BOX CANYON FEVER
Serving you, homeowners in the Telluride Valley, with insights highlighting the abundant happenings and hidden surprises of this wonderfully remote mountain community which we call our year-round home
Currents- What’s happening this Season in Telluride and the Mountain VillageBesides a jaw dropping box canyon and surrounding 13,000’ peaks Telluride also is well known for its entertaining summer festival season which is in full swing. This summer’s air temperatures however have noticeably lagged behind the festival schedule with the daytime temperatures being cooler and brisker than normal- just perfect for outdoor excursions! The black flies are non-existent this season as well. Three festivals have already come and gone this season! Mountain Film in Telluride in late May ushered in the unofficial start of summer when the restaurants reopen, services are once again available and curious visitors return to the streets and shops. The 33rd Annual Telluride Jazz Festival rolled into town in early June piggybacking the regularly scheduled Balloon Glow Festival. The weather was a little less than cooperative for the duo of festivals- Although it did not rain the clouds made for rather chilly music listening and a strong breeze hastened the balloons from taking flights. All-in-all the crowds raved about the Jazz, Blues and Soul musicians and vibrant festive atmosphere throughout town. Over 10,000 festivarians swelled in and out of our box canyon over the four-day long Bluegrass festival this June 18-21st. It was a grand scale people watching, jamming to music ranging from hillbilly rock to David Bryne of the Talking Heads. There were kid’s craft tents, bungee cord jumping, killer flank steak sandwiches and bundles of Bluegrass music for sale.
$$$-$$$$ DEALS & STEALS: In these challenging economic times local restaurateurs’ are not missing the opportunity to capture the attention of potential patrons. By simply calling ahead of time or glancing at the newspapers you will notice that there are special offers aimed at luring you into their dining rooms. We anticipate that the ever popular weeks of the 4th of July holiday and Bluegrass there will be a normal congested atmosphere about town- so plan accordingly and book reservations well ahead of time. The Onyx Restaurant at the Capella Hotel has an alluring introductory plate offering, as does the Cosmo, La Marmotte and others. La Marmotte is also seating lunch as well now. For a $20 deposit one can pay for a guest card at the Wilkinson Library and upon return of borrowed items can receive $15 back. The library was recently voted as one of the best resort libraries in the nation by Library Journal.
The Ah Haa School of The Arts opened to its full capacity this month after a year plus of renovations. This non-profit school caters to participants by creating a fun, learning environment where artists of all ages can have their own personal "ah haa" moment in their creative journeys. On the 3rd Thursdays of every month they will be host to one of the many stops on Telluride’s Thursday Art Gallery Walk 970-728-3886 for info. Friday, July 24th is the date for the wonderfully zany art auction.
If rafting is one of this summer’s activities on your to-do list – you might have to press forward ASAP as some of the regional rivers have already reached their peak flow for the season! The high alpine snow pack melted off quickly this spring. Another consideration would be running dam or controlled release waters; such as the Gunnison in Montrose or the Colorado River near Grand Junction.
The Valley Floor & Your DOG: Dogs currently are not allowed on the Valley Floor* and further it may be some time till this issue is resolved. While the maestro for the conceptual planning of VF, the Open Space Commission is working fervently to formulate and resolve the dog policy there is a conservation easement in place on the parcel which directly denotes no dog allowed. Yet most parties agree that the majority of townspeople did not opt to vote yes to condemn it to have it turned into a “wildlife sanctuary” rather they were seeking to acquire an open space for one and all to enjoy with reverence. 
Proactively the steering committee has requested a trials study- which of course needs funding from the town. As long as the main source for such studies as this are the town’s sales tax revenue and the real estate transfer tax which are under severe distress- luxury budget items such as a study of trail use are on the back burners. *Note: you may freely walk your dog along the river bank from Mahoney Dr. to the bridge at Boomerang road.GETTING HERE- EXPECT DELAYS! We are all familiar with the adage "The Worst Part of Telluride is getting there …" and the longer adaption "The Best Part Of Telluride It Is Hard to get to …. " That could not be more truthful this summer. This early summer there are a myriad of road construction undertakings underway between here the outlaying region. There are delays at the following locales that may interfere with your travel and flight schedules. There is construction near Dallas Divide; on a section of highway between Ridgeway and Placerville , the section of HWY 145 heading down valley at the Silver Pick Road Junction, the bottom of the Society Turn-Lawson Hill area.
SUM SUM SUMMERTIME in the Mountain Village Spa Day passes have returned to the Golden Door Spa at the Peaks resort. Golf Club members are already apprised via club emails and newsletters about membership events but we thought everyone would like a reminder about the current schedule for the nation’s highest golf course located at 9,300’ elevation. There is a new golf pro, Ty Treacy, a veteran of the industry and recently transplanted here from Estancia in Scottsdale, AZ. There are several gold tournaments scheduled for the season. Mark your calendars for The Telluride Foundations annual Strokes of Genius Tournament on July 24th. August 22nd will be the date for the 5th Steve Butts Memorial Tournament. The Pro Shop phone number is 728-2606 where you can also find plenty of quality attire and gear.
AT YOUR HOUSE: Mountain Village Cable TV - The cable system is being revamped and there could be interruptions in your cable TV services. The TMVHOA phone number for questions is 970-369-8200 ( Libby)
While there may be some bugs in the TMV cable service it does provide a good excuse to catch all the fine entertainment lined up for this summer’s Summer Sunset Concert series held on various Wednesdays, 4-6 PM. These are free, family orientated outdoor setting venues featuring music on the lawn hosted by the TMV in the core area. The first concert will take place on June 24; The Drew Emmitt Band, new grass/jam, July 1st, - Carbon Leaf, acoustical music, July 8th -John Lee Hooker. Visit www.tellurideskiresort.com site for more info.
The end of June and July are packed with various activities making it one of the best weeks of the season to visit. The Plein Air Artist Expo and Show sets up over the June 26th-July 4th holiday period. The summer concert series is in swing, see above. The Telluride Repertory Theatre brings live shows to town. A reminder on June 25th the TMV fireside chat resumes which features local history buffs who invite all to gather around the village’s firepit in the core area and enjoy some genuine storytelling! The Grace Potter Band pulls into the Conference Center on the 3rd of July in the TMV core. There is a not-to-be-missed full-blown 4th of July celebration in the historic town of Telluride (parade at 11AM/Picnic immediately after/fireworks at dusk -9 PM) and festivities in the TMV.
July 2009 Calendar
July 10~12 Telluride Yoga Festival Elks' Park
July 10~12 KOTO Doo-Dah Concert Town Park
July 11~12 Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run Town Park
July 15 Sunset Concert Series Mountain Village
July 15~17 Buddhist Lexicon Conference Library
July 22 Sunset Concert Series Mountain Village
July 24 Ah Haa Art Auction S. Townsend St.
July 24~26 Rotary 4x4 Tour Town Park
July 29 Sunset Concert Series Mountain Village
July 31 Cajun Festival Spruce St.
Mountain Style! GETTING OUTSIDE - Why You Came To The Mountains In The First Place:While you are in town you can join in on summertime fun, the trails are in incredible shape!: Mountain Biking.
If you are new to the sport there are several recommendations to consider; a guide or no guide. That depends on your experience and your attitude. Guided trips can have a big influence on your all important introductory experience with the sport. The most essential aspect would be to heed the warning: Start SLOW and SMALL. A pounding fall off of a mountain bike in the early days will have lasting effect and perhaps crush your willingness to get back on the horse and try again. Err on the side of caution and you may have a wonderful platform from which you may explore, discover all the while getting fit! That is one thing that the average person never gets exposed too!
There are bike rentals at the Bootdoctors Shop in the TMV. They can hand pick a rental bike, outfit you for the day and send you on your way with or without a guide. The biking here tends to be a little tough at first glance but there are plenty of milder, less strenuous rides to give you a pleasurable experience.
We would suggest the asphalt bike path to dial in your ride- this is when and where you want to play around with your helmet adjustments, seat height, learning the gearing and the brakes systems. If that poses no imminent threat then we would say take a left at the end of the asphalt as you approach the Society Turn bike path junction and head towards the west end of the Valley Floor trail. This is a meandering, flat, wide single-track- with minimal obstacles (yes, Virginia, there are rocks on trails!). This will be an immensely satisfying experience on all levels; from ability level, to aesthetics and for being at one with nature. You will thank us, We Promise! Once you have mastered the valley floor there are so many more options! BTW the valley floor single track drops you off back in town- Civilization At Last! Approx 3 miles in length each way and up to 2 hours total.
The next level would be to attempt the Valley Floor trail system link to Illium Valley- an out-and-back ride. This means you go all the way out… and then come back the exact same route versus a loop. At Society Turn head west into the Lawson Hill subdivision; The Conoco gas station will be on your left, then you’ll pass the Alpine Lumber yard. After about 1/8th of a mile after Cindy’ Bread bakery on your left take an immediate right; thru a parking lot next to a school and down a steep, rocky 50’ hill where the hill starts. This is the only “real hill” of this route- so go ahead and walk it if you want. It is technical and rocky!! Head west bearing left, along the West Fork of the San Miguel River. Ride this beautiful single track on the old rail road grade all the way to the Illium Valley where you will end up at the low laying South Fork of the San Miguel River. At the end, there is a sign that you have reached Illium Valley and there is a dirt road. Now the fitness aspect of this ride begins! You will reverse course here, head back up (east) on a moderate climb which may take 1.5 hours alone. All in all, the trip will seem like a tough workout with plenty of beautiful landmarks and scenery. Other riders and you will have covered nearly 15-miles in total of beginner-moderate terrain in about 3 hours or less.
SHOWINGS & SALES- continuing education for the savvy Telluride homeowner -The real estate market remains slow and recuperating from the dive of the DOW Jones this past year! There are some deals closing however- somewhere in the 15-20% off the pre-downturn price. Note until recently property owners had not made major price reductions across the board. A few select Mountain Village homes and many Telluride condominiums (fewer homes) received a price shaving early winter but since that original market reaction there has not been a slash down in prices. Very recently the listed price of many properties has shown a price reduction in the 15-20% range- nearly 8 months after the national financial market took a major downturn. What once may have been a seller’s market is slowly turning into a buyer’s market. NOTE: much slower than other regions and resorts areas across the country. Contract negotiations’ are taking longer as the buyers are requesting steeper discounts than the sellers would tolerate previously and it is taking that end longer to join the trend. Either way one looks at it- there are deals to be made and to be discovered with a written offer- but whether or not the sellers are motivated is still the million dollar question! Still, Telluride walks to its own beat rather than joining the rest of the nation’s behavior patterns. In this town, property owners still have a lot of depth in their pockets before they have to cry ‘Uncle and let go of the notion of “investment” in turn for”relief”. It is very much a case-by-case situation. Some properties that everyone thought were zipped up tight as a drum that would never be available at a reduced price have flipped- fast in this market. If you would like further information on these sales or have a passing interest in real estate sales in the Telluride region, try Lee on his cell @ 970-729-0526 or Ed at 970-729-1625.
Above and beyond Caretaking +
Despite the incessant rain we have been having this summer, Trevor continues to keep getting bids and they continue to be coming in as much as 25% off from last year. Now is the time to work on any home improvement projects you may have had your mind on for some time. With the market in a slump prices have never been better! The houses have all been cleaned off from the red dust storms that have hit us this past spring and we are now focusing on the remaining summer projects till winter sets in. If you have any questions, please give Trevor or is a call and we will be happy to discuss any items you may want to.
After you have made the long trip and you find yourself waking up to a mountain bluebird’s song or a mountaintop breeze rustling the green aspen leaves you may find that you have arrived into your personal Telluride State of Mind. No doubt that Mountain Time moves at a different tempo than your other hometown. Be confident that the offerings available here continue to expand as providers explore new avenues in the realms of entertainment, enriching cultural selections and adventurous excursions. Do you have relatives in town and now you are wondering what to do with them for four-days? No problem. Just ask one of us about any given subject and for a little direction as to whom you should contact to get on with it. We have the care of your house covered so that you don’t have to hassle with the property and its upkeep. We want one and all of our friends and clients to be witness to the wonderful summer here, to be renewed by its magical guile and tempted by its natural beauty. We have found that Telluride gives back much more than it takes. Just show up! and Find Out how it can give to you! Find your Telluride State of Mind!Lee, Sheilagh, Trevor, Freddie & Mark – Your team of committed caretakers –
Happy 4th!
