Fire Danger increases to High

Grand County fire danger increased to HIGH on Monday, August 26. Neighboring counties, Summit and Clear Creek, enacted Stage 1 fire restrictions this week. Residents are reminded that conditions can change quickly and Grand County could change from normal fire restrictions to Stage 1 at any time. Also be mindful of Red Flag Day warnings in the area. Warm temperatures, very low humidities, and stronger winds are expected to combine and produce an increased risk of fire danger. For fire danger & restrictions across Colorado, visit coemergency.com/p/fire-bans-danger and, for fire weather and outlook, go to weather.gov/fire/.

Grand Lake Tombstone Tales

Hear the tales of those long dead at the Grand Lake Cemetery. This year will feature Grand Lake business owners from the past. Guests will be taken on a guided tour through the Cemetery where the character will come alive to tell their tale. Pick up the shuttle to the Grand Lake Cemetery from the Gateway Inn, leaving every 20 minutes from 11am-1pm. You should be at the Gateway Inn 15 minutes prior to the showtime on your ticket.Tombstone Tales tickets are on sale at grandartscouncil.com and the Re/Max office in Grand Lake. Remaining tickets will be available outside the main entrance to the Gateway Inn after 10:30 am Sunday, September 1. The Gateway Inn does not have tickets or information.

Fraser Valley Rec Fall catalog now available

The Fraser Valley Metropolitan Rec District has released the Fall 2019 program catalog listing upcoming activities and programs, along with registration information. Many of these popular programs fill up fast, so go to fraservalleyrec.org and get all the information you need to participate. Please note that the Grand Park Community Rec Center will be closed from Sunday, September 15 – Friday, September 20 for annual facility maintenance.   

Fall Transit Schedule begins September 3

Beginning on Tuesday, September 3rd, the Black Line and Regional Bus routes will start the Fall Service Schedule, which runs hourly, starting at 7 am. Eligible riders can call for pick-up at (970) 726-4163 between the hours of 6 am – 2 am. The schedule will run through November 15. To learn more, download the Lift Rider app or visit wpgov.com/264/Routes.

Friends of Berthoud Pass Cleanup Day

Come help us keep the pass clean! Sunday, September 8th is our annual Berthoud Pass Cleanup Day. The annual cleanup is a great time to give back to the place that we all love. Bring Gloves, Sunscreen, Water and closed-toe shoes. Brats and beers to follow! Meet up at 8 am at the top of the pass. If you have questions, please contact becca@berthoudpass.org.

Fall road closure on Mt Evans highway

The top portion of Mount Evans Highway (Colorado Highway 5) will close for the season on Tuesday, September 3. CDOT closes the five-mile segment from Summit Lake to the top of Mount Evans the day after Labor Day, per agreement with the U.S. Forest Service. The remaining 10 miles, from Echo Lake (Colorado Highway 103) to Summit Lake, will remain open until Monday, October 7, unless adverse weather creates winter-like driving conditions.

If you plan on visiting Mount Evans before the top section of the highway is closed, expect heavy traffic and limited parking; wait times could be 30 minutes and up to an hour or longer on weekends, as record crowds are visiting Mount Evans this summer. Labor Day weekend is the busiest weekend of the year.

Granby Ranch hosts Gear Swap September 8th

Don’t miss this awesome opportunity to sell or swap your used ski / snowboarding / winter gear at Granby Ranch on Sunday, September 8 from 10 am – 1 pm. Reserve a free space through Eventbrite and join in the fun! Save your pennies and come out for a GREAT deal on gently used winter gear. Kiddos growing like weeds? This is the perfect time to grab new coats, ski bibs and the like for everyone! Bring your carload of gear and “tailgate” your gear to sell or trade in our parking lot for the big day!  

IKON pass adds first European resort to fold

On Tuesday, it was announced that Switzerland’s Zermatt resort had been added to the Ikon Pass for the 2019-2020 season. Zermatt becomes the 41st destination resort spread across five continents, and the first in Europe.

Ikon Pass holders will have seven-day access to Zermatt and the Matterhorn ski paradise network on the Ikon Pass with no blackout dates, and five-day access on the Ikon Base Pass, also with no blackout dates. ikonpass.com

BLM enacts fire restrictions in Dice Hill area

Stage 1 fire restrictions began August 29 for Bureau of Land Management-administered lands in the Dice Hill area west of Green Mountain Reservoir. 

“With the adjacent Dillon Ranger District and Summit County in stage 1 restrictions, we are including the BLM lands in the Dice Hill area to reduce confusion among the public using this area,” said BLM Kremmling Field Manager Bill Mills.   

The BLM will enforce the following temporary restrictions in the Dice Hill area:

  • No fires of any type, including charcoal. Stoves fueled by liquid petroleum or gas are allowed.
  • No smoking except within an enclosed vehicle or building or in a barren area free of vegetation.
  • No use of explosive materials, including explosive targets.
  • No welding or operation of an acetylene or other similar torch with open flame. 
  • No operation of any internal combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed and in working order.

Fireworks are always prohibited on BLM, National Forest and National Park Service lands.

Fire restrictions will be in place until further notice. Those found responsible for starting wildfires will also face restitution costs of suppressing the fire.

“While the majority of BLM lands in the Kremmling Field Office are not currently under fire restrictions, fire danger is increasing and we are reminding people to be cautious with fire when enjoying the outdoors,” Mills said.   

In areas where campfires are permitted, people should have a shovel and water on hand to extinguish them completely. Additionally, people should take precautions such as avoiding parking in tall dry grass, or driving OHVs in areas where dry grass can be ignited by hot exhaust. It only takes one spark to start a wildfire – equipment should have working spark arresters and trailers should be inspected to ensure chains are not dragging. 

A map of the area under fire restrictions is available at blm.gov/office/kremmling-field-office.   

Wanted Fugitive Found Dead

On Tuesday, August 20th, the Grand County Sheriff’s Office responded to an area south of Meadow Creek Reservoir on a report of a deceased subject in a vehicle. Upon their arrival,deputies located a green Subaru station wagon with a hose leading from the exhaust into the passenger compartment of the vehicle with the body of a male subject inside the vehicle. The deceased was later identified as Kenneth M. Campbell, Age 43 and evidence inside the vehicle revealed that Campbell had been dead for nearly a year with a cause of death listed as suicide. 

The discovery of Campbell’s body closes year-long investigation into his whereabouts. In September, 2018 the Fraser Winter Park Police Department sought and obtained an arrest warrant for Campbell, charging him with Sexual Assault on a Child as well as several other associated felonies.

While Campbell was living in Fraser at the time of the initial report, he disappeared shortly thereafter. His last known location was in Park County, but neither his friends nor family heard from him after that time. With assistance from the US Marshall’s Office, the Fraser Winter Park Police Department obtained numerous search warrants for Campbell’s phone and social media accounts, but ad no luck in locating him.

“Given the trauma he inflicted on his victim, we are saddened that Campbell will not ever be held accountable for his actions through our justice system,” said Chief Glen Trainor. “However, his death also ensures our victim will not have to be re-traumatized through what most likely would have been a very long and drawn out court process.”