The 6th Annual Backcountry Tap Room is Almost Here!

 
Photo courtesy of Eventbrite

Photo courtesy of Eventbrite

 

Annnnd we're back... to the backcountry! Join us for the long-awaited 6th annual Backcountry Tap Room, our hike to a pop-up tap room experience for brews and views, on Saturday, October 2, 2021 at Winter Park Resort!

Get ready to enjoy some good beers in the great outdoors... but you'll have to earn 'em!

We're teaming up with our friends at Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics again this year - 100% of the profits will go directly to Leave No Trace to support their continued efforts in protecting the outdoors.

This year's Backcountry Tap Room will serve as the release location for a brand new, limited edition can available exclusively at the event - Mary Jane Ale. Join us for a family-friendly, day hike to soak up some brews and views!

↠ WHEN // Saturday, October 2nd (10 am - 5 pm)

  • Bar hours: 11:00 am - 4:30 pm

  • Check-in opens at 10:00 am

  • Last call at 4:30 pm. Event ends at 5:00 pm.

↠ WHERE // Winter Park Resort - by way of marked trails. You’ll take the scenic Gondola to the top and hike* ~2 miles to the tap room.

*Strollers: This year’s Backcountry Tap Room trail is located at 11,200 feet of elevation. The trail leading to the Tap Room is truly a backcountry trail that has tree roots and rocks which will make it difficult to push a stroller through. We do not recommend strollers for this trail.

↠ TICKETS // $20 + fees (event profits benefit Leave No Trace) ($30 day of - while supplies last)

*Non-drinkers and children accompanied by legal guardian are free.

All 21+ attendees (with valid ID) will receive four (4) drink tickets - good for one (1) 12 oz can of Mary Jane Ale (5% abv) and up to three (3) more cans of our 12 oz year-round styles of beer and/or Spiked Snowmelt, our craft  hard seltzer.

↠ FOOD // Pre-order your lunch and pick it up at the top!

Bistro Lunch Box $12.15 + fees: Wrap + Kettle Chips (2 options)

  • Mediterranean Chicken Salad Wrap + Kettle Chips -- Grilled Chicken, Fresh Cucumber, Red Bell Pepper, Red Onion, Sundried Tomatoes, and Green Leaf Lettuce with a Tangy Yogurt-Feta Sauce, all stuffed in a gluten free Tortilla

  • Mediterranean Veggie Wrap + Kettle Chips -- Toasted Chickpeas, Fresh Cucumber, Red Bell Pepper, Red Onion, Sundried Tomatoes, and Green Leaf Lettuce with a Tangy Yogurt-Feta Sauce, all stuffed in a gluten free Tortilla

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>> Be sure to bring a valid ID.

>> No overnight camping - event ends at 5:00 pm. 

>> No smoking.

>> Furry friends are welcome, but must be on a leash at all times. Make sure to pick-up after your pup, too!

>> Please be mindful of wildlife in the area and be sure to exercise Leave No Trace principles (pack it in, pack it out!).

>> Alcohol consumption is permitted in designated event areas marked by the Backcountry Tap Room bar and should not extend on to trails.                                    

>> No refunds. Event is rain, snow or shine (check the weather and plan for it all - come prepared!)

For updates + more info, visit Eventbrite.

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Upcoming fall festivals in Colorado: Oktoberfest, car shows and fall colors

 
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Fall colors, harvests and Oktoberfests fill the schedule for some of the last festivals of the year.

Denver Oktoberfest, 24-26, Ballpark Neighborhood

A 51-year tradition of Bavarian fun. German food and beer, stein hoisting, keg bowling, long-dog derby. Costumes everywhere. Live music.

Fridays, 5-11 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Admission for full weekends, $45 or $65 with a stein, or single days $20-45: in advance thedenveroktoberfest.com

Longmont Oktoberfest, Sept. 25, Roosevelt Park

The traditional German celebration, the city’s ninth, is back and is a benefit for two nonprofits, A Woman’s Work and the Left Hand Brewing Foundation.

11 a.m.-9 p.m. Music includes bluegrass group Wood Belly and house band CSU’s Neue Polka. More than 10 breweries, distilleries and cideries. Food vendors. Sack races, costumes and stein-holding competition.

Entry $10 or special bundles including drink tokens $25 and $35. lhbfoundation.org/ longmont-oktoberfest

More Oktoberfests:

Brecktoberfest in Breckenridge is Sept. 24-26 on a more limited basis and expected to sell out, $50, gobreck.com/event/breckenridge-oktoberfestOktoBREWfest in Greeley is in Lincoln Park Sept. 24-25 with music, brews and brats. mygreeley.com/events/oktobrewfest Steamboat OktoberWest, Sept. 18, boasts more than 30 regional craft breweries. steamboat oktoberwest.com

14erfest, Sept. 24-26, Buena Vista

Colorado Mountain Festival in Golden, also planned this same weekend, was just canceled until 2022, but this 14er trail festival is a go. Four-wheeling, hiking, mountain biking, running and fly fishing. Base camp is downtown Buena Vista. Live music nightly.Watch the website or Facebook for schedules or changes: 14erfest.org or facebook.com/14erFest

Telluride Autumn Classic, Sept. 23-26

A celebration of the spectacular gold colors of the mountain aspens combined with amazing cars and motorcycles.

Add to that classy aircraft, vintage and exotic vehicles. All in a town with major art and music.

tellurideautumnclassic.com

NOTE: Check websites for late changes or cancellations because of COVID-19.

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17 Corn Mazes and Pumpkin Patches to Visit This Fall

 
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It’s time to get out and breathe that crisp, fall air.

Harvest time at farms and plots across Colorado’s Front Range means pumpkins, gourds, hay, corn, and animals; many even incorporate carnival-like attractions. Find a corn maze, pumpkin patch, or fall festival nearby, or make a day trip to one!

Anderson Farms Fall Festival

September 22 through October 31. Daily, hours vary

Make a private campfire station (by reservation) your home base for snacking on s’mores and concessions, then venture out to conquer the 25-acre corn maze, pick up a squash or gourd, ride the pedal karts, and more. Terror in the Corn and Zombie Paintball Hunt are available after dark, if you dare. Find tickets online. $15 age 4 and up (Mon to Thu), $23 weekend; free ages 3 and under. Anderson Farms, Erie.

Bartels Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze

Sept. 16 through Oct. 31. Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Pick a pumpkin from the field, pet a farm animal, get the wiggles out on the playground, and enjoy a relaxing hayride at this patch. Free parking and entry, $1 to $5 produce and activities. The Bartels Farm, Fort Collins.

Colorado Pumpkin Patch

Sept. 17 through Oct. 31. Wed and Thu (Sept.), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Fri to Sun (Sept.), 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon and Tue (Oct.), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Wed to Sun (Oct.), 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Visit this 41-acre farm just 25 minutes from Denver where you’ll find a pony rides, gourd launchers, tube swings, a hay maze, and more. Concessions (i.e. hot dogs, BBQ, fries and fried desserts) are available on the weekends. $12-$15. Colorado Pumpkin Patch, Monument.

Corn Maze at Chatfield Farms

Sept. 17 through Oct. 31. Fri to Sun, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Take on the big bee-themed maze at the Littleton location of Denver Botanic Gardens, or send a little one through the kiddie size maze. Try a barrel train ride, or a pirate ship escape room. Picnic tables are available on a first-come first-served basis; bring your own food or purchase from vendors onsite. The pumpkin patch is accessible during the Pumpkin Festival October 8, 9, and 10. Purchase tickets online. Halloween masks and costumes are not permitted. $13 adult member; $15 adult, $13 student, senior, military, child (ages 3 to 15), $10 child member; free age 2 and under. Additional fees for the escape room. Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms, Littleton.

Cottonwood Farm Pumpkin Patch

Sept. 25 through Oct. 31. Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In need of a gourd time? Take the family to this farm offering wagon rides (October weekends), a corn and straw bale maze, farm animal visits, and family activities. Prepaid admissions strongly recommended, especially on weekends. $5, free age 5 and under. Cottonwood Farms, Lafayette.

Diana’s Pumpkin Patch Corn Maze

Sept. 18 through Oct. 17. Fri and Sat, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; open by appointment during the week

This family-owned patch is celebrating 20 years serving the community through corn maze and pumpkin patch fun. This year’s maze is cut in the shape of the farm’s logo. The corn bin, hay slide, climbing rope, duck races, and one pumpkin are included with admission. Take home some decorative harvest items (for purchase) to remember your time by. $13, free age 5 and under; $33 season pass. Diana’s Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze, Cañon City.

Fall Festival and Maze at Flat Acres Farm

Sept. 25 through Oct. 31. Thu to Sun, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Go beyond the hay bale and corn maze (also available here) and jump into bounce houses, giant Jenga games, petting zoos, and tractor tides. Many activities are geared for kids ages 10 and under. Older youth and adults might extend their stays for the Fright Acres or airsoft attractions (at an extra cost). $16, $5 age 65 and older, free age 2 and under. Flat Acres Farm, Parker.

Four Mile Historic Park Pumpkin Harvest Festival

Oct. 1 through 3. Oct. 1, 5 to 8 p.m.; Oct. 2, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Oct. 3, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The usual prairie fall-themed games, art depot, artisan demonstrations, live music, and marketplace are back at Four Mile’s festival. Build Your Own Scarecrow is back by popular demand; kids can stuff, dress, and decorate their own pal. Don’t miss out on new attractions including axe throwing, s’mores, and an Inventing Room where you can order hot cider with exploding whipped cream or pumpkin spice space foam treats. See online for tickets and details. $8 to $16 general admission, $35 to $50 VIP admission. Four Mile Historic Park, Denver.

Fritzler Farm Park Fall Days

Sept. 19 through Oct. 31. Fri, 4 to 10 p.m.; Sat, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun, noon to 5 p.m.; Wed and Thu (Oct. 20 and 21), 6 to 9 p.m.

Ever played human foosball, got caught in a big spider web, shot a pumpkin from a cannon, or watched pigs race? You can do all of that and a dozen more fall fun activities at Fritzler Farm. Find tickets online. $22.95 entry includes most activities, free age 2 and under. Fritzler Farm Park, La Salle.

Happy Apple Farm

Aug. 29 through Oct. 31. Thu to Sun, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Pick apples (light this year due to spring weather) and pumpkins at this orchard/patch combination experience. Peruse the little shop’s sweet treats; don’t miss the apple cider donuts! Pets welcome. Free admission. Happy Apple Farm, Penrose.

Lone Creek Farms Fall Festival

Sept. 24 through Oct. 31. Fri to Sun, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Hours of fun await with the numerous attractions dotting these festival grounds. Pan for gold in a creek after taking a hay wagon ride, find your way out of a large corn maze, race on pedal karts, and jump on a giant inflated pumpkin. Refresh your energy with lemonade, kettle corn, and apple cider donuts made on site. Find tickets online. $19.95, $16.95 seniors and military, free age 3 and under. Entry includes most activities. Lone Creek Farms, Franktown.

Mazzotti Farms Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch

Oct. 2 through Oct. 31. Sat to Sun, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Try your hand at fashioning a scarecrow ($40, materials provided), wind through a corn maze, and visit with some animals on site. One pumpkin included per paid admission; fall decorating items including gourds, straw bales, and corn are available. $12, free age 2 and under. Mazzotti Farms, Hudson.

Miller Farms Fall Harvest Festival

Sept. 6 through Nov. 14. Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Pick your own veggies, go through the corn maze, climb the dirt hill, and celebrate harvest season on an ample farm. Visit “Antique Alley,” dive into the “Croc-pit” (chopped-up Croc shoes), then enjoy a picnic lunch. Harvest ride: $25 ages 14 and up, $15 ages 4 to 14, free under age 4. Miller Farms, Platteville.

Miners’ Pumpkin Patch

Oct. 9 through 30. Sat, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Head to the Miners’ patch and enjoy pumpkin picking, hay rides, spooky stories, lawn games, and apple cider press concessions. $10 admission (online purchase), $12 admission (in person), includes all activities and a pumpkin. Western Museum of Mining & Industry, Colorado Springs.

Osborn Farm Pumpkin Patch

Sept. 25 through Oct. 31. Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This family-run farm offers heaps of pumpkins, gourds, corn, and straw bales, all available for picking and purchasing. Hay rides are offered on Saturdays and Sundays. Free parking and admission; dogs are allowed (on-leash). Free parking and admission; produce prices vary. Osborn Farm, Loveland.

Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch Pumpkin Carnival

Oct. 1 through 31. Sat and Sun, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Come for the certified organic pumpkins and winter squash; stay for the hay maze, petting zoo, and carnival rides (geared toward young kids and adults who like to play). Snag a snack from food trucks and vendors selling funnel cakes, cotton candy, brats, and pretzels on weekends. Free parking and admission. $1 to $8 per activity. Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch, Longmont.

Wishing Star Farm Pumpkin Patch

Sept. 17 through Oct. 31. Daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Spin in tire swings, race through a straw maze, climb a wall, jump on a giant pillow, and make a baby goat your pal. It’s all possible at this fall playground. After working up an appetite, settle in for a picnic of your own creation or sourced from concessions. No reservations required. $12 admission (includes activities), $5 per pumpkin and pony ride. Wishing Star Farm, ​Ellicott.

Find more kid-friendly fall activities on Colorado Parent!

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Mortgage demand from homebuyers jumps to highest level since April, after new listings rise all summer

 
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Fall is usually the start of the slower season for the housing market, but nothing is usual in today’s pandemic-driven housing market. Potential homebuyers are seeing a slight rise in inventory and consequently rushing back into the fray.

Mortgage applications to purchase a home jumped 7% last week from the previous week, seasonally adjusted, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. An additional adjustment was made to account for the Labor Day holiday. That is the highest level since April of this year. These applications were still 11% lower than the same week one year ago, but that was the smallest annual decline in 14 weeks.

Buyers have been hamstrung by the meager supply of homes for sale, but that supply has been rising lately, albeit slowly. The number of new listings rose for nine straight weeks during the summer, but finally fell again last week, according to a Realtor.com report.

“Even with the recent new listings slip, the gap with pre-COVID levels has shrunk significantly as more new sellers have entered the market so far in 2021 than last year,” according to the report.

Home prices continue to gain at a record pace, and that was also reflected in the purchase mortgage applications.

“Both conventional and government purchase applications increased, and the average loan size for a purchase application rose to $396,800. The very competitive purchase market continues to put upward pressure on sales prices,” said Joel Kan, an MBA economist.

Applications to refinance a home loan fell 3% for the week and were also 3% lower than the same week one year ago. Borrowers have not had a lot of incentive to refinance, as mortgage rates have barely budged in the last month, and rates are now higher than they were at the start of the year.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($548,250 or less) remained unchanged at 3.03%, with points decreasing to 0.32 from 0.33 (including the origination fee) for loans with a 20% down payment.

The refinance share of mortgage activity decreased to 64.9% of total applications from 66.8% the previous week.

Keep reading on CNBC.

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What Is the Average Price Per Square Foot for a Home—and Why Does It Matter?

 
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If you’re hoping to buy a house, the very first dollar figure you’ll want to know is the home’s price, of course. But a close second is its cost for each square foot—and the average cost for each square foot for a home in that neighborhood (or the median cost for a square foot of home space, which is actually a better representative of the middle ground of the market than the average). Here’s what you should know about these numbers, and how to use them to your advantage as you shop for a home.

How to calculate the square foot costs for a home

Typically, a home’s cost for a square foot is prominently featured on the listing—both online as well as in those property information sheets you get at an open house. But a home’s price by the square foot doesn’t tell you much on its own. This number is best understood in comparison with similar homes in the surrounding market.

So your next step should be to type in the city, neighborhood, or ZIP code of interest into a site like realtor.com/local. This will give you the median cost a square foot for homes in that area of your city (as well as median asking price, closing price, and number of homes for sale in the local market—all useful info during a house hunt).

What’s the median or average price for each square foot in a home?

It’s important to know the difference between the median price and the average, or mean, price. The average price is simply the arithmetic mean, calculated as the total of all home sales, divided by the number of sales. An average sales price can be skewed by a few higher or lower home values.

The median, however, is the value separating the higher half of a data sample from the lower half. If all of the real estate property  prices were lined up by value, the home sale in the middle would represent the median home value.

According to the latest estimates, the median price for each square foot for a home in the United States is $123. But that can vary widely based on where you live and other factors.

For instance, on the low end, you’ll pay $24 a square foot in Detroit. On the expensive end, in San Francisco, $810. So why such a wide range?

Well, it’s no secret that certain neighborhoods are considered more desirable than others, and fetch a better price as a result.

“The hotter the neighborhood, the higher the price per square foot,” says Anthony Stellini, a Realtor® with RSR, a division of the real estate firm Nourmand & Associates. But odds are you knew that already. What you may not know is how this info can help you get a better deal on a house. More on that next!

How cost per square foot can help you negotiate

When you run your comparison of a home’s cost per square foot with the neighborhood median, you can use that information to help you determine whether a place is a bargain or overpriced.

Let’s say you see a home you love priced at $150 per square foot, but then you find that the median price for a square foot for the neighborhood is $135. This suggests the cost of the home you’re looking at could be too expensive—which spells an opportunity for you to negotiate for a lower purchase price. Just point out to the sellers that homes of similar size in the area cost far less. Or, conversely, if the median price a square foot is $135 but this home is only $120, you may have a bargain in your crosshairs that you should snap right up!

Of course, as a buyer you know there’s more to consider than the cost for each square foot of housing.

A single-family home on 5 acres of real estate will generally be worth more than one with the same square footage, but on a small-size lot. A new home generally costs more. And a large house may cost more overall because of higher labor costs and total construction costs, but the market will only pay so much. A house may actually sell for less than you might expect, based on its size, if it is overbuilt for the area.

Why price per square foot standards vary by area

Because there are no official laws governing the process of measuring and calculating residential square footage, there are often wide discrepancies when it comes to the final figure.

Standards for measuring and calculating residential square footage are set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). But bear in mind compliance with ANSI guidelines is completely voluntary. So, while one seller might include an unfinished basement or a garage in the home’s overall square footage — both no-nos by ANSI standards — another might not, leaving you comparing apples to oranges anyway. Others may include vast amount of unusable but open space created by vaulted ceilings, meaning a home with less square footage may actually provide you with more walking around room. Walking through the home is the best way to get a feel for how much living space you can really enjoy.

If you’re looking at a home that doesn’t have its square footage listed, contact the county tax assessors’ office to find out how you can access the property’s tax records, which are public documents that will specify the square footage of the home’s living space. In many counties, this information is available online, making it quick and easy to find your answer.

The bottom line is, while price per square foot provides a point of comparison, unless homes are completely uniform, it’s unwise to allow it to be your lone deciding factor.

Get more info like this on Realtor.com

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