The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Two-day outdoor industry leadership summit well attended in Mt. CB
[ By Katherine Nettles ]
Outdoor industry leaders and professionals from across Colorado and beyond came together in Mt. Crested Butte last week to talk shop on outdoor recreation, conservation, inclusion and economics. Despite unruly weather, the sold-out summit was well attended both locally and by people state-wide. A common theme was the rapid changes impacting rural communities through things like the influx of remote workers.
The annual Colorado Outdoor Industry Leadership Summit (COILS) took place on May 19 and 20 at the Elevation Hotel with more than 180 people in attendance for networking, idea sharing, panel discussions and more.
Among the discussions were topics like rural economic diversification, entrepreneurship, equitable pathways to the outdoor economy and balancing recreation and conservation. Industry experts, government officials, students, business owners, nonprofit representatives and others brought together their challenges and common ground, including acknowledgement that a new era of remote workers and wealth transfer from urban to rural areas is changing mountain towns and resort living in some ways.
Local representatives discussed “Balancing Outdoor Recreation and Conservation Values in the Gunnison Valley.” Panelists Jake Jones of the Crested Butte Land Trust, Jonathan Houck of the Gunnison County board of commissioners and wildlife manager Brandon Diamond of Colorado Parks and Wildlife spoke at length about the success of the Sustainable Tourism and Outdoor Recreation (STOR) Committee in Gunnison County, on which they all serve.
Jones described the need to pivot to more focus on managing the growth of summer in the Gunnison Valley. “We put a lot of effort into being a ski resort,” he said of the past. “For decades, summer was an afterthought…that is not the case anymore.
“In winter, recreation is really contained. It’s a durable model,” continued Jones. “In summer, people are in every nook and cranny.”
Jones, Houck, Diamond and Gunnison County assistant county manager for community and economic development Cathie Pagano discussed the STOR Committee’s work with other entities like the National Forest Foundation and grant funding from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) to create a more sustainable model for summer recreation. Each reviewed various ways conservation projects are being funded into the future, including 1% For Open Space and the Gunnison Valley Stewardship fund.
“You never want a committee of 24 people—but that’s what we have,” quipped Houck of the strong local network.
Jones emphasized the importance of people willing to “roll up our sleeves, look our neighbors in the eye,” and engage in different opinions to find common ground. “These are the good old days, right now,” he concluded. “Our trails, access, infrastructure, wayfinding has never been better.”
