Serving samples of local, craft beer at the Colorado Brewers’ Festival. Photo Credit: Danie Woodward.

Beginning at LaPorte Avenue and Mason Street, more than 40 Colorado breweries such as Odell’s, New Belgium and Pateros Creek brewing companies will be taking part in the 24th Annual Fort Collins Brewers’ Festival to supply and support Fort Collins’ greatest pride: craft beer.

“(To kickstart the festival) businesses all over Old Town are participating in Beer Week in which special and different activities take place (the week) leading up to the event,” said Peggy Lyle, entertainment coordinator for the Downtown Business Association.

“They have everything from  local beer-infused fudge to brewery tours Monday through Friday,” Lyle said.

The Colorado Brewers’ Festival itinerary provides participating businesses such as Advanced Eyecare, The Fine Art & Frame Company, Rocky Mountain Olive Oil Company and many more. For more information, visit the Beer Week 2013 Fort Collins Facebook page.

The DBA is hosting All Brewers’ Eve on LaPorte Avenue and Howes Street from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fri., June 21 to get the festival brewing. With catering provided by Whole Foods, Lyle said, “The food prepared is all local to support local breweries, and each dish will be paired for certain beers.”

As an annually participating business in Beer Week, Choice City Butcher & Deli holds the Beer Connoisseurs Tasting event at the Sunset Event Center the Friday before, this year on June 21, as a precursor to the festival.

“(The tasting) brings 20 Colorado brewers with two of their best-in-show beers, giving the opportunity for beer drinkers to taste something they won’t normally taste,” said Russ Robinson, owner of Choice City Butcher & Deli.

“It’s not a drunk fest. Drinkers will get the chance to get to know the brewers and owners.  Every time I hold this event, brewers are saying, ‘Wow.’  It’s about the hops, an educating experience–what a real beer fest is all about,” Robinson continued.

Previously, Choice City Butcher & Deli and the DBA have hosted the Connoisseurs Tasting in conjunction with one another, but this year the DBA is hosting its own event. Despite the controversy and accusations of the DBA copying Choice City Butcher & Deli and Choice City Butcher & Deli’s social media out-lash, both agreed that the Brewers’ Festival is about supporting Fort Collins’ culture and community.

To get tickets in advance visit downtownfortcollins.com.

Local musicians entertain the crowd with bluegrass, funk, jazz and much more! Photo Credit: Danie Woodward.

The festival begins at Laporte Avenue and Mason Street from noon to 6 p.m. for general admission and 11 a.m to 6 p.m. for VIP tasters with access to the VIP lounge Saturday and Sunday.

The 2013 Brewers’ Festival is family-friendly with live, Colorado musicians such as the Freddy Jones Band, Euforquestra and Blue Grama.

Content producer Sarah Prinz can be reached at News@collegian.com

CSU student goes hiking over summer break

In an effort to prevent injuries this summer we’ve compiled a list of outdoor safety tips.

Patrick Love of the Poudre Fire Authority provided some suggestions to keep yourself and  your family safe over this summer. “It’s very important to plan your trip with adequate supplies and a safety plan in mind,” Love said.

Stephanie Carpino, a CSU student, recalled a hiking trip last summer, “I went hiking on my own and ended up twisting an ankle on the way back. Thankfully it wasn’t as bad as it could have been or I would have been stuck out there.”

The following is a list of safety tips provided by Pouter Fire Authority and USDA Forest Service.

• Never travel alone, make sure you are with a companion and always make sure someone knows where you are and what time you’ll be back.
• Make sure you follow all laws and regulations. Check with the Sheriff’s office for updates and clarification. Due to the current drought conditions many areas have fire bans. Currently Larimer County does not have a fire ban.
• Be in good Physical Condition, don’t pick an event that you’re not physically prepared for as it will increase risk of injury.
• Wear Appropriate Clothing, make sure to check the weather and dress accordingly. The proper shoes are one of the most important things you can do to prevent that twisted ankle. Remember that weather can change quickly in the mountains especially if your above the tree line you don’t want to get caught in a storm.
• Check your equipment, before you leave your home make sure to check that all of your equipment is in good working condition.
• Learn basic first aid, this includes bringing a basic first aid kit. There are many organizations around town that offer first aid courses.
• Set up camp before dark, traveling in the dark not only increases your risk of injury but has also resulted in many lost hikers. If you do have to move around after dark make sure to only travel in areas that you did during the day light.
• Think before you drink, the water coming down a mountain stream may look clean but many times contains water-borne parasites and microorganisms that can cause discomfort and sometimes serious illness. Pack your own water with you or you can purchase water purification kits and pills.
• Alcohol and altitude, remember that not only do alcohol and hiking not mix, but you’re affected much more when you’re at a higher altitude. Even the most experienced drinker will be affected sooner at nine thousand feet.

If you’re ever in doubt about safety or laws and regulations call your local sheriff’s office and they will be happy to answer any questions you might have. Remember while Colorado offers some of the most beautiful terrain around, it also has some of the most dangerous countryside as well.

The best advice we’ve heard is make sure to not accidently die as a result of poor planning.

Editor in chief Darin Hinman can be reached at news@collegian.com

There are three keys every NBA franchise needs to sell tickets: a proven General Manager, a winning Head Coach and a game changing role-player. The Nuggets may become the first NBA franchise to lose all three of those keys in seven days.

Team USA’s Andre Iguodala in London. Iguodala is currently a free agent in the NBA. Courtesy: Flicker

Key loss No. 1: Masai Ujiri, General Manager

Ujiri was the toughest personnel loss the Nuggets have suffered in over a decade. Yes, even more significant than losing Carmelo Anthony in 2011. As the GM, Ujiri built one of the best teams in the NBA by trading the best pure-scorer in the sport (that being Melo). Ujiri revitalized the city’s hope in the franchise by molding one of the most exciting teams in the NBA completely through blockbuster trades.

Despite his work, Ujiri left Denver as one of the lowest paid GM’s in the NBA — $500 thousand a year.  One day later, he was signed by the Toronto Raptors, where he is now one of the richest GM’s in the history of the league — $3 million a year.

Key loss No. 2: George Karl, Head Coach

One of the most publicized losses the Nuggets suffered (behind Melo) was George Karl.  After nine seasons as Head Coach, Karl emerged as one of the most respected and victorious coaches in NBA history.  After very public battles off the court with cancer, Karl still managed to deal with enormous egos on the court like Allen Iverson, JR Smith, and Carmelo Anthony.

Karl’s dismissal seemed appropriate at the end of the 2011-2012 season. He only led the Nuggets outside of the first round one time in eight seasons. However, after winning NBA Coach of the Year this month, his dismissal came as a surprise to many. Karl now stands as one of the hottest names up-for-grabs in an offseason of many coaching vacancies.

Key loss No. 3: Andre Iguodala, game changing role-player

As the only superstar the Nuggets held on their roster, “Iggy” was a splendid upgrade from Arron Afflalo. Fresh from an offseason full of collecting gold at the London Summer Olympics, Iggy played one season with the Nuggets — a season full of some of the best defending Denver has seen out of a shooting guard in a decade.

Iguodala is no longer a member of the Denver Nuggets. However, we cannot label him a complete loss. Days after Karl and Ujiri were released, Iggy decided to end his $16 million contract with Denver in hope of signing a long-term lucrative deal that will stuff his wallet awhile longer. It will take a solid front office staff and plenty of cash to bring him back for next season.

So, who should the loyal Nuggets’ fans blame for all of this mess? The answer is simple: owner Stan Kroenke and the Kroenke family.

Nuggets’ fans are devoting themselves to one of the cheapest franchisees in the NBA.  The Kroenke’s have shown Denver why they are partial owners of super-chain Wal-Mart.  They are all about providing satisfactory product to their community at the cheapest rate possible.

If Stan Kroenke would open his wallet a little wider, Denver could have headed into next season as one of the strongest teams in the NBA.

Content producer Dillon Thomas can be reached at news@collegian.com. 

Fort Collins resident Alexa Vasquez tickles her 2-year-old daughter, Emma. In addition to her duties as a single mom, Vasquez also has to balance a job, her studies and her efforts to move her home-based business to a store front.

Sewing, fashion and design constantly fill Alexa Vasquez’s thoughts and dreams. But, that’s not all that’s on her mind. She is also thinking about the three nights a week she bartends at Mo Jeaux’s Bar and Grill, the homework she has to complete for her business classes, the home-based business she wants to move to a store-front and, most importantly, her responsibilities as a single mother to her 2-year-old daughter, Emma.

“I don’t sleep, that’s pretty much how that works,” Vasquez said of her busy schedule. “I don’t know what sleep is anymore; I drink a lot of coffee.”

Flashback about 20 years earlier and you would find Vasquez, who grew up in New Jersey, first learning how to knit, crochet and sew, marking the beginning of her love for fabrics and fashion.

“When she was in high school, she used to redesign her own clothing,” Vasquez’s mother Candida Marques said in a phone interview. “In other words, sometimes I would go out and I would buy her, for example, for prom, I bought her a dress — it was a gorgeous dress — but, she decided that she wanted to change it, so she went and she changed it and she made it better than what it was.”

Vasquez even won the praise of fashion design icon Georgio Armani during a summer course that she took at Berkley College in New York City, N.Y., while in high school.

“We went to the Armani headquarters and met Georgio Armani — he happened to be there — and he had us design a formal evening gown and he was going to critique them. He held mine up and his interpreter said, ‘She has the best one in the class and these are the reasons why,’” Vasquez said.

Vasquez planned to study fashion design and apparel in college after graduating high school, but in the end, decided not to. Moving around a lot, her life took several down turns to the point that she lived out of her car for a while. But, through and through her love for fashion remained strong and she eventually found home: Fort Collins, Colo.

“The past few months and the past few years have been really difficult for me, trying to find who I am and where I want to be, and moving out here six years ago was probably the best thing I could have done for myself because it made me really realize, ok, this [fashion design] is what you want to do and you are going to do it and that’s that,” Vasquez said.

Vasquez watches as her daughter, Emma, plays in Old Town Square in Fort Collins. Vasquez hopes to open her own store front shop.

When Vasquez found out she was pregnant, she became even more determined to turn her life around.

“I felt like I had no purpose, and I felt like I had nothing to do and no reason to be here and I was just going through the motions,” Vasquez said. “Having [Emma] completely changed that. I am a mom now and this is awesome. It came so natural to me, and I can never imagine my life now without having her.”

As she started to turn her life around, Vasquez received a new vigor to live out her dreams as a fashion designer. So, in 2009, she started her own business called Forever Fibers, and in spring 2013, began taking classes at Front Range Community College as a business major emphasizing in entrepreneurship and accounting. She plans to transfer to Colorado State University in two years. With a business degree she hopes to take Forever Fibers from Etsy, an online marketplace, to a actual storefront.

“My goal really is to get more people aware that you don’t have to buy a cheaply made product or something that was massly produced all over the world just to save a penny,” Vasquez said. “You can buy something that is really unique that will fit your style that was made right here in Fort Collins for the same price and it is going to last you longer.”

With quite a balancing act between school, work, her business and her daughter, Vasquez receives a lot of love and support from friends and family, especially from Emma’s father, Alex Pasquesi, who co-parents Emma with Vasquez.

“Her dad is awesome, too,” Vasquez said. “He helps out a lot, and whenever I get super stressed he is always just right there calming me down.”

Entrepreneur and local glass artist, Pasquesi said he believes transitioning to a storefront will help Forever Fibers get more attention.

“I would completely support her in [moving to a store front],” Pasquesi said in a phone interview. “Definitely, I think she has the talent to show off an inventory line. She not only sews but crochets and she knits, and she does kind of the whole line there, so she would be able to produce a pretty broad line of products and definitely fill a store up with it. It’s kind of what she needs; it’s the next step to get more eyes on her products.”

Although Vasquez has experienced several ups and downs in her life, she said she feels like everything is finally falling into place.

“I feel like there is no more major mountains that I need to climb or major things that are going to set me back,” she said. “I can just see the light and it’s all there and the only place I can keep going is up.”

Through the major obstacles in her life, Vasquez learned a lot about being an entrepreneur and a mother. As a single mom, she has learned to slow down, enjoy the moments with her daughter, and take the time to remember herself. As an entrepreneur, she has learned to keep to her passion, no matter what others might say.

“Don’t let bad comments put you down, for sure,” Vasquez said. “Don’t get discouraged, keep going. If it doesn’t work, try something else — just don’t get discouraged. People’s words can be very hurtful, but for every negative comment that one person makes there are hundred positive comments out there.”

Ultimately, if you set your mind to something, you can accomplish it, something Marques said defines Vasquez’s drive and ambition.

“When Alexa sets her mind to do something she wins, she does it,” Marques said. “She set her mind to finish school, she’s doing it. She set her mind to be a great parent, she’s doing it. Her relationship with Emma’s daddy didn’t work out, she set her mind for it to be an amiable, respectful co-parenting agreement, she’s doing it. She decided she was going to run her own business, she’s doing it. She decided she wants to design dresses, she’s doing it. That’s Alexa.”

Fort Collins resident Bill Ashley walks his dogs on the Spring Creek Trail south of campus. Collegian File Photo.

In the next 15 to 25 years, 30 additional miles will be added to that selection. Many of these additions are newly completed or currently in the process of expansion.

“What we are doing is as the city expands, we continue to make a trail system for those new people in the community,” said Craig Foreman, director of park planning and development for the City of Fort Collins. “There’s quite a large area in northeast Fort Collins that has a pretty extensive trail system up there.”

Every 12 years the city does a citizen survey and the trail system is the most popular recreation amenity the city has, with a 95 percent approval rating, according to Foreman.

Foreman said a recent trail study revealed that 1.9 million people use the trail system annually, with the heaviest use being the Spring Creek Trail, followed by the Poudre Trail.

“Fort Collins is a very energetic community and citizens place a very high value on being outdoors and active,” wrote Marty Heffernan, executive director of recreation for the City, in an email to the Collegian. “Trails are an integral part of our lifestyle and we want to provide our community with the best trail system possible.”

The remaining section of the Poudre Trail from the Environmental Learning Center to Timnath is planned for two phases of construction: the ELC to the Strauss Cabin area, and the Strauss Cabin area to the east side of I-25 where the Poudre crosses under the road, according to the city website. The Spring Creek Trail is nearly complete, with only a few sections of improvement to be made in the next few years.

“We are in the process of finalizing a Paved Trails Master Plan that details trail additions, funding options and priorities,” Heffernan wrote. “We plan to take the draft plan to the City Council for consideration later this year.”

New trails, mostly planned for construction after 2015, include the Northeast Trails, which will develop as growth occurs in that area, the Boxelder Trail from the Strauss Cabin north to Prospect Road, and the Canal Trail, along the Pleasant Valley and Lake Canal from Harmony Road to the Spring Creek Trail.

According to Heffernan, the City is adding more trails to provide for areas that will be developed in the future – specifically in southeast and northeast Fort Collins – to better serve citizens, and to connect the community to neighboring areas like Loveland, Timnath, Windsor and Greeley.

“(The trail system) connects so well through the community if you think about parks, natural areas, neighborhoods, businesses, street systems – all of that,” Foreman said.  “We’re blessed to have a very well-supported trail system for the community.”

For more information on the trail system expansion visit fcgov.com.

Managing Editor Emily Smith can be reached at news@collegian.com.

Check out the Collegian’s Outdoor Adventure News blog for more outdoor content. 

The North Transit Center entrance to the Lory Student Center will remain open during renovations.

Full renovation of LSC Central, the portion of the building between the LSC Theatre and former Off-Campus Life office, is now underway according to Doni Luckutt, director of marketing for Colab, the LSC Marketing Shop.

“The Student Center began the renovation over winter break, starting with a fence on the southwest of the building and some electrical work on the east side,” Luckutt wrote in an email to the Collegian. “The Sutherland sculpture garden, ASCSU Senate Chambers and Curfman Gallery then began demolition in the spring, and late in the semester, Student Center Central was closed to the public.”

The three major aspects of the revitalization project are to improve building infrastructure and systems, organize and highlight Student Diversity Programs and Services and target growth that aligns with Colorado State University’s land grant mission, according to the LSC website.

Unique opportunities have arisen out of the LSC project for both the CSU Police Department and the Poudre Fire Authority. According to Ellis, the PFA was able to use the building for training on entering locked doors and CSUPD practiced emergency responses for an active shooter situation.

Ellis said there are very few opportunities for these emergency teams to use a facility this size.

A total of about 500 people have been relocated due to the revitalization, according to Mike Ellis, executive director of the LSC. Approximately 175 shared workstations have been relocated to the Mac Gym in the Rec Center. Another 75 to 100 shared workstations have been moved elsewhere across campus and throughout the Fort Collins community.

T-Dex has been moved to between the LSC and Morgan Library.

“Offices like SLiCE, Off-Campus Life, Campus Activities, Student Diversity Programs and Services, the Career Center and others have moved to LSC West (The Mac Gym),” Luckutt wrote. “It has been retrofitted to house most offices during the revitalization. Look to the west and you’ll see the ‘LSC West’ banner hanging at the entrance.”

Junior social work major Kebrina Chirdon said she is optimistic about the move.

“I am excited and mildly nervous about being in the LSC West space,” said Chirdon, who works for ASAP and the Asian/Pacific American Cultural Center.

“The collaborations have already begun and will continue to be fantastic, though with us all being so close I don’t know that we will be getting as much work done as we did before,” Chirdon said. “Maybe that time to bond and have some fun will have great effects for the future.”

Ramskeller Express and a Sweet Sinsations coffee cart will be in LSC North, according to Luckutt. Renovations include expansion of the Ramskeller and additional space for the CSU microbrewery and microbrewery classroom, Ellis said.

The CSU Bookstore, Cam’s Lobby Shop, Aspen Grille, Bagel Place Two, the Flea Market, Recycled Cycles, Student Legal Services and Adult Learner Veteran Services will all remain open in LSC North.

One LSC staple that many students may be concerned about – the food court – will be closed during renovations. In its place, T-Dex will be relocated between the LSC and Morgan Library, and food trucks will be placed on the south side of the Education building.

The LSC Plaza under construction.

“We will increase grab-and-go options at all of our food locations,” Ellis said.

The revitalization process will also expand the ballroom by 30 percent and the new ballroom balcony will overlook the Lagoon, Ellis said.

The relocations currently in place will all remain the same from now until completion, Ellis said. The only shift still remaining is RamTech, which is temporarily located in the former Off-Campus Life office. Once the RamTech space – where El Centro used to be located – is complete, it will move there and OCL will become part of the renovations.

“This is summer, so usage always decreases during this time of year,” Luckutt wrote of LSC student traffic compared to last year.

Entrances to the LSC that will remain open are the north entrance by the Transit Center, the West entrance to the bookstore and the north Plaza doors across from the Engineering building.

Renovations are currently on track to meet the August 2014 deadline for reopening, according to Luckutt.

“They are in the demolition phase,” Ellis said. “Which also lends itself to a bit of discovery and the opportunity to understand any ‘unknowns’ in the facility.”

Ellis said issues like fire code compliance, seismic compliance and universal design will be addressed by the contractor, whom the building is completely turned over to during construction.

“(Feedback) has all been positive, outside the usual stress associated with a move,” Ellis said.

Total approved funding for the student center renovation is $65 million. $60 million of that is bonded and $5 million will come from LSC reserves, the website states. In April 2011, students approved a $70 million student center fee increase to pay for the revitalization.

Visit the LSC website for more information and live feeds of the construction.

Managing Editor Emily Smith can be reached at news@collegian.com.

Tightrope walker Nik Wallenda. Photo courtesy of Dave Pape.

Tightrope walking is not just for the circus anymore. Seventh-generation acrobat Nik Wallenda plans to become the first man to traverse the Grand Canyon by tightrope this weekend – without any safety gear – Outside magazine’s Scott Rosenfield reports.

“Last year, Wallenda completed a similar feat across the Niagara Falls, but was forced to wear a safety harness. There will be no such safety precautions this weekend,” Rosenfield writes.

If all goes according to plan, Wallenda will walk a quarter of a mile at 1,500 feet above the Little Colorado River. His walk will be shown live on the Discovery Channel.

For more information on Wallenda’s sky-high adventure, click here.

Mt. Bierstadt. Photo courtesy of Paul Schadler.

Just like snowboarding and skiing, hiking a fourteener is something a Coloradoan must do, simply because they live in Colorado.  The “Higher Ground” article in 5280 explains that Colorado is home to  54 fourteeners and over 140 hiking routes. This state has much to offer for the rookie hiker and those that are most experienced.  Regardless, climbing is a right of passage.

“With all of this lofty real estate in our backyard, it’s no surprise that clawing our way up the sides of 14,000-foot mountains has become a rite of passage for Colorado residents,” the article states.

Many rookie hikers may find it difficult to know which peaks are the easiest to climb. For more information on climbing fourteeners in Colorado, click here.

Gateway National Recreation Area. Photo courtesy of Alyson Hurt.

“There’s a side of New York that plenty of tourists don’t think about—the natural side. And the best way to experience it is by exploring the Gateway National Recreation Area, a sprawling network of parks that spans three boroughs and even part of New Jersey,” writes Tara Abell. “Thanks to Gateway, you can pitch a tent in Brooklyn, track wild birds in Queens, and learn 200 years of military history in Staten Island.”

Gateway National Recreation Area offers “urban camping” for $20 per night at both tent and RV sites – quite a steal when it comes to an overnight stay in the Big Apple.

Click here to read more about natural area opportunities in NYC.

According to Fire Information Officer Bill Kight, the Big Meadows Fire in Rocky Mountain National Park is currently burning at 604 acres with 75 percent containment.

No injuries or accidents have been reported but one firefighter on the line did experience a medical emergency. Authorities did not have any further information on the incident at this time. No homes or structures have been damaged by the fire.

“Still on the fire today we have two wildland fire modules that consist of eight firefighters each and two interagency, 20-person, Type I hotshot crews,” said Fire Information Officer Clark McCreedy.

McCreedy said two fire engines, one air attack light plane, two light helicopters and one medium helicopter are still on the scene.

Update 6/14 10:29 a.m.

Overnight progress has been made on the Big Meadows Fire which is still listed at 333 acres. However after an assessment today by the fire staff Big Meadows Fire has been estimated to be contained at 30%.

The weather is expected to not work against firefighters over the next 2-3 days with afternoon winds staying at 10-12 MPH and gusts to 20 MPH.

There are still currently 7 trails closed as a result of the fire but Rocky Mountain National Park is still open to the public.

Officials stated that there remains no immediate threat to communities or structures.

Update 2:53 p.m. 

After a still night, the Big Meadows Fire has not grown in size from the previously reported 400 acres. Structures and communities are not in danger.

Due to beetle kill in the trees in the area, it is reported that firefighters are planning an indirect attack on the fire, to avoid difficult and dangerous terrain. Firefighters are planning to hold the fire east of Trail Ridge Road (Highway 34), west of Continental Divide, and north of Tonahutu Creek.

Trails closed in the area include: Onahu Trail, Green Mountain Trail, lower Tonahutu Trail, Tonahutu Spur Trail, Grand Lake Lodge Spur Trail, Timber Lake Trail and trail which branches toward Mount Ida from Milner Pass. All major roads and facilities in RMNP are open.

Update 9:57 p.m.

The Big Meadows Fire has grown from two to three acres to an estimated 300 to 400 acres. No structures or communities are in danger. It is heading toward the Northeast, Nakai Peak.

The weather is expected to be warm, dry and windy tomorrow. The fire is expected to continue.   Fire managers have ordered more resources, including another helicopter and another fire crew.

Currently there are five trails temporarily closed in the area: the Onahu Trail, the Green Mountain Trail, the lower Tonahutu Trail, the Tonahutu Spur Trail and the Grand Lake Lodge Spur Trail.

All major roads in Rocky Mountain National Park are open.

Update 6:04 p.m. Fire burning in Rocky Mountain National Park one of three major fires in Colorado.

The Big Meadows Fire is one of three major wild fires burning in Colorado.

Other fires burning include the Royal Gorge Fire near Canon City and the Black Forest Fire northeast of Colorado Springs.

4:18 p.m. Fire burning in Rocky Mountain National Park

Officials at Rocky Mountain National Park, say that the their Park Service and the US Forest Service are currently battling a fire that was started in the Big Meadows area located at the west side of the park. The fire was started on Monday after a lightning strike.

High winds are impacting the firefighting conditions, but are not directly increasing the acreage of the fire, which is currently about two to three acres.

Smoke jumpers are on stand-by, in case they are needed. This area does contain beetle killed trees.

According to the RMNP press release,  the decision was difficult to make because it is preferred to allow these naturally occurring fires to burn for the better “of the resource and future fire breaks.”

However, because of the drought and resources, the ability to manage a large fire is significantly limited.

This story is developing, stay with the Collegian for more updates