By Shannon Lukens.
The Wild Blue Gondola is going through the 30-day commissioning process right now. It’s where the new gondola at Steamboat Ski Resort will transition from the construction phase to being fully operational for skiers and riders. Here’s Dave Hunter, the VP of Operations for Steamboat, from a video on their website.
“This means that the gondola will begin to turn intermittently. First with no cabins on the line. Then with a few cabins on the line. Then eventually all 57 cabins will be on the line.”
This process allows for training for lift ops, maintenance, and Ski Patrol. The Wild Blue Gondola will officially fire up once it is given the seal of approval by the Colorado Passenger Safety Tramway Board Inspector, possibly before Christmas.
Three women at Steamboat Resort have been promoted to director level positions, within catering and food and beverage departments. They are Rachel Radetsky, Lauren Werner, and Kelsey Lajoie.
Steamboat Springs is going “Bag free in the ‘Boat.” Starting Jan. 1, all businesses in Steamboat Springs are required to charge $0.20 per carryout bag, whether plastic or paper, that is provided to customers at checkout.
‘Tis the season for holiday parties and sober ride homes. Colorado Department of Transportation, with Colorado State Patrol is kicking off a multiweek holiday DUI enforcement. It’s called “Nothing Uglier than a DUI.” CDOT says 31 people were killed on Colorado roads during the Christmas holiday between 2016 and 2021. So far this year, 36 percent of traffic fatalities have involved an impaired driver. That’s 247 people. Hand over the keys to a designated sober driver if you’ve been drinking or consuming cannabis.
The Town of Oak Creek has a 6 p.m. board meeting Thursday night, Dec. 8. Agenda items include a presentation from the Historical Society of Oak Creek and Phippsburg. Also an update on the Routt County Climate Action Plan. Another agenda item is a proposed rate increase of 3.3% for residential trash removal in Oak Creek.
Routt County Humane Society is very low on wet cat food and they need donations of any brand/flavor. Please drop off at the shelter or order through their Amazon Wish List on the humane society’s website.
Rita Herold has a book signing in Craig Friday. The Routt County native is the author of Yampa Valley’s Lost Egeria Park and Hidden History of Routt County. She runs a 5th generation centennial ranch now, near Yampa. The book signing is at 2 p.m. at the Museum of Northwest Colorado tomorrow.
In her books, Rita Herold sketches what life was like in the Yampa Valley from the everyday characters to the well known. She documents the stories of the fugitives on the “Outlaw Trail” and famed outlaw Harry Tracy. However, her books do more than tell the rugged history of the Yampa Valley. She also manages to tell the stories of the local pioneers whose voices have almost been lost. From the removal of the Utes in 1881 to the introduction of stagecoaches, railroads, cattle, grain and other industries, Herold tells the whole story of Routt County’s almost forgotten past.
Steamboat Springs High School Drama Troupe students attended Thescon in Denver recently. It’s a convention for nearly 5,000 high school actors, directors, and stage technicians. Nine Steamboat students earned a spot to compete at the International Thespian Festival at Indiana University in June.
Representing the high school and Drama Troupe #2007 at the national level will be Kat Sharman for stage direction, Bryson Lee for lighting design, Eva Mosher, Ruby Frank, Hayden Curry, Jake Washburn, and Alivia Warren for solo musical performance, Eva Mosher and Bryson Lee, and Bridger Carlton and Rowan Tolstedt for musical duet.
It’s a busy basketball weekend. Sixteen boys and girls teams are here for the Steamboat Springs Shoot Out Basketball Tournament.
The first game for the Sailor Boys is at 6:30 p.m. tonight against Mitchell. Sailor Head Coach Michael Vandahl says the team has a hard schedule this year and the shootout is a great way to see how the team looks.
“It’s looking good. I think we have a really strong group, leadership-wise. And we’re really excited. We’ve had a couple injuries to start but that’s pretty typical in basketball. But we’re excited to see where we’re at.”
The first game for the Sailor girls is at 8:15 p.m. tonight against Loveland. Here’s Steamboat Head Coach Maggie Crouch.
“We’re really excited for the season going forward. We have a lot of new, younger players, and they’re taking a lot of leadership from the older kids. We’re just excited to get back into playing basketball and having fun.”
Listen and watch those games through SteamboatRadio.com
The Moffat County Girls and Boys teams are at a tournament in Glenwood Springs, starting this evening.
The Moffat County Girls Swim Team and the boys wrestling team are both in Delta Friday
In wrestling, there’s an invitational in Soroco on Saturday for Steamboat, Moffat County, and Hayden, boys and girls.
For the KRAI Time, Temp, and Weather Hotline, call 970-824-1918.