I am just back from the Land of Enchantment and I am still under the spell. On my sojourn through northern New Mexico I wandered through the cacophony of tan hills and deep arroyos (gulches) filled with small villages and intimate neighborhoods. I ate my way from pueblo to pueblo, savoring food that is typical […]
CVEPA
Posted inColumns
CVEPA Views: McClure lore and the road to power
At a town hall-style meeting in late 1971, the White River National Forest (USFS) presented its vision to designate the Chair Mountain-McClure Pass area as “primitive.” The area was basically untouched save for a horse and foot trail starting at the top of the 8,755-foot pass and an annual sheep grazing permit. There was, however, […]
Posted inColumns
CVEPA Views: Some thoughts about Eugene Grubb, Charles McClure and Casey Piscura
Since the time of initial European settlement, our valley has attracted the attention of some brilliant agrarians. These visionaries are sometimes called “bioneers.” One such man was Eugene Grubb, who in 1912 characterized the Valley’s fertility as follows: “No part of the world is better fitted by nature for growing potatoes than the mountain districts […]
Posted inOpinion
CVEPA Views: A smell conspicuous in its absence
This latest cold snap was reminiscent of years gone-by. This is cold that pinches your nose and robs your breath as the snow crunches beneath your feet. It was common fare in Carbondale. With the cold came an odor so ubiquitous, if not pervasive, that it was part of our everyday life. The pungent smell […]
Posted inEducation
Redstone Historical Society fireside chats series seeks to ignite a passion for Crystal Valley history
“You cannot improve what is already perfect!” remarked Bill Jochems to a round of cheers and applause in the crowded parlor of the Redstone Inn. In the first of a new series of talks featuring longtime residents of Redstone, hosted by the Redstone Historical Society, Bill Jochems and Jeff Bier recounted tales of living in […]
Posted inOpinion
CVEPA Views: The River of No Return
My beautiful summer of moderate temps, ample moisture and smoke-free skies got spicier with a phone call from a friend. Their rafting permit on the Main Salmon River in Western Idaho was canceled last year due to a large forest fire. Their permit was honored this summer, and one party could not make the trip […]
Posted inEnvironment
Mixed feelings for mixed-use trail along the Crystal River
On June 28, 2024, the White River National Forest released their final Decision Notice authorizing the construction of a seven-mile, multi-use trail from Redstone to McClure Pass, which would become a part of the larger 83-mile Carbondale to Crested Butte trail.While exciting to overnight cyclists and thruhikers looking for safer passage up the Crystal River […]
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CVEPA Views: A conundrum, pure and simple
The news of the massive methane leaks emanating from the abandoned Coal Basin Mine above Redstone for years was shocking to many, but not to all. Anyone familiar with the Mid-Continent Coal and Coke (MCCC) mine knows that it was one of the most gaseous mines in the West.The horrific gas blast of April 15, […]
Posted inColumns
The Will to conserve
Next month there will be a celebration of land conservation. Conservation: the word comforts me; it has no negative charge. It is green, noncontroversial, popularly embraced and non-partisan. The Oxford dictionary defines conservation as “prevention of wasteful use of a resource.” Property owners may have the will to conserve but seek the means to conserve. […]
Posted inOpinion
CVEPA Views: Winter of ‘83 stampede
The breaking of branches and the thunder of hooves struck trepidation in my heart. The fading light of December dusk made the scene even more surreal. My girlfriend and I were directly in the path of a stampede of about 50 elk! The snow was so deep and the autumn so cold that the elk […]