Stories from the Garden exhibition runs at the Kinder Padon Gallery through October 10. 

THURSDAY 5

•7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Crack of Dawn Group topic discussion at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•10-11:30 a.m. CB Museum history walking tours (every Thursday).

•10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Stand with Me luncheon with Project Hope at the Center for the Arts.

•2-6 p.m. Free paint drop off event at Ace Hardware. paint-crested-butte.eventbrite.com

•4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•6:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: 11 Step Meditation at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•5 p.m. Intermediate/advanced tennis mixer at the tennis courts across from the visitor center in Crested Butte. For more information contact Don Cook at 970-497-0123.

FRIDAY 6

•noon Open AA meeting: Readings from Living Sober at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•noon-2 p.m. Oh Be Joyful hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 625 Maroon Avenue. Contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071 for info.

•5:00 p.m. Join the Crested Butte Museum for a Pearls & Pioneers Mountain Biking Themed Pub Crawl & Townie Takeover!

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Tyler Hansen at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Brian Schneider at Jose’s Patio.

•6 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at A Bar Above.

•6-10 p.m. Live music by Gun Rack and Beer Hunter at Kochevar’s. 

•7-8:15 p.m. Open AA Speaker Meeting in the Parish Hall at Queen of All Saints, 970-349-5711.

•7-10 p.m. Live music presented by Bass Organics at the Almont Resort.

•7:30 p.m. Live music by Easy Jim at the Western Colorado University Quigley Band Shell.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Bill Dowell at the billy barr.

SATURDAY 7

•10:30 a.m.-noon St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•11 a.m.-2 p.m.  Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at Tully’s.

•11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. 26th Annual Chili and Beer Festival with live music by Shadowgrass and Floodgate Operators. 

•4-8 p.m. Gunnison County Republicans Annual Fundraiser – Lincoln Day Dinner. Music, Dinner, Candidate Speakers, Live and Silent Auction. At Three Rivers Resort, Almont.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by FiGS at Jose’s Patio.

•6:30-9:00 p.m. Live music by The Galentines Band at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Matthew Grant at the billy barr.

•9 p.m. Steely Dead plays at the Public House

SUNDAY 8

•9 a.m.-2 p.m. Crested Butte Farmers Market at the top of Elk Avenue.

•9 a.m.-2 p.m. Art Market at the top of Elk Avenue.

•noon-6 p.m. Bridges of the Butte Townie Tour, Elk Ave

•3 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at the Eldo.

•3-8 p.m. Meet Colton Burpo and his family at the Jorgenson Park in Gunnison.

•5 p.m. with music, All Saints in the Mountains Episcopal Church, 403 Maroon Ave. (UCC), Crested Butte.

MONDAY 9

•1:30-3:30 p.m. Gunnison Valley Hospital hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 513 Main Street. For more information contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071.

•6:30-8:30 p.m. Open table tennis in Jerry’s Gym at the Crested Butte Town Hall.

•7-8 p.m. Cultivating Hope Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 3rd Monday)

•7-8 p.m. Conscious Caregivers Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 1st Monday)

•7-8 p.m. Navigating Grief & Loss Bereavement Support Group, www.livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 2nd Monday)

•7:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: Favorite Big Book Reading at Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

TUESDAY 10

•7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Mediation AA & Al-Anon at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•9 a.m. Socrates Café, a philosophical discussion group, at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535. (1st and 3rd Tuesdays)

•10 a.m. Storytime at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535.

•10-11:30 a.m. CB Museum history walking tours (every Tuesday).

•noon Closed AA meeting: Readings from Came to Believe at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•4-7 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at Izakaya.

WEDNESDAY 11

•7:30 a.m. Crested Butte Rotary’s weekly speaker series in the Matchstick Lounge at the Elevation Hotel, Mt. Crested Butte. (2nd and 4th Wednesdays)

•11 a.m. Storytime at Red Mountain Park in CB South, 970-349-6535.

•noon Closed AA meeting: 12 Step & 12 Tradition Study at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•noon Yoga at the Garden at the pavilion wedding garden in Mt. Crested Butte (every Wednesday thru 9/25)

•2-3 p.m. Nicotine Anonymous for Young People meeting in the Young Life building next to Ace.

•6:30-7:30 p.m. Al-Anon Meeting for families and friends of alcoholics in the back room of the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-6482.

•7:30 p.m. Adult pickup basketball at Jerry’s Gym at town hall. 

Take a breath. Don’t turn on the heat yet. We’re not touching on the individual yellow leaves starting to be seen falling on the trails. They’ll proliferate soon enough…and at the right time they will be absolutely beautiful. Now is not the time. But we have started the turn.

Thank goodness Tuesday morning seems to have indicated the turn to wrap up a good two-week+ monsoon run. As much as we all appreciate the wonder of rainbows, more than a few people were on the water’s edge of mental stability. It wasn’t just the constant, sometime sudden rain but the rolling thunder and crazy lightning that pushed people’s sanity. There were windows of time to get out and about and getting out and about is a big reason many of us live here. It normally takes no effort to find some backcountry solace or hit a trail for a quick hike or ride. This monsoon period made it hard work. Come on, no one wants to work super hard at 9,000 feet.

But Labor Day weekend is here and that honors work and the labor movement. The old CB saying of work hard and play hard is still valid here but for too many, you have to work a lot harder to play at all. The cost of living here is higher than ever and the return isn’t as lucrative. Used to be you could work a couple jobs and figure out a way to own a roof over your head and enjoy the amenities of the place. That hasn’t actually ever been easy since even when things were cheap back in the day, the economy didn’t provide much bank. But these days it is ridiculous. Now it would take four or five good paying jobs to be able to own a free-market condo in the North Valley. In the old days, at least you knew you could leave work, go home to the drafty rental, grab a bite and be in the backcountry within a matter of minutes. Now there is a daily commute factor for many workers.

As pointed out in a letter in this week’s paper, even the Whetstone ‘affordable’ housing project includes rents that seem pretty darn high. The income needed to pay those rents seems pretty darn high too, but I can’t imagine this is still a place where a single ski bum can easily live and love the life making $15 an hour or $30K a year. 

The idea is that those Whetstone rents won’t go up much, and income will continue to rise so there is opportunity. There won’t be much equity gain in the deed-restricted units so people might feel frustrated 20 or 30 years hence when they would love to tap into their home appreciation to pay for the kid’s college or a beach retirement but can’t. But people will make the sacrifice to live in this beautiful valley and the community as a whole is doing a good thing to provide people a chance to live near where they work. That’s important. Maybe everyone signing up for a Whetstone unit should take a one-hour class on how to save money and build wealth without depending on their dwelling unit in a mountain paradise.

And we do live in a mountain paradise. Another letter in the paper this week extols the virtues of CB as it came across to him on a first-time visit. That is a good reset after the chaos of summer. The end of summer tourist season can be a time of frustration as over-the-top busyness, bad weather and fast changes in the valley can push our individual limits. You might start questioning the things unique to a small town — the public aspect of relationships, small town government impacts, the higher taxes that come with a resort, more expensive food and gas, the small-town politics, and the fact it is harder to get anything else compared to most other Americans. It can be frustrating. 

Heck, I experienced local frustration simply trying to get a dang parking space near Elk Avenue on a rainy Sunday evening when spaces that were there not too long ago have been eliminated. I’ve been a critic of the town policy to eliminate parking spots in the effort to deter vehicles in town. The upcoming discussion of taking away public spots near Mountain Express bus stops this winter (primarily in business districts or vacant residential areas) doesn’t make sense to me. It used to be we’d make decisions on how to make things better for the general community instead of harder, and then those visitors and second homeowners of like mind would embrace our direction. Now it seems the goal is to make things harder for people not living in the town proper.

The fact that we as a community (we’re all responsible) haven’t exactly kept up over the years with the infrastructure needs of not just more visitors in the valley but significantly more people living here full or most of the time doesn’t help. While it seems to me some in town are attempting to address the new reality part of the equation (kudos), they miss the mark by just pushing the punitive part of the equation. But again — the reset — we live in a mountain paradise.

There is a group asking for feedback on a potential piece of traffic mitigation infrastructure. It involves a long talked about path between CB South and Crested Butte. Two basic alternatives are on the map — one is a simple path that is separated from but follows Highway 135. The other is a cooler, less direct but probably more spiritually fulfilling path threading the needle through private property and ranchland. Seems to me the first thing to decide is to define what the community purpose is. I could argue the priority should be for a convenient commuter path between two population hubs now that e-bikes are gaining in popularity and functionality. That would seem to call for the quickest-to-accomplish path possible that reduces highway traffic and is e-bike compatible. Take the time to take their survey that will soon be making the rounds.

Ahhh, then there’s Snodgrass. As it has for more than three decades, the overall summer route was closed at the end of August as a good part of the traditional trail crosses private property. The Allen Ranches use that property to graze cattle which doesn’t mix well with bikers or hikers and especially dogs. 

There is some confusion and misunderstanding about what is now open and what is closed. After talking to a bunch of the stakeholders this week it seems simple that the only part of the trail that is closed is the part that crosses private property. Given the trail alignment, that makes it not usable for a good bike ride, but you can still get a taste on the Gothic/Mt. CB side of Snodgrass. 

There is also a public access easement in Meridian Lake that leads to part of the Snodgrass trail that lies on Forest Service land on the Washington Gulch side. But it is basically a mile of land-locked trail situated between the private property boundaries. It might be good for a quick hike or photo adventure when the leaves change. However, keep in mind that there is a grazing permit in that Forest Service area so you and the pooch will be sharing the woods with pooping cattle at the same time. It’s always a treat to give a dog a bath after he or she rolls in a pile. 

For me personally, it makes sense to steer clear of the ranching operations that are happening there in the fall. There are other wonderful local aspen groves to experience such as the Woods Walk, Strand, Baxter Gulch to touch on a few close-in options. I want to keep working ranchers as neighbors up and down the valley so don’t have any issues giving them some room when they need it. 

You are certainly legally allowed to use the sections of the Snodgrass trail on public land this fall, but in the big picture, there are alternatives that allow your neighbors to work without the recreation-ranch conflicts. It seems the situation is ripe for a USFS-CBMBA partnership to have the mountain bike club do the heavy lifting and realign the trail to get it off private property and onto public lands. They’re really good at that.

And finally, speaking of really good…it seems the local high schoolers have taken to heart a good lesson about partying in our backyard. After being called out publicly about their lack of respect for the backcountry and impacts to our valley when doing what kids do, word is the end of the summer party was held in a drainage away from the usual gathering spot. Smart move! Sounds like there was a big fire and wee hour raging but at the end of the day the fire was kept in a fire ring, there was no trash left at the site and a (respectful) good time was had by all. Thank you, kids, parents, and anyone else who helped reinforce community values into the growing members of the tribe. 

We are turning to one of the best months in the valley. Slower but busy enough to put money in the bank, the rains will soon go away for good, the leaves will change for good and there is room to breathe deeply. We are in a mountain paradise. Breathe.

—Mark Reaman

The Paragon Gallery presents the Paragon People’s Fair on Elk Avenue 8/31 & 9/1

THURSDAY 29

• 7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Crack of Dawn Group topic discussion at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

• 10-11:30 a.m. CB Museum history walking tours (every Thursday).

• 4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

• 6:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: 11 Step Meditation at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

• 5 p.m. Intermediate/advanced tennis mixer at the tennis courts across from the visitor center in Crested Butte. For more information contact Don Cook at 970-497-0123.

• 5-7 p.m. Free Music in the Garden by Cliff Barnhart at the Crested Butte Museum.

• 5-8 p.m. Live music by Trevor Glavin at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

• 7-9 p.m. Live music by Coloraduo at Harmels.

• 7 p.m. CB Mountain Theatre Presents Elvis Has Left the Building at the Mallardi Cabaret, 2nd St. and Elk Ave.

• 8 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at the billy barr.

FRIDAY 30

• noon Open AA meeting: Readings from Living Sober at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

• noon-2 p.m. Oh Be Joyful hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 625 Maroon Avenue. Contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071 for info.

• 4 p.m. Free introduction to fly fishing with John Evon at Harmel’s.

• 5-8 p.m.

• 8-11 p.m. Live music by Matt & Madeline Shugert at Jose’s Patio.

• 6 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at the Stumbling Moose.

• 6-9 p.m. Live music by Jim Davidson at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

• 7-8:15 p.m. Open AA Speaker Meeting in the Parish Hall at Queen of All Saints, 970-349-5711.

• 7-9 p.m. Live music by Coloraduo at Harmels.

• 7 p.m. CB Mountain Theatre Presents Elvis Has Left the Building at the Mallardi Cabaret, 2nd St. and Elk Ave.

• 8-11 p.m. Live music by Matthew Grant at the billy barr.

SATURDAY 31

• 10 a.m. 12 p.m. Live music by Lizzy Plotkin at the Paragon People’s Fair.

• 10:30 a.m.-noon St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

• 12:15-2:15 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at the Paragon People’s Fair.

• 2:30-5 p.m. Live music by Ragged Mountain Duo (Bill Hussey & Bruce Hayes)  at the Paragon People’s Fair.

• 3-5 p.m. Live music by Evelyn Roper at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

• 5-8 p.m. Live music by Brett Price at Jose’s Patio.

• 6:00 p.m. Firebird Theatre’s Macbeth at Crested Butte Depot, 716 Elk Ave.

• 6:30-9:30 p.m. Live music by Rodney Rice at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

• 7 p.m. CB Mountain Theatre Presents Elvis Has Left the Building at the Mallardi Cabaret, 2nd St. and Elk Ave.

• 8-11 p.m. Live music by Casey Falter at the billy barr.

SUNDAY 1

• 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Crested Butte Farmers Market at the top of Elk Avenue.

• 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Art Market at the top of Elk Avenue.

• 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Live music by Ashley Strauss Art Market (top of elk).

• 10 a.m. 12 p.m. Live music by Bruce Hayes at the Paragon People’s Fair.

• 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.  Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at the Almont Resort.

• 11 a.m. Partnership Service with music at All Saints in the Mountains Episcopal Church, 403 Maroon Ave. (UCC), Crested Butte.

• 12:30-2:30 p.m. Live music by Jenny Hill & Sam Pankratz at the Paragon People’s Fair.

• 2:30-4:30 p.m. CB Mountain Theatre Presents Elvis Has Left the Building at the Mallardi Cabaret, 2nd St. and Elk Ave.

• 3-6 p.m. Live music by Sam Eberle at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

• 3-5 p.m.  Oh Be Dogfull Dog Show at the Paragon People’s Fair.

• 5 p.m. with music, All Saints in the Mountains Episcopal Church, 403 Maroon Ave. (UCC), Crested Butte.

• 5-8 p.m. FIGS plays on the Jose deck.

• 6:00 p.m. Firebird Theatre’s Macbeth at Crested Butte Depot, 716 Elk Ave.

• 7-10 p.m. Live music by Hip Abduction at the Almont Resort.

• 8-11 p.m. Live music by Casey Falter at the billy barr.

MONDAY 2

• 1:30-3:30 p.m. Gunnison Valley Hospital hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 513 Main Street. For more information contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071.

• 6:30-8:30 p.m. Open table tennis in Jerry’s Gym at the Crested Butte Town Hall.

• 7-8 p.m. Cultivating Hope Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 3rd Monday)

• 7-8 p.m. Conscious Caregivers Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 1st Monday)

• 7-8 p.m. Navigating Grief & Loss Bereavement Support Group, www.livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 2nd Monday)

• 7:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: Favorite Big Book Reading at Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

TUESDAY 3

• 7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Mediation AA & Al-Anon at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

• 9 a.m. Socrates Café, a philosophical discussion group, at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535. (1st and 3rd Tuesdays)

• 10 a.m. Storytime at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535.

• 10-11:30 a.m. CB Museum history walking tours (every Tuesday).

• noon Closed AA meeting: Readings from Came to Believe at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

• 4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

• 4-7 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at Izakaya.

WEDNESDAY 4

• 7:30 a.m. Crested Butte Rotary’s weekly speaker series in the Matchstick Lounge at the Elevation Hotel, Mt. Crested Butte. (2nd and 4th Wednesdays)

• 8:30 a.m. Free T’ai Chi sessions at Three Ladies Park. All levels are welcome.

• 8:30 a.m. HCCA hosts a hike to Oh-Be-Joyful. Meet at the Crested Butte Visitor’s Center parking lot.

• 9 a.m. FREE Microdosing Class at the T-Bar Crested Butte. Learn the basics of microdosing, its benefits, and how to incorporate it into your wellness routine.

• 11 a.m. Storytime at Red Mountain Park in CB South, 970-349-6535.

• noon Closed AA meeting: 12 Step & 12 Tradition Study at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

• noon Yoga at the Garden at the pavilion wedding garden in Mt. Crested Butte (every Wednesday thru 9/25)

• 2-3 p.m. Nicotine Anonymous for Young People meeting in the Young Life building next to Ace.

• 4 p.m. Free introduction to fly fishing with John Evon at Harmels.

• 5:30 p.m. Community Volunteer Meeting for Vinotok at Rainbow Park.

• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Al-Anon Meeting for families and friends of alcoholics in the back room of the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-6482.

• 7:30 p.m. Adult pickup basketball at Jerry’s Gym at town hall. 

Vessels + this Land exhibition running at the Kinder Padon Gallery through 8/28

THURSDAY 22

•7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Crack of Dawn Group topic discussion at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•10-11:30 a.m. CB Museum history walking tours (every Thursday).

•4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•6:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: 11 Step Meditation at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•5 p.m. Intermediate/advanced tennis mixer at the tennis courts across from the visitor center in Crested Butte. For more information contact Don Cook at 970-497-0123.

•5-7 p.m. Free Music in the Garden by Jim Sargent at the Crested Butte Museum.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Casey Falter at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Kissing Flowers at Jose’s Patio.

•6:30-8:30 p.m. Live music by Dave Pinkerton at Harmel’s.

•7 p.m. CB Mountain Theatre Presents “Elvis Has Left the Building” at the Mallardi Cabaret, 2nd St. and Elk Ave.

•8 p.m. Live music by Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe at the Public House.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Matt & Madeline Shugert at the billy barr.

FRIDAY 23

•noon Open AA meeting: Readings from Living Sober at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•noon-2 p.m. Oh Be Joyful hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 625 Maroon Avenue. Contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071 for info.

•4 p.m. Free introduction to fly fishing with John Evon at Harmel’s.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Chris Coady at Jose’s Patio.

•6 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at the Stumbling Moose.

•6 p.m. Live music by Kongo, Evelyn, and Turner at the Talk of the Town.

•7 p.m. CB Mountain Theatre Presents “Elvis Has Left the Building” at the Mallardi Cabaret, 2nd St. and Elk Ave.

•7-8:15 p.m. Open AA Speaker Meeting in the Parish Hall at Queen of All Saints, 970-349-5711.

•7-10 p.m. Live music by the Fretliners at the Almont Resort.

•8 p.m. Live music by Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe at the Public House.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Casey Falter at the billy barr.

SATURDAY 24

•10:30 a.m.-noon St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•4-6 p.m. Live music by Dad Grass at Red Mountain Park, Sunset Hall, Teocalli Road, CB South to Benefit Red Mountain Park.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Tyler Hansen at Jose’s Patio.

•5:30 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at Garlic Mikes.

•6 p.m. Firebird Theatre’s MacBeth at the CB Depot, 716 Elk Ave.

•6-9 p.m. Live music by Easy Jim at the Arrowhead Mountain Lodge

•7 p.m. CB Mountain Theatre Presents “Elvis Has Left the Building” at the Mallardi Cabaret, 2nd St. and Elk Ave.

•7-9 p.m. Live music by Black Canyon Rambler Trio at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

•8 p.m. Live music by DJ Woody, Augie, Bayne, and Exude at the Public House.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Casey Falter at the billy barr.

SUNDAY 25

•9 a.m.-2 p.m. Crested Butte Farmers Market at the top of Elk Avenue.

•9 a.m.-2 p.m. Art Market at the top of Elk Avenue.

•2:30 p.m. CB Mountain Theatre Presents “Elvis Has Left the Building” at the Mallardi Cabaret, 2nd St. and Elk Ave.

•3 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at the Eldo.

•3-6 p.m. Live music by Matthew Grant at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

•5 p.m. with music, All Saints in the Mountains Episcopal Church, 403 Maroon Ave. (UCC), Crested Butte.

•6:00 p.m. Firebird Theatre’s Macbeth at Crested Butte Depot, 716 Elk Ave.,

MONDAY 26

•1:30-3:30 p.m. Gunnison Valley Hospital hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 513 Main Street. For more information contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 

970-648-7071.

•6:30-8:30 p.m. Open table tennis in Jerry’s Gym at the Crested Butte Town Hall.

•7-8 p.m. Cultivating Hope Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 3rd Monday)

•
7-8 p.m. Conscious Caregivers Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 1st Monday)

•7-8 p.m. Navigating Grief & Loss Bereavement Support Group, www.livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 2nd Monday)

•7:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: Favorite Big Book Reading at Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

TUESDAY 27

•7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Mediation AA & Al-Anon at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•9 a.m. Socrates Café, a philosophical discussion group, at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535. (1st and 3rd Tuesdays)

•10 a.m. Storytime at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535.

•10-11:30 a.m. CB Museum history walking tours (every Tuesday).

•noon Closed AA meeting: Readings from Came to Believe at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•4-7 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at Izakaya.

WEDNESDAY 28

•7:30 a.m. Crested Butte Rotary’s weekly speaker series in the Matchstick Lounge at the Elevation Hotel, Mt. Crested Butte. (2nd and 4th Wednesdays)

•8:30 a.m. Free T’ai Chi sessions at Three Ladies Park. All levels are welcome.

•8:30 a.m. HCCA hosts a hike to Oh-Be-Joyful. Meet at the Crested Butte Visitor’s Center parking lot.

•11 a.m. Storytime at Red Mountain Park in CB South, 970-349-6535.

•noon Closed AA meeting: 12 Step & 12 Tradition Study at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•noon Yoga at the Garden at the pavilion wedding garden in Mt. Crested Butte (every Wednesday thru 9/25)

•2-3 p.m. Nicotine Anonymous for Young People meeting in the Young Life building next to Ace.

•4 p.m. Free introduction to fly fishing with John Evon at Harmel’s.

•6:30-7:30 p.m. Al-Anon Meeting for families and friends of alcoholics in the back room of the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-6482.

•7:30 p.m. Adult pickup basketball at Jerry’s Gym at town hall. 

Vessels + this Land exhibition running at the Kinder Padon Gallery through August 28

THURSDAY 15

•7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Crack of Dawn Group topic discussion at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•10-11:30 a.m. CB Museum history walking tours (every Thursday).

•4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•6:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: 11 Step Meditation at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•5 p.m. Intermediate/advanced tennis mixer at the tennis courts across from the visitor center in Crested Butte. For more information contact Don Cook at 970-497-0123.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Jordan Brandenburg at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at the Jose Patio.

•6-10 p.m. Montanya Distillers presents Rum Rhythms at A Bar Above with live music by Fig.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Tyler Hansen at the billy barr.

FRIDAY 16

•10 a.m. Storytime at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535.

•noon Open AA meeting: Readings from Living Sober at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•noon-2 p.m. Oh Be Joyful hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 625 Maroon Avenue. Contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071 for info.

•3-5 p.m. Crested Butte Block Party at White Rock Between 7th & 8th street, with live music by Rachel Vanslyke.

•5 p.m. Crested Butte Film Festival Announcement Celebration, join us for this free event celebrating our schedule/film announcement at Liv Sotheby’s on Elk Ave cbfilmfest.org/events.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Tyler Hansen at the Jose Patio.

•6 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at A Bar Above.

•7-8:15 p.m. Open AA Speaker Meeting in the Parish Hall at Queen of All Saints, 970-349-5711.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Matthew Grant at the billy barr.

SATURDAY 17

•8:30 a.m. Crested Butte Mountain Runners will hold a run on the Strawberry Trail.

•10:30 a.m.-noon St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•4-6 p.m. Live music by Eli Emmitt Band at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Easy Jim at the Jose Patio.

•6:30 p.m. Crested Butte Film Festival Screening of Radical, join us at the Majestic Theater to see this Sundance Festival Favorite Award winner. Tickets are $17 at cbfilmfest.org/events.

•7-9 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at Crested Bucha.

•7-9:15 p.m. Live music by Mojo Birds at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

•8 p.m. Live music by N2N with Partyof1 at the Public House.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Jordan Brandenburg at the billy barr.

SUNDAY 18

•9 a.m.-2 p.m. Crested Butte Farmers Market at the top of Elk Avenue.

•9 a.m.-2 p.m. Art Market at the top of Elk Avenue.

•10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at the Almont Resort.

•noon-1:30 p.m. Makers Meetup at the Crested Butte Library.

•3-6 p.m. Live music by Gene James at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

•5 p.m. with music, All Saints in the Mountains Episcopal Church, 403 Maroon Ave. (UCC), Crested Butte.

MONDAY 19

•1:30-3:30 p.m. Gunnison Valley Hospital hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 513 Main Street. For more information contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071.

•6:30-8:30 p.m. Open table tennis in Jerry’s Gym at the Crested Butte Town Hall.

•7-8 p.m. Cultivating Hope Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 3rd Monday)

•7-8 p.m. Conscious Caregivers Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 1st Monday)

•7-8 p.m. Navigating Grief & Loss Bereavement Support Group, www.livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 2nd Monday)

•7 p.m. Townie Books presents historical fiction author Kimberly Nixon.

•7-8 p.m. Full Moon Sound Bath with T. Helen Sage. Donation based. At Sage Transformations, 311 5th St. Up the stairs and to the right.

•7:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: Favorite Big Book Reading at Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

TUESDAY 20

•7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Mediation AA & Al-Anon at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•9 a.m. Socrates Café, a philosophical discussion group, at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535. (1st and 3rd Tuesdays)

•10 a.m. Storytime at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535.

•10-11:30 a.m. CB Museum history walking tours (every Tuesday).

•noon Closed AA meeting: Readings from Came to Believe at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•4-7 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at Izakaya.

WEDNESDAY 21

•7:30 a.m. Crested Butte Rotary’s weekly speaker series in the Matchstick Lounge at the Elevation Hotel, Mt. Crested Butte. (2nd and 4th Wednesdays)

•8:30 a.m. Free T’ai Chi sessions at Three Ladies Park. All levels are welcome.

•8:30 a.m. HCCA hosts a hike to West Maroon Valley. Meet at the Crested Butte Visitor’s Center parking lot.

•11 a.m. Storytime at Red Mountain Park in CB South, 970-349-6535.

•noon Closed AA meeting: 12 Step & 12 Tradition Study at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•noon Yoga at the Garden at the pavilion wedding garden in Mt. Crested Butte (every Wednesday thru 9/25)

•2-3 p.m. Nicotine Anonymous for Young People meeting in the Young Life building next to Ace.

•6:30-7:30 p.m. Al-Anon Meeting for families and friends of alcoholics in the back room of the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-6482.

•7:30 p.m. Adult pickup basketball at Jerry’s Gym at town hall. 

Vessels + this Land exhibition running at the Kinder Padon Gallery through August 28

THURSDAY 8

•7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Crack of Dawn Group topic discussion at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•10-11:30 a.m. CB Museum history walking tours (every Thursday).

•4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•6:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: 11 Step Meditation at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•5 p.m. Intermediate/advanced tennis mixer at the tennis courts across from the visitor center in Crested Butte. For more information contact Don Cook at 970-497-0123.

•5-7 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at the Crested Butte Museum.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Tyler Hansen at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

•7-9 p.m. Live music by Strand Hill at Harmel’s.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Matthew Grant at the billy barr.

FRIDAY 9

•10 a.m. Storytime at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535.

•noon Open AA meeting: Readings from Living Sober at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•noon-2 p.m. Oh Be Joyful hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 625 Maroon Avenue. Contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071 for info.

•4:30 p.m. Local Author extravaganza—Townie Books patio.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Chris Coady at the Jose Patio.

•7-8:15 p.m. Open AA Speaker Meeting in the Parish Hall at Queen of All Saints, 970-349-5711.

•8 p.m. Live music by Easy Jim at the Almont Resort.

•8-10:30 p.m. Live music by BoDeans at the I Bar Ranch.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Matthew Grant at the billy barr.

SATURDAY 10

•8:30 a.m. Crested Butte Mountain Runners will hold a run on the Strawberry Trail.

•10:30 a.m.-noon St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Food Truck Competition and Festival at the Snowmass Lot in Mt.CB. 

•11 a.m.-2 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at Tully’s.

•5-7 p.m. Vessels + this land exhibition reception at the Center for the Arts.

•5-8 p.m.  Live music by Dakoda Tagg at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Brett Price at the Jose Patio.

•6:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: Literature at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•7-9 p.m. The Center for the Arts presents summer classics in the courtyard with Midsummer Masterworks.

•8 p.m. Live music by Easy Jim at the Almont Resort.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Casey Falter at the billy barr.

SUNDAY 11

•9 a.m.-2 p.m. Crested Butte Farmers Market at the top of Elk Avenue.

•9 a.m.-2 p.m. Art Market at the top of Elk Avenue.

•3:00 p.m. Firebird Theatre’s If it’s not Scottish, it’s CRAP! at Gunnison Public Library Rm B, 1 Quartz St., Gunnison. Free. firebirdcb.com.

•3-6 p.m. Live music by Evelyn Roper of Opal Moon at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

•4 p.m. 2024 Annual Democratic Unity Dinner and Fundraiser at the I Bar Ranch.

•5 p.m. with music, All Saints in the Mountains Episcopal Church, 403 Maroon Ave. (UCC), Crested Butte.

•6 p.m. Firebird Theatre’s If it’s not Scottish, it’s CRAP! at the Rijks Gallery, 210 2nd St, Crested Butte. Free. firebirdcb.com

MONDAY 12

•1:30-3:30 p.m. Gunnison Valley Hospital hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 513 Main Street. For more information contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071.

•5:30 p.m. Alpenglow presents Karina Rykman at the Center for the Arts.

•6:30-8:30 p.m. Open table tennis in Jerry’s Gym at the Crested Butte Town Hall.

•7-8 p.m. Cultivating Hope Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 3rd Monday)

•7-8 p.m. Conscious Caregivers Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 1st Monday)

•7-8 p.m. Navigating Grief & Loss Bereavement Support Group, www.livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 2nd Monday)

•7:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: Favorite Big Book Reading at Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

TUESDAY 13

•7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Mediation AA & Al-Anon at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•9 a.m. Socrates Café, a philosophical discussion group, at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535. (1st and 3rd Tuesdays)

•10 a.m. Storytime at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535.

•10-11:30 a.m. CB Museum history walking tours (every Tuesday).

•noon Closed AA meeting: Readings from Came to Believe at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•4-7 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at Izakaya.

•5:30-7 p.m. The Center for the Arts presents summer classics in the courtyard with Miguel Espinoza.

WEDNESDAY 14

•7:30 a.m. Crested Butte Rotary’s weekly speaker series in the Matchstick Lounge at the Elevation Hotel, Mt. Crested Butte. (2nd and 4th Wednesdays)

•8:30 a.m. Free T’ai Chi sessions at Three Ladies Park. All levels are welcome.

•8:30 a.m. HCCA hosts a hike to Horse Ranch Park loop. Meet at the Crested Butte Visitor’s Center parking lot.

•11 a.m. Storytime at Red Mountain Park in CB South, 970-349-6535.

•noon Closed AA meeting: 12 Step & 12 Tradition Study at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•noon Yoga at the Garden at the pavilion wedding garden in Mt. Crested Butte (every Wednesday thru 9/25)

•2-3 p.m. Nicotine Anonymous for Young People meeting in the Young Life building next to Ace.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by DJ Giamertix/Gia Wright at the Jose Patio.

•5:30 p.m. Music on the Mountain presents Moontricks.

•6:30-7:30 p.m. Al-Anon Meeting for families and friends of alcoholics in the back room of the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-6482.

•7:30 p.m. Adult pickup basketball at Jerry’s Gym at town hall. 

•7:30 p.m. Live music by Yonder Mountain String Band, Railroad Earth, and Leftover Salmon at the I Bar Ranch.

Crested Butte Arts Festival August 2-4

THURSDAY 1

•7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Crack of Dawn Group topic discussion at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•10-11:30 a.m. CB Museum history walking tours (every Thursday).

•4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•4-7 p.m. Town of CB Block Party at 600 Gothic Ave, with live music by Bruce Hayes, games, and parking management input.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Michael Schmidt at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South 

•5:30-10 p.m. A Taste of the Chai Life B’nai Butte Benefit Concert featuring Greg Schochet and Little America at Sweet Reunion Performance Venue, Crested Butte.

•6:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: 11 Step Meditation at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•5 p.m. Intermediate/advanced tennis mixer at the tennis courts across from the visitor center in Crested Butte. For more information contact Don Cook at 970-497-0123.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Michael Schmidt at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

•5-8 p.m.  Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at Jose’s Patio.

•6-8 p.m. Live music by Strand Hill at Three Rivers Resort.

•7 p.m. RMBL’s Douglass Distinguished Science Lecture with Sharon Strauss, PhD at the Center for the Arts.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Tyler Hansen at the billy barr.

FRIDAY 2

•10 a.m. Storytime at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535.

•noon Open AA meeting: Readings from Living Sober at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•noon-2 p.m. Oh Be Joyful hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 625 Maroon Avenue. Contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071 for info.

•5 p.m. Beer Hunter plays at Kochevar’s.

•5 p.m. Mt. Crested Butte Annual Town Picnic at Ted Scheske Town Park.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Atmospheric River at Jose’s patio.

•6 p.m.  Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at A Bar Above.

•6-9 p.m. Live music by Beer Hunter at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South. 

•7 p.m. Crested Butte Mountain Theatre summer benefit concert with renowned Lakewood Area Band (LAB)! At the Mallardi Cabaret.

•7-8:15 p.m. Open AA Speaker Meeting in the Parish Hall at Queen of All Saints, 970-349-5711.

•8 p.m. Asleep at the Wheel plays at the Center for the Arts.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Casey Falter at the billy barr.

SATURDAY 3

•8:30 a.m. Crested Butte Mountain Runners will hold a run on Middle Cement Trail. Meet at the parking area just before the Cement Creek Campground.

•10:30 a.m.-noon St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•2-3 p.m. Songwriting Shindig with Lizzy Plotkin at the Crested Butte Library.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Kissing Flowers at Jose’s Patio.

•5:30 p.m.  Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at Garlic Mikes.

•5:30-7 p.m. The Center for the Arts presents summer classics in the courtyard with Così fan tutte.

•6:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: Literature at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•6:30 p.m. High Country will screen at the Majestic Theatre.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Jim Davidson at the billy barr.

SUNDAY 4

•9 a.m.-2 p.m. Crested Butte Farmers Market at the top of Elk Avenue.

•9 a.m.-2 p.m. Art Market at the top of Elk Avenue.

•10:30 a.m.  Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at the Almont Resort.

•11 a.m. Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan — Bluegrass Mass, 307 W, Virginia Ave., Gunnison.

•2 p.m. 35th Annual CB Rotary Duckie Race.

•3-6 p.m. Live music by Shannon Redmon at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by DJ Mijo/David Miramon at Jose’s Patio.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Casey Falter at the billy barr.

MONDAY 5

•1:30-3:30 p.m. Gunnison Valley Hospital hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 513 Main Street. For more information contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071.

•3-5 p.m. Share your feedback with your elected officials by joining coffee with a council member at Rumors. 

•5:30 p.m. Alpenglow presents Sir Woman at the Center for the Arts.

•6:30-8:30 p.m. Open table tennis in Jerry’s Gym at the Crested Butte Town Hall.

•7-8 p.m. Cultivating Hope Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 3rd Monday)

•7-8 p.m. Conscious Caregivers Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 1st Monday)

•7-8 p.m. Navigating Grief & Loss Bereavement Support Group, www.livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 2nd Monday)

•7:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: Favorite Big Book Reading at Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

TUESDAY 6

•9 a.m. Coffee with Mt. Crested Butte Mayor Nicholas Kempin at the Ted Scheske Town Park Pavillion. 

•7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Mediation AA & Al-Anon at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•9 a.m. Socrates Café, a philosophical discussion group, at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535. (1st and 3rd Tuesdays)

•10 a.m. Storytime at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535.

•10-11:30 a.m. CB Museum history walking tours (every Tuesday).

•noon Closed AA meeting: Readings from Came to Believe at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•4-7 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at Izakaya.

•5:30-7 p.m. The Center for the Arts presents summer classics in the courtyard with Chamber Showcase.

•7 p.m. Crested Butte Policy Forum presents Daniel Drezner, The Uncertain State of American Grand Strategy

WEDNESDAY 7

•7:30 a.m. Crested Butte Rotary’s weekly speaker series in the Matchstick Lounge at the Elevation Hotel, Mt. Crested Butte. (2nd and 4th Wednesdays)

•8:30 a.m. Free T’ai Chi sessions at Three Ladies Park. All levels are welcome.

•8:30 a.m. HCCA hosts a hike to Horse Ranch Park loop. Meet at the Crested Butte Visitor’s Center parking lot.

•11 a.m. Storytime at Red Mountain Park in CB South, 970-349-6535.

•noon Closed AA meeting: 12 Step & 12 Tradition Study at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•noon Yoga at the Garden at the pavilion wedding garden in Mt. Crested Butte (every Wednesday thru 9/25)

•2-3 p.m. Nicotine Anonymous for Young People meeting in the Young Life building next to Ace.

•5:30 p.m. Music on the Mountain presents ALO.

•6:30-7:30 p.m. Al-Anon Meeting for families and friends of alcoholics in the back room of the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-6482.

•6:30-8:30 p.m. Share your thoughts and ask questions about the Town’s ongoing planning efforts with Town Staff at the Gothic Field Softball games

•7:30 p.m. Adult pickup basketball at Jerry’s Gym at town hall. 

By Dawne Belloise

Craig Geipel’s dad was a rocket scientist, helping to build the moon rover for NASA, but Craig jokes that the science gene must have missed him, although his resume is still pretty impressive. Businessman, marketer, ski film producer, TV show host and other experiences have led him to Crested Butte where he now owns a Jeep rental company called Alpenglow Rentals.

Craig was born and raised in Essex Junction, Vermont, to an engineer dad and elementary school teacher mom. As a red-headed kid, Craig began skiing at Bolton Valley Ski Resort at the age of 11. Once he got his driver’s license at 16, he convinced his school to allow him out of classes to do extreme skiing that was offered only to the racing team. “I didn’t want to join the team, race or do sports where I had to wear spandex,” he grins, “I just wanted to do extreme.” It was the ski film Blizzard of Oz that hooked him. His school agreed, so Craig left classes every other day at noon to go skiing.

 The first extreme competitions were in Alaska and Crested Butte in 1996, the year Craig graduated from high school. “I was still learning to ski on a pro level when I moved to Gunnison in 1997 to attend Western State College (WSC). I went to school Tuesdays and Thursdays so I could ski the other five days a week.” He took summer classes at Western University of Washington in Bellingham in 1998. “They had the most snow in the world that year and we skied until August 8,” he recalls.

Back at WSC for the fall and winter, Craig took video editing classes and when school got out in May, he went to British Columbia, living in an RV in the parking lot of Whistler and Revelstoke. “We were following the snow and filming. We got to ski free to film, working with their ski models and their friends. That gave me the footage to make my first ski film, First Attempt,” he says.

Craig graduated from WSC with a degree in Recreation and Business in 2001 and afterward, he and his buddy Dave Preston made a ski, snowboard and snowmobile film that featured Crested Butte. “We traveled all over the east and Canada, spending the summer at my friend’s farm in New Hampshire where I did all the film editing.”

They had set up a film premiere in Burlington, Vermont, for September 11, 2001, so rescheduled for a date three weeks later. They also did a late autumn showing in CB. “Back then the films were just ski porn and non-stop action. We made a movie format that told a story. We went to CB first, Utah second and then Lake Tahoe, Wyoming, Mt. Baker, Washington and Whistler,” he says of the 50-minute film they titled Live, Ski or Die.

A third movie was in the plan and Canada had mostly paid for the duo to film in Newfoundland for a week. “We brought four athletes with us, filming two jibbers (park skiers) and two big mountain skiers at the resort and the town of Corner Brook, in addition to the cat skiing.” It was an awakening for the filmmakers who had spent $76,000 making the second film but only realizing $10,000 from the sales. The filming was far from complete on the third film, and figuring the cost of the time for editing, advertising and tours, they decided to cancel the project. “That’s when we wrapped up the ski film thing and I no longer looked at it as a career option. I started making TV commercials and working with local artists to make music videos in Burlington.” 

Craig moved to Denver in 2004 and was hired to do business to business sales, working with different clients to help with credit card processing. “I was highly successful at it and was the second best in the nation, so they wanted me to run the Seattle office.” However, Craig turned down that lucrative job offer when he discovered the company he was working for fraudulently overcharged businesses. 

Craig left to create his own marketing company called Dynamic Consulting and worked for a client called Playcoed. “I ran after-work fun events for adults like kickball, softball, volleyball. We had 15,000 participants,” who would sign up to play various sports games and events that the company would organize and rent the facilities. “We actually started a new technology in Denver that no one else was doing at the time, we were social media pioneers, one of the first companies to utilize MySpace.” 

Craig got to hobnob with music stars and social elites since they were also marketing for the best clubs in town. “We’d promote the event and bring hundreds of people.” Then their company started booking the talent themselves instead of going through a third party, working together with Reality Bookings to line up old-school hip hop talent, playmates and acts like Snoop Dog. “My second date with my wife Sheila was hanging with Snoop Dog, and now here I am, the most boring guy in town,” he laughs.

But the glitteratti life can take its toll and Craig was getting burnt out, “It was really hard to have an event until 2 a.m. and then be a professional ad salesman with Fortune 500 clients.” Moving on in 2008, Craig teamed up with Global Transportation Company, which ran charter buses and RTD. “I was using Google ads to increase business and I took that business from 17 vehicles to 120. I made this guy millions of dollars during the low economy of the crash and he refused to even pay for my health care, so then I was out.”  

By 2010, Craig was hosting his own public TV show called That’s My Opinion, a Denver current events program that discussed politics and had representatives speak. He also featured local musicians, “We’d have different bands, rappers and artists participate.”

 After a brief stint in Moab, Craig moved to Telluride to sell ads, but the territory wasn’t conducive to making a living, so he took a job as a taxi driver in 2012, moving into management before coming up with the idea to start a Jeep rental business. Craig began to research locations and discovered no one was renting Jeeps in CB anymore, so he moved here in March of 2014. “I provide the equipment, maps, insurance and local knowledge to provide my customers with a self-guided experience.” There are forbidden areas for his clients, like Devil’s Punchbowl and other extreme drives. “We show them where to go and where not to go.” Working three jobs to manifest his dream, he now has a fleet of seven Jeep Wranglers, “all modified and lifted, with large oversized off-road tires.”

His goal has been to create balance in his life. “I work seven days a week in the summer and only about three days a week in the winter,” because, he feels, “You gotta make time to ski.” These days, he skis just for fun, “No films, and I don’t model. I ski backcountry, on the mountain and snowmobile.” Craig shares that when he moved back to CB in 2014, “I was suffering from PTSD. I had lost my dad, my best friend and my dog in a short time span. I moved back after all these things happened and I felt very closed off. It was really hard to make friends even though I’m a very social person. My pain was holding me back to accept friendship.” But he feels he learned from that. “It’s ok to not be ok. Be your best every day. It’s ok to give yourself time. You’re not going to heal overnight. It takes time. In humanity, we’re all quick to judge others, but you never know what that person’s dealing with. I live my life, giving people the benefit of the doubt.” 

Fast-forward 19 years, “I’m blessed to have my beautiful wife Sheila. I can be more open with people. Part of the reason I moved to CB is that it’s a small town, a real community.”

•7-10 p.m. Gunnison Valley Music Association Music Mash at the Mallardi Theater on July 26 and 27. Showcasing local musician-songwriter performances.

THURSDAY 25

•7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Crack of Dawn Group topic discussion at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•9:30-11:30 a.m. Coffee with your Co-Op at IOOF Park- Gunnison.

•10 a.m. Filmmakers workshop with Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz.

•10-11:30 a.m. CB Museum history walking tours (every Thursday).

•4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•6:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: 11 Step Meditation at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•5 p.m. Intermediate/advanced tennis mixer at the tennis courts across from the visitor center in Crested Butte. For more information contact Don Cook at 970-497-0123.

•5-7 p.m. Free music in the garden at the CB Museum at Fourth St. and Elk Avenue

•5-8 p.m. Live music by Rachel VanSlyke at Zuni West Brewing, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

•5-8 p.m. Trailhead Big Summer Bash at the Red Lady stage.

•6-8 p.m. Live music by Strand Hill at the Three Rivers Resort.

•6 p.m. The Undivide Us movie plays for free at the Gunnison Library.

•8 p.m. The Highway Men play at the Center for the Arts.

•8 p.m. Live music by Fruition at the Public House.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Kissing Flowers at the billy barr.

•9 p.m.-1 a.m. Oh Be Dogful Fundraiser concert at Kochevar’s with DJ Hyphy Han. 

FRIDAY 26

•10 a.m. Storytime at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535.

•noon Open AA meeting: Readings from Living Sober at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•noon-2 p.m. Oh Be Joyful hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 625 Maroon Avenue. Contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071 for info.

•5 p.m. 2024 Center for the Arts Gala: Summer Nights.

•5-8 p.m. Live music by FiG at Kochevar’s.

•7 p.m. Gunnison Valley Music Association Music Mash featuring local musicians at the Mallardi Cabaret.

•7-8:15 p.m. Open AA Speaker Meeting in the Parish Hall at Queen of All Saints, 970-349-5711.

•7-10:30 p.m. Live music by Sabotage at the I Bar Ranch.

•8 p.m. Live music by Liver Down the River.

SATURDAY 27

•7 a.m.-3 p.m. 25th annual Living Journeys Summit Hike. 

•10:30 a.m.-noon St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•3:30 p.m. The Crested Butte Library hosts a Family Movie Matinee at the Majestic Theatre, showing a free screening of Jumanji.

•6:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: Literature at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•7 p.m. Gunnison Valley Music Association Music Mash featuring local musicians at the Mallardi Cabaret.

•8-11 p.m. Live music by Casey Falter at the billy barr.

SUNDAY 28

•9 a.m.-2 p.m. Crested Butte Farmers Market at the top of Elk Avenue.

•9 a.m.-2 p.m. Art Market at the top of Elk Avenue.

•3-6 p.m. Live music by  Bill Dowell & Friends at Zuni West Brewery, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.

•5 p.m. Service with music, All Saints in the Mountains Episcopal Church, 403 Maroon Ave. (UCC), Crested Butte.

•6 p.m. Open AA meeting: Topic Discussion at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•6-8 p.m. Author Ed Zwick discusses his new memoir, Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions: My Fortysomething Years in Hollywood at the Center for the Arts.

MONDAY 29

•1:30-3:30 p.m. Gunnison Valley Hospital hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 513 Main Street. For more information contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071.

•5:30 p.m. Alpenglow presents Dragondeer at the Center for the Arts.

•6:30-8:30 p.m. Open table tennis in Jerry’s Gym at the Crested Butte Town Hall.

•7-8 p.m. Cultivating Hope Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 3rd Monday)

•7-8 p.m. Conscious Caregivers Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 1st Monday)

•7-8 p.m. Navigating Grief & Loss Bereavement Support Group, www.livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 2nd Monday)

•7:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: Favorite Big Book Reading at Union Congregational 

Church, 970-349-5711.

TUESDAY 30

•7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Mediation AA & Al-Anon at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•9 a.m. Socrates Café, a philosophical discussion group, at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535. (1st and 3rd Tuesdays)

•10 a.m. Storytime at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535.

•10-11:30 a.m. The Smokey Bear Reading Challenge at the Crested Butte Library, designed to encourage children and families to engage in reading and learn about wildfire prevention, forest conservation and Smokey Bear’s legacy.

•10 -11:30 a.m. CB Museum history walking tours (every Tuesday).

•noon Closed AA meeting: Readings from Came to Believe at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•4-7 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at Izakaya.

•5:30-7 p.m. The Center for the Arts presents summer classics in the courtyard with Grand Valley String Quartet.

•7 p.m. Crested Butte Policy Forum presents Alison Nordt From the James Webb Telescope to Habitable Worlds: Technology Enabling Scientific Discovery.

WEDNESDAY 31

•7:30 a.m. Crested Butte Rotary’s weekly speaker series in the Matchstick Lounge at the Elevation Hotel, Mt. Crested Butte. (2nd and 4th Wednesdays)

•8:30 a.m. Free T’ai Chi sessions at Three Ladies Park. All levels are welcome.

•8:30 a.m. HCCA hosts a hike to  Horse Ranch Park loop. Meet at the Crested Butte Visitor’s Center parking lot.

•11 a.m. Storytime at Red Mountain Park in CB South, 970-349-6535.

•noon Closed AA meeting: 12 Step & 12 Tradition Study at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•noon Yoga at the Garden at the pavilion wedding garden in Mt.Crested Butte (every Wednesday thru 9/25)

•2-3 p.m. Nicotine Anonymous for Young People meeting in the Young Life building next to Ace.

•4 p.m. Parkinson’s Association of the Rockies, a support group, meets at the Adaptive Sports Center in the Mt. Crested Butte base area. (every 3rd Wednesday)

•5:30 p.m. Music on the Mountain presents E.N & Imperial Sound.

•6:30-7:30 p.m. Al-Anon Meeting for families and friends of alcoholics in the back room of the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-6482.

•7:30 p.m. Adult pickup basketball at Jerry’s Gym at town hall. 

•8-9:30 p.m. Live music by DJ- Kai at the Jose Patio.

THURSDAY 18
• 7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Crack of Dawn Group topic discussion at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.
• 10-11:30 a.m. CB Museum history walking tours (every Thursday).
• 4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.
• 6:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: 11 Step Meditation at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.
• 5 p.m. Intermediate/advanced tennis mixer at the tennis courts across from the visitor center in Crested Butte. For more information contact Don Cook at 970-497-0123.
• 5-7 p.m. Live music by Sam Eberle at Zuni West Brewery, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.
• 5-8 p.m. Live music by Atmospheric River at Jose’s patio.
• 7-9 p.m. Live music by Strand Hill at Harmel’s.
• 8-11 p.m. Live music by Jordan Brandenburg at the billy barr.

FRIDAY 19
• 10 a.m. Storytime at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535.
• noon Open AA meeting: Readings from Living Sober at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.
• noon-2 p.m. Oh Be Joyful hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 625 Maroon Avenue. Contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071 for info.
• 5 p.m. 2024 Center for the Arts Gala: Summer Nights.
• 5-8 p.m. Live music by FiGS at Jose’s patio.
• 6 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at a Bar Above.
• 7-8:15 p.m. Open AA Speaker Meeting in the Parish Hall at Queen of All Saints, 970-349-5711.
• 8-11 p.m. Live music by Sam Heart at the billy barr.
• 9 p.m. Live music by Just How at the Eldo.

SATURDAY 20
• 10:30 a.m.-noon St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.
• 6:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: Literature at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.
• 5-8 p.m. Crested Butte Artwalk on Elk Avenue.
• 5-8 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke and Shannon Redmond at the Redline Art Gallery
• 5-8 p.m. Live music by DJ Walter Balltell/Sean Monahan at Jose’s patio.
• 8-11 p.m. Live music by Rachel VanSlyke at the billy barr.
• 9 p.m. Live music by N2N and Partyof1 at the Public House.

SUNDAY 21
• 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Crested Butte Farmers Market at the top of Elk Avenue.
• 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Art Market at the top of Elk Avenue.
• 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at the Almont Resort.
• noon-1:30 p.m. Makers Meetup at the Crested Butte Library.
• 3-6 p.m. Live music by Gene James at Zuni West Brewery, 235 Elcho Ave., CB South.
• 4 -5:30 p.m. Townie Books patio book signing with author Laura Pritchett.
• 5 p.m. All Saints in the Mountains Episcopal Church service with music, 403 Maroon Ave. (UCC), Crested Butte.
• 6 p.m. Open AA meeting: Topic Discussion at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.
• 8-9 p.m. Full Moon Sound Bath with Sage Transformations at Rainbow Park, CB

MONDAY 22
• 1:30-3:30 p.m. Gunnison Valley Hospital hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 513 Main Street. For more information contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071.
• 5:30 p.m. Alpenglow presents the Floodgate Operators at the Center for the Arts.
• 6:30-8:30 p.m. Open table tennis in Jerry’s Gym at the Crested Butte Town Hall.
• 7-8 p.m. Cultivating Hope Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 3rd Monday)
• 7-8 p.m. Conscious Caregivers Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 1st Monday)
• 7-8 p.m. Navigating Grief & Loss Bereavement Support Group, www.livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 2nd Monday)
• 7:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: Favorite Big Book Reading at Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

TUESDAY 23
• 7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Mediation AA & Al-Anon at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.
• 9 a.m. Socrates Café, a philosophical discussion group, at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535. (1st and 3rd Tuesdays)
• 10 a.m. Storytime at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535.
• 10 -11:30 a.m. CB Museum history walking tours (every Tuesday).
• noon Closed AA meeting: Readings from Came to Believe at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.
• 4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.
• 4-7 p.m. Live music by Rachel Vanslyke at Izakaya.
• 5-7 p.m. Block Party at Big Mine Skatepark. Food, drinks, games, and traffic calming input.
• 5:30-7 p.m. The Center for the Arts presents summer classics in the courtyard with Hiroya Tsukamoto.
• 7 p.m. Crested Butte Policy Forum presents Sophia Rosenfeld What can we talk about? The Free Speech battle in our Colleges & Universities.

WEDNESDAY 24
• 7:30 a.m. Crested Butte Rotary’s weekly speaker series in the Matchstick Lounge at the Elevation Hotel, Mt. Crested Butte. (2nd and 4th Wednesdays)
• 8:30 a.m. Free T’ai Chi sessions at Three Ladies Park. All levels are welcome.
• 8:30 a.m. HCCA hosts a hike to Beckwith Pass from Lost Lake. Meet at the Crested Butte Visitor’s Center parking lot.
• 11 a.m. Storytime at Red Mountain Park in CB South, 970-349-6535.
• noon Closed AA meeting: 12 Step & 12 Tradition Study at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.
• noon Yoga at the Garden at the pavilion wedding garden in Mt.Crested Butte (every Wednesday thru 9/25)
• 2-3 p.m. Nicotine Anonymous for Young People meeting in the Young Life building next to Ace.
• 4 p.m. Parkinson’s Association of the Rockies, a support group, meets at the Adaptive Sports Center in the Mt. Crested Butte base area. (every 3rd Wednesday)
• 5:30 p.m. Music on the Mountain presents Ibibio Sound Machine.
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Al-Anon Meeting for families and friends of alcoholics in the back room of the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-6482.
• 7:30 p.m. Adult pickup basketball at Jerry’s Gym at town hall.