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Top 5 most-read stories on SummitDaily.com, week of Jan. 17

The damage to Rocky Mountain National Park is apparent in the Spruce Creek drainage and Forest Canyon area. Chief of Resource Stewardship Koren Nydick outlined the park’s plan for emergency stabilization and burned area rehabilitation on Jan. 12.
Photo from Rocky Mountain National Park

Editor’s note: Stories in this list received the most page views on SummitDaily.com for the past week.

1. Rocky Mountain National Park has long road to recovery

With more than 27 square miles of Rocky Mountain National Park burned on the western side alone, recovery efforts for the iconic landmark will be extensive.

Chief of Resource Stewardship Koren Nydick outlined the park’s plan for emergency stabilization and burned area rehabilitation to Grand County commissioners on Tuesday, Jan. 12. The plan covered impacts like trail and road management, vegetation and wildlife, watershed concerns and cultural resources.



The East Troublesome Fire burned 31 miles of trails on the western side of the Rocky, known as the Colorado River District or Grand Lake’s backyard. Eighteen campsites and 13.5 miles worth of roads were also in the burn area.

— Amy Golden, SkyHi News



2. Breckenridge looks to reevaluate tourism after COVID-19, likely with fewer events

Breckenridge Town Council and Breckenridge Tourism Office officials said Jan. 19 that they intend to reassess the town’s events after the pandemic, undertaking a renewed focus on what tourism office President Lucy Kay described as “responsible tourism.”

“The goal that we’ll have — and it’s consistent with other more progressive (destination-marketing organizations) — is looking for ways we can target guests whose value sets align with ours,” Kay said. “… Figure out who are people who think about the environment, who think about other people, who think about the world in a similar way to us, and try to invite those people in first.”

Breckenridge Mayor Eric Mamula said the town’s events and resiliency committees, along with the tourism office, will continue to discuss the initiative in the coming weeks. Kay further clarified her remarks in a guest column to the Summit Daily News later in the week.

Antonio Olivero

3. Bluebird Market at Fourth Street Crossing to bring new eateries and Summit favorites to Silverthorne

The Bluebird Market, which is part of Silverthorne’s new Fourth Street Crossing development, has most of its new food hall tenants lined up, including familiar local establishments, new eateries and Denver-based restaurants.

Chimayo Mexican Grill and Crepes a la Cart will open new locations in the market, joining new businesses Nomad Coffee House, Don’t Call Me Charlie’s Ice Cream and Colorado Marketplace & Bakery. In addition, Denver-based Mighty Hospitality Group will open OK Poke, The Mighty Colorado Burger and a central bar, which is yet to be named.

Bluebird Market will use open seating indoors and on outdoor patios as well as offer event space. In total, there will be room for 10-12 restaurant tenants, three retail spaces and a co-working space. The Old Dillon Inn, which is encapsulated by the market, is being made into a restaurant and speakeasy.

Taylor Sienkiewicz

4. With COVID-19 cases widespread, Summit County officials struggle to pinpoint transmission trends

Despite Summit County’s move to level orange on the state’s COVID-19 dial, health officials are urging the community to stay vigilant and avoid gatherings.

At a Summit County Board of Health meeting, Jan. 19, Public Health Director Amy Wineland said the county is continuing to see more outbreaks among workers that are often the result of gatherings.

In the past, contact tracing has shown that gatherings among restaurant and ski area workers were driving cases. Now, the virus is so widespread that Wineland said officials aren’t seeing a direct correlation to a specific industry or group.

Libby Stanford

5. Summit County reallocates vaccine doses to neighboring counties

With Summit County nearing a “saturation point” in its efforts to vaccinate the 70-plus population, local officials are turning their gaze and resources to surrounding counties.

Starting this week, Summit County officials have been sending some doses to neighboring Clear Creek, Park and Lake counties. The goal is not to take doses away from Summit County residents but to help get the state to the next phase of vaccine distribution, which includes essential workers.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has made it clear that the state won’t be vaccinating essential workers until 70% of the state’s 70-and-older population is vaccinated. That group accounts for about half of the state’s hospitalizations and about 75% of deaths, according to state data.

Libby Stanford


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