Idaho Springs preparation, planning and parking were set to be put to the test this weekend as two major attractions were scheduled to open one day apart.

Mighty ARGO Cable Cars were set to open to the public on Friday, April 24, and Trek Trails at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park set to reopen with expanded bike and hike trails on the 25th.

The Cable Cars advertised opening is off, according to ARGO officials.

Nonetheless, when both attractions are fully open to the public, benchmarks for locals will be put to the test.

Questions to be answered include: what will traffic in Idaho Springs look like? Will there be adequate parking for visitors and locals? Will the influx of tourists respect local life or is this a disaster that’s waiting to happen?

Answers to those questions will undoubtedly manifest themselves in the coming weeks.

According to information released to the media April 14, the ARGO Cable Car was set to open on April 24.

Idaho Springs residents were to be invited to participate in a Locals Day that Friday.

However, late in the day on Monday, April 20, ARGO representatives announced the advertised opening was being pushed back until May.

According to ARGO officials, the delay in opening the cable cars is due to the weather last week and situations “outside of everyone’s control”.

The Mighty ARGO Cable Cars are taking reservations for May 9, according to Public Information Officer Rose Miller.

Once open, the cable cars will carry visitors from the main station at the Argo Mill & Tunnel to Miners Point, traveling 1.25 miles and 1,300 vertical feet above Clear Creek.

At the summit, guests will experience panoramic mountain views, enjoy elevated food and beverage offerings, an amphitheater and access to miles of hiking and biking trails, according to Miller.

Ticket pricing, availability and purchases can be made at https://mightyargo.com/

Parking onsite will be $14.95 for up to 4 hours, according to the ARGO reservation site.

According to ARGO owner Mary Jane Loevlie, Idaho Springs residents will be able to ride the Cable Car for free.

More than 16 miles of mountain bike and hiking trails will open to the public April 25 at the Trek Trails at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park.

The popular trail system has been extended, and new trails are set to open for the first time, according to Colorado Mountain Bike Association Executive Director Gary Moore.

New kiosk maps have been installed, and the newly established Shimano Trail Born Hub now serves as the base for three trails: the existing Gauntlet Gold, along with the soon-to-open Panic Switch and Old School, according to Moore.

Rosa Gulch has been extended to Santa Fe Mine Rd, and Drop Shaft & Eureka have been extended all the way to the top of the park at Miners Point, bringing the total trail mileage to over 16 miles, Moore said.

For trail updates and community information, please follow Visit Idaho Springs and https://www.comba.org/virginiacanyonmountainpark.

Final construction and safety measures have been completed but intermittent trail closures may continue after April 25th for the coming weeks, according to Moore.

Charlie’s Place is a no-kill animal shelter in Dumont that has served Clear Creek and Gilpin County for decades, providing food and a safe environment for abandoned, homeless, stray, and impounded dogs and cats. 

That could change with a long-standing partnership between Clear Creek and Gilpin counties that could be coming to an end next year, according to Charlie’s Place Manager Sue LeBarron.

Up until now, Gilpin County has provided approximately $70,000 each year to the shelter in Dumont to help with operational costs, maintenance, supplies and personnel to operate and staff the no-kill shelter.

Clear Creek’s operating budget this year includes $361,176 for Charlie’s Place, according to county records.

At a meeting between municipalities and county leaders on April 14 at Marion’s of the Rockies, solutions were sought, ideas presented and points of view were heard over breakfast.

Representatives from Georgetown, Silver Plume, Dumont, Empire, Idaho Springs and county leaders meet monthly to discuss issues facing the county and its municipalities.

Charlie’s Place was at the top of the agenda at the latest Mayors and Commissioners meeting. Ways to save, reorganize and increase revenue were the topic and several ideas were discussed.

What’s missing is leadership at the top and a long-term visionary, LeBarron told the Courant.

Annual Canine on the Creek Fun Run is coming back as a benefit raising money for the no-kill animal shelter, Charlie’s Place in Dumont.

Friends of Charlie’s Place and the Clear Creek Metropolitan Recreation District are teaming up again this Sunday, May 17, for a 5k and a one-mile race.

This year’s event will feature the fun run, an agility course and a costume contest for dogs and their adult counterparts.

The agility course this year will be set up at the shelter at 500 W Dumont Rd is provided by the Elks Lodge 607 in Idaho Springs.

The Elks Lodge received a grant to purchase equipment for the dog agility course, according to Friends of Charlie’s Place president Kathleen Ashpaugh.

FOCP typically raises approximately $100,000 to assist the shelter with the funds for specialty diets, surgery and dental work on the dogs, according to Ashpaugh.

In addition, some old friends of the shelter also show up for the event every year. “We see a lot of alumni that show up, dogs that have been adopted four or five years ago,” Ashpaugh said. 

For more information on Canine on the Creek this year, contact CCMRD at www.clearcreekrecreation.com

Tuesday:

Clear Creek County Commission Meeting: 8:30 a.m. April 21 at 405 Argentine Street, Georgetown. Meeting agenda can be found here.

Wednesday:

Earth Day Extravaganza: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 22. Courtney Riley Cooper Park, 2350 Colorado Blvd, Idaho Springs.

Saturday:

Trek Trails at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park: Colorado Mountain Bike Association set to open trails to the public for the season at 2350 Riverside Dr., Idaho Springs.

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