The almost-completed $50 million Asian Tropics exhibit is the zoo’s bid for greatness.

Everything about the 10-acre exhibit — which must remain under wraps until late spring, when animal relocations, quarantines and training all will have run their courses — is meant to be a gee-whiz, eye-opening experience. And not just for the human visitors.

Zookeepers believe animal residents will be wowed. Even more than wowed, the humans here say, elephants, rhinos and others will be made safer worldwide because of the boldness of Asian Tropics.

“You’re not just building an exhibit; you’re saving elephants,” zoo vice president for planning George Pond repeated over and over to zoo staff, construction workers and anyone who looked tired during eight years of unrelenting effort.

“Asian Tropics stands alone, without peer, in terms of its complexity and size,” Pond said.

The new habitat will rock the world of the zoo’s two longtime resident Asian elephants, 52-year-old Mimi and 47-year-old Dolly, who are being slowly habituated (i.e., bribed with treats) to enter two big metal travel crates. A crane eventually will lower crates and elephants into a new life.

Newcomer Bodhi, a 7-year- old male elephant, arrived late last week from the Columbus Zoo. He is one of eight bulls the zoo intends to acquire over time. As many as 12 elephants total could live here.

Nothing else this big

No other U.S. zoo has attempted housing bull elephants on this scale, so Denver will become a key national player in elephant-breeding and conservation programs.

“Somebody had to step up and learn how to manage a significant number of male elephants. No one has done it before,” said zoo president and chief executive Craig Piper. “When I started

Land surveyor Brian Rottinghaus works on the $50 million Asian Tropics exhibit. Animals will be moving in, but the area won’t be open until late spring. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

in my zoo career 27 years ago, there were 109,000 Asian elephants in the world. There are now 35,000. We’ve lost two-thirds of the population. And this is an animal people love and revere. If we can’t save the popular animals . . . .” He doesn’t finish. 

The greater one-horned rhinoceros, also in residence here, has dwindled to fewer than 3,500 in native populations.

In Asian Tropics, elephants, rhinos and tapirs will rotate through six habitats or yards, giving them changes of scenery, 2 miles of trails to explore, mud wallows, swim channels, full-immersion pools, scratching trees, shady patches, hot tubs and even a giant bridge for aerial thrills.

Animals and zookeepers alike must learn to navigate the exhibit’s 136 gates. This won’t be a boring place to live, work or visit.

“It will take a year to get them fully acclimated,” Piper said. “There will be nervousness at first for them and us. We’ll let them tell us when they’re ready for the next thing.”

Asian Tropics also will be home to clouded leopards, fishing cats, flying foxes (and other bats), skinks, pythons, Solomon eyelash frogs, gibbons and small-clawed otters.

Mission spans world

This exhibit, said spokeswoman Tiffany Barnhart, fully manifests the zoo’s changing culture and mission — conserving species and habitats in what is left of the wild animal kingdom.

“If you love Mimi and Dolly, that’s great, but we want you to know about

Caleb Minor wires a panel on the fully articulating veterinary retaining device, which allows veterinarians to fully turn animals so they can have complete access to them. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

wild Asian elephants,” said Brad Parks, the zoo’s director of public programs. 

In each of the past two years, the zoo has spent $1 million in the field working to reduce human-animal conflicts. For example, the zoo’s success enables staff to join with villagers in Sri Lanka and Vietnam to help fence elephants out of their settlements rather than trying to fence elephants into reserves that are too small.

Field workers have helped villagers change over to new cash crops, such as chili peppers, which elephants don’t like to eat and don’t raid.

Asian Tropics features a full- scale replica of a village hut destroyed by elephants reduced to marauding for food because of human encroachment on their range.

“A zoo slogan is: ‘Securing a better world for animals through human understanding,’ ” Parks said. “The zoo realizes everybody needs to learn about animals. This exhibit will tell stories about animals, places and people. We’re saving wildlife by helping people.”

Since 1996, the zoo has participated in more than 500 proj ects in 57 countries. It’s currently working in 22 countries. While greater effort is being made by zoos to preserve wild areas and make them safer for animals, zoos’ collections still serve as an insurance policy.

“You can no longer use a single approach to conservation,” Piper said. “Zoos have a lot of experience working with small, isolated populations.”

That experience is now sadly applicable to what’s left of wild populations.

And zoos are the embassies of animal ambassadors.

“The strength of the zoo is that it touches people’s hearts,” Piper said.

Asian Tropics is the culmination of almost a decade of design and planning, but it’s really the climax of 115 years of this zoo trying to understand how to build a better Noah’s ark.

The exhibit’s six new buildings, including a new cafe and restrooms, sprawl along the zoo’s southern edge, once the range of a bison herd relocated to private lands in southeast Colorado.

Asian Tropics’ 1.1 million gallons of water in pools and channels is more than double the volume in existing water features. It uses the city’s recycled water supply and its own state- of-the-art filtration system.

With this exhibit, the Denver elephants’ outdoor habitat increases more than fivefold to 88,208 square feet. Their indoor square footage increases almost eightfold to 9,000 square feet.

The new pachyderm digs, the Clayton Freiheit Elephant House, is named for the zoo’s longtime director. Freiheit died in 2007, before ground was broken.

“He committed to this,” Parks said. “He had the courage to send us down this path.”

Boldly taking risks

A core value of this zoo is innovation, curator Dale Leeds said.

“This institution encourages me to take risks, knowing we will get it right,” Leeds said. “I feel very comfortable saying: ‘I don’t know if it will work, but I’ll try it.’ ”

For example, he’s trying out sand substrates in the animals’ stalls as well as rubberized floors, rather than concrete. They’re trying indoor pools for the rhinos.

The zoo, recognized this year by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums as the nation’s greenest, is now determined to generate its own power for Asian Tropics.

Poop won’t go to waste

For four years, Piper said, the zoo closely studied its trash stream, weighing every full trash bin, to develop a biomass- gasification system. It can reliably convert zoo waste, everything from discarded office products to elephant dung, into fuel. The process is expected to divert 90 percent of zoo waste from the landfill to generate energy meeting 15 percent to 20 percent of the zoo’s needs.

It will save the zoo an estimated $150,000 a year in waste-hauling and energy costs.

“I never thought in my zoo career I’d be pursuing patents to protect intellectual property related to sustainable power generation,” Piper said. “We think we’ll landfill zero waste by 2025.”

Culmination of 8 years

As two years of construction by 300 workers comes to an end this month or next, more than 20 people will join the 250-member zoo staff as keepers, curators, horticulturists and other experts.

The exhibit will cost an estimated $600,000 to $700,000 annually to run.

“We’ve been at this for eight years,” Pond said. “We’re doing something important for elephants, for zoos, for conservation, for Denver. So much of this has never been done before or done at this level or scale. We’re retraining the whole staff.”

Denver voters approved a 1999 bond issue that matched every private dollar raised for construction. More than 3,000 private donors have chipped in. The zoo still needs to raise $2 million to cross the finish line.

“The zoo, for all its conservation dreams, is still a business,” Piper said.

Asian Tropics can’t open soon enough for 3-year-old Camden Smerey, who personally raised $13, mostly from his grandmother, for Mimi’s and Dolly’s new home.

“It’s a huge deal for us,” said his mother, Carly Smerey.

“Camden’s been going to the zoo twice a month since he was a baby,” she said. “We’re very excited.”

Electa Draper: 303-954-1276 or edraper@denverpost.com

The Bluff Lake Nature Center is a wildlife refuge, a place for the public to walk peaceful trails around the lake and where local schoolchildren on field trips learn about the environment.

The center is one of several organizations that has received funding through Denver Post Charities’ Season to Share.

Jeff Lamontagne, executive director, hopes funding will help build a new education center to house learning space for students in cold and hot weather and office space for employees to work.

The center’s main focus is teaching kids about science and nature, mostly for an audience of children who qualify for free and reduced-price lunch programs at their schools.

“Many of these kids would not have the opportunity to learn about the outdoors or environmental science,” Lamontagne said.

Some children have a disconnect about what a natural habitat is and sometimes think the center houses the same animals as the zoo, education director Lisa Chickos said.

She visits schools to prep and test students about their science knowledge before they visit the center.

The education programs are tailored to fit all ages from preschoolers to fifth-graders.

Chickos spent a recent morning teaching first-graders from Sixth Avenue Elementary School in Aurora about the different shapes, colors and sizes of rocks in the habitat.

“The kids get to slow down,” she said. “We ask them, ‘What do you see? What do you hear? What do you touch?’ We show them they are part of the environment.”

But the center isn’t just for kids.

Runners, hikers and walkers use the space to get fit and meditate on the 123-acre natural habitat with a lake, streams, wetlands, grasslands and bluffs — all within city limits.

“There are lots of different things for kids and people to explore,” Lamontagne said.

By Felisa Cardona

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Bluff Lake Nature Center

Site address: 5000 block of Havana Way in Denver’s Stapleton neighborhood

Mailing address: 9801 E. Colfax Ave. #100 Aurora, CO 80010

In operation since: 1996

Number served last year: 4,700 students and 40,000 members of the public

Staff: 5

Yearly budget: $300,000

Percentage of funds directly given to clients and services: 85 percent

Do you have a special need or medical condition that cannot be seen by the naked eye?

If any of these questions grazed your mind at one time or another, you’re not alone.

When a 9-1-1 medical call is placed, paramedics arrive on the scene with little or no knowledge of the person. With our technology these days, you would think emergency officials would know everything about us with a click of a button, but that hasn’t been the case…until now.

Smart 911 is a free service that has the tools to keep you and your family safe. It will soon be available in Jefferson County, so keep an eye out. Their goal is to save lives by providing critical information to the emergency dispatchers the second a call is made. The dispatcher will see the details you have provided as soon as the call is answered. All you have to do is complete a profile for you and your family. You can add anything from medical conditions, food allergies, photos and more.

Smart 911 works closely with local law enforcement, fire departments and EMS for all of your emergency needs. The national public safety organization also ensures Smart911 meets their stringent requirements while protecting the security and privacy of your information. All fees are even supported by 9-1-1 centers across our nation.

Smart 911 is also making a difference by raising awareness for public safety. With sugar-induced holidays around the corner, they can give ideas on what to do to take extra precautions for your kids.

1. Take a digital photo of your kids before they go out. It’s good for memories and photo albums, but also can be helpful for a detailed description to officials in case of an emergency. If you set up a Smart911 Safety profile, you can upload recent photos on there as well.
2. If your child doesn’t have their own cell phone, lend them yours for the night. Make sure all important phone numbers are easily accessible and remind them of 9-1-1.
3. If your kids are with friends, make sure you know their names and perhaps an adult they are with.
4. Create and discuss a timeline. Ask questions on where they are going to be and when they will return home. Help them set up alarms on their phones to remind them to call and check in as well.

It’s always better to be safe than sorry. For more information, go to www.smart911.com.

Or maybe your fifth-grader is ready to try out racing and is looking for a team experience.

Or perhaps your teenage snowboarder has been begging to get into the half-pipe for so long you just can’t take it anymore.

If your kids are ready to take their skiing to the proverbial “next level,” whatever that level may be, Colorado resorts offer a variety of intensive, developmental programs designed to do just that.

Here’s what some of them are offering, with highlights of some of the details so that you can compare as you make your choices this season.

Arapahoe Basin Ski Area

Arapahoe Basin​ has three multi-week programs for kids ages 3 through 15 years.

Kids Club Arapahoe is for kids ages 5-14. Skiers and snowboarders work with the same instructor during a four-week session. Cost: $360. Kids Club meets on Saturdays for four or eight weeks. Li’l Kids Club is for children 3 to 5 years old. Lessons are half day, and juniors work with the same instructor for the four-week session. Juniors Kids’ Club meets on Saturdays for four or eight weeks, the same weekends as Kids’ Club. Price is $280. Basin XTreme Teen is a multi-week Saturday program that challenges young teens. Classes focus on exploring steeps, chutes, trees, bumps, powder and the terrain park. Cost is $360.

More info: arapahoebasin.com/ABasin/lessons/kids-programs.aspx

Breckenridge Ski Resort

Breckenridge Bombers is a multi-week program in its 22nd year for all levels of skiing and riding. The goal is for children to “develop solid technique in a fun, safe and confidence-building environment,” according to the resort. Participants are with the same instructor and class for the duration of Bombers. Classes (held Saturdays and Sundays) are formed based on age and ability. Three types of Bombers programs exist: All-Mountain Bombers is for all ages and ability levels ($600 Saturdays, $550 Sundays). Freestyle Bombers is for intermediates and experts only ($680 Saturdays, $630 Sundays); Pee Wee Bombers is for 3 year olds ($625 Saturdays, $575 Sundays).

New for the 201 1/2012 Season is the December Bombers Program. This program is just like the Bombers program except it is a three-week program in December instead of the seven-week program that begins in January. Cost: $240.

More info: To get more information about Bombers, including registration information, add yourself to the e-mail distribution list at brskischoolprograms@vailresorts.com with “Bombers” in the subject field.

Copper Mountain

On Saturdays over four, eight or twelve weeks, Woodward Park Rats can work on existing tricks or learn new ones at “The Barn” at Woodward, a 19,400-square-foot indoor terrain park and pipe progression, with the same coach all season long. Airbag access (which makes for a cushier landing) is included, weather permitting, starting Jan. 7. The classes are for skiers and snowboarders ages 10 and older (Cost: $699 for four weeks, $899 for eight weeks and $1,049 for 12 weeks; includes an unrestricted Copper Mountain season pass that can be used all season).

Ten- to 18-year-olds interested in beefing up their freeriding skills can sign up for Free- ride Skiing and Snowboarding Posse. This program offers students the opportunity to go with a coach and “rip the mountain in a whole new way” over the course of 17 weeks. New this year is an option to choose an area of focus: Big Mountain or Park & Pipe. Cost is $1,000 for the once-weekly program.

Over at the ski school, Copper has many extended learning programs to offer the pre-shred set. Scooters is a three or four week camp for skiers and boarders ages 4 to 12. The January and February Scooters will participate in a timed race and a slope-style competition in the Kidz Terrain Park. Every athlete will receive an award. Cost: $409 for three weeks, $459 four weeks.

Choppers is a skiing and snowboarding program for children 8 to 18 looking for an adventurous day on the slopes. While taking participants exploring, Choppers instructors give specific, expert advice aimed at advancing any ability level. Copper Choppers offers optional charter bus transportation with adult supervision provided to and from Copper Mountain. Cost: $709 eight weeks, $459 four weeks.

More info: coppercolorado.com/winter/ski_and_ride_school/youth_seasonal_ programs.

Keystone Resort

Junior Kroozers (for ages 5 and 6) and Kroozers (for ages 7 to 13) are three-week programs designed for kids of all ability levels. Children are grouped by age and ability level to “develop a solid skill set in a safe environment while promoting camaraderie among peers.” Kroozers lessons feature weekly themes, including a race on the last day of each session.

Keystone Kroozers & Beyond is a three-week program designed for skiers and snowboarders who are 5-15 years old and at a Level 7 or higher. A Level 7 skier is comfortable and confident on all blue- square and easier black-diamond terrain, including moderate moguls and ungroomed snow. Kroozers and Beyond is designed to take children to the next level. Children will have the opportunity throughout the three weeks to get an introduction to Keystone’s parks and pipe, experience all mountain terrain, as well as get familiar with the race course. Cost: $295 per session for all Kroozer programs.

More info: keystoneresort.com/~/media/Keystone/Files/KroozersGeneralInformation11-12.ashx

Loveland Ski Area

Loveland Explorers offers a six-week program in conjunction with the Loveland Racing Team. Coaches from both the Ski & Ride School and the Loveland Racing Team work together to develop the skills of intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders ages 7 to 14. Participants are grouped based on ability, with no more than six students for each coach. Children learn and explore with the same coach all six weeks. Sessions run 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 21, 28 and Feb. 4, 11, 25 and March 4. Cost: $459.

More info: 303-569-3203, ext, 199

Monarch Mountain

Monarch’s Caterpillars is designed for 3- and 4-year-old skiers. Caterpillars is an introduction to skiing based on the reasonable expectations of 3- and 4-year-olds in a small group setting. The program consists of four 1 hour, 45 minute sessions on Wednesdays. The first session is Jan. 25. A parent will need to attend and participate each day of the session.

Junior Butterflies is for skiers or snowboarders ages 5 and 6 and consists of four 1 hour and 45 minute sessions on Fridays beginning Jan. 27. A parent will need to attend and participate each day of the session. Cost: $150 for Caterpillars and Junior Butterflies programs.

Monarch Explorers is for skiers, snowboarders, or telemarkers ages 7-15 looking to explore and develop their skills. The four-week program is from 10:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Saturdays and starts Jan. 21. Cost: $395.

More info: skimonarch.com/index.php/lessons-childcare

Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort

Snow PACK (Purgatory Adventure Camp for Kids) is a new day camp for children ages 7-12 who enjoy outdoor winter adventures beyond the ski hill. On Feb. 20-24, participants can take part in on-snow activities such as tubing, snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, scavenger hunts and building snow sculptures, forts and igloos. Daily bus transportation to and from Durango is included. Cost: $275.

Other seasonal programs include Snowburners Ski & Ride School Program, designed for skiers and snowboarders of all levels from ages 4 to 12. This program focuses on learning new skills while emphasizing safe skiing and riding; session is three hours once a week for eight weeks. Average class size is 6-8. Cost: $240.

The All Terrain Pioneers Ski & Ride School Program is designed to be a step up from the Snowburners program for ages 7 to 14. Participants will experience all aspects of skiing and riding from basic skills to bumps, tree skiing, and park and pipe. Classes are full day from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., once a week, for eight weeks. Average class size is 6 to 8. Cost: $350.

More info: durangomountainresort.com/kids_lessons

Steamboat Springs

Steamboat’s seasonal programs offer five weeks of Saturday classes with the same coach and skiing buddies. Mini Busters is for 5- to 6-year-olds, and Trail Busters is for first-graders through children 15 years old. Cost: $250 for either program.

During Desperados Ski Week, kids and teens spend five days with the same instructor and group, not only skiing but enjoying an on- mountain treasure hunt, barbecue, NASTAR race (for intermediates and above) and a mini-torchlight parade. The Desperados program is offered every Monday-Friday, Dec. 19-Jan. 6, Feb. 20-24 and March 12-16. Cost: $639 each weeklong program.

More info: steamboat.com/plan-vacation/ski-school/results/index.aspx?id=9

Telluride Ski Resort

If the “next level” is the first level, check out the new Nursery Ski Add-On Option at Telluride. The full-day of child care plus a 1-hour private “snow play” experience for 2- to 4-year-olds focuses on a positive first experience on skis. Cost: $230 (full day), $205 (half-day).

The southern ski resort also has the “Telluride Development Squad,” an eight-session ski and snowboard program for 3- to 14-year-olds designed to “develop a lifelong love of skiing and riding in a program that promotes team building, mountain safety and learning in a noncompetitive environment.” The squad meets Saturdays in January, February and March. Price for the program is not yet available.

More info: tellurideskiresort.com/TellSki/info/childrens_ski_and_ snowboard.aspx

Vail and Beaver Creek

These sister resorts offer development programs with the goal to “foster a lifelong love of skiing and riding in a non-competitive, team environment.” Full-day lessons take place on the weekends, mostly Saturdays, and begin in early December, continuing for 10 to 18 weeks. The program, which started as a way for the ski-school staff to form a team for their own children has been going on for at least a quarter century and now has more than 500 participants.

The Vail DEVO program is split into three categories. Junior DEVO is for kids 4-8 years old who are Level 4 or higher. A Level 4, a skier can ski all green runs from the top of Vail mountain, can stop, get up on their own and link wedge turns comfortably. Participants can expect the average coach-to-skier ratio to be 8 team members with the same coach for the entire training season. Cost: $950.

Youth DEVO is for children 8 to 16 years old who are a level 4 or higher snowboarder or level 6 skier. A level 6 skier is comfortable and confident on any groomed blue terrain, capable of skiing or riding easiest ungroomed and moguled blue terrain and can link turns of varying size at moderate speed. Cost: $1,099. For Teen Devo, skiers must also be a level 6 skier, and snowboarders need to be at least a Level 5 rider (can ski or ride comfortably and confidently on all green and most groomed blue terrain at Vail). This group meets 10 times during the season instead of 18 days, as does Youth Devo. Cost: $679. Freestyle and race programs are also available to interested Devo members.

More info: vaildevo.com or 970-754-3257.

Beaver Creek’s development program is 12 sessions. Junior BEAVO is for kids 5 to 8 years old who are Level 4 skiers or level 6 snowboarders. Youth/Senior BEAVO is for children 8 and older, with the same ability requirements as the Junior program.

More info: beavercreek.com/beavo or 970-754-5348.

Winter Park

Winter Park multi-week programs have ability levels ranging from first-timer to expert. Programs run Nov. 25-March 4.

Purchase the Kids Unlimited lesson-season pass for $1,399, and receive unlimited group and multi-week program lessons throughout the season, plus a Winter Park lift season pass.

More info: winterparkresort.com/lessons or 800-729-7907.

Nationally recognized as a top center for athletes, coaches and events, the Winter Park Competition Center is the place for an up-and-coming pro. The Competition Center has updated its programs to all-terrain ski, alpine racing, freeski (Big Mountain or Park & Pipe), freestyle (moguls) and snowboard (All Mountain or Park & Pipe). Full descriptions are on the Competition Center website.

More info: wpcompcenter.com

Wolf Creek

The four-week Camp Robber program for 5- to 8-year- olds is designed to introduce skiing or improve skills that kids already have, all in a fun environment. Activities for the Saturday program include terrain garden, races and mountain safety. Cost: $198 for children who hold a 2011-12 Wolf Creek Ski Area season pass; $228 for nonseason pass holders.

The Wolf Riders (snowboarding) and Blizzards (skiing) programs are for kids 9 to 12. This four-week program (Saturdays only) includes four hours of instruction. Both programs begin in early January. Cost: $186 season pass holders, $217 for nonseason pass holders.

More info: wolfcreekski.com/wolf-creek-ski-snowboard-telemark-clinics.php

Ski Free

The 2011-12 School of Shred pass is now available; it provides four free days of skiing or riding at each Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin for all Colorado fifth- and sixth-grade students who register by Nov. 6. The School of Shred pass includes one complimentary first-timer ski lesson and rental equipment for passholders (Arapahoe Basin excluded). Lessons and rentals are provided Nov. 28-Dec. 18, as well as during the entire month of January.

More info: snow.com/epic-pass/info/schoolofshred.aspx

For the other Colorado resorts, Colorado Ski Country USA offers a Fifth and Sixth Grade Passport. These programs give fifth-graders three free days at the 21 resorts in the state that are not a part of the Vail and Associates family. The sixth-grader program offers three days at the same 21 resorts for $99. In conjunction with this program, the First Class program allows registered Fifth Grade Passport holders who are considered never-evers to receive a voucher for one free ski or snowboard lesson, including rental equipment, anytime during January Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month. They can choose from among 18 participating CSCUSA member resorts. Advanced reservations are required for first class.

More info: coloradoski.com/passport

By Chryss Cada

On the heels of the busiest U.S. ski season ever and defying the rumbling over a possible double-dip recession, ski areas are returning to the high times with upgrades and investments that mirror the industry’s boom years in the early 2000s.

The mammoth Vail Resorts with four Colorado ski areas, is leading the charge with upward of $128 million in upgrades to its six hills, including a new high-speed chair in Beaver Creek’s Rose Bowl, a new eatery on Vail Mountain and $30 million in work at its newest resort, California’s Northstar-at-Tahoe.

Colorado Ski Country’s other 22 ski areas are injecting more than $50 million into upgrades, with a new chair and terrain at Aspen’s Buttermilk and new lifts at Copper Mountain, Loveland, Monarch and Ski Cooper.

Tapping the vibe of playful skiers and ‘boarders, several resorts are elevating their terrain parks with creative additions such as SolVista’s natural log park and trick-friendly features. Winter Park’s now dug-in halfpipe will energize its Rail Yard Terrain Park and require less manmade snow (i.e., water and energy) during installation.

Durango Mountain Resort and Crested Butte Mountain Resort are boosting their above-snow play with ski-up zip lines, while Monarch adds a new Sno-Cat for its backcountry powder chasers and Wolf Creek replaces its race hut.

Aspen Skiing Co., a national leader in earth-friendly construction, is constructing its fifth super- green building with its 300-seat Elk Camp restaurant, scheduled to open for the 2012-13 season. The company is also renovating Aspen Highlands’ midmountain Merry- Go-Round restaurant. Crested Butte too is revamping its midhill Paradise Warming House, and Steamboat is building a new apres- ski bar at the slopeside Steamboat Grand hotel.

Loveland is giving its Ptarmigan Roost Cabin a face-lift and installing its first on-hill restrooms.

Copper Mountain’s new partnership with the U.S. Ski Team means a smarter snowmaking system will help American racers train in the early season. Loveland, Steamboat and Eldora Mountain Resort also are enhancing their snowmaking operations.

Then there’s the simple stuff that’s only noticeable when it’s wrong. New paving at Monarch will shift the parking lot from a muddy dash to a simple stroll. Heated pavers will eliminate wading on the approach to Steamboat’s slopes. And frills-free Silverton Mountain is going swank with a used carpet to cover the very-used carpet in its base tent.

“Talk about plush,” Silverton Mountain owner Aaron Brill said.

Jason Blevins

 All events are through Oct. 31 unless otherwise noted.

HAUNTED HOUSES

Haunted Field of Screams and Crazed Cornfield Maze

Daytime: 20-acre Crazed Cornfield and Pumpkin Patch, plus mini maze for the little ones; Tuesday-Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Adult maze $10; kids $8, mini maze $4. At night: Adults’ Haunted Field of Screams and Dead Man’s Maze Thursday and Sunday sundown-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday sundown-midnight. Haunted Field of Screams $16; VIP $28; Dead Man’s Maze $14; VIP $22; package $27, VIP $50. All through Oct. 31. 104th and Riverdale Road    303-913-5947  fearthecorn.com

City of the Dead Haunted House

Zombies inhabit Mile High Marketplace 7-11 p.m. Thursday and Sunday, 7 p.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday. $16, $25 VIP. Not recommended for under 12. 7007 E. 88th Ave., 303-289-4656, milehighmarketplace.com

Haunted Hotel and DTC Halloween Block Party

Two-hotel party with live bands, DJs, themed rooms, body paint fashion show, trick or treating for adults, cirque acts, more. Oct. 29, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. For adults. $39; $89 VIP; $1,500 cabana. Tickets available at Wizard’s Chest, 230 Fillmore. 303-321-4304   7800 E. Tufts Ave. and 4900 So. Syracuse St. 720-936-2999 hauntedhoteldenver.com, kevinlarsonpresents@gmail.com

13th Door Haunted House

Sunday-Thursday 7-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 7 p.m.-midnight. $14.95 with canned food donation (+$1 without); VIP $19.95. 3184 So. Parker Rd., I-225 and Parker. 720-261-0570

The Haunted House

 Sunday-Thursday 7-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 7 p.m.-midnight. $14.95 with canned food donation (+$1 without), VIP $19.95. I-25 & 120th Ave, in front of the Ramada Plaza Hotel (10 E. 120th Ave.)

Curse of Slaughterhouse Gulch

Sunday-Thursday 7-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 7 p.m.-midnight. $14.95 with canned food donation (+$1 without), $19.95 (VIP).3184 So. Parker Rd., I-225 and Parker. 720-261-0570

Fear of All Fears

Opens today. MorbidNights Colorado’s “Fear of All Fears — with a Southern Twist.” Wednesday.-Saturday 8 p.m.-midnight. $15. U.S. 34 and 23rd Ave., Greeley, morbidnightscolorado.com

Circus of Fear 3-D

3-D holographic murals, maze of visual artistry and live performance. October weekends plus more dates on website. $15, VIP $23. U.S. 36 and 104th Ave., 720-446-8777   circusoffear3d.com

Frightmare and the” House of Darkness

Also Kid’s Halloween Town for ages 2-11. Opens today. Sun.-Thurs. 7-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 7 p.m.-midnight. $20, VIP $30. 108th and Old Wadsworth Blvd., Westminster, 720-338-2252 , frightmare.biz

Fright Fest at Elitch Gardens

Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays Oct. 1-31 (closed Oct. 7). Family-friendly activities beginning at noon; after dark, a scream park. $37.99 adults and children over 48 inches; $27.99 children 48 inches and under and seniors. 2000 Elitch Circle, 303-595-4FUN, elitchgardens.com/frightfestdenver.

MAZES & PUMPKIN PATCHES

Bootown

Bootown Halloween Fun is a large bi-level 3-D maze full of colorful and festive enchantment. Bootown is the place for children of all ages and family entertainment! On top of the adventure-filled 3-D Maze, take a walk through the huge pumpkin patch or pumpkin painting area. With FREE parking and affordable Halloween fun, Heritage Square is the place to be this October! Location: Heritage Square 18301 W. Colfax Ave Golden, Co 80401. Hours:Weekends in October from 11 am to 7pm, Oct 8th thru Oct 31st. Glowing 3-D Maze Craze-Nightly from 7pm-till close. Pricing: Bootown 3D Maze is $8 per person (parents are free with children under 3) Admission includes your own set of 3D glasses and plenty of Halloween excitement. Paint-your-own pumpkins are $4 per pumpkin. Pumpkin and paint included in price. For more information and details on this event please contact-Heritage Square Amusement Park at (303) 727-8437 or www.heritagesquareamusementpark.com.

Mile High Farms Maze

Venture into the 20-acre corn maze featuring a South Seas designs with a 20 foot pirate ship right in the middle. The maze walk will take you through a volcano drawn in the corn. Are your navigation skills warmed up and ready to point you toward the goals in the corn maze scavenger hunt? Are your sea-faring eyes keen enough spot the whale diving into the maze? For the little ones, a mini maze and hay castle are ready to be explored. Barrel cars are revved up and ready to ride. Animals are gathering in the petting zoo. The bouncy castles are filled up and ready for all the energy the children can muster. Open Sunday through Thursday 10am-11pm, Friday & Saturday from 10am to midnight. $12 for adults and teens 13 and up, $10 for children. Call 303-416-7139 or visit www.milehighfarms.com

Wild West Maze

35-acre corn maze, pumpkin patch and fall activities Fridays 5-10 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m.-7 p.m. starting today. Adults $12, ages 5-11 $10; free for 4 and under. 6876 Weld CR 47, Hudson, 303-324-6102  www.wildwestmaze.com

Fritzler Corn Maze

15-acre corn maze, mini roller coaster, train ride, pedal go-carts, pumpkin cannons, duck races, 3D maze, u-pick pumpkin patch. Maze is family- friendly during the day; Scream Acres for adults at night. $5-30. 20861 U.S. 85, LaSalle, 970-737-2129 , www.fritzlermaze.com.

Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Corn Maze

The eight-acre Native-American-themed corn maze is open through Oct. 30. Mini maze for the little ones. Fridays 4-9 p.m., Saturdays noon-9 p.m., Sundays noon-6 p.m. $10 adults, $8 adult members, senior and students with ID; $5 children 4-12; $4 child members. There is also a 10-acre pupkin patch ready for picking. 8500 West Deer Creek Canyon, botanicgardens.org, 303-973-3705

Fall Festival and Corn Maze

10-acre corn maze, pumpkin blasters, pig races and more at Harvest Farm through Oct. 30. Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday 1-8 p.m. Adult (13 and up) $15, children (4-12) $10, under 3 free, seniors $10. Harvest Farm entrance on East (Larimer) County Road 66. harvestfarm.net, 970-568-9488

Halloween Pumpkin Patch Fall Festival

Cornfield maze, straw-bale maze, farm animals, farm-equipment display, steam tractor, Indian corn. Opens today. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.Cottonwood Farm, 75th Street and Arapahoe Road, Boulder. Now-Oct. 31. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 720-890-4766  cottonwoodfarms.com.

Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch

Corn maze, barnyard, and pumpkin cannon. Oct. 1-31. Weekday prices: 12 and up $7, 5-11 $5, 4 and under free; Weekends $20 per family. Wear closed shoes and long pants. May Farms, 64001 U.S. 36, Byers, 303-822-5800  Mayfarms.com.

FALL FESTIVALS / EVENTS

Children’s Museum Trick or Treat Street

t’s the sweetest time of year, so don your favorite costume and head to the Children’s Museum of Denver for a trick-or-treating adventure bursting with fun! Parade from one Treat House to the next collecting goodies, craft classic Halloween creatures, brave your chances at the Monster Carnival and stroll through Pumpkin Hill. Activities included with Museum admission. Oct. 29-31, 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Children’s Museum of Denver, 2121 Children’s Museum Drive. 303-376-4800  information@cmdenver.org, http://www.mychildsmuseum.org/.

Boo at the Zoo

The 27th annual Boo At The Zoo offers more than 25 trick-or-treat stations, creepy crawly animal demonstrations and exciting family-friendly entertainment under the canopy of the beautiful fall foliage of the Denver Zoo. Activities free with zoo admission. NEW THIS YEAR: Join Denver Zoo’s nocturnal creatures during a special night time additional of Boo At The Zoo, Friday, Oct. 28, 6-9 p.m. Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St. 303-376-4800, zooinfo@denverzoo.org, http://www.denverzoo.org/.

Día de los Muertos at Denver Botanic Gardens

Denver Botanic Gardens celebrates Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a festival of “welcome” for the souls of the dead. This celebration will feature live entertainment, artists and dancers. Attendees will enjoy a “Sugar Skull” making area, an area where they can create “Papel Picado”, and more. Complimentary face painting stations and a complimentary photo booth will also be on hand. Oct. 29, 5-8 p.m. Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St. 720-865-3500 exhibits@botanicgardens.org, botanicgardens.org/.

Colorado Symphony Halloween Spooktacular

Thrill to a program of spooky classics and chilling favorites at the Colorado Symphony’s annual Halloween concert. Join the orchestra members in costume for a chance to win some ghoulicious door prizes!, Oct. 30, 2 p.m. Boettcher Concert Hall / Denver Performing Arts Complex / 1000 14th St. 303-623-7876

Scream Scram 5K

Halloween is all about candy, but it can also be about staying fit, thanks to the annual Scream Scram 5K Run/Walk. Put on your costume and your sneakers and hit the pavement. At the finish, hang out at Trick or Treat Street for yummy food, award presentations and prize drawings for best costumes and top finishers. Oct. 21, 6 p.m. Washington Park, Denver, 303-892-9200 http://www.bgcmd.org/events/scream-scram.

Victorian Horrors at The Molly Brown House Museum

Be spooked for the first time, or return and be spooked again by a fresh selection of wicked writings of long-dead authors. Classic stories are brought to life in the dim, flickering candlelight as Edgar Allan Poe, HG Wells and others haunt you with their tales of the macabre. Bring someone to hold on to!, Oct. 14-15 & Oct. 21-22 Molly Brown House, 1340 Pennsylvania, Denver. 303.832-4092, mollybrown.org.

Country Harvest Festival

Hayrides, straw maze, crafts, pumpkin bowling, mural coloring, more. Oct. 8, 15, 22, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $6. Age 2 and under free. Straw maze for ages up to 10. 13785 Potomac St., Brighton. 303-659-5050  info@berrypatchfarms.com, berrypatchfarms.com.

Bogeyman Art Show

MacSpa opening art reception Oct. 6 6-9 p.m.; concert by The Lone Garage Massacre and spooky neighborhood walking tour at 8 p.m. $5. “Afraid of the Dark” reception with Zombie caricature artist Stan Yan and another tour 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 22, $5. 1738 Wynkoop, Suite 103, 303-898-4350

Erie Chamber Harvest Fest

Pumpkin patch, hayrides, car show, craft vendors, food vendors, chili and pie contests, talent contest. Oct. 1, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Erie Community Park, Powers St. and County Line Rd., Erie, 303-828-3440 eriechamber.org.

Haunted Wine Tasting and Tour

Two-hour ride with Rocky Mountain Paranormal Research Society. Through Nov. 19. $75. Wine tasting 7 p.m.; tour leaves at 8 p.m. 1660 Champa St., 5280winetourco.com; 720-364-9613

Central City Creepy Crawl

Over-21 tours leave each quarter hour, 7-9 p.m. Family tours leave 6:30 p.m. or 6:45 p.m. Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29. $5, available at King Soopers or City Markets, ticketswest.com or 866-464-2626. Check in at Century Casino, Gregory St., 20 minutes before tour time.

Denver Zombie Crawl

Be a part of undead history this year, when Denver holds the largest Zombie gathering in history at Skyline Park. Put on your best zombie makeup and outfit and join this “afternoon of the living dead.” This is an ALL AGES and FREE event which attracted more than 7,000 “zombies” in 2010. The organizers do however ask that participants bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the Food Bank of the Rockies. Oct. 22, 2 p.m. Skyline Park, downtown http://eyeheartbrains.com/

Greeley Zombie Crawl

MorbidNights crawl through The Greeley Mall Oct. 1, 1-3 p.m. Meet up near Sears. U.S. 34 and 23rd Ave., Greeley, morbidnightscolorado.com

Bogeyman Art Show

MacSpa opening art reception Oct. 6 6-9 p.m.; concert by The Lone Garage Massacre and spooky neighborhood walking tour at 8 p.m. $5. “Afraid of the Dark” reception with Zombie caricature artist Stan Yan and another tour 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 22, $5. 1738 Wynkoop, Suite 103, 303-898-4350

Mountain Lions, Bats and Bears, Oh My!

Wild Bear Mountain Ecology Center’s “Enchanted Forest” at Mud Lake Open Space Oct. 1. All ages. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tours begin at noon, end with barbecue. $8 advance, $10 at door. 20 Lakeview Drive, Unit 107, Nederland, 303-258-0495

Sales of environmentally friendly back-to-school products are up just about everywhere. At the Container Store, the increase is 30 percent over last year for some items, said Mona Williams, the company’s vice president of buying. “We have seen a huge resurgence,” she said.

The trend makes the schools happy (much less garbage). It makes the stores happy (higher back-to-school spending). It even makes the students happy (green feels good).

Who’s not happy? The parents (what to do when the Tupperware runs out?).

“Ziplocs are the biggest misstep,” said Julie Corbett, a mother in Oakland, Calif., whose two girls attend a school with an eco-friendly lunch policy. In school years past, she said, many a morning came unhinged when the girls were sent to school with disposable sandwich bags.

“That’s when the kids have meltdowns, because they don’t want to be shamed at school,” Ms. Corbett said. “It’s a big deal.”

Schools have been adopting environmentally friendly policies for ecological and budget reasons, and retailers have been rushing to fill the newfound demand with store-front promotions and aggressive marketing. Staples has rows of eco-friendly lunch containers, like an Extreme flap lunchbox case with a compartment for plastic food boxes, and a Yak Pak lunch tote that looks like a purse.

Many of the schools are pushing waste-free lunches, where everything must be either compostable or reusable, in an effort to reduce garbage and the cost of hauling it away. Others are requiring that students bring reusable gear because even though the upfront cost is higher, it tends to be cheaper over the course of the year.

“We try to be sensitive to keeping costs down for families,” said Emily Hyde, assistant headmaster of Archway Classical Academy at Veritas, a new charter school in Phoenix that requires a reusable water bottle and lunch box for each student. “It seemed like the economical choice.”

Either way, parents can be a hard sell. “Any parent who’s trying to get their kid ready and out the door in the morning knows that it’s tough” when there are more items to deal with, said Ms. Williams, the executive at the Container Store.

Brian Greene, the principal of Prairie Crossing Charter School in Grayslake, Ill., has resorted to buying reusable lunchboxes in bulk and selling them at cost to school families to get more of them on board. At the school’s new-parent meeting held last week, parents of returning students did a show and tell for the newcomers. One mother brought a Tupperware container that she had used for years; another brought a Rubbermaid container.

In the past, students performed skits about recycling but the parent-to-parent evangelism seemed more effective, Mr. Greene said.

“The kids are all about it,” Mr. Greene said, but with the parents, “you have to build habits.”

He added, “We don’t send notes home to parents and say, ‘Listen, this is the third time you’ve brought a Cheeto bag.’ But we help them to understand” why the school has the lunch policy.

Judith Wagner, a professor of education at Whittier College in California who directs its laboratory school for elementary and middle-school children, has also been struggling with how to get parents’ support for less wasteful lunches.

“Parents will say things like, ‘Well, I want her to have a choice, and if I put in a peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich and a ham sandwich, she has a choice,’ ” Professor Wagner said. “And each one comes in its own separate plastic bag.”

What comes next, she said, is a hard call. “Do you go back to the parents and say, ‘Gosh, can you rethink the plastic bags and all this food?’ Or do you talk to the children, and you make the children feel guilty because they’re throwing this all away?”

Despite the difficulties, the push for eco-friendly products in school lunches seems to be working, at least judging by sales data from retailers.

Sales of paper bags and sandwich bags, which once were school lunch must-haves, are declining. Between August 2010 and August 2011, unit sales of plastic sandwich bags sold declined by 3.17 percent, while paper bags fell by 13.19 percent, compared with the same period a year earlier, according to the market research firm SymphonyIRI Group.

At the Container Store, popular items this year include Japanese bento-box-style lunch boxes, Bobble water bottles with built-in filters, reusable cotton sandwich bags called snackTaxis, and PeopleTowels, machine-washable napkins.

Ms. Corbett, the Oakland parent, said the social pressure her children felt regarding recyclable products was palpable.

Still, she says, plasticware can be a pain to clean, and is not cheap. When she thinks it is likely that her daughters will lose the containers — if, for instance, they’re going on a field trip — she uses waxed-paper sleeves, like the kind bakeries use for cookies, to hold sandwiches instead.

“It’s still a no-no because you’re still having to throw that away, but it is biodegradable, it does compost, so you’re not as guilty,” she said.

Still, Ms. Corbett said the environmental message had reached her. After she saw how much waste she could reduce by changing her lunch packaging routine, she started an eco-friendly packaging company, Ecologic.

“It created this very big awareness in our family,” Ms. Corbett said.

By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD

Ten green boutiques

1. Green Logic

This Fort Collins store, a veteran in the eco-boutique business, was opened five years ago by the husband-wife team of Colleen Barricklow and Jason Cohencious. Located between Old Town and the New Belgium Brewery, they cater to students, tourists and residents.

Cohencious says they pride themselves on carrying, “a little of everything.” Clothing in organic cotton, bamboo and soy, baby toys and games, fair trade apparel, bedding, bath, kitchen and organic-gardening products, small solar-powered items and decorative items like picture frames and clocks made out of computer motherboards. For students they sell backpacks, lunch bags and water bottles made from recycled materials, as well as paper products and school supplies. 261 Linden St., Fort Collins. 970-484-1740; green-logic.net

2. Topo Ranch

Any retailer that has regular first-Friday evening musical performances and beer is going to be popular, and this Boulder store is no exception. Topo Ranch makes soft, comfortable organic cotton T-shirts and hoodies, along with other men’s, women’s and kids’ styles. It caters to wholesale clients and, through its retail store, also sells denim, shoes and accessories.

As for entertainment, next up on May 6, from 5 to 8 p.m., listen to Lumineers from Brooklyn and see the art of Kristin FitzGerrell’s Studio 22. To get updates about music events, send a request to boulder@toporanch.com. 1505 Pearl St., Suite 103, Boulder. 303-440-4242, toporanch.com

3. Lovely

It has been three years since Emilie Oliver and Hallie Wastell opened Lovely in Arvada’s Olde Town shopping district. They sell on-trend clothing in earth-friendly fabrics such as organic cotton, silk and hemp produced with minimal environmental impact.

Among the lines they carry are Big Star Jeans made in Los Angeles using an eco-friendly process, Synergy and LAmade tops and dresses in organic fabrics, and fair trade clothing made in Nepal. Check the website and blog for info on sales and events. 7405 Grandview Ave., Olde Town Arvada. 720-379-5739, lovelyboutique.net

4. EcoPOLITAN

Originally founded by Robin Morris as Modern Mommy Gear, the store shifted focus in 2010 to specialize in eco-friendly gear for the whole family. It carries green goods for every member of the house, from diapers for baby and natural skin-care products for Mom to accessories for the family pets. Products range from being highly functional, such as household cleaning supplies and reusable shopping bags, to fun and whimsical. 437B S. Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood. 303-989-2229, eco-politan.com

5. Unity Boutique

Unity was Denver’s first fashion boutique offering clothing made in America from environmentally sustainable fabrics when it opened in a Victorian house in the Old South Pearl Street business district more than four years ago. Owner Megan Smith carries men’s and women’s clothing and denim from such labels as Reuse and LAmade. For spring there are lots of dresses and separates for women, and tanks and T-shirts for men. Unity also is known for its footwear, selling TOMS for men, women and children, and new this season are Freewaters sandals for men and women. Women’s jewelry, handbags and other accessories are also a draw. 1455 S. Pearl St., 720-570-5076; unityboutique.com.

6. Ten Thousand Villages

While the fair-trade company has close to 400 stores, Ten Thousand Villages locations feel like part of the neighborhood — in this case, Cherry Creek North, Denver; and Old Town, Fort Collins. That might be because the businesses are nonprofit and staffed with the help of dozens of volunteers who guide customers among the handmade gifts, jewelry, home decor, art and sculpture made by artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. The organization works with artisans in 38 countries, plus the Denver store sells local goods from the Women’s Bean Project and cards made by women at The Gathering Place shelter.

Denver store manager Judy Nafziger says prices range from $2 to $475, with a lot of items in the $10 to $50 range. Find items you like, and they’ll create a gift registry for you. 2626 E. Third Ave., 303-316-8773. Denver.tenthousandvillages.com.; and 113 Linden St., Old Town Square, Fort Collins. 970-224-9501, fortcollins.tenthousandvillages.com

7. Omerica Organic

Ryan Lorenz started this venture selling high quality wood jewelry and accessories and has built a successful retail and wholesale business.

Omerica uses exotic hardwoods that are sustainably grown and harvested in creating its ear lobe plugs, buckles, pendants and dog tags. Many of the hand-finished designs have inlays.

While the business is mostly wholesale, it also has a retail operation on site. 3060 Larimer St., 877-663-7422; omericaorganic.com

8. Talulah Jones

Owner Robin Lohre is the first to admit that her store isn’t 100 percent “green,” but in everything from her shopping bags made of recycled paper and the light bulbs that illuminate the space to the cleaning products that keep it sparkling, she’s working at it. She takes pride in the fact that the store was certified green three years ago through the ReDirect Guide. She sells fair trade clothing, children’s books and Plan Toys USA, which are made from kiln-dried wood, as well as stationary, jewelry and home and gift items. 1122 E. 17th Ave. (at Park Avenue), 303-832-1230, talulahonline .com

9. The Giggling Green Bean

New moms can shop here for everything from infant and toddler clothing in such fabrics as organic cotton or bamboo, to toys made of wood or recycled plastic. Baby carriers, bottles, bibs and bowls are other popular items, says assistant manager Jenna Hoskinson, who cites being able to bring her almost 1-year-old daughter to work as just one of the perks of her job.

Amy Mann started the business in 2007 after having trouble finding a place to buy cloth diapers. She opened a business in her home and then expanded to open The Giggling Green Bean two years ago, offering a wider assortment of baby goods.

GGB also offer classes on breast feeding and other topics of interest to parents and new moms. 3929 Tennyson St., 720-988-3725; the-giggling-green-bean.com

10. Naturally Loved

Former schoolteacher Alyson Warren made the switch from classroom to retailing after having a baby. For both economic and an ecological reasons, she decided to use cloth diapers, make her own baby food and raise her daughter Eva as naturally as possible. Warren soon found herself teaching other new moms the same tricks and, last August, opened a store selling organic clothing for infants, children and moms-to-be; wooden toys; stuffed animals; blankets; and gear for nursing and making baby food. With a commitment to community, her store hosts classes in everything from making green cleaning supplies to yoga and infant massage. 7349 E. 29th Ave., 303-955-6207; naturallylovedbaby .com

-Suzanne Brown