entertainment/lifestyle

Denver-based Alterra Mountain Company revealed early-bird price increases for next year’s Ikon passes on Thursday that were less than the increases rival Vail Resorts announced Tuesday for its Epic passes. But Ikon passes still cost more than comparable Epic passes. When Ikon passes go on sale next Thursday, the early-bird cost will be $1,249, which is $267 more than the comparable Epic Pass. The Ikon Base Pass will cost $869, which is $138 more than the Epic Local pass. Year-over-year, Ikon increased $90, a 7.7%…

A Colorado company is on a mission to reimagine the country’s campgrounds and it’s starting by building tent- and trailer-friendly accommodations near the state’s national parks. In 2023, Ramble opened its first campground on a 640-acre plot near the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Alamosa. It features 25 camping sites each equipped with amenities like a smokeless fire pit, chairs, and a built-in camp stove. It’s preparing to debut its second location in Cortez near Mesa Verde National Park this spring. The Golden-based…

In 2018, Justin Riley went to a plumbing warehouse in a remote part of north Denver to pick up some equipment for a new business he was starting, Improper City. Six years later, he has returned for his next project – transforming the warehouse itself. Riley, 36, and his team of Giovanni Leone, 31, and Colton Cartwright, 33, plan to convert the 62,000-square-foot building at 3625 E. 48th Ave. — northwest of Colorado Boulevard and Interstate 70 — into a destination for Denverites. Dubbed “Moodswing,” the business will be an…

In a video posted on TikTok, Fort Collins resident Rachel Pastor outlines the key ways to benefit from microdosing with psilocybin. Take care of your physical body, she says, and be sure to set an intention when taking the substance. Have a consistent microdosing routine and, most importantly, make time to reflect on the experience and apply any lessons learned to other aspects of life. Pastor’s video, which has been viewed more than 10,000 times, is like many others on the social media platform that tout the benefits of…

Since the founding of Parker’s Downhill Brewing in 2017, owners Jake Minturn and Doug Hyndman always planned to expand to multiple locations. By then, the craft beer market had matured enough the duo felt they couldn’t rely on the production and distribution model. Instead, they tried to build a welcoming space — and one with a vibe that could be replicated in new places. After years of searching, Minturn and Hyndman finally found their ideal spot. Downhill Brewing’s second location in Greenwood Village opened at 9672 E.…

Denver-based Stranahan’s distillery marks its 20th anniversary this year, and to celebrate, the whiskey maker is tracing its roots back to Aspen with a new tasting room and restaurant opening in March in the mountain town. The Aspen Whiskey Lodge, at 307 S. Mill St., serves alpine-inspired dishes alongside drams and cocktails featuring the distillery’s original spirits. It opens March 9 and given its proximity to Aspen Mountain, head blender Justin Aden expects it will be a popular après ski destination. “My favorite part…

TRVE Brewing, which opened in Denver in 2012 with a tiny three-barrel brewing system and a big personality, said Wednesday that it will stop making beer at the large off-site production facility it added in 2015 — a non-public-facing building known as the Acid Temple — and shift all of its Colorado production to New Image Brewing in Wheat Ridge The heavy-metal-themed brewery will keep its taproom open, at 227 Broadway, however. Plans are also on track for a second taproom, opening later this year next to the Mission…

As its mother-and-son founders untangle their finances and go their separate ways, Tavern Hospitality Group has closed its namesake restaurants and is selling real estate. “We finally settled our disagreement,” Frank Schultz said Tuesday of a contentious and nearly year-long legal dispute between he and his mother, Terry Papay. “We have a large property portfolio and part of that settlement is getting rid of some of the properties.” Two weeks ago, Tavern Hospitality Group closed its Tavern restaurants in Lowry and…

Wendy’s is looking to test having the prices of its menu items fluctuate throughout the day based on demand, implementing a strategy that has already taken hold with ride-sharing companies and ticket sellers. During a conference call earlier this month, Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner said that the Dublin, Ohio-based burger chain will start testing dynamic pricing, also known as surge pricing, as early as next year. “Beginning as early as 2025, we will begin testing more enhanced features like dynamic pricing and daypart…

A new THC-infused seltzer is now available in Colorado and, in a departure from cannabis norms, locals don’t need to go to a dispensary to purchase it. That’s because Cann seltzers are made with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) extracted from hemp rather than from marijuana. In Colorado, marijuana can only be sold by heavily regulated dispensaries or recreational pot shops. But since hemp isn’t a federally controlled substance, products derived from it can be sold anywhere. In January, Cann launched one of…