The Golden Mood of Fall – The Crested Butte News

It is what it is, and it is one of the most beautiful times of the year in a place where there are many beautiful times of the year. However, these weeks are some of the best. The beauty, the pace, the people. Autumn offers time and opportunity to breathe deeply between hectic times. On Sunday the last big weekend of the “summer season” ended with weddings, the CB Film Fest and a small autumn festival called Vinotok. There will, of course, still be leaf peepers (be careful driving with Kebler!), retirees making one last trip to the mountains, and the first wave of ski fans who have never been to Crested Butte but have read about how good the skiing is is, and arrive to start looking for a job (easy) and an apartment (hard) in the ski season.

Yes, even if you fall into CB, there is a lot to pay attention to. An open day for the new and high-end Academy Place was held this week, with relaxed locals checking out the exquisite new rental properties. I suspect there is a planning meeting somewhere you can go to. The CB Council voted to allow cars to park near bus stops on Sixth Street this winter as long as you register your car, so you don't have to worry about that. Phew! Oh, and there will be an opportunity to interview candidates running for County Commissioner on the evening of October 10th at the Crested Butte Center for the Arts.

Globally, the Middle East is on the verge of a major war. The US election is raising blood pressure as most people up here are hoping for Harris but also preparing for a possible apocalyptic return to Donald. The other side prays for Donald while fearing for freedom under Kamala. Everyone is worried… I mean, there are black Nazis and Haitian puppy eaters out there lurking next to the nail stylist cousin who says Kamala is paying a whopping $700 a week to protest Donald, for heaven's sake!

On Oct. 8, the largest public workforce housing project ever proposed in the county will receive a full review. There's no reason not to expect a thumbs up, probably under certain conditions. There are county and Mt. CB elections on Nov. 5 that have the potential to change leadership. Despite all these things, now is the time to be here.

Take a deep breath and enjoy the yellow carpets on the paths. Breathe in the low sun and enjoy the opportunity to sit on a bench in the city center. Enjoy the first glimpse of fresh snow protecting the high mountains from the bright golden aspens. Enjoy the cool mornings and warm afternoons. Listen to the moose roaring and the geese honking. Don’t let it feel like another day or week in the Butte. That's not it.

Speaking of the last big weekend. My favorite part of the big CB autumn festival, Vinotok, has become the altars. The community feast, the crowning fire, the mummers and lies traditions are all important, but I really love the altars. I ride my bike to the temporary CB stupas and read the different meditations. As harsh as it is wonderful, the Altar of “Legends” goes deep as it honors those of the community who have died. It is a reminder of the continuity of community and the cycle of life. Some left way too early, others left at the perfect location, but the photos all show why we stay here.

For well over a decade, the Crested Butte Film Festival has brought images, ideas and discussions not normally a part of daily CB life. It's a pleasure. See Champions of the Golden Valley on the last day once again showed the unique spiritual connection between the mountains and the people living there. The film is ultimately a refugee documentary and focuses on the impact of the simple act of skiing on the people of the Bamiyan Valley in Afghanistan.

The discovery of skiing by Afghans is a connection we can trace in Crested Butte. The joy of skiing and how it can change lives is a theme of the film that follows Afghans even as they flee their homeland to lead a new and frightening life in Europe. Skiing made us smile in the face of the challenges we are likely to ever experience. It is the knowledge that skiing will remain in their hearts and souls that connects us to those we have never met. They understand the challenge of going up the mountain and the respect for the earth that comes with the challenge uphill and the joy downhill. It's something most mountain people can relate to. While skiing skills run high between the kids who make their own makeshift skis in Bamiyan and the littlest shredders here who rent the latest gear for $250 for the season and ride the Red Lady lift, the love for the Sport and the appreciation for fun are great and the inner peace it offers is mutual.

And finally, on page 17 we have the summer backcountry review from the Crested Butte Conservation Corps. This team deserves a fall break after a sometimes (literally) crappy summer… 100 pounds of human crap! Reading about their work and the amount of business they handled in a busy hinterland further underlines how lucky we are to have this group. There is no doubt that this once remote valley will be discovered and people will flood the backyard. The CBCC lays out the logic that rules and regulations and law enforcement are needed to reduce chaos. I wish it wasn't like that, but it is what it is.

It is what it is. And it is the time to breathe in the glorious days and breathe out the coming busyness, politics and uncertainty in the world. Stay where you are – in one of the most beautiful places in the world during the most beautiful weeks of the year.

Happy autumn everyone.

–Mark Reaman