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Joel Reichenberger: Prime time

Joel Reichenberger

— It’s starting to seem like every morning in Steam­boat Springs is Christmas morning, and that’s not a reference to the cold temperatures.

No, it’s a reference to the fact that the good news for outdoors enthusiasts seems to arrive nonstop.

From the Steamboat Spring Running Series to the Town Challenge Mountain Bike series, from skateboarders to BMXers and downhill mountain bike racers, everyone’s cashed in big in 2010.



Whether it’s a new underpass or talk of extending the Yampa River Core Trail, considerations of greatly expanding public-owned land on Emerald Mountain or the chance to land a stage of the Quiznos Pro Challenge road biking tour, it’s been a reliable and steady stream of good news.

The latest is the new BMX track, a facility organizers estimated would have cost $20,000 or $30,000 had they not procured the donations of time, money, equipment and materials that they did.



Surely, it can’t always be like this, can it?

Two biking facilities have opened this summer — the BMX track and a pump track near the ski mountain. At least one more — the first bits of a freeride mountain bike park at Steamboat Ski Area — is slated to open next summer. One new mountain biking trail opened on Emerald last summer, and another is under construction.

Is the true root of the Yampa Valley Curse an addiction to new presents?

Surely, some of this is coincidence, a number of long-term projects falling together at the same time.

Still, it’s all the product of fiercely dedicated volunteers, all of whom have been seeking their own way to help their community.

Gina Grether and Brian Deem, who headed the BMX track project, are local professional downhill mountain bike racers. They said they wanted to give back to a community that’s aided their careers since they moved to town nearly 20 years ago.

The skatepark was built after years of tireless effort from dedicated skaters like Jon Casson.

Charlie’s Hole, the downtown kayaking feature, is sch­eduled to be rebuilt this fall thanks to efforts from Peter Van De Carr, Kent Vertrees and Friends of the Yampa.

The Steamboat Stage Race and Saturday’s Steamboat Velo Cross cyclocross event came about because of the dreams of Corey Piscopo.

The amazing Ride 4 Yellow event happened because of Dave Nagel’s super-human dedication.

The soon-to-exist freeride trails at Steamboat Ski Area are the product of great cooperation between Routt County Riders, local freeriders and the ski area itself, namely Jim Schneider.

Robin Craigen and the RCR board have been amazing in committing the vision, energy, resources and volunteer hours that have powered many of the summer’s developments, large and small.

It’s a great time to live in Steamboat, but not because of all the newly completed projects. It’s a great time to live in Steamboat because so many good people live here.


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