Good Friday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by the Chautauqua Association — get your tickets for Mountainfilm, returning to the Chautauqua Auditorium on Oct. 2 with inspiring documentary films and more.
Leading today’s edition: Boulder Falls may never reopen after last year’s massive rockslide. Consultants say the risk of another catastrophic event is so high that unless a safe new viewing area can be built, permanent closure is on the table, reports Brooke Stephenson. One of Boulder’s most popular and accessible scenic spots — a go-to for visitors, families and climbers — Boulder Falls drew more than 260,000 visits in 2023 before the trail was shut down. Officials now warn the next big rockfall could be deadly.
Meanwhile, what was supposed to be Day 1 of Xcel’s Marshall Fire trial instead ended in a $640 million settlement with the company and two telecom firms. The deal still needs approval from more than 4,000 plaintiffs. “There are a lot of questions as to how this settlement is going to help homeowners,” Jeri Curry, executive director of Marshall ROC, a recovery group for survivors, told BRL.
Also today: Longmont has, over the years, gone from pit stop en route to Estes Park to a dining hub — and that’s on display during Longmont Restaurant Week (Oct. 3-12), with 40+ spots offering $25-$55 deals, from burgers and a pint at 300 Suns Brewing to multi-course dinners at Sugarbeet. In this week’s Nibbles, John Lehndorff also dishes on a Lafayette hummus haven, local chefs up for state honors and the latest openings.
More, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: Calm, delightful start to fall.
- BVSD schools: Board approves new attendance boundaries.
- Chapman Drive: $1.4M pedestrian bridge opens beside existing span.
- Rec centers: New SmartRec sign-up system launches Nov. 14.
- Boulderthon: Races Sunday bring major road closures.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
Mountainfilm on Tour returns to Chautauqua Auditorium on October 2! Experience an evening of inspiring documentary films that showcase adventure, activism, the environment, and the resilience of the human spirit. Bringing together filmmakers, change makers, and the Boulder community, Mountainfilm invites you to celebrate stories that spark action and inspire a better world.
Boulder Falls faces permanent closure after rockslide: ‘Pretty likely it’s gonna squish somebody’
The popular scenic area was closed in 2024 after a massive rockfall. Now city staff say if they can’t safely move the viewing area back, the risk may be too great to reopen. Continue reading…
Xcel agrees to $640 million settlement in Marshall Fire lawsuits
The deal, which still requires final approval from plaintiffs, would resolve a high-stakes case over Colorado’s most destructive wildfire, which killed two people and upended thousands of lives in Boulder County. Continue reading…
Nibbles: Restaurant Week shows why Longmont is Boulder County’s hidden dining hub
From award-winning pizza and artisan chocolates to a butter bar and Guatemalan coffee, Longmont’s dining boom shines in October’s Restaurant Week — plus hummus in Lafayette, local chef honors and new openings. Continue reading…
A warm & quiet weekend ahead
This weekend is looking downright delightful for the Boulder area. Sunshine holds strong today, with highs nudging into the low 80s. A weak cool front will scoot through this evening, bringing a few clouds but little else.
Saturday keeps the mellow theme going — dry, pleasant and warm — thanks to a reinforcing ridge over the northern Rockies. Sunday stays mostly dry as well, though a stray thundershower could sneak into the area late in the day. Expect afternoon highs in the upper 70s and crisp nights in the lower 50s over the weekend.
No notable weather features are anticipated until at least mid-to-late next week —enjoy the warm, dry start to fall.
BVSD board approves new attendance boundaries
On Tuesday, Sept. 23, the Boulder Valley School District board approved changes to school attendance boundaries for the first time in 40 years. The goal is partly to boost enrollment at struggling schools like Heatherwood and Flatirons Elementary, which have fallen below capacity and lost resources as a result.
The changes would shift about 52 students from Crestview to Heatherwood, 48 students to Flatirons and 41 students from Creekside to Bear Creek. Smaller adjustments include dissolving a Creekside “attendance island” within Whittier’s boundary and streamlining feeder patterns so more students advance together through middle and high school.
Provisions allow all students to remain at their current schools for the entire grade span, though without bus service. An earlier version only allowed rising fifth- and seventh-graders to stay with siblings for one year.
BRL previously covered these changes in depth, including questions about whether Colorado’s open enrollment law may limit their impact.
Chapman Drive pedestrian bridge complete — and not without controversy
The pedestrian bridge to Chapman Drive is now officially open. The bridge was originally supposed to be finished in June, but was pushed back due to construction delays. While the trailhead already has a vehicle bridge, a second path was installed to help pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians cross safely. The project cost $1.4 million and marks the end of a decade-long Boulder Canyon Trail improvement project.
But the bridge has stirred controversy: Critics question whether it was needed at all, given its location right beside an existing multimodal bridge and the lack of serious crashes in the area. City and county officials defended the project, saying it fulfills a decades-old plan to separate trail users from cars along Boulder Canyon. The work also included a monthslong closure of a popular underpass earlier this year, frustrating some users, and comes as Boulder faces a budget shortfall and uncertainty around federal funding.
Heads up: Boulder rolling out new rec center sign-up system in November
Starting Nov. 14, the City of Boulder will roll out a new registration system, SmartRec by Amilia, to replace its current software. The new platform is designed to make it easier to sign up for fitness classes, reserve pool lanes or courts, and manage memberships at city rec centers and the West and East Age Well Centers.
Current members will get email instructions the week of Nov. 3 to set up their accounts, with existing data automatically transferred over. Funding from the city’s Health Equity Fund will also allow qualifying members to reapply for financial assistance beginning Nov. 14, with aid available through 2026.
Rec staff plan to host drop-in training sessions in October to help residents learn the new system.
Boulderthon races return Sunday
The Boulderthon Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K and 5K are set for Sunday, Sept. 28, bringing thousands of runners through Boulder County and the City of Boulder between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. Roads along the course will be closed at various times, including stretches of Jay Road, 51st Street, 55th Street, Monarch Road, 71st Street, Niwot Road and sections of Pearl Street, Spruce Street, 47th Street, 26th Street and Folsom Street. Access to some neighborhoods will be managed by pilot cars.
Residents and drivers should plan ahead, expect delays and follow directions from law enforcement and race marshals. Boulder Reservoir will also be closed until 1 p.m. Course maps and full road closure details are available on the Boulderthon website.
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