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Ode to �鶹ӰԺ's World Famous Dark Horse

Anna Tolette — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 20:10:54 +0000

Ode to �鶹ӰԺ's World Famous Dark Horse Anna Tolette Mon, 03/10/2025 - 14:10

Anna Tolette

Push through the doors of �鶹ӰԺ’s Dark Horse, and you’ll find yourself in a veritable labyrinth, crammed to the gills with old movie props and memorabilia from the past century — anything from a grammar school diploma from Bangor, Maine, to a mod-podge collage of magazine cut-outs. Located on the corner of Baseline Road and U.S. Highway 36, this longtime favorite townie bar and grill has been a stalwart go-to for both community members and CU �鶹ӰԺ students since 1975 — but it also holds a special place in my heart.

On weeknights, my friends and I often pack into an oversized corner booth to cash in on amazing happy hour deals (half-off wells!). “The usual” for my partner, Omar, and I means we’re splitting a burger and an order of the spicy dry-rub wings with blue cheese and a side of hot sauce. Over the five years we have called �鶹ӰԺ home, this ritual has become an anchor of mine. Many an evening has been spent in various nooks and crannies of the bar discussing our next grand adventure, celebrating birthdays and milestones and partaking in what we affectionately call “horsing around.” A quick text to our friend group chat simply asking, “Horse?” rallies the troops in record time.

In early 2024, developers announced plans to reimagine the parcel of land where the Dark Horse has lived for more than five decades. Construction is slated to begin in 2026. According to the Denver Post, the proposed development, dubbed “Williams Village II,” would include 610 housing units, mostly dedicated to off-campus student housing and commercial space.

Long-time fans of the Dark Horse showed up in droves to the City of �鶹ӰԺ planning board meeting last March to express dismay about the proposal, citing their love for the quirky space and sharing concerns about how the plan would contribute to a lack of affordable housing in the �鶹ӰԺ area, among others.

The thought of losing the Dark Horse is unfathomable to me. The developers have promised to relocate the iconic bar nearby, but the sticky counters and years of names etched into the booths lend the bar its charm.

For now, my friends and I have taken it upon ourselves to plaster the town with “Save the Dark Horse” stickers.

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Photos courtesy �鶹ӰԺ�鶹ӰԺ.com and Anna Tolette

The Dark Horse bar faces an uncertain future as redevelopment plans are formed.

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Spring 2025

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Chancellor Schwartz Discusses CU �鶹ӰԺ's Sustainability Efforts

Julia Maclean — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 17:46:52 +0000

Chancellor Schwartz Discusses CU �鶹ӰԺ's Sustainability Efforts Julia Maclean Mon, 03/10/2025 - 11:46

What do you want people to understand about sustainability?

Sustainability is the most pressing issue facing humankind in the 21st century. We need to ensure that human life continues on the planet in a manner that gives everyone the opportunity for a life worth living. There is a misconception that sustainability is a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) issue — that it’s a problem for scientists and engineers to solve. But sustainability is a human challenge. Our failure or success will affect each of us, and we must work together across disciplines to implement solutions.

CU �鶹ӰԺ will soon welcome its first vice chancellor for sustainability. How will this position influence future campus efforts?

I am thrilled that we’ve hired Andrew Mayock, chief sustainability officer for the federal government since 2021, as our inaugural vice chancellor for sustainability. I’ve charged Andrew with advancing CU �鶹ӰԺ’s reputation for bringing climate solutions to life. As the “face of sustainability” for our campus, he will take an inclusive and interdisciplinary approach to build on our legacy and make CU �鶹ӰԺ a household name for sustainability impact across Colorado, the United States and around the globe. I know he is eager to get started!

How can alumni and friends of CU �鶹ӰԺ get involved in sustainability efforts?

We’re always looking for partners who are willing to share their insights, time and financial support to advance CU �鶹ӰԺ’s vision and support our incredible sustainability-focused research and teaching. You also can be an ambassador for CU �鶹ӰԺ in your own communities — tell your friends, neighbors and prospective students about what we’re doing in sustainability! Explore how you can minimize your carbon footprint and address issues of concern in your own cities. If you are an employer, you can also engage with CU �鶹ӰԺ on implementing climate action strategies in your company or workplace.

In five or 10 years, what evidence will show that CU �鶹ӰԺ has advanced in sustainability?

As a campus, we will pursue some “quick wins,” while also working on priorities that take more time and effort. I want to see CU �鶹ӰԺ lead the charge in making Colorado the most sustainable state in the nation. In the coming years, we’ll aim to advance both climate education and the implementation of solutions across the United States and beyond, transforming the way higher education drives sustainability.

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Photo by Glenn Asakawa

Chancellor Schwartz reveals the importance of a collaborative approach and the role of alumni in advancing climate action and sustainability on campus and beyond.

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Spring 2025

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Editor's Note: Spring 2025

Julia Maclean — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 16:46:27 +0000

Editor's Note: Spring 2025 Julia Maclean Mon, 03/10/2025 - 10:46 Maria Kuntz

Close your eyes and think about sustainability. What images and colors come to mind? Perhaps you see green, outdoorsy images of the natural environment. But as we work toward a greener future, we’ll also see metal and concrete — brown and gray — people and labs, bricks and batteries, communication and ideas.

Sustainability is critical for the future of communities and the broader world, and its efforts are driven by entrepreneurs, scientists and creative thinkers.

CU’s focus on sustainability also zooms in on the individual. It asks: What does it take for people to thrive as they pursue their passions? A multi-layered approach must be thoughtful, methodical, collaborative.

Inside this issue, you’ll find the stories about advancing sustainability in areas that include renewable concrete, 3D printing and more holistic practices for musicians. And there are a few treats, including a personal essay about the Dark Horse and a story about CU’s No. 1 superfan: Peggy Coppom (A&S ex’46).

Happy reading!

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CU's multi-layered approach to sustainability strives to create an environmentally friendly and green future.

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Spring 2025

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Sights Set on �鶹ӰԺ: Why Two CU Alums Moved Back

Anna Tolette — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:57:54 +0000

Sights Set on �鶹ӰԺ: Why Two CU Alums Moved Back Anna Tolette Tue, 11/12/2024 - 13:57

Karen Reid

When my husband, Charlie Reid (PhDMechEngr’89), and I were grad students at CU, leaving Colorado was definitely not on our to-do list. But after graduation, new job opportunities drew us eastward. Our plan was always to return to �鶹ӰԺ, but what started out as an anticipated five-year stint in New Jersey stretched to 10 and continued across multiple states as our careers progressed.

Now, after three decades, we’ve finally moved back. And while we were expanding our horizons, growing professionally and raising a family, �鶹ӰԺ was growing, too. We kept an eye on our town from afar, but now we have the opportunity to see and experience the changes firsthand.

The university’s campus has grown both in size and reputation: CU has doubled down on research, now boasting five Nobel laureates, and has gained international recognition. Students have so many more options for courses, programs and opportunities. The number of buildings, dorms and parking structures has also grown exponentially, and what were once empty fields filled with prairie dogs is now the thriving research hub of East Campus. Other notable changes include the expansion of Folsom Field and the shifting of school colors from sky blue and gold to a more sophisticated palette of gold, black and gray. Even the journalism school (where I studied) has been reincarnated as CMCI.

Things off campus have changed, too. The town of �鶹ӰԺ has put itself on the map. It consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top college towns, is a hotbed for entrepreneurial and innovative endeavors, and is currently in contention to host the Sundance Film Festival.

While change is inevitable, it’s bittersweet to see some of the transformations: Friday Afternoon Club (FAC) events at the Harvest House hotel are no more, Tulagi’s on The Hill is gone, the Kinetic Sculpture Challenge race folded, Crossroads Commons has been razed and reconceived as the 29th Street Mall, and the Pearl Street Mall no longer boasts many of our old haunts.

That being said, the myriad of new restaurants, experiences and shops to explore seem boundless, and old favorites like Peppercorn, Trident Booksellers and Café, and Into the Wind remain. Mike’s Camera is still nearby, and The Sink is as vibrant as ever!

Daily, I meet fascinating people, motivated students and inspiring colleagues. �鶹ӰԺ is bikeable and walkable — and who can deny the spectacular view? Even when things seem unfamiliar, all I need to do is glance at my beloved Flatirons and I am reminded that, while evolution is unstoppable, some things never change. �鶹ӰԺ will always be vibrant, beautiful and, quite simply, home to me.

Karen Reid (Jour’84; MA’90) works for CU �鶹ӰԺ RIO as a marketing and communications specialist and teaches public speaking as a lecturer in the CMCI communication department.

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Photo courtesy Karen Reid

Karen and Charlie Reid graduated from CU �鶹ӰԺ and left town over 30 years ago. Here's why they decided to move back.

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Fall 2024

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Phil DiStefano on the Lifelong Practice of Leadership

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Phil DiStefano on the Lifelong Practice of Leadership Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/16/2024 - 00:00

Philip DiStefano

In the months leading up to my retirement as chancellor of CU �鶹ӰԺ, I’ve had many occasions for retrospection.

The past 15 years leading this incredible campus have been among the most meaningful of my professional career. We have doubled our total research funding, awarded roughly 117,000 degrees, survived a global pandemic and made incredible strides in equity, innovation, athletics, sustainability, town-gown relationships and so much more. I leave this position confident about the state of the campus and optimistic for its future.

When I consider my background — a first-generation college student from a small steel town in Ohio — it’s easy to feel like I arrived here through happenstance.

But what I’ve come to realize over my 50-year career at CU �鶹ӰԺ is that leadership is within each of us. Whether in higher education, business, government or community organizations, leadership is a daily practice that requires courage, compassion, discipline, flexibility and humility. If we’re fortunate, it’s a journey that we continue every day of our lives.

Throughout my career, I’ve been inspired by those who made a commitment to self-improvement and ethical leadership throughout their lives — people like Abraham Lincoln, Malala Yousafzai and the Dalai Lama.

This spring, I had the honor of meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama during a visit to Dharamshala, India, with the Renée Crown Wellness Institute and the Leeds School of Business. I traveled with students and young alumni in the Dalai Lama Fellows Program, a unique one-year fellowship that supports emerging social change-makers.

Through inspirational conversations, the Dalai Lama shared how compassion, connection and contemplation can break through societal barriers to create a more just and benevolent world.

At this stage of my life and career, I can think of no place more valuable to focus my attention than on developing compassion and ethics among the next generation of leaders. I’m excited to do that through my new role with the CU �鶹ӰԺ Center for Leadership starting this summer.

As the Dalai Lama reminded us, our world needs leaders of character who will bring integrity, intellect, empathy and open-mindedness to every challenge we face as a society.May we all embrace and embody those characteristics in our lifelong practice of leadership.

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Photo by Glenn Asakawa

Chancellor Phil DiStefano reflects on compassionate leadership, his years at CU and a meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

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Becoming a �鶹ӰԺ Climber

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Becoming a �鶹ӰԺ Climber Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/16/2024 - 00:00

Chris Weidner

I woke up in my VW van parked behind the �鶹ӰԺ Rock Club and started making coffee, map in hand, plotting the drive to Eldorado Canyon. I’d arrived a week earlier from my home in Seattle to spend the summer guiding for the �鶹ӰԺ Rock School. It was my first day, and I was nervous — not about the climbing (though I’d be leading clients up routes I’d never climbed before), but about the drive.

It was July 2001 (when paper maps were still a thing), and I didn’t know Broadway from Baseline. And though I’d been guiding in Washington since the mid-1990s, I feared being “found out” as an outsider in Colorado. Nothing scared me more than getting lost en route to one of the country’s most famous climbing areas with a van full of clients paying good money for local knowledge.

To my immense relief, all went well that day. So well, in fact, that by the time another week had passed, I’d ditched the map and had logged dozens of routes in Eldo (mostly “onsight” guiding), �鶹ӰԺ Canyon, the Flatirons and on Longs Peak. I couldn’t believe the volume and variety of climbing so close to town. I would guide in the morning, climb with friends in the afternoon and repeat. I’d never climbed so much in my life.

Admittedly, I used to roll my eyes whenever I heard �鶹ӰԺ being called the “Center of the Universe” for American climbing. It couldn’t be that good. But by the end of that summer, my skepticism had turned to pride: I owned 14 guidebooks covering thousands of climbs, all within 90 minutes of �鶹ӰԺ. I felt like I was just getting started.

So I did that classic �鶹ӰԺ thing: I never left.

I stayed because being a climber in �鶹ӰԺ feels limitless; it means as many different things as there are climbers. We’re scramblers and ice hogs, first ascensionists and gym rats, alpinists and Olympians. We’re young and old, fast and slow, inexperienced and elite. We’re of every color, gender, shape and size, and yet somehow we’ve all chosen climbing as our medium to face fears, challenge our beliefs and build meaningful friendships.

Above all, being a climber in �鶹ӰԺ means taking part in a wild and wonderful community invigorated by our unique vertical playground. Here, there’s a synergy at work — a motivating power that strengthens relationships well beyond the “Off belay!” on top of a climb.

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Photo by Jon Glassberg, Louder Than Eleven

Local climber and writer Chris Weidner reflects on his first months participating in �鶹ӰԺ's incredible outdoor climbing scene.

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Editor's Note: Summer 2024

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Editor's Note: Summer 2024 Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/16/2024 - 00:00

Maria Kuntz

This summer, we examine powerful leadership skills: empathy, humility and emotional intelligence. I’d like to add one to that list — kindness. A few years back I found my favorite T-shirt: it’s charcoal gray with simple white lettering that reads, “kindness is magic.”

Kindness takes many forms: asking about someone’s day, giving the benefit of the doubt or offering help. In a bustling world, even a little can leave a lasting impact. I vividly remember a moment when a supervisor shared tough feedback with me. They communicated with kindness — enabling me to soak up their gift. I’ve never forgotten it.

This issue is packed with leaders who display kindness alongside strength and tenacity. Read about Philip P. DiStefano’s 15-year tenure as chancellor and enjoy other inspiring alumni profiles, including Ally Chapel, founder of jazz group Brass Queens, cycling legend Sepp Kuss, and chef and entrepreneur Bruce Bromberg.

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Photo courtesy Maria Kuntz

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A Solutions-Based Approach for Western Water

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

A Solutions-Based Approach for Western Water Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/04/2024 - 00:00

Philip DiStefano

Glance at a photo of campus from the late 1800s, when only Old Main stood, and it may take a moment to orient yourself. Soon you’ll spot familiar landmarks: the Flatirons rising to the west, �鶹ӰԺ Creek flowing to the north.

Far before the university’s earliest days, the natural landscape — and water, specifically — has played an important role across Colorado and the West.

More than wayfinding aids or scenic features, our rivers, reservoirs and rainclouds have defined the direction and pace of economic development, supported the agricultural needs of the nation and provided fertile ground for collaboration and conflict.

Today, water — or the absence of it — continues to be a defining factor for communities across the West. And now, CU �鶹ӰԺ faculty, staff and students are lending their expertise to help communities make smart, data-informed decisions about this precious and often imperiled natural resource.

In CU’s environmental journalism program, students and alumni are exploring how declining water supplies and climate change will impact our lives and livelihoods in the years to come.

Across engineering and the sciences, researchers are examining how water quality is impacted by oil and gas or mining operations, wildfires and other natural and human activities.

For 20 years, the Western Water Assessment team within CU �鶹ӰԺ’s Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) has partnered with researchers from multiple disciplines in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah to conduct innovative water research and make the findings more accessible to decision-makers across the region. The work directly aids communities seeking greater resilience in the face of climate change.

And for the last several years, instructors from CIRES also have taught a free online course through Coursera that allows students worldwide to examine scientific, legal and cultural issues around water using the Colorado River Basin as a case study. More than 3,000 people are currently enrolled.

Those are just a few examples of how members of the CU �鶹ӰԺ community are helping to address the West’s toughest questions related to water needs, bringing creativity, courage and commitment to bear as we seek to positively impact humanity.

In the face of climate change, these matters become more consequential. And it becomes even more essential that we bring diverse voices and perspectives into the conversation that have been neglected or ignored.

Too often, discussions on water in the West can leave us feeling concerned, distrustful or apprehensive.

But when I consider how CU �鶹ӰԺ’s faculty, students and staff are becoming part of the solutions, I find myself once again with reason to hope — and that’s a river that will never run dry.

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Photos by Matthew Rossi/CIRES (right); Jeroen Geeraert/CIRES (top)

Far before the university’s earliest days, the natural landscape—and water, specifically—has played an important role across Colorado and the West.

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Spring 2024

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Ensuring a Reliable Water Supply for the City of �鶹ӰԺ

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Ensuring a Reliable Water Supply for the City of �鶹ӰԺ Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/04/2024 - 00:00

Kim Hutton

As I drive up �鶹ӰԺ Canyon with my daughter to ski at Eldora Mountain, I relish pointing out features of �鶹ӰԺ’s water supply system that I’ve had a role in managing for the past 19 years. The hydroelectric plant on the left, the pipeline up on the hillside, the reservoir at the top of the canyon — and �鶹ӰԺ Creek at the heart of it all. Fascinating, right?! She listens to me good-naturedly every time, and I hope one day she comes to appreciate the intricacies that go into providing that clean glass of water she sips every morning.

The �鶹ӰԺ community enjoys a high-quality and reliable drinking water supply due to 150 years of visionary planning. However, as the climate shifts, the challenge of providing clean and reliable water becomes increasingly complex.

�鶹ӰԺ’s drinking water originates from alpine lakes, reservoirs and the �鶹ӰԺ Creek headwaters west of the city of �鶹ӰԺ, as well as from the upper Colorado River. Each year, approximately two-thirds of �鶹ӰԺ’s water supply comes from �鶹ӰԺ Creek and one-third from the Colorado River. Water from these sources flows via pipes to one of �鶹ӰԺ’s two water treatment plants before it is sent to customers for drinking water or irrigation use.

While �鶹ӰԺ’s multiple water sources offer flexibility and resilience in the face of climate change and extreme weather events, the city of �鶹ӰԺ is actively pursuing additional ways to secure its water supply.

One way is through protecting our sources to ensure safe and high-quality water. As most of �鶹ӰԺ’s water supply comes from outside the city, �鶹ӰԺ partners with many organizations and community members to improve forest health and reduce pollution to creeks and reservoirs.

Other ways include investing in �鶹ӰԺ’s water infrastructure (some components are over a century old), promoting water-saving measures — including using water-saving fixtures, fixing irrigation system leaks and landscaping with low-water-use vegetation — and strategic planning. �鶹ӰԺ’s Drought Plan, for instance, helps the city respond to water shortages and preserve water for high-priority uses such as human health and safety, maintaining creek flows and trees.

Water management in the western United States is an intriguing puzzle. While I thrive on the challenge, I’m most gratified by the mission of serving a community that prioritizes sustainable use of this precious resource. Through collaboration, innovation and engagement with passionate community members, �鶹ӰԺ is addressing climate challenges to safeguard its water supply for future generations.

Kim Hutton (Chem, EnvSt’98) is the water resources manager for the City of �鶹ӰԺ.

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Photo courtesy the City of �鶹ӰԺ

Kim Hutton, water resources manager for the City of �鶹ӰԺ, reflects on what it takes to provide water for �鶹ӰԺ.

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Editor’s Note: Spring 2024

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Editor’s Note: Spring 2024 Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/04/2024 - 00:00

Maria Kuntz

It was June in Utah, and the midday heat was blistering. The AC on “La Tortuga Azul” — the pet name for my family’s lifted #vanlife 2002 Safari — struggled to keep the heat at bay. This road trip took us from the San Rafael Swell to Capitol Reef National Park and the northern end of Lake Powell. Expecting summer crowds, houseboat revelers and water jets, I was surprised by the dusty tributaries, abandoned boats and roadside communities turning to ghost towns. After a few tries, the map confirmed we were not lost — instead the water had nearly disappeared.

Water in the West is a complex, evolving and non-linear system as water levels rise and fall with each year’s rainfall. May these images in our photo feature pique your curiosity and lead to a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of water access, justice and human rights.

And don’t miss profiles on the class of 2024, CU’s resident bee expert and a bone archaeologist.

Maria Kuntz
Contact the editor at editor@colorado.edu.

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Photo courtesy Maria Kuntz

Water in the West is a complex, evolving and non-linear system as water levels rise and fall with each year’s rainfall.

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Spring 2024

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