Firstsnow,September2009–takenw/8.0megapixeldigi‐camOctober26,2010

AsIgazewithanticipationoutmylivingroomwindow,Itrytoaccountforthe

inchesthathavemeltedawayduringthepastthreedaysofsnow.Witheightsofarinourparkinglot,Ifighttheurgetoassumethisisforeshadowinganepicwinter.It’sonlyOctober26,whichmeansthere’saboutamonthormoreofunpredictableweather.That’sright,Isaidun‐pre‐dict‐able.Defined:“nottobeseenorforetold”.Theupper‐GunnisonValleyistheonlyplaceI’velivedwhereyoucan’tdependonNOAAorLOLAtobeaccurate.Sure,oursurroundingpeakswillno‐doubtgethammeredbythemajorityofsystemsthatrollthroughthesouthernRockies.Butwillourassesbecovered?OrperhapsIshouldusethelocal‐deemedterm“CrustyButts”whenreferringtothosewhomanticipateroamingfreeonthejaggedandintimidating,yetall‐too‐oftendry,12,000’peakofCrestedButte.

Yousee,aButteisasolitaryrock,ormountain,thatjutsoutofanotherwisevacantlandscape.OurButteisboldandbeautiful,andtowersoverourhistoriclittletownlikeagiantwitharmscrossed.Ourcommunitydependsonourmountain’sabilitytobringtravelerswithopenlensesandopenwalletseachseason.Ourresidentsawaitthedaythattheshaleanddirttakecoverundertheinfamouswhiteblanket,onlytobereplacedwithhootin’powderhoundsandrabidescapeesfromLonestarStatePenitentiary.Butjusthow

manydeadpresidentsandcornhuskerswillwebeluckyenoughtoaccommodatethisseason?Howmanyhoundswillrunfreeonourplayground,sniffingoutthegoodswheretheaverageJoewouldn’tthinktolook?We’llneverknowuntilthelodgingsalesskyrocket.Therewon’tbeasignuntilyougetrear‐endedbyanOklahomalicenseplate.Untilweeitherdo,ordonot,getabsolutelyannihilatedthatfirstweekofDecember.

Aslocalsweknowthatwealwayshaveoptions.Thatiswhywechoosetolivehere.Well,unlessyou’reoutduetoaninjuredACLoranotherleginjury,whichitseemsalmost20%ofusareatanygivenpointbetweenDecemberandMay.Thebackcountrythatsurroundsourresortgetsupto3xmoresnowthanourbelovedCrestedButteeachyear,ifnotmore.Weknowthatwehavelimitlessboundaries,andwecantravelasfarasourfeet,orsnowmobiles,arewillingtotakeus.Wealsoknowthatoncewegetoutthere,we’reprettyalonewithoursurroundings.Wescan360degreesfromourviewpointsatophighmountainpeaks,andwesighwithappreciationforthesolitudeandserenitythatwe’resoprivilegedtohaveaccessto.Afterall,that’swhywechoosetolivehere.Right?

Wrong.That’sonlyonereason.Aslocalsofsuchauniquecommunityandpursuersofseeminglysurreallifestyles,wecannotforgetwhatmakesussoattractivetotheoutsideworld.Ourcommunity.Afterall,it’swhatstuckushereinthefirstplace.Sure,mostofuscamewithdreamsofsteeppowderturnsandanescapefromtheflashyandflycorporateculturethathastakenoverattheotherskidestinations.Butoncewearrived,itwasthecultureandthesmalltownvibethatkeptusaround.Itwaswatchingalocalcopharassateenagerwithan“Iknewhismotherwhenshewaspregnantwithhimsothisisacceptablebehavior”approach.Orknowingthatyoucanrideyourcruiser‐biketothepost‐officefasterthanyoucandrivethere.Evenonasnowday.Orknowingthatifyouforgetyourwallet,thecutegirlatthelocalcoffeeshop(whoyoucanswearyousawdressedasabeercanlastnightonMainStreet)willsimplyjotyournameontheIOUlist.

It’sthelittlethingsthatkeepusaround.Sure,thebigthingshelp.Biglines,bigdumps,bigvistas,bighigh‐fivesandbigsmiles.Butimmobilizeyourselfwithaninjuryandspendmid‐winteroncrutches,andI’llbeteverythinginmypockets(atleast1/2ozoflint)itwon’tbeenoughtogetyoupackingyourbags.Why?Becausewhenyouhobbleyourwayintothebankonyourcrutches,whichthankstolocalknowledgecamefullyequippedwithspikesfortractiononice,thetellerhadmoreempathyforyouthanyourownmotherdid(thenagainthetellerprobablydidn’tjustcoughuphalfofyourmedicalbill).Theguyinlinenexttoyouseesthesamephysicaltherapistyoudo,andthefirstthinghesaystoyouis“Dude,how’stheswellinginthatknee?Stillchillin’onthecouch?Here,checkoutthisnewvideoIjustbought.SICKbig‐mountainridingandpillowlinesgalore!Shouldhelpyoupassthetime.”Yourjawdropsasheleavesyoursideandapproachestheteller.“Really?”youaskyourself.“Didthatjusthappen?Ibarelyknowthatguy!”

That’swhatwe’reallaboutuphereat9,000’abovesealevel.Sharingandspreadingthelove.Seek.Destroy.Share.Theenticinglyhardcorescenegotushereandfilteredtherestout,andthelocal‐camaraderiekeptusaround.Sowhenyougetrear‐endedthiswinter,bethankfulthatthesnowGodsarecallingouttoothers.Bethankfulthatthedriverissupportingyourlifestylebyhiringyourlandscapingcrewfor$12,000persummerinordertokeeptheirHOAofftheirback.Andifyoumust,findcomfortinknowingthatthey’llmostlikelystayonthe“blue”runsandwon’tinterferewithyourpowlines.Don’tforgethowattractivegroomed“corduroy”istofamilymembersthatonlygetouttwiceperyear.Sure,they’retheoneskeepingusinliftlines,butthey’realsokeepinguswithjobs.They’re

theonescoveringyourasses.Knowthatyoucanalwaysdisappearintothebackcountry,butthatwhenyoureturnyou’llbeforcedtoshareyourpowderreportwiththelocalsattheburritoshop.Andyes,theremaybeanoutsiderlisteningin.Andno,youshouldn’tloweryourvoiceinordertoprotectyoursecretstashfromanon‐local.Ifyoucanrecall,youwereintheirshoesoncealso.Andifyouwereluckyenoughtobebornhere,thenyourparentsworethoseshoesonce.Andshoot,iftheshoefits…well,that’swhywechoosetolivehere.Right?

“Row‐Rowwouldn’tknowwhattodoinTimeSquare!”–takenw/8.0

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