Friends and family of Tim “Timmy” Watkins rode their fat bikes, walked or skied by moonlight to Gunsight Bridge (one of Tim’s favorite places to ride) and gathered for hula-hooping by his daughter Arielle, a bonfire, and toasts in Tim’s honor on Thursday, March 1. Tim, a former Crested Butte resident, was killed last year while riding his mountain bike. photo by Lydia Stern

Drafting parameters for snowmobile traffic along Gothic

By Kristy Acuff

The Gunnison County Commissioners moved in the direction of approving Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory’s (RMBL) plan to formalize its snowmobile use along the Gothic corridor at Tuesday’s commissioner meeting.

Commissioners directed county attorney David Baumgarten to draft a resolution to regulate when and how RMBL can use snowmobiles in the valley’s “quiet corridor.” However, they are still grappling with whether the new regulations will apply only to RMBL or to all landowners in the Gothic corridor.

For now, the plan is to limit RMBL to weekly snowmobile trips during off-peak hours between 3 and 10 p.m. Ideally, RMBL will tag-team with the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association’s groomer, which grooms the Gothic road weekly for fat bikers. By coordinating their efforts, the hope is to limit impacts to other users.

“We would ask RMBL to coordinate with CBMBA and when possible, use their groomer or go out at the same time and go behind their groomer,” explained commissioner Phil Chamberland.

“Yes, we plan to utilize CBMBA as much as possible,” said Ian Billick, RMBL’s executive director. “Our hope is that we don’t have to run our own snowmobile for the next five years.”

The impetus for changing RMBL’s snowmobile use is to support increased winter educational and research programming at their Gothic site. In documents submitted to the county, RMBL proposes using snowmobiles for logistical support and emergencies only—not to transport program participants or instructors.

“We would use a motorized vehicle for operational emergencies at any time when we were unable to respond to an emergency without a vehicle or when subcontractors require the use of snowmobiles. We would use a motorized vehicle for non-emergency logistical support no more than one round trip per week,” states the proposal.

Representatives from Silent Tracks voiced concern that RMBL’s potential increase in use might prompt other property owners in the Gothic valley to also increase their snowmobile access. Under current land use regulations drafted in 2001, landowners have permission to use snowmobiles for unrestricted access to their properties along the Gothic corridor.

Landowners whose property does not abut the Gothic road must also receive a permit from the Forest Service to use a snowmobile for access.

Most property owners utilize the snowmobile access infrequently for winter maintenance and occasional home visits. Currently, there are no time restrictions on the snowmobile use for private landowners but that could change with the new regulations being proposed for RMBL.

The county is still grappling with whether the new parameters applied to RMBL would also apply to other landowners, or if they would continue to operate under the 2001 regulations.

“Silent Tracks does not oppose reasonable access for any property owner in the Gothic corridor,” said Maureen Hall. “Our concern is that we don’t know how far this is going to go. This is a slippery slope and we just want the commissioners to remember that this is the only quiet corridor we have. Every other drainage is full of snowmobiles and this is the only place left for a quiet experience.”

“What if a property owner decides to VRBO their place up there? Would the renters be considered de-facto landowners who could access it via snowmobile? We need to craft our regulation to restrict that kind of potential access,” explained Chamberland.

Commissioner John Messner suggested beginning a permit system for landowners that could prevent abuse and overuse of the snowmobile access. “It would be similar to the permit system we have in place for property owners at Lake Irwin to park their sleds in the parking lot. Gothic landowners would receive a permit for their snowmobile and we use the permit process as an opportunity to educate them about what is acceptable and not acceptable use.”

“Any kind of system needs an enforcement piece. If the homeowner abuses the system, could the permit be revoked?” asked Cathy Frank, a Silent Tracks board member.

“And what would it cost? As of now, Gothic homeowners get free access via snowmobile. Are we going to start charging for a permit?” asked Marlene Crosby, Gunnison deputy county manager.

“If you outline the specifics of who, what, why, when and where, I think you will produce a document that will endure for the next 10 to 15 years,” said Baumgarten. “That also means outlining ‘who cannot, what not, when not…, etc.’ Specifically dictate what is allowed and what is not allowed so we have clear parameters.”

“We understand if you have to impose different restrictions on (RMBL) than you impose on the private homeowners up there,” said Billick.

“But legally, it is simpler for us to have one set of parameters for all property owners, and not single out RMBL,” replied Baumgarten.

For now, the plan is for county staff to draft the new regulations and work out the details about which parties they will affect.

Fly Eagles Fly!

by Than Acuff

First of all, how does a team that hasn’t won a town league title since 2014 get not just one, but two sponsors? Granted, the Brick Oven, now Ska Brewing/Brick Oven, team did win three titles in a row back when the Brick Oven franchise was in its heyday with hockey league titles, Chainless World Championship titles and some other title I know I’m forgetting, but that they will remind me of, if they read this.

Fat bike title?

No.

Crested Butte Classic title?

Maybe.

CB3P title?

Again, maybe.

Nordic citizens race series title?

Probably not.

Anyway, Dan and Brian, being the business geniuses that they are, must have known it wouldn’t last long so they sold half of their hockey team to a brewery knowing that in the end, win or lose, there would be beer.

Inside sources tell me though, that they are looking to rebuild their sports franchise as there is talk of the Rasta Hairnets returning to softball this summer.

RRRRRRREPEAT!

Until then, they will have hockey, and beer, and the two came together Monday night, February 5, as they faced the Talk of the Town in town league hockey action.

The first two periods were back and forth despite the obvious numbers advantage of the Talk. While the Talk had a full bench, the Brick showed up with eight skaters total, including goaltender Jake Beren.

The Brick opened the scoring as Jeff Black carried the puck from behind the net (FROMBENE) and into the slot to slip it past Talk goalie Ryan Kay. The Talk got a break seven minutes into the first period as Mark Cram chopped an unsuspecting Talk player down with his stick to warrant a penalty, giving the Talk a powerplay. While most powerplays tend to be somewhat negligible in town league hockey, this one was not as the Talk took the opportunity to press into the Brick’s zone.

After a few failed attempts to set up in the Brick’s zone, Bill Frame took matters into his own hands skating the puck solo into their zone and firing a shot to catch Beren off-guard and tie the game 1-1.

Beren made up for it a minute later as the Talk returned on the attack to set up a clear lane to net but Beren fell forward like a nitrous casualty at a Dead show to stop the shot.

The Brick breakout then made the difference minutes later as they pushed the puck up the boards to Kent Preston. Preston looked up to find Matt Gutter turn on the afterburners and split the Talk defenseman and slipped the puck ahead to Gutter. Gutter carried his big stride momentum past the Talk defense and fired a shot seemingly through the glove of Kay for the goal.

Then, in a classic barroom brawl, the Talk came right back at the Brick a minute later as Nathan Lacy jumped on a loose puck and caught the lone Brick defenseman falling to skate to net and score, tying the game up 2-2.

The first half of the second period played out much like the entire first period as the two teams traded off attacks. The Brick struck first as Black took advantage of a melee caused in the slot by Dan Loftus to fire the puck through traffic and past Kay for a 3-2 Brick lead. Eighteen seconds later the Talk responded as Tom Collins skated onto a pass from Matisse Baugh to find a seam to the Brick net and score, tying the game up once again.

The Brick looked to put the game away for good though as they opened up a can to fire off two goals in the final five minutes of the second period. Gutter dropped a no look pass to Preston, who calmly slid the puck inside the post past Kay for a 4-3 lead. Then, in the final minute of the period, Kent’s brother Ben Preston skated free up-ice and held off the last Talk defenseman to score for a 5-3 Brick lead heading into the third period.

Black scored a sixth goal with four minutes left in the game for a 6-3 Brick lead and the game appeared all but done until the Talk called a time-out and reorganized.

They came out of the break with new lines in place and proceeded to score two goals in the span of 10 seconds. Collins fired the first of two lightning strikes and Lacy the second, forcing the Brick to call a time-out to try to derail the Talk freight train.

The Talk pulled their goalie with a minute left in the game and were firing away at the net, but not only can Beren ski big peaks, he can also make big saves, and he did what needed to be done to hold off the barrage and help seal the 6-5 Brick win.

Women’s Sports Day at WSCU

Mark your calendars as Western State Colorado University in conjunction with National Girls and Women in Sports Day will be hosting an event on Sunday, February 11. From 10 a.m. to noon WSCU will be hosting a free skills clinic open to any Gunnison Valley girl ages K-8 (13 and under) in the in the Mountaineer Field House. Current female collegiate athletes will be available to teach girls more about their sports, and hopefully the girls will have a great time learning. Registration for the clinic opens at 9:15 a.m. After the clinic 5B’s will be providing a free lunch to the participants and we will have a panel on “The Power of Sport.”

Culinary & Vintner Arts at the Center for the Arts

Show some flair in your romantic dinner for two with the “Cooking for Your Valentine” event! Learn to make French-inspired dishes: court-bouillon poached oysters with a classic mignonette; and New York strip with glace-di viande and pomme-frites. Held at the Studio West Kitchen with instructor Chef Chris Park. Then explore the keys to tasting wine and pairing it with complimentary foods in this discussion, demonstration-style, tasting and eating course with “Perfect Pairs–An Evening of Food & Wine” on Wednesday, February 7 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the CB Center for the Arts. For comprehensive event information and tickets visit www.crestedbuttearts.org; (970) 349-7487.

Some locals dealing with health care crisis could use your help

Jimbo Talbot has been diagnosed with Lymphoma Lymphoplasmacytic. His medical bills are mounting and have only just begun. He began Chemo treatment in Colorado Springs on January 26 and it will continue for at least five months. There is an account set up at Bank of the West in Crested Butte for those who would like to help. The account is in the name of Jim Talbot Medical Fund. And Abe Fisher is battling stage four cancer and a fundraiser is being held the afternoon of February 10 at the Avalanche. Friends are hoping to help him take a trip with his kids soon. If you don’t have cash or can’t make it and would like to donate, go to https://fundly.com/a-getaway-for-abe-and-kids.

Knitting class at Crested Butte Library

Have you always wanted to learn how to knit? Are you looking for a new way to fill your winter hours? Tracey Schwartz of The Yarn Studio CB will present a free “Intro to Knitting” workshop at the Crested Butte Library on Tuesday, February 6 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Materials will be provided, but feel free to BYON (Bring Your Own Needles). Please call or email to reserve your spot since seats are limited: (970) 349-6535 or lisa@gunnisoncountylibraries.org.

Birthdays:

February 1- Annie Starr, Molly Minneman, MJ Simmons, Beth Hanson Schumacher, Jeff Scott, JC Leacock

February 2- Scotto Wimmer, Dayna Christy, Gavin Jobson, Lara DeAngelis, Tom Gifford, Adam Radziej, Margaret Ritter, Liz Sotelo, Kendyl Butler-Truettner, Shelby Kopf, Dalynn McEldowney Trujillo

February 3- A.J. Leonard, Annaliese Houseman, Mindy de Compiegne

February 4- Hannah Watt, Stephanie Shrieves, Kate Seeley, Luke Collins

February 5- Cam Helland, Rob Quint, Milo Wynne

February 6- Geordie VanMarter, Josh Elmer, Nancy Yuskaitis

February 7- Alex Fenlon, Pete Sharp, Connie Helland, Tyler Johnson, Margaret Schaffer

Cameos: In honor of Groundhog’s Day, come up with a new folklore tradition that will determine a longer winter or an early spring. 

THURSDAY 25
• 7 a.m. Core Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 8 a.m. Ecumenical Meditation at UCC.
• 8-9:15 a.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 8:30 a.m. Women’s book discussion group at UCC.
• 8:45 a.m. Indoor Biking at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Vinyasa Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 9:30-10:45 a.m. Forrest Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 10:30-11:45 a.m. Yoga Basics at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 11:30 p.m. Duplicate Bridge at UCC. 349-1008.
• noon All Saints in the Mountain Episcopal Church Community Healing Service at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church. 349-9371.
• noon-1 p.m. BUTI Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage, a free thrift store. 300 Belleview, Unit 2, on the south end of 3rd Street. 970-318-6826.
• 4:30-6 p.m. Crested Butte Community Food Bank open at Oh Be Joyful Church. (first and third Thursday of every month)
• 5-7:30 p.m. Stocks & Soups Culinary Class with the Center for the Arts. 349-7487.
• 5:30 p.m. Communion Service at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church.
• 5:30-6:45 p.m. Vin-Yin Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 5:30-6:45 p.m. Hatha Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 5:45 p.m. Zumba at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 5:45-7 p.m. Freestyle Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 6-7:15 p.m. Kundalini Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 6-9 p.m. Adult Creative Clay: Wheel Throwing in the Gunnison Arts Center Clay Studio.
• 6:30 p.m. AA Open Meditation at UCC.
• 7 p.m. Women Supporting Women Group Discussion at the Nordic Inn.
• 7:30 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous meets at 114 N. Wisconsin St. in Gunnison.

FRIDAY 26
• 6:30 a.m. All Levels Iyengar Yoga Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 7:30 a.m. Barre Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 7:30-8:30 a.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 8 a.m. Alanon at UCC Parlour (in back). 349-6482.
• 8:45 a.m. Core Power Yoga Class at the Pump Room.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Yoga for the Flexibly Challenged / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 9-10:15 a.m. Iyengar Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• noon Closed AA at UCC.
• noon-1:15 p.m. Restorative Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• noon-1 p.m. Kundalini / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 1 p.m. Art group meets at the Senior Center. 641-4529.
• 3:45-5 p.m. Kids ice skating classes at the Big Mine Ice Arena 349-7197.
• 4:30-5:30 p.m. Happy Hour Yoga at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 5:30 p.m. Communion Service at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church.
• 6-7 p.m. Poi Playshop at the Pump Room.

SATURDAY 27
• 7:30 a.m. Open AA at UCC.
• 7:45 a.m. Weights and Indoor Biking Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Vinyasa at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 9-10:30 a.m. Community Yoga at the Sanctuary Yoga & Pilates Studio, Gunnison.
• 9-10 a.m. Mindful Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 9:30-10:45 a.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 10-10:30 a.m. Questions & Freetime / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 10-11 a.m. Hip Hop Community Dance Class at the Pump Room (above Fire House on 3rd & Maroon). 415-225-5300.
• 10:30-11:45 a.m. Slow Flow at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 10:30 a.m.-noon St. Mary’s Garage, a free thrift store. 300 Belleview, Unit 2, on the south end of 3rd Street. 970-318-6826
• 3-5 p.m. Beginning Photography Basics: Organizing & Archiving at the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044.
• 5:30-6:45 p.m. Slow Flow at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Guided Sound Meditiation at 405 4th Street.

SUNDAY 28
• 7-8 a.m. Meditation at Yoga for the Peaceful, by donation.
• 8:30 a.m. Mass at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church.
• 9 a.m. Worship Service at Union Congregational Church. 349-6405.
• 9 a.m. Worship Service at Oh Be Joyful Church.
• 9-10:15 a.m. Slow Flow at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 9:30-11 a.m. Free Community Class / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 10-11:15 a.m. Vin-Yin at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• noon Narcotics Anonymous Meeting at UCC, 403 Maroon Ave. Closed meeting for addicts only. (1st and 3rd Sunday)
• 4-5:15 p.m. CBCYC Community Book Club at 405 4th Street.
• 5-6 p.m. All Saints in the Mountain Episcopal Eucharist at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church. 349-9371.
• 5-7 p.m. Pick-up Adult Basketball. HS Gym, CBCS.
• 6 p.m. AA meets at UCC.
• 6 p.m. Evening Service at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, 711 N. Main St., Gunnison.
• 6:30 p.m. Duplicate Bridge at UCC. 349-1008.
• 6:30-7:45 p.m. Restorative Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 7 p.m. Gamblers Anonymous meets at the Last Resort.

MONDAY 29
• 6-7:15 a.m. Sunrise Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 7 a.m. Barre Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 7:30-8:30 a.m. Pranayama and Namaskars / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 7:30-8:30 a.m. Intro to Ashtanga at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 8:45 a.m. Pilates at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Vinyasa Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 9-10:15 a.m. Prana Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• noon Adult Children of Alcoholics open meeting at Union Congretional Church.
• 12:45 p.m. Bridge at the Senior Center. 641-4529.
• 2-3:15 p.m. Hatha Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 4-5:30 p.m. Wisdom Women Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 4-7:30 p.m. Tang Soo Do classes for children and adults with West Elk Martial Arts, Jerry’s Gym at Town Hall. 901-7417.
• 5:30 p.m. Communion Service at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church.
• 5:30-7 p.m. Moms in Motion class at the GVH rehab gym.
• 5:45 p.m. Boot Camp at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 6-7:15 p.m. Yin Yoga Nidra at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 6-7:15 p.m. Slow Flow at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 6-8 p.m. Knitting for Beginners in the Gunnison Arts Center Adult Art Studio.
• 6:30 p.m. WellBeing Connection Workshop at the CB/Mt. CB Chamber of Commerce.
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Aerial Mixed Apparatus (ages 16+) in the Gunnison Arts Center Dance Studio.
• 6:30-8 p.m. Women’s Domestic Violence Support Group at Project Hope. Childcare available upon request. 641-2712.
• 7:30 p.m. Open AA at UCC. 349-5711.
• 7:30 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous meets at 114 N. Wisconsin St. in Gunnison.
• 7:30-8:30 p.m. Country Swing in the Gunnison Arts Center Dance Studio.

TUESDAY 30
• 6-7 a.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful, by donation.
• 6:30-7:45 a.m. Intro to Ashtanga at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 7 a.m. Core Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 7:30 a.m. AA/Alanon Open at UCC. 349-5711.
• 8-9:15 a.m. Intro to Ashtanga at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Free Co-Working Tuesdays at the ICELab at WSCU.
• 8:45 a.m. Indoor Biking at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Mindful Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 9 a.m. Socrates Cafe at the CB Library.
• 10:30-11:45 a.m. Yoga Basics at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 11:30 a.m. League of Women Voters meeting at 210 W. Spencer in Gunnison.
• noon AA Closed at UCC.
• noon-1 p.m. Yoga for Flexibly Challenged / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 1:30-3:30 p.m. Tech Tuesdays at the Crested Butte Library. 349-6535.
• 2-3 p.m. Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage, a free thrift store. 300 Belleview, Unit 2, on the south end of 3rd Street. 970-318-6826.
• 5:30 p.m. Communion Service at Queen of All Saints Church.
• 5:30-6:45 p.m. Slow Flow at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 5:45 p.m. All Levels Yoga at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 6-7 p.m. Piyo at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 6-8 p.m. Figure Drawing Sessions with a live model in Downtown Crested Butte. 349-7228.
• 6:30-7:45 p.m. Restorative Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 7 p.m. Alanon meeting at the Last Resort.
• 7-8:15 p.m. Yoga for Men at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 7-8:30 p.m. Blessing Way Circle support group at Sopris Women’s Clinic. 720-217-3843.
• 7:45-9:45 p.m. Drop-in Adult Volleyball, CBCS Gym.

WEDNESDAY 31
• 6:30 a.m. All Levels Iyengar Yoga Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 7-8:15 a.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 7:30 a.m. The Crested Butte / Mt. Crested Butte Rotary Club breakfast meeting in the Shavano Conference Room at the Elevation Hotel.
• 8:45 a.m. Mat Mix at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Vinyasa Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 9-10:15 a.m. Prana Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 9 a.m.-noon Open Wheel Throwing at the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044. (weekly thru March)
• 9:30-10:45 a.m. Kaiut Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Two Buttes Senior Citizens van transportation. Roundtrip to Gunnison. Weather permitting. Call first for schedule and availability. 275-4768.
• noon Closed AA at UCC.
• noon – 1 p.m. Power Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 12:15-12:45 p.m. Yoga Nidra Relaxtion at Yoga for the Peaceful. ($5 donation)
• 1 p.m. T’ai Chi class for experienced participants at Town Hall.
• 2 p.m. T’ai Chi class for beginning participants at Town Hall.
• 3:30-5 p.m. ICELab tours at Western State College University with Patrick Rowley.
• 4-7:30 p.m. Tang Soo Do classes for children and adults with West Elk Martial Arts, Jerry’s Gym at Town Hall. 901-7417.
• 5 p.m. Mass at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church.
• 5:15-6:15 p.m. Buti Yoga with Tarah Niccoli-Taylor in the Gunnison Arts Center Dance Studio.
• 5:30 p.m. Prenatal Yoga class in Crested Butte South. 349-1209.
• 5:45 p.m. Boot Camp and Indoor Biking at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 6-7:15 p.m. Kundalini Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 6-7:15 p.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 6-8 p.m. Photo Transfers in the Gunnison Arts Center Adult Art Studio.
• 6:30 p.m. Alanon at UCC Parlour (in back). 4th and Maroon. 349-6482.
• 7-9 p.m. “GriefShare,” a grief recovery seminar and support group, meets at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, 711 N. Main St., Gunnison. 970-349-7769.
• 7:30-8:30 p.m. Adult Tap in the Gunnison Arts Center Dance Studio.
• 7:30-9:30 p.m. Adult Dodgeball League in Jerry’s Gym at Town Hall. 349-7197.

Kid’s Calendar:

THURSDAY 25
• 9:30 a.m. Munchkin’s Music & Dance Class in the High Attitude Dance Academy in Gunnison.
• 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Art Babies and Toddler Art (ages 0-4) at The Trailhead. 349-7160.
• 3-7 p.m. Gymnastics (ages 4-12) in Jerry’s Gym at Town Hall.

FRIDAY 26
• 10-10:45 a.m. Mickey’s & Minnie’s Dance Class (ages 2-4 w/ caregiver) in the Gunnison Arts Center Dance Studio.
• 11 a.m. Big Kids Storytime (ages 3-7) at the Crested Butte Library.
• 3:45-5 p.m. Ice Skating (ages 4-12) at Big Mine Ice Arena.
• 4-5 p.m. Tang Soo Do Martial Arts classes for youth with West Elk Martial Arts, Town Hall Fitness Room. 901-7417.
• 5-6 p.m. Middle School basketball clinics (6th-8th graders) in Jerry’s Gym at Town Hall.

SATURDAY 27
• 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Winter Drop Off at The Trailhead during ski season. 349-7160.

SUNDAY 28
• 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Winter Drop Off at The Trailhead during ski season. 349-7160.

MONDAY 29
• 3:45-5 p.m. Messy Mondays at the Crested Butte Library. (ages 5-12, kids 8 and under must be accompanied by an adult)
• 4-7:30 p.m. Tang Soo Do classes for children and adults with West Elk Martial Arts, Jerry’s Gym at Town Hall. 901-7417.
• 4:15-5:15 p.m. Ballet/Tap Combo (ages 4-6) in the Gunnison Arts Center Dance Studio.
• 4:45 p.m. Tang Soo Do classes for juniors at Town Hall. 901-7417.
• 5:15-6:15 p.m. Shorty Hip Hop (ages 5-8) in the Gunnison Arts Center Dance Studio.

TUESDAY 30
• 3-7 p.m. Gymnastics (ages 4-12) in Jerry’s Gym at Town Hall.

WEDNESDAY 31
• 9:30 a.m. Munchkin’s Music and Dance Class in the Fitness Room at Town Hall. 349-9639.
• 11 a.m. Baby & Toddler Literacy Time at the Crested Butte Library.
• 4-7:30 p.m. Tang Soo Do classes for children and adults with West Elk Martial Arts, Jerry’s Gym at Town Hall. 901-7417.
• 4:15-5:15 p.m. Kids Yoga (ages 8 and under) at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 4:15-5:15 p.m. Ballet/Tap Combo (ages 7-12) in the Gunnison Arts Center Dance Studio.
• 4:45 p.m. Tang Soo Do classes for juniors at Town Hall. 901-7417.
• 6:15-7:15 p.m. Steezy Hip Hop (ages 9-12) in the Gunnison Arts Center Dance Studio.

Events & Entertainment:

THURSDAY 25
Borealis Fat Bike World Championships presented by Upslope Brewing runs through Sunday, January 28.
• 6:30-9 a.m. Crested Butte Early Blood Testing at the Queen of All Saints Parish Hall. 642-8418.
• 9 a.m. Coffee with the Community at the Crested Butte Library. 349-6535.
• 2 p.m. Novel Tea Book Club: Love and Other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Ford at the Crested Butte Library.
• 7 p.m. Bill Dowell & Friends play at The Princess Wine Bar.
• 8 p.m. Ladies Night at the Red Room.

FRIDAY 26
• 4 p.m. Family Fun Night with the Crested Butte Titans high school basketball teams. Starts with JV team at 4 p.m., varsity girls at 5:30 p.m. and varsity boys to follow girls game.
• 6-9 p.m. 5th annual Go Deeper Beer Tasting in the Mallardi Theatre, fundraiser for the CB Avalanche Center.
• 7 p.m. Movie Night at the Museum: Snowbeast at the CB Heritage Museum.
• 7 p.m. Dwayne Dodson plays at The Princess Wine Bar.
• 8 p.m. Moonlight Music Series:
A.J. Fullerton in the Black Box Theatre of the Gunnison Arts Center.
• 10 p.m. Avenhart plays at The Eldo.

SATURDAY 27
• 6-9 p.m. Bill Dowell and the Woodsplitters play at Tully’s.
• 7 p.m. Evelyn Roper & Dawne Belloise play at The Princess Wine Bar.
• 8 p.m. The Drunken Hearts play at the Center for the Arts.
• 10 p.m. Something Like Seduction plays at The Eldo.

SUNDAY 28
• 8 a.m. Red Mountain Classic Pond Hockey Tournament at Red Mountain Park in CB South. 349-1162.
• 7 p.m. Tyler Lucas & Casey Mae play at The Princess Wine Bar.
• 9 p.m. Seth Walker Trio plays at The Public House.

TUESDAY 30
• 6:30 p.m. Telescope 101 at the Crested Butte Library. 349-6535.
• 7 p.m. Casey Falter plays at The Princess Wine Bar.

WEDNESDAY 31
• 5 p.m. Full Moon at Ten Peaks at CBMR.
• 5-8 p.m. Laura Elm & Mary Tuck Artist Reception at the Art Studio Gallery. 349-7044.
• 5:15 p.m. gO Skimo Series at the base area of CBMR, registration in the Treasury building from 4-5 p.m.
• 6 p.m. American Government Primer Series at the Crested Butte Library. 349-6535.
• 7 p.m. The Reycraft Girls play at The Princess Wine Bar.
• 8 p.m. Improv at the Mallardi Cabaret.
• 8 p.m. Ladies’ Night at The Talk of the Town.
• 8 p.m. Hump Nite with Gun Rack at the Public House.

Taste beer, support the CB Avy Center on Friday

The Crested Butte Avalanche Center is hosting its fifth annual Go Deeper beer tasting event on Friday, January 26 at the Mallardi Cabaret Theater 6-9 p.m. Breweries from throughout Colorado, including our two local ones, will be on hand to serve up some suds. $25 for all the beer you care to taste, $20 for CBAC members. There will be a general raffle of some items and we will announce the membership raffle winner.

Pond hockey this Sunday

The Crested Butte South POA and the West Elk Hockey Association are hosting the Red Mountain Classic 3v3 pond hockey tournament in Crested Butte South on Sunday, January 28. Proceeds to benefit West Elk Hockey and Crested Butte South ice rinks. Registration and information can be found at cbsouth.net.

Fat Bike Worlds this weekend

The Borealis Fat Bike Worlds presented by Upslope Brewing are this week. The racing starts Thursday at the North Village, fat bike demos will be available on Friday at the North Village, the Fat Bike World Championships are on Saturday on the town ranch and there will be lift served downhilling available on the Gold Link lift on Sunday. For more info or to register go to cbchamber.com.

Join the CB Creative District board

The Crested Butte Creative District is seeking an individual to fill a vacant seat on the Creative District Commission. Commissioners are responsible for setting the course of the Creative District, with current initiatives including public art projects, professional development for creatives, arts education for youth, and marketing the Creative District. To find out more about the commission seat and apply visit: http://www.cbcreativedistrict.org/commissioner/. Applications are due by Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at 5 p.m.

Purchase your 2018 dog tag now

If you live within the town of Crested Butte and own a dog, your dog must be registered and have a current valid town license tag. Please bring proof of current rabies vaccination from your vet. Dog tags are valid for one year from January 1 through December 31. You must purchase a new tag in January every calendar year. Fees are $7 if your dog is spayed or neutered and $15 if your dog is not spayed or neutered. For more information call Diane at 349-5338.

Birthdays:

January 25- Tucker Roberts, John Napier, Camden Scales, Chloe Hillman

January 26- Ken Cloud, Sophie Tetler

January 27-John “Smalls” Lumadue, Crista Shaffer, Blake Courtney

January 28- Nancy Vogel, Jim Truettner, Katie Kupcinski, Ofra Reynolds, Dave Dlugasch

January 29- Julia Kortz, Siena Truex, Anika Jobson, Paul Andersen

January 30- Melissa and Sara Fenlon, Erika Hosier, Joel Reycraft

January 31- Edgar Villanueva, Ade Smith, Becky Barkman, Dave Polster, Gracie Coburn, Ellie Feder

Cameos: What is your women’s march message? 

Not everyone is sick but everyone at the very least knows someone who is sick. It is that time of the year in the Crested Butte petri dish. There’s the major flu bug that puts the best of the local athletes on the couch for a couple days. Then there’s those with the cold that won’t leave. Thank goodness I’m in the cold category.

Having a cold slows one down. Through the fog of not quite feeling sick but not quite feeling good, you notice a few more things. A coffee mug filled with Emergen-C sits on my desk next to the zinc. I notice what I’ve never seen before: My desk is a mess. Sticky notes are everywhere, filled with reminders and internet passwords. Someone really should clean that up.

The slowdown has reminded me that I haven’t used the snowblower much this year. That’s too bad but not every season can bring a two-week storm that makes Crested Butte the center of the snow universe (like last year). I mean, those who live here feel we are the center of the universe most days anyway, but when a community gets a bit depressed at the lack of a pounding, puking, gusting, dumping storm that other towns fear, you know it is a lean year. We’re still well above average if you calculate the last two seasons and as the center of the universe it is good to always be above average.

Taking the dogs for a walk over the weekend, I noticed the Nordic trails look really pretty good right now. Yeah, the willows are sticking up and it is thin in places but the tracks are fast and fun. This weekend the resort conditions were pretty darn good as well. The snow was (generally) soft and certainly you could get a bit of an edge in the Triangle compared to early January, so that is saying something. We’ve moved beyond the point of having to ski the first hour of the day to feel safe. Though, you might still consider keeping to the edges at the end of the day.

It is during winters like this that the local marketers begin to wonder if people will come here despite the lack of copious snow. The idea of attracting new people from Chicago to come and take a dogsled tour or a fat bike ride out to Peanut Lake is probably wishful thinking. That’s where the big picture marketing plan comes in. Spending the time and energy to develop a clientele that feels a personal tie to the place and understands that the conditions are pretty good when they aren’t fantastic pays off in the long run. It’s that theory of making Crested Butte someone’s “go to” vacation because they like the unique vibe, whether it is dumping or not. They could be satisfied with their vacation experience skiing or riding or getting a cup of coffee with friends. They understand there are great restaurants and good music in town.

There are times to sit on a bench and chill and times to party ‘til 2 a.m. Still to come this season are the Fat Bike Worlds, the Alley Loop and the Al Johnson if you like costumes. Of course more snow would help all three of those events but I get the feeling they’ll be just fine with or without a ton more of the white. Getting return visitors by providing a fun, unique “experience” and not just drawing on new people every year to come and put a checkmark on their ski-the-steeps bucket list is happening more and more but it takes time to cultivate.

Anyway, the cold was taking over my brain there for a minute and I was rambling. What I really want to write about is Brush Creek. Just kidding.

My phone is showing there are four days in a row with snowflakes on the daily forecast starting Saturday. None of the days say there is a 100 percent chance of precipitation. But in a year like this, let’s take the snowflakes.

In the meantime, you or someone you know will probably have to down some more Emergen-C and take another zinc. It’s that sort of season. Slow down, look around and enjoy what we have this year. It’s not last year’s Snowmageddon—but it’s not that bad.

—Mark Reaman

There are a few things hanging out there I find sort of funny in a funny-weird sort of way. Not necessarily funny-ha-ha but just perplexing in their, well, funniness.

I don’t want to keep putting Brush Creek stuff in the paper all the time so I’ll lay off a bit, but there is one really funny claim that keeps being made that is both funny-weird and funny-ha-ha. To keep stating that because it is a mile-and-half from the town boundary and near a trail, that those residents will walk, ride their bikes or ski to town is, well, funny. The claim by the development team is that a car will not be needed to live in the development. Okaaaaaay.

Now, there will be times residents ride their bikes to town. There will be times residents take a ski or Fat Bike ride on the town ranch Nordic trails. There will be times residents walk between town and their apartment (if they are smart it will definitely be about 2:15 in the morning).

But 98 percent of the residents will have cars, trucks, campers or motorcycles. They’ll use their cars to get to the grocery, to drop their kids off at dance class, go to the doctor or to hit a surprise powder morning. Of the remaining 2 percent, 1 percent will have to walk or ride because they have a DUI (which by the way, can happen whether you live in Meridian Lake, town, or Larkspur). The other 1 percent might do it out of principle. But the reality is that contractors and carpenters have tools. Teachers have stacks of papers. Bartenders get off work at weird times.

It also rains and snows between Brush Creek and town. Believe it or not, it gets cold in that mile-and-a-half. And that mile-and-a-half would probably take 10 minutes on a mountain bike, at least 20 on foot (with no young kids), and 20 on Nordic skis to get you to the gravel pit.

A regular bus (like every 20 minutes all day/every day) can help but the first comments to the Planning Commission indicate it will take a lot more buses and thus more money to accommodate transit needs for a development where cars are not needed.

So while a worthy and ideal goal—and that concept really does work in town—the claim of no cars at the corner of Brush Creek is just … funny.

The paid parking idea in Crested Butte is sort of funny to me. The council is open to it and that normally would raise red flags. But the initial proposal makes so much sense that it is sort of funny to me that I sort of like it. It uses technology to address an obvious problem that is evident many months of the year. If it works as it has been explained, it is a low-cost answer to parking issues that would normally be addressed in most resort towns through concrete parking structures. And we don’t need no concrete parking structures in Crested Butte. The council wants a lot of public feedback on the big picture and the details of any such plan and that’s a good idea.

So while paid parking sounds so anti-Crested Butte, it is funny that it could work and work well.

Then there’s the idea of a married couple hoping to land on the same high-profile pressure cooker political board together. What could go wrong? Talk about some funny pillow talk…

I will say it is funny-strange that the county mailed out 1,359 ballots for Crested Butte voters this week. There are only a few hundred more people thought to live in town. The Colorado Department of Local Affairs has the town down with a population of 1,580 as of July 2015. So I’ll go out on a limb and say there are probably more than a few ballots going to a Crested Butte post office box for someone who moved out of town. And that should invalidate such ballots.

If you don’t currently live in town, you do not get to legally vote for the Town Council or mayor’s race—as much as you might want to. So if you moved to Crested Butte South and you get a ballot with the Town Council election on it, contact the Gunnison County Elections Office at 641-7927 and change your address and get a new ballot. That’s the right thing to do. This upcoming election will be pretty close with so many candidates, so every legal vote should count. There’s nothing funny about voting somewhere you shouldn’t.

—Mark Reaman

This year, free rentals included with the purchase of a season pass

by Christie Hicks

What? Free rentals with a pass?

Here at Crested Butte Nordic, we believe that everyone should get outside all winter long. We understand that you already probably have a whole quiver of skis for powder days, park days, rocky days, for your long tours and your short tours. You may not need another pair of skis and boots and poles taking up space in the closet for a new sport (for now…). We also know that there is no better exercise or cross-training than Nordic skiing. We’d like to help you get there this winter. So we’re offering free rentals all season long with the purchase of your season pass this year.

So, I get to keep a pair of your skis for the whole winter?

Not quite. Rentals are for one day at a time (pick-up and drop-off on the same day) and we will have some blackout days around the holidays (see the fine print for all the details). Free rentals are limited, and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

So, are these your old crappy skis or something?

Nope—season pass holders can borrow any of our skis, one day at a time, at no cost for the whole season: classic skis, skate skis, skin skis, etc. We will limit the number of season rentals that go out each day, and there will be blackout days around the holidays, but other than that, you can try out any of our skis and boots when we’re open and they’re available. Over the next two years we are updating all of our skis to brand new Fischer skis and you will be able to borrow those as soon as they are here.

What if I keep them for more than a day?

Then we’ll charge you the Full Day Rate for each day they’re late. We’ll also charge you for any damage or dirt you leave on the skis. Thank you for treating our equipment like it’s your own (or better, for you dirt bags who don’t really take care of your own gear).

Why are you doing this?

We want you to buy a season pass. (Come on—we’re not totally crazy. There’s something in it for us, too.) We want you to experience the wonder of our Magic Meadows, Mike’s Mile, the Bench, the rollers, and all of our other groomed trails. We think you are going to love it.

The new executive director wanted to learn to skate ski when she moved to Crested Butte , but she didn’t want to drop another few hundred bucks on a set-up she didn’t even know how to use. She doesn’t want you to have that experience, either. She wants you to learn to skate ski this winter, too. She’s also making us do more free Learn to Skate Clinics.

We want you to buy a season pass every year—we groom 55 kilometers of ski trails around town, and they are glorious. Even the most die-hard resort or backcountry skier (or cross-fitter or yogi or dancer or couch potato…) can get some exercise when there’s been high pressure for weeks. Everyone needs a little cross-training. Skate skiing, especially, strengthens the outer hip muscles that are chronically overlooked by almost every athlete in this valley. Yes, we’re looking at you, Quad-zilla.

Are you going to do this every year?

Not sure—we’re going to see how it goes. Hopefully it will be a blooming success, and we can continue this program indefinitely. In any case, we hope that this experience will lead you to the purchase of your own (new or used) equipment in a year or two. Then you won’t have to stand in line at our rental counter every time you want to go blast out a couple laps on the bench. You can just put on your own skis and go.

What about Fat Bikes?

We love them, too. And we are going to keep working with Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association to make sure all you fat bikers are all fat and happy out there. But we don’t rent fat bikes, because they take up a lot of space and there are plenty of bike shops around here that do that. Fat bike passes are free, and it’s free to fat bike on our fat bike-designated trails.

What else do you do that’s free?

Kids ski for free. Learn to Skate Clinics are free. Town Ranch is free. The Rec Path is free. The Riverbend Connector is free.

What do you mean, kids ski for free?

Anyone 17 or under skis for free. Rentals are free. Passes are free. It’s all free for kids.

Is this a trick?

Yes. We already told you—we’re trying to trick you into buying a season pass this year. But we want you to learn how to ski and enjoy our groomed trails. And we want you to get some exercise outside this winter. We want to get you hooked.

January visits always a problem

By Aimee Eaton

The Gunnison Valley Rural Transportation Authority (RTA) will put $150,000, with an additional $50,000, toward dropping the price of airline tickets for flights between Denver into the Gunnison-Crested Butte airport this winter.

This buy-down should help lower the cost of tickets that are purchased as part of a lodging and lift ticket package by about $100 apiece.

The decision was made at an August 4 special meeting of the RTA, where board member Janet Farmer came out hard against the buy-down, repeatedly saying that it was a “slippery slope,” one on which the RTA could become trapped into paying to bring people into the valley for years to come.

“If we pay people to come here once, then they look to come again and it’s more expensive, they’re going to be asking what happened,” said Farmer, who was the lone vote against the buy-down. “We’re supposed to be getting the flights here, not necessarily the butts in the seats.”

Board member and Crested Butte mayor Glenn Michel seemed to lead the discussion for the members in support of the buy-down.

“One of the things we’ve talked a lot about in the Gunnison Valley and with the One Valley Prosperity project is the necessity to have year-round air service. How we achieve that is still being determined,” Michel said. “Right now there are three ways to get airlines here: voluntarily, with buy-downs, and with guarantees. We have to remember that the larger long-term goal is to have a viable year-round air service, which we’ve all agreed we want.”

Gunnison County commissioner John Messner weighed in on his concerns regarding the buy-downs, before ultimately voting in favor of the plan.

“This buy-down is particularly tied to a ski and lodging package,” he said.

“If we’re actually having to pay people to get here, that’s a problem, but if we’re taking $200 off the top, that’s an interesting concept. Having the discounted ticket tied into a Crested Butte Mountain Resort package is a different beast. In the summers we’re having people tell us to shut the doors, we’re full up, but in the winter we’re willing to pay people to get here. I’d be interested to hear where CBMR stands on this and what they’re offering.”

Crested Butte Mountain Resort vice president Erica Mueller entered the debate to tell the board that the resort was making every effort to encourage new visitors, market to new audiences and provide the best product throughout the winter season.

“What we’ve heard in our surveys is the area where we are most limited—and that has an impact on our visits—is our lack of intermediate terrain,” said Mueller. “The development of the Teo bowl is a step toward addressing that. We’re also doing our own buy-downs for lodging, and creating packages to promote winter travel and visits.”

Gunnison-Crested Butte’s relationship with winter air travel has long been complicated with airline carriers refusing to come to the small airport, expensive seats on flights that will come, and often near-empty planes.

Last January, a high percentage of flights coming into the Gunnison-Crested Butte airport included empty seats. This January, due to changes in flights and carriers, including two flights a day coming in from Denver, the number of seats available each day will jump by a minimum of 50 seats.

CBMR’s vice president of marketing and sales, Scott Clarkson, described the problem.

“January was a problem in 1967 and it’s going to be a problem in 2067. It’s after the holidays when pocketbooks are tight, it’s often the coldest month of the year, and the terrain can still be limited. The quick fix for increasing visitors in January is to discount.”

He continued, “The ski area is moving forward with a buy-down for lodging. We will be doing what we can to get more terrain open. We can’t do much about snow, but for the last 25 years January has been one of the top months for snow. Snow is not the problem. “

Crested Butte’s Michel said the town will also work to improve its offerings to visitors during January.

“We’re working to expand the market,” he said. “We’re updating the Nordic Center and working with the Fat Bike World Championships. We know we need to diversify and contribute to new winter markets. The fact is, we could end up with a whole lot of airplanes landing in Gunnison with a lot of empty seats in January.”

Airline consultant Kent Meyers suggested the board keep the increase in seats in perspective.

“Starting after the seventh of January there are no weekend flights on American or United coming out of Houston or Dallas,” Meyers said. “The only additional flight is this daily flight coming out of Denver from January 8 to February 15. The sheer numbers are pretty small because it’s 50 more seats a day. The percentage is pretty big because we have a low base. For 35 days we have 50 extra seats a day.”

“What about looking toward Western?” said Gunnison’s Messner. “There are 1,500 students over at the university. Can we get 200 of them to fly home or back over the holidays? Can we broaden this to capture other markets?”

RTA board chair Roland Mason said that was a possibility but he was worried it would dilute the targeted market of new visitors.

Meyers said targeting a specific market was not his concern.

“If we don’t increase the total number of people flying in January it will dilute all of the flights. We need to find 50 more people, I don’t care who those people are as long as they are flying on an airplane,” Meyers said.

Farmer then reiterated that she saw the buy-down as a slippery slope and did not believe it was something upon which RTA tax dollars should be sent, especially if it was not also going to bolster local economies.

“I don’t want local people using those outbound seats,” she said.

Michel then called the vote for a proposal that would give the Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association $150,000 to use toward buy-downs associated with winter ski tourism packages and anther $50,000 for buy-downs aimed at broadening the winter market.

In addition, CBMR’s Mueller agreed to lead a valley-wide task force that would look at expanding marketing efforts to new audiences throughout the entire Gunnison Valley so that all the municipalities would see the benefit of increased winter visitors.

The proposal passed 6-1. Farmer was the dissenting vote.