August 28, 2026
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I received the August 7 issue of the Silver World yesterday and last night as I read once again about your talk at the Presbyterian church with Ruth Darley Goodwin about George Darley and the church’s history and architecture. I sure wished I could have been there to hear it. I am sure it was informative and good! Tom WilbanksDallas, Texas Editor’s note: in Editor’s mind, Tom would be an authoritative speaker on history of Lake City’s Presbyterian Church. A loyal WORLD subscriber for years, Tom was a summer student minister at First Presbyterian, one of his vivid memories being summer residents in the church’s manse at a time when tepid water for necessarily quick showers was warmed in a tank which was mounted on the roof on the manse’s kitchen addition.
The following is a statement from CCCA President Carly Koppes on Yesterday’s Supreme Court Election Executive Order Decision. It was forwarded to WORLD from County Clerk Joan Roberts: Littleton, August 25, 2026 — Yesterday’s Supreme Court decision was not a ruling on the merits of the President’s executive order or whether its provisions are lawful. The Court concluded that the states sued too early and had not yet demonstrated the kind of harm necessary for their lawsuits to proceed. The decision was not unexpected, and the legal questions surrounding the executive order are far from settled. We expect any final federal rules implementing the executive order to face additional legal challenges. With just 70 days until Election Day, election officials across the country are already deep into preparations for the 2026 General Election. Large-scale changes this close to an election risk confusing voters, creating barriers to participation, disrupting established procedures, and introducing new opportunities for error. That is particularly concerning when those changes would shift core election responsibilities away from the officials who are legally responsible for carrying them out. Voter registration and list maintenance are responsibilities of the states, not the U.S. Postal Service. The Postal Service has an essential role in our elections: delivering election mail reliably and on time. It was neither designed nor charged with determining voter eligibility or maintaining voter registration records. Election integrity is best served by clear rules and clearly defined responsibilities: states administering their elections and maintaining their voter rolls, and federal agencies effectively carrying out the responsibilities entrusted to them. Our commitment remains unwavering: we will administer an election that is fair, accessible, secure, and accurate. We will follow the law, protect voters’ ability to cast their ballots, and ensure that every eligible ballot is handled according to the rules in place. Voters should continue to rely on official election information and should not assume that yesterday’s decision changes how they vote unless and until they hear otherwise from their state or local election officials.” CCCA: Colorado County Clerks AssociationAugust 25, 2026
We inadvertently left out a shoutout and thank you to the ever-popular and very generous The Sportsman Fly Shop for their donation to the silent auction at the Toast of the Mountains event on August 10th. Thank you, 2026 Pioneer Jubilee Women’s Club’sToast to the Mountains Co-chairsCarrie Pitt, Mary Kay Jergens and Sue Beddingfield
We hadn’t necessarily planned on hosting a Labor Day event this year, but then we started hearing the question: What are we doing for Labor Day? The community spoke, so here we are! On Saturday, September 5, the Chamber is bringing back Dog Days of Summer, and we’d love your help turning it into an annual Lake City Labor Day tradition. From 1–4 p.m., we’ll have food trucks, dog-related vendors and services, pup cups, a doggy photo booth, contests, prizes, local music and, of course, the very important task of crowning the first DOGGY MAYOR OF LAKE CITY. Then stick around for Bingo in the Park at 4 p.m. And there’s still room to be part of it! If you have a business with dog-related products or services and would like a vendor space, please reach out to the Chamber. We’re also looking for local musicians who would like to come play a short set and be part of a fun, laid-back afternoon in the park. Because this event came together on short notice, we are still awaiting final approval from the Town Trustees to allow dogs in Town Park. But dogs or no dogs, the event is happening! We’ll adjust if necessary and still have an afternoon of food, music, vendors, activities, and Bingo. Come spend the afternoon with us, support our local businesses and help us turn Dog Days of Summer into a Labor Day tradition! Katrina MenziesExecutive DirectorLake City/Hinsdale County Chamber of Commerce
I, for one, surely appreciated having Katherine Heidt as my EMS boss. Her organizational and communication skills, and her respect and concern for her team members kept EMS a well-oiled machine. Lorie Stewart, EMT
I’m so grateful the fires around Lake City are becoming managed and not so threatening. We had a few firefighters stay with us from Oregon. Those guys are so amazing. On a different note, Terry wanted me to ask you to do a thank you in the paper. Something to this effect: Thank you from the World Record Chapter of Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to our Lake City donors: Alpine Outfitters, Lake Fork Hunt and Fishing Club Sportsman’s Fly Shop, Climb Elevated Eatery, and Sweeties Zoo. Thank you for your support. The banquet was a huge success. Chapter ChairRocky Mountain Elk FoundationTerry KlugPowderhorn, Colorado
A predictable late August drop in temperatures combined with control and contingency firelines holding strong, and prevailing cloudy conditions with occasional rain, the latter “just enough to influence operations but not enough to conclude them,” according to most recent wildfire updates, has resulted in a further lessening of Elk Wildfire evacuation preparedness restrictions. Also timely in light of looming big game archery season which begins next Wednesday, September 2, and a congenial meeting earlier this week between fire officials and three local outfitters earlier this week, Bureau of Land Management on Monday announced an immediate reduction in public lands adjacent to the Elk Fire which are off-limits to the public. Firefighters and support staff at well-organized fire camp at the lower Lake Fork Whinnery Ranch are briefed each morning at 7 a.m., Tuesday morning’s update including news that up to that day, total cost of the Elk Wildfire now stands at $26,304,335 dating from lightning strike start on July 9 and continuing to present. As previously reported, it is commonly understood that the fire will continue to burn and smolder, particularly within wilderness lands to the west and some areas to the west of the Highway 149 corridor north of Lake City, until snow conditions later this fall. A succession of well-equipped 14-day management teams have overseen fire fighting operations since start of the wildfire, Wyoming Type 3 Team 2 with Karsten Malik and Geoffry Harrison taking over from retiring Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2 effective 7 p.m. last Saturday, August 22. Fire staff at Tuesday’s briefing were reminded “firefighter safety is predominate,” and, as an additional precaution, we’re reminded that school has resumed in Lake City and engine drivers and fire staff should drive accordingly, “keep your eye out for students.” At Tuesday’s briefing, it was reported unmanned infrared drones continue to fly at night searching out hotspots, the result being pockets of heat which were identified in the southern portion of the fire footprint in Division G. Crews were also out on Tuesday evaluating access to remote Division G locations and possible helicopter equipment drop-off locations. As of Wednesday under Wyoming Team 2, 146 personnel are assigned to the fire which has continues to burn within 7,257 acres and is 33 percent contained. Forest Service Recreation Staff Officer Matt Quinn, who serves as Resource Advisor on the Elk fire, told firefighters Tuesday morning that at Monday’s outfitters’ meeting, concern was expressed in terms of the environment and wildlife. Referring to local outfitters, Quinn said “they really care and thanked us for being here.” At the outfitters’ meeting, questions were posed on traditionally popular hunting areas such as Independence Gulch, Bill Hare Gulch, and Larson Creek, all of which remain closed due to the fire’s proximity. The concensus at the meeting, however, is that lots of public lands in the vicinity of Lake City, particularly east of the Lake Fork such as Powderhorn Wilderness extending to the Cebolla, remain open and unfettered by fire restrictions. To the southwest of Lake City, certain portions of BLM lands which were formerly closed due to their proximity to the Elk Wildfire have now reopened effective 5 p.m. Monday, August 24: off north Henson, the trailhead to both Wetterhorn and Matterhorn Peaks, including hiking trails on both peaks, are now open, together with closures which have now been removed on public lands between the Nellie Creek Road and Ridge Stock Driveway, Mary Alice Creek and Saddle Trail, and, closer to Ouray County’s Gold Mountain Fire, public lands to the west of Little Cimaron Basin. Forest Service lands west of Matterhorn and Wetterhorn Peaks remain closed due to their proximity to the Gold Mountain Fire. A more detailed mapping of both closed and now open public land adjacent to both the Elk and Gold Mountain fires is illustrated on page 3 this week’s issue, below. Citing a range of considerations which includes fire behavior, weather, and continuing stability with ongoing maintenance of control and contingency firelines both to the immediate north of Lake City and near the Hinsdale-Gunnison county line adjacent to Highway 149, Hinsdale County Sheriff Denim Starnes at 9 a.m. Tuesday, August 25, announced a significant lessening in evacuation guidelines affecting both Lake City and lower Lake Fork residents. Since the wildfire’s start on July 9, the sole region now under the yellow/“get set” evacuation requirements is unit HNS-002 on lands to the west and immediately surrounding the Elk Fire; requirements of residents to the west of Highway 149, HNS-003A and HNS-005, San Juan Springs and San Juan Hills Subdivisions extending west of Highway 149 extending north to the county line, have now dropped from yellow/“get set” to evacuate to the calmer green “get ready” category. Areas of Lake City and immediately adjacent which formerly were green/“get ready” are now, effective Tuesday morning, under no evacuation preparedness order, including Town of Lake City (HNS-0014), Ball Flats south to Crooke Falls (HNS-0016), Wade’s Addition (HNS-0013), areas west of town off Henson Creek (HNS-0012), Riverside Estates (HNS-003B, and San Juan Ranch Estates and Lake City Heights (HNS-004). In his reduction announcement which was pre-recorded and telephoned to residents throughout town on Tuesday, Sheriff’s Office urged residents to “remain engaged and alert to fire and weather conditions.” Information Officers Ranae Pape and Isabel English, latter under normal conditions stationed as Support Services Specialist at the Gunnison Forest Service headquarters, graciously entertained SILVER WORLD staff at fire camp on Tuesday morning, in the process reintroducing Gunnison Forest Service-based Deputy District Ranger Aaron Drendel who works with Incident Management and duties back at the Gunnison office which include guides and outfitters, and range priorities. Also introduced in succession were Cory George, Clint Mrnak, and Jonathan Sloan, Division Bravo Operations Section, with the update that there are now two principal fire divisions for the Elk Fire, Bravo (formerly Alpha) northward at the Hinsdale-Gunnison County Line, and, closer to home, Division G (for Golf) which includes areas to the north, northwest of Lake City. George hails
The Alpine 50 mountain bike race started with a field of 114 racers who were registered, 97 men and 17 women, 101 of whom actually began the race at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, August 22, with a total of 92 who completed the race by crossing the town park finish line. This year’s 114 registered racers compares to 127 who registered last year and 108 who finished the mountainous 50-mile course. Fastest times for the three top men’s finishers were Durango racers Ivan Sippy and Ian Brown, three hours 14.38 minutes and three hours, 25.57 minutes, in first and second place, and Glenwood Springs racer Eric Mahoney, in third place with three hours, 31.28 minutes. Among a bevy of speedy women mountain bicyclists, Durango racer Brittany Cowan was fastest, four hours, 33.59 minutes, followed by Annika Rips, from Bavaria, five hours, 3.4 minutes, and Heidi Lauterbach, Telluride, Colorado, in third position, five hours, 19.27 minutes. Added to Saturday’s winning roster were a record 11 Lake City mountain bicyclists who started the race, nine men and two women, nine of whom finished the race. First Lake Citian across the finish line was Lake City High School Sophomore Joseph Tubbs, four hours, 50.43 minutes, while the sole Lake City woman to cross the finish line was repeat Alpine 50 bicyclist Lydia McNeese, five hours, 35.38 minutes. Comaraderie, bell ringing and whistles were evident throughout the late morning and afternoon on Saturday as announcer John Coy chronicled each racer’s arrival at the finish line. Boulder racer Adam Sher, who finished 43rd, was gleefully met at the finish line by his wife, daughter, son and bulldog displaying a hand-lettered poster, “Dad’s High 12,960 Ft” in reference to his successful ascent of Engineer Pass. On the sidelines and cheering were David and Rosie Whitelock from Inn at the Lake, Rosie especially cheering with a hug to her second cousin, Cody Brewer, Aledo, Texas, who crossed the finish line seven hours, 19.05 minutes. Michael Fleishman, who co-coordinated the 9th annual Alpine 50 with John Coy on behalf of Human Powered Endeavors, says weather for the up Cinnamon and down Engineer race route was near ideal, identical to last year, with a spot of rain on Friday, clear throughout the majority of the day for the race, and then a rain shower on Sunday morning. “Overall,” says Fleishman, “it felt pretty good.” The upper Lake Fork start of the race followed the east side of Lake San Cristobal and then proceeded up valley in progressively lower gear up and over Cinnamon Pass, one huffing racer on the Shelf Road portion on the approach to Cinnamon observing “it might have been quicker to walk.” All finishers completed the 50 miler without incident, Fleishman noting that logistically “it was one of our best years.” He credits part of the success to communications, a key link being Tom Carl’s mobile StarLink which allowed communication from throughout the mountainous terrain. Coy and Fleishman will enumerate a long list of volunteers responsible for Alpine 50’s success this year in an upcoming letter, although racers were unanimous in their praise for the Cinnamon Pass aid station, this year manned by Tom Carl, Patrick Woods, John and Mary Kay Jergens, and Tim McClary, where Hammer nutrition products and an assortment of food including fruit, peanut butter, and pickles were cheerfully dispensed to racers on the long uphill stretch on Cinnamon Pass. Mountain bike athletes from Durango, Colorado, not surprisingly were once again predominate in Saturday’s race led by Fort Lewis College student Ivan Sippy in first place. Sippy was among nine Durango men who finished the race, one of whom, 17th place finisher Phil Cowan, is married to this year’s first place women’s finisher, Brittany Cowan. Speedy times by the three top-place men’s finishers and two women bicyclists resulted in Alpine 50’s Fastest Town Awards going to Durango in both 2025 and 2026. A Lake City rider, Frieda Allen, received Underwood Photography’s True Grit Award for her ferocious determination to keep pedaling and not quit the race until near American Basin on Cinnamon Pass. While racers from Durango once again dominated the events, but there were outstanding performances from across the state, including numerous mountain bike racers from Colorado Springs, Denver and metro area, Grand Junction and even from as far away as Bavaria and Costa Rica. In addition to Frieda Allen who was hailed for gritty determination and Fastest Town Awards to men’s and women’s Durango racers, other awards on Saturday were “All Smiles” of Tyler Micek, from Golden, Colorado, for his sunny race disposition, “Best Dressed” to shorts-wearing Bryan Ortiz, Boulder, Colorado, and youngest and oldest accolades to two Lake City racers, Lake City Community School Freshman Landon Rhodes and 70-year-old Dan File. With luxuriant facial hair, Dennis Johnson received the palm for “Best Beard.” Fashionably dressed Ortiz commented on the calmness of Lake City compared to Boulder, Colorado, where he is utilities manager overseeing water, waste water, and storm water for the 120,000-population front range city. Mounted on his Specialized Epic-Evo mountain bike, Ortiz reflected on his first-ever Alpine 50 and the fact “this won’t be my last… it’s so much fun, so much to see.” Based on proceeds from this year’s race, $500 was donated to Lake City Arts, Lake Fork Conservancy raising in excess of $2,800 on a mountain bike raffle which was won by Arris Slaughter of Shreveport, Louisiana. The first man, and the first overall across the finish line, was 22 year-old Ivan Sippy with a course record of 3:14:38. He rode an S-Works mountain bike. A member of the elite biking club, Segment 28 based in Durango, Ivan started riding at age four with his family and has continued to grow and become stronger and faster. When not in the saddle Ivan keeps busy with the recent launch of his own digital company, Waterfall Digital. In an echo heard from other riders throughout the day, Ivan stated that the views were the best part of the