Mountain Perspectives

James Steindler Contributing Editor

On Friday, Dec. 12, the Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC), along with three members of the Garfield County Public Library District Board of Trustees — President Adrian Rippy-Sheehy (Silt), Vice President Michelle Foster (Parachute) and John Mallonee (at large) — interviewed a dozen candidates, four for each of the three open seats representing New Castle, Rifle and Parachute.

Each member of the six-person panel chose one question from a set list to ask each candidate. There was no opportunity for public comment.

BOCC Commissioner Mike Samson brought up the silver lining that controversy regarding access to a specific series of manga books at the libraries resulted in wider interest for serving on the library board. Not surprisingly, one of the more pertinent questions came from Chairman Tom Jankovsky: “Federal law, Colorado law and the Garfield County Library District’s bylaws require the library district to protect children from material on the internet that is harmful to their beneficial development. Do you believe there should be the same reasonable policies for children’s access to books that are designated for mature audiences?”

For the sake of space, this report focuses on the candidates’ responses to that prompt. A recording of the entire interview process, as well as cover letters and resumes, can be found at www.garfieldcountyco.gov/board-commissioners/meetings

“Part of the reason why I’ve served 10 years was because nobody else was interested in serving from Parachute in the past,” chimed in Foster, who was applauded for her decade of service. “It’s wonderful that we do have all of these applicants.”

The BOCC is expected to announce selections at its Jan. 5 meeting, just in time for the library board’s first meeting of 2026 on Jan. 8.

Rifle candidates

First up for the Rifle seat was Juby Cumming, the chief deputy assessor for Garfield County. When asked what her strengths are, she said she is “annoyingly organized” but also “easy going.”

“This is a really well-run library system,” she said, drawing a comparison to all of the libraries she’s visited, from the East to the West Coast and as far as Scotland.

She said it’s not the library’s position to monitor what a child is reading, but rather parents’, who, she suggested, can review what their children are checking out.

“I am an Evangelical Christian … and that is the most important part of my life,” said the next Rifle candidate, former Garfield County manager Ed Green, who oversaw the library system initially in that position, before it became its own district. He is an Army veteran, and considers himself a conservative.

He "definitely" agreed with controlling access to mature books in a way similar to that of the internet. “I hear the argument all the time that it’s really the parents’ responsibility to monitor that, but once they get into the library they’re ours, they’re our responsibility.”

Since 2011, Gregorio Rios has worked as a petroleum engineer technician for the Bureau of Land Management. Originally from Paraguay, he has lived in the U.S. for 20 years. He frequents the library and participates in its Latino heritage events. When he and his family travel, they tend to visit libraries.

He expressed that some library content should be accessible by a certain age, but that developing brains need more guidance. Jankovsky pushed him for clarity, repeating his question. Rios responded simply, “I think so.”

Alex Vessell has been a public school teacher and resident in Rifle for four years. “I live right near the library in Rifle, and I love going there,” he said. “I think it’s a great place for the community. I think it’s a great place for knowledge.”

Vessel opined, “There maybe could be cases that we would be like, ‘Hey, this information would not be good to give out to kids’ … I think there’s some judgement there that could be made, but overall I’m not in favor of huge bans or anything.”

Parachute/Battlement Mesa

A career educator and the former superintendent of Aspen School District, David Baugh moved to Colorado in 2020, but just recently settled in Battlement Mesa.

“I thought this would be a terrific way to continue community service,” he said. “I bring to the table the ability to listen and try to understand different points of view.”

When it comes to regulating children’s access to print materials, he said that the law, particularly Colorado law, is clear. Although, he added, “I think we can provide sections, and I think we can do that within the scope of the law.”

Cynthia “Cindy” Bjerstedt has lived in Battlement Mesa for over 10 years, having moved from Ohio for a position at Grand River Health. She also fostered children over the years. “Children are very important to me, and protecting them is very important,” she said.

“There’s been a lot of … wordsmithing around the ‘banning of books’ and so forth,” she stated, and was the first to delve into the specifics of the books in question. “We’re not talking about ‘Harry Potter’ books here … We’re talking about books that I’ve seen that are very sexually exploitative of children.”

A resume was not included with Judy Herigstad’s cover letter, but she explained that she’s worked a lot of jobs “out of necessity,” including for the U.S. Army and in armed security and information technology. “I love the library,” she said, adding that she’s “had the joy of watching [the Parachute] library go from some teeny-little shoebox to this fantastic building that people love to go to.”

She’s of the opinion that the library should "absolutely, without a doubt" protect children from printed materials. “I’ve seen some of these materials and I wish I never had,” she said. “I’d never wish that on somebody’s innocent child.”

Lynda Prendergast, a retired educator, has served on several boards and committees, including as president of the local Kiwanis Club. “I’ve taught kids and worked with parents in all kinds of different settings,” said Prendergast.

“I think that our library is already doing as much as they can do as far as where books are placed,” she commented. When it comes to changing policy, she said it would have to be discussed and voted on by the trustees.

New Castle

After graduating from Basalt High School, Kristi Gill moved to New Castle to raise a family. She was a nurse at Valley View Hospital for 35 years and 10 years at Grand River Health.

She said that she likes to do research rather than form an immediate opinion, so she went to the Silt Library and looked up the manga books under scrutiny. If the books are going to be on the shelves “they have to be put where children can’t get them,” she said. Otherwise, she worried that libraries risk parents not allowing their children to go there anymore.

Nicole Gordon has been in New Castle for over two years — Colorado for 25 — and has a masters degree in journalism. She works remotely as a writer, editor and communications professional. “Libraries are near and dear to my heart,” Gordon said, describing herself as an “enthusiastic patron" of the New Castle Library.

“While I absolutely sympathize with the desire to protect children, I think adult books should be shelved in the adult section and that parents, not government officials, should decide what kids look at.” Putting that in the hands of the government, she said, would be a “slippery slope to censorship.” She, and others, said that what children can access on the internet is more concerning than what they might find at the library.

John Gracey grew up on a dairy farm in Ireland. He has degrees in agriculture and food technology and raised four children. He settled into a career in sales before meeting his wife and moving to the U.S. Aside from sales, he’s worked in homecare as well.

He and his wife are both musicians and perform a few times a year between the six library branches. “The library is the epitome of civilization,” he said, “and we have six wonderful Garfield County libraries.” He commended staff and Executive Director Jamie LaRue.

Green supported restricting child access to books he described as “pornographic,” by placing them out of reach or in a different room.

Brit McClin was the only incumbent to be interviewed, having served for the past year after being appointed by the BOCC to fulfill Crystal Mariscal’s term. “Probably the greatest strength that I have is that I know the job,” he said.

He explained that the library he went to growing up had an age-restricted section. “I survived that,” he said. “So, personally, I really don’t care if we do that again.” However, he restated the importance of following the law, and referenced Colorado Senate Bill 24-216 Section 2 standards, which restrict libraries from regulating access to materials based on partisan or doctrinal disapproval and places an onus on libraries to challenge censorship.

“Does the public have a right to take umbrage with some of these positions? Absolutely,” he said.

Library recommendations The library board met on Monday, Dec. 15 to vote on its recommended candidates. All library board members were present, except Tony Hershey (Glenwood Springs). McClin recused himself for the New Castle discussion.

The board unanimously voted to recommend Gregorio Rios (Rifle), Lynda Prendergast (Parachute) and Brit McLin (New Castle).

James Steindler Contributing Editor

​

The Roaring Fork Ski Fair Coop surfaced over the summer by way of an online petition advocating for lower pricing of Aspen Skiing Company (Ski Co) season passes for the local workforce.

It all started with Anna Rosenberg. Before coming West, she grew up on an organic farm in Cincinnati, Ohio, where her parents did what they loved at the expense of having higher-paying jobs. Rosenberg watched other kids at Walnut Hills High School, whose parents could afford it, regularly bus to the nearest downhill mountain about 45 minutes away. Rosenberg eventually followed her mother to Colorado and learned how to snowboard at Sunlight Mountain Resort.

Fast forward to this summer. When Ski Co’s super-early Chamber Pass pricing came online, Rosenberg was displeased to discover that it had not only gone up by $100, which she expected, but by $125 compared to the super-early deal for the 2024-2025 season of $1,899. This was the impetus for the petition.

“I’m the kind of girl who will get in a fight over $25,” Rosenberg told The Sopris Sun. Recognizing that she was not alone in her frustration with the wider issue of affordability, she created the petition.

Rosenberg has some history with the company and said she is an “inactive” employee of Ski Co’s catering department — she hasn’t picked up a shift in over a year. She took on this effort outside of her role there, but said she wants to work with the company to accomplish the Coop’s goals.

“We want to absolutely be working in unison with [Ski Co],” she said. “We exist in a mutually beneficial relationship: The Roaring Fork Valley does not thrive without Ski Co because of the tourism it brings in, and Ski Co does not thrive without the Roaring Fork Valley because we have created this really awesome place that tourists love to come see.”

The petition includes four asks: “1) Introduc[ing] a new community-tiered premier pass for full-time Roaring Fork Valley locals who are not affiliated with a chamber-member business … 2) Implement[ing] long-term safeguards on chamber premier pass pricing — including: A) capping annual price increases at no more than 3%, aligning with typical inflation; B) rolling back the Chamber Pass price to $1,745 by the 2026–2027 season (the inflation-adjusted rate based on the 2016–17 price of $1,299); C) preventing further hikes that outpace the local cost of living. 3) Increase transparency around how pass pricing is determined and the rationale behind annual increases for locals. 4) Uphold the commitment to local access by acknowledging that affordability is essential to maintaining the soul and inclusivity of our ski community.”

As of Wednesday, 1,420 verified signatures were recorded.

When asked where the 3% average-inflation figure came from, Rosenberg said it was the cumulative average of the past decade and likely gleaned from an online search. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the consumer price index (CPI) for “all items” rose 3% in 12 months as of September, but peaked at 9.1% in June of 2022. The last time the CPI leveled out at 0% was in 2015. The 10-year average is around 3%.

In a statement from Aspen One, Ski Co’s umbrella company, Sara Roston, the vice president of corporate and brand communications, said that the company met with Rosenberg twice “in good faith to understand her concerns.”

“Our business is one that is increasingly complex and costly,” Roston said. “Everything we do on and off-mountain — from snowmaking to lift infrastructure and maintenance, from upgrading our food and beverage outlets to mountain safety and operations, from increasing employee benefits to building employee housing — relies on revenue generated in large part by pass and lift ticket sales.”

Ski Co “offer[s] 10 pass products available at a variety of price points ,” Roston added, “with many discounted pass options for groups that include seniors, students, teachers, members of the military, Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club and more.”

One hurdle for the Coop’s proposed non-chamber locals discount for season passes is a Forest Service (USFS) regulation that bars "discriminatory pricing … based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or place of residence.”

“Guidance from the USFS is we cannot discount season-long access by location/zip code of the purchaser,” said Roston, which partly explained why its seven-day Valley Pass is permissible — an offering that’s also extended to the general public for in-person purchasing one week every October.

“The Chamber Pass is offered to a group (members of the chamber of commerce), not individual consumers, which allows us to provide the access we do through that product,” Roston explained, “which is also extended to member spouses/partners.”

Regarding transparency, Rosenberg said that if Ski Co doesn’t disclose specifics in how it calculates annual increases, the Coop would like to bring its own research, but needs help collecting reliable data. Therefore, the Coop is seeking specialized assistance in that analysis.

It is also in search of a fiscal sponsorship and is hoping for support from an attorney to thoughtfully navigate legal parameters, such as the USFS regulation.

“Ski Co does a lot of great things for their community. They are probably the leader in ski resorts in what they do for their community,” said Rosenberg. “We see that they are contributing a lot. We are asking for them to look at the Average Joe, and we want them to contribute more.”

Playing off of the “Fair” in the Coop’s name, Rosenberg is encouraging supporters to wear fairy wings or tutus to display their support, particularly while on one of the four mountains.

Regular-season pricing went into effect on Dec. 6. As of now, a full-season Chamber Pass costs $2,704 and a nondiscounted adult Premier Pass is $3,834.

For more from the Roaring Fork Ski Fair Coop, visit its petition page at www.tinyurl.com/RFSkiFairCoop 

To get in touch, email rfskifaircoop@gmail.com

By Annalise Grueter

Sopris Sun Correspondent

In early November, Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) CEO Kurt Ravenschlag presented to the Garfield County Commissioners. He was speaking to the role public transportation plays in regional commuting, and asked the commissioners to allot funds specifically to help cover RFTA’s Hogback services west of Glenwood Springs. Garfield County has contributed varying amounts toward this service since it began. However, some community members question whether it makes sense for the county to help pay for services that take residents to different counties for work.

Over the past two-plus decades RFTA has grown substantially. The organization originally served the Aspen area and Pitkin County, but has added routes over the years to support connections between different communities in the region. The transit authority now serves Pitkin, Eagle and Garfield counties from Aspen to Rifle. RFTA buses make 22 daily trips between Rifle and New Castle, and 46 trips between New Castle and Glenwood Springs.

Ravenschlag said that Garfield County at one point covered the full cost of the Hogback route services, but has decreased contributions to RFTA over the past six years. This year, Garfield County considered stopping all of its contributions toward RFTA services. That would have left funding the Hogback route entirely up to the municipalities it serves, in addition to RFTA sharing from its general funds. The City of Rifle allotted $80,000 for Hogback services in 2026, and the Town of Silt marked $40,000 for that use.

While Hogback ridership is a small percentage of RFTA’s total customers (4% of over 200,000 boardings in 2024), many Hogback riders rely on the buses to connect with other routes. Rifle and Silt residents account for more than 50% of total Hogback ridership, per RFTA public information officer Jamie Tatsuno.

“The portion of the Hogback service between New Castle and Rifle lies outside RFTA’s jurisdictional boundaries and has been purchased by Garfield County through an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for the past 23 years,” Tatsuno explained. Earlier this year, the county notified RFTA that continuing to pay for the service would not be feasible moving forward.

“Through further discussions,” Tatsuno said, “Garfield County agreed to provide partial funding to allow the Town of Silt and the City of Rifle time to identify alternative solutions for funding this portion of the service.” The RFTA board of directors agreed to cover the remaining funding shortfall after Garfield County’s contribution toward the Hogback through the Fall 2026 service season.

“No funding has been identified beyond Fall 2026 for the New Castle–Rifle portion of the Hogback,” explained Tatsuno. She noted that no definite solutions had been identified as of this week. A recent RFTA survey indicated that 41% of Hogback route riders board the buses in Rifle, while 16% board in Silt. The majority of those riders exit the bus in Glenwood Springs, at 56%, with 15% deboarding in New Castle. Another 15% ride all the way to Aspen.

“The Hogback service has been a vital transit link for over two decades, connecting Rifle and Silt to New Castle, Glenwood Springs and the communities of the Roaring Fork Valley,” stated Tatsuno. She said RFTA remains committed to exploring funding solutions to maintain service for Silt and Rifle riders. The organization encourages community engagement with local governments to help ensure the route continues past 2026.

Some Garfield County representatives and community members have questioned why upvalley communities don’t contribute funds toward the Hogback, given many riders are commuting to and from work in those communities. RFTA has covered the shortfall in recent years when Garfield County paid part but not all of the route’s budget. Tatsuno explained, “The ideal split would be something that felt equitable to all parties involved.”

Editor’s note: Due to the sensitivity of this article, student sources were kept anonymous.

Latino and white communities are intertwined in the Roaring Fork Valley, yet young immigrants, or children thereof, have felt threatened under President Donald Trump’s administration in the wake of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity across the country.

Though Mexican restaurants are local favorites and the Día De Los Muertos procession is a popular tradition in Carbondale, members of the immigrant community are facing a daunting reality. The Roaring Fork School District was 56.6% Latino during the 2024-2025 school year, according to the Colorado Department of Education’s demographic data. To be exact, 3,311 of the 5,842 students identified as Latino.

Interviews with local Latino students revealed the underlying fear surrounding ICE operations and other multi-cultural challenges that immigrants and first-generation Americans face.

“I consider myself American,” an 18 year old from Roaring Fork High School said. “But it can be hard to be prideful in that.”

She said her dual identity — a balance between her Mexican heritage and American citizenship — is beautiful, but can also be challenging. She is the first person in her family to be born in the United States and have experienced growing up here. She’s grateful to have access to so many new opportunities, yet humbled by some of her family members’ comparable disadvantages.

She not only has to guide her younger siblings, but her parents as well. She said that she has had to navigate school events, federal student aid and college applications alone.

“As the oldest, I’ve been forced to grow up faster than everyone else,” she said.

Growing up in the Valley, she often felt left out. She, along with other interviewees, described a social divide between Anglo and Latino students that can exist, and that friend groups are often composed of either or.

On a national scale, she feels like she has fallen victim to generalizations. “They [immigrants] are being categorized as criminals, but we’re not. It’s such a small group of people who are,” she stated.

She felt like Carbondale had always been safe, but under the Trump administration, she and her family have been afraid to travel, or even at times leave the house. Her parents, who have lived and worked in the Valley for over 20 years, began the process of switching bank accounts into her name due to the looming threat of deportation. She sometimes fears “the worst case scenarios.”

“What if they are not at my graduation?” she wondered.

Another student at Roaring Fork, 17, described how she often doesn’t feel like she is considered American, despite being born here. She feels like some only consider Americans as “white,” and, because that does not apply to her, she feels foreign.

She described the fear that surrounded Trump’s first election and the possibility of her parents being deported. In his second term, those fears have felt even more real as she’s watched the impact ICE has had on immigrant communities.

She’s also experienced an increase in discrimination directed towards her and other Latinos. She wondered if it was still there when she was little, but naivety blinded her. In January 2025, she visited North Carolina where a man yelled at her and her family, “Go back to your country.”

“We can’t even travel out of the fear of ICE,” she said.

Although she is a citizen, she said she felt relief when the school district enacted a policy promising that ICE would be unable to enter the schools without a warrant.

Voces Unidas de las Montañas, an organization based in Glenwood Springs that advocates for Latinos’ rights and well-being regionally, is helping pave a path through the uncertainty.

“Our larger mission is to make the Western Slope, and therefore Colorado, more equitable for all,” said Alex Sánchez, the president and CEO of Voces Unidas.

The organization has a 24/7 emergency hotline that acts as a tool to report and/or request information regarding missing family members, or to report ICE or supposed ICE activity. Voces Unidas investigates and verifies such reports.

“It’s critical for the times we live in. It’s important that we also confirm when it isn’t ICE, when it isn’t immigration control,” Sánchez said. “Because the people impacted by ICE are traumatized by any rumor, any insinuation that ICE is in their communities. We don’t want schools half empty, and we don’t want people to stop being able to go to work or use public transportation. We don’t want people to stop enjoying their lives out of fear.”

“It’s also critical, obviously, to confirm and report when there is, in fact, ICE activity, and when there is an operation in our community,” he continued. “Because people are literally being picked up off the streets and families are being separated.”

A third high school senior said that her parents, and most immigrants, come to the United States to try and create a better life for their family and themselves. She said that the same people who fly Trump flags may be kind to her face, but ultimately supported a government that wished her family had not come to the United States.

She described how scared she was before her mother had officially attained citizenship.

“I was terrified. ‘What if my mom doesn’t come home? What if my dad isn’t there?’” she said. “No child should have to experience that.”

“ICE is tearing families apart. What we need is to bring people together,” she added.

On Nov. 20, the Gunnison County Planning Commission held a public hearing on a land-use application from Treasure Mountain Ranch, Inc. (TMR), the company that owns significant acreage in and around the historic townsite of Crystal. The application seeks a Minor Impact Land Use Change to consolidate parcels and cluster new development in the Crystal townsite.

TMR’s application would consolidate 16 parcels into nine, complete three boundary line adjustments and cluster new development within a 1.9-acre building envelope. The proposal calls for “retiring” four existing structures, constructing a 4,900-square-foot maintenance barn and building four new cabins totaling approximately 5,000 square feet.

The proposal drew substantial written and oral public comment, as well as detailed questions from commissioners and staff. At times, public testimony reflected a divide between the application formally before the Planning Commission and what some residents believe may follow. It also underscored the deep attachment many people feel toward Crystal, a place described throughout the morning as historically and spiritually irreplaceable.

“I think change[s] to small, historic corners of our community are very emotional for a lot of people,” Gunnison County Planning Director Hillary Seminick told The Sopris Sun. “The townsite and the Crystal Mill hold a special place in the hearts of many people in Gunnison County and the residents of the Crystal River and Roaring Fork Valleys.”

Fraught history shapes reaction The intensity of public comment on Nov. 20 reflects four years of stops, starts and speculation involving TMR and the community. The company owns roughly 700 acres, including about three miles of river frontage, as well as 15 structures totaling just over 12,000 square feet, nine of which it considers historic, including the Crystal Mill.

In late 2021, TMR partners Chris Cox and Stuart Gillespie outlined a large resort project to the Marble Board of Trustees, including cabins, a restaurant, employee housing and summer and winter recreation, along with plans for conservation easements and sustainable construction. They also met with Gunnison County officials, but by fall 2021, the county issued a stop-work order for unauthorized road improvements. In 2022, TMR paid a $12,000 fine and submitted multiple rounds of materials addressing the remediation requirements.

During this time, residents also raised questions about forest-thinning activities on Bear Mountain. The county confirmed in 2023 that TMR’s work complied with its approved Forest Management Plan. A plan update in 2025 outlined hand-crew thinning in dense, historically clear-cut stands to improve wildlife habitat and reduce fire danger.

The land use change application was initially submitted in spring 2024, but deemed incomplete due to missing information and unclear boundary line adjustments. TMR resubmitted in August 2024. The current Minor Impact Land Use Change application was deemed complete on April 21, Seminick said.

‘We’re talking 98% conservation’ Gillespie and Cox, accompanied by TMR attorney Marcus Lock of Law of the Rockies, told commissioners that the current Minor Impact Land Use Change grew out of an early-2024 effort to rehabilitate four cabins on Main Street. Realizing the structures required extensive work to meet code, the updated application added four new cabins and the maintenance barn.

TMR plans to permanently preserve six cabins on Main Street — including the Crystal Club, the general store and the Clayton, Melton, Rosette and Edgerton cabins — through historic designation, which would require approval by the county commission. Four other cabins would be retired from residential use.

At the hearing, Cox emphasized his deep personal connection to the area: Original property owner Emmett Gould was his great-grandfather, and he spent childhood summers in Crystal with his grandmother. Cox’s children and grandchildren have also grown up visiting Crystal.

TMR stated its overarching goal is to place most of its property under conservation easement and to partner with the U.S. Forest Service for stewardship. Gillespie said the company’s aim is to “conserve the vast majority of the TMR property … We’re not talking 75% or 80%, we’re talking 98%.”

Gillespie said construction would be phased, with new cabins built first and old cabins decommissioned afterward. Most heavy work would occur on-site, with subcontractors staying in TMR accommodations. If the application is approved, “Dirt work would begin this summer, with the project finishing up the following summer,” Gillespie said.

Why a public hearing? The public hearing was required because TMR is proposing to concentrate density on one parcel such that it would contain six residences.

Specifically, the proposal includes building four new cabins and the maintenance barn. Of the existing six cabins already on the parcel, two would be kept and four “retired” by removing plumbing and electrical and using them as sheds.

Seminick told The Sopris Sun that while the net residential impact may be effectively zero, county land-use review looks at impacts parcel-by-parcel for future land-division and sale considerations.

“Typically, projects with four or more new residential units would be reviewed as Major Impact applications. In this case, the classification was reduced to Minor Impact due to the nature of the application and TMR’s ownership configuration,” she said. The application also addressed phasing and confirmed that the project is residential in nature.

Seminick emphasized that if TMR were to pursue a future ski area or larger resort proposal, that would be considered a Major Impact review — a more extensive, multi-step process.

Split, impassioned and numerous The county received substantial written comment ahead of the hearing. Seminick noted 247 pages submitted before the close of the comment period, with additional letters submitted afterward.

Public testimony included longtime Crystal residents, descendants of early families and other valley residents. Speakers raised concerns about the project’s scale, potential impacts on water quality and wildlife, and how new development might affect the historic character of Crystal. Questions also focused on practical matters like trash removal, archaeological review, winter access and the size of the maintenance barn, as well as buffering, defensible space and vegetative screening.

Rob Anderson, whose family home is adjacent to the project parcel and whose great-grandfather George Tays founded the Lead King Mine, voiced concerns about avalanche risk, trash and smoke. He added, “Everyone wants to protect Crystal, and how they differ is how to get to that conclusion.”

Judy Witchey questioned the use of a nearby Daniels Hill property as a staging area and asked commissioners who would be keeping tabs on the development project.

“Too much is going to happen up there with a minor impact designation,” she said.

Manette Anderson expressed concern that the project could be a first step toward piecemeal change.

Supporters included Dr. R. Beaman, Jim Moisson and Roger Neal. Moisson opened his comment by acknowledging that his family “shares the desires of the Andersons,” but also noted that the majority of people who have a residence in Crystal support TMR’s proposal.

“Progress is going to happen, whether we like it or not. It’s really unique, rare and compelling that someone like Chris [Cox] who has the history and passion for preserving Crystal is managing the progress.”

Others praised TMR’s stewardship and said that preservation through the proposal would be preferable to other potential development.

Commissioners asked how the project would affect the historic nature and character of Crystal.

“Our hope is that by locating new development outside of town, you won’t see that structure, period,” Gillespie said. Cox added, “My goal from the beginning was to have this completely not visible from Main Street. It was important for me to be able to walk through the historic corridor and not know this existed. I believe with the right use of pine trees and foliage, we can block these from the road, and that’s our ultimate goal.”

Following the hearing, the commission directed staff to prepare a draft decision document outlining their findings. Written public comment will be accepted until Dec. 3 at noon ahead of the continued public hearing on Dec. 4 at 10:30am.

Mitigating the impacts of climate change and drought has been a continued focus for Mt. Sopris Nordic Council as cross country skiers await the first snow flakes of the season to settle on the Spring Gulch ski area west of Carbondale.

A pair of trail work days in late September and early October concentrated on vegetation management throughout the 28-kilometer trail network, plus fence building, rock removal and other preparations ahead of what will be the 39th season of skiing at Spring Gulch.

The Nordic Council is the nonprofit organization that holds the lease with the private landowners and manages the wintertime ski trails on the North Thompson Cattlemens’ Association land when the cattle are pasturing at lower elevations.

This past year, the organization successfully completed its $700,000 capital campaign aimed at completing several improvements at the ski area.

That work began two years ago with the construction of a second parking lot and trailhead on the Marion Gulch Road and several new trails in the upper reaches of the trail system that are better able to hold snow.

Work continued this fall, including the removal of several aspen trees near the trail intersection of North Star and Finlandia that had died off due to drought, explained Nordic Council Executive Director Rachel Bachman Perkins.

“This is really important for stewardship, as it promotes regeneration and rejuvenation of new vegetation,” she said. “With the aspen, and same with the oak brush that’s overgrown in places, if you cut that out, the smaller growth responds and starts to grow and thrive in its place.”

Removing the dead aspen also serves as a safety measure, so that the trees don’t fall over onto the trails when people are on them, Bachman Perkins said.

In addition, it promotes year-round health of the Spring Gulch area, which serves as grazing land for the ranchers during the warmer months. Thinning the oak brush also helps with wildfire mitigation, she noted.

“With the oak brush, we’ve been strategically cutting that back along the south side of the trails, sparking new growth where we want it so that it blocks wind and sun, and keeps the snow better,” she said.

Another big project this fall was to remove about 200 exposed boulders from just beneath the newer trails off the Marion lot. Not only can those large rocks damage grooming equipment and skis when the snow coverage is thin, they serve to speed melting when they become exposed to the sun, Bachman Perkins said.

Several of the larger boulders now line the perimeter of the Marion Gulch parking lot, which has also been filled and regraded to lessen sun exposure. The boulders also serve to block would-be vandals from driving onto the trails, she said.

A pair of vandalism incidents last season, including vehicles on the trails and portable toilets being damaged by fireworks, and one that was completely burned out, led to arrests and juvenile criminal charges. The Nordic Council worked with YouthZone on a restorative justice plan for the two perpetrators, who were each given 20 hours of community service and were put to work at Spring Gulch over the summer, Bachman Perkins said.

Security cameras have now been placed at the parking lots to guard against future vandalism.

Additional improvements Spring Gulch users will notice this coming season are new fencing, wood chips at the two trailheads to prevent muddy spots, modifications to the trail maps and new kilometer markers along the trails for easier navigation, she said.

While Spring Gulch had a much-earlier-than usual Thanksgiving Day opening last season, trail managers are hoping that snow in the forecast for this weekend will help get things going. But it will likely be a few weeks before the trails are ready.

In the meantime, Bachman Perkins encouraged people to refrain from attempting to use the trails before Spring Gulch is officially open.

A few other things of note in regards to the upcoming ski season:

• The Spring Gulch season kickoff and membership renewal event is set for 5-7pm Tuesday, Dec. 16 at El Dorado on Main Street in downtown Carbondale. Members receive a free drink ticket.

• Save the dates for the annual Rat Race community cross country skate ski race on Sunday, Feb. 1, and the Ski for Sisu ski-a-thon fundraiser on Sunday, Feb. 8.

• Spring Gulch is partnering with the Nature Connection, an outdoor education organization working with the Delta County Schools, to provide equipment and bring groups of elementary school students out to experience cross country skiing the week of Presidents Day in February.

• Spring Gulch also partners withWilderness Workshop’s Defiende Nuestra Tierra to host a family bilingual ski day on the following Saturday: Feb. 21.

• Finally, with the Winter Olympics coming up in February in and around Milan Cortina, Italy, keep an eye out for a couple of local US Nordic Ski Team hopefuls, Kate Oldham and Hailey Swirbul, out training on the Spring Gulch trails.

In early October, Grand Junction-based Rocky Mountain Health Plans, a subsidiary of UnitedHealthcare (UHC), informed its customers that UHC would no longer be offering any Medicare Advantage (MA) plans for Garfield and other western Colorado counties. UHC was the only insurer providing MA plans in Garfield.

Some background Medicare, federal health insurance for senior citizens (ages 65 and older) was created as part of the Social Security Act of 1965. It provides free hospital insurance (Part A) and premium-paid medical insurance (Part B) and is commonly referred to as Original Medicare (OM); premium-paid prescription insurance (Part D) was added later. The program is funded by mandatory payroll taxes on individuals and employers.

However, Part B insurance (e.g., for physician services or outpatient care) covers only 80% of billed costs, and there is no limit on out-of-pocket expenses (e.g., copays or deductibles). That 20% “gap” must be paid by the patient. In response to that, private insurance companies offer supplemental plans, commonly known as “Medigap policies,” with varying levels of coverage and premium costs.

The 1965 act included provisions for seniors to acquire alternate coverage to government Medicare and private Medigap plans. Originally known as Medicare+Choice (or Part C), since 2003 it has been called Medicare Advantage. Although these plans are offered by private companies, they are under federal Medicare regulations.

MA advantages… and disadvantages The main attraction of MA plans is that most are free or have very low premium payments (with all or part of the premiums subsidized). In addition to Parts A and B coverage, they typically also offer Part D options, as well as limited eye- and dental-care plans. Out-of-pocket expenses for enrollees are also capped. Their affordability has made them highly popular with seniors with modest or fixed incomes. Enrollment levels have ebbed and flowed since the 1960s, but in recent years have climbed to roughly half of all Medicare participants.

With affordability, however, have come restrictions not associated with OM. Principal among these, patients typically can only use designated in-network medical providers, especially those on HMO plans, and those lists of providers are subject to change. Patients also must obtain preauthorization from their principal-care provider before receiving a treatment or procedure. Medigap plans are not available to MA enrollees.

There has been a rise in claim and preauthorization denials by insurance companies, including those that would have been approved under OM. This has raised allegations of fraud by UHC and other companies, including being paid for diagnoses not treated by health professionals.

Dr. George Bohmfalk, a retired neurosurgeon here in Carbondale, has become a highly vocal opponent of MA. In a conversation with The Sopris Sun, he was particularly critical of the restrictions for enrollees and of the alleged overpayment scheme, characterizing these actions as “borderline criminal.” He added, “[MA] is great coverage until you need it.”

What happens now? Because UHC has been the only MA underwriter in Garfield County, those enrollees — estimated at some 1,200 by the Colorado State Health Insurance Assistance Program — must obtain other insurance during the current annual enrollment period (Oct. 15 to Dec. 7). They will be automatically enrolled in OM but will need to select a Part D prescription plan if they want to continue that coverage.

High Country Volunteers, a nonprofit based in Glenwood Springs, has had certified Medicare counselors helping senior citizens with Medicare and other insurance issues for years. Reached for comment, the organization’s executive director, Mary Moon, told The Sun that “hundreds of people have contacted us” in the past several weeks, and that there is a backlog of one to two weeks to schedule an appointment with a counselor.

Moon said their counselors are encouraging enrollees to buy one of the available Medigap plans. She noted that those who have wanted to leave MA and transition to OM have not been able to obtain Medigap because of “medical underwriting” (coverage denial for preexisting conditions). She continued, “The one good thing about United pulling their [MA] plans out of the area is clients now have a Guaranteed Issue Right (through Feb. 28, 2026) to get certain Medigap plans without going through medical underwriting.”

Coverage for OM, Part D and those obtaining a Medigap plan during open enrollment starts Jan. 1. However, as Moon pointed out, those who wait to apply for Medigap until after Jan. 1 will face the 20% “gap” in Plan B coverage until the policy takes effect. She continued, “I highly recommend people choose a Medigap plan during open enrollment.”

After honoring Veterans Day with a day off, Nov. 11, trustees held their regular meeting on Nov. 18 to continue drilling down on a 2026 budget. All were present.

Following student of the month awards, a consent agenda was approved including meeting minutes and a contract for improving irrigation and landscaping at the Jail and Cabin History Park with All Around Property Maintenance Inc. for $20,600.

During trustee comments, Jess Robison announced that Clean Energy Economy for the Region submitted an application for the Colorado Energy Office’s Local IMPACT Accelerator grant on behalf of Carbondale. Erica Sparhawk mentioned that the Special Events Task Force will meet on Dec. 17 at 5:30pm at Town Hall to review 2025 events on town properties and plan for 2026 — all are welcome to attend. Colin Laird gave a shout-out to the Northern Lights — “Wow, unbelievable” — and stated that due to Garfield County’s $9 million budget shortfall, Roaring Fork Transportation Authority’s Hogback bus route serving the western end of the county will be cut.

Town Manager Ryan Hyland shared that the Eighth Street sidewalk project is now complete and the futsal court near City Market will soon be open to the public.

Trustees then received their monthly pool update. Tammy Tucker with Wember said that everything is on track for opening in May, and the public sidewalk should be open again next month. Trustee Ross Kribbs inquired about a trail between the Forest Service building and pool, connecting Main Street to Sopris Park. Parks and Rec Director Eric Brendlinger confirmed that pathway will be sealed.

“I’m a little confused as to how we should address this,” said Kribbs. “It was brought up a number of times, didn’t get traction anywhere, didn’t get a response.”

Mayor Ben Bohmfalk contested, “You brought it up a number of times. It was never brought up as a design change. I’ve trusted they’ve heard those comments, looked at it, didn’t see it as feasible.”

“I definitely agree with Ross,” Trustee Chris Hassig chimed in. He suggested requesting the Forest Service add a gate to their chainlink fence, illuminating the usefulness of that access for handicap parking during Mountain Fair. Sparhawk thought a narrow, unlit alleyway there could be “sketchy.”

Moving on, trustees approved updates to Appendix A of the Municipal Code — the fee schedule. This included a 10% increase to water and waste water rates, a 33% increase to park rental feeds and additional increases for Parks and Recreation amenities. A 3.2% increase to trash and recycling rates was approved in September.

Among the changes, recreation punch passes will double up for use at the Rec Center and pool. Brendlinger described undergoing a feasibility study to determine those rates, which looked at nearby pools for a benchmark. Discounted season passes will be sold from January to the pool opening date — $240 for adults, $180 for youth and seniors, $550 for a household (two adults, one youth).

Next, trustees reviewed community grant appropriations totaling $155,763. Local nonprofits could request up to $7,000 each. Trustees then individually allocated funds according to the budget, which was averaged out to determine the awards. Staff was directed to continue tweaking the formula given KDNK, Roaring Fork Youth Orchestra and High Country Sinfonia were mistakenly penalized with two trustees involved in those organizations placing $0 to avoid a conflict of interest.

Lastly, trustees got another overview of the 2026 budget. Bohmfalk commended Hyland and Finance Director Ola Verploegh for “the clearest one page of our budget I’ve ever seen.” This budget forecasts a 0% increase in sales tax for 2026, based on 2025 revenue through September and 2024 revenue for October through December. Verploegh explained that every 1% accounts for approximately $97,000. If revenue comes in above this projection, it will be added to the fund balance.

Returning to an earlier discussion, trustees elected to proceed with undergrounding utilities at Chacos Park while dialing in construction documents in 2026. Hyland suggested this will help hone in on the true cost of that project with respect to other capital needs.

Some contention arose surrounding Rec Department requests for $30,000 toward new sand at the Miners Park volleyball courts and $80,000 for bleachers at the pickleball courts — both one-time costs. “I worry about creeping expectations,” Hassig stated. “We’re not a public country club.”

“We’re not trying to make difficult cuts to our budget,” Robison argued in favor of the improvements. “The budget proposed is balanced and conservative. Why not go with this?”

Given other priorities (housing, public bathrooms, streetscaping), Hassig, Kribbs, Laird and Christina Montemayor voted to eliminate that $110,000 from the 2026 budget. Bohmfalk, Sparhawk and Robison voted in favor of keeping it. The split vote fell in favor of saving the money this coming year.

At Cosecha Textiles, the rhythmic whirl of sewing machines and steady ding of tack hammers and mallets creates a symphony of sound that sparks inspiration. It is here cherished heirlooms are restored and revived as beginner and experienced sewists gather to create their own timeless pieces. Amidst the workroom’s laughter and artistry, Cosecha founder and owner Claire Wright is celebrating 10 years of entrepreneurship and finding her purpose.

“The sparks are always flying [in the workshop],” Wright laughed during a recent Sopris Sun interview. “I feel like I’m really doing what I’m supposed to be doing … In the workshop I rarely realize that 14 hours go by. I barely realize that 10 years of owning my business has gone by. Every day feels fun and exciting and I love what I do.”

Based in the Crystal Valley, Cosecha is a full-service upholstery workshop that uses high-quality and durable fabrics, detailed craftswomanship and environmentally-friendly options to help customers reimagine their connection to home and comfort. Currently, services include community education, artful restoration, bespoke furniture and custom designs. Whether it be an original concept created from recycled materials or a complete redesign of existing furniture, Wright centers her work around sustainability and storytelling.

Speaking to the impact of using upcycled materials and her deep reverence for the planet, she said, “We have to take stock of what it is and why we are consuming, and we have to do what we can to slow things down.

“I see so much potential in every piece,” she empathically added. “I don’t want things to go into the landfill and become trash, but instead to become something beautiful, usable and valuable. Something that’s been given attention.”

A self-taught maker from a young age, Wright is now a master of her craft who produces captivating, artisan-level furniture. In Cosecha’s online gallery and shop, each concept tastefully weaves together clean lines with vibrant color palettes and bold patterns to create striking, conversation-starting pieces.

Notably, the shop has a sophisticated and functional mid-century modern couch that was carefully reinforced by Wright. She chose to reupholster the couch’s front with French green velvet accented by high-quality graphic upholstery remnants. The soft green tone is beautifully complemented on the back with a cream-colored canvas featuring an original geometric pattern hand-painted by local artist Chris Erickson. This marks a recurring collaboration between the two makers.

For Wright, honing her craft also means she can increase accessibility for everyone across the socioeconomic spectrum.

“It feels important to me to grow my business so I can hopefully affect bigger change in my community, which hopefully has a positive ripple effect into the world,” Wright said. “[That change] can be as small as teaching someone how to mend the hole in their jeans and then they feel empowered to continue fixing their things … to educating an interior designer about different options over purchasing new.”

“Cosecha” is the Spanish word for harvest, and is a thoughtful nod to Wright’s bilingualism and desire to cultivate a community rich in creativity. On the first Wednesday of every month, she invites the public to attend a free, bilingual “Do It Yourself” (DIY) evening where attendees gain full access to the workshop, including upholstery and sewing tools, machines, tables and supplies. With gentle professional insight, amateurs and hobbyists can reinvigorate motivation or start an entirely new project. Creatives looking to dive deeper can also attend an upcoming workshop. While the three-day “Intro to Upholstery” class quickly sold out, Cosecha’s single-day workshop, “Intro to Upholstery Sewing - Make your own box cushion(s)” still has space available. Wright emphasized, “For the record — all of my classes are designed for beginners. I will help you succeed!”

Exuding warmth and whimsical brilliance, Wright creates a safe space where new skills can be learned, mistakes can be made and the foundation for a lifetime of creativity and confidence can flourish.

“Upholstery and sewing are one of the five original industrial arts … I really hope that as we shift culturally and as a human race that we can understand our impact and that this tool can feel really accessible no matter where you are and how you want to relate to it,”  Wright concluded. “I hope everyone feels welcome and able to approach me with their ideas or projects … I want Cosecha to feel like a place that is a resource for all people.”

Grab a friend and your projects, because the next DIY night is happening on Dec. 3 from 4 to 9pm. To learn more about upcoming workshops and Cosecha’s extensive offerings, visit www.cosechatextiles.com

“If we take care of that water, we know that water is going to take care of us,” stated Lorelei Cloud, who has spent a lifetime advocating for water conservation and access. Cloud, a former vice chairman of the Southern Ute tribe, was also the first tribal member on record to serve on the Colorado Water Conservation Board.

On Thursday, Nov. 6, The Arts Campus at Willits (TACAW) hosted Cloud and a fellow trustee of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Colorado, Johnny Le Coq, for a presentation on their respective backgrounds and water conservation work. The event, sponsored by Roaring Fork Conservancy and TNC, was a special installment of the Brooksher Watershed Institute. Lawyer Ramsey Kropf, who has decades of experience in representing Indian water rights cases in the Colorado and Klamath River basins, emceed.

After some brief introductions, Cloud opened the evening by sharing the history of her people. The Roaring Fork Valley is part of ancestral Ute territories. Though the Utes, who referred to themselves as “Nuche,” or “the people,” and called their home the “Shining Mountains,” were seasonally nomadic before the arrival of colonial miners, Cloud shared that her people do not have a traditional migration story as some Indigenous peoples do. What the Nuche have is a creation story that ties them intrinsically to the soaring peaks and waterways of the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

Cloud explained that the seasonal nomadic moves of the Nuche were not considered to be migration but normal shifts, demonstrating respect and care for the ecosystems.

“We believe that we are one and the same with nature,” Cloud said, elaborating that other species and even elements like water are akin to souls.

The Southern Ute reservation was established in 1886. The territory stretches along the New Mexico border and southern Weminuche mountains near Durango. The descendants of three tribes (Mouache, Capote and the Weeminuche) live within the reservation boundaries. Restriction to reservations was one of many changes to the Nuche way of life and human interactions with the local ecosystems.

“I grew up in a home with no running water on the homesite,” Cloud said.

Broader effects of human changes included the Colorado River Compact of 1922. At a meeting in Santa Fe, New Mexico, representatives of the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming negotiated and documented water distribution of one of the longest rivers in the United States. Indigenous peoples of the southwest were excluded. In recent years, work by TNC, local nonprofits and advocates, including Cloud, has started to address that. At the 100-year anniversary of the Compact, in 2022, Indigenous representatives from across the seven states were welcomed. Cloud said she is proud to work with TNC, as the organization has centered Indigenous values and perspectives in ecosystem advocacy for years.

Le Coq lives in the Gore Range along the Blue River tributary of the Colorado River. He turned from photography to entrepreneurship in the late ‘90s, when he founded Fishpond. The flyfishing equipment company became the first B-Corp in the industry, and uses sustainable production processes and recycled materials. In his advocacy work, Le Coq amplifies Indigenous voices and emphasizes cross-demographic conversation.

“All of us here have a sphere of influence when it comes to advocating for the outdoors,” said Le Coq.

Among his endeavors is Science on the Fly, an initiative of citizen scientists doing water testing and sampling to track the health of watersheds. This data is especially important, Le Coq said, in areas like the Southwest with significant water use, because “80% of the water used in Colorado is for agriculture.”

He noted the progress that has been made around the inclusion of Native Americans in conservation decisions. “The First People in this nation are so vital to everything we do around the environment,” he emphasized.

Kropf and Cloud rejoined Le Coq on stage for a short conversation on takeaways from their respective work. When Kropf asked them about how serving as TNC trustees has influenced their work, Le Coq expressed his admiration for the organization’s grassroots work in over 80 countries toward a global vision. He also shared that, to him, “Ecology and economy are not opposing interests. You need both to work together to solve these problems.”

In response to Kropf’s closing question about calls to action, the guests approached it from different angles. Cloud recommended that people “pray for your water, pray for your environment, reconnect to your ecosystem on a spiritual level.” Le Coq shared a call to support human-centered work: “I think it’s important that we do what we can to support community organizations like Roaring Fork Conservancy.”

Roaring Fork Conservancy, founded in 1996, works on water testing and community education. The Roaring Fork River watershed is nearly one-million acres, or over 1,450 square miles — an area the size of the state of Rhode Island. Since its founding, the Basalt-based nonprofit has conducted tens of thousands of water quality tests within the region and taught over 110,000 students, from local schoolchildren to adults. Roaring Fork Conservancy opened its River Center in 2020, just below the confluence of the Roaring Fork River and the Fryingpan River.