Howdy neighbors. Buck Timber here, writing this while the house lets out a long groan every time another gust slams into it. If you stepped outside this week you probably didn’t hear much except the wind trying to relocate your mailbox. Estes Park clocked gusts pushing 90 miles an hour, which is the kind of breeze that makes you rethink every life choice involving a hat.

Even with the wind carrying on, the holidays are settling in nicely. Downtown is glowing from end to end, Bond Park looks like it swallowed a Christmas light factory, and the whole town has that warm festive shine that makes winter feel a little less cold. It is a quiet stretch for crowds, but not for holiday spirit. Locals get to enjoy the lights without weaving through visitors, and that is a pretty nice gift all by itself.

There is plenty happening this week. Rocky Mountain National Park announced new updates for 2026, Estes has a nighttime glow run coming up and Sleigh the Games is getting ready to take over town. So grab a warm drink, secure anything the wind might steal, and let us take a look at what is going on around the valley.

What year did the Jim Carrey version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas first hit theaters? 💚🎄

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Rocky Mountain National Park 2026 Fee Changes – What Visitors Need to Know

Rocky Mountain National Park is adjusting its entrance fees beginning January 1, 2026, and a few of these changes are important for locals who regularly host out of town visitors or have friends planning a trip.

Here is what is officially confirmed:

New fees for international visitors

Visitors from outside the United States will now pay a 100 dollar per person entrance fee at RMNP beginning in 2026. This change applies to 11 parks nationwide and helps support maintenance and services at high volume locations.

America the Beautiful pass changes

• US residents: still 80 dollars

• Non US residents: increases to 250 dollars
  This is intended to help offset park infrastructure needs as international visitation climbs.

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Good news for motorcycle riders

A single America the Beautiful pass will now cover up to two motorcycles, instead of one.

Buck’s take

I’m all for keeping the park in top shape, but nobody likes surprise fees at the gate. If you have international family or friends coming next year, give them a heads up so they do not learn about it while digging through their backpack for a credit card.

December in Estes Park has officially found its stride. The lights downtown are glowing, the nights are cold enough to make your breath look like comic book speech bubbles, and the calendar is filling faster than Mo Pass raiding a plate of sugar cookies.

Whether you want festivals, night runs, classic movies, or good old fashioned community spirit, here is what is happening around town this week.

🛷 Sleigh the Games – New Holiday Festival

📅 December 12–14, 2025

A brand new holiday adventure festival is rolling into Estes Park. And yes, the mascot is a yeti riding a sled like he’s late for work and the hill is his commute.

What’s happening:
• Punch Card Games throughout town
• Team Competition Events
• Kid zone, hot cocoa, DJ sets
• General festive chaos encouraged

Perfect for families, competitive friends, and anyone who has ever said “I could win this if it were an Olympic sport.”

Info: https://www.visitestespark.com/event/sleigh-the-games-holiday-adventure-festival/16630/

✨ Chase the Glow – 4 Mile and 1 Mile Night Run

📅 December 20, 2025
📍 Estes Park Events Complex
1 Mile Fun Runs: 5:00 and 6:00 p.m.
4 Mile Race: 6:30 p.m.

Wear glow sticks, light-up hats, LED glasses, or something that blinks. You are basically turning yourself into a festive firefly.

Register: https://runsignup.com/Race/CO/EstesPark/ChasetheGlow5k
Event page: https://www.visitestespark.com/event/chase-the-glow-4-mile-and-1-mile/16662/

Buck’s note: Mo Pass says he runs faster when he is glowing because it makes him feel aerodynamic. I told him that is not how air works.

🎄 How the Grinch Stole Christmas – 25th Anniversary Screening

📍 Historic Park Theatre

The Grinch is back on the big screen for the 25th anniversary of Jim Carrey’s green masterpiece. Expect holiday mayhem, Whoville magic, and at least one heart growing moment.

Showtimes:
https://www.historicparktheatre.com/movie/how-the-grinch-stole-christmas--25th-anniversary/

🎁 Ongoing Community Items

🥫 “Can Do” Middle School Food Drive

Support Crossroads and help local students compete for the December 19 pizza party provided by Poppy’s.

Most needed items: canned fruit, canned chili, pasta sauce, cereal
Drop off: Estes Park Middle School

Good food, good cause, good competition.

💡 Holiday Light Recycling

Estes Valley Sunrise Rotary + EPHS Interact Club are collecting holiday lights through January 15.

Drop-off bins at:
• Estes Valley Library
• Elementary, Middle, and High Schools
• National Park Village

Give those half burned out strings another life instead of another landfill.

DID YOU KNOW? – December Edition

• Sleigh the Games is Estes Park’s first new winter festival in years, designed to bring visitors during the traditionally slow mid December gap before Christmas week crowds arrive.

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• The Historic Park Theatre first opened in 1913, making it one of the oldest operating cinemas in the United States.

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• RMNP welcomed over 4.1 million visitors in recent years, placing it consistently among the top five most visited national parks.

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• Chase the Glow began as a small local fun run and has grown into a glowing winter tradition with runners lighting up the fairgrounds like moving holiday decorations.

Buck's Joke Of The Day

What do you get when you cross a snowman with a dog?

Frostbite.

Mo Pass groaned, which means it is officially a dad joke.

was released in 2000