⛰️ Clear Creek Mountain Life
Welcome back, fellow mountain folk.
This week at altitude seemed sort of a vindication of our mountain communities, its’ spirit, and how our neighbors, strangers and emergency agencies react and respond, in force, in the good times and the bad.
Central City firefighters after the job is done in Idaho Springs, after the fire April 4.
Yes, there was a serious apartment fire in East Idaho Springs on Saturday. At least five local first-responding agencies, including Clear Creek Sheriff, EMS, Idaho Springs police, Fire Authority and Central City Fire/Rescue, responded quickly.
However, before emergency agencies arrived, at least one resident of the Bighorn Apartments told the Mountain Life how he grabbed a single fire extinguisher and ran to the flames.
He was instantly repelled by the intense heat and smoke, but nonetheless, he was first on the scene for his neighbor, whom he said he really didn’t even know.
Flip that scenario to a weekend filled with Easter activities, bringing family, friends and community together.
Easter Egg hunt in Georgetown on April 4.
In Georgetown, hundreds of kids, parents and guardians gathered to reunite and enjoy the season while literally thousands of plastic eggs were scattered in the parks, filling children’s Easter baskets to overflowing.
No surprise, all of the candy that filled the plastic eggs was donated by local merchants, in addition to thousands of dollars in gift cards and merchandise inside ‘Golden Eggs.’
These are just a couple of examples of how a mountain community works.
Flames fully engulf the third-floor wood deck at Bighorn Apartments
Multiple fire and EMS crews were called to the apartment complex in East Idaho Springs
A third-floor balcony fire at the Bighorn Apartments in Idaho Springs April 4 quickly accelerated to the point flames raged above the roofline as first responders from multiple agencies arrived on-scene.
According to Idaho Springs Police Chief Nate Buseck, the original call was made at approximately 6 p.m., and the wooden deck was fully engulfed in flames when first responders arrived.
No one was injured in the blaze, but according to Buseck, at least one couple has been displaced from the apartment as a result of the fire.
Neighbor Ron Neary said he lives down the hall from the apartment that burned. Amid the confusion of the moment, he tried to help.
“I heard a ruckus, I heard yelling, I poked my head out and saw a dude running down the hall with a fire extinguisher, so I grabbed another one and followed him,” Neary said.
According to Neary, the pair quickly realized the blaze was way beyond any effect their small extinguishers would have on the fire.
“I realized I couldn’t do anything, so I grabbed my wallet, my phone, my keys and a bottle of water and got the hell out,” Neary said.
Bunny Breakfast at Idaho Springs library is a big hit
The Idaho Springs library became a raucous room for the annual Bunny Breakfast April 3.
More than 100-kids packed the library for story time, dance, pancakes and Miss Honeybun
The Idaho Springs library became a raucous room for the annual Bunny Breakfast with the iconic Miss Honeybun.
Idaho Springs Library Programs Director Holly Grant read stories to the crowd of more than 100 local kids and insisted that 'every bunny dance’ at the April 3 event.
Everyone danced and shouted, “No more monkeys jumping on the bed!” No one told the kids to ‘quiet down’ or ‘Shhh, this is a library’.
Meanwhile, in the background, a team of volunteers prepped and cooked at least 200 pancakes, complete with toppings such as strawberries, blueberries, bananas and whipped cream.
The annual event apparently made good on the Clear Creek Library District’s promotion of Bunny Pancakes, Bunny stories, Bunny craft, and Bunny fun.
Mount Blue Sky set to reopen Memorial Day weekend
The Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway climbs more than 7,000 feet in just 28 miles, reaching an altitude of 14,130 feet.
The highest paved road in North America, Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway, was closed to traffic for more than two years
The Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway climbs more than 7,000 feet in just 28 miles, reaching an altitude of 14,130 feet and is expected to reopen to the public on Memorial Day weekend this year.
The byway, also known as CO Hwy 5, closed to all travel to the peak, including motorized vehicles, biking and most hiking on Sept. 3, 2024.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, road repairs from the USFS gate near Highway 103 in Clear Creek County through the project area, above Summit Lake, were needed and necessary.
In a Courant article from Aug. 28, 2024, the USFS said its goal was to “improve public safety while reducing ongoing impacts to the fragile alpine ecosystem and restore the natural hydraulic processes through the area.”
EVENTS AROUND TOWN
Tuesday:
8:30 a.m. Clear Creek County Commission meets at 405 Argentine Street, Georgetown.
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