2021-07

T HE C RYSTAL VALLEY E CHO &

Marble Times

Mission Statement: To provide a voice for the residents of the Crystal River Valley; to bring attention to the individuals and local businesses that are the fabric of the Crystal Valley region; to contribute to the vitality of our small town life.

Editor • Gentrye Houghton gentryeh@hotmail.com

CONTRIBUTORS

James Steindler • Alex Menard

Amber McMahill

ADVERTISING SALES

Heather Marine at Elephant Mountain Creative heather@elephantmountaincreative.com (970) 718-5848

DISTRIBUTION

The Crystal Valley Echo is published monthly, and is distributed throughout the Crystal Valley.

NEWSPAPER BOX LOCATIONS:

Carbondale (old) City Market • Village Smithy

Carbondale Post Office • Redstone Inn

Propaganda Pie • The Marble Hub

FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS

Please send $40 for print or $25 for digital editions along with address information to:

The Crystal Valley Echo 364 Redstone Blvd. Redstone, CO 81623

• 12:00 p.m. – Restorative Yoga ($5)

• 1:00 p.m. – Lunch ($10)

RSVP one week in advance – space is limited. Plated lunch will be served. There will be a gluten-free option.

• 1:45 p.m. – Program

July 13: History’s Mysteries

With Christi Couch. Enjoy a slideshow of the Roaring Fork and Crystal Valley, and share your own stories and memories of the area.

July 27: Dessert Sharing

Bring a treat to share (and the recipe if you dare).

Congratulations on Retirement, Robert Pettijohn

from Amber McMahill

He met ranch owner Judy Morande in 1988, belly dancing on the bar of the Townhouse (which later became the Crystal Club Café and Propaganda Pie today). She moved to the valley, and together, they built a house in Marble from the ground up.

Pettijohn worked with horses, irrigation, and as a laborer in Snowmass and Aspen. Finally, in 1999, Pettijohn started his long career with Gunnison County, working part-time as a flagger.

In 2003, and for nearly the next two decades, he went full-time, and dug out countless mudslides, pushed through an average of 265 inches of snow a year, and worked repairs on the narrow and winding road, often solo with no flaggers or backup. He was the one who installed signs, fixed guardrails, and opened up the road at 2 a.m. so the school bus could get through.

Pettijohn’s seen his fair share of breakdowns and accidents, of course, and almost lost an arm when he wrapped it around a guardrail to keep from falling into oncoming traffic. The danger of the job, especially with the increased traffic and speed, is one factor that led to his retirement. Winters are especially dangerous with drivers trying to pass around his plow or squeeze between it and the cliff.

With Finholm coming over from Hotchkiss, Pettijohn is still willing to help out in a pinch. Otherwise, he plans on spending his time doing all the things that being on call almost 24/7 has prevented.

The Crystal River Caucus will not host their July meeting.

A Western Slope native, Pettijohn grew up around Mack, Colo. He first came to the Crystal River Valley hunting elk and deer with his uncles. After Vietnam and attending college for solar engineering, he returned to spend time running around the mountains.

His bucket list includes fishing on his newly acquired boat, hunting, finishing the house Judy and he built, and traveling to the San Diego and Monterey Bay areas of California to fish.

The Crystal River Caucus regular meeting scheduled for July 8th has been canceled. Updates on current activities will be sent to the caucus email list. If you are a caucus member (any full-time resident or landowner in the Crystal River Valley portion of Pitkin County) who is not on the caucus mailing list, send an email to the mail manager at crcaucus@gmail.com to be added to the list.

The MARBLE/marble Symposium is back with three sessions starting in July!

1st Session: July 2 - 9 2nd Session: July 15 - 22 3rd Session: July 29 - Aug 5

Come carve beautiful Colorado marble with scultors from around the world, or come check out the carvings from students and instructors alike -- many works will be o ered for sale.

We welcome every experience level and artistic style. The 8-day Symposium provides everything including marble, tools, carving sites, workshops, demos, and private instruction.

Registration available online, or come spectate by stopping in at The Marble Gallery for directions.

www.marbleinst.org info@MARBLEmarble.org

Redstone Art Foundation's First Annual Plein Air Paint Out

Artists and spectators gathered over Memorial Day weekend for the Redstone Art Foundation's Plein Air Paint Out. Over $1,000 was generated for RAF's scholarship fund.

Planning is in fullswing for RAF's Annual Labor Day Art Show at the Redstone Inn.

Special thanks to Renee Ramge for these artist event photos.

To our dear readers,

The Crystal Valley Echo is growing!

I can’t believe we’re coming up on two years together next month, and that the paper survived our first year during the onset of a pandemic. Through COVID, we kept the paper going by drastically cutting our distribution numbers, meaning the number of copies printed each month was reduced to only 2,000. This meant we were able to keep our advertising rates affordable for small businesses and entrepreneurs while continuing to print on our regular monthly schedule.

While I had great concerns last May, I’m so glad that was the strategy we pursued. Through the last year, we gained so much knowledge about our reader base and were able to quantify our local support. This also gave us time to solidify what we’re doing, who we are, and staying true to our mission statement: To provide a voice for the residents of the Crystal River Valley, and to contribute to the vitality of our small-town life

In the last year, we’ve covered some big issues affecting the residents up the Crystal, from water shortages and augmentation plan studies, short term rental policies, and, for the first time since I’ve lived here, OHV use and impact on the Lead King Loop is being discussed amongst County and National Forest authority. It is the commitment of myself and our staff to continue to bring you in-depth articles on the issues that affect all of us the most.

This month, I’m pleased to announce that two of our big goals were reached: to increase page numbers (this issue is a full 20-pages!) as well as increasing distribution numbers since the COVID decrease (an additional 500 copies are

floating around the Crystal River Valley!). I could not be more excited about this growth and it could not have been achieved without the support of our readers and advertisers, and I am eternally grateful for the support from our valley and beyond. The Crystal Valley Echo wouldn’t be anything without each one of you; THANK YOU!

That being said, we’ve now teamed up with Heather Marine at Elephant Mountain Creative to help advertisers increase their reach to our customers in the Crystal River Valley.

Do you know Heather? You should. She’s a graphic designer with loads of experience in the journalism industry, and she just completed a re-design of www.redstonecolorado.com; she’s a marketing and branding extraordinaire, and cultivating her own small business while raising a family on the Crystal River.

Summer is certainly shaping up to be a banner year for us all. We’re seeing more and more visitors already in June, which is early in the tourism season. While the Crystal River Valley seems to be in a constant state of transition, we believe that the changing economic climate will prove to be positive and profitable for the businesses and residents who make their lives here.

We’re thrilled to see all of you succeed, to share our success with our readers, and for all that we have in store for the future of The Crystal Valley Echo. If you like what we’re doing, consider showing your support through a subscription — sign up is available online at www.thecrystalvalleyecho.com where you may also make a donation if you’d like to continue picking up your copy at our box locations.

Sincerely,

Gentrye Houghton, Editor

Echoes of Life: Bob and Miriam Leone

In remembrance of, my sister, Miriam and, brother-inlaw, Bob Leone.

This will be from my perspective, though I have no perspective on losing the companionship I had with this wonderful couple. So, I'll begin with Mir, whom I knew from birth, some details are fuzzy to me but other moments and the emotions germinated are Crystal River clear.

For the outsiders and the craziest of us, Miriam could make you feel beautifully unique and absolutely normal all at the same time. Her heart was for the small and endangered, and she was a fierce defender of their right to be so.

Miriam was drawn to nature and shared her appreciation with me and our brother. She set the standard for adventure on our first overnight hike when the sun had set in the west and we were left to freeze in the pine barrens of New Jersey. But her great passion was for the birds, and if you were to disparage a sparrow you'd earn a withering look and the bird would receive a word of encouragement.

She took a job with a conservancy group counting plovers in Cape May, New Jersey, which is where she met Bob while he ran his grill at Sunset Beach located on the bayside of the cape. Her exact words were that he was “cute as the Dickens” when she described him. Bob was, of course, much more: A skilled carpenter and stonemason, a good dad, a steady businessman, an avid reader, and an enthusiastic student of the natural world.

Miriam and Bob were inseparable, traveling west as often as they could, on one such venture they stopped in Grand Junction, Colorado, and were married by a Justice of the Peace. Abbey Sage was born shortly thereafter, and the young family moved, first, to the front range of

A Memorial for Miriam and Bob Leone

You are invited to a gathering of family and friends to remember and celebrate the lives of Miriam and Bob Leone on July 7th at 7 p.m. at the Marble Mill Site Park.

Please bring a memory, a story, a picture, a chair, and, if you'd like, a side dish or dessert as we say goodbye, as a community, to our friends who loved this valley so much and considered themselves so lucky to reside here.

Our gathering will be informal and anyone who wishes to say a few words publicly will be given the opportunity. We will mark the trail and the location from the Mill Site parking lot with white flagging tape. The main dish will be provided by Slow Groovin' Bbq.

We hope you'll join us.

Colorado, but longed for a wilder place and gravitated towards communities with an artistic disposition.

They visited Marble and saw an opportunity in a property that sat in the shadow of Raspberry ridge with a long, flat-roofed building built by a guy from Alabama who'd never known a Marble winter (so the legend goes!). After extensive renovations the Crystal River Way Station took form and opened to a curious community, the big night each week was Thursday with pizza on the menu.

Luke was born in the west end of that building on a snowy night in February. After that, the restaurant was patronized by the artists of the Marble symposium, and Bob began doing his river rock masonry throughout the valley. Everyone knew the Leones as adventurous, hospitable, hard-working, and caring people. Their happiness was apparent.

Bob was Mayor for a time, the Leones were founding members of the Marble charter school, and their kids grew up. They made time for hiking and camping and exploring in the valley and beyond. Then, they sold the restaurant and moved to Redstone Boulevard where they welcomed additions to the family.

From Abbey and Anthony came Skaason, and from eastern Pennsylvania a long-hoped-for and very exciting communication.

Miriam, as a young woman in the early 70s, had given birth to a baby girl and decided that adoption was her best choice. Our family all thought she took a job in another state — though she had never traveled very far from home. When my father found out he pursued finding the baby and rejoining her with her birth family,

but the laws of the day prevented any contact.

It was not long after Hope Allyson began her reacquaintance with her birth mother that she, her husband Jeremy, and children, Covy, Annie, and Becca, were living in Marble and attending family events.

Bob also had two boys from a previous marriage — Jon Pierre with twin sons, Anthony and Jonathan, and Jude — and it was only recently revealed to him there was a third son, Chris, who reached out and the two were able to meet shortly before Bob died. Miriam was able to meet Lyra, Abbey's daughter just before she passed.

Philosophy, religion, art, science, and literature were the great discussions around the Leone dining table, not so much politics, but occasionally an opinion would come out. Bob and Miriam watched football when reception was available, but all family and social gatherings were celebrations and always eagerly anticipated.

Food was always made with gratitude and love, though sometimes we were subjected to Miriam's latest nutritional dogma. We all had our favorites, and her chicken pizza recipe will never be replicated.

The cliche that I feel their presence is true for me as I live in the house at the end of the Boulevard where they lived for so many years, and sometimes I hear her stern inquiry as to why I weed out the morning glories in the backyard. I wish I could show her pictures from my latest hike; I also need to ask Bob about which wires in the bathroom are still live, and where's the water turn-off for the house. The Philadelphia Eagles don't look too good this year but we'll watch ‘em anyway.

In Marble, there are gates and no trespassing signs where the Way Station once stood, the building probably lasted longer than it should have, and a walk down through the mill site would make them happy that the fence has come down so they could visit their favorite spots.

I know I'll feel them close at the memorial service and I look forward to gathering our family at the Mill Site along with the mountain men, the cooks, the artists, the musicians, the writers, the outsiders, and the dreamers who loved them too. And I think, though my heart will be sad, that we’ll all find peace having known these gentle, loving people.

The Man, the Myth, the Legend: Scott Owens

from Rebecca Branson

Once a year, for a few short weeks in the middle of summer, our little valley becomes the home of some of the most talented stone sculptors in the world as they gather for the Marble/marble Symposium. Located between the Marble Gallery and the Inn at Raspberry Ridge, a Bed and Breakfast nestled down along the river, is the site where for more than three decades instructors and students have gathered for eight-day sessions of learning and carving in a creative environment unlike any other.

This year the Symposium celebrates its return after last year's Covid-19 precautions demanding the first cancelation since its inception. Unfortunately, amongst the celebration will also be mourning. One of the founders, Scott Owens, has gone to carve in the Great Stone Studio Beyond. He will be deeply missed by family, staff, and students.

I caught up with Madaline Weiner, the Director of the Marble/marble Symposium, and a long-time friend of Owens’ to hear about those early days. She took time out of her busy schedule to write about the beginning of that friendship and the birth of a unique artistic experience.

“In 1988 I finally decided to make a dream come true, to carve in the woods with my friends. I naturally called Greg Tonozzi, as he was the local who could help with logistics and the nuts and bolts. He said he would do it IF I would also invite Scott Owens.

Weiner continued, “I’d met Scott in 1977 when I first came to Marble and visited the first Marble Fair held at the Mill Site. Greg and Frank Swanson invited me to come to watch them carve with Scott – on one block –down at the River’s edge, where they created the Flying Donut. I hadn’t used power tools but I watched with envy and wanted to join them. It took that many years to finally make that dream come true.

“Scott joined us and in 1989, we all gathered in Marble, scratching our heads, wondering where to begin! We had a riotous time as we put our heads together and came up with the way we would handle all the folks who would register for one session on what we named MARBLE/ marble (M/m) Symposium.

“The people came.

“We opened paths where our trucks with I-beams could reach the stone and set stones at carving sites. Greg and I hauled cable spools given to us by Holy Cross Electric — and we used them for carving stands. One or two still exist on the M/m site. We set up camp on borrowed land that was owned by the Stover family and took care of the trees so we could leave the grounds more or less as we found them.

“We found our strengths in our talents as stone sculptors and shared it all with the participants. We grew to two sessions for the next two years and added professional sculptors to our staff, and, always, Scott Owens was sought after for his instruction as he was so brilliant. He was a man of many words – left some laughing, confused, entertained, and full of knowledge.

“We will always miss Scott. We are all inspired by him., and are lucky to have known him and to have been in his company for all these years.”

In its 32-year history, hundreds of people have come to feel the magic of the Symposium, and Owens was always a guiding presence. He was a genius at his craft and master with an air hammer. He was also an excellent teacher, though sometimes a bit perplexing.

Owens often doled out pearls of wisdom liberally

shrouded in “gobbledygook,” throwing out wildly varied references, occasionally contradictory advice, jokes, and stories. To those patient enough to sift through and really listen, he shared experiences and techniques acquired through decades of dedicated study and practice of his art.

Even those that didn’t always understand him can often quote a “Scottism,” tell stories of memorable encounters with him or sing along to the song he and long-time friend, Rex Branson, often sang at the wrap-up parties quoting “You’ll revel in rubble and dust,” something of an unofficial motto for the often infamous duo.

All who knew him deeply mourn the loss of this artistic genius, especially the staff and students of M/m and, of course, his family. A selection of his artwork will be displayed this summer at The Marble Gallery. His carving site was aptly named “Scott’s Bluff,” and is where we will memorialize him on July __21st__ at 6 p.m., near the Symposium grounds.

All are welcome to attend, even those that did not know him. We will continue celebrating Owens’ life at the wrap-up party that evening with a live band and dancing.

“See you on the flip side.”

— Scott Owens, September 23, 1949 – March 8, 2021

Women of Marble

by Amber McMahill

As with most western towns, Marble has had its fair share of strong women that have helped shape its history over the past centuries. Stories of Silvia Smith, a turn-of-the-century newspaper editor who caused waves in a male-dominated field, stand alongside more modern idols such as former pilot and artist Bleu Stroud. In current times, the women of Marble are still rising to the top, be it in leadership roles or as the owners and managers of the majority of Marble businesses.

One such woman is Christy Villalobos, the local Chamber's president and owner of The Marble Gallery. Villalobos has done just about everything in Marble over the decades she has called it home, including running the campground and jeep tour company. When her husband, Mario, started carving marble, they set up a studio out of their garage, and then a roadside stand where she sold her artwork on scraps of marble to make grocery money.

Finally, in 2005, they opened one of the hallmarks of town, The Marble Gallery, which welcomes visitors with its magnificent marble sculptures. The building itself was designed by one of her four daughters, Rachel, and built by her husband. It’s often the first stop people make in Marble, and Villalobos shares with them her deep love of art and the artists that create it.

"For me, it is about seeing artists making a living off their work,” she explains. Her sentiment is reflected in her work with the chamber as well, where she spends countless hours helping other business owners and entrepreneurs make a living in Marble. This effort includes the support of the newly formed Marble Arts Guild, headed by one of her top-selling sculptors and long-time friend Vickie Branson.

On the other side of town, one of Marble's oldest businesses, The Beaver Lake Lodge, is lovingly cared for by manager Jewel Campbell, an avid climber and backcountry skier. Campbell landed at the lodge six years ago after meeting lodge owner, Karen Good. Over the years, she has adapted to fill a myriad of roles within the lodge from

a landscaper, bookkeeper, appliance repair, front desk monkey, vehicle maintenance, carpenter, and all-around lodge guru.

Beyond that, she has helped the nearly 100-year-old lodge keep its rustic soul and easy-going, welcoming atmosphere. "The majority of our guests are people who have been coming here anywhere from ten to fifty years,” she says, “entire families that bring up new generations. It is a home to them. They are yay to us, and we are yay to them!”

Jaime Fiske and her mother, Cyndi Fowler, are often found at the lake near the lodge. Not only are they both Paddleboard instructors and enthusiasts, but they also run the SUP Marble Paddleboard rental business.

Five years ago, Fiske felt called to share her love of the water and paddleboarding with others. She convinced her Mom to convert a shed on her Slate Drive property

to a rental shop and thus SUP Marble was born. They have grown over the years and opened a new paddleboard stand this summer in Carbondale next to Honey Butter's Diner.

They’re also expanding their retail line, adding to their merchandise with their trademark dragonfly design. Fiske continues to push herself to learn new skills and pass them along to others. This desire includes teaching yoga, both on and off the paddleboards, and offering lessons to those wanting to learn to enjoy the water safely. Recently SUP Marble is working with Lauren Jones at Venture Out Co. (@ventureoutco) to sell her paddleboards and fanny hydration packs.

Author Charlotte Graham came to the area for art. Her husband, Doug Whitney, was in an art show 25-years ago, and they ended up staying. She currently welcomes guests as the campground manager and is President of the local community and visitor information center, The Marble Hub.

It is an entity dear to her heart, having founded it ten years ago. Back at the helm now, she adds a personal touch to both places, sharing her love of the area with the generations of families that return year after year.

The Hub's Operation Manager, Nicole Farrell, is a true entrepreneur. Not only does she run the day-to-day operations of The Hub, she recently launched a candle company with her husband, Kevin.

Marble Candle Company jars up the essence of the sights and scents of Marble, and can be found at The Marble Gallery and The Marble Hub. Under her management, The Hub is becoming a place that provides information and coffee plus it allows local artists to display their work.

Up the hill from The Hub, Crystal River Jeep Tours has another remarkable woman in charge. Samantha Smith is taking over the business from her parents Glenn and Patsy Smith. “Sam,” who has been coming to the valley since 1983, stepped in when COVID hit.

There was a discussion regarding shutting the doors on the operation, and she was determined to not see that happen. Not only does Smith help manage the tours, but she is also the main driver - taking jeeps full of visitors up to the Crystal Mill or into the Lead King Basin.

Driving the jeep roads is one of her passions, and something she's been doing even before she could legally drive on the paved ones. It is her Aunt who she credits with teaching her how to drive. "She made me learn to drive backward before she taught me to drive forwards," Smith recalls. Her skills come in handy in the backcountry, where the tour guides often act as "road angels," handing out water, sunscreen, and maneuvering advice for unprepared travelers.

Another woman well versed in traversing the backcountry is Jen Cox, who owns Outwest Guides along with her husband, Kevin. Cox, who grew up on a dairy farm and raced barrels; first got involved with Outwest Guides in 2015 when she fell in love with a cowboy.

Together they took over managing the outfitting business before purchasing it in 2019. Running the company as a solid team, they make decisions together. Cox has brought her deep love of horses to the operation, helping to doctor them, leading pack trips, and strings of horses — some-

times six or more — between camps.

She has also brought a fresh female face to what is typically a male-dominated field. This includes hiring a female wrangler, Kelly Tonking, and organizing all-women retreats to empower other women. Her "Women in the Wilderness" pack trips allow a group of friends to move outside their comfort zone and learn pack skills in a safe and encouraging environment.

Besides these trips, Outwest Guides gives one hour, three hours, half-day, full-day, and overnight trips through the summer before the aspens give way to a golden hue during the heart of hunting season. Cox's newest hire is also female, a local teenager interested in learning about outfitting and horses, and Cox jumped on the opportunity to take her on.

"It is a lifestyle you have to love,” Cox says, “no one is getting rich at it. It is a dying art, though, taking horses out into the wilderness and guiding. I want to make sure she knows that anyone who has an interest in it can learn it and do it, that when we challenge ourselves and trust in the process, we can achieve things we never thought we could."

There are far more stories exemplifying the women of Marble who rise up to take on the challenges of working and doing business in such a remote, small town. Through all their stories, there seems to be a common thread of the desire to share their knowledge and crafts with others, a love of the area, and a sense of empowerment. Together they have woven a system of support for each other and the community.

Happy Independence Day! Redstone Community Association Bulletin

Schedule of Events

Pitkin County Short Term Rental Code

by Gentrye Houghton

The Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) once again returned to the topic of Short Term Rentals (STRs) during a work session on Tuesday, June 22nd, this time to discuss a licensing program and implementation procedures.

In March 2020, a Colorado law went into effect allowing unincorporated portions of Counties to license and regulate STRs, an authority only extended to municipalities previously. The conversation gained steam earlier this year when the following motion passed during the January Crystal River Caucus meeting:

“ In Redstone’s Village Residential and Village Commercial Zone Districts, rentals for residential purposes for periods of less than 30 consecutive days shall be prohibited uses, except in Hotels, Motels, Lodges, and Bed and Breakfasts as those uses are defined in Title 8, Chapter 11 of the Pitkin County Land Use Code.”

Many residents of Redstone Boulevard are hoping that regulations will be implemented more strongly due to the existing zoning districts outlined in Pitkin County’s Land Use Code.

During last month’s work session, a presentation was given by County Attorney John Ely outlining items needing discussion surrounding Pitkin County’s new Short Term Rental Code, which essentially captures residential dwellings that are rented for part of the year, either the entire residence or a portion of the residence, as well as any accessory structures associated with the property.

Greg Poschman, District 3 Commissioner, encouraged a distinction be made between properties that are used residentially with the owner on-site versus investment properties that are being run and rented through property management companies.

Steve Child, District 4 Commissioner, also asked about a licensing quota or potentially limiting licensing based on the density of an area (like Redstone), to which Ely replied that the BOCC can entertain any type of "reasonably constructed limitation in

the issuance of a license," like specific areas of the county, by the number or density of available rentals, or intensity of use — such as the number of nights rented.

“Any type of restriction might be considered by the Board, limited only by your imagination as long as the restriction has some rational basis to the goal that you’re trying to achieve,” said Ely.

District 5 Commissioner, Francie Jacober, shared that she attended the Summit County BOCC meeting discussing their implementation on this very issue. According to Jacober, Summit County is reporting 10,000 STRs in the unincorporated portion of their county, whereas data suggestions — that capturing advertising STRs — that unincorporated Pitkin County has closer to 1,500 rentable units.

This licensing program intends to help regulate rentals, ensuring a safe environment for the user as well as the surrounding neighborhood, and begin capturing sales tax that has otherwise been lost. Many of the Commissioners agreed to set a lower licensing and application fee in hopes that it would not be a barrier for registration.

At its time of implementation, this program will be broad in scope with the ability to become more restrictive to tailor the needs of all of unincorporated Pitkin County.

• Timing for making the codes effective, and possibly rolling it out in phases.

• Occupancy limits.

• Fees, and differing definitions.

• Guidance from County Managers for where the licensing authority should live within the governing body.

• Possible supplemental funding to kick off the program.

As the BOCC moved the meeting along, it was left that this topic would be scheduled during a future work session for further discussion before its first draft reading.

You may view this, and all BOCC sessions online at www.pitkincounty.com. The STR conversation starts around hour four of the June 22nd work session, and Ely’s proposed short-term stay regulations may be found in the session’s packet starting on page 390.

“This doesn’t mean that we could not address more restrictions,” said Patti Clapper, Vice Chair and District 1 Commissioner, “that to say it’s not allowed in these neighborhoods or this part of the community. We could put that in, in the future, we’re just choosing not to at this time.”

After an hour and a half discussion, the Board continued to have more questions but due to time constraints had to call this portion of the meeting to a close. Kelly McNicholas Kury, Chair and District 2 Commissioner, outlined areas where they need further discussion:

Town of Marble Board of Trustees' July Meeting Rescheduled

The regular Town meeting has been moved from July 1st to July 8th at 7 p.m. in Marble Community Church's Fellowship Hall

Vintage Valley: The Redstone Coke Ovens

from Ron Sorter with materials provided

Redstone’s coke ovens are the foundation of the community. Over a century ago, the men who worked them and their families lived in the village’s houses and walked on Redstone Boulevard, its lone street. The Redstone community has always had a deep connection to them and Redstone’s history.

The Redstone Museum, before being moved from the Coal Basin mines to where it sits today at Redstone Park, was used to store the coal miners’ carbide headlamps. They wore them while blasting and loading Coal Basin’s “metallurgical” coal onto narrow gauge rail cars, bringing it down to Redstone’s coke ovens.

There, mule-drawn cars dumped small “slack” coal into the tops of the just-emptied beehive ovens. The coal ignited and, for 48-hours, blew off impurities like sulfur, toluene, and ammonia; while inside, the coal transformed into coke, which is almost pure carbon.

“Cokers” then opened the door, sprayed the coke with enough icy river water to cool it, and raked it into boxcars destined for John C. Osgood’s Pueblo steel mills.

Coke is the key to a blast furnace’s power. In Pueblo, lorries, or large, heavy motor vehicles used for transportation of goods, fed the tops of towering smelters, a constant parfait of iron ore, coke, and limestone. Smelters used the same chemical discovery that transformed the Bronze Age into the Iron Age.

The coke did two things: First, it burned with intense heat; and second, it buoyed and aerated the entire load, while gravity slid the fiery mass into the furnace’s heart. There, finally, a 15-foot-thick ring of firebrick was being cooled by 8 million gallons of Arkansas River water per day.

It maintained an even temperature so a critical chemical reaction could take place, something magical. Coke’s carbon atoms began bonding with the unneeded oxygen atoms in the iron ore and bubbled upwards as carbon monoxide and dioxide.

The limestone bonded with silica and other impurities, and ironworkers in heat suits extracted it as slag. Then they poured the remaining pure, molten iron into sand beds shaped like piglets nursing from a mother and called it "pig iron."

That’s the iron that helped settle the West and made John Osgood a fortune. He used it to build the Redstone Castle and an enormous business empire. He even bought his wife, Alma, an electric car to drive on Redstone Boulevard and wave to the children.

Ron Sorter is a former historian and artist in the Redstone community. He now lives in Sequim, Washington, where he recently co-authored a book Letters in a Helmet: A story of Fraternity and Brotherhood and is finalizing a book about his wife, Michelle Ann Sorter. Ron and Michelle worked tirelessly in Redstone to secure resources to purchase, protect, and restore the Coke

property.

Workers then

up the

48-hours, reaching temperatures up to 2,400F. This released the

almost pure carbon product called

Fifty Years on the Redstone Boulevard

In July 1971, my family and I moved to Redstone from the San Francisco Bay Area. Redstone was exactly what we wanted, a small quiet village amidst sublime scenery and close enough to Glenwood Springs for my law practice.

I was still unpacking, when onto my gravel drive crunched a Volkswagen and a tiny woman stepped out to asked me to vote “No” to the forming of a water and sanitation district and was a ballot issue in an upcoming election. “Unnecessary,” she said and would promote growth. Growth? I thought, In Redstone with a population of 85? This was my introduction to Paula Mechau, who had lived here since the late 1930s.

Not a week went by before I understood what Mrs. Mechau feared. A retired Air Force Colonel had the Redstone Inn opened, which was closed to customers in 1971, so that he could present his great idea for this humble village.

from Bill Jochems

He’d just purchased the strip of land above Redstone (now Bighorn Ridge along the Open Space trail) and was negotiating for more land that ran south from the Inn to the Redstone Castle. The Colonel was proposing a large real estate development. “Imagine,” he said proudly, “a line of condos above Redstone and continuing south to the Castle.” And the gathering of people nodded with approval to this proposed mile-long string of condominium buildings.

While I pondered the Colonel’s plan, as well as questioning the wisdom of our move here, along came news of the proposed Marble Ski Area (MSA).

The accompanying real estate development had preliminary approval from Gunnison County for several thousand houses and condos, stretched along three miles of the Crystal River and surrounding the tiny town of Marble (Figure 1.), then population 65. MSA’s real estate development would have more houses and condos than Snowmass Ski Area’s first filing.

So the quiet little Crystal River Valley in 1971, not only did Redstone have the prospect of tripling in size due to condo development, but just 12-miles up the valley would be another proposed Snowmass around the Town of Marble. There was significant local support for both because of more jobs, more business, increased property values, and Redstone getting its place on the map.

“You can’t fight progress!” said the supporters.

But some were willing to fight what they perceived as the very opposite of progress. J.E. DeVilbiss (who went on to become a District Judge), Michael Kinsley (who later became a Pitkin County Commissioner), Marble resident Leo Paschall, and I left well before dawn one winter morning and drove four hours to Gunnison to attend a meeting about the Marble Ski Area.

John Zackovich, President of MSA, promised the Gunnison County Commissioners: “We’re going to develop this valley the way God would have, if He had our money.” (Yes, Zackovich actually said that.) Supporters cheered him and heckled us, the opponents.

The Marble ski area battle continued for several years, with more hearings in Gunnison and Denver, while MSA continued to sell lots. But in some cases, MSA failed to get releases of their own underlying deeds of trust, which were then foreclosed for non-payment. So, the poor people who purchased real estate not only lost their lots but were also still liable to the banks that had purchased the buyer’s purchase notes from the MSA.

The Colorado Real Estate Commission investigated these sales and then prohibited MSA from selling more lots. Without money coming in from lot sales, the Marble Ski Area went bankrupt and the poor upper Crystal Valley was left in the state in which God created.

A couple of remnants remained, like the partially completed lodge and a ski lift. Clark Cretti, who owned the Historic Fire House in Redstone, had a key to turn on the lift and invited me to use it. The Marble ski lift was several times longer and gained more elevation than Redstone’s ski lift, but was less of a grade than most all lifts used for beginners on the “bunny slopes.”

By then the Colonel lost interest in his Redstone condo extravaganza and moved on. Redstone’s population of coal miners, hippies, cowboys, and standard Americans settled into a contented equilibrium.

Michael Kinsley joined Dwight Shellman and Joe Edwards to form an incredibly progressive Pitkin County Commission and enacted regulations developers regarded as strangling, including the designation of Redstone as a National Historic District.

Years rolled by, coal mines shut down, hippies gentrified, houses got painted more frequently, and Redstone today remains less changed by half a century than any other settlement in the Roaring Fork Valley. Perhaps because of our relative remoteness, we remain a tightly knit community. Let us hope we can stay that way.

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THE MARBLE TIMES

A LOOK AT LIFE AT THE MARBLE CHARTER SCHOOL

In May, some K-2 students wrote stories about the most memorable part of their year. Here are some of their samplings provided by Alana Houseman.

My School Year

By Zeb Piffer

1st

grade

My school year was different because of Covid. To begin with, we had a lot of activities outdoors. Outside we had a marshmallow fight, played kickball and ball tag. Another fact is our classrooms were in tents. The bears went inside our tents at night. In addition, when Covid hit, we all had to wear masks. It was hard to breathe. Last but not least, all of us came together again. I made lots more friends. I also got to see some of my old friends again. This year was really different, but it was still fun!

My School Year

By Brandt Ludlow

1st grade

My school year has been very different. To begin with, we played kickball. What is fun is that when playing kickball some of the kids kicked the ball at me. Most importantly, we had to use hand sanitizer most of the year. We had to wash our hands before meals. Unbelievably, we got to go home at 1:00 on Fridays. I got more time to play with my brother at home. We had to wear masks and it was hard to breathe. But last but not least, I still got to see all my friends. Even though my school year has been very different, I still had fun.

My Dog Kota

By Luna Schachter 1st grade

My favorite part of the year was getting my dog Kota. My favorite place to play with him is the dog park. He would run ahead of me. And then he would run back. Most importantly, when I am sleeping he jumps on me, even if I am so tired. When he licks my face, I wash it. His breath smells horrible. Getting Kota was the best part of the year.

My School Year

By Declan Doherty 2nd grade

My Cat Pepper

Mitzie

Gabriel 2nd grade

My school year was very different because of Covid. Also, school was very crazy because we had tents for classrooms. In addition, it was very cold. Furthermore, we had a lot of outdoor activities such as marshmallow fights and kickball. Another fact is that we had to wear masks. It was very uncomfortable and hard to breathe. Another change is it made it hard to see friends outside of school. Mainly because I couldn't go in their houses. In conclusion, this year was different but it was better than I expected.

This year has been exciting because I got my cat Pepper. To begin with, I was in Idaho when I got my new cat. When I met her, I felt excited. Another fact about my cat is she is gray. Pepper has a little light gray too. In addition, she is crazy. She runs all over the house. Last but not least she is rough when she plays. She is so fun when we play. Getting my cat was exciting.

Marble Musuem Presents Thanos Johnson Exhibit

Of all the colorful characters in the cast of Marble's historic drama, there is a special place for Thanos Johnson. His grizzly old mountain man appearance and sharp, quick wit were well known to all who encountered him.

Johnson learned to ski as a Boy Scout, which led to his recruitment as a skiing soldier in the 10th Mountain Division during WWII. Stationed in Camp Hale near Leadville, he visited Marble and returned permanently after his discharge. He bought a home for the cost of the property’s back taxes and joined Teresa Herman as the second resident in the town after the war.

by Alex Menard

He held a series of jobs including cooking at the Redstone Inn, then sheepherding and jack train driving in the mountains. After returning to school to study art, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Cleveland Institute and a Master of Arts from both Case Western Reserve University and Denver University, and later became a professor of Art at the College of Marin in California. He also worked with several other media, including photography, drawing and painting, sculpture and wood carving, and even glass blowing.

Johnson developed a special interest in Japanese and South Korean ceramics and was a recognized expert worldwide; he held summer ceramics workshops at his Marble studio for many years. Students came from all over to learn how to throw and fire pottery in the Japanese/ Korean style that he taught, which used high-temperature reduction firing in a gas kiln, with simple glazing that he invented himself.

Simplicity to the point of austerity was exemplified in his work, from the dirt floors of his studio to the handmade tools he used.

Johnson passed away in 2004 and rests in the Marble cemetery. His studio was as he left it for 17-years until last month when his daughter, Tana, arrived from California. She’s cleaning out the studio and has loaned some objects to the Marble Museum.

The museum now has on exhibit Johnson's homemade potter's wheel, made of

polished teak wood with lead weights attached to create momentum for long rotation time. The wheel rotates on smooth bearings after being started by hand power, and sat on the ground, with Johnson on a low stool leaning over it to form his works.

Take a tour of this unique national treasure and get a glimpse into early 20th century life for the elite.

The Castle’s 66 rooms include an English-style Great Hall, a Russianinspired formal dining room and a delicate French-style Ladies Drawing Room.

Reserve your private tour by emailing us at info@theRedstoneCastle or by visiting The RedstoneCastle.com or by calling 970.963.9656 Overnight boutique suites are also available.

The exhibit includes a large black and white photo of Johnson, taken by local Teri Havens, as well as part of a series of photographs she took featuring long-time locals. Also on display are drawings, a painting, and pottery by Johnson and his students, plus posters advertising his summer pottery workshops. A homemade arrow shows his craftsmanship and wide range of interests.

Thanos Johnson’s memory will live on as a permanent exhibit displayed within the walls of the Marble Museum, hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., during July and August.

9:00-10:45 a.m.

What's Up with Pitkin County?

The Gunnison County Commissioners hold alternating work sessions and regular meetings on Tuesdays in our BOCC meeting room at the Gunnison County Courthouse Building. Meetings are streamed live by Zoom. Agendas and links to work sessions and meetings are available on the County website at gunnisoncounty.org. In this column, your District 1 Commissioner, Liz Smith, offers her take on current matters. You can reach her at  eksmith@gunnisoncounty.

This past month, the Gunnison Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) had the distinct pleasure of visiting Marble, Colo. In addition to touring the quarry, we hosted a joint meeting with the Town of Marble, Sheriff, and members of the White River National Forest (WRNF) to discuss issues ranging from wildfire prevention and policy to broadband to off-highway vehicle (OHV) use on the Lead King Loop (LKL).

Fire Restriction Status

With the ongoing drought forecasting serious concern for this fire season, the BOCC has passed a resolution authorizing the Sheriff’s Office to move areas of the county into stage I and II fire restrictions in step with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the United States Forest Service (USFS), and public lands.

Previously, these changes were made during regular BOCC meetings, which could present a lag in updating the county’s fire restriction policy to surrounding jurisdictions. In doing so, we hope to ensure safety and continuity across jurisdictional boundaries and keep our communi-

ties safer this summer.

Gunnison County, which encompasses different water basins and distinct environmental areas, requires we be attentive to the varying fire dangers that occur in this geographic region. We will continue to ensure areas like Marble follow fire restriction status consistent with the WRNF and Crystal River Valley.

Visionary Broadband

An infrastructure project with Visionary Broadband is slated to bring more reliable internet to Marble. The project is fully funded with construction slated to being this month.

OHV Use on Lead King Loop

I suspect many folks are the most invested in the conversations that took place regarding OHV use and sustainable tourism in general. Given the outpouring of email communication in recent weeks, I was surprised so few attended the public meeting.

I hope this means many have felt heard and understood by measures the BOCC has recently taken, such as placing a sunset on the resolution to continue allowing OHV use on County Road 3 while working with other stakeholders towards a long-term solution. With so many of them present in the room, the conversation was generative and, I hope, clarifying and informative.

Here are some of the highlights from last month’s meeting.

The WRNF is conducting a road safety analysis this summer that also monitors the impacts of various kinds of recreation. For example, in their work with people specializing in hydrology and pedology, or soil science, the WRNF is gathering information to quantify how different

vehicles, like OHV’s, impact our road systems in comparison to other types of vehicles.

At the same time, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is preparing information and data to assess what impacts current recreational policies are having on wildlife. A partnership with Western Colorado University and a lead facilitator will help ensure data required to support policy change will happen this summer as well.

The idea of a parking solution was also discussed, and the board conducted a site visit along with representatives from the WRNF to assess some possibilities for designated parking. This is not to say a parking lot will be erected; in fact, my sense is that the Board agrees that pursuing a parking solution is not ideal unless it is accompanied by a permitting system that scales the volume of motorized vehicles for any use to the parking infrastructure.

Relatedly, I know many have expressed dismay over the lack of law enforcement in previous years. The Sheriff reaffirmed that a second Sheriff’s Deputy will complete training and be and stationed full-time in Marble starting in August, which means the area will have twice the enforcement capacity and will cover seven days per week.

Those who attended the meeting brought up additional possible solutions to the lack of infrastructure to support recreation at Beaver Lake and the LKL, including timed entry, permit systems, and public education campaigns. As the BOCC recently laid out in our letter to the WRNF, the available parking and area infrastructure is simply not sufficient for the volume of people who seek to experience what the Marble area has to offer.

Moreover, even as data collection continues to be collected and refined this summer, we acknowledge it’s difficult to quantify user groups that have been displaced or dissuaded from visiting the area in recent years. This acknowledgment suggests a deeper question at the heart of this conversation: What does Marble ultimately want to be?

It may not be possible to come up with a consolidated answer, but it prompts us to seriously examine what values constitute the core of the community.

As always, I welcome comments and outreach from all Gunnison County residents. Take care, and be well.

Town of Marble: Same Town, Same Issue(s)

The Town of Marble continues to trudge through issues that have been on the Board of Trustees’ (BOT) agenda for months, if not years. High on that list is addressing off-highway vehicle (OHV) traffic on the Lead King Loop (LKL).

June 1st BOT Meeting

At June’s session, the BOT went straight into executive session to discuss OHV trailer parking at the Mill Site Park. The executive session was off the record and protected under attorney-client privilege.

by James Steindler

The minutes read, “the Board got some legal advice during the executive session concerning parking at the Mill Site Park. The goal is to direct parking away from city streets and to the park where information can be distributed.”

Aspen Valley Land Trust (AVLT) received a $60,000 Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant for revamping Thompson park to include an improved baseball diamond, a new volleyball court, and several other enhancements. $10,000 of the grant will go toward the jail. A revised grant for the jailhouse will be submitted for a draft review in July.

There is a plan to expand the frisbee golf course from nine to 18 holes. Volunteers will likely install the new baskets but there is a request for the Town to pay for the shipping of materials.

The 2021 business license for Beaver Lake Retreat (BLR) is on hold due to owner Vince Savage and Mayor Ryan Vinciguerra not having met to outline BLR’s commitments in writing. BLR is to assure the Town that they will

have their guests comply with the town noise ordinance and address additional grievances brought up during the May BOT meeting.

Marble Candle Company’s (MCC) business license was approved to operate out of the old Heartbreak Hotel. However, according to business owner Nicole Farrell, she’s taken on the role of Operations Manager at The Marble Hub and will be selling her unique, local, and delightfully scented candles out of there instead — not at the old hotel. Part of MCC’s profit at the end of each year goes toward fighting childhood cancer.

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LKL Discourse Remains Contentious

The conversation, to no surprise, turned to the LKL controversy. Vinciguerra broke the short-term solution down into three categories: enforcement, parking, and education. “These three bullets, A-B- and C here are what the County Commissioners and the Town of Marble have been working on as far as tackling some of the issues regarding the volume and OHV use in the present versus the long term,” the Mayor explained.

A second deputy is expected to be regularly patrolling the area beginning in August. The town has accommodations, outfitted with both a telephone and working computer, in the old general store to offer the incoming deputy. The forest service is also patrolling two days a week.

As far as parking is concerned, Vinciguerra points out that “trucks and trailers have currently been parking” at the Mill Site. For now, the goal according to the Mayor is to keep folks from parking on town streets and direct them to the park where there will be public information and parking is presently permitted.

Interestingly, Vinciguerra acknowledged that the Board was advised during the executive session that the Mill Site cannot legally be “designated” for truck and trailer parking. Despite not being able to designate, he said that it’s still permissible for trucks and trailers to park there. When pressed about where trucks and trailers would park once the site fills up, he simply stated, “I don’t know.”

Wilderness Workshop, in collaboration with the Town, plans to install a kiosk with instructions regarding rules and etiquette. Trustee Emma Bielski brought up a concern that the proposed kiosk includes a map that indicates the LKL route starts at the Mill Site.

The Town is asking for volunteers to assist in educating OHV users about rules and etiquette. To assist with this effort you may shoot an email to leach@ townofmarble.com

There was a call by Glenn Smith to ban OHV vehicles as well as trailers. He expressed his belief that this tactic would put pressure on the Forest Service to act more timely.

The LKL working group convened by phone on June 1st as well. They discussed the sunset clause which effectively opens up County Road 3 to OHV use until the end of the year. The group agreed that data collection was of high importance to give decision-makers something to consider once the temporary ordinance expires and the County Commissioners will have to address OHV use on CR 3 once again.

Town Administrator Ron Leach said that he is counting the number of trucks and trailers parked in town each day. There are, apparently, two traffic counters on the way to Crystal but their specific locations are not being disclosed due to counters being vandalized previously.

Collaboration: Commissioners and Trustees

On June 15th, a special session took place when the Town of Marble Trustees and Gunnison Board of County Commissioners convened. The occasion started out as a work session between Marble area residents and Commissioners, with Trustees chiming in.

Broadband connectivity was addressed and it sounds like the town will become that much more connected with the outside world via a partnership with Visionary Broadband. According to Trustee Tim Hunter, construction begins any day now and is completely funded.

The group addressed wildfire concerns and agreed that there is a distinctive risk level between the area within White River National Forest (WRNF) and the rest of Gunnison County. As of June 24th, unincorporated lands within WRNF are under stage two fire restrictions — the remainder of the county remains in stage one.

Without a doubt, the group addressed the LKL issue and, yet again, emphasis was put on data collection. Attendees generally agreed that statistics brought permitting systems to places such as Hanging Lake and Maroon Bells.

Artist Feature: Abstract Marble and Gary Bascom

by Rebecca Branson

you ever been

tional masterpieces such as benches and birdbaths. The small unassuming building contains a unique boutique experience carrying everything from cutting boards and coasters to high-end jewelry and fine arts.

If you leave Abstract Marble without a new beloved treasure, it’s because you didn’t look hard enough or forgot your wallet at home.

Abstract Marble is an experience all on its own, but if you get the chance make sure to sit on the porch and chat with the charismatic owner Gary Bascom. Originally from Iowa, he grew up farming, hunting, and fishing alongside seven younger siblings. He left home to explore the world with the Marine Corps, proudly serving our country for four years.

In 1984, he moved to Colorado and then to Marble in 1988 after finding work as a baker for City Market. When the quarry reopened in 1990, he started working there as a stonecutter.

In his 23-years there, he worked his way through just about every position from Safety Manager to Quarry Supervisor and, along the way, met his lovely wife, Kimberly Perrin who was Vice President of the company. He worked for every owner of the Quarry from the Colorado Yule Marble Company that reopened it to the current R.E.D. Graniti until retiring from quarry work in 2013.

Bascom’s been running Abstract Marble full time since retiring from the Quarry, though the business first opened in 1997 and has had several locations around town until landing in its current home.

He started “playing around” with marble as a hobby when first working in the quarry, which quickly blossomed into collaborating with other local sculptors for a wide range of projects. His knowledge and expertise from years of experience allow him to do precision work highlighting the natural

beauty and grace of the stone without compromising structural integrity.

Bascom’s worked on projects big and small from the Roden Crater, an 80-foot sphere inlaid in marble located in Arizona, to the birdbath you’ll be wanting in your garden after stopping by to browse. In addition to artistic endeavors, his strong civic and community mind has led him to volunteer for the Marble Fire Department (one of the best in the state in his opinion), serving on the Town Board of Trustees, being an avid member of the Marble Historical Society, and found time to raise two daughters in between.

Both Abstract Marble and Gary Bascom are must-sees for anyone visiting Marble. He strongly believes that anyone coming through needs to leave with a smile on their face and a piece of marble in their hands. Stop by, have a chat, and find your next treasure!