Mountain Secrets Blog

Festivals are like family reunions, a time when we see our friends and neighbors and all are gathered for the same purpose: to enjoy a spirit of camaraderie. ~Curt Kovener

Frozen Dead Guy Days. Telluride Blues & Brews Festival. Burro Days in Fairplay. Evergreen Fine Arts Festival. Conifer Christmas Parade. Pine Grove Rhubarb Festival. Georgetown Bighorn Sheep Festival. Buffalo Bill Days. When you think of these events, you feel an essence of what makes those communities unique, what captures the flavor of that town, the personality of its residents, and its history. Of course there are many more events in each place, and each provides us an opportunity to gather, partake in a shared experience, connect with neighbors, make new memories, and deepen bonds of friendship and community camaraderie.

Without further ado, here is the list of community events happening in the Foothills this year (bear in mind, this is a work in progress as not everything is confirmed yet). You'll find details on these events on our Community Calendar - search by date, category, or keywords. Please feel free to share with friends and family, and invite them to come have some fun!

​If you live in Colorado and DON'T have dry skin, I must say, you're one of the lucky ones.  Dry skin has plagued me for years out here!  In this climate, with the lack of humidity and 300+ days of summer, it's crucial to care for your skin, especially the delicate skin on your face.  Meet Emily Cumberland, Owner of EMC Esthetics (known for its $50 facial!).  She's a licensed esthetician who will treat your skin like a work of art.  Services include facials, full-body and eyebrow waxing, microdermabrasion, dermaplaning, eyelash extensions, tinting, and more.  Ladies, if you've been looking for a brow master, look no further!  Watch this video to receive a discount! 

Time for the 2018 Evergreen and Conifer Area Chamber of Commerce Award Ceremonies where you will have the opportunity to find out those individuals, businesses, and nonprofits whom their peers believe have served the community the best this past year. Not only will you have a chance to cheer on the best of the best in the community, but get ready to rub elbows with amazing people and have a fun time socializing and eating great food.

The next time you're in downtown Bailey, drop into the new location of Native Vibrations Crystals & Gifts! This eclectic gem and crystal store is full of positive energy and beautiful trinkets. Meet Boyd Brookhart, the owner, who has had an affinity for digging crystals and gems since he was three. Mention you saw this video and receive a discount! Details inside.

It can be hard to imagine life along the 285 corridor before cars, shopping centers, restaurants, and businesses, but this was the landscape of the area as little as 100 years ago. The pioneers of Conifer, Pine, and Bailey are the founders of these beautiful places where we reside and run our businesses. Those brave souls faced the harsh Colorado winters without snow plows and 4WD vehicles. They braved the elements (and wildlife) before indoor plumbing. They farmed the land and spent a day and a half in their wagons to take crops to The Brown Palace in Downtown Denver for sale. They built the railroad that opened commerce to the Bailey area and beyond. And they are the ones who laid the cobblestones of the towns we love.

From the collection of the Littleton Museum. May not be reproduced in any form without permission of the Littleton Museum.

Today, we are fortunate to have the ancestors of these strong and resilient pioneers give us the stories and memories of their family members. With careful preservation, those stories continue to be passed down long after they have departed. A sense of community brought the pioneers of the corridor together, just the same as it does today.

It's this story of friendship that opened the door of history for me.

Today's Jazzercise is not your mother's Jazzercise.  Meet Aimee Pless, Owner/Class Instructor of Conifer Jazzercise Fitness Center!  The studio offers ALL different types of classes to accommodate all levels of fitness -- 37 to be exact!  Learn more about Aimee, the studio, and how Jazzercise has evolved since the 80s when you watch this video!  

Pssst... and if you're a busy mom like me you'll be happy to know they have CHILDCARE!  (Click "Continue reading...")

You know that thrift store that sits above Buster's Pet Supply in the STAPLES shopping center?  Yup, that one.  Well, it's part of the Mountain Resource Center.

​Mountain Resource Center has been around for 28 years.  It's a local non-profit that has done an excellent job of strengthening the community by providing services that empower people.  And not just families, either. People commonly perceive Mountain Resource Center as emergency support, but they actually offer services that anyone can benefit from, and I mean anyone.

Click "Continue reading" to watch this short video and learn more about their services, as well as how YOU can get started as a client, and how you can help return the favor to such a wonderful organization. 

Hiland Mobile Safe & Lock services Conifer, Bailey, Evergreen and surrounding areas. They are a 24/7 mobile locksmith that can help you with all of your residential, commercial and automotive locksmith needs. Mike Upton is the Owner/Operator.  Click "Continue Reading" to watch our full interview!

Harmony Nails has been in Conifer 2007, but John Nguyen has been the owner since it changed hands almost a year ago. They offer a variety of services including manicures, pedicures, gels, acrylic nails, and eyebrow waxing. Their hours are as follows:
Mon - Fri: 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
Sat: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sun: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

I've been seeing John and the gals at Harmony Nails for a few years now and I love that they're always so thorough. I decided to ask John a few questions (while I was getting a manicure) so that the community could get to know him a little better.

King's Emporium in King's Valley is an antique and consignment shop with 7400 square feet and over merchandise from over 80 local Colorado dealers and consigners. We sell and consign home decor, estate jewelry, lots of antiques, and so much more. We also support the developmentally disabled and all proceeds from our coffee shop go to Whole Care. Stop by on a Wednesday and meet some of the group; they make the cutest bird houses and projects, sold exclusively at Kings Emporium. We also have the giving trunk for the police and fire departments for children in tragedies, and we have flea markets in the spring through late fall.

Cindy Owsiany, Nancy Powell, and Janeen Garcia are the owners.  Here's how our interview went:

​The official grand opening of Unleashed Pet Foods in Aspen Park is Saturday, December 9th! 20% off everything from 10 AM - 2 PM! Stop in and say Hi! They're working on carrying a full array of goodies for you and your pets. They food intolerance testing via bio resonance if you need help trying to find the right food to feed. Long time staff members Lynae and Elise are there to help you with all your questions. 

It's hard to think about Christmas shopping and festivities when the weather is so beautiful. The temperatures are in the mid-50's, for crying out loud! But that's exactly how my friend Heather and I started our Small Business Saturday journey in Conifer, Colorado. Beautiful weather and a treasure hunt for hidden bargains, new friendships, and a better understanding of just what it was like to shop local in the My Mountain Town Community for the holidays.  

Did you know that with just the click of a couple of buttons, you can have Amazon send money to your favorite nonprofit organizations? It costs you nothing extra, you still get the same deals and service you expect from Amazon, and you help raise a little more money for our local nonprofits with your purchases. Pretty sweet, isn't it?! It's called AmazonSmile, and we've got the list of eligible nonprofits below from which you can choose.

 "What's the difference between reading a resource document and finding a reason for getting involved?" I asked Heather Galaska when we spoke of Fire Mitigation in her childhood home of Evergreen, Colorado. Here's how my time with her went.

Small Business Saturday is a great time to promote not only your own business, but that of your fellow businesses in the area as well! Did you know that you can create your own custom "Shop Small" graphics? It takes a little finagling if you have a longer business name, but you can go through and try several iterations if you don't quite like what you get back. There's no charge, and they'll send some generic graphics as well as Tip Sheets for how best to use these marketing materials! You'll get a Facebook cover photo, Profile Pic, an email header, and other ready-to-use graphics. Give it a try!

It's all at this link here: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/promote

Learn more about Small Business Saturday here: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/

PEACE - "It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart."

When I got the heads up that September was a special month for the mountain community of Bailey, Colorado, I had to ask why. Turns out it's a month of remembrance for Emily Keyes, the catalyst for the "I Love U Guys" Foundation. This, friends, is a big deal. Here's why:

"On September 27th, 2006, a gunman entered Platte Canyon High School in Bailey, Colorado, held seven girl's hostage and ultimately shot and killed Emily Keyes. During the time she was held hostage, Emily sent her parents text messages… 'I love you guys' and 'I love u guys, k?' Emily's kindness, spirit, fierce joy, and the dignity and grace that followed this tragic event define the core of the 'I Love U Guys' Foundation - The Standard Response Protocol PK-2 Manual, I love U Guys Foundation Curriculum Toolkit.