‘Blaze the Belt’ longboard race this weekend in Leadville

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Event helps raise funds for community recreation upgrades

Kellen Wade rides the recpath between Copper Mountain and Frisco.

By Bob Berwyn

FRISCO — If you’ve been honing your longboard skills on the Copper to Frisco run this summer, you may be ready for Leadville’s fifth annual Blaze the Belt skateboard race, a five mile-plus time trial from the Mineral Belt Trail’s high point in California Gulch, down to the low spot in Stream City.

The race is set for this Saturday (Sept. 15), with registration at 9 a.m. at the Tennessee Pass Cafe. The $20 entry fee goes toward paying for the timing chips and post-race BBQ feast, including a keg of beer. Visit Blaze the Belt on Facebook for more info.

Event organizers hope to have more than 100 racers competing in what has become a signature event for a wide-reaching $900,000  community effort to improve recreation facilities in Leadville, including construction of a 21,000 square-foot skate park that will include features suitable for longboard riders. Learn more about the Huck Finn Park Project.

Concept plans for Leadville’s new Huck Finn skate park. Map courtesy SkateLeadville.com.

The ongoing improvement plan encompasses longboarders, park riders and even non-skateboarders, with plans to resurface a couple of tennis courts and to build restrooms and a warming hut for the local ice rink, said Greg Race, one of the leaders of the grassroots push.

It started out as an effort to replace the park we had,” Race said, explaining that existing skatepark is a somewhat makeshift facility that was created by placing some donated indoor ramps from Copper Mountain on old tennis courts. That worked for a while, but eventually, the ramps started coming apart.

With rusty screws popping out of the woodwork, some locals started calling the facility “tetanus park,” Race said, adding that the plan is to break ground on the new park this coming spring.

With Leadville’s Mineral Belt trail being a bit more wide-open and less trafficked than Summit County’s recpath system, there hasn’t been any controversy over longboarding, he said. To the contrary, everyone in Leadville, including Colorado Mountain College, has been pulling together to try and improve recreational opportunities for everyone.

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Colorado: Climax Mine is back in business

Posted on July 14, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

After 17-year pause, the mine shipped 21,000 pounds of molybdenum concentrate in early May; grand opening with public tours set for Aug. 8

Global molybdenum production was at an all-time high in 2011 but most experts expect the price to hold steady at about $15 per pound for the next few years, possibly as long as a decade.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — After a 17-year pause, the Climax molybdenum mine is back in business.

The first load of molybdenum concentrate, amounting to approximately 21,000 pounds of molybdenum, was shipped out the gate on May 10, according to a press release from parent company Freeport-McMoRan. At the current market price of about $15 per pound, that would be about $315,000 worth of molybdenum.

The price for molydenum concentrate has varied from less the $5 per pound from 1998 through 2002, up to $35 per pound in 2005, then dropping  back down to under $10 per pound in 2009.

The U.S. is the world’s second-leading moly producer, after China. The Henderson Mine, on the border of Summit and Grand counties, is the second-largest moly mine in the world, after the Chuquicamata Mine in Chile. (more…)

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Are you ready for the Leadville Loppet?

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Leadville crosscountry ski race benefits the Mineral Belt Trail

The ninth annual Leadville Loppet is set for Feb. 25.

Crosscountry ski racing at two miles high in Leadville, Colorado, with the Sawatch Range as a backdrop. PHOTO COURTESY LEADVILLE LOPPET.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Although it’s been a low-snow winter in parts of Colorado, crosscountry skiers in Leadville say the trails are fine condition for the ninth annual edition of the Leadville Loppet.

The long-distance, high-altitude event is a fundraiser for the Mineral Belt Trail, one of Lake County’s recreational jewels. Volunteer info is online here. Events include the marathon 44k, a middle-distance 22k, a 10k sprint and 5k fun race. Registtration info for the race is online here.

The race will be preceded by a waxing clinic sponsored by Swix at 6 p.m. Friday at the Cloud City Ski Club hut.  Bring your gear, this is a hands on clinic.  The ski hut is located at the base of Dutch Henry Tubing Hill right off of Hwy 24. Check out a slideshow from last year’s race here. (more…)

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Colorado: Scary moments on Mt. Elbert

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Kim Fenske describes a winter climb of Colorado’s highest summit

Mt. Elbert view: Alpenglow — and the moon — across the Arkansas River Valley.

Story and photos by Kim Fenske

At 14,433 feet, Mount Elbert is the highest mountain in Colorado. In summer, the summit is one of the easiest Fourtenners to attain. The primary trailheads mark junctions with the Colorado Trail that passes north and south along the base of Mount Massive and Mount Elbert within sight of Leadville. Branching off of the Colorado Trail, trails to the summit rise quickly on switchbacks to gain the summit along ridges from the northeast and southeast. The summit is four miles from the north trailhead and a bit over six miles from the lower south trailhead.  From either direction, the summit can be reached in approximately six hours, with a descent of about three more hours. (more…)

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Colorado: New backcountry hut opens for winter

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Privately built cabin near Tennessee Pass sleeps 8 people

First snow at Point Breeze Cabin on October 1. PHOTO COURTESY BRENT RIMEL.

SUMMIT COUNTY — Colorado backcountry enthusiasts will have a new destination this winter, as the Point Breeze Cabin opens for the winter season. Point Breeze is the second cabin built and owned by Lee Rimel, a long-time Leadville local and steward of the area. The cabin is located at an elevation of 10,500 feet and is within a couple hundred yards of the popular Continental Divide Cabin. (more…)

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Morning photo: Change of seasons

Posted on October 10, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

High peaks and snow-covered flowers

Mt. Massive, Colorado's second-highest peak at 14,421 feet, with some of the new season's first snow. Check out the aspen patches in the lower left corner.

SUMMIT COUNTY — Today’s photoblog is a bit of mixed bag, with a few more shots from the recent snows, as well as a couple of stunning images from Jesse Peterson, who took advantage of the late-summer weather to explore the Gore Range. And Jenney Coberly, producer of many Summit Voice videos, also contributed a couple of bittersweet shots from her garden, where Jack Frost is making some headway these days. Click on “Read More” to see the rest … (more…)

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Leadville sheriff’s deputy may face charges over tasing

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

A Lake County sheriff's deputy is reportedely facing charges over inappropriate use of a Taser.

*This story has been updated with information indicating that District Attorney Mark Hurlbert has not yet made a decision to press charges.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — A Lake County sheriff’s deputy who allegedly tased several high school students at their request at an April 8 career fair may face 15 misdemeanor counts, according to the Ex-Pat Ex-lawyer blog.

District Attorney Mark Hurlbert said he hasn’t made a decision to charge the deputy yet, but the Lake County sheriff indicated the charges are pending, according to the post on Ex-Pat Ex Lawyer.

According to previous news reports, the students asked to be tased because they wanted to know what it felt like.

The Ex-Pat Ex-Lawyer blog is reporting that the charges will include eight counts of child abuse and seven counts of reckless endangerment. The deputy in question has reportedly resigned. Read the detailed report here.

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