Skier triggers avalanche north of Jones Pass

On Tuesday, a backcountry tourer was caught, carried, buried to his neck, and injured in an avalanche north of Jones Pass on a southeast-facing slope near the ridgeline. Two skiers skinned to the ridge in Jones Pass. Skier 1 descended part of the slope and waited behind a rock outcropping to watch his partner. Skier 2 made a few turns and triggered an avalanche that released below him. The avalanche washed over the outcrop and knocked Skier 1 off his feet. The avalanche carried him down the slope before he came to rest near the top of the debris field. He was buried to his neck, but his head was still above the snow. Skier 2 skied down and dug him out. Skier 1 was injured and could not descend under his own power. The Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office and Alpine Rescue Team were alerted around 11:50 AM and organized a response. Flight for Life flew Skier 1 off the mountain and transported him to a hospital.

The avalanche was a hard slab that broke into the old snow, was small relative to the path, about 200 feet wide, 2 to 8 feet deep, and ran over 400 vertical feet. The debris field was approximately 150 feet wide by 200 feet long and up to 10 feet deep in places. The nature of the avalanche and how it released indicate this event would best be described as a Persistent Slab avalanche.

The current avalanche conditions for our region are Considerable above treeline. Cautious route-finding and conservative decision-making is essential. To view the forecast, visit avalanche.state.co.us before you head into the backcountry.

Model Railroad Christmas Trains on Display

The Grand County Model Railroad Club has created a model railroad display for the holiday season, which is open to public viewing in the modular building at the museum site, west of Kaibab Park ball fields in Granby. This is the tenth year in a row to have a Christmas display model railroad and it’s bigger than before at 1,100 sq feet with 5 trains running at once, a huge ski mountain with working ski lifts, a big Christmas village and more. The display runs through the New Year holiday and all ages are welcome. Donations are gladly accepted to help with display costs, club activities, and the Railroad Museum Fund. When the museum’s Visitor Center Gift Shop in Kaibab Park is built, the model railroad display will be held there year-round. For information, call Dave Naples (970) 281-9094 or JR Faivre (970) 531-2223. To view the museum’s holiday schedule, visit moffatrailroadmuseum.org.

Virtual Reality at the Library

See things a brand new way — through Virtual Reality! VR is a new technology that’s fun for gaming, creating music, or traveling to new worlds— all without leaving your library.
Sign up for a 30-minute time slot on December 21st between 1:30 – 3:30 pm to complete a basic Virtual Reality tutorial and try an application or two at the Fraser Valley Library. All equipment and instruction is provided. Open to 6th grade and older only. To register, call (970) 726-5689 or go to gcldco.evanced.info/Signup/List

Disney VHS tapes could be worth big money

Along with the new love for everything “old school”, hipster millennials are driving up a massive demand for old VHS tapes. Disney films are at the front of that, fetching hundreds, and even thousands, on eBay for second-hand copies. You might want to dig through your old collection, if you still have some, because some of these films could get you big bucks!

Season of the scam

A Netflix email asking subscribers to update their personal payment details has been making the rounds and is nothing but a phishing scam. Consumers are warned that clicking on the links in the email could install malware on your computer. If you or someone you know receive the fraudulent email, do not click on any of the links and instead forward the email to phishing@netflix.com. As with any suspicious emails, it is always safest to contact the company directly and never provide any personal information to an unverified source.

2019 Health Insurance Open Enrollment

November 1, 2018 – January 15, 2019 is the open enrollment period for Colorado’s Health Care Exchange: Connect for Health Colorado. In order for coverage to take effect or renew on January 1, 2019, the deadline for enrollment was December 15, 2018. There is still time to enroll for a February 1, 2019 coverage effective date, but you must enroll by January 15, 2019.

Here are a few things you can do right now to make open enrollment easier:

  1. Create or update your Connect for Health Colorado account: Online, at www.healthcare.gov or www.connectforhealthco.com, or, by phone, at: (855) 752-6749.
  2. If prompted, update your password.
  3. Make sure your current contact information and mailing address is up-to-date.

For in-person assistance, call Kim Long, Certified Health Coverage Guide and schedule an appointment: (970) 531-4769

10 Pound Gorilla recognized as top web design firm

On Dec 5th, B2B research, ratings, and reviews firm, Clutch, released a list of the top-performing web design agencies in the United States. These top agencies are experts in the latest design techniques. They work closely with clients to ensure their websites fit their unique style and business goals.

“These leaders have not only demonstrated creativity and a deep understanding of the industries they work in, but they ensure that their clients are informed and happy throughout the entire design process.” – Clutch Business Analyst DJ Fajana.

Clutch examined over 42,000 businesses and recognized only the top 2%. 10 Pound Gorilla found themselves listed first in Colorado and recognized as top in the nation. The recognition is entirely merit based and not pay-for-play. Clutch considered the following attributes to analyze the web design agencies:

  • Verified client reviews – Clutch conducts phone interviews with clients before giving the opportunity to leave a review for a registered business
  • Focus score – Considers the services a company specializes in and can provide for their customers
  • Ability-to-Deliver – Compares client references with work quality
  • Market presence – Six sub categories
    • Marketing efforts
    • Reputation
    • Geographic presence
    • Accolades
    • Social media presence
    • Thought leadership

10 Pound Gorilla has a long history of receiving recognition as a top agency:

2015 – Denver’s top 10 digital marketing agencies

2016 – Denver’s top 10 web development agency

2017 – Leading SEO firm in Denver area

2017 – DNN MVP 2018 – Top Web Design firm in US

10 Pound Gorilla’s success has led to significant growth. In 2018, they expanded their team with 3 industry leaders.  Weighing in at only 10 pounds, this gorilla really packs a punch! Learn more at 10poundgorilla.com.