Work resuming on Floyd Hill; expect overnight closings

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Climb is next Thursday

“Never forget” is the

theme of Black Hawk’s

annual 9/11 Stair Climb,

which is set to start around

9 a.m. next Thursday, the

th anniversary of the ter-

rorist attack on the World

Trade Center in New York

City.

Black Hawk Fire Depart-

ment Senior Firefighter

Steven Roybal said the 17

annual event is not a race

or challenge. “The Black

Hawk 9-11 Memorial Stair

Climb has a unique added

degree of difficulty. Partici-

pants will begin the climb

at 8,042 feet above sea level

and will gain 192 feet of

elevation, making the Black

Hawk 9/11 Memorial Stair

Climb the highest stair

climb in the nation. Partici-

pants are able to complete

all four stair laps or as little

as they are able, which

makes the event welcoming

for everyone to join!”

The 34-story Ameristar

Casino Resort Spa hosts the

annual event, with proceeds

donated to the national firefighters’ fund,

which supports the families of those killed in

the line of duty after the bombing.

Participants will register and check in across

the street from the Ameristar at 9 a.m. At

9:30, there will be an opening ceremony and a

moment of silence in honor of fallen firefight-

ers. The annual climb is scheduled to begin at

9:45 a.m. Afterward, there will be a reception

hosted by the Ameristar at its Richman Beer

Garden, located across the street from the

casino property.

Black Hawk’s annual event honors patriotic

Americans and first responders who answered

the call of duty after the horrific terrorist at-

tacks on Sept. 11, 2001, at the World Trade

Center in New York City,

the Pentagon in Wash-

ington D.C., and on board

Flight 993 above the small

Pennsylvania community of

Shanksville. An estimated

2,966 people died at the

Twin Towers in NYC, 182 in

Shanksville, and 189 in the

nation’s capital.

About 343 firefighters

lost their lives while trying

to rescue victims in the

Twin Towers. The Gilpin

County event typically

draws around 200 par-

ticipants, including teams

and individuals from other

states and Colorado com-

munities such as Aspen,

Littleton, Parker, Colorado

Springs, and Windsor, who

join Gilpin County and

Black Hawk first respond-

ers.

The participants climb

the Ameristar Hotel tower

four times, slightly surpass-

ing the 110 stories the New

York City Fire Department

members climbed while at-

tempting to rescue victims

of the World Trade Center bombing that day.

Last year’s Memorial Stair Climb raised over

$7,000 for the National Fire Fighters Fund,

according to Rebecca Blondo of the Black

Hawk Fire Department, which organizes the

annual event. ( Contributions are still being

accepted for the Black Hawk event at this

website nfff.akaraisin.com/ui/blackhawk24/

pledge/sponsor/start.) First Responders can

use the code “FIRSTRESPONDER” for free

registration. Regular registration costs $20 per

person.

For sponsorship information, call Roybal at

303-582-2248 or Blondo at 303-582-0426.

– Compiled by Don Ireland

Reaching the 34th floor on the 1st

of four laps.

& Salute to 1st

Residents will get the chance to enjoy one of Gilpin County’s

largest events at the “First Responders Day” and “Fairground

Frenzy” this weekend at the Gilpin County Fairgrounds.

While not as large as the annual Gilpin County Fair in July,

the emerging day of activities has grown to become one of the

largest events of the Fall season. “The Fairground Frenzy is a

day packed full of fun,” according to Krystal Myers, event coor-

dinator for Gilpin Recreation and Parks.

Originally, Gilpin set aside the first Saturday in September to

honor its first responders, including the Gilpin County Sheriff’s

Office, Timberline Fire Protection District, Gilpin Ambulance

Authority and their counterparts in Black Hawk and Central

City. Representatives from the state police and other agencies

have also been invited, allowing residents to express their grati-

tude for their service to the community.

The main events will take place on Saturday, Sept. 6. How-

ever, the High County Ladies Auxiliary will set the stage for the

big day by opening their annual fund-raising flea market from

8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5, in the Barn adjoining

the CSU Extension Service offices. Final donations for the flea

market are being accepted today (Thursday) from 8 a.m. to 4

p.m. at the Barn.

Saturday’s activities will begin at 8 a.m., when the HCA Flea

Market begins its final day for the annual sale. At the same

time, Gilpin residents can bring up to three bankers’ boxes of

old documents for the annual Shred-a-Thon, which will be held

near the Gilpin Food Pantry at 100 Norton Drive.

Starting at 9 a.m., the non-profit Friends of Gilpin Com-

munity Center organization will conduct their “Summers’ End

Sangria 5K” event beginning at the rec center. The course will

follow the Gilpin Trail, which adjoins the building. There is a

$25 entry fee ($35 for non-residents) for participants. The race

will conclude around 11:30 a.m., with glasses of Sangria or non-

alcoholic beverages available.

In the fairgrounds area from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., there will be

an Artisan’s Market and First Responders’ Day booths. Com-

munity outreach activities and “touch a truck” will be spon-

sored by the county’s first responders.

Around 12:30 p.m., the Air Life and Flight for Life helicopters

are scheduled to land at the fairgrounds and will be available

for tours.

The opening ceremony for the Buck for the Badge Rough-

Stock Rodeo is slated to begin around 2 p.m. in the Allen Are-

na. A $10 admission fee collected for the rodeo will be donated

to Buck for the Fallen, a non-profit organization that supports

fallen first responders and their families. The rodeo will also

feature a mutton bustin’ competition for children, who will be

required to pay a $10 fee to participate.

A variety of vendors participating at booths at the fairgrounds

will include Gilpin Archwood 4-H, Mc2 Ice Cream, Colorado

Fallen Heroes Organization, Be Smart, Grand Z Casino, Sera-

phim/Morningstar Medicinals, With Love from Seed, Zelnar

Zingale, Mary Ramstetter (CLazy3), Earth Star Minerals &

Botanicals, Timberline Foundation, Crafty Corn Dogs, Mama

Roo’s, Big R, Mary Kay, Blue Knights and Friends of the Gilpin

County Community Center.

– Compiled by Don Ireland

Overnight lane shi/f_tOvernight lane shi/f_t

Once again, motorists

should anticipate increased

overnight lane closures on

eastbound and westbound

I-70 between County Road 65

Floyd Hill.

area.

striping operations.

ished, motorists will be

driving on new pave-

end of the $700 million

project, with full-width

lanes and shoulders,

heading into winter.

ers to stay alert while

the speed limit, as the

different.

week above eastbound

between the Veterans

Memorial Tunnels and Exit

243 (Hidden Valley-Central

City). Rock scaling may follow

the blasting to remove loose

rock above I-70. This work

aims to build bridges and

straighten roadway curves

to improve safety and sight

distance.

CDOT recommends that

drivers stay on I-70 because

there are no detour routes and

delays of up to 45 minutes are

expected as each traffic queue

clears. All work depends on

weather and may change.

Rock scaling usually occurs

from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday

through Thursday on both di-

rections of I-70. The work re-

quires 20-minute traffic stops.

However, it can take up to

45 minutes for traffic to clear

the project area, with delays

lasting until 4 p.m. Some rock-

scaling and blasting activities

depend on weather conditions.

While the rock-blasting and

scaling operations are on I-70,

traffic holds could also occur

on the Central City Parkway,

County Road 314, U.S. 6, and

U.S. 40.

Drilling operations along I-70 Floyd Hill.

Photos courtesy CDOT

Work resuming on Floyd Hill; expect overnight closings

Patrick Henry Sweeney

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