Can’t win ’em all A few future Snowdown theme ideas that we can all universally hate by Addyson Santese
Crossing over
Clarifying gray area of public lands ‘corner crossings’ in the West by Writers on the Range 8 On the move Citizens group sounds alarm that La Plata mine could get fast-tracked by Missy Votel
Beet it
The beet goes on – or in – this fudgy cake; but you’ll never know by Ari LeVaux
The Durango Telegraph publishes every Thursday, come hell, high water, tacky singletrack or mon-
CAST: Addyson Santese, Missy Votel, Ari LeVaux, Jesse Ander-
On the cover Canada geese take flight over Durango recently. We’re not sure if they were headed north or south, and they probably weren’t either given the wacky winter./ Photo by Andy High
P.O. Box 332 Durango, CO 81302 PHONE: 970-259-0133
Ear to the ground:
“All roads lead to beer league.”
– Sorry, but the sooner we can embrace reality and stop acting like we’re going to the pros, the sooner we can drink these beers
Safe passage
Could it be that Durango’s ofttalked-about yet elusive Camino Underpass is actually, well, coming to pass? The City of Durango announced this week that, in conjunction with its Winter Bike to Work Day After Party this Friday from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Powerhouse, it will be hosting a kickoff for the Camino Crossing.
Can we get a hallelujah?
The project would take pedestrians and cyclists under Camino del Rio at 12th Street and connect them to the Animas River Trail. It has been on the books since at least 2020 after a series of accidents and close calls at the current HAWK Crossing raised serious safety concerns.
A feasibility study was conducted in 2020 followed by a design charrette (fancy word for public meeting) in 2021. Since then, however, the topic basically went, uh, underground.
However, in December 2025, the Camino Crossing once again saw the light of day (sorry) when City Council approved the 2026 Capital Budget, which includes $325,000 in additional funding for the project design. City staff will be working with the design team throughout the year on this project and will be providing the community with updates as the design takes shape.
The design process will start with another charrette for stakeholder groups, city advisory boards and community members to collaborate with staff and the design consultant to conceptualize the design. There will be two additional public meetings after the design charrette to receive public input on the design.
AND SUBSCRIPTIONS:
ster powder days. We are wholly independently
The city estimated the underpass would cost about $3 million to construct in 2020 dollars.
To find out more, attend the after party on Friday, which will be preceded by a bike parade from Buckley starting at 4ish. Festivities include beer from Carver’s and music from Stillhouse Junkies.
LaVidaLocal opinion
“Oh snow you didn’t”
Every year, right after the new Snowdown theme is announced, people start griping. It’s always, “how the hell do you pronounce ‘Sesquicentennial?’” Or “do these people really expect me to find an Elizabethan Era costume at Goodwill?” Or “why did we do a 1980s theme, but my 1380s theme submission keeps getting rejected?” But you know what? It’s hard to come up with an idea everyone likes!
Take it from the event’s original organizers. Even they struggled to generate creative steam, given that 1979’s inaugural theme was “A Winter Celebration” and 1981’s was “Celebrate Winter.” By Snowdown’s fourth year, they just said fuck it, and went with “No Theme!” That’s how difficult y’all are to please.
Well, I’m tired of the complaining. In the spirit of coming together, here are a few Snowdown ideas I think everyone will unanimously hate.
• Corporation Appreciation: Show some love to the conglomerates actively working to eliminate the middle class and strip people of their basic human rights for a few bucks’ profit! All cos tumes and Snowdown-related paraphernalia have to be ordered through Amazon, and you absolutely must select the nonconsolidated packages option to increase your carbon footprint. Competitions will include who can package the most orders the fastest without getting an industrial-grade cardboard cut, and who can hold back tears while telling their family they’re part of the 16,000 employees who were recently laid off. Billionaires are people, too!
• Old Flames, New Sparks: Remember the worst person you’ve ever dated? Like that one person who was so heinously awful in every way imaginable, you can’t believe you spent a single second with them, let alone actually dated them? You get to spend the entirety of Snowdown handcuffed to that person. Instead of Follies, former couples will go onstage to rehash old fights, like whether one (or both) of you has narcissistic personality disorder or if the dog you owned before meeting your ex should have gone to them in the breakup, because they developed a “spiritual bond” with Muttley Crue. A winner will be crowned in each argument (even though your therapist says arguments don’t work like that).
• Spandex, Lycra and Nylon, Oh My!: Whether it’s skiing or cycling, Durango would be nothing without its skin-tight-clothing-loving athletes. But why let the athletically inclined have all the fun? For this theme, everyone is required to wrestle their bodies into a two-sizes-too-small singlet without the assistance of extra hands or baby oil. You’ll get an upsettingly intimate view of your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers while baring your soul (and maybe your camel toe). No sock padding allowed.
• Ghosts of Gas Stations Past: Back before every gas station in Durango became a Marathon or a Speedway, we used to have some variety in our choice of fossil fuels. Pay homage to the good old days by dressing up as your favorite defunct gas station. Imagine all the cute shells, giants and dinosaurs walking around! The only downside is the beer at every event will be replaced with gasoline.
Thumbin’It
After several years of stalling out, the Camino Crossing project is on the move again, meaning hopefully we will no longer have to take our lives in our own hands just to get from downtown to the river trail.
This might be a glitch, but OpenSnow is predicting snowfall totals in the feet for next week in Southwest Colorado. We are calling in sick in advance for next Tuesday and Wednesday.
Durangoans could soon be getting more tools in the fight to keep bears out of yards and out of trouble with a city program that will offer electric fencing and “unwelcome” mats to residents for a small fee.
• Childless by Choice? Not a Chance!: If you’ve done some careful life planning and decided that childfree is the way to be, well then, this theme’s for you! Every adult who does not have a child of their own will be assigned an unreliably pottytrained toddler who’s hungry, tired and somehow stuck a bead up their nose. You’re not allowed to get even a little buzzed at Snowdown, because you have to be vigilant about Timmy finding pebbles to cram in his nose. Most of your week will just consist of removing objects from nostrils.
• Road Work Ahead: In addition to Snowdown themes, another thing locals have a lot of heated opinions about is roadwork. How ’bout instead of running your mouth over on the Durango Herald’s Facebook comments section, you pick up a shovel and get to work? Hi-vis orange vests, rough jeans and gascan sunglasses are the only legally acceptable costumes for this theme since everyone will technically be working for CDOT. Events will include competitive pothole filling and a human wheelbarrow race where the person on the ground has to repaint road lines as straight as possible. By the end of the week, Dysfunction Junction will be no more.
• Soberdown: Yes, Snowdown has traditionally served as a weeklong excuse to get completely obliterated, but you know what we all need a little more of in our lives? Sobriety. Self-reflection. Think of this as an extension of Dry January, with the added bonus of gripping presentations on 401k contributions, how to calculate the appropriate amount for federal withholding, and convenient stations to schedule your annual physical and dental cleanings all in one go. Start your year off on the right foot by preparing your taxes early! Water and decaf coffee will be provided.
Your move, Snowdown 2028 Committee … .
As if the death of Catherine O’Hara wasn’t enough, now comes word that James Van Der Beek, aka “Dawson,” aka “Mox,” has died from colorectal cancer. Us Gen X-ers are gonna need a moment
Portland residents are suing the Trump administration over the excessive use of tear gas at a nearby ICE facility, saying the poisonous gas has infiltrated their homes, belongings and furniture, leading to health issues. So basically, you don’t even need to leave your house anymore to get attacked by ICE. Sweet.
OK, so Lindsey Vonn’s triumphant return to Olympic ski racing didnt’ quite go as planned. But she gets a gold medal for giving it hell.
SignoftheDownfall:
– Addyson Santese
Shadow of Doubt Pennsylvania law makes fortune telling a third-degree misdemeanor, but the town of Punxsutawney still gathers every year to worship a groundhog with purported psychic abilities. Last week, Phil saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter. Everyone just accepted the augury even though the groundhog can’t speak, he’s right only 35% of the time and the entire country is experiencing unseasonably warm weather. And Phil’s credibility is extra ludicrous this year, because he was named in the Epstein files four times, but he gets to keep his job, just like someone else who was mentioned. So, as a quick update on the state of our society, most people still don’t believe women’s accusations, but we’ll gladly listen to a law-breaking rodent who’s usually wrong.
WritersontheRange
by Karlee Provenza and Joshua A. Seckinger
Last summer, hunters and anglers stepped up in a huge way to help defeat a proposal by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, to sell off millions of acres of public land.
In the end, public land defenders won. Confronted by an outpouring of opposition, Lee removed his amendment to the Trump administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill.” But the struggle demonstrated that we needed to act sooner.
Four elk hunters in Wyoming showed us what stepping up can look like. Instead of sitting back and looking sadly at a huge chunk of prime elk country blocked by a billionaire’s ranch, they built a special ladder. By climbing over the billionaire’s land, they crossed from one corner of public land to another, setting in motion a legal process that freed up millions of acres of public land in six states.
The hunters’ creativity in the field has become an inspiration. That’s why the two of us – state legislators in Wyoming and Montana – are teaming up to fight for public land access, just as the hunters in Wyoming’s Elk Mountain did.
Across the West, millions of acres of public land are still legally open but practically inaccessible. At checkerboard corners where public and private land meet, a person can stand on public ground, look directly at more public ground an inch away, and still be told they cannot step from one to the other.
In Wyoming, the question of corner crossing dragged through the courts for years. Last October, the Supreme Court refused to hear a case challenging a lower court decision allowing corner crossing. The ruling establishes that crossing between public land corners without touching private property does not constitute trespass.
A gray area
That means corner crossing remains legal in the 10th Circuit states of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico.
In other states, a legal gray area remains. In Montana, Gov. Greg Gianforte and the director of Fish, Wildlife and Parks say that corner crossing remains unlawful under state law. That declaration puts political clout behind the status quo, where public land remains accessible to those who can buy control of key parcels and hire fancy attorneys.
The consequences are not abstract. For working families, access to public land is a necessity, not a luxury. It is how people put meat in the freezer as grocery prices rise. It is how parents take their kids outdoors without paying fees. It is how rural communities hold
on to traditions that are increasingly out of reach.
We, as elected leaders, need to act. We can’t let confusing court decisions or laws that don’t serve the people be the last word on any issue dealing with pub-
lic land.
That’s why the two of us support state legislation that will clarify the law and protect public access. The stakes are high and rising. Land prices have become astronomically out of reach for most people, outside wealth continues to pour into our states, and politicians in Congress and our state legislatures increasingly side with wealthy landowners.
Unless we act to clarify corner crossing in law, access will continue to shrink. The result will be a two-tiered system: a West for people who can afford exclusive access, another West that’s diminished for everyone else.
Corner crossing may be ingenious, but it is not radical. It is a straightforward affirmation that public land needs to be available to the public. We don’t think this is a partisan issue. Hunters, anglers, hikers, conservationists, landowners and working families span every political stripe in our states. Fair access to public land for future generations is a shared value.
The choice ahead is simple. We can defend public land as a public right for our children and grandchildren, or we can allow the West to slide toward a situation where those with wealth continue to block vast swaths of public land.
As legislators from Montana and Wyoming, we know which side we are on.
The writers are contributors to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conservation about the West. Karlee Provenza is a Democrat serving House District 45, Laramie, in the Wyoming House of Representatives. Democrat Joshua A. Seckinger serves House District 62, Bozeman, in the Montana House of Representatives. For information about the bills they propose, contact: Karlee.Provenza@wyoleg.gov or Joshua.seckinger@legmt.gov. ■
A fence guards private property at the Elk Mountain Ranch, site of a cornercrossing controversy. / Photo by Mike Koshmrl/WyoFile
SoapBox
Removing the ICE mask
(Editor’s note: The following letter was sent to Durango Mayor Gilda Yazzie regarding calls to ban ICE agents from wearing masks and requiring them to wear nametags. The letter has been edited for clarity and length.)
Ms. Yazzie,
In the emergency community meeting on ICE, you were quoted as saying “The City of Durango remains committed to transparency.”
You and the City Council spoke a lot of promising compassionate words with no follow-up action. I was there and specifically heard that something will be done about ICE wearing masks and with no known identity. You also recommended filing complaints against ICE when it continues to overstep any boundary, and we yelled out “How can we? We can’t see their faces, and they have no identification.”
Again, you, City Council and the police chief were just blowing smoke and insulting our intelligence. We aren’t children. It’s common sense! It comes down to you and your colleagues taking your promise to frightened people seriously and being held accountable.
California made it illegal for ICE to conceal their faces. What happened to what you said? We have the right to demand transparency and identification so we don’t look uneducated and stupid when we are asked, “Why didn’t you file a complaint?”
For what?
I haven’t heard any update to your promises, but I also don’t see any changes. It’s not rocket science. It can be done, and it’s been months!
I will not let this go. Nothing has come through for the community except cowardice by those who are supposed to be the community’s allies are expected to follow through and not lie to us.
There will be more protests, and if you can’t answer in truthfully and prove you are doing this work, you directly will be what future protests will be about.
It’s disgusting and shameful that months later nothing has changed.
I look forward to your reply. Of course you are very busy, however nothing should be more important than the promises made to Durango residents. Others have done this, why haven’t you?
– Nancy-Raffaele-Ilic, Durango
Pudim
Trump’s deadly disguise
If it weren’t for “under the guise,” where would Trump and his henchfolk be?
Under the guise of immigration enforcement and unproven childcare fraud investigations, thousands of CBP and ICE agents (many of whom have not received what is considered by most credible law enforcement agencies as adequate training on coping skills, attitude and technique) descended on Minneapolis and, when unleashed, murdered two United States citizens.
Under the guise of “I’m an authority on such matters,” to date, VP Vance continues to denigrate those Minneapolis victims. He has essentially blamed them for their own deaths, blaming Alex Pretti for forcing CBP agents to kneel on his back, then shoot him 10 times after he was disarmed. He had also made sure that no disciplinary action will be taken by either agency on their armed thugs.
Under the guise of making sure an election never again gets stolen, not that any election in anyone’s memory has ever gotten stolen, not even the 2020 election (which, by all credible counts, was not stolen), Trump is getting vocal about “nationalizing” elections and/or sending in ICE/CBP agents or the 101st Airborne to surround every polling place to ensure … what? That elections that are not compromised, are compromised?
Under the guise of having human beings in the White House, Trump has allowed a leader of the Lizard People, Stephen Miller, to determine doctrine and direction for the administration. In a moment when Miller inadvertently let down his guard, a now-disappeared photo journalist captured Chameleon Boy on
video when he was slow-blinking, thereby giving credence to all the Lizard People conspiracy theories.
Ask yourself, have you ever seen Miller’s tongue? Ask the Lizard People conspiracy theorists. They’ll tell you. Why not believe them when you are asked to believe all the other “official” justifications for totally dishonest behavior and speech?
It all amounts to guise, or disguise. Actions are being taken based on entirely false premises and being sold to the public as reasonable and acceptable when they are the antithesis of reasonable and acceptable. The lies continue to get more egregious and deadlier. When will those in Congress who want to be seen as the voices of reason realize that not calling out this travesty is a travesty and not something to be proud of?
–
Josh Joswick, Bayfield
Sign petition to unmask ICE
The “No Secret Police in Durango” Petition Committee is collecting signatures of registered Durango Voters through March 6 for an ordinance that prohibits law-enforcement officers from masking their faces and concealing their identities. Policing has coexisted with our core constitutional values without resorting to secrecy throughout the history of the United States. That’s how our local police operate. Durango Police are fully accountable and adhere to a strong code of core values. Police from outside our community must do the same if we are to retain our constitutional rights. When the Constitution is enforced, this ordinance is enforceable.
The policy behind this ordinance is to keep policing local, strengthen constitutional protections and re-
build trust between law enforcement and the community. Signing this petition forces City Council to either adopt the ordinance or call for a special election. More information is available at NoSecretPoliceIn Durango.org.
– Ted Wright and Mick Souder, Durango
Setting a (bad) new precedent
Please contact your congressperson to protect Grand Staircase National Monument and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Using the Congressional Review Act (CRA), the House passed a bill to open up the Boundary Waters to mining. The CRA is also expected to be used to remove protections from Grand Staircase and allow ORVs, logging and other extractive projects.
The CRA was never intended to be used in this way, and this sets a precedent for threats to other public lands. Your action is needed. Please contact your representatives to halt these actions.
– Margaret Mayer, Durango
We’ll print damned near anything
The Telegraph welcomes healthy civil discourse in 750 words or less. Writers must include their (real) name and city/town/state of residence. Personal attacks, hate speech or any other kind of b.s. deemed libelous are not welcome. Please email your profundities to: telegraph@durango telegraph.com
Trump’s deadly disguise
If it weren’t for “under the guise,” where would Trump and his henchfolk be?
Under the guise of immigration enforcement and unproven childcare fraud investigations, thousands of CBP and ICE agents (many of whom have not received what is considered by most credible law enforcement agencies as adequate training on coping skills, attitude and technique) descended on Minneapolis and, when unleashed, murdered two United States citizens.
Under the guise of “I’m an authority on such matters,” to date, VP Vance continues to denigrate those Minneapolis victims. He has essentially blamed them for their own deaths, blaming Alex Pretti for forcing CBP agents to kneel on his back, then shoot him 10 times after he was disarmed. He had also made sure that no disciplinary action will be taken by either agency on their armed thugs.
Under the guise of making sure an election never again gets stolen, not that any election in anyone’s memory has ever gotten stolen, not even the 2020 election (which, by all credible counts, was not stolen), Trump is getting vocal about “nationalizing” elections and/or sending in ICE/CBP agents or the 101st Airborne to surround every polling place to ensure … what? That elections that are not compromised, are compromised?
Under the guise of having human beings in the White House, Trump has allowed a leader of the Lizard People, Stephen Miller, to determine doctrine and direction for the administration. In a moment when Miller inadvertently let down his guard, a now-disappeared photo journalist captured Chameleon Boy on
video when he was slow-blinking, thereby giving credence to all the Lizard People conspiracy theories.
Ask yourself, have you ever seen Miller’s tongue? Ask the Lizard People conspiracy theorists. They’ll tell you. Why not believe them when you are asked to believe all the other “official” justifications for totally dishonest behavior and speech?
It all amounts to guise, or disguise. Actions are being taken based on entirely false premises and being sold to the public as reasonable and acceptable when they are the antithesis of reasonable and acceptable. The lies continue to get more egregious and deadlier. When will those in Congress who want to be seen as the voices of reason realize that not calling out this travesty is a travesty and not something to be proud of?
–
Josh Joswick, Bayfield
Sign petition to unmask ICE
The “No Secret Police in Durango” Petition Committee is collecting signatures of registered Durango Voters through March 6 for an ordinance that prohibits law-enforcement officers from masking their faces and concealing their identities. Policing has coexisted with our core constitutional values without resorting to secrecy throughout the history of the United States. That’s how our local police operate. Durango Police are fully accountable and adhere to a strong code of core values. Police from outside our community must do the same if we are to retain our constitutional rights. When the Constitution is enforced, this ordinance is enforceable.
The policy behind this ordinance is to keep policing local, strengthen constitutional protections and re-
build trust between law enforcement and the community. Signing this petition forces City Council to either adopt the ordinance or call for a special election. More information is available at NoSecretPoliceIn Durango.org.
– Ted Wright and Mick Souder, Durango
Setting a (bad) new precedent
Please contact your congressperson to protect Grand Staircase National Monument and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Using the Congressional Review Act (CRA), the House passed a bill to open up the Boundary Waters to mining. The CRA is also expected to be used to remove protections from Grand Staircase and allow ORVs, logging and other extractive projects.
The CRA was never intended to be used in this way, and this sets a precedent for threats to other public lands. Your action is needed. Please contact your representatives to halt these actions.
– Margaret Mayer, Durango
We’ll print damned near anything
The Telegraph welcomes healthy civil discourse in 750 words or less. Writers must include their (real) name and city/town/state of residence. Personal attacks, hate speech or any other kind of b.s. deemed libelous are not welcome. Please email your profundities to: telegraph@durango telegraph.com
Ramping up
La Plata Mountains coalition fears ‘fast-tracking’ of Metallic Minerals operation
by Missy Votel
As the prospect of large-scale mining in the La Plata Mountains grows, so has local grassroots opposition to it.
Since 2020, Metallic Minerals, a Canadian company, has been conducting exploratory drilling in the La Platas with the intent of later selling the claim to a larger mining operation. The test drilling, mostly for copper although other metals have since been added to the list, has taken place in an area known as the Allard Reserve, a 19-square-mile swath straddling the western ridge of La Plata Canyon across from the La Plata City campground.
In 2024, Metallic Minerals held town hall meetings in Breen, Mancos and Cortez on drilling activities. Broad opposition during those meetings has since coalesced into a formal alliance of more than 250 members, calling themselves the La Plata Mountains and Public Lands Coalition.
“I attended all of those meetings, and, predominantly, people were concerned and against the mining operation. There was definitely a huge uproar,” coalition administrator Dan King said. “We believe there is a better place to do this mining extraction than the La Platas.”
As a result, the loosely formed coalition held town halls of its own in Durango and Mancos in late 2024 and early 2025. The goal was to sound the alarm over the impacts industrial mining could bring to the nearby mountain range. “We continued to build our numbers and spread the word. We went from about 40 or 50 people to a list of more than 250,” King said.
King said 2025 was a slow year for the coalition as well as Metallic Minerals, as both were waiting to see what direction the Trump administration would go. However, after Trump announced last July that he would be fast-tracking resource extraction projects under his “Big Beautiful Bill,” the coalition knew it was time to get moving.
“In December 2025, we decided we really needed to ramp up our efforts,” said King.
What is known as the Allard Reserve, on the western slope of La Plata Canyon near Bedrock Creek, where Metallic Minerals is conducting exploratory drilling. The La Plata Mountains and Public Lands Coalition recently formed over opposition to further mining activities in the La Platas and fears Trump’s recent announcement to “fast-track” extractive operations on public lands will mean a return to large-scale mining sooner than later./ Courtesy photo
“Not only are we standing firm and in absolute opposition to the project, but if we can’t stop it, we want to be collaborators with the operation, making sure that permits and good science are followed, and that the natural environment is impacted as little as possible.”
In order to introduce the group – as well as the myriad issues facing the La Platas and public lands in general – to the public, the coalition is hosting a free event this Sat., Feb. 14, from 9-11 a.m. at the Durango Public Library. Purposefully planned for Valentine’s Day, it will not
The group now includes citizens as well as experts and activists in several areas including mining, water and hydrology, permitting and regulations, geology, and stakeholders and users, according to King.
only include a panel discussion but serve as a celebration of public lands and a thank you to the 3,000-plus public lands employees who were fired by the Trump administration one year ago.
“We'll be talking about our public lands, not only in the La Platas, but the greater San Juans. We'll be sharing our love for them and stories,” said King. “And we’ll be talking about their longevity, especially in light of the fact that they're not being managed as they have in the past. The threats to them in 2026 could be worse than what we saw in 2025.”
The panel will feature several local lands experts and advocates, including: Heidi Steltzer, former FLC Biology and
Geosciences professor-turned-theologian; John Raider, public lands director for the San Juan Citizens Alliance (also a sponsor of the event); Chara Raglan, member of Great Old Broads for Wilderness and Bonita Peak Citizens Advisory Group; Anthony Culpepper, associate director with Mountain Studies Institute (which has been conducting water quality sampling at the Metallic Minerals site); and Metallic Mineral’s local Community Engagement Officer Brian Eisenbraun.
“Brian's been great,” said King. “He's been very helpful with answering questions. He's led some tours for our group up into the range. He'll be there and able to speak to public lands and what it means to their operation.”
On the fast track
Metallic Minerals describes itself as a “growth stage company” focused on development of copper, silver, gold, platinum, palladium, lead, zinc and rare earth materials. It acts as a precursor to actual mining operations, determining if mining is feasible, if and what a potential return on investment would look like and then selling the claim to a larger mining company. In this case, they are funded by Newmont Corporation, touted as the world's largest gold mining corporation. Based in Denver, it owns mines in the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, Australia and Ghana.
In addition to the extraction-friendly political climate, in 2025, Metallic Minerals sold a large amount of shares, raising about $8 million, King said. “From what we're seeing, 2026 is going to be a big year for them. There's talk of them resubmitting a new plan now with the feds fast-tracking these processes without doing much of an environmental analysis. We have big concerns about that.”
In a Jan. 26 story on Access Newswire, Metallic Minerals announced it had increased its “mineral resource estimate” at the Allard deposit by 23% since the previous estimate in 2023, adding platinum, palladium and gold to the existing copper and silver deposits. The 2026 estimate now totals 181.4 million metric tons of recoverable metals.
“The updated and expanded resource estimate at the Allard deposit is an important milestone for the company and further validates La Plata as a large, multimetal, district-scale system,” Metallic Minerals CEO Greg Johnson said in a press release. “The 23% increase in the resource tonnage, supported by recent drilling, confirms the continuity and robustness of the deposit.”
He added that beyond the Allard area, the broader La Plata district remains “significantly underexplored.”
“We believe Metallic is well positioned to unlock additional value for shareholders,” Johnson wrote. He said that “key next steps” include metallurgical tests, and “advancing permitting and execution … focused on resource expansion."
For King and his group, it’s what comes after the exploratory drilling that is most troublesome. “Metallic Minerals, in their exploratory phase, could do a pretty good job of probably keeping things in check,” said King. “But if they can show a big enough return on investment and sell the large claim to a company like Newmont – they're one of the main investors for Metallic Minerals already – who has a terrible track record, that's a big concern for us.”
In fact, there are a multitude of concerns, King said, starting with the gamut of environmental impacts to watersheds, landscapes and wildlife as well as increased traffic, dust and noise. “The La Plata River still holds cutthroat trout, believe it or not, and that’s probably due to the large beaver complexes,” said King.
“Ask any wildlife biologist about the impacts on everything from migratory birds to other species that are already impacted from overdevelopment and habitat loss, not to mention climate change, and it's just adding insult to injury.”
King also spoke of limited water availability – although Metallic Minerals currently uses between 250-500 gallons a day, a full-scale mine could swallow nearly 250,000 gallons a day. In addition, the La Platas are the ancestral homelands to the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute tribes, who own water rights on the La Plata River. There will also be impacts to residents on both the Durango and Mancos sides of the range, particularly those who make their living off the land. “There's people who own great tracts of land who are concerned about impacts to their livelihoods and their families, their properties, their water rights and their grazing rights,” he said.
More and more likely
It’s been more than 100 years since La Plata Canyon saw its most lucrative
mining boom, which took place from the late 1800s to early 1900s. Around the 1940s, however, most mines folded, and there has been no major commercial operation since. Metallic Minerals, however, thinks new technology could revive the region’s mining history, reopening the scars of which can be seen to this day.
Just when or if that will be is anybody’s guess. King said members of the coalition have varying opinions, but all agree it’s more probable now than ever. “If you ask Tom Miller, who lives right at the base of Copper Hill, or Ryan Brown, who owns thousands of acres on the Mancos River, they'd say it really seems more and more likely,” he said. “If you would have asked me five years ago, I would have said it was a long shot, but … things have really changed in the last 24 months. There's a lot of reason to believe they could rush this through. If they can show their return on investment and sell the claim, then that's all they have to do.”
However, most agree a rebirth of mining in the La Platas would still be years off due to planning and regulations. The proposed project lies on 90% Forest Service lands, which means any mine would likely be subject to an environmental impact statement (depending on presidential administration) as well as approvals from Montezuma and La Plata counties, tribes, and the Colorado De-
partment of Reclamation, Mining and Safety. Most of these processes would include multiple opportunities for public input.
Nevertheless, King said the common refrain that mining is off in the distant future rings hollow. “We often hear from Metallic Minerals that this is a long-term effort; it's 25 years down the line. Most people won't even be here,” he said. “And that's a huge slap in the face to grandparents whose kids are growing up here as we speak.”
And in the meantime, he said, the group will continue to oppose the mine, hold regular gatherings and make sure rules are followed to a T.
“The coalition is geared up, and we're going to be doing outings and active surveillance in the range. We're going to put people on the mountain, whether they're hiking or biking or hunting or fishing or watching what the Metallic Minerals group is doing,” he said. “And we've never been stronger, we're excited.”
For more information on the La Plata Project or the La Plata Mountains and Public Lands Coalition, visit:
• La Plata Mountains Facebook Page
• La Plata Mining Info Page - laplatamininginfo.com
• Metallic Minerals La Plata Project Pagemetallic- minerals.com/projects/laplata/ property-overview/ ■
TheGreenScene
Community herbalism
A conversation with Brittany Osborn of Animas Botanicals
(Editor’s note: The following is the latest in a column written by students in Solana Kline’s upper-level Environment and Society course at Fort Lewis College. The column focuses on local sustainability, conservation and eco-social issues while giving students a chance to share their research outside traditional academic channels.)
by Kayleigh Warren
When you hear the expression “food is medicine,” what comes to mind? I picture steaming cups of hot herbal tea we prepare for our loved ones after they’ve come in from the cold, had a difficult day or are feeling under the weather. In my home community of Santa Clara Pueblo, a tribal nation in northern New Mexico, these cups of tea are often brewed from the greenthread plant (Thelesperma megapotamicum). This rich, amber-colored tea has a full-bodied flavor with just a hint of natural sweetness and is served as both a delicious accompaniment to a meal as well as a nutritious and medicinal offering. This herb is known in our Pueblo communities to aid with digestion and hydration, but its uses and benefits are diverse throughout tribal nations in the Southwest. In my community and family, and in so many others, an offering of herbal medicine is a direct provision of care and comfort that comes with inherent added benefits for nutrition and wellness.
Herbal medicine is one of the oldest therapies humans have utilized. While our preparations and uses for plants as medicine have evolved through history, there remains a significant and deeply ingrained relationship between medicinal plants and human societies. Plants and plant extracts have been used through early and modern societies to cure illnesses and enhance general wellbeing.
These abilities come from the phytochemicals that plants produce for several purposes, including defense against predators, attracting pollinators and adapting to environmental stresses. These diverse phytochemicals and their therapeutic and curative effects are the reason why plants are the source of approximately 40% of modern pharmaceuticals.
Beyond their direct medicinal qualities, studies have shown that nature-based therapies like herbal medicine not only increase physical wellness but also instill a greater sense of responsibility and engagement in environmental protection and sustainability. It is common for there not to be a specific word in Native languages that directly translates to “plants.” Rather, individual plants have their own names, often connotating a specific use as well as terms that indicate kinship.
Indigenous communities utilize the term “plant relatives” as an English equivalent of the terms in Native languages for plants that commonly denote kinship. When we think of plants as our relatives and neighbors in our ecosystems, it makes me wonder: how does herbal medicine inform our relationships with the environment?
Animas Botanicals is a farm and apothecary stewarded by clinical herbalist Brittany Osborn, who describes her introduction to herbalism as a path to finding a way to be in better relationship with the Earth. After graduating from Fort Lewis College and beginning to farm, Osborn took note of the frequency at which the herbs she saw used in herbal medicine
preparation were imported. Growing practices were not well regulated, and some wild herbs were also harvested at rates that caused population declines.
As a budding herbalist, Osborn saw an opportunity to work with plants from a place of reciprocity. Today, she tends a “botanical sanctuary” of more than 150 medicinal species, grounded in the commitment to learn from the intelligence of plants and plant communities, and to incorporate that knowledge into her herbal medicines. She emphasizes that the body is an ecosystem unto itself, in constant exchange with our environment, which is why it is so critical for herbal medicine growers and preparers’ standards to exceed organic certifications.
Herbalists including Osborn observe that the medicinal qualities of plants decrease when harvest or growing practices are unsustainable or occur in depleted environments. Because of this, it is necessary to engage in active stewardship of herbal plants and the landscape.
Through Animas Botanicals and Osborn’s stories and approach to crafting herbal medicines, we see an example through which kinship, ecological stewardship and physical wellness align. In this way, herbal medicines offer us much more than nutrition, comfort and healing. They also provide an opportunity for us to engage with our ecosystems in a reciprocal and participatory way, remembering that the health of our bodies is deeply intertwined with the health of our ecosystems.
As Osborn reflects, “Our very life force depends on these beings. How often do we stop and look at the plant next to us and say, ‘Hi’ or ‘Thank you?’”
Kayleigh Warren is a senior at Fort Lewis College, majoring in Environmental Conservation and Management. She is a tribal member of the Pueblo of Santa Clara in northern New Mexico. ■
FlashinthePan
The beet goes on
A fudgy rich treat that you’d never know is (almost) good for you
by Ari LeVaux
If nobody told you it was half root crops, you’d simply think it was a magnificent fudge bar, moist like a rainforest, rich like a truffle and creamy like cheesecake. It is what it is because of beets and carrots, not in spite of them. The fact that a single piece of this decadence contains two servings of vegetables and half a day’s worth of fiber only compounds the satisfaction.
Though it tastes nothing of beet and carrot, their sweet and bitter flavors subtly enhance the impact of the cocoa powder, flanking its bitter tones with their own background vocals. The beets and carrots give a starchy, sturdy thickness, along with sweetness. You can bake this cake with very little added sugar – or if you’re truly hardcore, none at all.
Beets and carrots are both in season year-round, because they are always available either fresh or in the cooler. This means you can make this cake with local, fresh ingredients in any season. But Valentine’s Day is the high season for chocolate beet cake.
I brought home young and old specimen from each species and ran sideby-side trials with zero added sugar. My impression was that new carrots and old beets make the best chocolate beet cake. The new carrots are more sweet and juicy, while the old carrots are drier and more “carroty.” These differences are subtle, however, compared to the differences in new vs. old beets. The small, new beets bunched with leaves attached have a more intense, earthy flavor that
you can easily differentiate in a side-byside. But part of the magic of beet cake is not remembering you’re eating your veggies.
I offered samples to a pack of neighborhood kids, and after the crumbs settled, they confirmed my conclusions. Their favorite was the one with new carrots and old beets. The cake with new beets, one complained, “had too much flavor.”
With some added sugar, of course, these children-of-the-corn-syrup would have devoured any permutation of root in that cake. And with all the sweetness the beets and carrots bring, it doesn’t take much sugar at all. When another tasted a slightly sweetened version and said “it’s almost sweet enough,” I knew I’d nailed it.
The olive oil, mayonnaise and heavy cream that further enrich the cake,
meanwhile, collaborate on a silkiness that makes you think of mousse, not taproots pulled from the dirt.
A simple frosting of whipped cream and lemon zest rounds out the dish. The zest highlights bright vegetal notes from the roots, without fully exposing them. Apply cream and zest with abandon. The cake is half dirt, after all. There is nothing to feel guilty about.
The amount of sugar you add is totally subjective. Taste the batter first and decide – before adding the eggs, if you’re squeamish. It will probably taste sweeter than you expected, thanks to the beet and carrot, but perhaps you’ll want it sweeter still.
Chocolate Beet Bars
Makes a dense, 1-inch deep bar in an 8 x 11-inch baking dish, or six 4-inch ramekins.
2 cups (½ pound) old red beets,
grated (not peeled, unless you really want to)
1 cup (¼ pound) new carrots, grated (not peeled)
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
Optional: more sugar to taste, or ½ cup dark chocolate chips
Optional: a cup of cream, whipped, with 2 teaspoons of lemon zest on hand with which to garnish
Simmer the grated beets and carrots in 6 cups of water for 20 minutes, and strain. Put the purple liquid back in the pot and reduce it gently to about a cup. Blend the shredded beets and carrots with 2-4 tablespoons of the liquid, as necessary, to allow a smooth vortex to form. Blend until glassy smooth. Add vanilla, cream, oil, mayo and egg, and blend again briefly until smooth.
Preheat oven to 350. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, sugar) in a mixing bowl. Add the puree to the other ingredients, and mix. Taste, and add sugar if necessary, and up to a half cup of chocolate chips, as you see fit. Pour into a buttered 8 x 11-inch baking pan.
Bake for about an hour or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Let cool, top with whipped cream and sprinkle with lemon zest. ■
Stuff to Do
Thursday12
Durango High Noon Rotary Meeting, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Durango Elks Lodge, 901 E. 2nd Ave.
“Returning Rapids Project,” 5 p.m., 4 Corners River Sports, 360 S. Camino del Rio
“Mental Health in the Mountains,” films and panel hosted by Friends of the San Juans, 5:30 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.
Dart Tournament, 5:30-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.
Ben Gibson plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Bluegrass Jam, 6-9 p.m., Durango Beer and Ice Co., 3000 Main Ave.
Andrew Schuhmann plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Open Mic Night, 6-9 p.m., American Legion, 878 E. 2nd Ave.
Comedy Open Mic hosted by Joe Shrock, 6:30-9 p.m., The Subterrain, 900 Main Ave.
“The Buddhist Fist,” part of the Martial Arts Film Series, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Gaslight Theatre, 102 E. 5th St.
Friday13
Winter Bike to Work Day, 7-9 a.m., Main Avenue in front of Studio & and various locations around Durango
BID Coffee & Conversation, 8:30-9:30 a.m., TBK Bank Community Room, 259 W. 9th St
Radon Education Sessions free test kits for La Plata County residents, 2 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds
Bike Parade to Winter Bike to Work After Party at the Powerhouse, 4 p.m. meet; 4:20 p.m. roll, Buckley Park
Winter Bike to Work After Party and design kick-off for the Camino underpass project, music by Stillhouse Junkies, 4:30-6:30 a.m., The Powerhouse, 1333 Camino Del Rio
Mountainfilm on Tour, High Desert DEVO fundraiser, doors 5:30 p.m., show at 7 p.m., Mancos Opera House, 136 Grand Ave.
Black Velvet Duo, with Nina Sasaki & Larry Carver, plays, 6 p.m., Diamond Belle, 669 Main Ave.
Dustin Burley plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
The Poppletons play, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr.
“An Improvised Lifetime Movie,” hosted by Lower Left Improv, 7-9 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.
“Silent Sky,” the story of pioneering American astronomer Henrietta Leavitt, 7-9 p.m., Merely Underground, 789 Tech Center Dr.
Tom Chacon performs, 8-10 p.m., The iNDIGO Room, 1315 Main Ave., #207
Saturday14
“Telefestivus,” celebration of telemark skiing, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Purgatory Resort
“Our Public Lands & the La Plata Mountains,” panel discussion sponsored by the La Plata Mountains & Public Lands Coalition, 9-11 a.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
Winter Market, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Four Seasons Green House, 26650 Road P, Cortez
The Old Spanish Trail: Connecting a Network of Paths, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Animas Museum, 3065 W. 2nd Ave.
The Good Death Seminar Series, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon, Pine River Library Community Room, 395 Bayfield Center Dr., Bayfield
Puppy Kissing Booth, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., La Plata County Humane Society Thrift Store, 1111 South Camino del Rio
Irish Jam, 12 noon-3 p.m., Durango Beer and Ice Co., 3000 Main Ave.
“Silent Sky” the story of pioneering American astronomer Henrietta Leavitt, 2 p.m., Merely Underground, 789 Tech Center Dr.
Ska Brewing Après Party & Snowboard Giveaway, 3-5 p.m., Purgatory Resort
“Cupid’s Cabaret: Divine Muses,” presented by San Juan Circus, 5 p.m. & 7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.
Blue Moon Ramblers play, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Ben Gibson plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Monday16
Happy Hour Yoga, 5:30 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.
Meditation and Dharma Talk, 5:30 p.m., in person at The Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave., Ste. 109, or online at durangodharmacenter.org
Terry Rickard plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Joel Racheff plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Tuesday17
Rotary Club of Durango meeting with Parker’s Animal Rescue, 6-7 p.m., Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave.
Book Club: Childhood Favorites, 6-7:30 p.m., Bread Cafe, 135 E. 8th St.
AskRachel In arrears, short changed and board stiff
Interesting fact: So-called “Euro board games” usually create competition between players but no direct conflict between them. Aka, the inverse of American Valentine’s Day.
Dear Rachel, Question for V-Day: What is with men who do not appropriately tend to their butts? I’ve known a couple and thought they must be exceptions to the rule. Now though, I’m seeing enough content about these dude-bros who think TP makes them effeminate or something that I know it’s a global issue. Can we all just agree not to let these men get any action until they clean up their act?
– Wipeout
Dear High Standards,
This is where we’re at this Valentine’s Day. Or at least where I’m at. The bar is so low. I’d just like to know that the roses I receive aren’t to cover up the fragrance of the rose-giver. That the only chocolates I get are… you know what? I’m done here. We need Oprah to give everyone a bidet. YOU get a bidet. And YOU get a bidet. One that makes lightsaber sounds when you use it. That’s our only hope.
– Skidding out, Rachel
Dear Rachel,
My kid brother is getting all my college
Tuesday Trivia, 6-8:30 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Nathan Schmidt plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Randy Crumbaugh plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Barbershop Tryouts, every Tues., 6:30 p.m., Christ the King Church, 495 Florida Rd.
“Silent Sky,” the story of pioneering American astronomer Henrietta Leavitt, 7-9 p.m., Merely Underground, 789 Tech Center Dr.
“The Survivors’ Way,” an immersive digital storytelling experience, 7:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall at FLC
Wednesday18
West Coast Swing Basics, 5:45-7:30 p.m., The Durango Collective, 1315 Main Ave.
Learning the Language of Birds by Aimee Way, 6 p.m., FLC Education and Business Hall, Room 055
Word Honey free poetry workshop, 6-7:30 p.m., The Hive, 1175 Camino Del Rio
money. I got a full ride in state and took full (and responsible) advantage of it. I assumed, my bad, that the funds my parents had for me would still be there for grad school or something. Nope. My little bro is applying for schools and they told him he had double the resources. So he’s applying to Stanford while I stuck to the Front Range. How screwy is this? Do I have any recourse?
– Mugged by My Parents
Dear Empty Pockets,
You have exactly one recourse, and you might have to be patient, but it’s a good one: Your kid brother now has full responsibility for caring for your parents in old age. You can tell them, “Oh! You didn’t use up your caregiver credits by age 50, so I rolled them over to Damian here. I’m sure you understand!” And then change your number and disappear forever.
– Cashed out, Rachel
Dear Rachel,
I miss the board games I grew up with, like Sorry and Parcheesi. Why are all of today’s board games so involved? My friends always bring over these new board games that require an hour and a half to get the hang of, which would be fine except we never return to it because we have more new games to try. How do I get my friends to hang out and
Donny Johnson plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Chuck Hank plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Leonard Davies “The Joys of Painting as a Pastime,” thru Feb. 28, 5-7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.
Tia Jean’s “Worlds I Carry” exhibit, thru Feb., Studio &’s Recess Gallery, 1027 Main Ave.
Dementia/Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group, 1st, 3rd & 5th Wed. of the month, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon, La Plata Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave.
Upcoming
Southwest Colorado Rocks Awards Ceremony, Thurs., Feb. 19, 5-8 p.m., Community Concert Hall at FLC
Cult Movie Night: “Office Space,” Thurs., Feb. 19, 6 p.m., Mancos Opera House, 136 Grand Ave.
Stand Up Comedy: Fresh & Seasoned Local
watch movies like normal people?
– Not Playing Games
Dear Conscientious Objector, Everyone always hated that one friend who wanted to turn every game into a strip version. (We all had that friend, right?) Maybe it’s your turn to be that friend. “Only if we turn it into Strip Wingspan!” you can suggest. You’re only in trouble if they go for it. But at least then you’ll find out if your friends believe in TP or not.
– Your turn, Rachel
Showcase, Thurs., Feb. 19, 6:30 p.m., Black Heron Lounge, 726 Main Ave.
Trivia Night, Thurs., Feb. 19, 6:30-8:30 p.m., The Powerhouse, 1333 Camino Del Rio
“Silent Sky,” the story of pioneering American astronomer Henrietta Leavitt, Thurs.-Fri., Feb. 19-20, 7-9 p.m., and Sun., Feb. 22, 2 p.m., Merely Underground, 789 Tech Center Dr.
Seeds of Success: Durango Farmers Market Summit, Fri., Feb. 20, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds
AARP Driver Safety Course, Fri., Feb. 20, 12 noon4 p.m., Pine River Library, 395 Bayfield Center Dr.
Association w/ Bean Minor Quintet, free concert, Fri., Feb. 20, 7 p.m., The Light Box, 1316 Main Ave., Ste. C
Indivisible Durango Meeting with U.S. Senate candidates Karen Breslin and Julie Gonzales, Sat., Feb. 21, 3-5 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
Cabin Fever Party with Farmington Hill, Sat., Feb. 21, 5-8:30 p.m., Ska Brewing, 255 Girard St.
Euchre, Sat., Feb. 21, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave. Feb. 12, 2026 n 13
FreeWillAstrology
by Rob Brezsny
ARIES (March 21-April 19): “The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them,” wrote Ernest Hemingway. I propose you experiment with his approach. Take a smart risk with people who have shown glimmers of reliability. Don’t indulge in reckless credulity, just courageous and discerning openness. Be vulnerable enough to discover what further connection might bloom if you lead with faith rather than suspicion. Your willingness to believe in someone’s better nature may help bring it forth.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus singer Barbra Streisand said that truly interesting intimacy became available for her only after she showed her allies her full array of selves, not just her shiny, polished side. I encourage you to experiment with the daring art of unfinished revelation. Let the people you care for witness you in the midst of becoming. Share your uncertainties, half-formed thoughts and works in progress. Your flaws may prove as endearing as your achievements.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Anaïs Nin wrote, “Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” This understanding of camaraderie should be at the heart of most Geminis’ destinies. It’s your birthright and potential superpower to seek connections that inspire you to think thoughts and feel feelings you would never summon by yourself. You have an uncanny knack for finding allies who help you unveil and express more of your total self. Now is a good time to tap into these blessings.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Poet David Whyte said that “heartbreak is unpreventable.” It’s “the natural outcome of caring for people and things over which we have no control.” But here’s the redemptive twist: Your capacity to feel heartbreak proves you have loved well. Your shaky aches are emblems of your courageous readiness to risk closeness and be deeply affected. So let’s celebrate your tender heart not despite its vulnerability but because of it. You should brandish your sensitivity as a superpower.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Choreographer Twyla Tharp said she fell in love with her husband partly because “he was the only person who didn’t seem impressed by me.” I will extrapolate from that to draw this
conclusion: Our most valuable allies might show their most rigorous respect by seeing us clearly. This Valentine season, test the hypothesis that being thoroughly known and understood is more crucial than being regularly praised and flattered. Enrich your connections with the souls who love you not for your highlight reel but for your raw, genuine self.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Author Anne Lamott confessed, “I thought such awful thoughts that I cannot even say them out loud because they would make Jesus want to drink gin straight out of the cat dish.” That’s a liberating insight. She revealed that even kind, caring people harbor messy internal chaos. I dare you to share a few of your less-than-noble thoughts with soulful characters whom you trust will love you no matter what. Let them see that your goodness coexists with your salty imperfections. Maybe you could even playfully highlight the rough and rugged parts of you for entertainment value to deepen spirited togetherness.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): How do we eagerly and daringly merge our fortunes with another person while maintaining our sovereign selfhood? How do we cultivate interesting togetherness without suppressing or diluting our idiosyncratic beauty? In some respects, this is a heroic experiment that seems almost impossible. In other respects, it’s the best work on the planet for anyone who’s brave enough to attempt it. Luckily for you Libras, this is potentially one of your superpowers. And now is an excellent time to take your efforts to the next level of heartful grittiness.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Carrie Bradshaw from the TV show “Sex and the City” once said: “The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you that you love, that’s fabulous.” I invite you to make this a prime meditation. To begin, get extra inspired by your own mysterious beauty: captivated by your own depths, fascinated by your mysterious contradictions and delighted by your urge for continual transformation. The next step is to identify allies who appreciate the strange magnificence you treasure in yourself, who devoutly want you to fulfill your genuine, idiosyncratic soul’s code. Spend the coming weeks enriching your connections with these people.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): This Valentine season, I propose that you infuse your intimate life with a fun dose of playful curiosity. Visualize your beloved allies, both current and potential, as unfolding mys-
teries rather than solved puzzles. Ask them provocative questions you’ve never thought to ask before. Wonder aloud about their simmering dreams and evolving philosophies. (Brezsny’s Togetherness Rule #1: When you think you’ve figured someone out completely, the relationship withers.) In fact, let’s make this one of your assignments for the next five months: Heighten and nurture your nosiness about the people you love. Treat each conversation as an expedition into unexplored territory. (Brezsny’s Togetherness Rule #2: A great way to stoke their passion for you and your passion for them is to believe there’s always more to discover about each other.)
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Ecologists studying symbiosis know that successful partnerships aren’t always between similar organisms. Some bonds link the fortunes of radically different creatures, like clownfish and sea anemones or oxpeckers and buffalo. Each supplies resources or protection the other lacks, often assuring they live more successfully together than they would on their own. This is useful information for you right now. At least one of the allies you need looks nothing like you. The blend may not be comfortable, but I bet it’s the precise intelligence you need to achieve what you can’t accomplish alone.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Poet Mary Oliver asked her readers, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” This Valentine season, I propose a collaborative version of this prod: Ask those you care for to help you answer Oliver’s question, and offer to help them answer it for themselves. Now is an excellent time to act on the truth that vibrant intimacy involves the two of you inspiring each other to fulfill your highest callings. Do whatever it takes to make both of you braver and bolder as you learn more about who you are meant to be.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Can you care for stressed people without making it your duty to rescue them? Can you offer support without being taken advantage of? I hope so, Pisces. Life is inviting you to be more skilled about expressing your love without compromising your own interests. How? First, offer affection without signing up for endless service. Second, don’t let your empathy blur into entanglement. Third, monitor your urge to care so it doesn’t weaken your sovereignty. Your gift for soothing others’ struggles evokes my deep respect, but it’s most effective when it’s subtle and relaxed. Give people room to carry out their own necessary work.
Deadline for Telegraph classified ads is Tuesday at noon.
Ads are a bargain at 10 cents a character with a $10 minimum.
Prepayment is required via cash, credit card or check. (Sorry, no refunds or substitutions.)
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Announcements
Valentine’s Day Dance at The American Legion Hall 878 E. 2nd Ave. Durango, Saturday February 14th 7 - 10 pm. More info www.nuages durango.com
Ready to make a difference close to home? The University of Denver GSSW Four Corners Program is now accepting applications for the 2026–2028 MSW cohort! Classes meet Fridays in Durango, so you can keep working while earning your MSW. Learn more at du.edu/socialwork/fourcorners. Change your community. Change your future. Start with DU!
Free
Beer Bottles – Free 8 cases, various sizes and types. Some flip tops. Clean and in very good condition. Ready to be refilled with good home brew. Call Peter 970-769-1244
ForSale
Classic Balance Mtn. Bike 26”, hardtail, aluminum frame, 24 gears — good shape. $300. 970-799-0285
Reruns Home Furnishings
Time to refresh your indoor space. Rolling wooden bar, nightstands, mirrors, lamps, cool artwork and lots more! Also looking to consign smaller pieces. 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 385-7336.
Wanted
Books Wanted at White Rabbit
Donate/Trade/Sell 970 259-2213
BodyWork
Massage by Meg Bush
LMT, 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-759-0199.
Classes/Workshops
Aikido Crash Course
Slow learner? Two left feet? Kind heart? Aikido may be your jam! Try the fast, fun $8 weekly crash course Mondays 5:30-615pm. Must register online: duran goaikido.com
Serving Durango over 30 years. Brad, 970-759-2869. Master Plbg Lic #179917
CommunityService
Applications Now Open for the 2026 Durango Farmers Market. Vendors can apply for the full regular season – including 2nd Saturdays on Main –or choose to apply for 2nd Saturdays only. Details and applications are available at: durangofarmers market.com.
Free Tax Preparation Services
VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) will again be preparing tax returns
for individuals and families with income less than $68,000. The service is free, held at the La Plata County Fairgrounds Extension Building on Mondays and Saturdays, Feb. 2 - April 13. Volunteer tax preparers are certified by the IRS. Appointments are required. For more information and to schedule an appointment, go to www.durangovita.org.
SW Community Justice Coalition
Support restorative justice in Southwest Colorado. In 2025, SCJC expanded community-based trainings and launched new pathways to promote healing-centered responses to harm. Learn more at southwestjustice.org or southwestjustice.org.
'Companion'
One of the rare times when I found myself rooting for robots to win – Lainie Maxson
Dog Fosters Needed Parker’s Animal Rescue needs foster families to provide temporary homes for rescued dogs. We supply crates, food, leashes, toys, support and vet visits. Apply at: parkersanimalrescue.com.
