The TELLURIDE Buzz

Telluride Resort Lodging Offers 3rd Night Free Lodging for Blues & Brews

2011-09-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

When you book with Telluride Resort Lodging for the 18th annual Blues & Brews Festival this September 16, 17 and 18, you'll receive your 3rd night of lodging free! (with some restrictions).

If I can provide you with more information this offer or Telluride real estate, please don't hesitate to contact me at 970-728-1234, buzz@fedorka.com or www.fedorka.com.

Mortgage Rates Hit A 50-Year Low

2011-08-26T09:40:00.000-07:00

According to Kerri Panchuk of HousingWire, some fixed mortgage rates have hit their lowest in the last 50 years. The full story:

Thursday, August 18th, 2011, 9:48 am

The 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage hit lows not seen in five decades this week as the Federal Reserve committed to keeping the federal funds rate low through 2013, according to the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

European debt concerns also riled the market, staving off a hike in mortgage rates, according to Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist for Freddie Mac.

The 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage dropped to 4.15% from 4.32% a week earlier and 4.42% last year. Nothaft said 30-year, fixed mortgage rates are at their lowest levels in five decades.

Meanwhile, the 15-year, FRM hit 3.36%, down from 3.50% a week earlier and 3.90% last year. In addition, the 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage averaged 3.08% this week, down from 3.13% a week earlier and 3.56% a year ago, while the one-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.86%, down from 2.89% last week and 3.53% last year.

The low rates kept refinancing activity high. In the first half of 2011, refinancing applications represented nearly 70% of all mortgage activity.

Bankrate attributes the record low interest rates to "weakness in the U.S. economy and the accompanying demand for Treasury securities."

According to Bankrate's survey, the 30-year, FRM hit 4.45%, down from 4.46% last week, while the 15-year, FRM hit 3.58%, down from 3.61% a week earlier.

The 5/1 ARM fell to 3.15% from 3.24% a week earlier.

For more information on this, referrals to a local Telluride mortgage broker, or for more information about Telluride real estate, please feel free to contact me at 970-728-1234, buzz@fedorka.com and www.fedorka.com.

"Forget The Market. Buy A House." -- Wall Street Journal, August 18, 2011

2011-08-22T11:57:00.000-07:00

Quoted from the Wall Street Journal, August 18, 2011:

Forget the Market. Buy a House.

By Jilian Mincer

With the Dow Jones Industrial Average down more than 400 points today, and many market experts predicting more volatility ahead, some advisers are recommending their clients put some of their cash to another use: To buy that house or summer home at the shore.

Potential homebuyers certainly have plenty of incentives: Home prices are still way down in many parts of the country, and mortgage rates are nearing their all-time lows. Consider: The benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell 1 basis point this week, to 4.45 percent — just a few basis points above the record low hit in October 2010, according to the Bankrate.com national survey of large lenders. Freddie Mac, meanwhile, reported today that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.15% for the week ended Aug. 18, its lowest reported rate in 50 years.

Another reason to act now, say experts: While the recent passage of the debt deal is likely to keep mortgage rates low for now, homebuyers could soon find themselves with fewer incentives once the details of the debt deal are ironed out. Lawmakers have been debating a simpler tax system with lower tax rates and fewer tax breaks that could include reducing the generous mortgage tax deduction as part of the long-term spending cuts that must be agreed on this fall.

Of course, buyers still need significant down payments, stellar credit and job security, but if “you’re financially prepared to do so, it’s a great time to buy a house,” says Greg McBride, senior financial analyst at Bankrate.com. “Affordability is tremendous, and if you’re in a position where you have the financial security that others are lacking, you’re in a great position to grab a good deal.” Rebecca Hall, a financial planner in Reston, Va., said several of her clients have decided to buy second homes instead of putting more money in the market. “People don’t view real estate as volatile as the market,” says Hall. “Housing prices go down, but people aren’t on-line looking at it every day,” she says. “You view housing as a much longer term investment so it’s a little easier to handle [the volatility].”

If I can provide further information on this article or on Telluride real estate, please give me a call at 970-728-1234, email buzz@fedorka.com, or visit my website at www.fedorka.com.

Additional Weekly Overnight Flight Into Telluride This Summer

2011-07-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

Great Lakes has added an additional weekly overnight flight between 7/17/11 and Film Festival/Labor Day Weekend on Saturday nights. What this means is that there is now an overnight Denver-Telluride flight coming in on: Thursday/Friday/Saturday/Sunday, and an early AM return from Telluride-Denver on: Friday/Saturday/Sunday/Monday

Also note that Great Lakes has added some additional flights over Film Festival. It's now easier than ever to get to Telluride!

For more information on this or Telluride area real estate, please feel free to contact me at 970-728-1234, buzz@fedorka.com or www.fedorka.com.

Summer Concert Series Lineup Announced!

2011-07-08T08:28:00.000-07:00

Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association (TMVOA) announces the 2011 Sunset Concert Series!

Every Wednesday Starting at 6:00pm, Free
July 6th - August 24th Sunset Plaza, Mountain Village

The Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association invites you to another season of outstanding music on the Sunset Concert Series stage. In its 12th year, the series brings an impressive lineup to town; a mix of blues, soul, reggae, psychedelic and more. The party happens at Sunset Plaza, on the lawn near Lift 1. The bands start at 6:00pm every Wednesday and they play rain or shine. All Sunset Concert Series shows are completely free and open to the public; the series is sponsored by Elevation Vacations, All Phases Event Group, and lumière.

The 2011 Sunset Concert Series Lineup:

July 13
The Stone Foxes ~ Foot stompin' blues-rock in the mold of Zeppelin and the Stones. For more information on The Stone Foxes, click here

July 20
Joint Point ~ Hailing from the mountains of Southern Colorado, and built on the strength of their original and improvisational musical adventures, Joint Point is quickly becoming a coveted commodity for the hungry Colorado music scene.. For more information on Joint Point, click here

July 27
3 Twins ~ subdudes members John Magnie, Tim Cook and Steve Amedee featured on HBO's Treme. For more information on 3 Twins, click here

Aug 3
Paul Thorn ~ Passionate songs that mix blues, gospel and country-rock. For more information on Paul Thorn, click here

Aug 10
Nathaniel Rateliff ~ Critically acclaimed, rustic Americana singer-songwriter who is an opening act for Mumford & Sons this summer. For more information on Nathaniel Rateliff, click here

Aug 17
Mountain Standard Time ~ Colorado groove-grass bolstered by sax and drums following the lead of SCI, Leftover Salmon and the Flecktones. For more information on Mountain Standard Time, click here

Aug 24
Ruthie Foster ~ Grammy-nominated blues-folk singer/guitarist and member of the new Warren Haynes Band. For more information on Ruthie Foster, click here

TMVOA's Red White & Blues Celebration Details

2011-06-27T09:14:00.000-07:00

From the TMVOA:

The Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association (TMVOA) Presents...
Red, White & Blues Celebration!
Saturday, July 2, 2010 from 2:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Featuring Hot 8 Brass Band

Kick off the 4th of July holiday weekend with a free concert in Sunset Plaza!

Join us on Saturday, July 2nd at 4:00 pm to kick off the 4th of July holiday weekend with a free concert in Sunset Plaza. This year, TMVOA is proud to present Hot 8 Brass Band.

Click here for more information on Hot 8 Brass Band.

In previous years, TMVOA has been proud to bring performances by Lavay Smith and her red hot skillet lickers, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, The Blind Boys of Alabama, and Jonny Lang for this family event.

In addition to great live music, there will be family-friendly activities beginning at 2:00 pm, including X-box gaming, balloon tying, jumping castle, face painting, and the ice cream social benefitting the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program (TASP).

We hope to see you in Telluride for the 4th of July Holiday Weekend! For more information on this or Telluride area real estate, please feel free to contact me at buzz@fedorka.com; 970-728-1234 or visit www.fedorka.com.

$89 A Night Lodging

2011-06-24T14:27:00.000-07:00

The Telluride Ski & Golf's lodging division is offering $89 per room per night at the Bear Creek Lodge. For more information, call 800-778-8581.

For more information on this or on Telluride area real estate, please feel free to contact me at buzz@fedorka.com, 970-728-1234 or www.fedorka.com.

Peaks Spa Memberships Now Available

2011-06-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

Spa memberships are now available!

Memberships:
- Annual Family Membership: $1,800 initiation fee, $350 per month dues
- Single Person Membership: $1,000 initiation fee, $250 per month dues
- Business Membership: $1,800 initiation fee, $350 per month dues and Business can assign up to 4 employees to membership (limited number available)

Spa Member Discounts:
- Free fitness classes
- 10% at boutique
- 10% off treatments
- 10% off salon
- 2 hours complimentary parking subject to availability
- 1/2 off guest passes

For more information on this, or on Telluride area real estate, please feel free to contact me at buzz@fedorka.com, on my direct line at 728-1234, or visit www.fedorka.com.

Telluride's Golf Course is Now Open

2011-05-27T11:17:00.001-07:00

Telluride's golf course opened this morning - Telluride Ski & Golf is offering lodging packages from $121/person/night for 2 nights' lodging and 2 rounds of golf.

For more information on this, or on Telluride area real estate, please feel free to contact me at buzz@fedorka.com; www.fedorka.com or on my direct line at 970-728-1234. Happy Spring!

End of Season Lodging Specials and Celebrations!

2011-03-25T09:50:00.001-07:00

To celebrate the end of the ski season:

Telluride Resort Lodging is offering 50% off lodging

The end-of-season street dance will take place as usual on Main Street on Friday April 1st (no foolin'!)

Joint Point will play in the Mountain Village core on April 3rd, Closing Day

Come join us for some end-of-season fun! As always, if I can provide you with more information on this, or real estate in Telluride, please feel free to contact me at buzz@fedorka.com, 970-728-1234 and www.fedorka.com.

Come Enjoy Spring in Telluride

2011-03-21T10:18:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest spring skiing specials on Telluride lodging and lift tickets at www.tellurideskiresort.com, and don't forget to make time to enjoy the new decks at the Peaks Hotel - DJs and drink specials and sunshine galore! As they say, bring the kids - it's only $10 for unlimited gameplay in their new game room. Fun for all!

As always, please feel free to contact me if I can provide more information on this or on Telluride's real estate market, at buzz@fedorka.com, 970-728-1234, or www.fedorka.com. Happy Spring!

Telluride Ski Resort Announces Spring Hours

2011-03-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

Following daylight savings time, which starts March 13th, the Telluride Ski Resort will change its operating hours to 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM - enjoy!

As always, if I can provide you with further information on this, or Telluride area real estate, please feel free to contact me at buzz@fedorka.com, 970-728-1234, and www.fedorka.com.

From The Telluride Ski Resort: Family Ski & Stay Free

2011-02-25T11:09:00.000-08:00

Vacation with Family or Friends!
* 4 people in Bear Creek Lodge
* 4th night lodging FREE
* 4th person skis FREE
* $100 for lunch on the mountain

Visit www.tellurideskiresort.com for more information! As always, if I can provide further information, please contact me at 970-728-1234, buzz@fedorka.com and www.fedorka.com.

Test Drive a Land Rover in Telluride!

2011-02-18T09:07:00.000-08:00

The Telluride Ski Resort has teamed up with Land Rover USA to offer Ride & Drive weekends in Telluride, on the following dates:

February 18-21
March 4-6
March 18-20

Choose from 2011 model year Range Rovers and Land Rovers to test drive in the conditions that they were made for!

For more information on this or anything related to Telluride and Telluride real estate, please feel free to contact me at buzz@fedorka.com, 970-728-1234, or www.fedorka.com.

Telski Offers Friends & Family Deals for January

2011-01-07T12:35:00.000-08:00

A recent email from the Telluride Ski Resort outlined three fabulous deals for January, as follows:

Get a group of 6 people and ski Telluride in January for 3 days/2 nights, starting at $94/person/night.
Stay at Telski's fabulous lodging options in January for 2 nights, and get the 3rd night for $50.
If you hold a full 2010/2011 season pass at any other ski resort, get a 2-day lift ticket to Telluride for just $50/day!

For more details, visit www.tellurideskiresort.com. And for more information on these deals, or Telluride real estate options, give me a call at 970-728-1234 or email me at buzz@fedorka.com. Happy New Year!

Jingle Jam in Mountain Village this Friday!

2010-12-07T11:55:00.000-08:00

From the Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association (TMVOA):

TMVOA, together with the Town of Mountain Village, will host Jingle Jam and the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony Friday, December 10th in Mountain Village Center. Over the years, Jingle Jam has evolved and this year it is certain to be the most festive event ever with family-focused activities.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~Special Holiday Deals at Participating Mountain Village Businesses All Day
Get your holiday shopping done (or started) at the various Mountain Village establishments located in the town's plazas. There is certainly something for everyone on your list in Mountain Village.~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Merchant Gingerbread House Competition 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Come help us judge the creatively built and tastefully eye-pleasing gingerbread houses from participating businesses: BootDoctors, Fairmont Heritage Franz Klammer Lodge, Telluride Tourism Board, Swanky Buckle and Allred's. Displayed in cases and placed around the Christmas tree in Heritage Plaza, the public will choose the Gingerbread House Competition winner based on simple criteria - creativity, overall appearance and edibility. Santa will announce the winner at 5:30 p.m., before the Tree Lighting Ceremony. The winner will receive a gift certificate from one of the fine Mountain Village restaurants.

Free Ice Skating & Hot Chocolate 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
BootDoctors, operators of the Mountain Village Ice Rink, is giving the community an early holiday gift: free skating during Jingle Jam. For those without skates, rentals are available. Free hot chocolate will be served as well.

Cookie Decorating for Kids (while supplies last) 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
New to the event, kids of all ages will have the opportunity to decorate their own Christmas cookie in Heritage Plaza while they wait to meet Santa and his elf.

Caroling 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The classic holiday songs, the ones we all know so well and sign along to - Jingle Bells, Joy to the World, Silent Night - will be echoing throughout Mountain Village's plazas. This newly added entertainment is presented by members of SquidShow Theater.

Sitting with Santa 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Say hello to Santa, tell him what you want for Christmas, and have your free picture taken with him, too. Hot beverages provided by Gondola Grounds.

Tree Lighting Ceremony
The 19-foot Christmas tree, sponsored by Mountain Village businesses, will light up Heritage Plaza at 5:30 p.m. with the help of Santa, his elf and Mayor Bob Delves. As a part of Mountain Village's green efforts, after the Christmas season the tree will be replanted.

A small taste of what merchants will be offering ...

· BootDoctors: grab bag discounts with 10%-to-50% off, hot cider and treats, free gift with
purchase, free wrapping

· The Peaks Resort & Spa: 25% off items at The Spa Boutique, standby heli-ski tickets 50% off
the regular rate, unveiling of the children's life-sized gingerbread house

For more Jingle Jam and Tree Lighting Ceremony information, please contact either the town's Community Relations Manager Nichole Zangara at (970) 369-6430 or TMVOA's Operations Administrator Jim Riley at (970) 369-7626.

If I can provide you with any further information on this or Telluride real estate, please call me at 970-728-1234 or email buzz@fedorka.com.

December Calendar From The Town of Mountain Village

2010-12-03T12:52:00.000-08:00

Mountain Village is busting at the seams with events this December: Jingle Jam and the annual Tree Light Ceremony, Crazy Holiday Sweater Party, Sitting with Santa and Santa's Workshop, torchlight parades and firework display, concerts at the Telluride Conference Center and The Peaks Resort & Spa, and on and on and …

With all the holiday excitement, don’t forget to attend the town’s presentation of the final draft Mountain Village Comprehensive Plan Tuesday, December 28 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Town Hall, and TMVOA’s Annual Member Meeting the following evening.

While enjoying the holiday festivities, be sure to visit the various restaurants and retail stores in Mountain Village Center (several new businesses have opened) and take advantage of all the Mountain Village recreation adventures that await you and your family. Happy Holidays!

Town of Mountain Village
Date: Throughout the entire month of December (mainly Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays, but some Tuesdays)
Event: Mike Pale or Lodges Lane in Concert
Location: The Great Room at The Peaks Resort & Spa
Time: 5:30 p.m.

Date: December 3
Event: Pretty Lights in Concert
Location: Telluride Conference Center in Mountain Village
Time: doors open at 7 p.m.; showtime is 8 p.m.

Date: December 4
Event: Mother Daughter Christmas Tea
Location: Jasper Room at Capella Telluride
Time: 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: $15 per person; $11 per Mountain Village Social Club member
Reservations: (970) 369-0880

Date: December 4
Event: Pretty Lights in Concert
Location: Telluride Conference Center in Mountain Village
Time: doors open at 7 p.m.; showtime is 8 p.m.

Date: December 6
Event: Intergovernmental Meeting
Location: Telluride Fire House
Time: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Date: December 6
Event: Special Joint Town Council and Comprehensive Plan Task Force Meeting
Location: Mountain Village Town Hall
Time: 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Link: Comprehensive Plan Task Force Meeting Packet

Date: December 7
Event: Merchant Association Meeting
Location: Blue Mesa Conference Room
Time: 3 p.m.

Date: December 7
Event: Open Space & Recreation Advisory Board Meeting
Location: Mountain Village Town Hall
Time: 5:15 p.m.
Link: Open Space & Recreation Advisory Board Meeting Agenda

Date: December 8
Event: Town Council Meeting
Location: Mountain Village Town Hall
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Link: Town Council Meeting Packet
Link: View Guest Commentary from Town Manager Greg Sparks regarding the 2011 budget

Date: December 9
Event: Telluride Tourism Board Annual Meeting & Telluride’s Image: A Community Discussion
Location: Sheridan Opera House
Time: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Link: Official Telluride Tourism Board Web Site

Date: December 9
Event: Design Review Board Meeting
Location: Mountain Village Town Hall
Time: 12 p.m.
Link: Design Review Board Meeting Agenda

Date: December 10
Event: Jingle Jam & Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony
Location: Mountain Village Center
Time: special holiday deals all day; activities 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Link: View Advertisement; Listen to live Jingle Jam podcast December 9 at Telluride Inside ... and Out

Date: December 15 – December 18
Event: 2010 VISA Snowboard World Cup
Location: Mountain Village & the Telluride Ski Resort’s Misty Maiden ski run
Link: Official Telluride World Cup Web Site

Date: December 16
Event: USSA Poster Signing & Hot Chocolate Social
Location: Hop Garden
Time: 5 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Date: December 16
Event: Telluride Montrose Regional Air Organization Meeting
Location: Blue Mesa Conference Room
Time: 9 a.m.
Link: Official TMRAO Web Site

Date: December 16
Event: Telluride Airport Authority Meeting
Location: Telluride Airport
Time: 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Date: December 17
Event: Dubskin Concert
Location: Telluride Conference Center
Time: doors open at 9 p.m.; showtime is 9:30 p.m.
Cost: $5 at the door

Date: December 18
Event: Crazy Holiday Sweater Party – Telluride Adaptive Sports Program Fundraiser
Location: Suede Bar at Capella Telluride
Time: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Cost: $15 or $5 with tacky holiday sweater

Date: December 20
Event: Christmas Concert with the Telluride Chorale Society
Location: The Great Room at The Peaks Resort & Spa
Time: 6 p.m.

Date: December 20 & December 21
Event: Sitting with Santa & Santa’s Workshop
Location: Telluride Conference Center in Mountain Village
Time: 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Date: December 24
Event: Town Hall Offices Closed for Christmas Holiday
Location: Mountain Village Town Hall and Municipal Building
Time: normal office hours will resume at 7 a.m. Monday, December 27

Date: December 24 & December 25
Event: Santa Ski & Photos
Location: Gorrono Ranch
Time: after 3 p.m.
Link: Official Telluride Ski Resort Web Site

Date: December 24
Event: Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade
Location: Telluride Ski Resort mountain
Time: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Link: Official Telluride Ski Resort Web Site

Date: December 28
Event: Special Joint Town Council and Comprehensive Plan Task Force Meeting
Location: Mountain Village Town Hall
Time: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Link: Comprehensive Plan Task Force Meeting Packet

Date: December 29
Event: Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association Annual Member Meeting
Location: Mountain Village Town Hall
Time: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Link: Official TMVOA Web Site

Date: December 29
Event: From Bust to Boom
Location: Capella Telluride
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Link: Official Telluride Historical Museum

Date: December 31
Event: Extended Gondola & Dial-A-Ride Hours
Location: Mountain Village and Telluride Gondola Stations
Time: 7 a.m. – 2 a.m.

Date: December 31
Event: Town Hall Offices Closed for New Year’s Day Holiday
Location: Mountain Village Town Hall and Municipal Building
Time: normal office hours will resume at 7 a.m. Monday, January 3

Date: December 31
Event: New Year’s Eve Torchlight Parade and Fireworks
Location: atop the Telluride Ski Resort mountain into Mountain Village
Time: 6:30 p.m.

For any questions, or if I can help you with any Telluride real estate needs, please do not hesitate to call 970-728-1234 or email buzz@fedorka.com. Happy Holidays!

Telluride Ski Resort Opens Tomorrow!

2010-11-23T13:01:00.000-08:00

The Telluride Ski Resort has reinstated a tradition - Donation Day is tomorrow, November 24th. On this day, all sales from lift tickets ($25 each!) are donated to the Telluride Ski & Snowboard Club, the local youth snow athletics club. Join us for a banner opening day!

As always, if I can provide you with further information on this or Telluride area real estate, please call me at 970-728-1234 or email me at buzz@fedorka.com.

The Sheridan Arts Foundation's Holiday Concert Series

2010-11-02T13:26:00.000-07:00

December 27th, 8pm:
An Acoustic Evening with Shawn Colvin & John Oats

December 29th, 8pm:
Satisfaction - A Tribute to the Rolling Stones

December 30th, 8pm:
An Intimate Solo Acoustic Performance by Citizen Cope

December 31st, 9pm:
New Year's Eve Gala with Chubby Checker and the Wild Cats!

January 2nd, 8pm:
The Mighty Diamonds

For more information, please visit www.SheridanOperaHouse.com, and as always, if I can provide more information on this or Telluride real estate, please contact me at 970-728-1234 or buzz@fedorka.com.

Early Storm Dumps 18 Inches of Snow on Telluride!

2010-10-27T12:40:00.000-07:00

According to the Telluride Ski Resort:

"Telluride, CO – Oct. 25, 2010 – Local skiers and boarders in Telluride awoke this morning to the first heavy snowfall of the season. With the storm total at 18 inches mid-mountain and more up on top of Palmyra Peak and Revelation Bowl, the season is off to a good start. Snow covered the surrounding peaks and top of the resort a few times over the last couple weeks, but last night’s storm dropped several inches all the way to town.

“We’re thrilled with the early season snow and looking forward to a fantastic year,” said Telluride Ski & Golf CEO Dave Riley. “With snowmaking underway and our summer projects nearly complete, including new runs, dinners at Alpino Vino via Snow Coach, and new retail, plus the returning World Cup and a feature in Warren Miller’s Wintervention, we are ready for winter.” "

For more information on this or Telluride real estate, please contact me at 970-728-1234 or buzz@fedorka.com.

Telluride's Top Ten Autumn 2010

2010-10-01T10:50:00.000-07:00

Ten good things about Telluride and Telluride real estate:

1. The stock market showed unbelievable September gains; biggest since 1939.
2. By November, Telluride Airport may have approval for evening flights.
3. TelSki ski area expansions and the Powder Magazine article may create a “new buzz” for Telluride as this season’s best ski destination.
4. Two new festivals added this summer: the Photo Festival and the Horror Festival.
5. Telluride Ski and Golf have been given approval to expand and improve the existing snowmaking system ($7M+). This project will allow Telski to upgrade and enhance the existing snowmaking system it is now using to improve early season snow conditions. “With these improvements Telski will be able to offer a better early season experience to guests of the ski area and that benefits the local economy and the community,” said District Ranger Judy Schutza. With better snowmaking in place, Telluride could be in the running to host a World Cup event.
6. Riverwatch Condo closing at $1,100 sqft; mirroring the same caliber as Element 52.
7. Continental & United Airlines Merger – Telluride Airport will be able to accommodate more Q400 NextGen aircraft as airport improvements continue through November. The Q400 also has new improvements and will be further enhanced with the introduction of larger overhead bins that will accommodate standard roller bags. Combining these features with the Active Noise and Vibration Suppression (ANVS) system will give the Q400 NextGen aircraft passenger an even more pleasant cabin experience.
8. The numbers are in, and summer tourism was up.
9. Real estate values are coming up; buyers could begin to see returns on their investments.
10. With the fall season upon us, the Telluride area is the most beautiful place on earth!

As always, please feel free to contact me for more information on this or Telluride area real estate by calling 970-728-1234 or emailing buzz@fedorka.com.

Telluride Exposed!

2010-09-24T12:46:00.000-07:00

Telluride has recently been in the ski press and will be featured in a new Warren Miller film, called “Wintervention.” You can view a teaser for this film at the following link: http://vimeo.com/14617132.

In the October issue of Powder Magazine, there is a 12-page feature story about Telluride, called “Rising T-Ride: The Second Coming of America’s Greatest Backcountry Resort.” If you’d like a copy of the entire article, send me an email and I will forward you a PDF copy. The article touches on some of Telluride’s colorful history, including the old mining days and the earliest days of the ski mountain, which opened on December 22nd, 1972. The article also mentions that in the three years since Dave Riley, the CEO of the Telluride Ski Resort, came on board, he has opened “more than 350 acres of jaw-dropping sidecountry, increased access to thousands of acres of backcountry and added a lift to access it in a purposeful campaign to restore T-Ride’s reputation as one of the baddest mountains in the West.” The balance of the article offers fantastic photography. As they say, all publicity is good publicity!

If I can send you more information on this or on real estate in Telluride, please give me a call at 970-728-1234 or email me at buzz@fedorka.com.

Fall Tilt in Telluride!

2010-09-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

News Release from the Town of Mountain Village:

The leaves are turning, the days are shorter, and the air is a bit cooler. This all translates to one thing: it’s fall time in the mountains, and the end of bike season. For those who aren’t quite ready to put their bikes away just yet, Mountain Village has you covered. The second annual Fall Tilt in Telluride returns to the San Juan Mountains, September 24 and September 25.

“We expect to see some of the region’s best and toughest riders participate in Fall Tilt, and showcase their endurance and strength,” said Mountain Village Community Relations Manager Nichole Zangara. “After talking to riders who participated in the Mountain States Cup Series event, Full Tilt, the San Juan backdrop is pretty unbeatable. I can’t think of a better way to end one’s bike season than riding killer terrain while soaking in some of the most jaw-dropping scenery imaginable. We are expecting a solid turnout for this event, and some of the fastest speeds ever.”

As far as the race goes, it works like this: The race is capped at 75 on-course riders, which translates to over 100 competitors on race day. There will be mandatory practice Friday and race day is Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; riders will utilize the gondola both days. The winners of each class and category are determined by the total number of laps completed in a 12-hour period. There are no ties. CJ Sports Timing will time every lap of every rider to determine the winners just in case there is a tie in the number of laps. Riding after dark will require the use of approved front-mounted bike lights. If a rider intends to run the last hours of the race and doesn’t have an adequate lighting system, they won’t be allowed on the course.

Currently, Fall Tilt registration is available online at BikeReg.com, and it will end Thursday, September 23 at 6 p.m. After that, a $20 on-site registration fee will apply. Participation fees range from $75 to $175, and include event registration, race plate, on-site hospitality, event after-party, and a guaranteed good time. Classes and categories include open and amateur solo and duo teams. Team class is based on best-rider-on-team skill level and only one rider per duo team is allowed on the course at any given time. As for that pretty cash purse, it stands at $2,000 minimum, and that amount will only move north as open class registration numbers increase. Cash will be paid to top finishers – first, second and third – in the open class and for all categories. The top amateurs from each category will walk away with a new riding ensemble, courtesy of DAKINE. And last, but not least, at the awards ceremony every rider will have the opportunity to win a killer gift, compliments of the event’s sponsors.

Fall Tilt Venue

The Fall Tilt race course, all within the Mountain Village Bike Park, is comprised of four adjacent downhill trails that will be utilized simultaneously from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Terrain will vary from rocky, technical riding on the World Cup course to flowing, slower riding on a “recovery” trail or two. It is up to the rider’s discretion as to which trail they will use for each downhill lap. To keep the course safe for the riders and spectators, the race course will be taped and marked, closed to the general public, and patrolled and marshaled. Tech support tents and support staff will be available near the vicinity of the finish line; riders are responsible for their own repair and equipment replacement.

Fall Tilt Sponsors & Supporters

Fall Tilt sponsors and supporters include:
* Platinum – BootDoctors & Paragon, Capella Telluride, CJ Sports Timing, Dakine, Mountain Village Bike Park, San Miguel Bike Alliance, SUNRISE, Inc., Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association, Town of Mountain Village, Tracks Café and Bar
* Gold – Floradora Saloon, Honga’s Lotus Petal Restaurant, Hotel Columbia, The Last Dollar Saloon, Wells Fargo
* Silver – American National Bank, Cosmopolitan, Grassroots Cycles, New Sheridan Hotel and Bar, The Llama, Wine Mine

For more information regarding the race, registration and schedule, please check out the details at www.falltiltintelluride.com. To volunteer as a course marshal Friday or Saturday, call (970) 369-8236.

As always, if I can send you any information on this event or Telluride real estate, please give me a call at 970-728-1234 or email me at buzz@fedorka.com.

Listen to Telluride's Blues & Brews Festival Live!

2010-09-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

Cool Music Network and the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival will be providing festival fans the opportunity to watch select 2010 artists via their live webcast at: http://www.cooltv_telluride.endavomedia.com/mediamanager/. Enjoy!

As always, if I can provide you with any further information on this or Telluride real estate, please give me a call at 970-728-1234 or email me at buzz@fedorka.com.

An Update from Telski and Dave Riley

2010-09-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

Telski Preparing for the 2010/2011 Ski Season with Numerous Improvements

For several years, Telski has focused on large capital improvements to enhance the ski area, by expanding both terrain and dining options (such as Revelation Bowl, the stairway to the Gold Hill Chutes, Alpino Vino, and the Hop Garden). For the upcoming season, the staff members and management group at Telluride Ski and Golf are busy working to improve the on-mountain experience. Below are some of these projects:

* Upgraded online sales systems and email systems

* Allred’s is getting new custom carpet this fall, as well as four large new elk antler chandeliers
in the main dining room and a new flat screen TV in the bar area

* Alpino Vino is getting new outdoor electric radiant heaters for the deck

* The Hop Garden is getting new outdoor electric radiant heaters for the patio, additional outdoor furniture, and new beer lines which will be run underground from the Plaza building to the outdoor bar so they can offer 8 varieties on tap outside

* Numerous projects are being completed on the chairlifts to reduce down-time

* A new 12-person heated and enclosed snowcat "people hauler" trailer has been purchased, to
use for periodic dinners at Alpino Vino

* Significant brush-cutting is happening this fall on the north side slopes

* New gladed ski runs are being developed. Below is a list of areas Telski hopes to complete before the weather turns:
A. Skier’s left of Silver Tip (5)
B. Skier’s right of Henry’s Run (5)
C. Lower Terminal Role (12)
D. Skier’s right of Stella (12)
E. Skier’s right of Upper Sandia (12)
F. Skier’s right of Log Pile (9)
G. Skier’s left of Joint Point (9)

* Telski will have several new features/jibs for terrain parks

* Pumping capacity is being doubled in the Misty Maiden pumphouse, which will enhance the
speed of snowmaking in chair 4, 5 and 6 pods

* A new women’s boutique called "The Swanky Buckle" will open in Mountain Village

* A new print gallery called "Gold Hill Gallery" will open in Mountain Village

* New Nastar buildings for the top and bottom of the race course are being constructed.

It promises to be a beautiful ski season! As always, please feel free to contact me for more information on this or Telluride real estate at 970-728-1234 or buzz@fedorka.com.

Encouraging News From Telluride

2010-08-20T15:18:00.000-07:00

The Telluride real estate marketplace has experienced a bit of a rebound in the first half of 2010. Year to date, gross dollar sales have increased 89% over that same period in 2009. Numbers of regional transactions also increased at the rate of 45%. Currently, dollar volume of sales are 55% of sales achieved in 2007, our last good real estate year pre-recession. This represents an increase of 26% when one compares 2009 sales to 2007. Sales in the region appear to be tracking better than those in Aspen where that resort’s sales have increased 22% during the same time period.

A total of 51 sales transpired in the Town of Telluride, representing total gross dollars of $54.9M YTD. A total of 72 sales occurred in the Town of Mountain Village with gross dollars of $94.6M. The remainder of San Miguel County experienced 38 sales totaling $39.7M. It appears as though the upper end of the market is garnering considerable interest. There have been a total of 29 sales in the Telluride region above $2M, with 15 sales above $4M and three transactions between $8M-$10.1M YTD. Another Mountain Village home with an asking price of $10.5M is currently under contract. These high-end sales show a dramatic improvement, as during the same period in 2009 there were only 13 sales above $2M.

While we do not anticipate a boom cycle on the near horizon, this data seems to indicate a strong renewed interest in investment in the Telluride lifestyle with its limited, high-quality inventory. The catalyst for stronger sales has been a willingness by some sellers to accept price levels 25-30% below the market highs of 2007. Those sellers are not necessarily in "must sell" situations, but are oftentimes seeking liquidity for alternative investments. Investors are gravitating to discounted "Grade A" properties and seem to be avoiding a limited number of problematic foreclosure and short sale scenarios.

With the velocity of sales increasing, it is likely that a "bottom" has been reached and sellers will over time resist these deeper discounts, and the market will respond with gentle appreciation. Those sellers who have held firm with price structure must remain patient, but oddly have contributed to "setting the bottom," and will influence the rise in future values. With 12 homes transacted in the past 120 days at $800-$1,075 PSF, this cycle is likely in motion.

Full Tilt Returns to Mountain Village 8/20-8/22

2010-08-17T11:42:00.000-07:00

Town of Mountain Village News Release:

Cross-country. Hill Climb. Downhill. Super-D. That’s right, Full Tilt returns to Mountain Village as part of the Mountain States Cup Race Series, the largest full-discipline (endurance and gravity) race series in the United States.

As its host, Mountain Village is amped to be stop number seven, August 20 through August 22. To kickoff the weekend events, riders will compete in the Cross-Country and Super-D races. Then on Sunday, participants will vie for the win in two race disciplines: Hill Climb and Downhill. Both the Downhill and Cross-Country events are qualifiers for the 2011 USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships. The cost to compete ranges from $25 to $55 depending on the event, category and class.

As for the race course terrain, riders can expect some surprises in all disciplines. Over the past two years, the Town of Mountain has added new bike trails to its inventory, and most recently built the Mountain Village Bike Park which has caught the attention of gravity junkies alike.“We are looking forward to featuring the newly constructed Mountain Village Bike Park to the dedicated athletes in this industry,” said Recreation Director Tony Forrest. “And to boot, we have mapped out cross-country courses that are brand new to Full Tilt and its participants. Without a doubt, every rider is in for a treat.”

For interested racers, the best way to register for the event is online at racemsc.com. The online registration deadline is Thursday, August 19 at 7 a.m. Printable forms are also available for download on the Mountain States Cup Web site; forms may be e-mailed to info@racemsc.com no later than Wednesday, August 18 at 5 p.m. No faxes, please. On-site registration will be available at the Hope Garden in Mountain Village beginning Friday, August 20. Again, for all registration details, visit Mountain States Cup Web site at racemsc.com.

For riders needing a comfortable place to stay, Cappella Telluride, the Inn at Lost Creek, The Peaks Resort & Spa, and the Mountain Lodge at Telluride are offering Full Tilt-only discounted lodging packages. And for a cool drink, Colorado Native will be pouring samples of its beer as a proud sponsor of Mountain States Cup. Redeem coupons for a free beer at the Hop Garden Saturday, August 21 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Riders must be 21 or over to participate in the Colorado Native sampling.

For those who can’t make the event, the Town of Mountain Village and LiveSauce will provide live race coverage via the Web Saturday and Sunday at townofmountainvillage.com/FullTiltLive; broadcast times will be noted. Spectators who want to not only watch all the action in person but also participate on foot, Yeti Cycles and the town are recruiting volunteer course marshals. Volunteer hours are Friday, August 20 from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, August 21 and Sunday, August 22 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Full or half-day shifts are available.

For more information or to sign up to volunteer, call (970) 369-8236. Lunch and a Full Tilt T-shirt will be provided to those who volunteer at least four hours of service.

To make the Full Tilt event possible, Mountain Village has teamed up with the event’s production crew and organizer Bigfoot Productions and Yeti Cycles. Bigfoot was established in 2006 in conjunction with Yeti Cycles to expand and improve the Mountain States Cup Series and promote bike industry involvement in racing. In addition, this event is made possible with the support of local business sponsors including (in alphabetical order) BootDoctors & Paragon Sports, Capella Telluride, DAKINE, Diggity Doggs, Mountain Lodge at Telluride, Mountain Village Bike Park, San Miguel Bike Alliance, SUNRISE, Telluride Daily Planet, Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association, Telluride Ski & Golf Company, Telluride Sports, The Peaks Resort & Spa, and the Town of Mountain Village. For more Full Tilt information, including race course details and the event schedule, please review the complete news release.

For more information on regional events, or Telluride real estate, please feel free to contact me at 970-728-1234 or buzz@fedorka.com.

New! Telluride 365 iPhone App

2010-08-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

Telluride 365 iPhone app now available on iTunes.

In Telluride 365, Sarah Wetzel Reiss takes you on a game-for-anything romp through one of the country’s most inviting four-seasons getaways with stops in tried-and-true hangouts and tips on getting the most out of Telluride’s and Mountain Village’s full-year of festivals.

You'll love Sarah's tips on where to find the best artisan chocolates, how to pack for the Bluegrass Festival, where to reserve a table for two for a romantic dinner, and the best vantage points for New Year’s Eve fireworks.

Sarah created this Telluride app from the ground up by collaborating with long-time locals to collect a broad cross-section of insider favorites and compiling them in a fun and spirited guide to the best that Telluride and Mountain Village have to offer. Telluride 365 isn’t just a print guide slapped into an app skin; instead, it’s full of fun and concise original content written with the on-the-go user in mind. Whether you’re standing on the sunny side of main street surfing for a great lunch spot, or lying on your couch planning a day on the slopes, this simple but powerful app will lead you by the hand and provide exactly the right information in no time.

Telluride 365 condenses the towns’ under the radar opportunities into 150 top restaurants, hidden lodging gems, and must-do activities, and gives users access to over 950 color photos. This visually rich app is full of insider tips for locals and first-time visitors.

The engaging and easy-to-navigate features include:

• Photo slideshows for each entry, so that you know what you’re getting before you go.
• Concise, original text informed by Telluride locals.
• Entries filtered by useful criteria like Great Local Food, Fun in the Outdoors, Outfitters Gear, Kid Stuff, Nightlife, Where to Sleep, and more.
• Entries sortable by name, distance, price and neighborhood.
• One-click Web site and phone interface to buy tickets, peruse current menus, and more.
• Google maps with walking and driving directions for each entry.
• Podcasts featuring Sarah’s favorite restaurants, businesses and festival tips.
• Over 100MB of offline content that you can access anytime without an Internet connection.
• Direct links to Wikipedia, Yelp reviews or establishment’s Web sites (whichever is most useful to the user).
• The ability to share user comments and mark and save favorites.
• Fast browsing.

Check it out; at $2.99 it costs way less than a latte and it will last much longer! Buy it once and get free upgrades for life.

Who is Sarah Reiss, the author? Sarah Wetzel Reiss is a food, travel and lifestyle writer with over 100 articles in print on destinations from Big Bear to Barbados. She is a member of The Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and makes life on the road look like a walk in the park. In addition to Telluride 365, Sarah is the author of Jacksonville Essential Guide iPhone app, Insiders' Guide: Jacksonville, 3rd ed. (Globe Pequot) - available on www.amazon.com - and two blogs: Puddle Jumping (www.sarahreiss.wordpress.com) and City Dish (www.CityDish.net). Her columns - "In Store", "The Thoughtful Traveler" and "10 Reasons to Love" - have appeared in magazines and newspapers from Palm Springs to Princeton. Sarah has been visiting Telluride since 1990 and counts it among her favorite spots in the country. To learn more about Sarah, visit www.sarahreiss.com.

To purchase the Telluride 365 iTunes app, visit http://sutromedia.com/apps/Telluride_365.

For more information on the Telluride area, or Telluride real estate, please contact me at buzz@fedorka.com or 970-728-1234.

Telluride Festival of the Arts Early Bird Specials!

2010-08-09T08:02:00.001-07:00

From TMVOA:

Telluride Festival of the Arts
Celebrating Visual and Culinary Arts
August 13, 14, 15, 2010
The 2010 Telluride Festival of the Arts will once again delight both food and art lovers alike. Culinary enthusiasts and fine art aficionados come together to share a common passion for food, art and entertainment in Telluride Mountain Village, CO.
Highlights of the 2010 festival include the signature Grand Tasting and a nationally juried fine arts exhibit organized by the producers of the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, one of the nation's most well known and competitive juried arts festivals.

EARLY BIRD SPECIALS!
Grand Tasting with poster offer: Early bird pricing $80 until midnight August 11, $90 thereafter and on-site. This package includes rolled event poster of your choice: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 or 2010.

The Grand Tasting is the Festival's signature event! Enjoy the remarkable tastes of local restaurants, breweries, fine wineries and spirits for an evening of culinary and social celebration! First 400 online ticket buyers guaranteed very special commemorative wine glass.

IMPORTANT: Please note that TFA will be selling tickets on Oak Street at Station Telluride Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 8/9, 8/10, 8/11. TFA will continue selling tickets 8/12 -- 8/14 in Mountain Village at the base of the stairs at the Heritage Plaza Gondola Station.
Click here for the 2010 TFA final schedule of events

INFO AND TICKETS: http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103604709943&s=673&e=001EaQzMYwv450zu6sYGXC_-_IBEGoWSTqq-95m2ejyPzZ1SKf83b_X4zsT-19TlwWWbImua9MX8nZ5EY2dLKsfHUe_ACgf_nbNMyOLh7k-9Mhkh-YOddkfQg==
and http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103604709943&s=673&e=001EaQzMYwv452z7WNepFEg9ppRjexnb5VLjYybJDxx2ezjDB10mO2fJ4Yeo_9ac7lxqmHHkviozWrAu7GFclVlJCz0L-BtNfjtQtlNFZJSWmNdQtOftNuyS0ys2kTPvmuw

TELLURIDE MOUNTAIN VILLAGE OWNERS ASSOCIATION
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103604709943&s=673&e=001EaQzMYwv453dLFqPSHVVsjMKlto1icJBgmIUVXiMNzxIp9ZvKucgUW9GZtJKK1_vL27bQ_V_qaOXr0IyeAj3lECxCO0OAGR5hLuiZbT0yEo=

For information on this event or Telluride real estate, please contact me at buzz@fedorka.com or 970-728-1234.

Great Deal on Lumiere from Ski.com!

2010-08-03T13:50:00.000-07:00

Visit Ski.com to view this incredible deal on lodging at the Lumiere Hotel in Telluride this early winter. Here are the details on this opportunity:

Available 11/25/2010 to 12/17/2010
From $696 per person
Early Booking Special - 4th night free
4 nights lodging, 2 bedroom
3-day lift tickets
Must book by 11/15/2010.
Quad occupancy - price per person (Price range reflects mid-week / weekend / seasonal travel. All packages subject to availability.) Discounted coach and business class air is available from most North American cities - please call Ski.com for a fare quote.

Of course, if during your stay, you decide you might like to own a little piece of Telluride, please call me about Telluride real estate at 970-728-1234 or email buzz@fedorka.com. Ski season is only 65 days away!!

World Wine Tasting and Telluride Top Chef Competition to Benefit One to One

2010-07-20T12:29:00.000-07:00

~ August 19th, 6-9 PM, at the Peaks ~

~ Your $65 ticket includes an inspired tasting menu created to accompany reds and whites sourced from the U.S., France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Chile ~

~ Live music by Colorado's Singer-Songwriter of the Year, ROB DRABKIN ~

~ All proceeds to benefit One to One San Miguel mentoring program ~

~ Tickets are available at Telluride Bottle Works. Call 970-728-0885 for more information or ticket delivery ~

If I can provide you with more information about this event, the Telluride region in general, or Telluride real estate, please give me a call at 970-728-1234 or email me at buzz@fedorka.com.

Telluride Real Estate Market Update June 2010

2010-07-14T12:54:00.001-07:00

The numbers came in this week from our consulting company for the month of June, and although there have been pretty significant improvements month-to-month comparing 2010 to 2009, in the month of June, our count on transactions was actually the same as 2009, at 26 transactions, and the dollar volume was down by 4%. Out of the 26 transactions, eight were bank-owned sales, and a couple of others were short sales. This is the highest number of bank-owned sales in any month over the last two years.

So far this year, 16 homes have sold in Mountain Village, and two more are under contract, which is quite impressive, compared to selling only 10 all year in 2009, however many of the homes are transacting for as much as 30% off what the original asking prices were.

Please feel free to contact me at 970-728-1234 or buzz@fedorka.com if I can provide you with any further information about Telluride's real estate market.

Enjoy The Sunset Grill During The Sunset Concert Series

2010-07-08T10:37:00.001-07:00

At The Inn At Lost Creek in Mountain Village, the Sunset Grill is a special event restaurant and picnic take-out open each Wednesday from July 7th to August 25, 2010 that transforms the terrace of the 9545 restaurant into an outdoor grilling event with al fresco dining. Chef Omar Collazo along with his team will be serving up a special grilled menu featuring:

• Chicken Pinchos with Pineapple BBQ Sauce Served with Garlic Texas Toast
• Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich with Jalapeno Jack Cheese & Tomatillo Jalapeno Jam
• Beef Tacos with Lettuce, Shredded Cheese, Pico de Gallo and Sour Cream
• Adobo Roasted Pork Sandwich with Jalapeno Cheese Fondue
• Grilled Chimmechurri Portobello Mushroom Burger with Goat Cheese and Roasted Peppers

2010 Telluride Summer Concert Series Musical line-up:

• July 14 Duwayne Burnside
• July 21 Corey Harris
• July 28 Dangermuffin
• Aug 4 Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars
• Aug 11 Marco Benevento Trio
• Aug 18 These United States
• Aug 25 Jim Lauderdale Band

For more information on Telluride events and Telluride real estate, please feel free to contact me at buzz@fedorka.com or 970-728-1234

Telluride Festival of the Arts - August 13-15

2010-07-06T11:14:00.001-07:00

Telluride Festival of the Arts
Celebrating Visual and Culinary Arts

August 13, 14, 15, 2010

The 2010 Telluride Festival of the Arts will once again delight both food and art lovers alike. Culinary enthusiasts and fine art aficionados come together to share a common passion for food, art and entertainment in Telluride Mountain Village, CO. Highlights of the 2010 festival include the signature Grand Tasting and a nationally juried fine arts exhibit organized by the producers of the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, one of the nation's most well known and competitive juried arts festivals.

EARLY BIRD SPECIALS!
Grand Tasting with poster offer: Early bird pricing $80 until midnight August 11, $90 thereafter and on-site. This package includes rolled event poster of your choice: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 or 2010.

The Grand Tasting is the Festival's signature event! Enjoy the remarkable tastes of local restaurants, breweries, fine wineries and spirits for an evening of culinary and social celebration! First 400 online ticket buyers guaranteed very special commemorative wine glass.

INFO AND TICKETS: http://www.TellurideFest.com and http://www.Facebook.com/TellurideFest

Come join us! For more information on Telluride, and Telluride real estate, please feel free to contact me at buzz@fedorka.com or 970-728-1234.

Telluride Named One of Country’s Most Charming Small Towns

2010-06-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

As reported on the Telluride Ski Resort website:

TripAdvisor, a leading online resource for travel reviews and recommendations, named Telluride as one of the most charming small towns in the U.S. The only town in Colorado to be selected, Telluride joins the ranks at number four out of 10 towns selected in the 2010 assessment.

• The 10 charming small towns selected this year include (in order from number ten): Galena, Ill.; Cold Spring, N.Y.; Camden, Maine; Rockport, Mass.; Fredericksburg, Texas; Hood River, Ore.; Telluride, Colo.; Charlottesville, Va.; Traverse City, Mich.: and Carmel, Calif.
• Selected towns are chosen based on popularity among TripAdvisor editors and users.
• Telluride, a historic mining town located in southwest Colorado, is known for its unique and picturesque location in the San Juan Mountains.
• A premiere year-round destination, Telluride is a haven for travelers seeking world-class outdoor recreation, dining, accommodation, and it overflows with charm, history and beauty.
• TripAdvisor boasts more than 35 million annual reviews and recommendations.

If I can provide you with any further information on Telluride, or Telluride real estate, please contact me at 970-728-1234 or buzz@fedorka.com.

TMVOA Announces 2010 Sunset Concert Series Lineup!

2010-06-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

From TMVOA:

Announcing the 2010 Sunset Concert Series!
Every Wednesday Starting at 6:00pm, Free
July 7th - August 25th
Sunset Plaza, Mountain Village

Telluride Mountain Village, Colorado, June 10, 2010 - The Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association invites you to another season of outstanding music on the Sunset Concert Series stage. In its 11th year, the series brings an impressive lineup to town; a mix of blues, soul, reggae, psychedelic and more. The party happens at Sunset Plaza, on the lawn near Lift 1. The bands start at 6:00pm every Wednesday and they play rain or shine. All Sunset Concert Series shows are completely free and open to the public; the series is sponsored by The Peaks Resort & Spa, Capella Telluride, Inn at Lost Creek, Elevation Vacations, All Phases Event Group, The Market at Mountain Village, and lumière.

Red, White & Blues on Saturday, July 3rd at 4:00pm- The Sunset Concert Series kicks off with the annual Red, White & Blues concert on Saturday, July 3rd at 4:00pm. This year, TMVOA is proud to present Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers. In addition to live music, family-friendly activities begin at 2:00pm, including bungee trampoline, jumping castle, face painting, and the Telluride Foundation celebrates their 10th anniversary with an ice cream social benefiting the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program.

Below is an outline of the 2010 Sunset Concert Series Lineup:
July 3 Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers (Red, White & Blues: Saturday)
July 7 Steep Canyon Rangers
July 14 Duwayne Burnside
July 21 Corey Harris
July 28 Dangermuffin
Aug 4 Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars
Aug 11 Marco Benevento Trio
Aug 18 These United States
Aug 25 Jim Lauderdale Band

Please visit www.tmvoa.org for links to the band websites. Please contact me at 970-728-1234 or buzz@fedorka.com if you would like any further information, or if I can help you with any Telluride real estate needs.

Housing Recovery Led by Five States, Including Colorado

2010-06-22T08:16:00.000-07:00

From the Housing Predictor, LLC, June 2010:

A housing recovery is developing in five states, despite a slowdown in home sales as a result of the federal home buyers’ tax credit expiration. The states are leading the U.S. housing market out of its long lasting record downturn and are forecast to experience housing inflation for the rest of 2010.Two of the states were impacted less by casino-like lending practices that nearly led to the nation’s economy melting down as bankers sold mortgages to just about anyone who could sign their name.

The other states are on the road to recovery for reasons that include greater government intervention to manufacture a recovery in housing prices.

Following a rise in spring time home sales, the Housing Predictor forecast indicates a sluggish return to sales activity that will be hampered by the Gulf Coast oil disaster, and the expiration of the federal tax credit. But the impact of the oil spill will have little direct consequence on housing markets far away from the Gulf Coast.

Two states that were largely spared from disastrous affects of fall-out from the mortgage crisis are projected to increase slowly over the rest of the year. North Dakota and South Dakota, which experienced little subprime and Alt-A mortgage lending during the real estate boom, are projected to sustain levels of appreciation. North Dakota is forecast to improve 4.2% in average housing values. South Dakota is projected to see an average boost of 3.9%.

The levels of forecast appreciation in many of the markets also demonstrate a strong move towards stabilization in housing markets in less populated areas of the country, where bankers did not sell as many Alt-A and subprime mortgages. However, three other states with larger population bases are also forecast to have stronger appreciation to lead the nation out of its housing downturn.

The country’s most populated state, California, which has an economy that alone would stand as the tenth largest in the world, Virginia and Colorado are projected to see better home prices through the rest of 2010. California is being boosted by a special $10,000 state tax credit for anyone buying a home.

Communities outside of Washington D.C., in Virginia are experiencing higher home sales as a result of good paying government jobs in the nation's capitol. In Colorado, the economy is improving, particularly in the Denver area, where businesses are hiring back employees, and many new companies are relocating to the area.

If I can provide you any further information about the real estate market in Telluride, Colorado, please give me a call at 970-728-1234, or an email at buzz@fedorka.com.

May Numbers are in and They Are Good!

2010-06-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

We just got the reports in from Telluride Consulting for the county-wide sales numbers and volume for the month of May. In terms of dollar volume, we’re up 165% over May of 2009, and in terms of the count of transactions we’re up by 155% for the same time period. Year-to-date, dollar volume is up 122%, and count of sales is up 59%. The most active category is Mountain Village single-family homes.

We typically think about our summer season getting kicked off with the Bluegrass Festival, which ended yesterday. However, this off-season proved to be particularly busy. You are able to buy real estate at unprecedented prices; in some cases you are paying what real estate cost a decade ago. I think this is profound, because there is a very finite amount of real estate that can be built, either in the historic Town of Telluride or in Mountain Village. Of course, the town is in a box canyon, surrounded by Forest Service land, and Mountain Village also has a finite amount of land and a limited amount of zoning. It’s also surrounded by National Forest.

Next weekend will be the Food & Wine Festival. This year’s lineup will include some of the top chefs from around the nation, and wines from around the world. This would be a great festival to drop in on for a long weekend. I hope you will visit this summer! When Mary and I recently returned from a trip, and turned into the main entry to Mountain Village, the extraordinary green foliage and the mountain backdrop reminded us how lucky we are to be able to spend our summers here in Telluride. If you would like information about Telluride or Mountain Village real estate, please give me a call or drop a line.

Welcome, Festival Season!

2010-05-31T09:26:00.000-07:00

From the Telluride Tourism Board, upcoming festivals in Telluride in June include:

June 17-20: Telluride Bluegrass Festival. The Telluride Bluegrass Festival features four days of bluegrass music on the stage in Telluride Town Park.

The 2010 Bluegrass Festival lineup includes Lyle Lovett; Court Yard Hounds; Alison Krauss & Union Station, featuring Jerry Douglas; Sam Bush Band; Béla Fleck; Zakir Hussain and Edgar Meyer; Yonder Mountain String Band; Telluride House Band, featuring Sam, Béla, Jerry, Edgar, Bryan and Stuart; Del McCoury Band; Hot Rize; Leftover Salmon; Tim O'Brien Band; Dave Rawlings Machine; Jerry Douglas; Josh Ritter and The Royal City Band; Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile; Peter Rowan; Carolina Chocolate Drops; John Cowan Band Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros; Imelda May; Cadillac Sky; Mumford & Sons; The Drepung Monks; Väsen; Sarah Jarosz; The Hillbenders; and many more.

June 23-July 3: Telluride Musicfest. For those with different musical inclinations, Telluride Musicfest presents chamber music in its intended form—first-class musicians performing in an intimate home environment. With scores from Tchaikovsky, Schumann, Shostakovich, Faure, Schubert, Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich, Mozart and other composers, musicians from around the world will share their harmony of sounds.

June 24-27: Telluride Wine Festival. Pairing the beauty of the mountains with indulgence of fine wines, Telluride Wine Festival features winemakers' luncheons, cooking demonstrations, reserve programs, seminars and tastings for novices and experts alike. On Friday and Saturday, there is also music scheduled in Telluride Town Park. This year's performers are Jackie Green and Jason Isbell on Friday and DeVotchka and Blitzen Trapper on Saturday.

June 29 - July 4: Telluride Plein-Air. June’s final festival captures the light and majestic scenery of the region with Telluride Plein-Air, an opportunity to observe some of the nation's top artists as they capture the area's majestic mountain views, historic downtown Telluride and other captivating local settings.

News from Telluride!

2010-05-25T08:14:00.000-07:00

Hello from Telluride!

Last week, we received San Miguel County real estate data from our source at Telluride Consulting. In April 2010, sales in the county were up by 350% in dollar volume and 23% in count of sales compared with April 2009. Year-to-date dollar volume has increased by 114% and count of sales by 45% compared with the same time period in 2009. March was also a very positive month, with sales up by 120% in dollar volume and by 39% in count compared with the same month in 2009.

The most active category was Mountain Village homes. In 2008, only 10 homes were sold, in 2009 that doubled, with 20 homes selling, and in 2010 it is remarkable that 11 homes have sold thus far with another 4 homes contracted. This is an interesting contrast to the first quarter of home sales in 2009 which were virtually zero. Many motivated buyers have obviously moved to acquire homes at the newly downward-adjusted prices. We are seeing that dollar volume and sales counts for the last quarter of 2009 and first quarter of 2010 are up significantly. April shows that we are off to an excellent start for the second quarter of 2010. There is also a substantial inventory of Mountain Village condos slated to close in the upcoming months.

In the historic Town of Telluride, there are $53 million worth of pre-sold Element 52 condominiums that will begin closing in June as the buildings are completed. The balance of these condos will close in July and August.

As always, if I can provide you with more data, or information on Telluride real estate or our area, please contact me at 970-728-1234 or buzz@fedorka.com.

JASPER JOHNS’ FLAG REALIZES US$28,642,500 — A WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR THE ARTIST

2010-05-18T08:10:00.000-07:00

UPDATE FROM CHRISTIE'S GREAT ESTATES, MAY 12, 2010:
Christie’s International Sells US$232 Million of Post-War and Contemporary Art at the May 11 Evening Sale
Jasper Johns’ Flag led Christie’s May 11 Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale at New York’s Rockefeller Center, breaking the world record for the artist at US$28,642,500. The work was one of 31 pieces from The Michael Crichton Collection which totaled $US93.3 million. The author of “Jurassic Park” and creator of the television hit “E.R.” purchased the painting directly from Johns over 30 years ago. Andy Warhol’s “Silver Liz” was another standout, realizing US$18.3 million pushing the evening's total take to US$232 million.

See the Christie’s press release for more information:
Post-War & Contemporary Art Evening Sale Totals US$231.9 Million. The Collection of Michael Crichton Totals US$93.323,500

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for more information on these sales, or any Telluride real estate information.

Jazz Fest Bonus Information!

2010-05-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

"JAZZ AFTER DARK" LINE-UP
After the music stops in Town Park, Jazz keeps going with performances in Town at the Sheridan Opera House, the Nugget Theater, the Llama, and the Fly Me to the Moon Saloon; and at the Peaks Resort and Spa in the Mountain Village (a short, free gondola ride away). Patrons and Weekend All-Access passholders may enter these venues with their wristband. A limited number of tickets to each show will be sold in advance on the Jazz website beginning April 19.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5
The Peaks Resort and Spa- Mountain Village- 8:00-8:45 pm
Hazel Miller Band (free)

FRIDAY, AUGUST 6
Sheridan Opera House- 9:30 pm
Chuchito Valdes Afro-Cuban Ensemble

Nugget Theater- 9:30 pm
Raul Midón

The Llama- 10:00 pm (2 sets)
An Evening with Charlie Hunter

Fly Me to the Moon Saloon- 11:00 pm (2 sets)
Hazel Miller Band

The Peaks Resort and Spa- Mountain Village- 9:00 - 10:00 pm
Bob Montgomery- Al Hermann Sextet (free)

SATURDAY, AUGUST 7
Sheridan Opera House- 10:00 pm
Dr. Lonnie Smith
Nugget Theater- 9:30 pm
Jackie Ryan

The Llama- 10:00 pm
An Evening with Charlie Hunter

Fly Me to the Moon Saloon- 10:00 pm (2 sets)
Eric Krasno & Chapter 2
featuring Adam Deitch and Nigel Hall

The Peaks Resort and Spa- Mountain Village- 9:00 - 10:00 pm
Josh Quinlan Quartet (free)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 8
Sheridan Opera House- 10:30 pm
Eric Krasno & Chapter 2
featuring Adam Deitch and Nigel Hall
(no passes)

If you have already purchased your tickets for Jazz this year, or if you are thinking about it now, today is a great time to make your plans. On the day after Jazz ends, there will be two nights of Phish performances that will max out the capacity of Telluride and Mountain Village lodging. Our lodging sponsors have committed to holding rooms for Jazz-goers, and we'd like to help them help you get your lodging booked.

FREE YOGA CLASSES FOR JAZZ TICKET HOLDERS!!!

Join CorePower Yoga for an exhilarating hour of outdoor yoga. Their unique style of Vinyasa flow yoga combines energy, music, movement and community to create a one-of-a-kind yoga experience. Regardless of your age, strength or flexibility level, this class is for you! You’ll leave feeling rejuvenated, detoxified, and ready for the day. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to try one of the most popular and fun approaches to yoga!

Telluride Jazz is really excited to welcome our new Presenting Sponsor, CorePower Yoga. Make sure to check out their website, http://corepoweryoga.com for locations, classes, and to sign up for their newsletter. On the Saturday and Sunday of the Jazz Celebration they will hold FREE CLASSES for beginners and advanced students at the festival grounds in Town Park. Your Jazz wristband is your free entrance. Start your day with yoga and end it with Jazz!

Raul Midón's One Man Show!

This New York-based vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter unleashes a silky, soulful tenor and dazzling percussive guitar style in which bass, harmony, and melodic lines emanate from the fretboard in one slap-happy storm. If that weren’t enough, Midón busts out his improvisational mouth horn technique, in which he creates a bebop “trumpet” solo entirely with his lips, earning himself a spontaneous burst of mid-song applause from the audience in the process.

His newest album, “Synthesis”, is a genre-defying blend of soul, pop, jazz, folk, and Latin elements. Just released in the U.S., “Synthesis” sets some of Midón’s more biting insights about betrayal, fear, loss, and the American Dream to deceptively up-tempo swinging rhythms and deliriously catchy melodies.

Telluride Jazz welcomes Raul Midón to the Nugget Theater on Friday, August 6 and the Town Park Mainstage on Sat., August 7.

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for more information on Jazz Festival, or any Telluride real estate needs.

From CNBC.com - High-End Housing Sales Are Making A Comeback

2010-04-12T15:38:00.000-07:00

Published April 1, 2010 on CNBC.com:

"Anyone looking for a rebound in the housing market might want to look up—up in price that is. Sales of high end housing are returning with a near vengeance after two years of double digit declines.
"We're seeing a revival in the high-end housing market," says Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR). "It was so depressed, particularly last year, but it's really improved. There's much greater sales activity on upper end homes now."
While the rest of the housing market is still in the doldrums, high-end housing is one of the few bright spots in what many predict will be a dismal spring season.
In February this year, sales for homes priced at $1 million or more increased 38 percent nationwide from a year ago, according to the NAR. The Northeast is up 49 percent alone, while the West is up nearly 35 percent.
What's creating the high end 'boom' is a trifecta of lower interest rates, bank lending and consumer confidence.
"Rates are down for jumbo loans," says David Adamo, ceo of Luxury Mortgage, a mortgage banking firm based in Stamford, Connecticut. "Banks are seeing benefits in making these types of loans and are doing more re-financing now. I also think more people feel confident in the economy at the higher incomes."
Rates for jumbo loans—loans for mortgages that exceed $417,000—have shown a major decline in recent weeks.
A 30 year fixed jumbo is currently at 5.58 percent for a million dollar loan, while last year at this time it was almost 7 percent. Unlike conventional rates which are tied to treasurys, jumbo rates are a specialty product with rates set primarily by lenders.

"Banks are doing jumbo loans now at lower rates because they see it as a secure way to make a profit these days," says Bob Walters, chief economist at QuickenLoans.com. "Jumbo rates are always higher than conventional loans, but banks feel like they can have the lower rates now and still make money from those in the jumbo loan market as more home buyers take loans."
While banks are lending more these days, that hasn't stopped them from being extra cautious over who gets their money. Much like conventional loans, lenders want buyers to give a full bottom line when it comes to personal finances.
"Underwriting (assessing a buyer's eligibility for a loan) is still very tough," says Steve Habetz, president of Threshold Mortgage, a lending firm in Westport, Connecticut. "I had one buyer, who had enough money for a large downpayment, go through the loan process and he had to justify why his dividends were down one year while his investments were up. He got the loan but he had to go through hoops to get it."
"Jobs are on the line for these underwriters," adds Mary Cassidy, a licensed associate broker at Bronxville Ley Real Estate in Westchester County, New York. "I had one bank officer tell me that if everything wasn't just perfect on the loan application, someone could lose their job."
While interest rates for the bigger loans are falling, consumer confidence seems to be rising for those in the higher income brackets. It disappeared as the economy slumped—at least when it came to housing.

"People are not as uptight as they were a year ago," says Habetz. "It seems as if they are more comfortable in thinking the high end housing market is not collapsing. Home values have stabilized and it's been a matter of following the leader. One person sees others buy or sell and they join in. That's been happening."
And as Wall Street tickers move higher, so too do the number of potential buyers. "Sure, with bonuses and stocks going up lately, that's helped the upper housing market especially where I am," says Cassidy. "However, we're also seeing non-Wall Street types coming in as well."
However good the sales numbers may be, there are signs that high-end housing is not completely out of the woods yet.
Conventional rates are already making slight upticks as the Fed discontinued its mortgage backed securities buyback program—which helped keep rates lower. Banks could raise rates for jumbo loans if they feel the market weakens and housing prices decline even more.
"There's improvement for sure but you still have to have a lot of money for a down payment to get a loan and it's not clear that prices have reached bottom," says Quicken's Walters. "Interest rate increases could slow things down. We probably need more time to tell if high end housing is really back."
More time is needed to say if any part of the housing market is really in a recovery. Sales for homes worth $500,000 or less are still in flux across the country as struggles grow over increasing foreclosures from job losses—and a slower but continuing fall in housing prices.
But for those who contend a high end housing rebound is here, expectations are that the upside will work its way down.
"I think the impact of high end housing will be broader for the whole economy and help at all levels," says Luxury Mortgage's Adamo. "Banks will benefit because they'll be seeing more cash and putting it to use and they'll be making more loans. Home buyers will need products and services so they'll be spending money. Call it trickle down, if you will, but I see it happening." "

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for more Telluride high-end real estate information.

Fresh Powder in Telluride

2010-03-29T13:56:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Telluride,

Last Saturday I woke up to 22 inches of fresh powder in Telluride. It made for the most epic ski day of the season and this new snow will ensure fantastic conditions for the balance of the season. We still have seven days of skiing left in the season. The ski area just received a permit from the US Forest Service to provide backcountry guided tours into Bear Creek and Alta Lakes. You can click on the below link to find out more. You can also find out about the new bridge and stairs installed to access Gold Hill Chute #9.
http://blog.tellurideskiresort.com/blogs/davesblog/default.aspx

Email me for a flyer from Flight One, Telluride’s finest charter service which has some great rates to get here to enjoy the last week of the ski season. There are also some great end of the season accommodation deals at http://tellurideskiresort.com/TellSki/info/lodging.aspx. I hope to see you in Telluride!

Please email me at buzz@fedorka.com for further information on the ski area, lodging, flights and all your Telluride real estate information needs.

Best Regards,

Buzz

Buzz Fedorka, Co-Owner/Broker, GRI, MRE
Telluride Real Estate Corporation
Box 1169, Telluride, CO 81435
Direct Phone: 970-728-1234
buzz@fedorka.com
www.Fedorka.com ... listings updated daily!

Telluride Jazz Festival Line Up

2010-03-22T10:23:00.000-07:00

TOWN PARK LINE-UP on the Toshiko Akiyoshi Stage

FRIDAY, AUGUST 6th
DIANNE REEVES
Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks
Chuchito Valdes Afro Cuban Jazz Ensemble
Bob Montgomery/Al Hermann Sextet
Crescent Super Band WITH SPECIAL GUEST Lew Tabackin

SATURDAY, AUGUST 7th
STANLEY CLARKE BAND FEATURING HIROMI
GUEST OF HONOR Toshiko Akiyoshi WITH THE Crescent Super Band
Dr. Lonnie Smith
Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin Quartet
Raul Midón
Hazel Miller Band
Telluride Student Allstars Jazz Ensemble

SUNDAY, AUGUST 8th
THE GREYBOY ALLSTARS
Charlie Hunter
Larry Coryell
Jackie Ryan
The Gospel Hummingbirds
Dmitri Matheny Group
Chico State Jazz XPress

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for information on the Telluride Jazz Festival

or any Telluride real estate needs.

TELLURIDE SKI RESORT'S HIKE-TO TERRAIN IN PRIME CONDITION

2010-03-18T09:55:00.000-07:00

With one of the deepest snowpacks in the state this year, the skiing in Telluride has eclipsed other resorts in Colorado. Depending upon the weather, ski patrol is opening different hike-to terrain daily. This winter, Palmyra Peak, Gold Hill Chutes 1 and 9, and Black Iron Bowl have all opened. This European-style skiing and snowboarding provides rare access to bowls and chutes with soft turns and incredible views.

Bald Mountain
Bald Mountain is accessible via an access gate located on Upper Galloping Goose in the Lift 12 area. This local's favorite includes both Jacpot and Audrey and is home to some of the best and longest lasting stashes on the mountain. Be sure to look to the south at the summit for a view of the historic mining town of Alta just below. The gate to Bald Mountain will close promptly at 2:00pm daily in season.Estimated hike time: 20 - 25 minutes.

Black Iron Bowl
Black Iron Bowl is accessible via Lift 12 (Prospect Lift) and a short hike out Prospect Ridge. Skiers and riders will be able to drop in anywhere from 10 minutes to 30 minutes hiking time along the ridge. Dropping 1000 vertical feet on the primary pitches, terrain includes the expansive Mountain Quail couloir, European-style faces, open glades and steep chutes. The Mountain Quail couloir had previously been accessible as guide-only, but now the full expanse of Black Iron will be open for public access as conditions allow. Other new runs include Westlake, Lakeview, Review, Dihedral Chute, Dihedral Face, Jello’s Bowl and Nice Chute. Black Iron Bowl, named for an old mining claim, is an excellent addition to the existing inbounds hike-to areas of Bald Mountain and Prospect Ridge, where advanced skiers and boarders enjoy fresh tracks virtually all season. The gate to Black Iron Bowl will close promptly at 2:00pm daily in season.Estimated hike time:Genivieve: 5 - 10 minutes*Lakeview: 20 - 25 minutes*Mountain Quail: 30 - 45 minutes*

Gold Hill Chutes

Gold Hill Chutes 1
To ski this epic chute on the flip side of Revelation Bowl, you can access it one of two ways. 1) Through the gate at the top of Revelation Bowl Lift (15), or 2) Traverse across the top of Little Rose and Andy' s Gold, through the gate adjacent to Andy's Gold. The chute will not be open continually, so check for current information on the signs before go. The expert-only chute directs you away from the cliffband by taking you to the traverse to skiers right and back to Andy's Gold. You can also egress via the new goat trail traverse into Gold Hill 1.5 and into The Fans and the egress from Black Iron Bowl and Palmyra basin.The Gold Hill Chute 1 will close promptly at 3:00pm daily in season.

Gold Hill Chutes 2 - 5
NEW FOR THE 2009-10 SEASON! This newly opened terrain completes the Gold Hill expansion. To access, stay left off of Revelation Lift (15) and continue up the new Gold Hill access road. Enjoy the grand vistas before skiing the 1900' vertical feet to the base of Prospect Bowl or Gold Hill lifts. The chutes will not be open continually, so check for current information on the signs before you make the hike.The Gold Hill Chute 2 - 5 will close promptly at 1:30pm daily in season.Estimated hike time: 15 - 20 minutes*.

Gold Hill Chutes 6 - 10
Offloading Revelation Lift (15) take a hard left and hike the new Gold Hill access road. Be sure to check out the NEW bridge and staircase accessing Golf Hill Chutes 9 and 10! Chutes 6 - 10 will not be open continually, so check for current information on the signs before you make the hike. The expert-only chutes go down below the skyline saddle and dump into Palmyra basin below.The Gold Hill Chutes 6 - 10 will close promptly at 1:30pm daily in season.Estimated hike time: 20 - 30 minutes*.

Palmyra Peak
On the heels of Telluride’s opening of Black Iron Bowl to public access, the resort has gained approval for skiing and riding Palmyra Peak this winter. Located east of Black Iron Bowl, this unbelievable hike-to terrain includes well over 200 acres and almost 2,000 vertical feet on the north face of 13,320 foot Palmyra Peak.What can be considered some of the most spectacular in-bounds terrain in the country, the runs Tram Shot, Sunrise and Electric Shock drain into Upper Moraine, and Lower Palmyra Ridge which lead back into Black Iron Bowl.The access gate to Palmyra Peak (located at the upper edge of Mountain Quail) will be closed promptly at 1:00pm in season. Estimated hike time: 1 - 1.5 hours past Black Iron Bowl*.

* Hike times are approximate and may take shorter or longer based on your personal level of fitness and weather conditions.

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for ski and Telluride real estate information.

New Listing - 522 W. Colorado, Telluride

2010-03-11T12:49:00.000-08:00

This beautifully landscaped property combines Main Street convenience with the privacy of two homes on a double lot, only a short walk to town, the gondola and skiing. The 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath main house features decks with views of Bear Creek, the box canyon and the ski area; designer textural wall coverings and window treatments throughout; espresso-stained oak floors; concrete and limestone countertops; gas log fireplace; steam shower; living area plus family room; and bunk area. The 12-person hot tub is perched on a raised deck between the two houses, maximizing privacy and views, while the charming 2-bedroom, 2-bath guest house echoes the high-end finishes of the main house, and has a large deck off the master bedroom, concrete countertops, skylights and a gas log fireplace. Both homes are fully designer-furnished, and a 1-car garage, 2 carports, and heated concrete auto court provide ample parking.

http://www.fedorka.com/featured/detail.php?property_id=2008

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for further information on this Telluride home or any of your Telluride real estate needs.

Dwight and Fedorka Invest in the Future of TREC

2010-03-09T08:45:00.000-08:00

Dwight and Fedorka Invest in the Future of TREC
by Seth Cagin
Mar 03, 2010

TELLURIDE – Displaying confidence in the future of both Telluride and of one of the region’s biggest real estate companies, Jon Dwight has acquired a larger share in the Telluride Real Estate Corp.

“This economy has been a tough go for every business, and I’ve only seen TREC grow stronger through this,” Dwight said. “We’ve really reinvented TREC and that gave me the confidence to move forward.”

Dwight becomes one of five directors at the company, along with T.D. Smith, Steve Catsman, Steve Hilbert and Buzz Fedorka.

The block of stock became available after two longtime TREC directors, Dave Flatt and Don McLean, retired. Not only did Dwight purchase some of the stock, but at the same time Fedorka doubled his stake in the business.

Dwight first joined TREC in 2002 and was named a TREC vice president in 2006.

“Jon was already my partner in our airplane so I obviously had a lot of respect for him”, explained Hilbert. “He will be a great business partner for the same reasons he is a great plane partner. He is smart, talented, driven, and trustworthy.”

“I am thankful to the ownership group for giving me this opportunity,” Dwight said.

“TREC has provided me with the foundation to create a very successful real estate business for myself,” he added. “This is my opportunity to give back to the company that has helped make me successful.”

Fedorka explained his confidence in the future by citing the impact that the Telluride Capella has already had in bringing new visitors to the region, the benefits from ongoing expansion of the Telluride Ski Area, the new local ownership of The Peaks, and the near-completion of a new runway at the Telluride Regional Airport, which could produce new commercial service.

“I think our community is uniquely positioned to really grow in the next decade,” Fedorka said. “The satisfied customers I met who stayed at Capella are a pleasure to meet – many of these people are going to turn into property owners. The ski area’s constant expansion and improvement is a real inspiration. The most recent staircase and bridge is a fantastic addition and great for our prestige.

“And I can’t tell you how happy I am that The Peaks is now locally owned.”

TREC has shown growth over the previous year each of the last four quarters, Dwight said. Both showings of property and closings are up. “

It will be a slow recovery,” he predicted, “but we are seeing signs of it.”

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for any Telluride real estate information.

Mountain Village Upcoming Events

2010-03-08T08:41:00.000-08:00

This month's events are sure to be as great as last year's with the annual Telluride Medical Center Operation F.E.A.S.T. and the Telluride Rotary Red Ball Express fundraiser. Also in March, we spring forward and with that the Telluride Ski Resort operational hours will change. Beginning March 14, and through the end of the ski season, ski lifts will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ... enjoy the last few weeks of the ski season!

Friday, March 12: KOTO Presents Stockholm Syndrome Concert Telluride Conference Center in Mountain Village; doors open at 6:30 p.m. and showtime is 7 p.m. For tickets, call (970) 728-4334.

Saturday, March 13: Telluride Medical Center Operation F.E.A.S.T.Telluride Conference Center in Mountain Village; 6 p.m.Official Telluride Medical Center Web Site

Sunday, March 14: Telluride Rotary Red Ball Express Telluride Ski Resort Super Pipe Course; 3:45 p.m. The Town of Mountain Village is a proud sponsor of this year's Telluride Rotary Red Ball Express, a local event that helps to support youth organizations. To purchase a ball, visit their Web site. Official Red Ball Express Web Site

For further information on any of the above events or Tellurid real estate information please contact buzz@fedorka.com.

The Palmyra Restaurant at the Peaks

2010-03-05T10:01:00.000-08:00

Check out the new restaurant at the Peaks which is receiving rave reviews. Please contact me at buzz@fedorka.com for information on dining at the new Palmyra restaurant or any Telluride real estate information.

Dwight and Fedorka Invest in the Future of TREC

2010-03-03T12:52:00.000-08:00

Dwight and Fedorka Invest in the Future of TREC
by Seth Cagin
Mar 03, 2010 121 views 0 2

Dwight Becomes a Managing DirectorTELLURIDE – Displaying confidence in the future of both Telluride and of one of the region’s biggest real estate companies, Jon Dwight has acquired a larger share in the Telluride Real Estate Corp. “

This economy has been a tough go for every business, and I’ve only seen TREC grow stronger through this,” Dwight said. “We’ve really reinvented TREC and that gave me the confidence to move forward.”

Dwight becomes one of five directors at the company, along with T.D. Smith, Steve Catsman, Steve Hilbert and Buzz Fedorka.

The block of stock became available after two longtime TREC directors, Dave Flatt and Don McLean, retired. Not only did Dwight purchase some of the stock, but at the same time Fedorka doubled his stake in the business.

Dwight first joined TREC in 2002 and was named a TREC vice president in 2006.

“Jon was already my partner in our airplane so I obviously had a lot of respect for him”, explained Hilbert. “He will be a great business partner for the same reasons he is a great plane partner. He is smart, talented, driven, and trustworthy.”

“I am thankful to the ownership group for giving me this opportunity,” Dwight said.

“TREC has provided me with the foundation to create a very successful real estate business for myself,” he added. “This is my opportunity to give back to the company that has helped make me successful.”

Fedorka explained his confidence in the future by citing the impact that the Telluride Capella has already had in bringing new visitors to the region, the benefits from ongoing expansion of the Telluride Ski Area, the new local ownership of The Peaks, and the near-completion of a new runway at the Telluride Regional Airport, which could produce new commercial service.

“I think our community is uniquely positioned to really grow in the next decade,” Fedorka said. “The satisfied customers I met who stayed at Capella are a pleasure to meet – many of these people are going to turn into property owners. The ski area’s constant expansion and improvement is a real inspiration. The most recent staircase and bridge is a fantastic addition and great for our prestige.

“And I can’t tell you how happy I am that The Peaks is now locally owned.”

TREC has shown growth over the previous year each of the last four quarters, Dwight said. Both showings of property and closings are up.

“It will be a slow recovery,” he predicted, “but we are seeing signs of it.”

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for Telluride real estate information.

36 Hours in Telluride, Colorado

2010-03-01T13:12:00.000-08:00

By LIONEL BEEHNER
Published: February 28, 2010

TELLURIDE almost begs comparisons with Aspen. A Colorado mining town affixed to a world-class ski resort; rugged locals brushing elbows with the occasional celebrity; white tablecloth restaurants serving up foie gras next to taco dives. “It’s like Aspen was back in the ’70s, but less pretentious,” said Bo Bedford, a self-described Aspen refugee who is a manager at the New Sheridan Hotel. “It hasn’t gone Hollywood yet.” There is, of course, a certain star-studded film festival. And Telluride does count Jerry Seinfeld and Tom Cruise among its regulars. Yet, the town stays true to its hardscrabble roots. Dogs roam off-leash, folks rummage for freebies at a so-called Free Box, and residents zip up in flannel instead of fur coats.

Please go to this link to read further
http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/travel/28hours.html?ref=travel

For Telluride real estate information please contact buzz@fedorka.com.

AR-47 Price Reduction

2010-02-23T08:04:00.000-08:00

$10,000 Price Reduction
AR-47, Timber Ridge
NOW listed at $355,000

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for further information on this property on any other Telluride real estate needs.

110 Saddlehorn - Price Reduction

2010-02-18T09:44:00.000-08:00

$10,000 Price Reduction

110 Saddlehorn, Telluride Ski Ranches

NOW listed at $1,505,000

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for further information on this property on any other Telluride real estate needs.

Telluride’s Great Rankings

2010-02-09T12:21:00.000-08:00

For the second year in a row, Telluride was ranked as the #2 ski resort in North America by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine’s Reader’s Poll. While this award is based on a myriad of criteria including everything from dining and ambience to lifts and terrain, our exceptionally high marks in ‘Local Ambience’ and ‘Terrain and Lifts’ are what put us over the top. In addition to our ranking as #2 overall by Conde Nast, Telluride also received the honor of being named #1 for Nightlife in the Rocky Mountains by visitors to On the Snow.com—the most visited winter sports website in the world with over 1.6 visitors per month during the winter season. Other recent accolades include being ranked #10 overall in Ski Magazine’s Readers’ Survey, a ranking which was bolstered by our noteworthy placement at #2 for ‘Overall Satisfaction’ and #4 for ‘Scenery’.

For all your Telluride real estate needs please contact buzz@fedorka.com.

2009 Real Estate Round Up

2010-02-08T12:08:00.000-08:00

In what has been an uncertain economic year Telluride, Mountain Village and San Miguel County fared quite well. In a year-by-year comparison from 2008 to 2009, real estate sales volume dropped only 3% throughout the entire County. We began to gain substantial improvement in the market in the fourth quarter. In October 2009 compared with October 2008, gross dollar volume was up by 20%. In November 2008 dollar volume was $8.1 million compared with $44 million in November 2009. December sales went from $24 million in 2008 to $49 million in 2009. The statistics are not yet in for January 2010, but we expect them to follow the trend from 2009’s 4th quarter. Properties under contract for closing in February look very encouraging.

2009 saw many substantial improvements in our lodging base. In February the new Capella Hotel opened to rave reviews. Capella is Telluride’s first five star luxury hotel. The Peaks Resort & Spa was sold in November to a local group of investors who promise to return our anchor hotel to its former glory and it is now managed by the Grand Heritage Hotel Group. We therefore now have two major hotels operating in Mountain Village along with boutique hotels including the Inn at Lost Creek and Lumiere.

The week before Christmas the Telluride Ski Resort hosted its first ever FIS Snowboarding World Cup event. Telluride was the only US stop on the tour and male and female participants came from the USA, Canada, Europe and as far as Korea, Japan, Russia and Australia and the events were televised worldwide.

The ski resort continued its work of opening new terrain with the expansion of Gold Hill chutes 2-5 for the 2009/2010 winter season. Revelation Bowl opened in 2008/2009 for some of the biggest news in the Rocky Mountain ski region. With Gold Hill 1, Palmyra Peak, Black Iron Bowl and Gold Hill 6-10 opening in 2007/2008 the ski resort has, over the last three seasons, expanded by more than 400 acres. Telluride ski area’s vertical drop is now one of the largest in North America at 4,442 feet with 3,845 vertical feet that is lift served.

Along with the ski area expansion, Telski has relocated the Nastar course to a longer and gentler location with a finish line directly under lift 4. A new half pipe has been built in the terrain park next to the one on the old race hill and it is available for night skiing from 4-8pm Thursdays through Sundays

Although we have repeatedly mentioned the improvements to Telluride’s airport it is worth repeating that it has become much safer and will accommodate a new 80 seat aircraft called the Q400 from Bombardier. See this link for more information. http://www2.bombardier.com/q400/en/home.jsp.

With new hotels, new ski terrain, vastly improved sales figures a new airport runway Telluride is looking at a bright future in 2010.

Please contact me at buzz@fedorka.com for any of your Telluride real estate needs.

Telluride Ski Resort brings back halfpipe

2010-02-02T10:12:00.000-08:00

Telluride Ski Resort brings back halfpipe
Night time riding under the lights, until 8 p.m.
By BEN FORNELLStaff Writer
Published: Monday, January 25, 2010 8:33 PM CST

It’s back. After two ski seasons in Telluride without a halfpipe, the mountain says it’s built the best pipe ever this year.

At 385 feet in length, with a 15 and 3/4 degree pitch and 18-foot walls, the pipe is of optimum dimensions, said Benji Charleston, Telski’s halfpipe manager.

While building a World Cup course was perhaps the most technical feat for Telluride snowmaking operations this year, the pipe is a close second, with 14 million gallons of water turned into the white stuff, and carefully sculpted by a team of four Snocats working day and night for just 13 days to build the pipe.

Charleston said the process normally takes more than three weeks to complete, but that the mountain brought in Oregon-based Planet Snow Design, which has helped to create massive half pipes and other snow features for resorts all over the west, in addition to competition events.
“The kids are just loving it. At night, you can stand here and hear them yelling at the top of their lungs. This is a very legit halfpipe,” Charleston said, standing below the pipe, bathed in the intense white light being reflected off the snow.

That’s another never-before-seen feature for Telluride — the ability to ride until 8 p.m. under parking lot lights mounted on the towers of the Pomma lift. A halfpipe or terrain park lit for evening riding is a rarity in the West, with the only other night riding at Park City, Utah.

Charleston and Telski Snowmaking Manager Ryan Mackey joked that, with the somewhat limited scope of activities for Telluride’s high school set, they might pitch a date night at the park. Bring your girlfriend, but also bring your gnarliest grabs, twists and spins, or she might be going home with some other park rat.

And on Friday night, the pipe was a welcome refuge for those riders who had worked all day, but still felt the need to hit a little powder, and maybe toss a trick or two.“I love it,” said Justin Justesen, a local cook who said he spends as much time in the park as he can. “One main thing for me, as long as I have a pipe and some stuff to jib off of, I’m a happy camper.”

And keeping that camper happy all comes back to the design and maintenance. The pipe was designed to yield 6 to 8 hits for the average rider, with a booter at the end that was created from snow left over from the World Cup course.

“It’s a workout getting all the way down it,” Charleston said.

http://www.telluridenews.com/articles/2010/01/29/news/doc4b5e5374e08e8099388111.txt

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for more information on the half pipe or any real estate needs.

Worth Cause and Fun Event - Chocolate Lover's Fling

2010-01-26T12:32:00.000-08:00

The Chocolate Lovers' Fling will be held on Saturday, February 6 at the Telluride Conference Center (7:30 PM - 11:30PM). This is the annual fund-raiser for the San Miguel Resource Center, our local domestic violence and sexual abuse crisis and counseling center. The "Fling" celebrates chocolate, with most of the local chefs showing off their stuff. It is also regarded as the best dance party of the year: this year's theme is The Love Boat. This is a fun party for the benefit of a cause that is anything but fun: unfortunately, sexual assault and domestic violence are all too real here, and SMRC's work is fundamental to the fabric of our community. Tickets are available at www.tellurideticket.com, or at the door.

I want to highlight one item in particular that will be up for auction at the silent auction. A friend has donated a week in March (14-21) at Esperanza Resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It is the best location in an extraordinary resort: 3 bedrooms/bathrooms, full kitchen, living room/dining room, huge deck, plunge pool, huge view of the Sea of Cortez, waves crashing on the rocks below, etc. It comes with a dedicated concierge, and use of a Suburban while in residence. The value is $2K per night/$14,000 for the week.

The location of Esperanza is terrific: at the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, mid-way between the towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. The resort itself is, truly, five star, but not in a pretentious way: just excellent service in a spotless resort in an extraordinary setting.

Have a look at http://www.esperanzaresort.com/

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for more information on the Chocolate Lovers' Fling or any real estate information in Telluride.

Upcoming events in Telluride, Colorado

2010-01-12T11:33:00.000-08:00

SnowFest
January 21, 2010 - Wednesday, January 24, 2010Mountain Village hosts a weekend that includes music, snow sculpting, a torchlight parade, snowmobile jumping events, avalanche dog demonstrations and more.

Chocolate Lovers Fling
Monday, February 06, 2010 - Sample chocolate concoctions, bid in a silent auction and dance to benefit San Miguel Resource Center. Conference Center, 7:30 p.m. 970.728.5842

Gay Ski Week
February 22, 2009 - Saturday, February 28, 2009Show your pride in Telluride: Ski on the mountain, mingle at après-ski parties, dance to DJs and create a lifetime of memories in an outrageous alpine setting.

Telluride AIDS Benefit
February 24, 2010 - Monday, March 02, 2010A weeklong event that works to fight HIV/AIDS and promote HIV/AIDS education. Events include art auctions, fashion shows with live auctions and trunk shows.

KOTO Street Dance
April 03, 2010 - Telluride closes main street for this annual après-ski, end-of-the-season concert that features live music and a beer garden. (April 4 is reserved in case of inclement weather.)

SKI RESORT CLOSING DAY!
April 04, 2010 Enjoy the final turns of the lift-served season.

I hope to see you in Telluride this winter. Please contact me for information on Telluride real estate including Telluride homes, condos and lands - buzz@fedorka.com.

110 Saddlehorn Lane - Price Reduction

2010-01-04T11:01:00.000-08:00

110 Saddlehorn, Ski Ranches - Price Reduction

Was $1.85 million

Now $$1.525 million

Beautiful 3 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom main house with a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom guest apartment. Located on a very private 1.3 acre lot in the Ski Ranches. Sandstone and granite countertops, large workshop, cherry and pine cabinets, doors and floors, many other custom details. No transfer tax in the Ski Ranches.

For further information on the above as well as Telluride real estate, contact Buzz Fedorka at buzz@fedorka.com. Click on www.fedorka.com ... where listings are updated daily!

Telluride Scores a Tourism Trifecta

2009-12-30T10:47:00.000-08:00

Telluride Scores a Tourism Trifecta
by Seth Cagin www.TellurideWatch.com

Dec 23, 2009 LOCAL PERSPECTIVEStill reeling from the Great Recession, with local businesses under tremendous pressure as they wait for the economy to improve, Telluride just completed a phenomenal week that offers real hope to anyone trying to make a living here.

The community just celebrated the completion of the major phase of runway improvements at the Telluride Regional Airport, brilliantly hosted its first World Cup, and saw the revival of its landmark destination hotel. All three of these major developments reflect that fact that at least some portion of the local population has been hard at work to build a sustainable visitor-based economy.

Reliable, affordable access. Full-service accommodations. And major events to bring visitors during shoulder seasons. Most serious observers would agree that these are three of the most significant bases of a tourist economy for Telluride. All three have been challenging over the last three decades. But as of last week, Telluride made huge gains in all three.

Even though it is almost 25-years-old, the Telluride Airport has not yet fulfilled its potential. The reason has been the notorious dip in the original runway, which kept the airport below the safety rating it could achieve from the Federal Aviation Administration without the dip. A higher safety rating would qualify the airport for more types of aircraft.That improved safety rating is now, hopefully, just one year away. The dip is gone, following $24 million in work last summer, and just one summer’s construction remains for the airport to be able to accommodate 74-passenger Q400 planes. The bulk of that work is already approved and funded by the FAA for next year. Even assuming the airport achieves its new rating, there will remain challenges before the airport actually sees its first scheduled Q400 flights, not least getting airlines to come here. (This will be especially problematic if the Telluride and Montrose Regional Air Organization declines to participate, as, unfortunately, it has for the most part for the last decade.) But for the first time it will be possible. If we can actually get frequent, affordable flights between DIA and TEX, we may finally be at the point where we no longer have to battle the longstanding perception (and reality) that Telluride has been expensive and difficult to get to. That can only help us build visitation numbers to a sustainable level.

It has taken almost a quarter-century of persistence and patience from the Telluride Regional Airport Authority Board of Directors to get this far. Twenty-four year board chair John Micetic was honored at Thursday’s celebration of the new runway’s completion by having the airport renamed the Telluride Regional Airport at Micetic Field, a well-deserved recognition. Not only Micetic and the board, but current and 17-year airport director Rich Nuttall and former airport director Dick Arnold deserve credit, as do former Telski CEO Ron Allred and President Jim Wells, and many others.

Immediately after Thursday’s Grand Opening of the new airport runway – featuring the first man to set foot on the moon, Neil Armstrong, and garnering national media attention – there was a large event at The Peaks to celebrate Telluride’s first World Cup. There were a reported 700 people there, which begs a question: Can anyone remember the last time The Peaks hosted such a large gala?

Under the new ownership of a local group of investors, with a new management team in place and with the irrepressible Mike Hess running the sales and marketing operation, The Peaks has jumped back to life after years of decrepitude. OK, decrepit may be (a tad) too strong to describe how lackluster The Peaks has been for at least the last ten years and irrepressible may be too weak to describe Hess, who has always excelled at throwing a party, but there is no question that The Peaks finally shows promise of fulfilling its potential. As is true of the airport, there is more work to be done to get there, more parties, more marketing, more renovations. But there is every indication now that it will happen. And Telluride has not just one major hotel now, but two, with the Capella Telluride up and running. Yes, both are in Mountain Village, leaving the town of Telluride out in the bitter cold with its handful of very small boutique hotels and aging condos and no full-service hotel. But still, we can now, as a resort, actually match up to other major ski resort destinations in terms of accommodations. Like the improved airport, this development has been a very long time coming. Its apparent arrival is seriously overdue, and all the more welcome for that. Finally, kudos to Telluride Ski and Golf Co. CEO Dave Riley, who has done more than anyone would have thought possible just a few years back, deploying extremely limited resources to improve the Telluride Ski Area. This includes not only opening up spectacular new terrain, but also luring the FIS and USSA to Telluride for a snowboarding World Cup this past week. Thanks to early-season snow, Telluride looked and skied great last week, as we hosted athletes and their entourages and the international media. World Cup events put ski resorts on the map, and this one was Telluride’s first. But it may not be the last, with early indications that Telluride pulled it off – thanks to untold hours of work by Telski employees, the Telluride Visitors Board under the leadership of Scott McQuade, and others on the Telluride World Cup Organizing Committee. The week before Christmas has never been a big week in Telluride, but it was big this year, and will be big, hopefully, for years to come. One more week of robust business in an economy that enjoys, at best, 15 or 16 good weeks a year, is a major achievement.

As is true of air service (actually getting the flights here) and hotel accommodations (especially in the moribund town of Telluride), there is more to be done in terms of both ski area improvements and adding weeks of viable commerce to our still-frail economy. More money is needed for marketing, for example, if the Telluride Tourism Board is to build on an encouraging start in successfully giving Telluride an effective position in a highly competitive market.

But there will be time to look to the challenges ahead. For now, this week before the holidays in this most challenging time, we can stop briefly and celebrate the glass that may now, finally, be more than half full.

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for all your Telluride real estate information.

Telluride Ski Season Update & Happy Holidays 2009/2010!

2009-12-23T13:58:00.000-08:00

Unbelievable Snow and Snowboard World Cup to Start the Season!A number of snowstorms hit Telluride in December, leaving in their wake an excellent base and tremendous early season ski conditions. The best of the best took over the mountain from December 17-20 when Telluride hosted multiple World Cup events. These Olympic qualifiers filled the towns with eager athletes, coaches, media, family and friends from around the world.

NBC, the Olympic network, will broadcast the Visa U.S. Snowboardcross Cup Dec. 26 at 2 p.m., and the cable station Versus will broadcast the event's SBX competition Jan. 3, 2010 at 5 p.m. and the PGS competition Jan. 10, 2010 at 4 p.m.

Terrain Expansion
This season, the ski resort continues its unprecedented terrain expansion by opening Gold Hill Chutes 2 through 5. The new chutes offer intermediate and expert skiers the opportunity to explore world-class runs, the likes of which are seldom accessible by chairlifts.

Lace up Your Skates!
Mountain Village celebrates the opening of a new ice rink at the Capella Hotel. The rink is open to the public daily and is ideal for family fun.

Venture out and discover all Telluride has to offer! For further information on the above as well as Telluride real estate, contact Buzz Fedorka at buzz@fedorka.com. Click on www.fedorka.com ... where listings are updated daily!

Telluride's Mountainfilm update:

2009-12-18T13:10:00.000-08:00

Author, adventurer and activist Greg Mortenson will return to Mountainfilm in 2010. We’re looking forward to getting an update on his adventures since he last passed through Telluride. Greg’s latest book, Stones into Schools, was just published and has been getting great reviews.

December 26 Telluride Fundraiser The Wildest Dream will be playing at the Sheridan Opera House in Telluride, Colorado on December 26. The film really has several plotlines, the primary one concerning legendary mountaineer George Mallory and his attempt to be the first person to climb Mt. Everest. It also tells the story of how longtime Mountainfilm guest Conrad Anker discovered Mallory’s body high on the mountain and his own attempt to summit Everest in the same style and manner as Mallory. Conrad will be in Telluride for the event and will answer questions after the film, so it promises to be a special evening. Tickets are $100, including an open bar reception, and you can see a trailer of the film here.

For more information on this or other Telluride events, Telluride homes, Telluride condos or Telluride land, contact Buzz Fedorka at buzz@fedorka.com. www.Fedorka.com.

Telluride's Featured Property Listing of the Day

2009-12-17T13:14:00.000-08:00

133 Arizona Street - $2,395,000

Lone Beaver Lodge is a 3-bedroom, 3-bath energy efficient cabin on a large wooded lot with a stream running through it, on a private street. Rustic accents throughout add to this fully custom-furnished home’s charm.

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for more information on this home or other Telluride real estate information.

2009-12-16T10:37:00.000-08:00

TELLURIDE, CO (Dec. 15) - Sunny Telluride opened its doors to the world's best snowboarders Tuesday as the LG FIS World Cup kicked off with the first of two parallel giant slalom competitions. Fraenzi Maegert-Kohli of Switzerland and Matthew Morison of Canada won the event while Michelle Gorgone (Boston) finished 11th for the U.S.

It was the first of five Olympic qualification events for the discipline.

Maegert-Kohli was followed in the women's results by Germany's Amelie Kober in second and Kimiko Zakreski of Canada in third.

"It was a very disappointing day from my side. We've had great support from Telluride with the training on the hill, so there are no excuses," U.S. Snowboarding Alpine Head Coach Jan Wengelin said.

Gorgone was the sole U.S. woman in the finals. The Bostonian was looking fast, but a problem took her out of the first run, landing her with a hefty time differential she was not able to make up, finishing in 11th."On the second run she made up a lot of time on the other rider's advantage, but it wasn't enough. Could she have made it? Yes, she could have," Wengelin said.

In the men's race Austria's Benjamin Karl was second and France rounded out the podium with Mathieu Bozzetto in third.

Justin Reiter (Steamboat Springs, CO) and Chris Klug (Aspen, CO) were each aiming for a podium finish for the home crowd but, after finishing a slim margin behind their counterparts in the first run, they were unable to catch up. Klug wound the day out in 15th and Reiter in 16th.

"It's there in all the athletes, but they just need a little bit of work and a little bit of confidence to go in the right direction," Wengelin said. "We've just got to look ahead to Thursday.

"The racing action in Telluride continues on Thursday with the second PGS competition and Visa Snowboardcross Cup races on Saturday.

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for further Telluride real estate information.

New Premiere Mountain Village/Telluride Home Listing

2009-12-10T13:37:00.000-08:00

184 Butch Cassidy Drive – $15,000,000

With unparalleled privacy and unobstructed 200° views, this slope-side home in a forested setting is a superb contemporary architectural statement embodying exceptional design elements: 5 bedrooms, 6.5 baths, ski funicular, spa/exercise wing, wine tunnel, elevated tree deck, wood-burning fireplaces, smart systems, theater, fully furnished, guest house and oversized garage on a private cul-de-sac. Please go to http://www.184butchcassidydrive.com/ for further detail.

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for further information on this premier Mountain Village real estate listing.

Wealthy Investors Plan to Buy More Real Estate

2009-12-07T11:55:00.000-08:00

By Peter Woodifield
Nov. 30 (Bloomberg) -- Individuals with more than $800,000 to invest plan to increase their property holdings because they foresee better long-term returns than from stocks and bonds, according to a Barclays Plc global survey.

Twice as many people plan to raise their investment in commercial and residential property as intend to reduce it, the Barclays Wealth unit said in an e-mailed statement today. The richer the individual, the greater the proportion of wealth is placed in real estate, the survey found.

“I was surprised how big a share of their wealth property represents,” Mike Dicks, the London-based head of research at Barclays Wealth, said in an interview. “It’s not what I would tell grandma. None of our data suggests that would be a good allocation.”

The global recession pushed down commercial and residential real estate prices in every region except Asia. The value of U.S. shops, offices and warehouses fell 21 percent in the first three quarters of this year, following a 12 percent decline in 2008. Belief that properties are now undervalued was the second most common reason cited for increasing investment.

Real estate investment among wealthy individuals is set to rise to 30 percent of the average portfolio for the next few years from 28 percent now, according to the survey. That excludes properties used as a principal residence. Most rich people, other than the extremely wealthy, should have no more than 10 percent of their assets in property, said Dicks.

‘Emotional Attachment’
“An emotional attachment to bricks and mortar,” can mean that rich investors are often unwilling to sell real estate at short notice and may be less rigorous in measuring its performance as an asset, according to the report.

Investors from Canada and the Persian Gulf were the most likely to increase their property allocations, with an average rise of 4 percent, the report said. Spain was the only country in the survey where more individuals said they would reduce the proportion of real estate investment, said the wealth management division of London-based Barclays. About 60 percent of rich individuals in that country have more than half their assets in property.

Almost 30 percent of British and Indian investors have more than half their wealth tied up in real estate. About 40 percent of the total respondents worth more than 30 million pounds ($49 million) have a similar allocation, Barclays Wealth said.

U.S. Attractive
Three out of four investors surveyed said residential property is looking attractive and two-thirds are keen to explore investing in commercial real estate, the survey said. About 75 percent said they feel hampered by borrowing costs.

The U.S. was the most attractive real estate market for investors outside their home country, the survey showed. The country was seen as having the highest potential for return on investment.

Barclays Wealth surveyed 2,000 people. Forty percent were worth 500,000 pounds to 1 million pounds. An additional 40 percent were worth between 1 million pounds and 10 million pounds. Ten percent had assets of as much as 30 million pounds and the rest were wealthier than that.

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for Telluride real estate information.

Telluride's Featured Property Listing of the Day

2009-12-03T09:53:00.000-08:00

210 Basque Road, Aldasoro Ranch - $2,996,000

This property at sunny Aldasoro Ranch is an architectural masterpiece with an open, spacious design and many thoughtful design and construction details; the home also sits on 3.11 very private acres, adjacent to 13 acres of open space, with true 360-degree views and all-day sun. Two-story vaulted windows line the southern exposure and capture breathtaking views of the Wilsons, the ski area and the Telluride box canyon. 6 bedrooms and 4.5 baths (workshop/rec room is plumbed for 5th bath and/or kitchen, so could be 7th bedroom or caretaker unit). Interior features include a two-story stone fireplace, sunken great room with wet bar, elevated gourmet kitchen with custom cabinetry, and extensive patios. Deer, elk and other wildlife abound in the front yard. Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for information on the above property or any real estate information.

Telluride Market Update

2009-12-01T08:49:00.000-08:00

Telluride Continues to Plug Away
Numbers Down but Notable Sales and National Predictions Encouraging

In a nutshell, Telluride is getting through it like everyone else. On account of the current state of the economy, or rather where it was during the first two quarters of 2009, real estate activity slowed considerably. After a string of high marks between 2000 and 2007, with the latter reaching record heights by year’s end ($710 million in total dollar volume),numbers changed significantly in 2008 and thus far in 2009. According to data compiled by the Telluride Association of Realtors. (TAR), overall figures between January and June 2009 were $80 million in total dollar volume, distributed over 105 total transactions. This is 54% lower than the first two quarters of 2008, which totaled $174 million and noticeably lower than earlier in the
decade when property values were less. TAR’s figures encompass the greater Telluride region, including San Miguel County, as well as occasional out-of-county sales (i.e. Montrose, Ridgway, and other communities).

But with a little optimism and acknowledgement that ebbs and flows are the nature of the real estate beast (albeit this ebb is a tad more drastic), it’s still possible to find a silver lining behind this dark cloud.

First of all, resort economies, once largely sellers’ markets, are now giving buyers a chance. With ample inventory to choose from and low interest rates, it’s a good time to make a purchase. Secondly, Telluride has endured negative market effects now for roughly 18 months. Certain experts predict the tides may start turning. The Wall Street Journal stated in a June 3, 2009 article, “In another sign that the housing market may have begun to recover, the number of people who signed contracts to purchase homes increased for the third month in a row.” The piece included data from the National Association of Realtors, which said its pending home sales index rose 6.7% from March (84.6) to April (90.3), and Joshua Shapiro, an economist with MFR, the Manhattan global economic consulting firm, was quoted: “Clearly, within the next couple of
months there’s going to be a decent increase in actual homes sales.” On another note, the
widely recognized financial analyst, Mad Money’s Jim Cramer, predicted back in September 2008 that the housing market would bottom in the third quarter of 2009
(read more at: http://skiresortmarkets.com).

As for Jim Cramer, he likely has as many foes as fans, but it would be comforting, nonetheless, if his prediction is correct. Perhaps the first two quarters of the year can be chalked up as part of the trip toward bottom, and the worst might in fact be over.

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for further detail on the above article or about other real estate opportunities in Telluride.

Telluride Snowboard World Cup

2009-11-30T13:09:00.000-08:00

Snowboard World Cup in TellurideTelluride is the sole U.S. stop of the LG sponsored FIS (International Ski Federation) Snowboard World Cup and will feature both SBX (snowboardcross) and PGS (parallel giant slalom) competitions during the second in a series of five Olympic qualification events for the two disciplines.

With snowmaking already in full swing, the mountain will be fully prepared and eager as athletes, coaches, media, families and friends from around the world visit Telluride for this Olympic qualifying event.

"Snowmaking is off to one of our best starts in years with the cold weather, and the new snow we have received in the last couple of weeks is a great bonus," said Ryan Mackey, snowmaking and grooming manager. "Currently we are making snow on Upper Village Bypass, Lower Boomerang into the Mountain Village, Meadows and Lower Misty Maiden (especially for the World Cup)."

According to U.S. Snowboarding Head Coach Peter Foley, Telluride is a perfect home in the west for an early-season World Cup stop. "With the early start on snow happening at Telluride we are getting really excited to get there. We can't wait to show the athletes from around the world how great Telluride is and let them experience a real world class course." Competition and Event Services Manger, John Jett, has been working with the USSA and the FIS on course procedures and qualifications. "The last of our summer projects for the event, including laying the timing wire for the PGS, has been completed. Both FIS and USSA course inspections have been approved for the World Cup Competition," said Jett.

"Our core competition jury; Technical Delegate Tim O'Brien (CAN), Chief of SBX Gary Wright, Chief of PGS Mark Lamberson, and FIS Commissioner Tom Winters met to review our operating plan, to ask questions and offer suggestions. They are truly excited and in awe of our progress," continued Jett. "Looking forward, the next month and a half is all about the details, logistics and scheduling of our volunteer manpower."

"The Telluride Ski Area and the towns of Mountain Village and Telluride are excited to be hosting the upcoming Snowboard World Cup beginning on December 17, 2009," added Frank Bell, Co-Chair of the Organizing Committee. "These challenging and crowd pleasing events, which will be the Telluride area's first World Cup competition, will showcase things to come at the Vancouver Olympics in February of 2010. We hope the world will join us either in person or through the media coverage in introducing the best snowboarders in the world to the great terrain, spectacular mountain setting, and two great ski towns that embrace the 2009 Snowboard World Cup."

Telluride will be the sole U.S. stop of the LG FIS Snowboard World Cup and will feature an SBX, PGS and the newly added Team Snowboardcross competition during what will be the second in a series of five Olympic qualification events. The heat will be on in the snowboardcross as four athletes race through rollers, jumps and banked turns in an attempt to be the last racer standing. - Telluride Ski & Golf Resort

For more information on this event or real estate information please contact buzz@fedorka.com.

Women’s Ski Week II, Telluride, Colorado

2009-11-27T16:17:00.000-08:00

Join a consortium of leading ladies from around the globe for a week of outdoor activity offset by pampering of your mind, body and soul. At Women’s Ski Week II, you will have the opportunity for all-day expert ski and snowboard instruction, complimentary use of top-of-the-line gear, and use of the NASTAR course at the World Renowned Telluride Ski Resort.

In addition to becoming mountain sport divas, you can indulge yourself in morning yoga stretch, soothing spa treatments, as well as the finest in apres ski...followed by delicious dining and special shopping discounts. Women’s Ski Week II is also pleased to welcome renowned Keynote Speaker Rebecca Shambaugh, Author and CEO of Shambaugh Leadership Group - www.shambaughleadership.com. Ms. Shambaugh promises to deliver a compelling motivational presentation entitled, “Leading with Resilience - A Time for Reinvention”. In this session, participants will learn how to assess their individual resiliency as a critical life skill during these changing and challenging times! Join us for this rewarding event with your esteemed colleagues and friends!

Women’ Ski Week I will be February 6-11 with details to follow.

Packages Include:
Welcome Reception • Après-ski events
Celebration Dinner • Keynote Speaker Session
Yoga Stretch • Shopping Discounts
Gifts, Prizes & Raffles • Sponsor Trunk Shows

For more information on packages and to make a reservation, visit www.capellahotels.com or call 1.877.247.6688 and provide CODE 00011 at time of booking.

For information on Telluride Real Estate, contact Buzz Fedorka at buzz@fedorka.com, website: www.fedorka.com.

Telluride's Featured Home Listing of the Day

2009-11-24T08:30:00.000-08:00

260 Double Eagle Drive - $2,550,000

This fully furnished 4-bedroom, 4.5-bath mountain rustic timber and stone home is close to both golf and skiing and features panoramic San Sophia Ridge views, along with superior construction and top-of-the-line appliances, features and finishes, including a 2-sided fireplace, granite counters, three steam showers and a hot tub.

Telluride Resort Terrain expansion

2009-11-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

TELLURIDE, Colo. (Sept. 14, 2009) – Telluride continues this year on an unprecedented run of terrain expansion, opening Gold Hill Chutes 2-5 for the 2009-10 winter season. Revelation Bowl opened in 2008-09 as the biggest story in ski country, along with Gold Hill 1. Palmyra Peak, Black Iron Bowl and Gold Hill 6-10 opened in 2007-08 to a huge public response. All told, the resort has expanded by more than 400 acres over the past three seasons, adding to Telluride’s already legendary terrain and offering some of the most spectacular skiing and riding on the planet. The resort’s vertical drop is now one of the largest in North America at 4,425 feet, with 3,845 vertical feet lift-served.

The opening of Gold Hill Chutes 2-5 gives full access off west Gold Hill ridge, with 1-10 now accessible to the public. Reminiscent of the long, open lines of Alaska, the spectacular terrain drops 1600 vertical feet into the Prospect Basin, including faces, couloirs, chutes and rock features all above treeline. A ride up the new Revelation Lift offers easy access, with direct skiing into Gold Hill 1, and a short 5 minute hike up a new snowcat road to the top of Gold Hill for 2-10. The area is controlled by two WWII vintage 105mm howitzers, installed last year.

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for information on the above or any real estate information.

34th Annual Telluride Jazz Celebration

2009-11-20T13:13:00.001-08:00

The 34th Annual Telluride Jazz Celebration has returned to its historic summer dates -- August 6-8, 2010. Mark your calendar!
Early Bird Tickets Online Now
Discounted Early Bird tickets are available online at www.telluridejazz.org. Keep the Jazz vibe alive in Telluride... Telluride Jazz tickets make great holiday gifts!
PS: Take advantage of our Limited Time Holiday Offer -- we are waiving the online handling fee until December 31, 2009. Enter code HF2010 at check out.
Telluride Jazz Celebration 2010
Telluride Jazz Celebration (TJC) is busy working on the 2010 line-up reinforcing our long-standing commitment to nurturing the roots of the classic Jazz, Latin and African traditions. The initial lineup will be announced in the weeks ahead and will include a full Friday slate of events, so stay tuned.

New this year is the addition of Core Power Yoga as a Presenting Sponsor www.corepoweryoga.com. Each morning of the festival weekend, Core Power Yoga staff will offer free introductory and advanced level yoga classes to TJC ticket holders in the Telluride Town Park. Get loose, stay loose.

TJC 2010 promises to be another intimate experience with a great show in the beautiful Telluride valley. Make your plans now to join us next August.

For more information on this or other festivals or Telluride real estate, contact Buzz Fedorka at buzz@fedorka.com.

Telluride's Featured Home Listing of the Day

2009-11-17T11:00:00.000-08:00

110 Saddlehorn Lane, Ski Ranches - $1,650,000

Telluride Snowboard World Cup 2009

2009-11-16T09:26:00.000-08:00

For information on this or Telluride real estate, email Buzz Fedorka buzz@fedorka.com

The Peaks Resort sells to a local group for a reported $20 million

2009-11-12T12:28:00.000-08:00

As reported in the Telluride Daily Planet by Matthew BeaudinEditor
Published: Thursday, November 5, 2009 8:44 PM CST

After languishing on the market for more than two years, The Peaks sold on Wednesday to a group of local investors for a reported $20 million — less than half the price of bids in late 2007 and some $80 million less than the hotel was built for in the early ‘90s.

The purchase ends failed deal after failed deal: since hitting the market, Telluride’s largest and best-known hotel has seen many a suitor, none of which saw their engagements to the altar.

And now comes the hard part: Making The Peaks the flagship of a region in need of an economic engine.

“Through the years of corporate ownership, The Peaks has distanced itself from the community,” reads a press release from Todd Herrick, a managing member of Peaks Capital Partners, LLC., which bought the hotel from The Blackstone Group, a New York based private equity firm. “The Peaks was designed to be the cornerstone hospitality property of the area. Our objective is to finally unlock the property’s potential…”

Ted and Todd Herrick, Mike Theile, Bruce MacIntire and Kevin Jones make up the buyers, in addition to John Cullen and Brian Martin, two principals of the hotel’s new management company, Grand Heritage Hotels & Resorts.

Grand Heritage Hotels & Resorts manages other seasonal properties, such as the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park.

“We know that The Peaks needs further work — please be patient,” the release reads.
The company plans to update the lobby, bar and dining room by Christmas, but major renovations will not begin until the spring off-season.

The Peaks will remain open through the ski season.“I see a golden opportunity to help drive more business, not only for The Peaks but for the whole region,” said Brent Truax, who was just named the hotel’s general manager. “There is a lot of work to be done. This property has nowhere to go but up.”

Ascendancy to a lofty hotel will have its price, though the new owners have yet to declare how much money they’ll pipe into The Peaks. Upgrades, Truax said, will include flat-screen TVs in rooms and wet bars, things that are “expected” in upper-echelon hotels.

The Peaks will also get a new continental type restaurant — to be named this winter — and a re-named spa, which recently underwent millions in upgrades under Blackstone.

“I think, immediately, people are going to see service standards changing,” Truax said. “The immediate impact is going to be on the customer service.”

Truax is moving with his 2-year-old daughter and wife to Telluride from the Finger Lakes region of New York. He’s managed properties in Arizona, Vermont and New Hampshire.

According to Telluride Mountain Village Owner’s Association — the entity that collects real estate transfer taxes in the Village — the association will take in a little more than $500,000 in transfer taxes off the sale; that’s no burp for a town that’s had to cut its budgets at every turn.

As of Thursday afternoon, the deed had not been recorded at the San Miguel County Clerk and Recorder’s offices, but TMVOA documents indicate that the taxable “Total Land and Land Improvements and Total Building & Building Improvements” came in at $17.3 million for the sale.

The organization can’t collect transfer taxes on “personal property” that changes hands in transactions, meaning the purchase price could have been for more.

Bob Delves, Mountain Village’s mayor, greeted the news warmly. “I think it’s terrific that it’s in local hands,” Delves said. “From what I know of this group, they intend to return The Peaks to its former glory.”

And that, he said, is certainly possible given the hotel’s setting and stature.

“There’s nothing like it. Its location is incredible; the views are incredible … It just needs some love,” Delves said.

George Harvey, a real estate agent with Telluride Properties, said the sale could mean good things for Telluride.

“I do think it makes a difference it’s local owners. They have the passion as well as the money. And that matters. … It’s personal. It’s like a chain restaurant vs. the owner showing up every day,” he said.

The price may have been just right, too: “They bought it right,” Harvey said. “And a heck of a lot of how hotels work is the price. That gives them a huge leg up, when you have less debt to service. So maybe their timing’s good.”

For more information on this or for real estate in Telluride please contact buzz@fedorka.com

Telluride's Featured Property Listing of the Day

2009-11-11T09:14:00.000-08:00

Cimarron Office Space – $750,000

Ski-in/ski-out and riverside, base of Lift 7, Cimarron Lodge ($3.3 million exterior
remodel of complete complex is underway). Truly one of Telluride's best custom offices with slate and antique oak floors, alder distressed custom doors and cabinets, granite and marble countertops throughout office on custom distressed alder built-in work stations (6), wired for complete custom sound and internet for each room, high end Italian lighting all tied in with 200-year-old hand-hewn beams. Foyer/reception area, 2 large executive offices, large production room with 4+ work stations (office can accommodate 6-8 full time employees comfortably, more if necessary). Large handicap-coded bathroom with full tub/shower. Employee break area in back offers full kitchen (sans oven) with custom alder distressed cabinets and granite counter tops, queen-sized murphy bed with storage closets and drawers all with ladder accessible loft and large storage closet wired for servers and stereo components. All lift-side and just 1 block off Colorado Avenue (Main St.) and 3 blocks from the heart of town.

Alchemy Hospitality Group is named the new operator and manager of the Telluride Conference Center

2009-11-10T11:07:00.000-08:00

Alchemy Hospitality Group is named the new operator and manager of the Telluride Conference Center; the town still owns the facility and its assetsThe Town of Mountain Village has signed a five-year contract with Alchemy Hospitality Group (Alchemy) to run the Telluride Conference Center in Mountain Village. For the past 10 years, this responsibility has been that of the town’s. As of November 2, 2009, Alchemy has taken over as the Conference Center’s exclusive manager and operator and is responsible for most of the facility’s associated costs while the town remains the owner of the facility and its assets. The agreement between the two parties will result in a reduced town subsidy and a higher level of future cost controls.

The Conference Center, with 16,000-square-feet of rentable space, has historically experienced financial losses due to fixed operating costs that were not covered by sufficient revenues. If the town were to continue to operate the Conference Center in the coming years, the subsidy is projected at $470,000 for 2010 and escalating to as much as $500,000 for 2011. With this new agreement, the town will realize significant savings now and into the future. “We hope for a much smaller subsidy over the next five years,” said Sparks. “The more events Alchemy books, the closer the town’s subsidy gets to zero.”

Under the agreement, Alchemy will keep 100% of all gross revenue derived from its operations of the Conference Center but is obligated to pay the town up to a maximum of 5% from revenues. The town will continue to pay all Franz Klammer HOA dues and any major capital repairs and replacements. Further, all utilities will be paid by the town through December 31, 2011, when Alchemy will take over those responsibilities.

According to Spark’s, the town’s long-term goal for the Conference Center is threefold: for it to be an intricate part of the town's economic engine; to drive conference and group sales to Mountain Village; and to help the community become a sought after tourist destination. Sparks added that a vital part of the community includes its nonprofit organizations, many of which have utilized the Conference Center over the years for events. Under the agreement with the town, Alchemy will honor all contracts currently on the books and with current Conference Center pricing as quoted by the Center’s staff. For any new bookings, Alchemy is entitled to set its own pricing and fee schedules for usage of the Conference Center with a separate fee schedule for nonprofit organizations.

Major Selling Point:

Tthe ability to flex staff Over the past 10 years the town has managed the Conference Center, it has employed full-time staff members and additional part-time and on-call staff members as-needed. Established in 2003, Alchemy’s principal owners are Jake Linzinmeir and Tony Kalyk, no strangers to the Telluride region. Linzinmeir and Kalyk run The Bluepoint Grill & Noir Bar, The Excelsior Café and Chair 8/X Café. With locally established businesses, Alchemy is able to save money and time by flexing staffing levels and multitasking its labor dollars as they relate to the facility’s bookings – a major selling point for the town. As for Conference Center employees, Alchemy has been encouraged, but not obligated, to offer full and part-time staff members positions within its company.

In addition to Linzinmeir and Kalyk, the Alchemy Hospitality Group’s Conference Center Team includes other principals of companies who have experience in the ski resort market and in the hospitality, restaurant, group marketing and conference related fields. Those team members include Jeffrey Zogg and Doug Leiber of Azul Group and Meehan Fee, owner of Alpenglow Event Management.

Checks & Balances:
Since the town will continue to invest in the Conference Center, a Telluride Conference Center Oversight Board will be formed. Alchemy is required to meet with this board a minimum of twice a year. The board will be comprised of the mayor, a town councilmember, the town manager and a representative from both Marketing Telluride Inc. (MTI) and the Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association. In addition, Alchemy is required to provide the Mountain Village Town Council with information regarding the Conference Center’s usage, total gross revenues per event, number of attendees, and the following year’s calendar of events and revenue projections. Alchemy also is responsible for the development and delivery of a customer satisfaction survey to all groups utilizing the Conference Center with the survey results presented to the town on a quarterly basis. If Alchemy meets these and other town requirements, it will have the option of extending its contract with the town for two additional five-year terms.

To meet specific town marketing requirements, Alchemy is responsible for maintaining the Conference Center brand while working with MTI and Telluride Ski & Golf on marketing the facility. Moreover, MTI will continue to act as the primary group booking agent for the Conference Center with Alchemy directing all group bookings through them. In turn, Mountain Village will, as budget amounts provide, continue to make an annual contribution to MTI for group sales marketing.

For further Telluride Conference Center inquiries or to book an event, contact Alchemy’s General Manager Meehan Fee at meehan@tellurideconference.com, (970) 369-4760 or (970) 369-6400.

For other Telluride area information or real estate inquiries, contact Buzz Fedorka at buzz@fedorka.com.

Snowboard World Cup in Telluride

2009-11-05T09:24:00.000-08:00

Telluride Tourism Board press release regarding the Snowboard World Cup in Telluride:

Date: 17th Dec 2009 - 20th Dec 2009

Telluride will be the home of international snowboarding competition in the U.S. as the 2010 Visa U.S. Snowboardcross Cup hits the Rocky Mountains. Telluride is the sole U.S. stop of the LG FIS Snowboard World Cup and will feature an SBX and PGS competition during what will be the second in a series of five Olympic qualification events for the two sports.

The Visa U.S. Snowboardcross Cup Schedule:
Thursday, December 17 - PGS qualifications and finals
Friday, December 18 - SBX qualifications
Saturday, December 19 - SBX finals
Sunday, December 20 - Team SBX

NBC, the Olympic network, will broadcast the Visa U.S. Snowboardcross Cup Dec. 26 at 2 p.m. and the cable station Versus will broadcast the event's SBX competition Jan. 3, 2010 at 5 p.m. and the PGS competition Jan. 10, 2010 at 4 p.m.

Competitors

The heat will be on in the snowboardcross as heats of four athletes race through rollers, jumps and bank turns in an attempt to be the last man standing. The pressure will be on the U.S. Snowboarding's men's SBX roster as Olympic champion Seth Wescott (Sugarloaf, ME), five-time X Games gold medalist Nate Holland (Squaw Valley, CA), World Championship bronze medalist Nick Baumgartner (Iron River, MI),World Cup winner Graham Watanabe (Sun Valley, ID), World Cup podium performer Jonathan Cheever (Saugus, MA) Olympic halfpipe gold medalist Ross Powers (Londonderry, VT), snowboarding legend Shaun Palmer (South Lake Tahoe, CA) and the rest of the domestic riders battle it out to solidify their spot in the up to four spots open on the men's Olympic team.

Olympic silver medalist Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, VT) will also be on hand looking to dominate the women's field. Parallel giant slalom athletes will also be in the hunt for their Olympic team nominations. Michelle Gorgone (Boston), who took to the podium of two World Cups last season, will be aiming to take the stand again in the U.S.

On the men's side Tyler Jewell (Steamboat Springs, CO) will be back in the race after an injury kept him from competition last season. Joining him will be Adam Smith (Bend, OR) who finished second in a World Cup last season.

Capping things off in Telluride will be a team SBX exhibition competition. Team SBX pairs two riders from the same country on a team. One races the course against three to five other competitors, and when that competitor crosses the finish line, the gate at the start triggers for the next teammate to begin racing.

Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for further information on the Snowboard World Cup or for any real estate needs.

Telluride's Featured Condo Listing of the Day

2009-11-03T12:09:00.000-08:00

Mountain Lodge Unit 4113 - $300,000

1-bedroom, 1-bath condo in the ski-in/ski-out Mountain Lodge complex, just a short stroll to all resort amenities. The Lodge is full-service, complete with linen service, concierge, bell staff, shuttle service and on-site property management.

Please email buzz@fedorka.com for more information on Mountain Lodge #4113 or any of your Telluride real estate needs.

New snow, new improved Telluride airport runway

2009-11-02T08:12:00.000-08:00

We have a foot or so of new snow, so winter is underway. It will be great to see the airport with its new improved runway open next week, see below.

(Photo by Brett Schreckengost)

TELLURIDE — After peak crews of up to 85 workers spent seven months rearranging more than 1 million cubic yards of dirt at the Telluride Regional Airport, runway safety improvements have been completed and TEX is scheduled for an on-time reopening next Wednesday, Nov. 4. “It was a good project, it went well,” said Airport Manager Rich Nuttall. “In another week or so we’ll be open for business.”The second of a four-phase project that will eventually increase the airport’s safety rating and enable it to accommodate the 66-to 78-seat Q400 turboprop aircraft, the project lowered the runway by 30 feet at its west end and by 14 feet at its east end.The excavated material was used to backfill a 16-foot dip at the runway’s center that gave it the concave curve of a banana and helped earn TEX its reputation as one of the most challenging mountain airports in the nation.Crews also paved the formerly dirt shoulders alongside the runway, began widening the adjacent safety areas, and set in place an 800-foot long steel tunnel that should be completed between now and 2012, according to Nuttall.The tunnel is wide enough to accommodate a semi-trailer truck and will eventually allow drivers to pass underneath the runway to access hangars planned for its south side.“We used to be known for the dip, now we’re going to be know for the tunnel,” he said

Contact me, Buzz Fedorka, for updates on this or Telluride real estate at buzz@fedorka.com.

Telluride: Colorado's best kept secret?

2009-10-28T13:11:00.000-07:00

Below you will find a link to a recent article about Telluride in the Denver Post. I have also pasted the article in the text below. I hope to see you in Telluride this winter. The snow has been falling all day today! For info on Telluride real estate contact Buzz Fedorka at buzz@fedorka.com

http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_13620417

Telluride: Colorado's best-kept secret?
By Kyle Wagner Denver Post Travel Editor

The view of Telluride's slopes and bowls astounds. (Telluride Ski Resort )
Raise your hand if you've never skied Telluride.
You're certainly not alone. Chances are you've never even visited Telluride, and you're not alone there either.
To the locals, that's one of the many reasons that it's so great to be among the slightly fewer than 2,400 people living in this former silver mining town tucked up against the San Juan Mountains.
"It's not one of the drop-in places," says Alicia Nogueira, who moved to Telluride 18 years ago from San Francisco. "You have to plan to come here, and that brings people with a different purpose. They really want to be here, as opposed to, 'Oh, I'm here because that other place was full.' "
That's what Telluride Ski Resort founder Joe Zoline was banking on when he put in the first ski lift in 1972.
A skier cuts a swath through Revelation Bowl, the newest cluster of runs.
Joe Morita bought the resort in 2002 from Ron Allred and his partners, who purchased it from Zoline in 1979. Morita then doubled the skiable terrain by adding Prospect Bowl. A private investment group took over in 2003 and added Black Iron Bowl in 2007 and Revelation Bowl last year. Now the ski area sports more than 2,000 skiable acres, and at 13,150 feet, has the highest skiable terrain in the United States that you can hike to (its highest lift-served skiable terrain sits at 12,570) — not to mention some of the most sought-after, as freeskiers from all over the world come to practice for World Cup events and compete in the qualifiers held here annually.
But for the most part, the resort, like the town, has retained its quirky character — even as celebrities (Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, makeup mogul Bobbi Brown, diplomat Richard Holbrooke and Ralph Lauren with his mega-ranch up the road, to name a few) followed the hippies famous for having followed the miners in discovering Telluride's isolated charms.
Thrown into the mix is an ever-increasing number of festivals — possibly the most festivals per capita in the country. They include the world-famous Telluride Bluegrass Festival, the Telluride Film Festival, the Blues and Brews and the Mountainfilm Fest. It reached a point in 1991 that the town added a "Nothing Festival" as a half-hearted protest.
A four-legged visitor waits while two-legged ones partake of the town's hip shops and dining.
Nogueira considers herself to be more of a hippie type. She owns Bali Dog, a shop that sells handpainted yoga pants from Brazil. In San Francisco, she had been a computer-graphic artist but also a yoga instructor. She was looking for a calmer way of life, but one that also incorporated her love of skiing and the outdoors.
"I had skied since I was 16, in Switzerland, and when I visited Telluride, some friends said, 'You should move here and teach,' and I thought, 'You guys are crazy,' " she says. "But then I decided I would just come and spend a winter and just hang out. Yeah, that was the plan, and I came and fell in love with the place, and so then I stayed a summer, and wow, the summer is great. That hooked me. So the next year I bought a house."
Nogueira started teaching yoga, but also became a ski instructor and taught ski school for Telluride Ski Resort, and had daughter Olivia Nogueira-Wheaton, now 12. They explore Telluride together, reveling in the outdoor activities that a town nestled in a box canyon and carved by a glacier have to offer.
"We go snowshoeing in the full moon on the valley floor," Nogueira says. "My daughter loves doing that. There's so much to do here year-round, but winter is a magical time; it's just so pretty, and the mountain is so diverse and challenging. The fact that we don't have lift lines or crowds here means you can get a lot of time up there and really explore, get a good workout."
A self-described "laid-back skier," Nogueira says she seeks out the gentler runs. "I don't go into the bush too much," she says. "I don't do trees that much. I'm kind of conservative."
She likes Bushwacker, an easier black-diamond run off the Plunge Lift. It's steep, groomed every few days, and ideal for strong intermediates who want to push themselves.
"The new terrain is fantastic," Nogueira says, referring to the runs on Prospect Bowl. "I love Gold Hill, which has these stunning views, and it's wide-open and steep."
This year, there's actually more to love, because the resort added another four chutes on the double-black Gold Hill. With the addition of Chutes 2-5, that means Chutes 1 through 10 are now open to the public in an area controlled by two World War II 105mm howitzers that were installed last season. The howitzers fire explosives into areas prone to avalanches (which the Gold Hill section is). Howitzers have an extremely low misfire rate and can be shot in poor visibility, and have been key in Telluride's long-range plan for controlling steep areas with high snow buildup.
The new terrain drops 1,600 vertical feet into Prospect Basin (Chute 1 is right off Revelation Lift, while chutes 2-10 require hiking), and has a variety of features — including couloirs, rocks, faces and chutes — all above treeline.
"It's not easy skiing, but it's very straightforward," Nogueira says. "You can see everything from there."
Captivated by the breathtaking silence
James Kleinert would not describe himself as a conservative skier.
"I prefer to be out of bounds," says the former member of the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team. "I like the quietness, being out away from the resort. You can hear a pin drop. It's just beautiful."
Kleinert was captivated by Telluride decades ago as a competitive skier, but it wasn't until May 2007 when his other passions, documentary filmmaking and horses, brought him back to the area to work on a film, "Saving the American Wild Horse."
"I was living in Taos at that point, and there's this amazing mustang herd out at Disappointment Valley, so the film immediately tied into the Telluride community," Kleinert says. "So I was basically commuting from Taos to Telluride every other weekend from that point forward."
He moved to Telluride for good in February 2008. "That was quite a time to move here," he says. "That winter they had the biggest snowfall they've recorded since the mountain opened, and it was an unusual year because the snow bonded, so they weren't getting any big, nasty avalanches. We had these epic days of skiing."
And like so many Telluride residents that season, Kleinert was faced with a tough decision: sit at his computer all day or ski?
"Ha, well, I picked skiing," he says. "And I couldn't help but start collecting all this great footage."
Kleinert also reconnected with an old buddy from his competitive days, Scott Kennett, a freestyle skier who had moved to Telluride as well. That same winter, Kennett introduced Kleinert to a group of backcountry enthusiasts, and the result was "The Edge of Telluride," a film that premiered at the Mountainfilm Festival in May.
"The mountain resort itself is wonderful, but the backcountry here, now that's something else," Kleinert says. "I've skied many mountains around the world, after skiing the World Cup for almost 10 years — Japan, Europe, North America. But there's something about the San Juans, their jagged ruggedness. There's a wildness and a remoteness to it all. You really feel like you're in the mountains there."
He's now working on the next project for his Moving Cloud Productions, movingcloud.com — there's a follow-up to the wild horses film that focuses solely on Disappointment Valley. Meantime, he plans to be in the mountains as much as possible. "I really enjoy the cardio workout you get from putting on skins and climbing," he says.
Then he'll refuel at some of the exceptional dining Telluride has to offer.
"When you live here and are working, it's hard to get out much, and it gets expensive," he says. "But my favorite place is this little Mexican place called La Cocina. They make this amazing fresh homemade salsa, four or five flavors. If you get their chips and salsa and a beer, it's great. I think its $3.50. If you're on a budget, it's the best cheap meal you'll ever have."
La Cocina is one of Nogueira's favorites too. She also likes the pad Thai at Siam and the fresh seafood at Honga's Lotus Petal.
"It's funny that these are places that we all run into each other at," Nogueira says. "But that's what I like about Telluride. I like it that everyone knows everyone else, and that it feels safe and special.
"Sometimes I think, 'Ah, it's too small, too closed in and I have to get out of here' — but that's crazy. It's amazing to live here."

Telluride's Featured Property Listing of the Day

2009-10-27T11:29:00.000-07:00

Idarado - Pandora, Lot 4 - $925,000

One of 37 exclusive homesites to the east of the Town of Telluride, Pandora 4 boasts river frontage, and spectacular views of Telluride’s box canyon, mountains and green spaces, just a short distance from town, via road or walking path. 1.37 acres.

For information on Pandora Lot 4 or other Telluride real estate information,

email buzz@fedorka.com.

Telluride Air Bookings

2009-10-26T08:36:00.000-07:00

The Telluride Montrose Regional Air Organizations is reporting that December and February air bookings are ahead of where they were at this time last year, but still a bit short of where they were at this time in 2007/2008. Not as good as the 2007/2008 ski season, but better than ’08/’09s season…already, and it’s only October! The closer in booking trend appears to continue to Telluride so now it is time to make your air reservations to Telluride for the holiday. Please contact buzz@fedorka.com for information on Telluride travel or Telluride real estate. I hope to see you here over the holidays.

Telluride's Featured Home Listing of the Day

2009-10-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

Valmoré - 751 Mountain Village Boulevard - $12,500,000

Nestled on the Mountain Village Center’s most prestigious lot, overlooking the Lift 4 ski runs and the hub of the Village, this ski-in/ski-out retreat is a truly stunning European-styled mountain house. With 7 bedrooms including 3 masters, 8 bathrooms and 2 powder rooms, this home also features a spa/massage/exercise area, elevator, gourmet kitchen with butlers’ pantry, office, eat-in wine room, large media room with wet bar, 6 fireplaces, and much, much more.

For information on Valmore or other Telluride real estate information, email buzz@fedorka.com.

The Peaks Resort Named A Top 10 Best Snow Resort

2009-10-21T10:50:00.000-07:00

The Peaks Resort Named A Top 10 Best Snow Resort
Acclaimed family publication, Parents magazine, names countrys leading winter resorts

October 21 , 2009 (Telluride, CO) Americas number one family magazine, Parents, revealed the findings from their first-ever 10 Best Snow Resorts For Families survey. On the newsstands in November, the survey findings boast the best resorts for winter vacation locales across the United States. Considered to be one of the leading affordable, snow covered and family friendly, The Peaks Resort joined the ranks of other notable resorts including: the Tripp Family Lodge (Stowe, VT); Resort at Squaw Creek (Lake Tahoe, CA); or The Lodge at Suncadia (Cle Elum, WA). For a complete listing of the resorts, visit parents.com/snowresorts.

At Parents we know that a winter vacation is a real treat, but tight budgets and the challenge of finding a kid-friendly destination can make planning a trip tricky, said Dana Points, editor-in-chief of Parents. The ten affordable resorts on our list have thought of absolutely everything families could want while on vacation. Whether youre interested in skiing or smore-making, an ice rink or a heated pool, there is something for everyone at Parents top picks.

Indeed, The Peaks Resort offers winter wonderland activities for families of all ages and interests. Located mid-mountain on the Telluride Ski Resort and in the Mountain Village, the resorts aprs ski and snowboard oasis, the resort includes smores by the fire, a thrilling waterslide into the year round indoor / outdoor swimming pool and even an indoor rock climbing wall. And, out the resorts front door awaits ice skating and dog sledding, sleigh and horseback rides and Colorados only heli-skiing operation.

A fact not overlooked by Parents, each resort on the list offers their family friendly activities and amenities at rates starting at less than $250. To be one of the premiere winter and family vacation resorts in the country, as recognized by such a reputable, family-oriented publication, is a considerable honor, said Noel Vanlandingham, The Peaks Resort general manager. Time and time again individuals and families return to visit us, no matter the season, because of our commitment to the guest experience and making their vacation as enjoyable as possible.

For more info on the hotel, visit The Peaks Resort & Golden Door Spa at www.thepeaksresort.com. For information on real estate, contact Buzz Fedorka at buzz@fedorka.com or 970-728-1234.. www.Fedorka.com.

Improvements to the Peaks/Golden Door Spa Telluride, Colorado

2009-09-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

There have been many changes happening at The Peaks and Golden Door Spa this summer – from the exterior renovations of the resort, to the introduction of a number of new fun activities at the spa including the launch of the ISUN Skin Care line, Summer Soiree pool parties and live music at the pool.

Upcoming improvement projects include the opening of a new restaurant on the lobby level, installation of a new outdoor Jacuzzi and other smaller and larger changes.

In the interest of minimally impacting member and guest routines, the spa and resort are planning to remain open through the fall. The spa will keep the same hours: 6:30 am – 8:30 pm, 7 days per week and valet parking will be available during that time as usual.

The Peaks is also going to be one of the official host hotels for the 2010 Snowboard World Cup this upcoming December! The Peaks will certainly be the center of activity with the media center in the ballrooms and many of the snowboard competitors staying there and hosting of the Opening Party.

If you want information on any of the upcoming events or real estate in Telluride please email me at buzz@fedorka.com.

The challenge is on ... Fall Tilt 12-Hour Endurance Downhill Mountain Bike Race October 3 at the Mountain Village Bike Park & Calendar of Events

2009-09-25T10:21:00.000-07:00

After a two-year hiatus, downhill mountain biking is back in Mountain Village in a big way with a bike park dedicated solely to the sport. To celebrate the park’s grand opening, the Town of Mountain Village, in conjunction with Bigfoot Production, is hosting Fall Tilt, a 12-hour endurance downhill mountain bike race challenge. The race will be held Saturday, October 3, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the Mountain Village Bike Park is the stage for this event. Fall Tilt is geared towards all levels of mountain bike riders, and the total number of laps during the 12-hour period will determine the various challenge winners. Prior to race day, the town will host the park’s grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for Friday, October 2 at 10 a.m. at the entrance of the park. Fall Tilt Race Open Practice will begin right after the ceremony.

“This downhill bike race challenge is going to bring out some of the region’s best riders and allow them to showcase their endurance and strength,” said Mountain Village Community Relations Manager Nichole Zangara. “From speaking to some of the local downhill riders, I’m certain the race course will test the riders’ skill levels, offer a technical challenge, and determine the toughest competitor. Never before has Mountain Village ever hosted a gravity event like this one, and one that goes into the evening hours. It’s certainly going to be worth watching.”

Riding after dark will require the use of approved front-mounted bike lights. Rentals will be available, but limited. If a rider intends to run the last two or three hours of the event, they are required to have an adequate lighting system otherwise they won’t be allowed on the lift.

There are various classes and categories for the Fall Tilt race: solo, duo teams and four-person teams. Registration is available online at BikeReg.com; on-site For rules and regulations, visit the Web site, www.falltiltintelluride.com.

Fall Tilt Venue:
The downhill race course is comprised of four adjacent downhill trails that will be utilized simultaneously from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Terrain will vary from rocky, technical riding on the World Cup course to flowing, slower riding on a “recovery” trail or two. It is up to the rider’s discretion as to which trail they will use for each downhill lap.

Fall Tilt Downhill Course
No Brainer:
This single blue, three-foot wide and one-and-a-half-mile trail runs from the top of the park to the bottom with a 12 percent average grade. Expect smooth, rolling, curvy cruisers. It’s family fun for everyone.
T-Bone:
This double blue, singletrack trail cuts off from the No Brainer Trail and reconnects after one-third of a mile. T-Bone is a good introduction to singletrack turns while weaving through the trees.
Pan-Coaster:
This brand new single black trail runs a half-mile long and features numerous, meticulously crafted berms that flow in and out of the trees adjacent to the World Cup Trail. There are plenty of opportunities for air on Pan-Coaster.
World Cup:
What’s a Mountain Village Bike Park if it doesn’t incorporate a little of the old with a little of the new? As part of the original World Cup downhill race course, this double black, rocky singletrack stretches a quarter-mile long and incorporates log jumps, steep drops, and berms … a potpourri of a downhill rider’s dream.

Fall Tilt & Fall Fest 2009 Calendar of Events In addition to Fall Tilt, the Town of Mountain Village and the Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association have planned a weekend jammed-packed with things to do: Oktoberfest activities and live music Friday and a Fall Crawl and the Fall Tilt After-party at Hop Garden Saturday.
Please view the complete Fall Tilt and Fall Fest Event Schedule.
For further information on this and Telluride real estate, contact Buzz Fedorka at buzz@fedorka.com or 970-728-1234.

Telluride is featured on the cover photo of Ski Magazine in October, 2009!

2009-09-22T13:41:00.001-07:00

Email me at buzz@fedorka.com for info on Telluride real estate or for anything else to do with Telluride!

Telluride Airport - New runway photos!

2009-09-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

Please see the below pictures of the new Telluride airport runway. There is still some work that needs to be done on the taxiway and cleanup, but the Telluride Airport is on target for a November 5th reopening. This is a great news for Telluride. Please call or email me at buzz@fedorka.com for information on flights or on Telluride real estate.

Telluride Blues and Brews – Tickets still available

2009-09-18T13:56:00.000-07:00

One of the most highly anticipated festivals in Telluride, the Blues and Brews Festival, has officially started and it is not too late to get tickets. With a great line up coupled with the beautiful scenery and fall colors there is no better place to be than Telluride this weekend. Below is an update with regards to new additions to the line up and a link on how to get tickets. If you are in town now, planning to come to town for the festival or for the fall colors please do not hesitate to call or email me at buzz@fedorka.com to look at real estate in Telluride or ask for a Telluride real estate market update.

The premiere Mountain Village Bike Park officially opens to downhill bikers beginning today

2009-09-14T13:19:00.000-07:00

For anyone whose heart ached when the Full Tilt course was dismantled back in 2007, gravity riders and supporters, the pain has ended. The long awaited, premiere downhill Mountain Village Bike Park opens Monday, September 14. The community will celebrate the park’s official opening with a 12-hour downhill endurance race the first weekend of October.

The exclusive Mountain Village Bike Park gives downhill riders access to three miles of mountain trails dedicated solely to this sport; nowhere in the Town of Mountain Village or the Town of Telluride could riders practice their skills (legally) until now. With 1,100 feet of vertical drop, about 30 berms, and multiple jumps, the free Mountain Village Bike Park is sure to deliver high-speed frivolity. Further, the town’s free gondola used to access this park makes this a one-of-a-kind downhill biking experience. From the gondola station St. Sophia, the Mountain Village Bike Park entrance is situated about 150 yards south. Once there, riders can indulge their senses as they steer their way through the various trail options, each built to International Mountain Bicycling Association guidelines.

No Brainer: This single blue, three-feet wide, and one-and-a-half-mile trail runs from the top of the park to the bottom with a 12 percent average grade. Expect smooth, rolling, curvy cruisers. It’s family fun for everyone.

T-Bone: This double blue, singletrack trail cuts off from the No Brainer Trail and reconnects after one-third of a mile. T-Bone is a good introduction to singletrack turns while weaving through the trees.

Squirrel Catcher: This trail may be a quickie, only 150 feet long, but with a reason. The Squirrel Catcher is a test track feature. Bottom line, if you’re not sure you want to go down this single black trail, and you’re friends say it’s okay, don’t do it. Instead, ride back to No Brainer and stay there until your heart’s content (and you’ve gained the skills needed to progress).

Pan-Coaster: This brand new single black trail runs a half-mile long and features numerous, meticulously crafted berms that flow in and out of the tress adjacent to the World Cup Trail. There are plenty of opportunities for air on Pan-Coaster.

World Cup: What’s a Mountain Village Bike Park if it doesn’t incorporate a little of the old with a little of the new? As part of the original World Cup downhill race course, this double black, rocky single track stretches a quarter-mile long and incorporates log jumps, steep drops, and berms … a potpourri of a downhill rider’s dream.

“While incorporating all of the natural features making up this trail system, we addressed erosion control and safety concerns,” Mountain Village Recreation Manager Tony Forrest explained. “This means the Mountain Village Bike Park isn’t just for the armored up, gravity junkies. Instead, we hand-selected, and in many cases hand-crafted, five trails that appeal to intermediate downhill bikers on up to expert downhill bikers. This is a rider’s playground, free for the picking. We simply ask that downhill bikers stay on the trails, and if they need to gain access to the Town of Telluride, they load their bikes on the back of a gondola cabin and take the free gondola into Telluride.”

The impetus to building a downhill bike park and devoting specific trails to this kind of riding, aside from the fact that the community asked for it, it will help boost the local economy, and that it’s just plain fun, is to help alleviate user conflict. The town, along with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), a major player in the this project, hopes that through proper trail signage and peer education, illegal trails will become a thing of the past and that trails users – hikers and bikers alike – will enjoy the trails harmoniously. Moreover, the town asks riders and hikers to read and obey all trail signage as signs were erected to keep all trail users safe. Moving forward, the Town of Mountain Village will maintain and inspect the trails daily and determine when conditions are unacceptable for riding. The park’s opening and closing dates will run concurrent with the gondola summer schedule and operational hours are from 7 a.m. to sunset, weather permitting.

To this end, it has taken a (mountain) village to raise the bar and create this multifaceted bike park. Of course it couldn’t have happened without the generosity of the Town of Mountain Village and all its supporters and sponsors: the Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association (TMVOA), Telluride Ski & Golf (TSG), S.U.N.R.I.S.E. Inc., the San Miguel Bike Alliance (SMBA), Tracks Café & Bar, Dakine, the Telluride Daily Planet, and the USFS. The USFS got the ball rolling on this project. TSG donated the land that crosses the Misty Maiden, See Forever and Butterfly ski runs. Tracks fed the countless SMBA volunteers who helped build the bike park. TMVOA funded the project, a $23,500 financial contribution which defrayed the costs associated with course design, construction and event production. TMVOA also contributed, in kind, the cost to operate the gondola to service the park. S.U.N.R.I.S.E., Inc. provided the machinery and operators to help construct portions of the trails. This in kind contribution totaled $20,000. The town provided $25,500, also in kind, for labor, signage, administrative work, marketing and event production. The Telluride Daily Planet continues to promote the park on its Web site. And Dakine will cloth and outfit the park’s course workers and bike patrol with backpacks. This all totals more than $70,000 and over 2,000 hours of work by the aforementioned supporters and sponsors.

Fall Tilt Bike Race in Telluride at the Mountain Village Bike Park on Saturday, October 3rd.Almost three weeks after the Mountain Village Bike Park’s soft opening, the town will host the park’s grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, October 2. The Fall Tilt bike race open practice will begin right after the ceremony. Fall Tilt in Telluride at the Mountain Village Bike Park is a 12-hour downhill endurance race that will run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, October 3. Race classes include solo, duo teams and four-person teams. Entry fees are based on a rider’s class. For more information about the race, contact Recreation Manager Tony Forrest, tforrest@mtnvillage.org or Community Relations Manger Nichole Zangara, nzangara@mtnvillage.org.

For further info on Mountain Village go to: www.townofmountainvillage.com or contact Buzz Fedorka at Telluride Real Estate Corp. at buzz@fedorka.com.

Telluride - Autumn Color Season

2009-09-11T12:23:00.000-07:00

The leaves in Telluride are just starting to turn. The next two weekends will be prime color season. It is wonderful time to come visit Telluride and explore owning real estate. Not only is it a great time to visit, but next weekend is also the Telluride Blues and Brews Festival which is one of the biggest festivals of the season. Click on this link www.tellurideblues.com to get more information on the Blues and Brews Festival and the artists who will be performing.

There was also an article in the Wall Street Journal that reviewed the films that premiered at last weekend's Telluride Film Festival. A link to the article is below.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203440104574404672369047680.html

As always please feel free to contact me with any questions and if you would like any information on Telluride real estate.

Market Update – Labor Day 2009

2009-09-08T12:19:00.000-07:00

Labor Day marked the arrival of Telluride’s 36th Film Festival. Not only did a lot of people come to town for the Film Festival, but it was a busy weekend for contracts on regional real estate. A 35-acre lot listed for $2.6 million went under contract at Grayhead. Two luxury properties went under contract in Mountain Village including a Dakota Place condominium and a single family home located at 118 Rocky Road. These properties are listed at $2,680,900 and $2,495,000 respectively. A fourth home at100 Miguel Road in Aldasoro listed at $2,995,000 also contracted.

Last week two lots went under contract in Mountain Village which is interesting news since no vacant lots have closed in Mountain Village since December 2008. These are Boston Commons lots 423 and BC513 which are at opposite ends of the price spectrum. Lot 423 is listed for $1.625 million and BC513 is listed for $299,000.

Team Fedorka closed a townhouse condominium in Mountain Village last week. Lodges on Sundance #16 sold for $1.55 million which was an incredible value for the buyer. This four bedroom townhouse was sold completely turnkey furnished.

This is a great start for the end of August and beginning of September. As always please email me at buzz@fedorka.com with any questions or comments.

Tesla Returns to Telluride, This Time as a Roadster!

2009-09-04T08:29:00.001-07:00

The most efficient, high performance production sports car on the planet is here in Telluride today and was parked outside our office:

100 years ago at Telluride’s nearby Ames power plant, Tesla, Westinghouse and Nunn established AC electricity as the dominant power source and forever altered the electrical grid. Today, the Tesla Roadster delivers an electric car that is as efficient as it is powerful and promises to alter the way we drive.
*Pure electric
*Zero omissions
*244 mile range
*0 to 60 in 3.7 seconds!!!

Summer Festivals provide the heart of Telluride's tourist economy

2009-08-31T12:36:00.000-07:00

This weekend we will enjoy one of the most important events of the summer festival season. The Telluride Film Festival has brought some of our most prominent second homeowners to town for their first visit. Please read on for a brief synopsis of this year’s Film Festival. For more information you can go the following link http://www.telluridefilmfestival.org/.

Telluride Film Festival celebrates 36 years
For 36 years the small town of Telluride, Colorado has been host to the Telluride Film Festival and currently the myriad of volunteers and board members are working hard to prepare the venues for the mecca of films to be previewed this Labor Day weekend. In keeping with tradition, the program will be kept secret until opening day on Friday, September 4th. Although the program is kept secret this doesn’t stop the flocks of film enthusiasts from descending upon town year after year knowing a wonderful cinematic experience awaits. On average 20 to 30 new films from around the world are featured and each film is accompanied by either its director, producer and/or actors.
In addition to the feature films there are free noon seminars in Telluride’s Elk’s Park where festival attendees can listen to industry experts discuss films and issues affecting the industry. There are “Conversations” where guest artists discuss their work with a celebrity moderator and each evening there is a feature film in the open air cinema. Whether you have a pass or not there is something for everyone at Telluride’s Film Festival. As always if you have any questions please email me at buzz@fedorka.com. I will post the program up on my blog on Friday afternoon when it is announced. Happy Film Festival!

News from Mountain Village & Telluride, September calendar, extended gondola hours and more...

2009-08-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

Thursday, August 27
Heritage Parking Garage opens with pay-for-parking fees Heritage Parking Garage is the long awaited parking structure located under the new Capella hotel. It will provide for 24-hour parking in a heated, underground garage in the center of the Mountain Village core. This will provide convenient parking for any condominium owner in the Village core who does not own their own deeded parking space. Parking rates are set at $2 per hour for the first three hours. After the first three hours, that rate increases to $6 per hour up to a maximum charge of $30 for each 24-hour period with the rate structure reapplied cumulatively for successive 24-hour periods. The only acceptable form of payment is credit card. Friday, August 28 to Monday, August 31; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m27th Annual Blizzard SaleVarious Mountain Village core retail locations in Heritage Plaza will hold what is probably the biggest ski sale event on the Western Slope.
Wednesday, September 2 Annual Mountain Village Adventure Rock Bouldering Competition Series - Finals Conference Center Plaza in Mountain Village; 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. There will be a men’s and women’s division and a children’s under-12 division with prizes awarded to first, second and third place winners. The free Competition Series will continue throughout the summer with finals scheduled for Wednesday, September 2, 2009. At that event, the winner in each category with the most points earned throughout the Series will be awarded a grand prize. Prize sponsors include BootDoctors and Dakine. Novice and expert climbers are encouraged to register the day of the event. Competitors will be allowed to climb as many problems as they can in the two-hour period. Wednesday, September 2; 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. rain or shineSunset Concert Series featuring Hill Country Revue This is part of the very popular summer long, outdoor music concert series. The concerts are free and take place in the Sunset Plaza in Mountain Village;
Friday, September 4 to Monday, September 7; times vary 36th Annual Telluride Film Festival Various Mountain Village and Telluride locations Official Telluride Film Festival Web site Friday, September 4 to Monday, September 7 Extended Gondola Operational Hours for the Labor Day holidayAll gondola stations open from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, September 18 to Sunday, September 20 Blues & Brews Festival Extended Gondola Operational Hours All gondola stations open from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday & Saturday and 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday Information regarding parking during the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival will be released via e-mail and on the town’s website the second week of September. Friday, September 18 & Saturday, September 1916th Annual Telluride Blues & Brews Festival
Downtown Telluride and Telluride Conference Center in Mountain Village; various venues and times…click on link for more infoOfficial Telluride Blues & Brews Festival Monday, September 21 Dial-A-Ride Taxi Service Closes Dial-A-Ride is Mountain Village’s free shuttle pickup and drop-off service that takes Mountain Village owners and guests anywhere in the Mountain Village for free. Dial-A-Ride ends at 1 a.m. for the summer season. The service closes in the off-season and will resume for the winter season.

If you have any questions regarding any of the above events please email me at buzz@fedorka.com.

2009-08-24T13:06:00.000-07:00

The Big Opportunities Open House and Workshop, Mountain Village provides alternative ways for the community to participate in the 15-Year Planning process:

Last week, the town hosted the Big Opportunities Open House and Workshop. Both events were a success with over 200 attendees participating either in person or watching remotely via the town’s live Web stream or community television channel 15. The goal of the day was to discuss and suggest specific physical and policy opportunities for the town to incorporate into its 15 Year Plan land use framework and policies. To do this, participants used reference tools such as maps and a list of specific physical and policy opportunities that have emerged from this process thus far (the opportunities suggested are, and must be, in line with Mountain Village’s Vision, adopted by Town Council in June 2009.) At the end of this all-day event, the town was able to accomplish its goal due to the vocal community members that were willing to share their ideas. But, the town knows there are many more voices still to be heard.
For those who were unable to participate in the open house or workshop, but still would like the chance to provide comments and ask question regarding this phase of the 15-year planning process may do so by stopping by Mountain Village Town Hall. Much of the information presented at the open house and workshop is on display at this locale. Moreover, the town encourages you to fill out the Site Specific Opportunities Worksheet; this worksheet is identical to the one used at the August 13 event. Directions regarding this planning exercise, and the necessary materials needed, are available in the Town Hall Conference Room. The town will continue to collect community input on this particular subject matter through Friday, September 4. Town Hall hours are Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The results from this planning exercise will be used to form several foundation concepts to be presented to the public later this year and, ultimately, be used to form the community’s preferred land use concept.
For those who were unable to attend the Big Opportunities Open House and Workshop and can’t make it to Town Hall to complete the planning exercise worksheet, may do so online. You will need to visit the town’s Web site, www.townofmountainvillage.com/bigopportunities, where you will find all the pertinent information and directions for submittal.
If you have questions or comments about the planning exercise, please contact Community Relations Manager Nichole Zangara, nzangara@mtnvillage.org or (970) 369-6430. If she is unavailable, please contact Deputy Town Clerk Jane Marinoff, jmarinoff@mtnvillage.org or (970) 369-6429. Both town staff members’ offices are located in Mountain Village Town Hall.
To find out what occurred at the Big Opportunities Workshop, watch the archived event on the town’s Web site, www.townofmountainvillage.com. On the homepage under Village Video, click on the “play” link located below the heading, Big Opportunities Workshop August 13.

Telluride Airport Runway Improvements

2009-08-21T11:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday on my way to the Grayhead development via the Last Dollar Road I could overlook the Telluride airport improvements. The view of our new runway was stunning. The improvement is part of a major grant from the FAA of almost $50 million. In 2008 $9.5 million was spent on the preparation for the work being done this summer and another $21 million is being spent on work currently in progress to make our runway safer, flatter and smoother. By the fall of 2010 Telluride Airport will be able to accommodate larger aircrafts with greater passenger capacities such as the Bombardier Q400. The balance of the grant ($19.5m) will be distributed by the FAA during 2010 and 2011.

Runway grading complete, ready for asphalt:

The first asphalt test strip:

The runway has been closed from April 7th through a potential date of November 2nd. Right now it appears that the runway work is solidly on schedule and the batch plant is set up to begin the paving of the runway in the next few days. Getting to and from Telluride will be even easier once the runway and airport modernization is complete. For more information visit http://www.tellurideairport.com/ or email me at buzz@fedorka.com.