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Mining in Rico's Future Once Again Rico, a once mining community, might be returning to its old ways. Recently, United Bolero Development Corporation/Bolero Resources Corporation announced it had entered into a Letter of Agreement with Rico Renaissance, LLC, and its associated companies, to purchase surface and mineral rights "that host the Silver Creek molybdenum project and other copper-gold occurrences" immediately east of Rico. According to the Anacanda Company, owner of the Rico property from 1979 to 1993, at least 198 million tons of molybdenum ore are available, capable of producing up to 273 million pounds of molybdenum. Conversely, the Henderson Mine, 50 miles west of Denver and the world's largest molybdenum producer, has produced more than 160 million tons of ore and 770 million pounds of molybdenum since operations began 30 years ago. Molybdenum is a steel hardener that also improves heat resistance, toughness and weldablility, making steel more corrosive-resistant. The ore also plays a vital role in the global nuclear energy boom and has increased in value from $2 per pound in 2002 to $35 today. Bolero, a Vancouver-based company has already paid a nonrefundable deposit of $100,000. Closing on the property is expected around November 16 with a purchase price of $10 million.
back to top > Peaks for the People The Trust for Public Lands is presently keeping its fingers crossed that it will be able close a sizeable real estate transaction at the end of this month. The deal would reopen the public path to Wilson Peak, one of the most popular climbs in the region, and forever protect 230 acres of the mountainside from future mining impacts. TPL has already raised $1.6 million toward purchasing 23 historic mining claims that sit below the renowned 14,000-foot peak. It now looks toward a few large donations that will hopefully push fundraising efforts through the final stretch. "We're halfway there with all our fundraising," said Justin Spring with TPL's Denver office. "We won't rest easy until we fully own this property and all the access is restored." TPL has spent months hammering out the intricacies of the negotiations, working to purchase the patented mining claims from owner Rusty Nichols. Nichols, from Texas, lives part-time in a cabin at the base of Silver Pick Basin; his claims encompass much of the safest, easiest route to the summit of the peak. Last summer Nichols charged climbers a $100 access fee to cross his property. This year, because talks with TPL were underway, he restricted access almost entirely. The Trust hopes to raise enough cash to cover the purchase price and all associated expenses, a total of $3.25 million. If it can't, it may turn to loans or alternative means of funding. "When it comes to crunch time, we're going to have to look at all our options," said Spring. Jazz Breaks Out A Brand New Move Many fear change, but oftentimes it's for the best. That's at least how the Telluride Jazz Celebration feels about moving weekends starting next summer. "We just got so sick of getting wet," said Jazz Celebration founder Paul Machado. Machado was therefore granted permission from the Telluride Commission for Community Assistance, Arts and Special Events to move his 31-year-old festival to a more weather-temperate time…early June. The 2008 Jazz Celebration will happen June 5-8, sharing the weekend with the Telluride Balloon Festival and Huck Finn Days, as well as being the official start to several months of summer music in Telluride. Balloon Festival organizer Marilyn Branch was warm and receptive to the idea of sharing the weekend with Jazz and fortunately, festival-goers are flexible folks, rather than stubborn creatures of habit unable to envision Jazz outside the month of August. Machado conducted a poll, which showed that nearly 100 percent of Jazz patrons would attend the festival in early June. "It just seemed like the practical thing to do, and now it's kind of a new festival," said Machado. "A lot of people are really excited about it. It may be a little cooler, but we'll go anywhere that's dry." Big Solutions for Small Businesses Although many residents take great strides to "shop locally" and visitors love shopping along town's main drag, it isn't always enough to keep Telluride businesses afloat. Many store owners continuously struggle to turn a profit due to high rents, unpredictable clientele and competition with big box stores in Montrose. But earlier this month, the town of Telluride made a significant effort toward bolstering local businesses. By throwing $75,000 into a pot, a movement to start a business organization began, one that will hopefully identify and mend problems typically faced by the small business community. The request for the capital to launch the appropriately coined, Business Improvement District, came from a group of business owners; the intention is for the organization to be led by a business coordinator who will act as a liaison between local businesses, town council and the Telluride Tourism Board. "We need somebody to help stimulate downtown main street businesses," said Richard Betts, who runs the accounting business ASAP. "You're either green and growing or ripe and rotting, and we've been ripe and rotting for the last five years." Although a Business Task Force with a similar focus was formed in 2005, the new District seems to come at a more appropriate time when the need is more pressing. Town council unanimously decided to add funding to its 2008 budget, as well as appoint a steering committee to get the District going. It also opted to make contingencies to keep the business community involved as the process progresses. Where Have All the Aspens Gone? Although there seems to be gazillions out there in the woods, an epidemic is actually killing many of the aspen trees found in the area. Recently defined as Sudden Aspen Decline, government officials are trying to figure out exactly what's causing the phenomenon. "There has been a lot of recent mortality," said Jim Worrall, a forest pathologist with the US Forest Service. "Whole landscapes are being affected over a short period of time." SAD is somewhat of a mystery to researchers although they believe stress from widespread and intense drought earlier in the decade has created lasting effects, particularly in mature stands of aspen at lower elevations. Worrall said most SAD trees live at around 9,000 feet on south-facing slopes. When an aspen is cut under normal conditions, it releases a plant hormone prompting the root system to send new shoots and begin cloning, or regenerating, the stand. Clear-cutting is typically a solution when trees are ill, but with SAD it's difficult to tell how sick a stand is. Therefore clear-cutting may be ineffective as the clone root systems may already be permanently damaged or dead. "We're worried if we don't do anything the trees will continue to degenerate and we may lose the clones," said Tim Garvey, a sliviculturist for the USFS. "If there is a whole lot of mortality and no regeneration, it may already be lost." Garvey explained the thought is to catch SAD as early as possible. Currently, a proposal to clear-cut roughly 250 acres on the Uncompahgre Plateau is being considered and awaiting an environmental assessment. Main Street Improvements Supported by Council If voters approve a $5 million bond issue in November, several improvements will be done to Telluride's main street. The precise nature of the improvements include replacing a failing water main beneath the street, addressing snow and ice build-up problems on the south side by installing a snowmelt system, and widening the south sidewalk to 11 feet in order to match the wider sidewalk on the north side. Telluride's town council is in favor of the project for the most part, which would also include new pedestrian amenities like more bike racks and benches. Construction would take almost a year and would begin in early spring 2008 if approved by voters. Work would be done in stages to avoid tearing up too much of the busy thoroughfare at one time. Calendar of Events October November December January |
burchmore@telluridecohomes.com I telluridecohomes.com 565 Mountain Village Blvd., Suite 103, Telluride, CO 81435 |