Creek Week Cleanup in the Ute Pass
The Fountain Creek watershed has become home to the largest cleanup effort of its kind in the state, and Ute Pass youth and residents are participating. Creek Week Cleanup is a nine-day community improvement and beautification program that has captured the hearts and dedication of thousands of volunteers who put in time and effort to beautify and protect our beloved watershed. This year’s 11th annual Cleanup runs from Sept. 28 through Oct. 6.
Ute Pass Elementary School (UPES) students will take part on Tuesday, Oct. 1, focusing their efforts on the stretch of Fountain Creek between the school in Cascade and Green Mountain Falls, a well-loved and often walked stretch along “America’s Trail.” Jackie Powell, UPES Principal, shares, “This opportunity is extremely important for our students not only to give back to the community that supports us in so many ways, but to develop a stronger connection to our natural environment, learn about the local watershed, and identify ways that we can make a difference right now that will support generations to come.”
Green Mountain Falls (GMF) is hosting a morning Creek Week Cleanup as well as a community workday on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 9-11 a.m. to clean debris from Catamount and Fountain Creeks as well as beautify town parks and open spaces. Meet at the Green Box Farm Stand by 9 a.m. with gloves, water bottle and a smile.
For more information, go to www.fountain-crk.org/creek-week, or email Jay Kita, Coordinator for GMF Community Workday, at jay.kita.1@gmail.com.
Brush Hollow Winery at Pikes Peak opens its doors in Cascade
A winery in the Ute Pass? Welcome to Brush Hollow Winery at Pikes Peak!
Robert Vanatta, his mom Christine Roth and stepdad James Roth are owners and operators of this newly opened winery in Cascade, right at the turn off to Pikes Peak Highway from Highway 24. Robert is the winemaker, Christine coordinates the kitchen, and James helps out as needed. They offer locals and tourists alike an “unforgettable tasting experience in one of the most beautiful settings in the world.”
This is the second of the wineries opened by Brush Hollow, who proclaims that, “the Colorado wine industry is on the verge of significant expansion and improvement. Great wine has always been about spirit and place.”
Brush Hollow’s initial location in Penrose opened just before the Covid pandemic in March 2020, and has a small operational vineyard. The Cascade location is visioned to be the main showcase for all Brush Hollow Wineries, with other locations within the state to be announced as plans evolve. Each location will have its own specialty product, while displaying all the diverse products from other Brush Hollow initiatives. Cascade’s specialty will be wine production. (Stay tuned as more is revealed!)
Robert’s love affair with entrepreneurship began during his college years during which he wanted to “make something on my own, without having a boss. Our whole family owned their own businesses.” He experimented early on with creating “bazooka,” a traditional Polish spiced whiskey made with 100% natural ingredients including sugar, cloves and cinnamon. He owned his own distillery during his last two years of college during which he distilled vodkas, gins and whiskey.
The renovated historic building in Cascade is beautiful inside and out. The stucco dwelling houses: an Italian styled restaurant with delicious flatbread pizzas, mouth-watering charcuterie boards, paninis, salads, all with suggested wine pairings; a gift shop with specialty items including olive oils, balsamic vinegars, Tailored West apparel, hats and bags, pastas, and bath and kitchen products; a warm and welcoming tasting room with racks of wines, ciders and mead; and a cafe with espresso drinks, pastries, sodas and specialty Brush Hollow branded coffees (roasted daily!). The large and lovely outdoor space is creekside, with plans emerging for a wood-fired pizza oven, an outdoor kitchen and more.
“We’re not limiting ourselves to producing one product,” Vanatta states. “We’re calling ourselves a ‘lifestyle brand.’ We have our own clothing line made by Tailored West in Cañon City. [We’ve partnered with] a few other companies to have our own soda line, our own coffee line, our own oils, vinegars, pastas, soap products. We do quite a lot … Anything you need to live the Colorado lifestyle.”
Brush Hollow is sponsoring an idyllic Italian eight-day retreat to bring all your Tuscan dreams to life. If you go, you’ll be immersed in an agritourism experience overlooking vineyards and orchards, delve into the life of Leonardo da Vinci and soak up the healing waters of Montecatini Spa.
In addition, Brush Hollow Winery is open for event rentals. Currently, they are running a raffle for a free wedding rental.
Open hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., at 4455 Cascade Avenue, Cascade, CO 80809. For more information, go to brushhollowwinery.com, or call 719-784-7245.
