Humidity – It is common to have relative humidity measure less than 15% in the mountains. It is part of the reason for wildfire risks and for the short lifespan of wood used outdoors. Just as snow evaporates without ever being liquid, people generally show no perceptible perspiration. That doesn’t mean you are not losing fluid, it just means you won’t notice until you become seriously dehydrated.  Staying hydrated at these elevations and low humidity levels takes diligence. Fail to do so and you’ll have a hangover like headache or worse. I continue to believe Boulder may have been named after the concretions which form in you nasal passages rather than any geological features. Pam and neutral cooking oils are important adjuncts for keeping your skin from turning to leather and cracking in these conditions.

Connectivity – What’s that? Many areas of the mountains have no cell signal – period. We are fortunate to have an AT&T cell tower within a mile. Most internet in the mountains is through satellite providers. We again have the good fortune to have line-of-site to a point-to-point ISP. Data caps and higher cost, but what a blessing over satellite.

Water – The Colorado constitution is specific that every drop of water in the state has an owner and it probably isn’t you. It is illegal to capture or impede the flow of water across your property. Some jurisdictions require enhanced septic systems under the theory you are only borrowing someone’s water as it passes through you and your sewage treatment and back into the ground.  Recent legislation allows some homeowners to collect up to a 110-gallon rainwater tank. Wells are expensive and uncertain. If your property is less than 35 acres the water can only be used inside the home – you can’t even legally water an outdoor dog or cat. Cisterns cost about $.25 – $.35 / per gallon to fill – nearly 100 times the cost of municipal water in the Midwest.  Good fortune again, we have municipal water, it is high quality and reasonably priced. Another good fortune, the water tap fee was already paid for and in place. The current tap fee for 3/4″ service is over $18,000 vs $200 in our Indiana system. The final good fortune is the presence of a fire hydrant within 50 ft of the property. Much new construction requires building and filling a separate fire protection cistern.

Radionuclides – Say what? These are radioactive elements, primarily radon and uranium, and are common in the mountains.  It is a huge deal if they are present in well water and for that matter in the air inside the home. All water with radionuclides should be treated continuously and the reverse osmosis systems to remove the contamination are $10k or more. Chronically breathing air with radionuclides is inviting lung cancer. Often single day or 30-day air sampling is done to determine radon risk. Radon levels can fluctuate widely from day to day and over time making these short-term measurements of questionable value. We are deploying a continuous recording monitor now that the house is weather tight and will develop a strategy based on those results.

Ambient pressure – All insulated glass windows made in the U.S. are manufactured at less than 1000 ft above sea level. Bring one of those to 8500 ft and the glass is likely to explode. Same thing with potato chip bags. Most manufacturers offer options to equalize the pressure within the window assembly making them safe for these altitudes. Don’t expect to see potato chip makers follow suit. Another consideration comes when you make coffee. If it doesn’t seem full flavored, it’s because the boiling point of water at 8500 ft is 196 degrees. This 16 degree difference from sea level means many of coffee’s flavor principals fail to be extracted in the brewing process. If you have a highly developed pallet prepare to be challenged and maybe disappointed when making coffee.

Wildfire – The time to plan for wildfire is not when you see smoke. There are many site and building designs as well as material selections which can vastly improve the prospects of a structure surviving a wildfire. Fire-resistant fiber cement and steel roofing and siding, encapsulated crawl space, un-vented attic, triple glazed windows, no flammable window treatments and backdraft dampers on all venting are some examples. No foundation plantings and a non-combustible 3-6 ft perimeter around the foundation. Concrete patios and stoops, no wood decks or fences. Wildfire site mitigation employing a 15-30 foot defensible zone around the home leaving only a few specimen trees with all branches trimmed up at least 10 ft above the ground are additional steps we are taking. Between mid-August and late October 2020 over 700 square miles with boundaries falling within 30 miles of the home had been consumed by wildfire. It is a threat that is quite unique relative to earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other natural events and we are taking it deadly seriously.

Wildlife – Lot’s of beautiful wildlife in the mountains but it is important to remember at least three varieties can kill you. We haven’t seen a bear yet, but we have seen moose and a mountain lion. An old-timer I was talking with over a craft beer told me that while attacks are not uncommon there isn’t much publicity around people who are killed by bears and mountain lions. There is probably way more risk of death driving to Boulder, but attacks do happen and sometimes with fatal consequences. We selected entry doors with 1/4 lights – glass only in the top quarter of the door specifically to lessen the risk of a bear coming in for a visit or a meal. All windows are roughly 5 ft above grade for similar reasons. If a bear is determined to share a meal in your home these measures will prove only an inconvenience to them.

Highlife and Lowlife – Colorado became one of the first states to legalize recreational use of Marijuana. Good move if you want to decrease prison populations, bad news if you want the most productive and reliable workforce. That legislation resulted in a pretty large influx of population who came to work only enough to afford their pot. Drive down a major multi-lane road around Boulder, encounter someone driving 15 under the speed limit and there is a good chance they came to Colorado to indulge. This culture is not good for construction projects. Every time a trade doesn’t show up or doesn’t get their work done on schedule there is a ripple throughout the entire project. I literally prayed every week for the safety of those who helped bring this project together. Pot addled workers risk their well being and that of others. We only had one sub who appeared to indulge regularly and he didn’t last long. He apparently had a very delicate ego as he stopped responding to e-mail, text and phone calls after I reminded him of an installation detail. It worked out for the best as usually is the case. After his first day I realized his work schedule began around 9 a.m., or whenever he could drag his sorry butt the two miles from his home. He was quite prompt, however, when putting his tools away at 2 p.m. He acted like I was crazy when I innocently asked if he worked weekends.

Great Realtor and  Subcontractors! – I had a fantasy about managing this project from the second story garage apartment, looking down at subcontractors dutifully completing their work. All the while I’d be drinking coffee and taking in the views of the Continental Divide. That was a short lived fantasy. Fortunately not everyone lives in Colorado to get high. The hunt for subcontractors to work in the mountains is challenging. Subcontractors living in the population centers along I-25 are generally not thrilled by the prospect of commuting up the limited routes to Nederland. CO 119, the main route from Boulder, has been under repair since being washed out in the flood of 2012. That commute takes 25 minutes under optimal circumstance which can easily become an hour or more under less ideal conditions. Those willing to come rightly expect additional compensation for their travel. Mountain based subcontractors are an interesting lot. Many work only to live. They may be hunters, hikers, skiers or mountain bikers and for some all of the above. The economy is good, work is plentiful and mountain based subcontractors are mostly uninterested in getting more work. The few willing to take work can be extremely hard to contact. Only a fraction have a website, many don’t have e-mail or won’t reply. Cell service in the mountains is generally unavailable and few seem to reply to voicemails or texts. One of the biggest challenges of this project was simply finding and engaging subcontractors. That left much more “hammer swinging” than I ever contemplated, but diligent effort yielded some great subcontractors who were responsive, dedicated and passionate about performing good work. Here is a list of true partners I would like to recognize and thank:

• Tim Johnson – The Golden Group Real Estate
• Kip Farmer Designs – Color Selections
• Jim Stack, LLC – Framing
• Canyon Plumbing
• Axicon Electric
• Mountain Air HVAC
• Gilbert Concrete
• Black Hawk Hauling
• Fortified Carpentry – Siding
• RG Insulation – Philip Trimm
• Elite Construction – Drywall
• Jorge Majores – Painting
• Cameron Widoff – Ceramic Tile Showe