BAILEY, Colo. — U.S. 285 cuts through Bailey, drawing a steady stream of travelers to local businesses, but this ski season is different: with warm temperatures and little snow, ski resorts and the Park County community alike are feeling the impact.
Beth Schneider, executive director of the Conifer Area Chamber of Commerce, sees firsthand how U.S. 285 supports businesses from the Denver metro through Bailey and Evergreen. According to Schneider, the corridor "is a huge part of our economy."
"I don't think people have any idea of what an impact this highway has on communities like Morrison, Conifer, Pine, and Bailey. It's a pass-through for many folks, but for us, it's the way we earn a living, and so it's really important that people stop when they're coming to us," Schneider said.
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This reliance on visitors is shared up and down the highway. Rather than taking Interstate 70, some shredders opt for U.S. 285 to reach the slopes. Schneider noted that many mountain communities along this route depend on visitors stopping in to help sustain their local businesses.
"We do have a good amount of traffic that comes through, up 285, for ski traffic, and because of that, some of our restaurants and other businesses have been really suffering because we just don't have people stopping to eat or to shop," Schneider said.
That impact is felt by local establishments. One of the businesses feeling the effects is Craft Mountain Brewing. James Mataczynski bought the business in April 2024, ready to "make the plunge" in the brew business.
"We are making amazing beer. I think the first thing I changed was the recipe," Mataczynski said. "I kept one recipe from the previous owners, who were making awesome beer, to the point where I'm really excited about entering the Great American Beer Fest."
The brewery is right off U.S. 285, making it easy to spot off the main roadway, and offers plenty of parking.
► TAKE A TOUR OF BAILEY BREWERY IN THE VIDEO BELOW
Reflecting on this season, Mataczynski shared that instead of experiencing a true winter, it felt more like a "wind-er" with high winds replacing the expected snow—ultimately impacting the business.
"I had no idea that the lack of snow would affect our business that much," he said. "Because again, I saw some ski traffic, but I can never really monitor it, but the lack of snow just west of us really, really hurt us."
Following these challenges, after a successful summer, Mataczynski noticed sales began to taper off heading into the winter season.
"We saw about 20% growth all summer compared to the year before, and then as soon as September hit, we saw a 45% decline from September all the way through the end of February," Mataczynski said.
Even though the winter brought a drop in sales, Mataczynski remains positive. He's ready to pack the patio with customers and take full advantage of the warmth Mother Nature is expected to bring.
"We got a lot of ground to make up for those six months that we were down by 45%, but I'm optimistic, especially if it stays like this. Nobody's gonna wanna sweat it out in Denver," Mataczynski exclaimed. "They're going to want to come up and enjoy the no more than 80-degree weather up here."
Looking ahead, Mataczynski said they are working with the chamber of commerce to figure out how to boost winter tourism in the town. Despite these efforts, at the heart of this mountain community, Mataczynski takes pride in serving the regulars who keep supporting him.
"We do have a really great support from our locals in our community. I think one great thing about our city, all the way down to Conifer and Morrison, is we've got this really, really great sense of community, where we help each other as much as we can in the wintertime," Mataczynski said.
Denver7 is following various stories about the 2025-2026 winter and its impact on the state
