Beyond the Headlines

High on the slopes of Galena Mountain at 12,500 feet, the Old Hundred Mine's 1908 boarding house stood as a testament to the audacity of Colorado's early miners — until decades of heavy snow and neglect brought two-thirds of its roof caving in. In 1996, Beverly Rich and a consortium of partners launched what they called "extreme preservation," airlifting supplies by helicopter up a precarious mule trail to save the historic structure before it plummeted 3,000 feet into Cunningham Gulch below. Workers stayed a week or two at a time, rebuilding the roof and securing the building to the rock cliff with cable. A year later, the tram house was also restored. The effort was immortalized in a documentary, Castle in the Clouds: The Saving of the Old Hundred Boarding House — a tribute to the immigrants from around the world who left everything behind to chase the promise and adventure of America in one of its most remote corners.The Power of Place Magazine is a special initiative of the Colorado 150 Southwest organizing committee, featuring 20 articles by professional historians and local writers exploring Southwest Colorado's rich and complex heritage.By Beverly RichThis story is sponsored by Alpine Bank, Sky Ute Casino and Strater HotelWatch the full Voices of the Past: Southwest Colorado series on our YouTube.

Beverly Rich was born in Silverton in 1950 and has been involved with the local Historical Society since she was 14 — making her one of the most dedicated keepers of San Juan County's storied past. In her article, Rescuing Relics: Extreme Preservation and the Old Hundred Boarding House, she reflects on what made Silverton remarkable from the very beginning. Few people realize that Silverton is nearly ten years older than Durango, and that without Silverton, Durango wouldn't exist. In its heyday, this remote mountain town was the Silicon Valley of its era — a hub of technological innovation, incredible wealth, and relentless ambition. But like all mining towns, Silverton rode a cycle of boom and bust, its fortunes tied closely to World Wars and commodity prices. The hardest blow came in 1991 when the Sunny Side Mine shut down, taking half the town's population with it. What followed was a period of honest reckoning — and visioning. Silverton leaned into its two greatest assets: spectacular scenery and fascinating history. Today, for the first time ever, Silverton is no longer primarily a mining town. It has become a thriving high-mountain destination, with a booming recreation industry, rising property values, and a new generation discovering what Beverly Rich has known her whole life — this place is something special.The Power of Place Magazine is a special initiative of the Colorado 150 Southwest organizing committee, featuring 20 articles by professional historians and local writers exploring Southwest Colorado's rich and complex heritage.By Beverly RichThis story is sponsored by Alpine Bank, Sky Ute Casino and Strater HotelWatch the full Voices of the Past: Southwest Colorado series on our YouTube.

Southwest Colorado spans dramatic terrain from desert floors to towering mountain peaks — and the wildlife that call it home have a story as compelling as the landscape itself. By the late 1800s, bighorn sheep, elk, deer, turkeys, and native trout were pushed to the brink of vanishing entirely. What followed was one of the most extraordinary conservation turnarounds in the American West. Today, Colorado boasts the largest elk population of any western state, wild turkey numbers have rebounded from just 250 birds to over 35,000, and native bighorn sheep once again navigate the craggy high country. But the story isn't over. Gray wolves are returning, Gunnison sage grouse are being protected, and the native Colorado Pikeminnow is being restored to the Colorado River Basin. All thanks to the ongoing efforts from communities that care.The Power of Place Magazine is a special initiative of the Colorado 150 Southwest organizing committee, featuring 20 articles by professional historians and local writers exploring Southwest Colorado's rich and complex heritage.By Patt DorseyThis story is sponsored by Alpine Bank, Sky Ute Casino and Strater Hotel.Watch the full series, Voices of the Past: Southwest Colorado.

Retired Colorado Parks and Wildlife manager Patt Dorsey spent 28 years protecting the wildlife of Southwest Colorado. Now, in honor of Colorado's 150th birthday, she's telling the region's untold wildlife story — digging through old biological reports and vintage archives to uncover history that even surprised her. Her core message: wildlife needs people. Without public connection and care, species disappear from our landscapes forever. To read the full article, visit coloradol50southwest.org. The Power of Place Magazine is a special initiative of the Colorado 150 Southwest organizing committee, featuring 20 articles by professional historians and local writers exploring Southwest Colorado's rich and complex heritage.By Patt DorseyThis story is sponsored by Alpine Bank, Sky Ute Casino and Strater Hotel.Watch the full series, Voices of the Past: Southwest Colorado.

Native historian Johnny Valdez sheds light on a largely untold chapter of Colorado's history — the Brunot Agreement of 1873 and the treaties that transferred Ute ancestral lands to the United States government. Writing for the U.S. 250/Colorado 150 Power of Place Magazine, Valdez draws on both his formal education and his heritage to reveal what most Colorado schoolchildren were never taught: that the Ute people, the Nuuchiu, did not simply "give" or "sell" their land, but did so under the threat of annihilation, amid miscommunication and cultural misunderstanding.The Power of Place Magazine is a special initiative of the Colorado 150 Southwest organizing committee, featuring 20 articles by professional historians and local writers exploring Southwest Colorado's rich and complex heritage. Valdez reminds us that this land — the mountains, rivers, forests, and valleys — is sacred, and that understanding its true history makes each of us a better steward of this place.Watch the full series — Voices of the Past: Southwest Colorado.This story is sponsored by Alpine Bank, Sky Ute Casino and Strater Hotel.

How do we get to where we are — and how important is every little story? Native historian Johnny Valdez reminds us that we are each the product of a hundred generations, and that any one of those stories going differently means we wouldn't be here at all. That perspective, he says, is exactly what makes listening to someone else's story so powerful — because in their story, you find your own.Writing for the U.S. 250/Colorado 150 Power of Place Magazine, Valdez draws on his heritage as a member of the Ute Tribe to explore a largely untold chapter of Colorado's history: the Brunot Agreement of 1873, the treaty that transferred Ute ancestral lands to the United States government. It's a story most Colorado schoolchildren have never heard — they know the beautiful mountains, the great hikes, the fishing and skiing — but not the history beneath their feet.This is the land of the Great Spirit. That's what the Ute Tribe has always called it. And Valdez believes that knowing its true history transforms visitors and residents alike into protectors of this place.The Power of Place Magazine is a special initiative of the Colorado 150 Southwest organizing committee, featuring 20 articles by professional historians and local writers exploring Southwest Colorado's rich and complex heritage.This story is sponsored by Alpine Bank, Sky Ute Casino and Strater Hotel.Watch this story at durangolocal.news.Part 2 coming soon!

Karen Tarango and Camille Kropf run an Instagram page dedicated to documenting their quest to eat at every restaurant in the Four Corners. 

Rotem Ishay is a multiple-time cycling National Champion. Now retired, he's passing down his years of professional experience to the next generation.

Tami Graham is the Executive Director at KSUT Public Radio in Ignacio, Colorado. KSUT is one of the radio stations joining the NPR lawsuit of the Trump administration over the President's order to freeze funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Pete Tabor and Joe Washburn own Fun Center Cycles in Durango, Farmington and Cortez. Fun Center specializes in power sports of all kinds, from on & off road motorcycles, to snowmobiles, watercraft and more!

Under Charles Leslie’s leadership, world class artists like Terrance Blanchard and Christian McBride have graced the FLC Community Concert Hall stage in recent years. The concert hall opens its new season in June.

Al Harper owns the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. He considers himself and his family guardians of the train rather than owners. 

Amy & Michael Testa opened Advantage Physical Therapy & Wellness with the goal of giving patients better care. 21 years later they are succeeding in their mission with the help of Alpine Bank. 

Since 2011, Durango Outdoor Exchange has been the hub for second hand outdoor gear in Durango. Owners Jen & Chase Lacroix have prioritized giving back to local non-profit organizations that contribute to the vitality of the community.

The College Drive Cafe is a Durango institution. Aaron Seitz and Leah Evers purchased the restaurant in 2011. Soon they'll move the cafe to Historic Downtown Durango and change the name to College Cafe.

Like Alpine Bank, Four Corners Stoves & Spas is celebrating it's 20th anniversary in 2025. Owner Marc Mata discovered the value of working with Alpine Bank quickly.

From Angel Fire to Bentonville, Hogan Koesis brings decades of experience to Durango Mesa Park Project.

Ska Brewing celebrates 30th anniversary in 2025. 

New Mexico native and Durango-raised Ross Anderson is reflecting on his first year as a member of the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame. His recent honors include the Indigenous Athletic Hall of Fame and a New Mexico Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Matt Martensen is trying to change the paradigm of internet monetization. His tech startup, User Cooperative, is a user-owned internet browser structured as a member-governed cooperative.  He says trillions of dollars and our well-being are on the line. 

Gary Barnett led the Fort Lewis College Skyhawks football team to multiple wins over his two seasons as the Fort Lewis College Head Coach. After coaching the Skyhawks, Barnett led the Northwestern Wildcats and Colorado Buffaloes to high-level bowl games. He was named the top college football coach in the country in 1995. In 2001, Barnett’s Colorado Buffaloes beat the number-one-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers 62-36 in a nationally televised contest on ABC.

The theater community is celebrating Nicholaus Sandner as Colorado’s top drama teacher. Sandner is a Durango local, a Fort Lewis College graduate and a drama teacher at Montezuma Cortez High School. Sandner was recently in Denver to accept his Colorado Theater Teacher of the Year award from the Colorado Thespians organization. Sandner says his students might be as happy as he is for the recognition. 

Levi Kurlander is leaving his position as Executive Director of Durango Devo after serving for nearly eight years in the role. Under his leadership, Devo’s enrollment numbers have grown by nearly three times. Still, he considers his ability to back up a bike trailer the most important takeaway from his time at Durango Devo. Despite raising numerous Olympians and Pro Tour racers, Kurlander emphasized that Devo's goal remains to foster the love of riding bikes.

Clayton Lytle is the new Head Brewer at Animas Brewing Company. He’s worked at breweries across the country, including Stone. Over the course of his career at places like Spice Trade Brewery in Denver and Stone Brewery in San Diego, Lytle has focused on quality beer-making practices.

Jennaye Derge is the Founder of Bike Durango, a non-profit advocacy group for bike commuters and pedestrians. She’s also a journalist whose work can be found in The Durango Telegraph, Adventure Cycling Magazine and Cycling Weekly. Derge is hosting Bike Prom for a second consecutive year this fall at the Powerhouse Science Center. 

Lisa Dierson is the Founder and Director of the EQUUS Film & Arts Film Festival. She’s preparing to bring the equestrian-themed festival to the Four Corners region for the first time in the event's 12-year existence. The gathering will include a Mustang summit, focused on furthering the conversation on managing the local Jicarilla Mustang herd.  Sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort and CommonSpirit.

 Darrin Parmenter is Colorado State University Extension’s Western Regional Director and Co-Host of The Garden Guys radio show on KSUT. He previously served as the La Plata County Extension horticulturist and county director for nearly two decades. His responsibilities include coordinating the efforts of dozens of Extension experts spanning diverse disciplines and spread across 16 counties. Sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort and FASTSIGNS Durango

Dustin English is the co-founder of Voormi, an outdoor apparel company based in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Since 2011 the company has evolved into more than just a garment company, featuring locally made textiles, technology and development. English developed the company with the goal of providing more performance in fewer pieces of gear, so outdoor guides like himself could be more intentional with limited packing space.Sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort and CommonSpirit Health

Fort Lewis College Philosophy Professor Justin McBrayer has won a Fulbright Scholarship for the second time in his career. As part of the program, McBrayer will spend a term in Italy both conducting research and teaching at the University of Genoa in Italy. The author of “Beyond Fake News, Finding the Truth in a World of Misinformation," McBrayer said the award will allow him to continue exploring the issue of misinformation and fake news. The Fulbright Program is the world’s largest and most diverse international educational exchange program.Sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort and FASTSIGNS Durango

Mark Daley is a Durango snowboarding legend. Known for his effervescent personality and his work building log rides at Purgatory Mountain Resort, Daley has earned nicknames like “The Dale,” and “The Logfather.” Daley is also a multiple-time USASA National Champion. He served as the Master of Ceremonies during the Natural Selection Tour Duels stop in Durango last winter.Sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort and FASTSIGNS Durango

Fenceline Cider aims to revive the once thriving orchard culture in Montezuma County. Fenceline upcycles apples from local growers, no matter their size, in order to make extraordinary cider rooted in local flavors. Fenceline hosts the Montezuma Rising Music Festival on Saturday, May 26th. By Connor Shreve.Sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort and FASTSIGNS Durango

If you’ve been to a bike race in America, you’ve likely heard the booming voice of Dave Towle calling the action. Having worked events from the Tour of Georgia to Levi’s GranFondo, Towle has become the voice of American cycling. In this edition of Beyond the Headlines, Towle discusses his career, his love for radio, and the Durango cycling scene.  By Connor Shreve.Sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort and FASTSIGNS Durango

Emily Hutto is an author, podcaster and craft beer industry storyteller. Her most recent project, the Radcraft Industry Relief podcast documents the pandemic-era Zoom calls she orchestrated with many beer-industry leaders, including two Southwest Colorado brewing institutions Ska Brewing and Dolores River Brewery. By Connor Shreve.Sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort and FASTSIGNS Durango

After years of working as a CPA, Michelle Kooi made a career change with the intention of helping others. Kooi uses her experience to help women business owners prioritize getting more done. She now runs Confluence Consulting & Coaching. By Rick O’Block and Connor Shreve.Sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort and FASTSIGNS Durango.

Colorado has a special relationship with historic hotels. From Telluride’s New Sheridan to Durango’s Strater Hotel to the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park - among other examples. They can serve as the focal point of a town's business district, peeling back a town's history and allowing guests and residents to transport themselves back in time. An ambitious historic hotel renovation is underway in Fremont County, where one of Colorado’s ten oldest hotels is getting more than a simple makeover. By Connor Shreve. This story is sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort and FASTSIGNS Durango

Chef Arnold Safari has brought his blend of African Fusion cuisine to Durango for years. The most recent iteration of his culinary creativity is Chef Safari’s African Fusion Food Truck in Durango. The menu draws from Chef Safari’s Kenyan roots as well as his global culinary experience. On this edition of Beyond The Headlines, Chef Safari talks about his cuisine and his journey to the Four Corners.Sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort and FASTSIGNS Durango

Climber Rob Javier is an educator at Escalante Middle School in Durango, Colorado. He’s one of only about 21,000 people who have ever summited Mount Denali. On this episode, Javier reflects on his trip to the top of North America’s highest peak.This story is sponsored by Sky Ute Casino and FASTSIGNS Durango.

Author Mark Stevens is the 2023 Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Writer of the Year. A two-time winner of the award, Stevens' most recent release, ‘The Fireballer’ was named one of the best baseball books of the year by baseball literary magazine Spitball and named Best Baseball Fiction Book 2023 by The Twin Bill. When he’s not crafting award-winning prose, Stevens plays bass in the band Flashback and hosts a weekly radio show on KSJD called TRAIL MIX.By Connor ShreveSponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort and FASTSIGNS Durango.

The Blue Moon Ramblers Americana band are synonymous with The Strater Hotel. In three decades as the Sunday night house band at The Diamond Belle Saloon, the group has performed 1900 times, with more than 50 musicians. In 2023, the Strater Hotel dedicated one of its rooms to the band. Co-founder George Usinowicz reflects on the band's journey. By Connor ShreveThis story is sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort

David Yarrow is a world-renowned fine art photographer who took his first globally recognized photo at the age of 20. It was a photo of soccer star Diego Maradona clutching the World Cup Trophy after winning the tournament in Mexico in 1986. After working the World Cup and the Olympics he left his photography career for one in finance. Now, Yarrow is once again a professional photographer, among the list of recognizable fine art producers, shooting everything from wildlife to landscapes to celebrities and models. The Four Corners and the American West are among his favorite places to shoot. By Connor ShreveThis story is sponsored by FASTSIGNS of Durango