💰 Colorado Search & Rescue Gets More Funding

Good morning, Stoke Crew. Hope you all enjoyed the nice weather this past weekend! Lots of cool & exciting things going on in the outdoor world. Hope you enjoy the report, Cheers!

In today's report

• 500 mile run on psychedelics
• Colorado SAR gets first funding increase since 1987
• Breckenridge Ski Patrol Union reaches deal
• $900 million dollar i70 project
• $15 million in funding for Shaun White's Snow League

TODAY'S STOKE STORY

🏃‍♂️ Ultra Runner on Psychedelic Mission

Dante Liberato, a 27 year old retired mixed martial arts fighter from Manitou Springs, just completed an true mind bending challenge. Running 500 miles from Colorado Springs to Moab Utah over 11 days while intentionally using LSD and psilocybin mushrooms throughout the entire journey! The former bare knuckle brawler turned psychedelic advocate discovered the performance enhancing potential of these substances during last year's 100 mile Silverheels Trail Run above Breckenridge, where a dose around mile 85 instantly pulled him out of a bonk and transformed his suffering into joy, making him want to keep pushing.

I'm convinced next time I'm bonking on a bike ride with the lads, I'm just gonna eat a bunch of shrooms and see what happens. Shoutout to subscriber Joey Cosica for sending this story in!

LOCAL STOKELIGHT

⛰️ Colorado Headlines

After being discussed since the 1990s, Colorado's volunteer search and rescue teams are finally getting meaningful financial support with the backcountry search and rescue fee going from 25 cents to $1.25 starting January 1st. This is the first increase since 1987! Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced the change as a "necessary step" to address inflation, the surge in rescue calls, and increasingly complex high risk operations that require specialized training and equipment. The modest 25 cent fee collected last year only raised $326,000 total from vehicle registrations, wildlife licenses, and SAR card sales, but the $1 increase is projected to pump an additional $2 million annually into the state Backcountry Search and Rescue Fund. The funding supports nearly 50 all volunteer county based teams coordinated through sheriff's offices that provide free rescue services to anyone lost, injured, or stranded in Colorado's backcountry, with the money going toward equipment, vehicles, training, mental health services, and other operational costs.

Why It Matters: This funding boost is critical for maintaining Colorado's volunteer search and rescue infrastructure as outdoor recreation continues to explode across the state. These unpaid professionals risk their own safety to rescue stranded hikers, lost skiers, and injured climbers without charging victims a dime, but they've been operating on a shoestring budget that hasn't kept pace with inflation or the dramatic increase in call volume. To anyone reading this on SAR teams, thank you!

The Breckenridge Ski Patrol Union pulled off a successful negotiation with Vail Resorts, reaching a tentative three year contract agreement late Thursday night! The deal, which extends through November 15, 2028, caps off negotiations that started in April and intensified this week when union president Ryan Dineen told Breckenridge Town Council that patrollers were prepared to picket at the BreckConnect Gondola on Sunday 11/16 if no agreement was reached before their current contract expired on November 15th. The union's bargaining committee is unanimously backing the tentative agreement and recommending members vote yes, though neither side is releasing specific details about wages, benefits, or educational improvements until after ratification is complete. The successful negotiation means patrollers will continue working their regular shifts without interruption.

Drivers on I-70 are about to witness the massive scale of CDOT's $900 million Floyd Hill project as construction crews begin building new interstate bridges over the existing roadway between Evergreen and Idaho Springs! Since last October, workers have completed more than 135 rock blasts removing over 600,000 tons of material to widen the canyon and create space for the new alignment. The project tackles one of Colorado's worst bottlenecks where three westbound lanes narrow to two at the top of Floyd Hill, creating nightmare traffic on ski weekends and holidays.

MOUNTAIN BRIEFING

❄️ This Week in Snow Sports

The Snow League, Shaun White's groundbreaking professional snowboarding and freeskiing circuit, just raised $15 million in new funding to fuel its mission of revolutionizing competitive winter sports! The funding round brought in major investment from VC firms. Launched in June 2024 by the three-time Olympic champion, the league's inaugural season at Aspen Snowmass in March 2025 proved the concept with $2.2 million prize purse and guaranteed appearance fees that showed athletes they could actually make a living in competitive snow sports. The upcoming 2025-26 season will expand globally with stops in China, Aspen, and Switzerland, featuring the world's best athletes competing for points to crown the first ever Snow League World Champions.

Why It Matters: This funding represents a major vote of confidence in Shaun White's vision. The appearance fees and prize money create a sustainable professional circuit for athletes that are trying to live the dream! With broadcast deals reaching 175+ countries through NBC Sports and Peacock, the Snow League is positioned to become a major winter series for snowboarding and freeskiing competition.

Colorado's Mikaela Shiffrin kicked off the Olympic slalom season in style by dominating the Levi World Cup slalom in Finnish Lapland for her record extending 102nd career World Cup victory! The American star clocked the fastest time in the final and won by 1.66 seconds over second place finisher Lara Colturi. The victory marks Shiffrin's 65th slalom win and her ninth at Levi specifically!

What else is going on

• Snowboarder injured in chairlift fall at Keystone Resort
• Mammoth Mountain's ski season postponed again
• Vail opens for skiing in Colorado last Friday
• 11-18 inches of snow for Colorado by week's end as winter returns!
• Breckenridge summer tourism down in 2025 compared to 2024

Trailhead Trivia

How many olympic gold medals does Shaun White have?

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