Steamboat Pilot & Today

Artist and Off the Beaten Path Bookstore events coordinator Kim Keith shows off her superhero/villain creation of Perplexian on Friday at the bookstore. Perplexian is one of nine pieces made by local artists out of recycled materials that will be auctioned off at the end of the month to raise money for BookTrails. Photo by Nicole Inglis

Emily Krall, founder of BookTrails, explains the finer points of two pieces of artwork on display this month for the environmental literacy organization's fundraiser. Local artists used recycled materials to create environmental superheros to be auctioned off at the end of the month. Photo by Nicole Inglis

Soroco senior Brandi Roundtree, center, celebrates her decision to play softball at Metro State with her sister, Amber Roundtree, and father, Lenny Roundtree, on Friday at Soroco High School. Photo by Joel Reichenberger

Local rancher Michael Hogue checks an irrigation ditch on his property west of Steamboat Springs. Conditions are good right now, but the nearly bare slopes of Steamboat Ski Area, shown in the background, could signal a dry summer across the valley. Photo by John F. Russell

Rafters, from the front, Kyle Love, David Lathrop, Bud Whitehead, Maria Palmer and Louis Gutschenritter run the rapids along the Yampa River. However, rafters might have a short season this year because of below-average snowpack that could make for a dry summer and more demand for the valuable natural resource flowing downstream. Photo by John F. Russell

Steamboat’s Sydney Bauknecht flies by a Palisade defender Friday as she heads for the goal. Bauknecht finished the game with a hat trick, taking care of all the scoring in Steamboat’s 3-0 victory. Photo by Joel Reichenberger

Steamboat's Katie Hostetler wins the race for a loose ball Friday as the Sailors beat Palisade, 3-0. Photo by Joel Reichenberger

Sydney Bauknecht, second from left, and the Sailors celebrate after the first of Bauknecht's three Friday night goals. Photo by Joel Reichenberger

Steamboat's Gabriel Bohlmann and Palisade's Courtney Clark race for a ball Friday. Photo by Joel Reichenberger

Rafters,from the front, Kyle Love, David Lathrop, Bud Whitehead, Maria Palmer (not seen) and Louis Gutschenritter run the rapids along the Yampa River. However, rafters might have a short season because of below average snowpack this year that could make for a dry summer and more demand for the valuable natural resource flowing downstream. Photo by John F. Russell

Partner plays in the cool waters of the Yampa River on Friday afternoon. However, below average snowpack this year could make for a dry summer and more demand for the valuable natural resource flowing downstream. Photo by John F. Russell

Cesare Rosati, a 16-year Steamboat resident, is in the midst of publishing and releasing his five-part science fiction book series. Last week, the third installment, "Brockport, FS," was released and can be found at Off the Beaten Path Bookstore, at AccedePress.com and at Bud Werner Memorial Library. Photo by John F. Russell

Soda Creek Elementary second-grader Max Kenney makes his way along Eighth Street on Friday during Jenna's Fun Run. The run was a way to celebrate the life of Jenna Gruben Morrill, who was a faculty member at the school. She died Feb. 13, 2010, in a car accident. Photo by John F. Russell

Soda Creek Elementary School student Ethan Spence makes his way along Eighth Street on Friday during Jenna's Fun Run. The run was a way to celebrate the life of Jenna Gruben Morrill, who was a faculty member at the school. She died Feb. 13, 2010, in a car accident. Photo by John F. Russell

Soda Creek Elementary second-grader Makayla Kueber makes her way along Eighth Street on Friday during Jenna's Fun Run. The run was a way to celebrate the life of Jenna Gruben Morrill, who was a faculty member at the school. She died Feb. 13, 2010, in a car accident. Photo by John F. Russell

Soda Creek Elementary student Daycie Richards makes her way along Eighth Street on Friday during Jenna's Fun Run. The run was a way to celebrate the life of Jenna Gruben Morrill, who was a faculty member at the school. She died Feb. 13, 2010, in a car accident. Photo by John F. Russell

Soda Creek Elementary School student Toby Morse makes his way along Eighth Street on Friday during Jenna's Fun Run. The run was a way to celebrate the life of Jenna Gruben Morrill, who was a faculty member at the school. She died Feb. 13, 2010, in a car accident. Photo by John F. Russell

Shannon Casson teaches physical education at Soda Creek Elementary and mountain biking at Colorado Mountain College. She also is the director of Routt County Riders and rides bicycles in her spare time. Courtesy photo

Steamboat physical therapist Brent Yamashita, left, leads participants through automatic activation of the core muscles, a component of functional manual therapy, in September 2010 in Japan. Yamashita is co-director of Johnson & Johnson Physical Therapy in Steamboat Springs and has been invited to teach in Japan. Courtesy photo

Track team out on a run in classic spring conditions. These kids will be ready for the Mud Run in July if they keep this up. Submitted by Greg Long Greg Long / Courtesy

More stormy skies Thursday evening. Submitted by Maryedith Davies Maryedith Davies / Courtesy

Art walk. Submitted by Matthew Grasse Matthew Grasse / Courtesy

Stylin' bike. Submitted by Matthew Grasse Matthew Grasse / Courtesy