The Yampa Valley Bugle

08/07/2025

As the number of seniors in Routt County has seen surging growth since 2010, the number of children is steadily declining — a pair of trends that now has seniors outnumbering children in the Yampa Valley.

The data comes from a new housing demand study that will be presented to Steamboat Springs City Council on Tuesday. It shows that the number of residents over the age of 65 in Routt County has grown by 158% since 2010 while the number of children locally has declined by more than 9%.

The study’s demographics section shows that seniors over the age of 65 now slightly outnumber children under the age of 18 in Routt County, roughly 4,410 to 4,390, respectively. This growth in seniors and shrinking in the number of children helped increase Routt County’s median age to 42.6 years. That’s up from 38.9 in 2010. The average age in Colorado is 37.5 years.

“Routt County is aging faster than the state, indicating that housing and economic conditions in the Yampa Valley region are less favorable for young people and families,” the study reads.

Read more with link in comments.

18/06/2025

The hike up Hahns Peak, trails through the aspens on Buffalo Pass and a large portion of Steamboat Ski Resort are some of the public lands in Routt County that could be for sale in the latest edition of President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill.

Analysis from the Wilderness Society shows that nearly all public land in Routt County not protected as wilderness could be sold.The hike up Hahns Peak, trails through the aspens on Buffalo Pass and a large portion of Steamboat Ski Resort are some of the public lands in Routt County that could be fo...

22/04/2025

Routt County is seeking $89 million over 10 years from Xcel Energy as part of a potential settlement agreement connected to the closure of the Hayden Station powerplant, a request far above the roughly $16 million over six years that has been offered by the power company.

The county’s request is far above what the power company has offered at this stage, but Commissioners say funding to replace lost property tax revenue and to support economic development is warranted. Routt County is seeking $89 million over 10 years from Xcel Energy as part of a potential settlem...

08/04/2025

Stagecoach Update: Discovery Land targeting September for first public hearings on Stagecoach Mountain Ranch

Developers are working to address planning application shortfalls ahead of two-month review process by the Routt County Planning Department.The first public hearings for the closely watched Stagecoach Mountain Ranch development could be scheduled for as soon as September, developers told The Yampa V...

14/12/2024

Yesterday, I launched a membership option for The Yampa Valley Bugle, allowing readers like you to contribute monthly to support locally owned, locally produced journalism that is invested in your community.

Using a platform called Patreon, you can now sign up to support the work I am doing with The Yampa Valley Bugle starting at $10 a month. I strive to put out at least 10 newsletters a month, so you can think of it as $1 a newsletter.

Support locally controlled, locally produced journalism that is invested in your community. I think my favorite question I have gotten since starting The Bugle is: “So, are you independently wealthy or what?”Funny story actually, I am not.There are no ads and subscribing to the Morning Bugle New...

05/12/2024

Developers submitted a planning application for Stagecoach Mountain Ranch to Routt County on Wednesday afternoon, officially starting the development process for the private skiing community that will likely extend into 2026.

Executives with Discovery Land Company said plans have been delayed several months as they revised the development in response to community feedback. Developers submitted a planning application for Stagecoach Mountain Ranch to Routt County on Wednesday afternoon, officially starting the development....

05/12/2024

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28/11/2024

Four months after they learned the land under their homes was for sale, residents of the Milner Mobile Home Park are under contract to buy the park for $7.75 million with the help of a philanthropic loan, according to the Yampa Valley Community Foundation.

Philanthropic loan through Community Foundation allows residents to control the future of the land under their homes. Four months after they learned the land under their homes was for sale, residents of the Milner Mobile Home Park are under contract to buy the park for $7.75 million with the help of...

22/11/2024

Sidestepping a nearly half-million-dollar operating deficit at Steamboat Springs Bob Adams Airport in 2024, City Council signaled it would renew a ground lease for one of the oldest hangars on the field Tuesday — a move that mirrors a decision from a year ago that lost the city grant funding.

Steamboat Springs Bob Adams Airport will use $492,000 from the city’s general fund in 2024 to support operations, up from $174,000 in 2020. Sidestepping a nearly half-million-dollar operating deficit at Steamboat Springs Bob Adams Airport in 2024, City Council signaled it would renew a ground leas...

20/11/2024

“The new snowmaking and Wild Blue Gondola going all the way to Sunshine Peak means we can open that popular terrain earlier than ever, and our teams are working hard to get it ready for skiing and riding, but it’s not quite there yet," said Steamboat Resort COO Dave Hunter. "I think folks will be pleasantly surprised with how soon we can have that open.”

Sunshine Peak, not quite there yet as new snowmaking and the Wild Blue Gondola hopes to help resort open popular area earlier than everSteamboat Resort will open for the season on Saturday with 10 trails off of Christy Peak, an amount of terrain considered a "traditional opening" in Ski Town U.S.A,....

06/11/2024

Thought to be one of the most competitive House Districts in Colorado after non-partisan redistricting, Lukens showed that may not longer be the case on Tuesday.

Once thought to be a highly competitive district, Lukens just may have proved that is no longer the case. Rep. Meghan Lukens cruised to reelection in Colorado House District 26 on Tuesday and is currently winning Routt County by roughly 40 percentage points — by far the biggest win of any Democrat...

06/11/2024

Rep. Meghan Lukens won reelection in Colorado House District 26 on Tuesday, with the AP calling the race shortly after 10 p.m. Story coming soon on this race.