News

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Bear Creek goes up for sale

Since the mid-1990s, the Bear Creek Preserve has served as a leading example of public access to open space. Created in partnership with the San Miguel Conservation Foundation, which holds the conservation easement, Bear Creek remains free for public use and access.

In early February, a listing went public for 33 acres of patented mining claims in Bear Creek for $15 million. The listing gained attention from state and national news outlets, raising concerns about the future of the Bear Creek Preserve.

Located adjacent to the preserve, the five mining claims include the main Bear Creek Falls area and land above. However, only one of those claims is fully owned by the seller, said San Miguel Conservation Foundation Executive Director Chris Hazen.

“Four of the five claims that are for sale are fractionally owned, and we, the San Miguel Conservation Foundation, do have a small percentage ownership in those four mining claims,” Hazen said. “We are a partner to a landowner that is selling this land. We actually have a relationship with this landowner and have worked with them since 2016, trying to find a path toward conservation. To date, we haven’t been able to find common ground on that.”

Listed in San Miguel County’s High Country Zoning area, the claims face strict development limitations. Telluride commercial real estate broker and former expert witness in past Bear Creek mining claim settlements, Dirk de Pagter, emphasized the constraints.

“I’m very familiar with the San Miguel County land use code, so the development potential here is very limited,” de Pagter said. “You may be able to have a site for an 800-square-foot residential structure, and that’s about it. I’m not sure how you service it—maybe with a helicopter.”

The listing is being handled by real estate broker Shane Jones of Pagosa Springs, who said preservation is the best option for the property.

“Really, at the end of the day, the highest and best use of this property is preservation,” Jones said. “What needs to happen is the property needs to be acquired and put back in the public domain. That’s what I would like to see, and I think I can speak for my client—that’s ideally what would happen.”

However, at $15 million, de Pagter said the price is far above what conservation groups are likely to pay.

“I was saying, well, if you want to try to sell these, the value to the conservation entities is probably $400,000 to $450,000, and that’s pushing the limit,” de Pagter said. “That’s basically trying to get a tax deduction for what you’re giving up.”

Hazen said the San Miguel Conservation Foundation is the best partner for preservation, but the price remains a major obstacle.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed when I saw that listing on Zillow,” Hazen said. “The price point is at a level that just makes it hard to perfect a conservation transaction on the property. That’s our role and our interest—acquiring lands that are directly adjacent to the preserve and incorporating them into the preserve.”

Telluride Mayor and real estate broker Teddy Errico said the town is unlikely to meet the current asking price.

“I don’t think the town is going to write a check for $15 million for something that’s so low impact,” Errico said. “Certainly, if the price was more reasonable, maybe we would look at it with the open space fund. We’d have to work with San Miguel County, since it’s their jurisdiction, and consider their thoughts as well.”

Jones said he consulted top land-use valuation experts and maintains that the current price is a discount. The owners of these claims, he said, have already contributed significantly to Telluride.

“They’ve been the biggest donors to the town of Telluride based on the economic value that Bear Creek Falls provides the town,” Jones said.

As for access, the claim with sole ownership begins just where Bear Creek Falls ends. Jones warned that limiting access could have a significant impact.

“It’s kind of crazy to me to think that if this was fenced up or posted with ‘No Trespassing, Violators Will Be Prosecuted’ signs and surveillance cameras, the impact would be great, and the experience would be considerably degraded,” Jones said.

For now, Errico said the town has time to react, and he does not anticipate immediate changes to how the community enjoys Bear Creek. Hazen encouraged the public to stay informed.

“I understand that this may be personally stressful for a lot of people who like to use Bear Creek, and I sympathize with them,” Hazen said. “Often, people have a lot of questions, and we all know what the Telluride rumor mill can do. I encourage people to talk to members of the open space commission if they have questions. I’m certainly available to anyone who would like more background and might consider engaging with us to help find a solution.”

Currently, the Bear Creek Preserve spans 325 acres, is surrounded by U.S. Forest Service land, and provides year-round access for visitors and residents along several recreational trails.

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Comedy Fest Celebrates Its 25^th Year

For the 25th year, the Telluride Comedy Fest is bringing professional comedians to town to poke fun at everything that makes Telluride, well, Telluride.

Kicking off Thursday and running through Valentine’s Day weekend, the festival continues its tradition of laughter and satire.

KOTO’s Mason Osgood spoke with host and comedian Jeb Berrier about what keeps the laughs going year after year in Telluride.

Story begins at 6:15.

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Commissioners Discuss Sheriff Appointment

For the first time in 45 years, San Miguel County will write a job description for the county sheriff position.

Following the announcement of Sheriff Bill Masters’ retirement last week, county commissioners discussed the process of selecting a new sheriff during their work session on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

Commissioners were joined by Sheriff Masters, as Anne Brown shared her appreciation for his decades of service.

“You are really human in your approach and you set a really, I think, appropriate tone for this community in terms of we are individuals with responsibility and yet we’re not going to take any trouble,” Brown said. “You’ve walked that line so elegantly, and really it is important—the sheriff’s approach in terms of setting the tone at the county level. I just really appreciate the way you’ve done that and again, just been an honor to serve with you. And we have, as some people said on Facebook, big boots to fill, but we’ll do our very best. Thank you.”

Masters, who was re-elected last November, is stepping down early, by the beginning of June. The remainder of his term, through November 2026, will be filled by an appointment from the county commissioners.

By statute, the requirements to become sheriff are minimal: a candidate must have at least a high school diploma, have resided in San Miguel County for the past year, and be able to obtain POST certification. POST stands for Peace Officer Standards and Training, a requirement in Colorado that typically takes 16 to 20 weeks.

Commissioners and Masters agreed that a new sheriff should have knowledge of the county and its unique challenges.

“I think it’s too unique a position to do that—someone is really going to have to understand the nuances of our community,” Masters said.

He added, “That person’s character and value are going to be the most important thing that you look at.”

With his planned departure in June, Masters urged the appointment process to begin soon.

“I would like that to occur as soon as possible so that I would have a lengthy time of training and guiding that new person who knows that they’re going to be the sheriff,” he said.

That creates a tight timeline for commissioners, who are expected to vote on the official appointment process at their regular meeting next week. While no decisions were finalized during the work session, the commissioners expressed interest in posting the job for two weeks and requiring that candidates already have their POST certification.

“My guess is that you’ll see relatively quickly a good candidate and make the decisions proper,” Masters said.

In addition to peacekeeping duties, the sheriff’s office has the largest budget and the most employees of any county office. Leadership, managerial, and budgetary skills are also important, Masters said.

If the process moves forward as planned, interviews for candidates will begin in mid-March, with a decision on the new sheriff expected by the end of March.

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Winter Storm Warning in Effect Through Saturday Evening

A strong winter storm is expected to begin Thursday evening, with a winter storm warning in effect from 6 p.m. Thursday through 6 p.m. Saturday.

Residents and visitors should expect 10 to 20 inches of snow, with locally higher amounts possible and wind gusts up to 45 mph. Motorists should anticipate difficult travel conditions across mountain passes in the San Juan Mountains.

An avalanche watch is also in effect. The avalanche danger rating is expected to rise to high beginning Friday morning, with large and dangerous avalanches likely to be easily triggered and capable of running naturally.

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Ah Haa’s ArtThrob Fundraiser Showcases Culinary Arts

They say food is the way to the heart.

Join the Ah Haa School for the Arts on Saturday, Feb. 15, for ArtThrob, the annual winter fundraiser featuring the school’s culinary arts program.

Guests will mingle with Ah Haa’s roster of chefs and mixologists and sample a variety of signature cocktails. Kitchen tools, specialty ingredients and seats in upcoming cooking classes will be available through a silent auction.

To top off the evening, guests can take home a box of their own decorated cookies.

Tickets and more information are available at ahhaa.org.

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Colorado Schools Must Honor Students’ Chosen Names and Pronouns

Starting last month, public schools across Colorado are required to honor students’ chosen names and pronouns, following legislation passed by state lawmakers last year.

The new policy aims to create a more inclusive environment for transgender and nonbinary students. The policy has led to heated debate in some school districts around the state, including in Delta County, which recently passed its own policy that adheres to state requirements.

But as KVNF’s Brody Wilson reports for Rocky Mountain Community Radio, other school districts are pushing back.

Story begins at 16:31.

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New Bill Aims to Help Homeowners Protect Against Wildfires

A new bill at the Colorado Capitol aims to encourage homeowners to protect themselves from wildfire.

Colorado Capitol News Alliance’s Bente Birkeland has more.

Story begins at 18:02.

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Seed and Gene Bank in Colorado Preserves Genetic Resources

You may have heard about the large underground seed vault in Svalbard, Norway, that opened in 2008. But you might be surprised to know there’s a similar facility here in the Rocky Mountain region.

The USDA has a seed and gene bank in Fort Collins, Colorado, which has been around since the 1950s. It’s called the National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation, or NLGPR for short.

Rocky Mountain Community Radio’s Ellen Mahoney has more.

Story beings at 19:00.