New mountain bike group to launch

Durango mountain bikers long on travel and adrenaline no longer need to feel like a lone voice in the forest. A newly forming local mountain bike advocacy group, Durango Mountain Bike Association, hopes to get rolling soon with the focus of advocating solely for mountain bikers. The group plans to place special emphasis on sustainable singletrack with more of a freeride flair, such as jumps, step-ups, downhills, bike parks, pump tracks and other manmade obstacles, according to organizer Kurt Smith.

“We are a specialized group focused on newer, freeride-based riding, trails with alternative features, that are not just for cross country,” Smith said. “We will be solely dedicated to sustainable singletrack primarily used for mountain biking. It’s a different aspect than we’ve had here in the past.”

Still in its infancy, Smith said he is putting the word out about the group to try to build a board of directors, including a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and five at-large community members.

An avid rider who worked in the bicycle industry for the last two years, Smith said he first noticed a need for such a specialized organization about six years ago. Since then, he has seen Durango lag behind other areas that offer more advanced freeride terrain, such as Whistler, Crested Butte and Fruita, he said.

“I think we’ve fallen a little bit behind,” he said.

Smith was adamant to point out that DMBA will not duplicate the efforts of trails advocacy group Trails 2000. Rather, whereas Trails 2000 speaks for all trail users, from horse riders to hikers, DMBA will focus solely on the needs and wants of mountain bikers, he said. “As I perceive it, Trails 2000 is a broad-based trails organization that does commendable work,” he said. “I think we can contribute to and enhance that, along with providing some new lifeblood.”

Mary Monroe, Executive Director of Trails 2000, said the group encourages more involvement and interest in local trails. “Trails 2000’s mission is to build and maintain trails for mountain bikers, hikers, runners, dog walkers and nature lovers,” she said. “We do this with the help of individuals and groups and always welcome more help to enhance our trail system.”

Examples of projects Smith sees DMBA getting involved with are the planned bike park at Chapman Hill as well as the downhill-only trail slated for Log Chutes. “There’s a lot on the drawing board,” he said.

He also points to the accomplishments of other mountain bike advocacy groups, such as the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association (oldest in the state); COPMOBA, the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Association, which maintains the Kokopelli Trail; and COMBA, the Colorado Mountain Bike Association.

Smith said plans are to establish nonprofit status and he would like to see a board in place by the end of March. But, that will be the easy part, he admits. “It will really take a core group many years of heavy involvement,” he said of getting the group established.

So far, his initial foray in gauging interest has been positive. “It’s going very well,” he said. “We have such a large mountain bike base here, I think there’s space for it.”

To learn more about DMBA or get in touch with Smith, email kurt@durangomba.org.

City offers $100 energy audit incentive

With gas and electricity rates on the rise, the City of Durango is working to help residents reign in utility costs as well as energy use.

In conjunction with the Four Corners Office for Resource Efficiency, or 4CORE, the city is offering $100 discounts on 4CORE home energy assessments and $200 discounts for commercial energy assessments. The discounts are available to the first 50 home owners and 25 business owners who sign up for energy audits through 4CORE.

“City Council knows that this is the place where energy savings begins,” Durango Mayor Dick White said. “With energy prices increasing, return on investment for efficiency improvement grows. These incentives will benefit our residents, our environment and our local economy.”

 In addition, the City will be offering matching funds of up to $500 for energy efficient upgrades recommended by the audit to the first 20 residents or businesses that apply.

Greg Dubit, executive director of 4CORE, said the average cost of a home audit is $550 before the City rebate, and $450 for a house under 1,000 square feet. However, that amount can often be offset within the first year of energy savings alone, he said. Over the last five years, 4CORE has audited 645 homes and 35 businesses in the area, with the average home saving $485 a year and the average business saving $2,100.

“And that’s a conservative number,” he said. “There are a lot of people saving a lot more.”

In addition to the short-term savings, Dubit said making energy upgrades pays off over the long term as well. “It’s really a smart investment,” he said. “If the average lifespan of a new appliance is 20 years, as fuel prices increase, you’re going to save more money.”

Plus, that money saved has a “multiplier effect,” whereby it is not lost to outside oil and gas companies. “If you save that $500, maybe you’ll spend it elsewhere in the community. It makes the whole community more resilient.”

Dubit said a lot of modern equipment today is much more efficient but might cost more than its predecessor. However, there are also lots of small cheap or free things people can do as well, such as turning down the thermostat or weather stripping.

In addition to the City energy audit rebates, Amerigas, LPEA and Atmos Energy all offer energy reduction incentives of their own. For example, Atmos offers up to $300 for new energy efficient appliances; LPEA offers new appliance and lighting rebates; and Amerigas, an area propane supplier, offers a $50 rebate for energy efficient appliances. For costlier upgrades, Region 9 offers business energy efficiency loans and First National Bank has a loan program for residents.

“It’s a good time to make your home or business more energy efficient,” said Dubit. “If you’re going to be saving money over the next 20 years, it’s a really smart move.”

The City and 4CORE have partnered on various sustainability initiatives for the last five years, but Dubit said that latest program is a “new level” in the city’s commitment. “Durango would like to be a leader in energy efficiency, and this is a big step in that direction,” he said.

For more information go to www.fourcore.org or call 259-1916.

Waiting game on Red Mountain

Crews continue to toil north of Red Mountain Pass as efforts to reopen Highway 550 suffered a minor set back Wednesday.

Aided by Silverton Mountain helicopters, Colorado Department of Transportation rockfall crews dropped 10 30-pound bombs onto the talus slope above the road, which has been raining rock down on the roadway since last week. While the rockslide brought down some rock and is believed to have stabilized the area, it took out lines that had been set for anchoring several large wire nets the previous day. The lines will have to be reset before the netting can be placed.

 “Today’s rockfall shows the continuing hazards at this location both for travelers and workers on the slope,” CDOT Region 5 Transportation Director Kerrie Neet said. “Every morning we see more rocks that have come down overnight – rocks that are falling from nearly 1,000 feet above the roadway with high velocity. We are working as quickly as possible to reduce the risk before we open the highway.”

 On Tuesday, technical climbers from Ouray’s “Rigging for Rescue” completed a 1,500-foot ropes path on the north side of the talus slope, as well as a 300-plus foot safety line across the top. Once those are reset, CDOT crews, along with rockfall contractor Yenter Companies, will work to secure 40,000 square feet of wire mesh across the slide area. The 47 panels, each measuring 12-by-72 feet, will be airlifted by helicopter to the talus slope where they will be anchored in.

After the cable netting is installed, the next step will be to look at adjacent areas, particularly to the right of the talus slope, and determine ways to safely secure those areas.

Rock and debris began pelting the roadway Jan. 12 about 2 miles south of Ouray. The highway, from Ironton Park north to the rockslide was closed Jan. 13. Boulders as large as 4 feet wide covered the road for a 200-foot stretch.

Crews will work throughout the weekend and news on reopening could come early next week, according to CDOT.

For up-to-date info, go to www.cotrip.org.
– Missy Votel

Silverton Mountain continues to assist by way of helicopter work, now helping to re-secure the anchoring cable and ultimately flying the rockfall nets into position on the steep slope. The 47 rockfall netting panels are 600 pounds each, 12’ wide by 72’ long and will cover about 40,000 square feet of the mountainside.

The estimated progression of work will look like this:  Thursday crews will continue to place ground anchors for net placement; by Friday afternoon netting can begin and will likely continue into Sunday afternoon. After the cable netting is installed, Sunday or Monday, the next step will be to look at the areas outside the net (please see red and yellow zones denoted on Media Room site photo) to scale rocks from those areas.

“Based on the team’s assessment of work today, we will have a better idea early next week when the project will be completed,” Neet said. “We will continue to keep the public updated each day on our progress.”