Asking price on updated Aspen trailers: $1 million
ASPEN, Colo.—One of the things that makes Aspen charming is a trailer court called Smuggler Park located just up the hill from the art museum and no more than five minutes (walking) from downtown Aspen. That park may well hold the world's first million-dollar trailer.
The Denver Post explains that the owner of the park in 1987 sold the lots for $25,000 to many people who had been renting space. In time, lot-buyers began spiffing up their trailers, in some cases renovating them so completely that, once inside, you probably wouldn't know it's a trailer.
The newspaper cites the example of Doug Driscoll, a ski patroller and computer technician, who paid $58,000 for the trailer and space in 1989, then framed the home around the original trailer. He now has a 2,700-square-foot home, but doesn't know what it's worth.
But a 1983 Commodore mobile home was sold for $400,000 earlier this year. A 1980 Magnolia mobile home sold for $672,000. Another resident, Scott Lindenau, estimates his home market value at $1.2 million to $1.4 million.
Skier's streak now up to 336 months and counting
ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Tom Szwedko has a hobby—oh boy, does he ever have a hobby. He has skied every month for 336 consecutive months, or 28 years.
It's the longest known streak in North America, possibly the world, though it's hard to be sure because there aren't any official stats on the subject, explains the Rocky Mountain News.
Szwedko began his streak in 1979, and what makes his streak all the more remarkable is that he lives in Englewood, a suburb located about five miles south of downtown Denver. Now retired, the 60-year-old Szwedko worked most of his skiing years as a programmer analyst for rocket manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
He earns his turns. He only uses ski lifts when they're free. He buys his gear at ski swaps and rummage sales, and goes through four or five pair per year.
Some years, he has skied virtually every day, and in one year logged 365 days. But it was during a leap year, explains the newspaper, so technically he missed one day.
The newspaper also tells of several other streak skiers, including Jim Becia, also of Englewood, who now has 57 months under his belt. Becia figures he needs 50 linked turns per day to qualify.
Telluride adds hike-to bowl on ski mountain
TELLURIDE, Colo.—Backcountry lite continues to be the theme in ski area expansions. The latest case in point is at Telluride, where the resort is opening an area called Black Iron Bowl. The eight trails will be challenging to ski and modestly challenging to get to, requiring a hike of anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes.
Included in the new terrain will be the expansive Mountain Quail Couloir, with its European-style faces, open glades and steep chutes, according to a press release issued by the ski area operator.
Bad-news bears in news from Aspen to Whistler
ASPEN, Colo.—Bad-news bears continue to invade the news, as well as homes, in a great many mountain valleys of the West.
Aspen authorities report 20 to 40 bear complaints a day.
The town's story has become a national one, with television crews now arriving to document the story of imperious bears unwilling to know their place. Of late, their place has included the crabapple tree in front of the Pitkin County Courthouse, which has a front-and-center location in Aspen, and the park behind the City Hall.
The Aspen Times also tells of a bear cub that, after tossing around a trash bin in a second-hand store, dashed amid customers on the patio of a coffee shop.
Recently, state wildlife officers met with the public and, though expecting to hear an outraged public for the bears they have killed, they got mostly thanks.
Still, Aspen Times columnist Su Lum, who has been in Aspen since the 1960s, can't help but wonder why there is a bear "problem" now, when there wasn't 30 to 40 years ago. She suspects that it's because Aspen no longer has packs of dogs.
Jackson Hole's problems sound tame by comparison, even if the News&Guide reports a "blockbuster summer for bad-bear behavior." With more than 100 human-bear-conflicts, Wyoming Game and Fish Department officials say the number could surpass the 152 conflicts during the past five years combined.
"In the 12 years I've been here, we've had some dry years, and lots of black bear activity, but nothing like this," said Game and Fish spokesman Mark Gecke.
Dry, hot weather and late frost that reduced the berry crop in the Rocky Mountains is partially blamed for the bears visiting valley-bottom locations in search of food, but wildlife officials are nearly unanimous in blaming humans for offering easy temptations.
If carelessness by humans has drawn bears to both Aspen and Jackson Hole, officials in Whistler are wondering what they can do next.
"The current system is not working," said Sylvia Dolson, executive director of the Get Bear Smart Society. "We need a waste management system that works for everyone."
The municipality has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into bear-proof garbage bins. Still, the bears are arriving.
"I don't think it's for lack of trying," said Mayor Ken Melamed.
Seven bears have been killed there so far, compared to nine last year.
