be shot

trol, she was accepted to the Squaw Valley patrol in 1954 – but

down with howitzers and plowed off the road. When that happened,

only after completing several intensely physical demonstrations

Mom would knock on the windows of nearby cars and invite folks

that other recruits didn’t have to perform. In 1957, when Nunn

into our homemade camper for hot chocolate and Chinese checkers.

showed up for the Intermountain Forest Service Snow Ranger

My mother died last January at the age of 88. By the end of her life,

certification course, Supervisor Felix Koziol was surprised to

dementia had robbed her of most of her memories. She knew me, but

discover that “Jerry” was not male. After he informed her that

she couldn’t summon my name.

the Snow Rangers didn't take women, Jerry tartly replied, "You already have."

But that’s not how I choose to remember her.

The Myra I recall is the one captured by an old snapshot taken at

Since my mother was a registered nurse, Gene and I were well

Breckenridge. She’s standing in her ski boots, smiling and wearing a

coached as volunteer victims. We knew the difference between

dalmation-spotted fake fur hat that she made. (No Cruella De Vil, Myra

sprains and broken bones and how to act if we had gotten a con-

was against wearing real fur long before that became politically cor-

cussion from hitting a tree. We got to sit on the idled chairlift while

rect.) She’s turned slightly away from the camera, perhaps to show off

patrollers threw a rope up over the chair and then hoisted a wood-

the big, yellow ski patrol cross on the back of her rust-colored parka.

en-bottomed canvas bag up to us. We would jump inside and be lowered to the ground. That was almost as much fun as riding in a 50

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | December 2015

I don’t know what happened to that snapshot. But I will always know where to find it among my memories.

F rom 1915

to

2015,

a true sense oF place .

Wandering The Hotel Denver will give you a crash course in Glenwood Springs history – not just of the hotel, but of the community.

If the walls could talk, they would tell stories of immigrant struggles, Prohibition, two world wars, a shooting or two, and of the good times as well.

Delightful unexpected touches and old-world hospitality continue to embrace locals and visitors alike.

You have come to the right place.

thehotelDenver.com H 402 7th street, GlenwooD sprinGs, co H 800.826.8820