What if… the new efforts to manage backcountry use in the summers really works? The Mountain Manners program and the proposed Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association Conservation Corps are two grassroots efforts to stay on top of backcountry maintenance and education for visitors. I honestly appreciate the effort and action and trust that all of the local government entities see the value in the programs and support them both conceptually and financially. I like action more than another planning session and these two programs are a great example of positive action.

What if… instead of the Tourism Association spending half of its increasing marketing dollars on summer and half on winter (more than a million dollars each) it spent more on January and less on overall summer? July sure seems maxed out and January is a tad thin. Even better, what if it spent the same number of dollars maintaining amenities it promotes and on guiding and educating tourists who come here? I truly value the TA’s recent tendency to spend money on tourism mitigation ideas such as the new Mountain Manners and CBMBA Conservation Corps efforts mentioned above. TA support for those programs is a good use of public marketing dollars. A good experience makes everyone, locals and visitors included, happy and more open to appreciate the place. And that can lead to more repeat visits (always a challenge in this valley) by people who learn to understand the uniqueness of the valley and don’t have to be told every time they arrive to not pick the wildflowers. Repeat business is efficient, lucrative and the best type since repeat visitors obviously like the area already and begin to feel enough ownership and buy-in to help protect its best qualities.

What if… in that same vein, the Crested Butte and Gunnison chambers of commerce reconfigure some responsibilities and moved to combine some visitor center duties? Consider the idea of using the two visitor centers to send a uniform and professional message to tourists through the TA. Bringing the visitor centers under the umbrella of the TA to professionally guide and enlighten visitors could help with that positive experience. It could help get the unified point across about how to respectfully treat the backcountry and the communities and could take some public money out of advertising and put it in a place that would help draw repeat visitors. Again, it’s repeat visitors who understand the communities better with each visit. Since both chambers have brand-new executive directors and in theory have multiple purposes, from running events to lobbying on behalf of local businesses, now might be the time to consider such an idea. Relinquishing one slice of their chamber mission to the TA could save them money and time and refocus the new chamber administrations. Coordinating the visitor center experience under a well-funded, strong organization that is focused on responsible tourism could be a win-win for everyone involved.

What if… people who cry that Crested Butte doesn’t have a big-time rec center understood that building such a facility is somewhat easily funded but running the place is a sinkhole for a small-town budget? Those rec center advocates might look out the back door and see a wilderness recreation facility of millions of acres available for free. Or they could hop on the free bus to a really nice, affordable rec center on the north side of Gunnison. A 30-minute drive to such a facility is what people in the city expect.

What if… there was a miracle cure to address the traffic cluster at the entrance to town? There isn’t. And it isn’t a cluster 24/7. I spent time in a lot of roundabouts in Sedona last week, and I can tell you they are no miracle donuts. They worked as well as the poorest driver in or near the circular roadways. Traffic was significantly backed up during busy periods. Pedestrian crossings suck.  Roundabouts at Red Lady Avenue and the Four-way can certainly help keep traffic flowing but they won’t miraculously cure traffic issues caused by a lot more traffic. The low-budget Band-Aid would be to build a turn lane into the school parking lot off the highway and get traffic control professionals such as the local marshals to actually direct traffic during the overwhelming 20 minutes at the start and end of the school day and during heavy traffic days like the morning of the Fourth of July. Sometimes all you need is a Band-Aid to stop the bleeding while a more thorough, long-term traffic plan is developed.

What if…those guiding the future of this place decided to really stay different from our sister mountain towns? What if a more comprehensive look at the publicly owned 17 acres south of Crested Butte at Brush Creek included not just affordable housing (which is needed) but also something like a parking-garage-and-ride option to deal with that increasing traffic before it even gets to the proposed roundabouts in CB? Start thinking how to make people park south of town and use even better public transportation to get to the ski area in the winter and big events in the summer. Use the public TA money to not only attract people to our unique amenities but also spend equally to help protect those amenities. Spend a real chunk of money to educate, enlighten and bring into our flock, visitors that appreciate what this place already has to offer: wilderness instead of rec centers; somewhat rough single track instead of paved trails; fat bike trails to go with ski runs; true opportunity for authentic adventure instead of manufactured experience. In other words – what if we purposely looked to a unique future with balance instead of the typical…

What if…

—Mark Reaman

Trails, TGR connection, Outerbike, dead dogs and more

By Mark Reaman

The Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association (TA) has been busy and its efforts are contributing to more people choosing the area as a vacation destination. The organization’s budget has grown to more than $2 million and its focus on marketing trails around the county appears to be paying dividends.

“We’ve been focusing on stuff where we have a distinct and important advantage in markets that are big. We’ve focused more on fly fishing and the Blue Mesa than the ‘old’ TA, but we’re still mostly about trails,” agreed TA executive director John Norton. “We focus on alpine, Nordic and fat bike trails in the winter and mountain biking and hiking trails in the summer.”

The TA has been hopping in to support local events and try to create new events that boost local business. Norton said the Outerbike event, slated for late August this year, is a huge gathering of bike manufacturers and mountain bike-related companies. It attracts serious riders from around the world who want to demo the new models and various brands as well as just rub shoulders with kindred spirits.

“Outerbike already has 70 reservations and it doesn’t happen until the third week of August. But we kick off with the Growler, simply an amazing Memorial Day event down at Hartman’s,” said Norton.

“Yeti is bringing their Tribe Gathering here this summer, and that will bring hundreds of Yeti owners to town,” continued Norton. “There are now a number of mountain bike tour companies offering trips to the valley. We will also put major effort into launching the latest iteration of the map app CBG Trails, complete with a game called TrailQuest included. The Holy Grail of TrailQuest will be logging all 750-plus miles of valley riding. Details to follow!”

Norton admitted one historical summer mountain biking event is on the ropes. “We’ve got to figure out Crested Butte Bike Week with the Chamber and Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association [CBMBA]. Other than the Chainless Race it’s a dead dog on the side of the road.”

“Junior Crested Butte Bike Week is showing a lot of promise, though. When we were in Moab for Spring Outerbike, there were so many kids there!” Norton continued. “Grade school and high school mountain bike racing is a real thing now. Western [State Colorado University] has success running summer football camps. What about the valley hosting kids’ camps for mountain biking? Western already has a high school mountain bike camp. Is it something we can build on?”

Budget grows to $2.4 million

The 2017 TA budget has expanded to $2.4 million. Of that, the money is roughly split 50/50 to market the summer and winter seasons. And Norton said Gunnison county tax money is funding only about 70 percent of that $2.4 million.

“Mt. Crested Butte has returned as a big funder and the Town Council there has been great to work with. Also the state, the Crested Butte Chamber, the RTA and even a partnership with Alaska Airlines all come into play,” said Norton.

The first year of a new Central Reservation (or Rez) system for the valley lodges was started with $75,000 in TA money. This year the TA will likely contribute more. Norton said the TA has been targeting millennials, and he noted that millennials don’t like picking up the phone to buy something. “At the moment, we’re getting ready to do a deep dive into Central Rez and its future,” Norton said.

A new six-figure, two-year contract with Teton Gravity Research (TGR) will help get the word out about the valley’s amenities as well. “We, along with Jackson Hole and Switzerland, are their major travel partners,” said Norton. “They filmed here several weeks ago and will film here next ski season for our inclusion into their movie for 2018/2019. They will film their first mountain bike test here this summer. There’s a whole lot more with electronic and social media, but those are the big hits. TGR is just a perfect fit for us, and we for them. One hundred percent of their audience skis. Ninety percent of their audience mountain bikes. And 80 percent of their audience fly fishes! We will push content to them, and they will push it out over their network.”

The TA is also working with and helping fund the new Mountain Manners program and the CBMBA Conservation Corps, both of which have been formed to help manage backcountry impacts. And the TA contributes funding to both the Crested Butte and the Gunnison Visitors Centers to the tune of about $25,000 each per year.

Successes and challenges

Overall, Norton said things are going well. There have been some big successes and some challenges.

“The focus on trails has really paid off,” he explained. “It even pays off in eliminating wasted time. For example, Travel & Leisure and USA Today called this week to sell some ad space. I didn’t even have to think to refuse the offers. We don’t do generic and boring mountain town advertising. We don’t do images of cute couples clinking wine glasses! There was a piece in Outside last fall that described the valley as the best place in the country to mountain bike. Our trails here aren’t that much better than they were a couple of years ago but we weren’t getting that kind of recognition before. Last summer, the Wall Street Journal called Crested Butte and Gunnison the mountain biking base camp of the Rockies. The New York Times talked about the Fat Bike Worlds. I love that stuff!

“What we haven’t figured out is the Blue Mesa,” Norton continued. “It is the biggest body of water in the state. A beautiful place. A National Recreation Area. Two years ago, we started distributing coupons for free annual boat registrations in the Front Range. Thousands of coupons. In two years, we’ve had one redemption. Last year we started a SUP [Stand Up Paddleboard] Beach Bash. It was great fun but lightly attended. This year we’re doing it again and we’ve got great partners working with us, like Tito’s Vodka and Orion Coolers. Also we have a great partner in the National Park Service, who administers the Mesa. The NPS couldn’t be better to work with. The Beach Bash will be bigger this year, but it’s fair to say, at least for now, we haven’t figured out how to sell the big and beautiful and very special Blue Mesa.”

The TA measures its success on occupancies of local hotels and how increases in lodging compare to the 18 ski-valley locations comparative set. The TA uses data from Destimetrics, a company that tracks occupancies in the ski areas. “Both last summer and winter we killed it. This summer our reservations are off to a very fast start. It’s almost too good to be believed,” Norton said.

Believe it: This summer looks to be busy in both Crested Butte and Gunnison.

 Less than two weeks left to the season, but plenty of fun to be had

By Alissa Johnson

With a little over a week left to the ski season, there’s still plenty to get excited about. The winter chainless race returns to Crested Butte Mountain Resort this weekend, along with a Food Pantry Donation Day enabling people to ski or snowboard for $45 for the day. And of course, the annual Pond Skim is back—this year better than ever with a new sponsor.

“We’re thrilled that it’s been such a fun season, but the fun is not over yet,” said Crested Butte Mountain Resort senior marketing manager Erica Rasmussen. “There is something for everyone this spring.”

Up first: The Winter Chainless Downhill Race this Saturday. Intrepid bikers who were in Crested Butte during the spring of 2012 may remember this event—riders take to the hill and ride down with whatever bike they care to ride, from townies to mountain bikes, so long as there’s no chain or the chain has been tied.

In 2012, fat bikes were still something of a rarity. Rasmussen says the resort expects to see a few fat bikes now that they’re in vogue, but that shouldn’t discourage other types of riders.

“If it’s a spring-like day with soft snow, fat bikes will be greatly appreciated by those riding them, it can be a little tricky with skinny tires. But it’s such a fun event… People are getting psyched for bike season, so why not kick it off during the ski season?” Rasmussen said.

Helmets, waivers and lift tickets are required for participants, and it’s $10 to enter. Registration takes place at Butte 66 at 3 p.m. with lifts loading at 3:45. The race itself starts at 4:30.

For those who prefer to watch rather than ride, the place to be is the Butte 66 deck. After the race, the final Crested Butte Unplugged free concert features Hayes Carll from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

On Sunday, the Food Pantry Donation Day returns. Guests who bring three non-perishable, non-expired canned food items or a pack of diapers to the Adventure Center between 8 a.m. and noon will get a full-day lift ticket for only $45 (to be used that day).

The final race in the Alpine Orthopaedics Town Race Series takes place Sunday as well. “It’s free to participate and there’s going to be a big raffle at the end,” Rasmussen said.

The race starts at 2 p.m. on Buckley, with registration from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Coal Breaker Coffee. And it’s not all about speed—as with most things, costumes are encouraged, and participants could win a costume contest.

Naturally, no season is complete without the pond skim. Closing weekend kicks off with the rail jam on Saturday, April 8, from noon to 6 p.m. And at 3 p.m., the Landshark Pond Skim returns to the base area. In case the opportunity to skim across the water on skis isn’t enough incentive to join in the fun, new partner and sponsor Landshark is upping the ante.

Rasmussen says there will be inflatables provided by Landshark, and male and female winners (age 21 or over) will win an all-expense-paid trip to a Margaritaville Resort in the U.S. There will be kids’ prizes as well.

“And then following the pond skim, we’ll have live bluegrass music at Butte 66 from 4 to 6 p.m. from Trout Stake Revival,” Rasmussen said. “Sunday is closing day, and that speaks for itself.”

That day, the shenanigans take care of themselves. And don’t forget, April 9 is not only closing day, it’s also the last day to lock in next year’s season pass at the lowest rate offered. The adult Peak Pass is $659, and the adult Peak Pass Plus is $879.

As I sat in the coffee shop in Mt. Crested Butte Monday morning after skinning up the hill, it was madness. A constant stream of people, primarily families heading toward the ski lifts, coming from the hotels and buses at 8:15 a.m. That stream was continuous and I left about an hour later. Dads with backpacks were carrying four sets of skis. Moms had ski boots in their hands and strapped around their necks. Kids were bundled up in layers and wearing both goggles and sunglasses, while sleepily stumbling toward
the ticket office.

I am always amazed at flatlanders coming to a ski resort on Spring Break, given the hassle
of gear and price compared to a beach vacation where you carry a blanket and a cooler down to the free sand. But I love it and respect them for understanding the call of the mountains. Making memories at 9,000 feet is an adventure. I’ve always said that if our boys hadn’t been born in a ski town, chances are they’d be really good bowlers instead of really good skiers and hockey players.
So when I hear of or witness the sanctimonious local banging on the floundering tourists at Spring Break I shake my head for several reasons. While certainly not at the same level of those who took the plunge and moved here to live in the mountains and ski 100 days a year, these people are trying their best to experience the mountain vibe. Somewhere in their soul is the understanding that mountains are calling. It would have been easier to head to Disneyland, or Moab, on a cruise or to an all-inclusive resort in Mazatlán, but they are here. And if the crusty locals don’t at least appreciate that, they are living in the toocool Crestitude bubble.
Add to the fact that having these throngs a few times a year is what allows the crusty locals to actually stay here year-round and it is absurd to me that there are some who go out of their way to be rude and full of dark attitude to these people. While not always easy, these busy periods might be looked at as the sacrifice zones. Sacrifice zones include a few days or weeks in March, December, August and now, all of July.

Sure, it can get crowded and irritating and it can throw a crusty local on his or her fat bike out of rhythm. But it is during the sacrifice zones that the bank accounts of local business and individual workers get refilled. Yeah, it might be harder to get a slice at 6:30 in the evening or a tall, triple, venti, soy, no foam latte at 7:30 a.m. but just chill and think about June. When someone stops the Suburban at Third and Elk and unloads three families while you are trying to hurry to the post office, think about September. When someone
accidentally bumps into you at the base area and then asks which is the bus to town as the bus with the big “Town Shuttle” signs pulls up, think about January. When someone blows through a stop sign at 30 mph or runs into your kid on the ski hill, by all means, go all crusty Crested Butte on them. That’s just a matter of manners.

But overall, perhaps take a breath in the current chaos and appreciate the big-picture life you live in these mountains. Believe it or not, these people are your soul brothers and sisters trying to taste a slice of your life. Sure, it is surface soul at this point but the search for a kernel of mountain magic is there and that is to be respected.
Another sign of madness in the middle of this March is the quickly receding snowbanks. A
tourist stopped me Monday afternoon and asked about the copious amounts of snow along Maroon Avenue. I explained that a month ago you couldn’t see over the tops of the snowbanks and town was like a series of snow mazes. It blew his mind since he had been to Crested Butte before and had never seen this much snow—and it’s not that much snow anymore. For us, it looks like the remnants of that epic January event are quickly disappearing and we might see some bare ground sooner than any of us would have expected a month ago. Now let’s hope we don’t get the dreaded 100-inch April.

Keeping an eye on the lawsuit between two Crested Butte homeowners and the town over
how stringent the homeowners have to be in renting their accessory dwellings (ADU) is at times maddening. There has been a flurry of lawyering involved as the homeowners, Mr. Mize and Mr. Kiltz, represented by attorney Marcus Lock, have asked the judge for a partial summary judgment to basically dismiss the case with a win for them. The lawyer brought in by the town has responded aggressively (and at times poignantly and humorously) and asked that the judge dismiss the plaintiff’s request or at least issue a stay so that the town lawyers can delve into details in the motion, some of which they indicate they find fishy. Seeing the amount of paperwork involved is March Madness but it can be interesting reading. We’ll let you know when the judge makes a decision in the lawsuit which, as we have always said, could go either way and will have broad ramifications on affordable housing ADUs in town.

Anyway, with still sweet snow, afternoon sunshine and temperatures in the 40s, this is not a bad time of year. Yeah, we have to share it with a lot of people we don’t recognize but that’s the deal we all made choosing to live in a tourist ski town. It’s probably still pretty quiet over in Pitkin. It ain’t all bad so don’t let yourself spiral into the crusty hole of bad attitude. Instead, enjoy the spring, fill up the bank account and think about your off-season trip to the desert, or the beach, or the all-inclusive, where you too will be a tourist. As for the standard March Madness: I have Villanova and Louisville in the final game with Villanova taking it. Write it down.

—Mark Reaman

Coburn part of world record 

Crested Butte’s Emma Coburn teamed up with three other U.S. Olympians to break the indoor world record in the distance medley Saturday, January 25 at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix meet in Boston. They finished the 4,000-meter run in 10 minutes, 4.3 seconds, which was 2.27 seconds better than the previous mark set two years ago in the Boston meet.

Money talks

Please email: lisa@gunnisoncountylibraries.org if you have interest (no pun intended!) in participating in a financial literacy book club or discussion group at the Crested Butte Library.

Primus to speak at Crested Butte Heritage Museum

The Extended Studies Department along with the Crested Butte Heritage Museum is happy to announce David Primus as our next speaker on February 17 at the Crested Butte museum on Elk Avenue. David Primus will present a slide show of the history of the Gunnison River Valley before Blue Mesa Reservoir was completed in 1965. He will discuss fishing resorts, ranches, towns, and the narrow gauge railroad that now lie beneath the reservoir as remembered by local residents.

CBMT presents the Golden Marmot Awards next week

The Crested Butte Mountain Theatre will hold the 2017 Golden Marmot Awards on Friday, February 10 at 8 p.m. at the Mallardi Cabaret Theatre. The Golden Marmot Awards recognize outstanding work and accomplishments by local actors, writers, technicians and directors. The Marmots not only celebrate the accomplishments of so many volunteers, they’re also a great evening of entertainment. Scenes from all shows produced throughout the past year are re-enacted, the 2017 performance season is revealed, additional surprises are staged and the awarding of the Golden Marmots themselves make up the evening’s program. Tickets are available by calling the box office or going online to cbmountaintheatre.org.

Local scholarships available

All graduating seniors in the Gunnison Valley are eligible to apply for the Gunnison Kiwanis Club Scholarship and/or the Gunnison Memorial Scholarship, both administered by the Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley. Up to three Gunnison Memorial scholarship awards will be made this spring and will range from $500 to $1,500. The Kiwanis award of $2,500 is split into two semesters: $1,500 the first semester and $1,000 the second semester, provided the student has maintained a 2.5 grade point average and is enrolled for at least 12 credits hours during their second semester. To access the online applications for each of the scholarships, go to https://cfgv.fluidreview.com. Or call Margie at the Community Foundation at 641-8837. Meanwhile, SGM, a civil engineering, consulting, and surveying firm headquartered in Glenwood Springs, Colo., with an office in Gunnison awards up to five scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each to assist aspiring civil engineers and surveyors in pursuit of their studies. Please visit the SGM website at http://www.sgm-inc.com/community/ for scholarship details and application.

Birthdays:

February 2- Scotto Wimmer, Dayna Christy, Gavin Jobson, 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, Elaine Weston, Connie Helland, Tyler Johnson, Margaret Schaffer

February 8- Nancy Bell, Fred Drake, Bob Browne, Amy Needham, Kim Bosler, Karla College, Avery Bernholtz

Cameo Question: How fat is fat enough?

by Dawne Belloise

Snow blade extreme athletes in mid-air ballet, wrestling teams in their bulked-out best, Everest climbers with their heads in the clouds, surfers tangling with impossible waves, mountain bikers and fat bikers rolling over the snow, skiers questing for their endless winter on the underside of the globe, and even well-known celebrities all smile from autographed photos, framed in their elements, hanging on the walls above the padded tables and exercise equipment at Physiotherapy Associates.

Each one has a story for physical therapist Tim Poppe to reflect upon, documenting his years of helping people heal from injuries, from Houston to Denver to Crested Butte.

With this year’s epic snow, Tim says his experience is, “When it snows there are always more injuries and bigger injuries. People are more daring. It’s powder days. You ski hard. Things happen. Bad things. And people are shoveling more so they hurt their backs and shoulders.” It’s been an exceptionally busy year for Tim.

When his dad finished his tour with the Air Force in San Antonio, in 1974, the family moved to Houston, where Tim then spent most of his life from age five. Their home was “out in the sticks,” as Tim describes his neighborhood before sprawl and congestion surrounded the ranches, fields and woods he played in as a boy. “We had plenty of places to go ride our bikes and get away from the houses,” he recalls. Riding was his joy and he and his friends rode their BMX bikes all day, building dirt jumps and BMX tracks.

In high school Tim joined the school band, blowing cool jazz with his trumpet, influenced by the styles of Maynard Ferguson and Doc Severinsen. Although he enjoyed playing jazz, the music he listened to in his youth was the opposite. “I listened to ACDC, Van Halen and Ozzy, heavy metal and a lot of country. I was all over the board. I never missed a Van Halen concert when they came to Houston,” he laughs proudly.

Out of high school in 1987, Tim enrolled at Texas A&M University, “taking everything. I changed my major like seven times. I started out in zoology and that’s eventually where I ended up. I was interested in biology and animals and I had thought about veterinary school. Then I was a wildlife and fisheries major for a while. I was also an engineering major, and a business major.”

But business just didn’t do it for Tim. “I walked out of my accounting class the second time I attended.” He had thought that maybe following in the footsteps of his father and brother, both accountants, would be a plan since he still hadn’t figured out which direction was best suited for him.

“Although economics was kind of cool, being a business major was awful,” Tim concluded, and he circled back to biology. “I went to college trying to figure out a career but I saw that a biology major was going to keep me in school for many more years because to work you need a Ph.D. and you have to learn to write grants and that’s not what I saw myself doing.” He did, however, graduate with a bachelor of science degree in zoology.

Tim had started racing road bikes in his senior year of high school, not that there was a lot of that going on in Texas at that time. “But I loved riding. It was hard to find races in the late 1980s in Texas.” So, when he arrived at college, Tim joined the bike team, competing in collegiate racing. It opened up the concept of biomechanics, or body mechanics, which is basically how you set your bike up to fit properly to optimize your performance. He feels it might have been the spark that set him on the path to physical therapy.

“I didn’t even know what physical therapy was. I had never had a bike injury. My parents suggested that I check it out since I was still searching for a career.”

He shadowed therapists in one clinic to explore the concept and recalls, “The first time I went to observe, I wasn’t interested in it whatsoever, but I ended up observing a different clinic and I immediately fell in love with it,” Tim says. He felt the second clinic was more vibrant, with multiple therapists and more patients. “There was more going on. It was a more stimulating environment. I said, ‘This is what I’m doing.’”

Tim volunteered every weekend and summers for the next two years, doing laundry, cleaning whirlpool tubs, work tables, and anything the clinic needed done, just to get experience while he finished his undergrad degree.

“It was amazing, I got really lucky to be able to work in that clinic. It did a lot for me as a young therapist. We worked with a really great group of orthopedic surgeons who worked for every professional and college team in Houston,” Tim says. He was hired full time for a semester just before he went to physical therapy school. “I was in their clinics when I wasn’t in mine, learning stuff from them. There was always something cool going on, always something to learn.”

He enrolled at the University of Texas medical branch in Galveston. A three-year program earned him a master’s degree in physical therapy in 1996. Through his volunteer connections, Tim got a job at a clinic in Houston, staying on for several years before he decided to get out of Texas and head to Colorado. “I was spending a lot of time in Summit County skiing in winter and hiking in the summer while I was still in Texas,” he says, and in 2003, he cleverly plotted to combine his ski trip with the chance to relocate and set up a few job interviews in Denver. He moved six weeks later.

At his new clinic, Tim worked on many sports injuries as well as non–sports-related injuries, while enjoying his Front Range life. “I thought Denver was amazing back then but now, you couldn’t pay me to live there,” he says.

It was while he was working in Denver that Dr. Gloria Beim was building her new surgery center in Gunnison and she was looking for somebody to open a physical therapy clinic in her new space. Tim’s clinic at the Denver physiotherapy office was recommended and his boss offered him the position. Tim moved to Gunnison in 2005, moving up to Crested Butte a few months later.

He worked at the Gunnison clinic and began working with the Crested Butte Academy. Eventually, he began taking patients in town. Relatively soon afterwards, he opened his own clinic on the mountain, Physiotherapy Associates. Tim moved his mountain office downtown in 2011, where it’s located today, upstairs from Brick Oven Pizza. He quit the Gunnison clinic in 2014.

Tim met Amelia Jervey in 2010, running around in the same circle of friends. “She’s smart and a lot of fun, and we just fit. We have so many of the same interests. And man, does she put up with me! We started dating, got married and now we have a bunch of kids,” he laughs.

Amelia teaches second grade, but took a year off because, well, as Tim says, “a bunch of kids.” The twin girls, Maddie and Izzy, are ten months old and their son, Ryder, will be five in April. “As a father, I’ve learned a lot about everything, tutored by my four-year-old,” Tim chuckles. “Ryder started playing hockey at three years old and he’s like every other kid in this town. They can ride a bike at four years old and ski the Headwall at six. He’s a good blue run skier. The kids in this town are all better skiers than you. It’s mind-blowing.”

As a kid, Tim read sports biographies. “I loved sports, all sports, but biking has always been my favorite,” he admits. “It was like an adventure, it was mobility. You could get on a bike and get away and go places. I think that’s why I ended up here.”

Tim occasionally does some Enduro mountain bike racing and claims bragging rights to 11 surgeries and many broken bones. “You would think I’d become a better athlete and break myself less,” he grins, “or maybe I’m just not very young anymore or smart about it. I play hockey, I’m horrible, but it’s so much fun.”

Tim loves that he can help people through their injuries to the subsequent healing. “It’s cool to see people you’ve worked on out skiing, riding their bikes and living their lives again after healing. I see it every year—somebody tears up their knee or breaks their leg and you see them the next year out skiing again. You share in their victory, whatever it is. It feels good to see people get back to doing what they love to do, to get off their crutches and walk, to ride their bike. I feel like I share in every one of those victories.”

With all the big-city living Tim did, from San Antonio to Houston to Denver, he understands the beauty of living in a small, compassionate community like Crested Butte. “You don’t get people taking care of people or even the willingness to help each other out in cities. To think of all the experiences my kids can have here—skiing and biking in a really safe community. We’re so lucky. This is where I needed to be. I have more like-minded friends here and people want to hang out and get along. You don’t get that in Houston, where it’s all about your career, car and house. Here, it’s not about the material things, and if you really think about it, who says to themselves, ‘I’m gonna move to this town where it’s really cold and get paid less’? Because here, we value friendships and experiences.”

THURSDAY 26
• 7 a.m. Core Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 8 a.m. Ecumenical Meditation at UCC.
• 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 a.m.-3 p.m. Gunnison County Branch Office is open at the Crested Butte Town Offices.
• 10 a.m. Learn To Skate Ski for free at Crested Butte Nordic. 349-1707. (first Thursday of each month, by reservation only)
• 10 a.m. Mothering Support Group at Oh Be Joyful Church. (last Thursday of every month)
• 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.
• 12:15-1 p.m. Zumba with Barron at the Gunnison Arts Center Dance Studio.
• 12:30-1:30 p.m. Intro to Prana Vinyasa Level 1 with Monica at Yoga For The
Peaceful.
• 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)
• 5:30 p.m. Communion Service at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church.
• 5:30-6:45 p.m. Lunar Prana Vinyasa Level Open with Jackie at Yoga For The
Peaceful.
• 5:30-7:30 p.m. Calligraphy at the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044. (runs through February 2)
• 5:45 p.m. Cardio Dance Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 5:45-7 p.m. Evening Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 6:30 p.m. AA Open Meditation at UCC.
• 7 p.m. Women Supporting Women Group Discussion at the Nordic Inn.
• 7-8:30 p.m. Block Printing Class at the Gunnison Arts Center Art Studio.
• 7:30 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous meets at 114 N. Wisconsin St. in Gunnison.

FRIDAY 27
• 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.
• 8:30 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.
• 9-10:30 a.m. Solar Prana Vinyasa Level 2/3 with Stacey at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 9 a.m.-noon Open Clay Workshops at the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044. (runs through March 31)
• noon Closed AA at UCC.
• noon-1 p.m. Vinyasa Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• noon-1:15 p.m. Restorative Yoga at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 1 p.m. Art group meets at the Senior Center. 641-4529.
• 1-4 p.m. Character Building in Clay at the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044. (runs through February 17)
• 4:30-5:30 p.m. Aprés Ski Yoga Level Open at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 5:15-6:15 p.m. Freestyle Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 5:30 p.m. Communion Service at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church.
• 6-7 p.m. Poi Playshop at the Pump Room.

SATURDAY 28
• 7-8:15 a.m. Ashtanga Level 2/3 with Joe at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 7:30 a.m. Open AA at UCC.
• 7:45 a.m. Weights and Indoor Cycling Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Solar Prana Vinyasa Level 2 with Jackie at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 9-10 a.m. Core Power / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 9-10:30 a.m. Community Yoga at the Sanctuary Yoga & Pilates Studio, Gunnison.
• 9 a.m.-noon Open Sewing Workshops at the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044. (runs through April 1)
• 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.-5 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage, a free thrift store. 300 Belleview, Unit 2, on the south end of 3rd Street. 970-318-6826.
• 11 a.m. Narcotics Anonymous meeting at 114 Wisconsin Street. 970-201-1133.
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Guided Sound Meditiation at 405 4th Street.

SUNDAY 29
• 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 Oh-Be-Joyful Church.
• 9 a.m. Worship Service at Union Congretional Church. 349-6405.
• 9-10:15 a.m. Slow Flow at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 9:30-11 a.m. Free Class / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Backcountry Bistro at Magic Meadows yurt on the Nordic trail system. Trail pass required. www.cbnordic.org. (runs through March 26)
• 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.
• 5:30-7 p.m. Restorative Yoga at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 6 p.m. AA meets at UCC.
• 6:30 p.m. Duplicate Bridge at UCC. 349-1008.
• 7 p.m. Gamblers Anonymous meets at the Last Resort.

MONDAY 30
• 7 a.m. Barre Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 8:45 a.m. Pilates at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Vinyasa Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 9-10:30 a.m. Lunar Prana Vinyasa Level 2/3 with Jackie at Yoga For the Peaceful.
• 10:15-11:45 a.m. Hatha Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• noon-1 p.m. Yoga Basics at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• noon-1 p.m. Lunch Break Therapeutic Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 12:45 p.m. Bridge at the Senior Center. 641-4529.
• 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. Mothering Support Group at the GVH Education House, 300 East Denver St. (first Monday of every month)
• 5:15-6:15 p.m. Hatha Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 5:30 p.m. Communion Service at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church.
• 5:30-6:45 p.m. Yin Yoga Nidra at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 5:30-7 p.m. Moms in Motion class at the GVH rehab gym.
• 5:30-7:30 p.m. Printmaking at the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044. (runs through February 13)
• 5:45 p.m. Ski Conditioning at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 6-7:30 p.m. Pastel Drawing Class in the Gunnison Arts Center Art Studio.
• 6:15-6:45 p.m. Free Sound Meditation / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 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.

TUESDAY 31
• 6-7 a.m. Meditation at Yoga For The Peaceful, by donation.
• 7 a.m. Core Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 7:30 a.m. AA/Alanon Open at UCC. 349-5711.
• 8:45 a.m. Indoor Biking at The Gym. 349-5288.
• 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 a.m.-3 p.m. Gunnison County branch office is open at the Crested Butte Town Offices, 507 Maroon Ave.
• 10:15-11:45 a.m. Hatha Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 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. Ashtanga Vinyasa / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 12:15-1 p.m. Zumba with Barron in the Gunnison Arts Center Dance Studio.
• 12:30-1:30 p.m. Iyengar Yoga at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 1:30-3:30 p.m. Tech Tuesdays at Old Rock Library. 349-6535.
• 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 Iyengar Yoga Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 5:45-7 p.m. Gentle Restorative Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 6-8 p.m. Figure Drawing Sessions with a live model in Downtown Crested Butte.
349-7228.
• 7 p.m. Alanon meeting at the Last Resort.
• 7-8:30 p.m. Blessing Way Circle support group at Sopris Women’s Clinic.
720-217-3843.
• 7:15-8:15 p.m. Dharma Punx Meditation / CB Co-op at 405 6th Street.
• 7:45-9:45 p.m. Drop-in Adult Volleyball, CBCS MS Gym.

WEDNESDAY 1
• 6:30 a.m. All Levels Iyengar Yoga Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 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.
• 9-10:30 a.m. Solar Prana Vinyasa Level Open with Monica at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 9:30 a.m. Mah Jong at the Senior Center. 641-4529.
• 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.
• 10:15-11:30 a.m. Forrest Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• noon Closed AA at UCC.
• noon-1 p.m. Power Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• noon-1 p.m. Prana Vinyasa Express Level 1/2 with Stacey at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 1-2 p.m. Tai Chi at Town Hall. 349-7197.
• 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. Hatha Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 5:30 p.m. Prenatal Yoga class in Crested Butte South. 349-1209.
• 5:30-8:30 p.m. Silversmithing I at the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044. (runs through March 8)
• 5:45 p.m. Ski Conditioning at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 6-7:15 p.m. Slow Flow at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 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 p.m. Alanon at UCC Parlour (in back). 349-6482.
• 8-9:30 p.m. Adult Indoor Soccer in the CBCS HS Gym. 349-7197.

Events & Entertainment:

THURSDAY 26
2nd annual Borealis Fat Bike World Championships runs through January 29.
• 6:30-9 a.m. Early Blood Testing at the Queen of All Saints Parish Hall. 642-8418.
• 2 p.m. Novel Tea Book Club discusses Rules of Civility at the T-bar Tea House.
• 7 p.m. Coloring & Conversation at the Crested Butte Library. 349-6535.
• 8 p.m. Ladies Night at the Red Room.

FRIDAY 27
• 6:30 p.m. Dr. Duane Vandenbusche to speak on the ‘Old Days in Gunnison County’ at the CB Heritage Museum.
• 7 p.m. Kongo Evelyn and Turner’s Honky-Tonk Happy Hour at Tully’s.
• 7 p.m. The Eagle Huntress plays in the Black Box Theatre at the Gunnison Arts Center.
• 8 p.m. The Wailers play at the Center for the Arts. Sold out.
• 10 p.m. The Red Petals play at the Eldo.

SATURDAY 28
• 1:45 p.m. Crested Butte Book Binders meet at the Crested Butte Library. 349-6535.
• 3:30 p.m. KBUT’s Female Arm Wrestling Tournament: Kids Division at the Lodge at Mountaineer Square Ballroom.
• 6:30 p.m. KBUT’s Female Arm Wrestling Tournament: Adult Divistion at the Lodge at Mountaineer Square Ballroom.
• 10 p.m. Rastasaurus plays at the Eldo.

SUNDAY 29
• noon-3:30 p.m. Uley’s Birthday Party at the Ice Bar at CBMR.

MONDAY 30
• 5:30 p.m. Financial Literacy Program: Key Investment Concepts at the Crested Butte Library. 349-6535.
• 8 p.m. Open Mic Night at the Eldo.

TUESDAY 31
• 6-8:30 p.m. 19th annual “Marble Mania” fun marbles tournament at the Gunnison Elementary School. 641-0944.
• 6 p.m. Wine for the Unpretentious wine class:Tour of Tuscany at McGills with Mountain Spirits Liquor.

WEDNESDAY 1
• 5:30 p.m. Philosophy on Tap at Tully’s. 349-6535.

Kid’s Calendar:

THURSDAY 26
• 9 a.m. Munchkin’s Music & Dance Class in the High Attitude Dance Academy in Gunnison.
• 10 a.m. Munchkin’s Music & Dance Class in the High Attitude Dance Academy in Gunnison.
• 10-11:30 a.m. Tumblebugs in Jerry’s Gym in Town Hall (ages 4 & under) 349-7197.

FRIDAY 27
• 11 a.m. Big Kids Storytime for ages 3 and up at the Crested Butte Library.
• 3:45-5:15 p.m. Trailhead After School – Advanced Art Drawing Skills at The Art Studio. 349-7160. (runs through March 10)
• 4-5 p.m. Tang Soo Do Martial Arts classes for youth with West Elk Martial Arts, Town Hall Fitness Room. 901-7417.

SATURDAY 28
• 1:45-3:45 p.m. Crested Butte Book Binders at the Crested Butte Library, ages 9-13. (every 2nd and 4th Saturday)
• 5-8 p.m. Movie Night at The Trailhead Children’s Museum. 349-7160.

MONDAY 30
• 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. CBCS community workshops for kindergarten through sixth grade.
• 3:45-5 p.m. Messy Mondays for school aged kids at the Crested Butte Library. (kids younger than 8 must be accompanied by an adult)
• 3:45-5:15 p.m. Trailhead After School Semi-Private Wheel Throwing at The Art Studio. 349-7160. (runs through March 20)
• 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.
• 4:45 p.m. Tang Soo Do classes for juniors at Town Hall. 901-7417.

TUESDAY 31
• 9:30 a.m. Munchkin’s Music and Dance Class in the Fitness Room at Town Hall. 349-9639.
• 3:45-5 p.m. Tween Scene (ages 8-12) at the Crested Butte Library.

WEDNESDAY 1
• 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.
• 3:45-5:15 p.m. Trailhead After School Art and Play. 349-7160. (runs through March 15)
• 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.
• 4:45 p.m. Tang Soo Do classes for juniors at Town Hall. 901-7417.

Flauschink looking for artists

It may be a weekend of Fat Bike madness and women’s arm wrestling but Flauschink is always Comink! The 49th annual Flauschink Button Contest is coming up and submissions for this year’s button are now being accepted. Be a part of Crested Butte history and create the 2017 design. Please include the year “2017” and ”Flauschink” on your design. A cash prize of $50 and fame could soon be yours. If you want to see past designs there are many on display at the Crested Butte Heritage Museum.  Mail all submissions to Sherrie Vandervoort, Box 152 Crested Butte, CO 81224 or email them to sherbearcb@yahoo.com no later than February 22.

Gunnison Valley Health early blood draws in Crested Butte 

If you are reading the paper hot off the press, remember that Gunnison Valley Health’s 2017 Wellness Events begin with early blood draws in Crested Butte on Thursday, January 26 from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Queen of All Saints Parish Hall located at 405 Sopris Avenue. For more information about early blood draws and the full schedule of 2017 Gunnison Valley Health Wellness Events, visit www.gunnisonvalleyhealth.org/wellnessevents. You can also call (970) 642-8418 to find out more. These low-cost blood tests help provide community members with information that may help improve general health status and identify conditions that may require the attention of a physician. Complimentary screenings of blood test results will be available at the Wellness Fairs.

Marble Mania in Gunny—compete or learn how to play

The 19th annual “Marble Mania” fun marbles tournament will be played at the Gunnison Elementary School on Tuesday evening, January 31, 6 and 8:30 p.m. Any youngster in the Gunnison Valley from age six to 14 and an adult partner (over age 21) may register to compete in the tournament for trophies, medals, ribbons, and special marbles. The child and adult partners in the boys and girls divisions will have their names engraved on a permanent plaque. Registration forms and tournament information is available at the GES office and can be faxed to the Crested Butte Community School. Registration and tournament information is also available from Jerry Piquette, tournament director, (970) 641-0944 or email playmarbles@msn.com. This is a great tournament; you are encouraged to join in the fun. If you have never played marbles—no problem, you will learn as you play.

Novel Tea at T-Bar

The Novel Tea Book Club will discuss Rules of Civility by Amor Towles on Thursday, January 26 at 2 p.m. at the T-bar International Tea House at 229 Elk Ave. The book is an engaging look at 1930s New York social elite. Copies of the book are available at the Crested Butte Library or available for purchase at Townie Books.

Movie night at The Children’s Trailhead

On Saturday, January 28, let your kids attend Movie Night at the Museum, a night of movie and play at The Trailhead, from 5 to 8 p.m., for $30 per child; members receive 10 percent off. Little ones, wear your jammies, and bring a lovie. Popcorn and special snacks will be provided.

Birthdays:

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 Ruch, Erika Hosier, Joel Reycraft

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

February 1- Annie Starr, Molly Minneman, MJ Simmons

Cameo Question: Winter wouldn’t be complete without…?

Get them on the steeps

By Crystal Kotowski

The Gunnison Crested Butte Tourism Association (TA) plans to continue its marketing efforts on the trail element of the county. Whether it is mountain biking trails in the summer, fat biking opportunities in the winter or the Extreme Limits ski trails at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, the TA is focused on trails.

The TA’s annual report to the Gunnison County commissioners outlined their objectives, results, and strategies for the coming year. Its major objectives are to grow lodging occupancies faster than DestiMetrics’ competitive set and to work closely with  the Air Command to make airline programs successful.

DestiMetrics is the leading supplier of lodging metrics and market intelligence for the North American mountain travel industry.

The TA noted its current strategy of focusing on millennials: advertising extreme ski terrain and avoiding luxury. “Our target audience has shifted to affluent millennials and those who are slightly older as opposed to a family-friendly message. We continue to target those who look for adventure in their vacation, and consider the remote location of the Gunnison Valley a blessing, not a curse,” the TA’s annual report reads.

The report further divides its target audiences and messages by season. Regarding the winter, the TA will focus on solidifying the Gunnison Valley as “the best Colorado destination” for fat biking, lending support to the events that make Crested Butte the Nordic Capital of Colorado, and on air markets. “We will test our millennial extremes message in the two air markets that have struggled the most with non-stop flights: Los Angeles and Chicago. By partnering with Teton Gravity Research to sponsor their new movie premieres we hope to build awareness of Crested Butte as a mecca for steep skiing and the culture that revolves around it,” the report continues.

In the summer, the TA will focus on mountain biking, continuing to promote the history and culture of mountain biking in the Gunnison Valley and collaborating with important partners such as the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association, Crested Butte Mountain Resort and Gunnison Trails.

Commissioner Jonathan Houck asked the TA to reach out to Gunnison Trails, as their work with the Bureau of Land Management for winter fat bike grooming would be a “great complementary opportunity.”

The report to the commissioners last week also touched on the budget. The 2017 budget proposed by the TA includes a requested contract amount of $1,680,000 compared to the $1,400,000 approved for 2016, noting an increase in revenue that would offset the increase in expenditures. The contract labor amount in the 2017 proposed budget increased approximately 29 percent from 2016 to $262,238.35 in the 2017 budget proposal.

Attending the annual Crested Butte-Mt. Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce Winter Economic and Tourism Forecast meeting last Thursday, I hung out for a bit but not for the whole thing. Believe it or not, everyone in the room was pretty optimistic about the upcoming ski season—no news there, really—and it wasn’t just because of the free beer and wine. You couldn’t expect this gathering to have the same vibe as the day after a Trump victory in the HCCA office, for example.

No, no, no. Marketing is cranking and should help fill those now-empty seats on the planes from Chicago and L.A. The buses are better and plusher and there are more trips running in the valley. The towns are in great shape and feeling more flush than recent years. The fat bikes are phatter, and the ski resort is ready. Big snow is in the weather forecast. It was a chamber gathering, after all.

Now, I believe all the reports, but being a bit more cynical, I was not shocked by any of them. I left the room when I saw a PowerPoint coming on the One Valley Prosperity Project. Seeing Gunnison County’s new community and economic development director and OVPP leader Cathie Pagano the next morning, I promised to give her and the project another kumbaya shout-out because she appreciates it so much. It is a holiday, so—OVPP gets the strongest kumbaya acknowledgement in a meeting filled with kumbaya! Pagano did tell me the project has actually led to more than just talk and good action has evolved from the hours and hours of OVPP discussion. While not always a cheerleader for OVPP, I believe the process has helped open up constructive dialogue and helped coordinate actionable goals for the broad community. Thanks.

A few other quick takeaways from the meeting. The Tourism Association will aim its healthy financial marketing guns on promoting the mountain’s steeps to millennials. Sort of like the mountain biking trail focus in the summer, they will focus on steep ski trails in the winter. The TA believes it is the Extreme Limits terrain that sets Crested Butte apart from the rest of the state ski areas so they want to let good skiers in their 20s and 30s know it is out there. They will especially be targeting the Los Angeles and Chicago ski markets since there are direct flights originating from those metropolises to Gunnison and those flights need some help.

The TA also reported that a survey of summer visitors showed no “detractors.” None, nada, zip, zilch. That’s unheard of and a compliment to us all. Visitors really liked it here this summer. Laurel Runcie explained that the survey results basically showed that those surveyed would likely recommend a trip to the valley to a friend. That’s a good marker. The TA will do a similar survey with visitors this winter to see how we measure up in the colder months.

The buses from the RTA will be bigger, more comfortable and easier to track this winter. There will be more daily round trips (17 total) zipping up and down the valley between Mt. Crested Butte and Gunnison and everywhere in between all winter. That should mean no one should (hopefully) get left behind because of a full bus.

Flights are looking about the same as last year in terms of booked passengers, with December up a bit and March off a tad.

Both towns, Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte, are seeing record sales tax revenues in the summer. Property valuations are increasing and both communities understand that it is now the June through September period that is dominating this ski resort community. In fact, Crested Butte mayor Glenn Michel said September is now the third-busiest month according to sales tax numbers in Crested Butte. He said the recent passage of 2A to help permanently end the threat of a mine on Mt. Emmons would bring some certainty to the valley for residents, visitors and investors.

CBMR’s Erica Mueller said they are “optimistic about another great winter in Crested Butte.” She said they are tracking about 4 percent up in individual skier tickets but are tracking down about 7 percent in group business at this point. “However, we feel that we can easily make up the group shortfall,” she said. “The phones have been a little slower lately with the lack of snowfall nationwide, but we anticipate the upcoming weather pattern to turn that around.”

Mueller said the Rocky Mountain Super Pass has been a boon the last two years and this third year is expected to give CBMR another great bump. Plus, she said this season is the first year of a new three-year deal with the group. “In addition, we anticipate seeing quite a few MAX Pass holders wanting to check out Crested Butte now that we are on that product as well. And last but not least, THINK SNOW: lots and lots of snow!”

Amen. There is nothing wrong with lots and lots of snow during the ski season.

So—and I’m honestly not being cynical—one of the things I love about the start of any ski season is the energy and optimism that bubble up right now. That gets me and most people living here stoked for the beginning of a new chapter in an always-interesting book. You never know how this chapter will turn out but it feels great to get it going. I love the buzz and there is always reason for optimism. Hey, the Cubs started every baseball season since the early 1900s with an optimistic buzz and they won the World Series this year. It could dump 450 inches this year!

So here is a Thanksgiving toast to some of that optimism going beyond expectations. Here’s to a record snowfall season and an early opening of Phoenix, Third Bowl and the West Side. Here’s to great sales tax numbers with no lines at the ever-running chairlifts that never break down. Here’s to warm, comfortable buses, fatter tires on the fat bikes, no core shots, and a chance for everyone living here to get out and have one of the runs of their life this year.

Have a great Thanksgiving weekend, everyone. I hear it’s looking pretty good.

—Mark Reaman