Roger Kahn’s new book dives into the socio-economic anthropology of the inevitable

By Dawne Belloise

Roger Kahn’s reading and signing of his new book, How Crested Butte Became a Tourist Town: Drugs, Sex, Sports, Arts, and Social Conflict, will be at the Crested Butte Heritage Museum on Saturday, July 20 at 7 p.m. The book is a deep look into the social history of Crested Butte, based on extensive research through numerous interviews with a wide range of locals who lived in town from the mid-1960s through the late 1970s.

According to Kahn, the concept for the research and consequent book began about 45 years ago when he wrote a proposal to a social science research group, the Russell Sage Foundation, where he was a consultant.

Kahn explains, “They were trying to make their research more relevant to what was going on, the social changes of the 1960s and 1970s. I was part of the Union of Radical Sociologists, trying to get sociology to look at the power structures and to do research that would help the working class people and people of color, information that would help them in their struggles for social justice. We were trying to change the focus of the grant-giving parameters to change their policies in order to be useful for civil rights activists. People of color, women’s rights, civil liberties, activists, and trade unionists were all being studied but few were studying the powerful people of society, the elected officials, heads of banks, ultra-wealthy, and the power elect.”

Kahn wrote the proposal shortly after moving to Crested Butte in the late 1960s. “We were living in a unique and dynamic community and I wanted to study the community I was living in. They turned it down. They couldn’t put it together, they didn’t get it.”

The book addresses the formative period of the mid-60s to the late 1970s, which helped to determine what would happen in the future of this town.

“My research was very extensive. I read every single word in the Crested Butte Chronicle, also the Crested Butte Pilot. I mean every word, every letter, editorial and even ads during that era,” Kahn says.

Kahn also conducted unstructured interviews. “Basically, I asked five questions: Where’d you come from, why did you come here, what did you do for work and play, what were some of the wildest craziest things you did? The latter question led to some remarkable answers about drug use, marital indiscretions and stories about mushroom gathering. I interviewed a broad section of people, a cross section from radicals to the politically conservative.”

Through his research, Kahn realized that the same cultural phenomenon was taking place at resort towns across the nation. “The development of those tourist towns and their proliferation following WWII was the same thing that happened to Telluride, Tahoe, Bear Lake and Laguna Beach, California, all the tourist towns. I understood that all the tourist towns emerged from tiny towns that were ethnic—mining, logging, fishing towns—all of these towns emerged as tourist towns in the 1960s and ’70s in conflict with the populations and cultures of the previous residents who were all working class blue collar. A large portion of counter culture people of the era, whether hippies or social activists, came from parents who were the new middle and upper middle classes in America. They (the counter culture) were the first generation offspring of middle class, highly educated and widely traveled people. They were what socialists and anthropologists called ‘downwardly mobile.’”

Kahn’s book encompasses these concepts.

Kahn says he used to think Crested Butte’s evolution was unique, but he now believes, “We are not and moreover, Crested Butte evolved for the same reasons and in the same way as the other tourist towns. I make a strong point about talking about these places as a tourist town and a recreation community. People go to these tourist places for their recreational needs but they don’t understand that it’s also a tight-knit community. That the workers who allow them to happily play and give them a great experience are themselves a community. They don’t realize there’s a local community and many people who visit haven’t the faintest idea there’s a community here.”

In his book, Kahn identifies three distinct groups who arrived after the coal mines closed. “First, the trailblazers from Kansas, Oklahoma and Colorado who mostly came with the opening of the ski area [CBMR opened in 1962]. They were younger than most of the old timers and culturally were comfortable with the Old West. The second group is the tourist town pioneers, who were anti-war and pro-civil and equal rights, clean up the environment, pro-personal growth, and back to the land. Some were outlaws, escaping the law and were anti-authority movement. They were interested in finding more ways of living than making a living.

“The third group,” Kahn says,  “is the recreation community settlers. Culturally, they were very similar to the pioneers in that they were pro-civil rights, anti-war, pro-women rights. The big difference is that they were here for the local election of 1972, the most important election to the rise of Crested Butte as a tourist town. That election saw a complete turnover with the hippies elected and, with that, everything changed as all the resources were put toward building a tourist town. Word spread that there was this little town in the mountains that the hippies took over and people started to come because they heard housing, food, and living were cheap and there was a great ski area. New people started coming, from New York, Aspen, California, Michigan, and Chicago,” to name a few, he says, “the disgruntled of the cities. This third wave started pushing for more growth.”

To address the current changes, Kahn included an epilogue. “I summarize that today’s locals see the billionaires driving out the millionaires. It’s the prevalent conversation and opinion on the street these days. The most recent change really began with the recession of 2008, when the demographics started to flip because a lot of properties, especially condos, couldn’t sell and prices dropped to about half of what they were. People started buying those up for what was considered cheap. Now, they’re selling those at current market price.

“When Vail came in, the price of real estate jumped 25 percent just upon the announcement that Vail was buying. Whenever there’s a change of ownership in any major resort, these turnovers lead to an acceleration of pricing,” Kahn noted.

Kahn’s book beckons to people to understand that this is a new social cultural phenomena that has emerged in the past 50 years all across the country. “Crested Butte, and this study of it, is a unique work but the changes are a typical example of today’s recreational ‘Xurbs,’” he says, a term Kahn coined to reflect a more accurate picture of the tourist town evolution, and, he adds, “I would hope people have a lot of fun reading my book and learn a lot from it.”

Weigh in on the future of Crested Butte

By Mark Reaman

More than 750 people have so far responded to the Crested Butte Community Survey but the goal is get more than 1,000 responses by the end of August. The 20-question survey is a broad poll on what people want to see as the town grows. Initial responses appear to center on awareness of the changes Crested Butte is experiencing and about how to shape the changes into the future.

More than 70 percent of the respondents described themselves as “outdoor enthusiasts” and almost 12 percent said they could be described as a “ski bum.” So far, about 30 percent of those who have responded live in Crested Butte. Another 37 percent live in the north end of the valley. The rest live south of Round Mountain, on the Front Range, or out of state.

Several questions allowed respondents to select more than one choice for an answer so percentages don’t necessarily add up to 100 percent. When asked what “kind of community” they want to see in 20 years, almost half said they wanted the town to be able to “accommodate responsible growth without losing its unique historical character.” Another 41 percent said they wanted town to have a “balanced economy with good jobs and attainable housing.” Only 17 percent said they wanted town to remain like it is 20 years from now.

As for the greatest local challenges Crested Butte is now facing, it probably comes as no surprise that lack of workforce or attainable housing tops the list, with 52 percent saying it is an issue.

Other challenges topping the list include maintaining quality of life with a balance between being a community and being a resort. General affordability and cost of living in the area also received significant clicks of concern from respondents.

Supporting existing businesses was the most popular answer to the question about what town’s priorities should be regarding economic development. Diversifying from a tourist-based economy to a broader year-round mixed economy also received popular support.

Parking congestion also surfaced as an issue, with survey respondents saying that traffic congestion and parking availability is a problem, especially in the summer. The solution from those who took the survey was to develop an intercept parking lot near town with public transit; create more parking lots in town; or change “user behavior instead of investing in new capital improvement projects.”

Overall, people say they like the small-town feel and mountain environment that is part of Crested Butte. They also value the outdoor recreation and the people.

“People can remain anonymous when taking the survey so it feels like we are getting pretty honest feedback,” said Crested Butte community development director Michael Yerman. “The news about Vail purchasing CBMR  broke about the time we opened up the survey so that seems to have impacted the responses, especially at the beginning. But we are getting a good steady stream of people taking the survey.”

Crested Butte town planner Bob Nevins said it is obvious people are feeling the impacts of a changing community but for the most part they don’t want to build a wall. “It seems a pretty mature outlook,” he said. “People see change is coming but they want to try to guide it responsibly.”

As would be expected, the opportunity to include written comments always makes for interesting reading. Some examples include:  “All council members should take economics classes and learn how economies work;” “Don’t let tourism ruin our town;” “Do NOT build more infrastructure in an effort to turn it into a city;” “Your values are way too far to the left;” “The class division is so apparent and only going to get worse;” “CB and Gunnison should embrace their serendipity;” “They say ‘No’ a lot to most items on the agenda;” “Important to keep it a place that is accessible to more than just the 1%;” “No paid parking downtown;” “Quit being so progressive;” and “Open the portal to Somerset, mine the Red Lady, quit being wimps and put up a statue of the 45th president. Embrace Vail and connect the mountain with a Gondola.”

No word yet on where council stands on that last comment.

Anyone is eligible to take part in the survey. Physical surveys are available at the coffee shops in town. A link to the survey is on the town website or you can simply go to crestedbuttesurvey.com.

After 30 years, the rumor is confirmed

by Mark Reaman

To paraphrase an old CBMR marketing campaign—“We are not Vail.” But Vail will likely be running the ski mountain this winter. In an announcement that sent shock waves through the community Monday morning, it was revealed that one of the world’s largest ski resort operators, Vail Resorts, is under contract to purchase family-owned Crested Butte Mountain Resort. The deal is expected to close later this summer.

Current CBMR operators, the Mueller family, who came to Crested Butte 14 years ago, confirmed that they agreed to a sale of all three ski resorts they manage under Triple Peaks LLC, including Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Okemo in Vermont and Sunapee in New Hampshire.

Vail Resorts executive vice president of the mountain division Chris Jarnot told the Crested Butte News Tuesday that the company is excited to bring CBMR into its portfolio but has no desire to change the community or culture of Crested Butte.

Vail will pay $82 million for Triple Peaks and the leases currently held by a hedge fund will be paid off at closing. The Muellers will retain a chunk of the local real estate holdings including the Prospect property on the back of the mountain; the North Village property at the base of Snodgrass; the commercial property in the Lodge at Mountaineer Square; and the Treasury Center building in the base area.

Vail will take over the Grand Lodge commercial property, the main parking lot and the land behind the Grand Lodge. The property where the Adventure Park and mini-golf is located will go to Vail Resorts at closing.

“We are no longer in the real estate development business,” explained Jarnot. “When it came to the real estate aspect of the Crested Butte equation, we acquired what we need to help operate the mountain and let the Muellers retain the other real estate. We were focused on the real estate we need to operate the mountain.”

Tough call, staffing 

Ethan and Erica Mueller both said Monday that the decision to sell was extremely difficult for the family, especially given the recent financial successes the Triple Peaks resorts have seen the last several winters. But they basically said the writing was on the wall in terms of how the ski resort industry was evolving with Vail and Alterra (Aspen) basically controlling resorts across North America and the world and marketing their brands to skiers through ways smaller resorts had trouble competing with.

“There were times during these discussions that it was a shock for us,” admitted Erica. “We would ask ourselves if this was really the conversation we were having. It took a lot of contemplation. It was not easy.”

Ethan agreed. “I’m sure some people look at it and think it was easy and have the attitude of, ‘Look at how many millions they got,’ and I get that to a degree. But this has been our life. It’s always been our plan to take this business into the future. And now everyone is asking what will we do now and frankly, we don’t know. We’ve been focused on the deal and our employees. Obviously, there will be some change. The Vail people indicated that CBMR is structured basically the way it should be structured, so the intent is to keep people,” Ethan continued. “That being said, there are some people who probably won’t be a fit. It was the same way when we came in. As for us—we will be out of a job soon.”

Jarnot said no one should expect major staffing changes. “The management structure looks much like our existing resorts,” he said. “We’ve said that we expect to retain the vast majority of employees at all the resorts we recently purchased.”

“Our employees have done so much good work over the last several years to make CBMR a success. We want to see them continue to do it. With this move they will have more resources and that is exciting,” said Erica.

Retaining community 

“As part of the decision process we contemplated whether this would be good for the community,” said Ethan. “We recognized it would be a big shift. And quite frankly, we do think it will be a good fit. For people who think there will be a million skier visits, there won’t be. There’s a natural infrastructure governor (such as found in small engines) that won’t let that happen. There are only so many rooms for example, and this isn’t a day resort. But we’ve been intent on growing, too. I think they’ll get to our goal, easier. We were fighting the good fight and we were getting ourselves there but it was harder for us. We have been looking at that 500,000 to 600,000 skier-day winter for years. I would expect they will get somewhere in that realm but maybe not in that first year.”

Like the Muellers, Jarnot makes no bones about the desire to see an increase in skier visitations. “We announced that we would spend money [$35 million] out of the gate on improvements at the resorts we purchased. We invest in the guest experience to make it better and we certainly want to attract more people,” he explained. “We expect a return on the investment. That is part of the business strategy. But I don’t understand how that would change Crested Butte.”

When pushed whether the sale from small independent ownership to worldwide corporate conglomerate would intrinsically change Crested Butte to move away from its somewhat rough-around-the-edges reputation toward a more glossy corporate feel, Jarnot said that was the last thing the company would want.

“We already have a Vail and we don’t want to buy another one,” he said. “Crested Butte is so unique and different, with strong individuality. That’s the attraction of Crested Butte that appeals to us. Our perception is that the community as a whole is very distinct in attitude and feel. I’m surprised that people think we could change that or even that we would want to. That is not what we want to do.

“Okemo and Sunapee certainly complement Stowe and the idea of the company having a presence in the Northeast,” he continued. “Our strategy is to offer different resorts and different experiences for our customers. But this deal was not just about the Northeast. We have been aware and have been interested in Crested Butte as a unique and different resort. It is a true destination resort, especially compared to our other Colorado resorts. It is not as much of a regional draw as our other resorts in the state. Our overall business strategy is to provide different experiences for people to choose from. We want to get them to try new places with different feels, and Crested Butte offers that.”

“Vail can’t come in and overnight dictate that we’ll go from 31,000 airline seats to 75,000,” added Ethan. “It just isn’t going to happen. Monarch Pass is still Monarch Pass and some people will be okay driving over it and others won’t be okay. We’re still at the end of the road. And I think those things will largely continue to, as they always have, keep things in check.

“We are not now Vail,” Ethan continued. “CBMR doesn’t define Crested Butte. Crested Butte is what it is because of the people. Vail can’t change that nor do they want to. They’ve been very upfront that they don’t want to homogenize everything, which is what people are afraid of. They recognize their opportunity is to diversify. They know there is a customer out there who wants a Crested Butte and they want a product they can sell that person. That’s their intent. So they want Crested Butte to be Crested Butte, with a few more people to come and see Crested Butte.”

“Vail is a ski company,” added Erica. “That is its roots. They never sell a resort. They want skiing to prosper but keep it unique to what it is. I think they want to keep and celebrate our character. Their decisions here won’t be just something out of Broomfield. It was discussed with them and made our decision more comfortable.”

The new business model came into play

Ethan said that while considering whether to sell, the wave of ski area consolidation was a factor. “One realization we came to with Alterra and Vail is, whether we want it or like it, this is where the business is going. They’ll brand differently but at the end of the day they are similar. It’s been largely driven by consumers. Consumers are making these companies successful and they are asking for these things so we came to that realization.

“Our resort companies have been close to record years lately,” Ethan continued. “There wasn’t any one thing that clicked us into making the decision. Like any big decision, we talked about it a lot. The more we talked, the more obvious the answer became. It initially was a ‘Holy Crap’ moment but over time as we absorbed that and talked through the deal and all the stuff like the employees, the community, the personal stuff that was in the mix, it slowly made more sense.”

Jarnot said it made sense to the corporation as well. “Crested Butte is physically remarkable,” he emphasized. “The combination of the town, the setting, the wide-open spaces, the ski terrain, all add to the mix. The character of the town and the local businesses, the attitude of the locals, it all has a distinct flavor. Over time Crested Butte has developed its own strong personality and that is part of the appeal for some people who want to visit. The destination is distinct and different from other places and that is why it works for us.”

As for season passes, if the acquisition goes through, Vail will honor CBMR passes that have been purchased. Pass details can be found online at www.epicpass.com.

Expansion and housing

The proposed Teo-2 expansion currently going through the U.S. Forest Service review process will continue to do just that. Jarnot said his team has not seen the actual terrain but has looked at maps and photos. “We need to learn more about the expansion plan and what it provides for the guests,” he said. “We will evaluate it all and see what to do if it gets approved by the Forest Service.”

Jarnot said that good employees and their living situation is an important part of any business model. “We have been focused on affordable housing in our other resorts and the types of housing depend on the various resorts. In Breckenridge and Keystone we have significant employee housing that we own or control through master leases. In Park City, we don’t have as much. But it is a concern in every single mountain community in the West. We understand that we need it to operate our business.”

When the deal goes through, it will be Vail that is a new partner in the Brush Creek Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) contract and Vail will have a 25 percent say in the project. “I’ve heard about the Brush Creek proposal but don’t know a lot about it yet,” admitted Jarnot. “We are interested in understanding where CBMR was with it and see if there is opportunity there to create housing for our seasonal employees.”

Coming in, going out

Overall, Jarnot is excited to delve more into the community. “We went into this expecting it would be big news and a surprise, and it was,” he said. “We understand the concern to protect what is valued in the community. We are really excited about acquiring CBMR because it is Crested Butte and it is so individual and has such a strong character. That is what interests us. We have no interest in trying to change that. We have a lot more to learn about Crested Butte and I’ll be back there this summer and look forward to meeting with community members and talking about how we can be part of the community.”

There was some obvious emotion as Erica and Ethan discussed the sale in their office at the base of the Silver Queen.

“This is home for us,” Erica said. “A big part of our hearts is in Crested Butte.”

“It always will be home,” agreed Ethan.

“Like our parents in Okemo, we have developed a lot of good relationships and had a lot of good experiences here,” said Erica. “A lot of emotion came with the decision.”

“If we didn’t have a mostly positive feeling about it we wouldn’t be doing it,” concluded Ethan.

There is magic in the orb.

Looking at a photo of Donald Trump and the king of Saudi Arabia stroking a lighted orb in a darkened room was like seeing a snapshot from a 1958 horror movie where the super-villains gather to see the future. If you don’t believe me, just Google it. If the orb can look into the future, let’s see what the orb can tell us about this place.

A local couple wants to open an equestrian facility on a 73-acre parcel near Crested Butte South. Several neighbors obviously hate the idea and have lawyered up to try to stop the Crested Butte Horse Park. It is a bit of a head-scratcher to oppose a horse-centered facility that is pretty much surrounded by ranches. I know it will be a commercial project but unless I am misreading the situation, the proponents have attempted to address the concerns of the neighbors but the neighbors aren’t buying it.

Horses in the American West are not unusual. Many voices have expressed a desire to have a horse facility in the valley. As I drove back up-valley from the meeting where the county staff informed the county Planning Commission that the public hearing on the project would be reopened, horses were grazing all around that piece of property.

There are certainly valid concerns with a commercial development in the location and the details should be thoroughly explored—and it seems they have been. But the overall big picture seems like a good fit there.

There is no doubt that the couple of neighbors living directly next to the proposed facility will be impacted with more activity and all that comes with it. Their concerns are real and should be respected. And it appears that the county and the proponents have respected their concerns and made legitimate moves to address mitigation of the impacts. The proponents have a solid vision for a horse development and continue to soften the impacts.

The orb predicts the neighbors will continue to fight the project but the county will ultimately approve it with conditions. A lawsuit is not out of the question but change happens even here in the upper valley.

Speaking of change: The orb predicts big changes as people enter into Crested Butte.

The Mary Yelenick Park hosted its last toddler this past weekend. What was built in a community barn-raising effort decades ago is being dismantled to make room for an expanded Center or the Arts. Construction of Big Blue will begin soon, with the ceremonial groundbreaking scheduled for June 5. A fresh “Pirate Park” will be constructed to replace the old playground.

The new 38,0000-square-foot Center will help facilitate more community art and that is a good thing for Crested Butte. It does come at a price, as “Big Blue” will swallow some of the green space that welcomes people driving into town. The orb predicts the Center will look larger than what people expect. But everyone will get used to it and it will ultimately be an amenity for those living in the valley. John O’Neal’s recent comment to the council that it will help provide “a richness of life” for people living here was a good one.

At the same time, councilwoman Laura Mitchell deserves a big shout-out for casting a gut-check vote against the Center starting construction immediately because of valid concerns about the financing. The money to build it really isn’t secured and there is no “surety” in case of unexpected circumstances, despite recent promises from the board that there would be. Now, I do have confidence the Center will raise the needed money to complete the project but it is not a 100 percent given. In that situation, with a room full of Center supporters asking the town government to “take a leap faith,” Laura had the biggest cojones on the council and voted her conscience. That’s not always easy to do.

The orb declares that when a government body takes months and months to try to impose some sort of zoning that offends no one, chances are you end up with a pretty flimsy piece of putty because of all the kneading it has gone through. That might be the case with the latest short-term rental (STR) ordinance making its way through the Crested Butte Town Council. The council has changed direction numerous times, pretty much depending on the last person to talk. The fact is, zoning is limiting to property owners and there will be people who do not like it. The council seems to be trying to limit something without hurting homeowners—at least the ones they know. If the council just stops and asks the staff to truly enforce what is on the books, the town will be light years ahead of other communities. With current regs, there are limits in town now and neighborhoods that will be STR-free. That’s huge in the long run. Consider implementing significant licensing fees, give a legit grace period to those with licenses in zones where STRs are not allowed, throw in a 30 percent STR cap in currently allowed zones where it’s at about 28 percent now if you feel the need, and move on. But the orb sees the danger of an eventual STR ordinance that has no immediate impact and feels like an overused piece of putty that puts STRs into every neighborhood in Crested Butte.

The orb sees people—lots of people. And they will be descending on the valley this summer. The U.S. Forest Service has made adjustments in its policies in an effort to help tamp down their impacts. Good on ‘em. The orb has no clear vision on where the county commissioners and the Crested Butte Town Council will fall on the effort to help backcountry management through the CBMBA Conservation Corps and the Peak Protector programs. Immediate efforts to deal with an immediate problem takes immediate money, and those elected officials should follow the lead of the Mt. Crested Butte Town Council and allocate real dollars to the effort this summer while a longer-term plan is prepared. We can’t just talk about addressing major changes—we have to productively deal with those changes.

You don’t need the orb to predict there could be some high water in June. Backcountry skiers report there is still plenty of white in the high mountains and it will melt at some point.

The orb sees a good life in the valley. According to a recent study from the University of Washington, if you live in a Colorado ski resort like, say, Crested Butte, you are probably going to live longer than most other people in the country. “Study after study has shown that where Americans live has a big effect on how long they live. A new study out Monday finds that difference works out to as much as 20 years,” reported NBC News. “The longest life expectancy—up to 87 years—was in central Colorado’s ski country. The lowest—66 years—was found in southwest South Dakota, with other parts of the Dakotas, Appalachia and the Mississippi river basin close behind.”

In case you forgot, Crested Butte is about as central in central Colorado’s ski country as one can get. And it is a pretty good place to spend time. So living longer here is not a chore. The orb predicts that those who choose to reside here will live long and prosper—even as it all continues to change.

—Mark Reaman

Sometimes understanding perspective is difficult in the moment. It is sort of like living every day with a grade school kid and not noticing that he or she is growing. But if you are a friend and not a parent and happen to run into that kid after a couple of months, the change can sometimes be dramatic.

So, when you or your kids are reading the “20 Years Ago Today” column in the paper in 2036, it might show that these last few weeks or months in 2016 were probably pretty momentous to the town. These are indeed interesting times. You might not see it every day but the kid is changing pretty fast right now.

Here’s why…

—If we are lucky, this could be the year that the threat of a mine on Red Lady is forever gone. The steps are in place to make that a reality. For 40 years, the community has had a fighting chip on its shoulder as the people have relentlessly fought the idea of a molybdenum mine on Mt. Emmons.

But now, if Crested Butte citizens approve a $2 million ballot issue this fall (that won’t raise any taxes) and the pieces fall into place with mining company Freeport McMoRan, the U.S. Congress and the president of the United States, there could be a permanent withdrawal of any mining of minerals on that mountain. It sounds pretty far-fetched but it could actually happen. The town is ready, the mining company appears ready and the politics with our U.S. senators and representatives could come together. It would be pretty incredible for the pieces to fall into place but it appears there is a real shot. Even if the voters approve the issue, there would still be a lot of heavy lifting to do, but it will be as close as we’ve come in decades. So let’s make it happen.

To take the communal mind shift from a community fighting for its spiritual mountain against global mining interests to a community walking hand-in-hand with an international mining company to focus on mine-related remediation and improved water quality is huge. What will that do to our general community reputation? Will we go from jumping into immediate fighting stance on almost anything to cooperation in all aspects of community? Will the loss of a mining threat put the place into resort hyper-drive?

It seems to me that it would be a significant change of attitude and one that will benefit future generations of Crested Butte. Like getting a high school back in town, it is certain to bring significant change to the community and it should be a major change for the better. This is exciting stuff if those pieces fall into place and it will start with how the citizens of Crested Butte cast their votes this November. We will look closer at this throughout the fall.

—Last week the Crested Butte Board of Zoning and Architectural Review (BOZAR) approved an expanded Crested Butte Center for the Arts. It will be a big building in Town Park and one that can cater to the growing variety of arts in the upper valley. It is not a small project and there is still a lot of work to be done. But if the money can be raised to complete the new facility, it should prime the pump for the north end of the valley to really make the arts an even more valuable piece of the spiritual and economic makeup of Crested Butte. Add to that the fact that the Mt. Crested Butte Biery-Witt Center is close to its fundraising goal and the community could end up with two major arts facilities in the near future. That’s a lot of art potential for a small town.

—The first big affordable housing complex began filling up last month. Anthracite Place provides a spot for low-income folks trying to stay here and make a life and a living. As Crested Butte becomes more and more expensive—and with no mine threat and better arts facilities—that will likely continue at an even faster pace. It’s no longer easy for ski bum types to buy a place up here. That’s a sad reality and why we need subsidized affordable housing. There will always be a need for such projects if you want the town and valley to be able to keep workers living in the broader community and not commuting from Montrose or wherever. Not every resort community has places for the dishwashers, the bus drivers and the musicians to reside. It is important to this town to keep workers living here and Anthracite Place provides such an opportunity.

In that vein, this is the week the first locals were able to go under contract for deed-restricted affordable housing lots on blocks 79 and 80 in town. These will be tilted more toward families and young professionals who want to make the commitment to stay here. That is another step in the struggle to keep the community real.

—The new Sixth Street Station proposal made it through its first BOZAR review last week. It is not a done deal by any means but the developers are no longer asking for a zoning change. They are looking at a number of hotel beds that might alleviate some VRBO-type mania inside the town limits. It too would be a big building and it would certainly be the new focal point for the northwest part of town.

—The Cypress Foothills developers received the first major county approval for their proposed “hybrid” development that entails a potential town annexation and some more county home sites just to the north of the current Crested Butte boundaries. The public land that is part of the proposed deal could include a school site, an emergency services center such as a fire hall, parks, river access and affordable housing. It too will have a big impact on the look and feel of the community.

—There is the fact that for the first time ever, more than 700 students enrolled this year in the Crested Butte Community School. Families seem to have figured out that living in a small town with a great educational opportunity is unique in this country. Throw in the ski area and countless outdoor amenities (and now a faster growing arts community and hopefully no threat of a mine) and the attraction probably won’t go away for people with the means to resettle in a good mountain village with their kids.

—Add in the hiring this week of a brand new Crested Butte town manager to guide a lot of these new developments, the state coming to the Town Council this month to start to solidify a Red Lady roundabout plan, the idea of developing a camping area in Avalanche Park, more buses serving both ends of the valley and CB South, a potential new Kapushion subdivision development in town, marijuana becoming a booming business throughout the county, the county shifting to power its vehicles with compressed natural gas, the ski area looking to expand into Teo 2—and who knows what else is brewing under the radar. There is no shortage of big changes happening right now.

Now to be frankly honest, not all of these changes are going to be great for everyone. If you live here and saw a future job at a mine, the change isn’t helping you. The prices of real estate in the valley always go up—and then go down—but I would imagine the floor is getting higher.

So while you may feel things are shifting a bit and the town is becoming a bit more gentrified, I think the real perspective is that we are in the midst of some major potential changes for the community. The details are still not settled on every issue. So if you want to look back at the “20 Years Ago Today” column in 2036 and help determine what it says—and how this place evolves —now is the time to jump in and help shape the big changes that are now happening. As the old Chinese saying goes … We are living in interesting times.

—Mark Reaman

I’m not sure exactly why, but the picture and ultimate fate of the mountain lion lying by the snowmobiles at the Kebler Pass trailhead (see page 8) makes me a bit sad. Despite being in such bad shape—starving, quilled by a porcupine, frostbitten—the cat still emanated a wild dignity. For him to decide to give up and deliberately go where humans gather, even to stay warm, indicates the direness of his situation. Ultimately the professionals at Colorado Parks and Wildlife took charge, evaluated the situation and euthanized him. It was probably the most humane decision, given the circumstances. As Joe Lewandowski of CPW stated, “Life’s tough in the wild…”

Yes it is.

I like people who throw out ideas. Sometimes they work, other times they fall flat. But at least something is tried and ultimately something is learned if people are not afraid to throw some weird ideas against the wall.

Here are a few recent ideas people have shared (and none are that weird):

Fat Bike Grooming up a ‘silent’ valley—Groom Gothic Road this winter from the Snodgrass trailhead to Gothic. Adding several groomed road miles to the new tracks put down at the base of Snodgrass for the Fat Bike World Championships would be a great addition. Treat the road sort of like one of the southern drainages that allows for Nordic and snowshoeing on the right and fat biking on the left. Now, fat bikers should take responsibility for the chore and pay for the gear and grooming. A creative groomer could explore some singletrack in the aspen forests along the road for those bikers who are ready for the next step. Why not try it this year, see if it works and expand as needed…

Use Twister Lift (for fun!)—This idea is not to turn Twister on all day every day but make it an event—make it a party. Maybe CBMR could consider running it on just Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 2:30 to 3:30. Twister is an iconic Colorado double chair resting silently just outside Uley’s Restaurant on the front of the ski resort. It can still run after some maintenance work but it is a “redundant lift,” so CBMR has sort of mothballed it. That’s understandable, but Twister gets some of the last sun of the day. Bring it back into play and call it the Twister Happy Hour. Sell some PBRs out of a bin at the bottom. Bring in a DJ or a band or a boom box but make it a party at the end of the day. There’s something special about Twister. Bring some fun to the sunny side.

Introduce skiing to native Coloradoans—There was a news story on TV last week detailing the lack of kids from the Front Range who ski. It is primarily an economic situation. Apparently the majority of kids living in Denver, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs have never made it over Kenosha Pass. So maybe CBMR and the Tourism Association can partner with some sort of alternative school program and take a few late January weekends when it is slow and partner with a bus company, some lodging and some rental shops to introduce Colorado kids to … skiing (or fat biking). Bring them to what would likely seem a storybook setting in Crested Butte and give them one night and a couple days of lessons. Find some grants, partner with schools, charge a nominal fee and keep your ski instructors busy with introducing the sport to a new group who just might get hooked and come back. You get not only good karma, but a loyal growing client base for decades. It might actually be a good, long-term business decision.

And the biggest new idea thrown out here this week is how to handle the 44 acres north of Crested Butte, the Slate River development hybrid plan. My initial impression is that the development idea is pretty darn good—at least on first impressions. The 30 free-market homes (reduced from well over a hundred) would get hooked up to a town sewer system instead of using septic tanks along the Slate River. The public would get land for parks, a potential school building, affordable housing and a possible fire station. The sledding hill would move there from Big Mine Park, which means the skate park probably wouldn’t move—and that is a smart thing. The town and developers have struck a compromise and want more feedback. There are still some issues lingering out there (house sizes being a big one and water being another) but there are a few weeks to digest and evaluate the idea. Take some time to think about it and let your representative know what you think before a public meeting scheduled for January 25.

Ideas. I like them. Throw them all against the metaphorical wall and talk about them and use the good ones that stick and make sense. And if they don’t make sense, at least there’s something to think about…

—Mark Reaman

Between now and the beginning of November, the Crested Butte News will be asking the candidates for Crested Butte mayor and town council questions related to issues in the community. We are requesting that the six candidates keep their answers to no more than 600 words. 

We are also asking readers to send us their suggestions for questions to ask in the newspaper. Send your suggestions to editorial@crestedbuttenews.com.

And do not forget that we will be hosting a Crested Butte News Candidate’s Forum on Sunday, October 18 at 6 p.m. at the CB Center for the Arts. We will give a couple minutes to those who wish to speak for (or against) the two proposed sales tax increase issues – the one funding the RTA and the other being put forth by the town council to address parks and recreation funding. Everyone is invited to come in person and ask questions of the candidates or the people representing the issues.

Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters starting October 13 and they must be returned by the official election day of November 3.

—Mark Reaman

Glenn Michel, mayoral candidate

Years in the valley: 18

Occupation: Self-employed carpenter

What motivated you to run for this position and what strengths can you bring to the role of mayor or councilmember?

I enjoy contributing to local politics and shaping the future of Crested Butte. My family and I have been fortunate to be able to live and work in the community and I believe it is important to give back to our town. After having served on the Town Council for four years and the BOZAR for five years—two as chairperson—I am ready to serve as mayor. My abilities to listen, find consensus, run effective meetings, and make good decisions based on solid reasoning are the skills that make me a strong candidate. Our town is ready for calm leadership based on trust and mutual respect—attributes that define my leadership style. In addition, I have a diverse knowledge base with bachelor’s degrees in economics, history, and politics and government. I serve on several boards and committees including the Mountain Express, Center for the Arts, the One Valley Prosperity Project, and the Big Mine Park master planning committee. Most important, I am engaged in the community. My wife, Gesa, and I both work and own our house in town, and are raising our two boys here. My experience, education, personal skills, and community engagement are strengths that I will bring to the position of mayor.

Define your idea of “prosperity” for someone living in Crested Butte.

As an original member of the One Valley Prosperity Project I have been working on the definition since March with stakeholders from throughout the entire valley and we just released this definition: “Prosperity is the opportunity to provide for ourselves in a meaningful and fulfilling way. However, we can only be a prosperous community if we achieve the delicate balance between providing the need for economic opportunity with protecting our other community values—the very reason we live here.”

Favorite sport: Skate skiing on sunny days and telemark skiing on powder days.

Favorite athlete: Aqib Talib, cornerback for the Broncos.

Favorite month in Crested Butte: September, as long as it does not become too busy!

W.E. “Skip” Berkshire, mayoral candidate

Years in the valley: 17+

Occupation: Retired. I was in the Air Force for 21 years where I was involved with buying and operating large satellite systems. I retired and went to work for Lockheed Martin as a systems engineer. After 12 years with Lockheed, I retired (again) and moved to Crested Butte.

What motivated you to run for this position and what strengths can you bring to the role of mayor or councilmember?

There are many reasons why I am running for mayor. Here are three:

1. I would like to improve the Town Council process so that we don’t have meetings that go until 2 a.m. in the morning. There is also way too much drama—let the Mountain Theater handle the drama, they’re good at it.

2. I would like to improve the council’s outreach to the community—we need to have more folks engaged in our important decisions.

3. I would like to ensure that we focus on keeping Crested Butte the unique, small town that it is. Let’s focus on preserving the quality of Crested Butte for the folks who live here. If we do that, people will come to visit because we are the real deal—not just another “me too” resort.

My service on the Town Council (2001-2009 and this last year) has given me great experience and knowledge in how the town works as well as understanding the key players and processes in the county and Mt. Crested Butte. I am open-minded and consensus driven—I do my homework. I work collaboratively. My service on the Crested Butte Nordic board (10+ years), the Land Trust board, and numerous other organizations has helped me understand the needs, values and people of our community.

Define your idea of “prosperity” for someone living in Crested Butte.

It’s not about money. It’s about a quality life; a life filled with promise, peace, security, health, family, friends, and opportunity. Just about everyone here in Crested Butte is here by choice. I’m sure that we share a lot of the same reasons that helped us choose Crested Butte. We love the community and the human scale of our small town. The recreational opportunities are unparalleled, and the soul enriching landscape nourishes our spirit. We have a world-class school, we’re kid friendly, we know our neighbors—we care for each other. We have fun and we are happy.

Favorite sport: I don’t have “a” favorite sport. In the winter I enjoy all forms of skiing—Tele, AT, Nordic (classic and skate), and an occasional snowshoe outing. Winter also affords the opportunity (sometimes) to dig a big snow cave in the backcountry and spend the night with friends decadently consuming wine and good food in a cozy white room. Skinning up Mt. Crested Butte during a full moon and skiing down in the moonlight after some hot chocolate and schnapps is also a favorite winter ritual. In the summer I enjoy mountain and road biking, hiking, climbing, backpacking, traveling and gardening (especially growing garlic and our own vegetables). I used to run trails a lot and would like to get back into running.

Favorite athlete:  Male: Pat O’Neil. Female: Tie—Stevie Kremer and Jari Kirkland

Favorite month in Crested Butte: September (we could use about 20-30 more days like our current ones). The beautiful fall colors, soft light and solitude are simply unbelievable.

Erika Vohman, council candidate

Years in the valley: 19

Occupation: Nonprofit founder and director, Maya Nut Institute; co-founder, owner, YawannaGO Camping Gear Rentals

What motivated you to run for this position and what strengths can you bring to the role of mayor or council member?

I am motivated to run for Town Council because I think we need some female voices on the Town Council. Women tend to have different viewpoints than men on some issues, and having an all-male council creates a scenario where women are underrepresented. I don’t purport to say I can speak for all the women in town, but having a seat on Town Council will create some diversity which is currently lacking.

My strengths come from my background in the nonprofit sector as founder and executive director of Maya Nut Institute, where the highest value is placed on qualities such as transparency, consensus, honesty and fairness. I have some professional credentials; I was a CNN Hero in 2010 and have won awards for my work with rural communities and the environment, including the St. Andrews Prize for the Environment, the E-Town E-Achievement Award and a UNEP Award for Best Community Forest Management project in Latin America. I have a lot of experience in consensus building and participatory processes with a wide variety of stakeholders via my work in Central America. These qualities and experiences will help me be a good councilperson.

I always try to be respectful of peoples’ time, and therefore tend to be concise and decisive in my discussion of controversial topics. I hope this will help keep meetings short. My background in biology and agronomy and my past 15 years of work in ecology, population biology and restoration have given me an immense appreciation for human impacts on natural systems and the importance of functional ecosystems for human quality of life. These are strengths I can bring to the council when we are making decisions that might impact our ecosystem, our economy and the future wellbeing of all species, including humans, both here in the valley and downstream.

My second business in town is a camping gear rental business, which I started, with my business partner Valerie Jaquith. One of our primary motivations with the business was to teach visitors how to camp using Leave-No-Trace principles because we were seeing a lot of abuse and overuse in the backcountry. I have learned a lot about the “camping demographic” here and how to teach Leave-No-Trace to campers, which is a strength that may prove useful in the coming years on Town Council.

Running two businesses in town helps me understand the weaknesses in the business economy in town and I hope that as a councilmember I can work to create a more favorable business environment that encourages small business growth and fosters economic diversity in the business sector.

Define your idea of “prosperity” for someone living in Crested Butte.

A prosperous Buttian has a home, a job and physical, emotional and financial health. They have at least some free time every week to enjoy our amazing place, and they have a job, hobby or volunteer opportunities that help them feel they are contributing to the prosperity of those less fortunate. 
Favorite sport: Anything with my dog

Favorite athlete: Kurt Olson

Favorite month in Crested Butte: September

Aaron J. Huckstep, council candidate

Years in the valley: Almost 8

Occupation: Lawyer, current mayor

What motivated you to run for this position and what strengths can you bring to the role of mayor or councilmember?

My motivation is grounded in a desire to be a public servant. Public servants, especially here in Crested Butte, have the ability to make a positive difference in the community’s future. It is hard work (leadership is dangerous business), but it’s also very important work for the community at large. For me, one important motivation is to continue building and strengthening relationships throughout our valley—and thus building our capacity to collaborate and cooperate on intentionally creating the future we want. My strengths include experience (including four years as mayor), good judgment and a healthy dose of pragmatism. I also have a strong sense for action as opposed to words, and have the courage to approach issues from a new perspective.

Over the past four years, we have seen significant change in our community—some desired, some not so desired. As an individual, I have a very strong disposition for proactive, solution-oriented behavior. This means engaging with individuals in a very forward-focused manner, relentlessly believing that there is a means to achieve a desired outcome. And if the plans we make today prove to be problematic tomorrow, that’s okay—adaptation is a requirement in today’s world.

This is exactly why I am working on the working group focused on the upper East River Valley and summertime use. Our backcountry areas are second to none, but they won’t stay that way unless we act to create and protect the environment we want. This requires cooperative effort between the town, the USFS, RMBL, Gunnison County, CBMR and Mt. Crested Butte. Four years ago, this effort might have been perceived as an undertaking destined for failure. Today, it’s ripe for success. Projects like this prove why relationships throughout our valley are primary, above all else.

Define your idea of “prosperity” for someone living in Crested Butte.

I’m sure everyone has a little different definition of prosperity. For me, it’s this: the ability to safely pursue economic satisfaction and personal satisfaction in a place that inspires your passions, ultimately generating your own happiness. Underlying this definition is a presumption that your “place” (Crested Butte, for most of us) provides you with a greater-than-reasonable chance of success at succeeding in your pursuit. My desire to be on council, as opposed to continuing as mayor, is grounded in the need to make a living here—to create my own prosperity.

The One Valley Prosperity Project is concerned with addressing the latter part of my definition. Many economic indicators suggest that our community does not give most people a “greater than reasonable chance” at prosperity. Changing this, without simultaneously losing the quality of life we all have come to love, is the principal issue that must be addressed by the OVPP. People in our valley (and in many other places) fear that “economic development” of any sort will result in the loss of their quality of life—and that fear is a very powerful motivator. Figuring out what we can do to improve our situation, while protecting our quality of life, is a worthy and very challenging endeavor.

Favorite sport: Post-mountain biking beer-in-hand bocce in the desert.

Favorite athlete: Dan Loftus the morning after a long night out.

Favorite month in Crested Butte: May! It’s the only month (usually) when you can ski, bike and boat all in one day.

Laura Mitchell, council candidate

Years in the valley: 29

Occupation: Practitioner of ortho-bionomy and yoga teacher

What motivated you to run for this position and what strengths can you bring to the role of mayor or councilmember? 

I feel that I can bring a fresh and unique female perspective to the council. I am motivated to run because I think we need to make traffic safety in town and particularly 6th Street access a priority.

Define your idea of “prosperity” for someone living in Crested Butte.

To live an authentic life doing what you love at work and recreation.

Favorite sport: Skiing

Favorite athlete: Aaron Blunck

Favorite month in Crested Butte: August

Paul Merck, council candidate

Years in the Valley: 27 years

Occupation: Arborist

What motivated you to run for this position and what strengths can you bring to mayor or councilmember:

My motivational factors are that I have always been a volunteer in the community and enjoy a variety of experiences. My volunteer services in the community have included: EMS, Fire, Search and Rescue, Center for the Arts, Mallardi Theater, Heritage Museum, Arts district, and the Grand Traverse. At times I tend to sit at the Town Council meetings for the hot topics and now I am currently attending to learn more about the process. I believe it is my official time to serve the town and give back to the community as a council member.

The strengths I feel I can bring to the community are vast. After high school while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mathematics I served six years in the Army National Guard as an engineering officer. I also worked with mentally challenged adults and at risk youth in a residential facility as a vocational director and a certified teacher. I spent five summers in Alaska in a remote Brown Bear lodge viewing and arranging guided trips and in the winter worked for CBMR as a ski patrol and ski school instructor. I have lived and volunteered abroad in New Zealand, Australia, and Costa Rica. I have served on boards including the theater board in Crested Butte and worked with the charter school on Oahu North Shore. Being self-employed, motivated, and owning two businesses in Crested Butte allows me the freedom to attend various forums and gives me the time to dedicate to the people of Crested Butte. My broad knowledge and flexible schedule will enhance serving on the council to deal with town issues.

Define your idea of “prosperity” for someone living in Crested Butte.

Prosperity for me is happiness, safety, and health. Living in Crested Butte requires work, however; I have strived to set up a life to spend time with my beautiful wife Lisa and wonderful children Joshua and Samantha. A work life balance is key to living here and enjoying the amazing surroundings and activities. Crested Butte has always felt safe to me because we are a family and all look out for each other’s wellbeing. Living here allows us all to have a healthy lifestyle and I feel it is my turn to share and continue in our town’s growth and keep the prosperity we can all enjoy.

Favorite Sport: Telemark skiing

Favorite athlete: My kids

Favorite month in Crested Butte: September

As one of the candidates stated to me after receiving this week’s questions, “Wow, I can’t wait to go home and pick that scab. Thanks.”
That sentiment wasn’t directed at the pizza topping question and it isn’t wrong. But like it or not, the ski area and its future through expansion (or contraction) of people and/or terrain will play a role that impacts the upper end of the valley for many years. Even if, as some contend, we are turning into more of a summer resort with a ski area, the health of the ski area affects us all. So, here ya go. Remember, ballots must be returned to the county by November 5.

—Mark Reaman
Read More »

First things first…you should have your ballot by the end of the week. If you don’t have it by Monday, call the county election’s office. This week we are publishing part-1 of our coverage of the Crested Butte News Candidate’s Forum. Part-2 will run next week. We will also continue to ask the seven candidates questions until the Halloween edition of the paper, which means they get two more opportunities to reach out to you, the voters. Thanks…

—Mark Reaman Read More »

Welcome to week two of “Meet the Candidates.” By the time you pick this up, the Crested Butte News Candidate’s Forum will be over. But we will continue to ask the seven people running for Crested Butte Town Council questions pertinent to the race. If you want to submit a question, please send it to editorial@crestedbuttenews.com. Ballots will be in the mail starting Tuesday, October 15. Thanks for participating…

—Mark Reaman Read More »