Breckenridge is the latest mountain town to become a ‘dark sky’ community. Will Colorado see a wave of astro-tourism?

Visitors from around the globe head to Breckenridge for hiking in the summer, and skiing and snowboarding in the winter.
 
And soon, they might also visit to take in the town’s crystal-clear views of the night sky.
 
Breckenridge recently became the first ski resort town in Colorado to become a certified dark sky community. The designation comes from DarkSky International, which pushes to limit light pollution. Small towns like Paonia and Westcliffe, and remote national parks like Great Sand Dunes, already have the DarkSky seal of approval.

But how does a busy resort like Breckenridge cut down on light pollution? And are ski resorts the next frontier for the dark sky movement?

To find out, Erin O’Toole talked with Rachel Cohen of the Mountain West News Bureau, which KUNC is a part of. Rachel recently published a story about the growth of dark sky communities in Colorado. 

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Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole
Producer: Ariel Lavery
Executive Producer: Brad Turner
Theme music by Robbie Reverb
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

What is In The NOCO?

KUNC's In The NOCO is a daily look at the stories, news, people and issues important to you. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show explores the big stories of the day, bringing context and insight to issues that matter. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we explore the lighter side of news, highlighting what makes this state such an incredible place to live.