2026-02

THE CRYSTAL VALLEY ECHO

February 2026 Free

& Marble Times

TheCrystalValleyEcho.com

Photograph from Ryan Kenney.

As the sun sets on an era with The Crystal Valley Echo, a new light rises. Tucker Farris stands ready to take the helm as the next steward of the valley’s stories. After years of shared headlines and heartbreaks, you’re invited to join us inside for a final reflection on our journey together, and a first look at the vision Farris brings to the Crystal Valley community.

Page 2 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • February 2026

February 2026 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • Page 3

A Meal with Art, Justice, and the Fight for Heritage From the Redstone Art Foundation The flickering glow of the silver screen is set to meet the rustic elegance of the Crystal River Valley this month as the Redstone Art Foundation and the historic Redstone Inn join forces to present an evening of high-stakes history and culinary indulgence.

On Saturday, February 7th, the Redstone Inn’s main dining room will transform into a theater of justice for the Foundation's first movie night of 2026. The featured film, "Woman in Gold," tells the gripping true story of resilience and the reclamation of a stolen legacy, starring Academy Award winner Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds.

Before the first frame of the film appears, guests will be treated to a vibrant Mexican-style buffet designed to warm the winter chill. The menu, crafted by the Redstone Inn’s culinary team, features a roasted, deseeded poblano pepper Chili Relleno, stuffed with fresh mozzarella, battered, fried, and smothered in a rich roasted tomato sauce. The spread also includes vegetable enchiladas topped with a vibrant green tomatillo sauce, accompanied by Mexican rice and beans, a fresh house salad, and dinner rolls. For those with a sweet tooth, the evening concludes with a choice of warm apple crisp or a decadent flourless chocolate cake.

The dinner, priced at $27.95 per person, serves as the prelude

to the cinematic main event, which is offered to the public at no cost.

"Woman in Gold" provides a poignant look at the intersection of art and identity, and follows Maria Altmann, an elderly Jewish refugee living in Los Angeles, Calif., who, decades after fleeing Nazi-occupied Vienna, embarks on a legal battle to recover her family’s possessions.

According to IMDb, Altmann "takes on the Austrian government to recover artwork she believes rightfully belongs to her family," specifically Gustav Klimt’s iconic masterpiece, "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I." The film dramatizes her journey alongside her young, inexperienced lawyer, E. Randol Schoenberg. Together, they navigate a landmark case that reaches the U.S. Supreme Court, challenging the Austrian government’s claim to a painting that had become a national treasure. As the narrative unfolds through a series of emotional flashbacks, the audience is transported back to wartime Vi-

enna, illustrating the profound personal loss behind the glittering gold leaf of Klimt’s work.

The evening is designed to offer more than just entertainment; it's also an opportunity for the community to engage with the mission of the Redstone Art Foundation, which works to promote and encourage the arts throughout the Crystal River Valley.

Doors will open for two dinner seatings, the first at 5 p.m. and the second at 5:30 p.m., with the movie commencing promptly at 6:15 p.m.

Seating for this popular event is limited, and organizers expect a full house. Residents and visitors looking to secure a spot for this "Meal with Art, Justice and the Fight for Heritage" must make a reservation by Wednesday, February 4th. Reservations can be made by calling the Redstone Inn at (970) 963-2526.

LIMITED WEEKENDS LEFT FOR SUMMER & FALL EVENTS

You Are Welcome Here A Gathering Place for All Family Reunions | Weddings | Conventions Retreats | Community Events

Call to Book Your Event

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Page 4 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • February 2026

Wilderness Workshop’s Naturalist Nights Series Returns

From Wilderness Workshop resilience of old-growth pinyon-juniper forests to reimagining the West’s water future and more.

This month’s lectures include:

Douglas Fir Beetle in the Roaring Fork Watershed: Current Conditions and Future Outlook with Dr. Dan West • Wednesday, March 4th, 6 - 7 p.m. at the Third Street Center • Thursday, March 5th, 6 - 7 p.m. at Hallam Lake

Life After Dead Pool: Lake Powell’s Last Days and the Rebirth of the Colorado River with Zak Podmore • Wednesday, February 4th, 6 - 7 p.m. at the Third Street Center • Thursday, February 5th, 6 - 7 p.m. at Hallam Lake

The Thursday night lectures will be available to watch on the Wilderness Workshop YouTube page after the event. More information, along with event registration, can be found on the Wilderness Workshop website, www. wildernessworkshop.org, under the events tab.

Sagebrush-Obligate Birds in Western Colorado: Unexpected Patterns and New Discoveries with Dr. Brett Walker • Wednesday, February 18th, 6 - 7 p.m. at the Third Street Center

We hope you’ll join us for another season of learning, building community, and, of course, our famous cookies and tea!

Presentations are on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. at the Community Hall in Carbondale’s Third Street Center and Thursdays at 6 p.m. at ACES’ Hallam Lake in Aspen.

The above photograph of a songbird is by Brett Walker and provided by Wilderness Workshop.

Wilderness Workshop and partners are proud to announce the return of the popular Naturalist Nights series for 2026, and we couldn’t be more excited for this season’s speakers.

Each winter, our Naturalist Nights

speaker series features experts who explore topics of the natural world with our community in partnership with the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) and the Roaring Fork Audubon. This year’s diverse topics range from the ecological

• Thursday, February 19th, 6 - 7 p.m. at Hallam Lake

PRESENTED BY THE REDSTONE ART FOUNDATION

The Crystal Valley Echo

MOVIE NIGHT & DINNER

& 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 AND ADVERTISING SALES Gentrye Houghton gentryeh@hotmail.com

A Meal with Art, Justice and the Fight for Heritage

FIRST 2026 MOVIE NIGHT

Join us for a special dinner and screening of the Woman in Gold.

It’s a powerful true story about resilience, the pursuit of justice, and a woman’s battle to recover her family’s legacy.

DATE

The chefs from the Redstone Inn a special dish for the evening that promises to be absolutely delicious! The movie will follow the dinner seatings.

Dinner Seating at 5:00 or 5:30 with Movie at 6:15pm

Sixty years after fleeing Nazi-occupied Vienna, Maria Altmann (Academy Award winner Helen Mirren) takes on the Austrian government to recover Gustav Klimt’s iconic masterpiece, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I. Alongside her lawyer (Ryan Reynolds), Maria’s journey leads from the galleries of Europe to a landmark case at the U.S. Supreme Court.

reds ne a FOUNDATION

Saturday, February 7, 2026

TIME

LOCATION

Redstone Inn, Main Dining Room

COST

$27.95 per person + taxes & tip Movie is Free

MAKE YOUR RESERVATION

Call the Redstone Inn at 970-963-2526 by Wednesday, February 4th

Learn More at Redstoneartfoundation.org PROMOTING AND ENCOURAGING THE ARTS IN THE CRYSTAL RIVER VALLEY

CONTRIBUTORS DJ Sugar Monkey Amber McMahill

DISTRIBUTION AND LAYOUT DESIGN Ryan Kenney The Crystal Valley Echo is published monthly, and is distributed throughout the Crystal Valley.

NEWSPAPER BOX LOCATIONS: Third Street Center • Village Smithy Carbondale Post Office • Carbondale Park & Ride The Marble Hub • Redstone General Store

www.thecrystalvalleyecho.com

February 2026 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • Page 5

Echoes of Life: Diane Owens From Gentrye Houghton my porch.

My husband and I first found ourselves in Diane’s orbit years ago, and she quickly became an integral part of our lives. She could regularly be found sitting on our stoop, holding court, and prioritizing those grins and giggles above all else. She was immensely proud of her father, a man of conviction who once fought orders to perform excessive bombing raids during the Vietnam War. That streak of rebellion and moral clarity ran deep in Diane.

Photograph from Janelle Sohner.

Grins and giggles with Diane Owens, February 10th, 1945 - January 26th, 2026.

Redstone has always been a place where the veil between the rugged wild and the human spirit feels thin, but on January 26th, 2026, the valley lost a woman who didn’t just live within that magic, she commanded it.

Diane Owens, our local enchantress, self-proclaimed hermit, and the undisputed heart of the Crystal River Valley, lost her battle with cancer in Glenwood Springs, Colo., leaving behind a legacy written in laughter, ancient history, and just a little bit of glorious mischief.

To know Diane was to be part of a continuous pursuit of what she called "grins and giggles." She was a woman of layers: A military brat who attended 14 different schools, a former elementary teacher with a rare gift for seeing the unseen, and a political firebrand who believed that voting, not bellyaching, was the duty of every soul. Born on February 10th, 1945, in Great Falls, Montana, to James West Hitchcock, a legendary WWII Flying Tiger pilot, and Carol Hansel Hitchcock, Diane’s life was a grand, wandering map that eventually, and thankfully, led her to

She often shared stories of her girlhood on military bases, and particularly in Japan, where she lived for five formative years. In one of my favorite tales, she and a friend decided to rearrange the detour signs and cones on the base, simply because they thought it would be funny. They hadn’t realized those signs outlined the course for regular military drills; the resulting mass chaos the following morning, apparently, was legendary. Diane didn’t fess up to her father until she was in her 20s, but by then, he found it as hilarious as she did. She would always beam when she reached the end of that story, still delighting in the idea of amusing him across the decades.

Her life was a series of these vibrant, cinematic moments. After marrying into the Air Force herself, she moved her family to the Shenandoah Valley.

While awaiting housing, the family — Diane, her husband, four children, several dogs, and a cat or two — lived in tents. In a moment of pure slapstick tragedy, one of the dogs was sprayed by a skunk. One of her boys tried to save the dog, only to be sprayed himself, and soon the entire family was encased in a debacle of stink.

Without a way to bathe in their tent

setup, Diane talked her husband into renting a room at a nearby Holiday Inn. She then proceeded to clean out the base commissary of every single can of tomato juice they had, and snuck the family, along with the dogs and cats, through the back door and into the room for a mass tomato-juice dousing. By checkout the next morning, the juice had stained the room so thoroughly that Diane joked, "We left behind what appeared to be quite the massacre, and we could never return to a Holiday Inn ever again." She always lit up at that punchline, her eyes sparkling with the memory of the absurdity.

In Redstone, Diane was more than a neighbor; she was a beacon. As her neighbor Dan Sohner beautifully put it: “Diane was more of a hub for the community or a community in her own right; her home was an escape for a lot of people... her house was the place where most of the Redstone kids felt free. That was the place where they could go to dream and just be kids.”

She pushed those children to be goofy kids while simultaneously teaching them to think critically, and, in the process, helped them define their own normal.

She was a woman of deep, mystical passions. Her first was genealogy, a craft she treated with the precision of a scholar and the intuition of a seer.

Her daughter, Jennifer Mertz, joked that Diane was the “Dominos Pizza of genealogy, give her two names and dates and she could have your history in 30 minutes or less.” She believed everyone should know their history, and she spent her life making those stories come alive. She took her children on "cultural crusades," wandering through old cemeteries on genealogy missions that were adventures in disguise.

Diane even helped me unearth my own family’s legacy, handing me four large binders that confirmed rumors and revealed a tie to the first female American best-selling author. For Diane, genealogy wasn’t just about names on a page; it was about understanding who we are as individuals and as a country. She worked with various boards, including the Redstone Historical Society, ensuring that the stories of the past wouldn’t be silenced by the passing of time.

Then there was her "witchy" side. Diane was a lover of magic, a collector of stories, and strays. She was famous for her sharp sense of humor and a collection of hats, which she was almost always wearing. Her neighbor Stephanie Helfenbein recalls the playful warning of her spirit: “You didn’t want her to take out her broom... we loved her very much and will miss looking out the window wondering what the heck she was up to next.”

Diane’s political activism was its own kind of magic. She marched on Washington for women’s rights and, every Fourth of July, she would transform into a suffragette, donning her costume and handing out pocket constitutions during the Redstone Parade. She was a firm believer in being an active participant in democracy, and not a sideliner.

However, perhaps her greatest gift was her presence. Janelle noted that as a former teacher, Diane had a “rare gift for making everyone feel seen, heard, and valued. She was proudly engaged in political and community activism and never missed an opportunity to encourage the next generation to be involved, curious, and outspoken. To our family, she was also a bonus grandparent and was generous with her time,

Continued on the next page.

2026 Meeting Schedule

Starting at 6 p.m.

The Marble Town Council meets on the first Thursday of each month starting at 6 p.m. in the Marble Community Church’s Fellowship Hall.

Town of Marble meetings are open to the public.

February March April

Agendas can be found prior to each meeting by visiting

www.townofmarble.com

5TH 5TH 2ND

Page 6 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • February 2026

Echoes of Owens Continued. her wisdom, and her love. Through her passion for genealogy, she even helped us discover our children’s names, a gift that will stay with us forever.“ Her best friend, Charlotte Graham Whitney, described their bond as a real-life "Grace & Frankie" duo: “We've been best pals who held each other’s wellbeing in highest regard through to the end. It was uncanny how we were so very different in the details of our lives and backgrounds; yet, we found common ground in our earlier life travels, and our spiritual and societal values.”

Diane didn't just show up for grins and giggles; she was present during the hard parts, too. When my husband went through a difficult medical journey, Diane would sit on our porch with him, offering comfort without judgment, simply existing as a pillar of community support. When I fell ill one winter, she texted me every single day and dropped care packages on my doorstep: Soup, medication, and York peppermint patties. If it hadn’t been for her nurturing, I don’t think I would have eaten at all during that week.

She lived by her own rules, including the famous 10-2 rule: If it wasn't fun and easy between those hours of the

day, she wasn't doing it. Her daughter Jennifer reflects that Diane's biggest accomplishment was “doing the best she could for what she was given.” She was a mother who turned tent-living into a legend and genealogy into a crusade.

Diane was preceded in death by her father, James West Hitchcock; her mother, Carol Hansel Hitchcock; her brother, Robert Hitchcock; her ex-husband, Paul Robert Owens; and her son, Robert Allen Owens. She leaves behind her sons, Rob, Sean, and Michael, and her daughter, Jennifer Mertz of Glenwood Springs, along with a community that feels a little less bright without her porch-side stories.

We will celebrate the life of this extraordinary woman during the warmer months in Redstone, when the wildflowers are in bloom, and the magic of the valley is at its peak.

Diane was a collector of souls, a keeper of histories, and a relentless pursuer of joy. We will miss her smiles, her well-timed jokes, and even the threat of her broom, but mostly, we will miss the way she made our little corner of the world feel like a place where anything, even a 30-minute history of your entire bloodline, was possible. Rest well, Diane. We’ll keep the grins and giggles going for you.

Powers Art Center Upcoming Events Senior Stroll February 6TH

Spotlight Tour February 18TH

Starting at 11:30 a.m., join us for a guided tour around our museum.

Afterwards, spend time in the Learning Lab for a guided art making activity inspired by artist Frank Stella.

No sign-up required.

Starting at 11:30 a.m., join us for a special, guided tour with guest curator Jessica Eisenthal, who will go in-depth on her curation of our newest exhibition, Jasper Johns: A whole can be only a part. No sign-up required.

Artful Story Hour February 7TH

Curator Talk February 19TH

Every first Saturday of the month, dive into a themed story and craft, all while surrounded by the colorful artworks at the Powers Art Center.

Starting at 11 a.m., no sign-up required.

Powers Art Center welcomes guest curator Jessica Eisenthal to speak on her work curating our new exhibition, Jasper Johns: A whole can be only a part, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Please visit our website’s calendar page for registration.

13110 Highway 82 Carbondale, CO 81623

powersartcenter.org (970) 963-4445

February 2026 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • Page 7

PitCo Updates Wildfire Mitigation Codes to Align with New State Standards From Pitkin County For residents of Pitkin County, the rugged beauty of the surrounding valley comes with a persistent, flickering shadow: The threat of wildfire. For two decades, the County has relied on a set of regulations to keep homes and landscapes safe, but as the climate shifts and state standards evolve, those rules are receiving a makeover.

County officials are currently undertaking a significant overhaul of local wildfire regulations, a move designed to align Pitkin’s Land Use and Building Codes with the new Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (CWRC).

While the County has long been a leader in fire mitigation, the state began the process last summer to align all local governments with these new model standards.

“Wildfire risk is an ongoing threat in our region,” said Nicole Rebeck-Stout, Deputy Director of Pitkin County Community Development. “With the State model code, we have an oppor-

SQC

tunity to take a look at our 20-year-old regulations and update them to the most current mitigation guidance.”

The push for modernization began in earnest last month. On January 20th, the Board of County Commissioners held a work session to kick off the review, which was followed by a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting to dissect the proposed amendments.

The county also spent the tail end of last month opening the floor to the public and held a virtual community webinar to walk residents through the nuances of the structure hardening and defensible space jargon that often populates these policy shifts.

For those who missed the initial sessions, the window for engagement remained open into the beginning of this month. On Tuesday, February 3rd, the county hosts its final round of optional, 20-minute one-on-one sessions via Zoom. These private slots allow

Sober Queer Club

supportive Community of sober LQBTQIA+ folks & allies

homeowners and developers to ask staff specific questions about how the changes might affect their own acreage or upcoming projects.

County has decided against requiring tempered glass in high-hazard areas, a move intended to spare residents from the high costs of window upgrades.

The proposed updates aren't a total teardown of the current system; rather, they are a series of targeted tweaks aimed at safety and common sense.

One key change involves driveways.

Under the new guidance, which is also consistent with Colorado State Forest Service advice, defensible space requirements around driveways will be tightened to ensure emergency responders can safely enter and exit properties during a blaze.

The clock is now ticking toward final approval, and the BOCC is scheduled for a first reading and public hearing on February 25th, followed by the second reading and continued public hearing that's slated for March 25th.

Other updates address the reality of Pitkin’s vertical geography, offering better guidance for properties on steep slopes. However, it’s not all about tightening the rules; the update also offers more flexibility. Homeowners in moderate and severe hazard areas will see an expanded list of approved structural materials. Furthermore, the

If the schedule holds, the new codes will take effect in late April or early May, just in time for the start of the 2026 building season. Residents looking to schedule a one-on-one session for February 3rd or view recordings of last month’s webinar can find links and materials on the Pitkin County website, www.pitkincounty.com.

A NOTE FROM OUR EDITOR,

GENTRYE HOUGHTON:

For years, you’ve read my work and the stories I’ve edited in these pages. Now, I’m sharing my more personal reflections in a new weekly email column. It’s a space for the stories behind the stories, on nature, adventure, and finding clarity in a noisy world.

Point your phone's camera below to subscribe.

Every 1st & 3rd Saturday at 5:30 PM The Meeting Place 981 Cowen Dr. Carbondale

@soberqueerclub

A free weekly column emailed directly to you; subscribe by visiting:

THETRAILWITHIN. SUBSTACK.COM

Page 8 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • February 2026

On the Cover: Finding True North, Houghton Says Farewell to The Echo

By Gentrye Houghton There was a time when my life’s compass was calibrated to a single, immutable north: Movement. It was a principle I forged in childhood, a quiet vow made while observing a life of quiet desperation. I decided then that my own story would be one worth telling, a narrative etched in the dust of far-flung roads, not the monotonous groove of a daily commute.

I first landed in this valley in 2013. I was a mere budding traveler then, my Chacos still caked with the dust of elsewhere. I found work waiting tables at the Crystal Club Café, my sandal resting on the bar’s brass footstool as I watched the afternoon light filter through the windows.

It was there that I met Sue McEvoy. Redstone’s darling was sitting at the bar, drinking an afternoon glass of white wine and collecting the till from the day’s Castle Tour tickets. When she learned I had a background in journalism, she handed me her card for The Crystal Valley Echo.

McEvoy had a preternatural knack for drawing people in and seeing their talents, pulling them into the community’s fabric. Because of her, I began providing submissions in a limited capacity, as a writer and photographer weaving in and out of the high country, returning for the seasonal paycheck.

Yet, the siren song of the road became so loud that I could no longer ignore it, and in 2015, my partner and I built that promise of movement into the very bones of a 28-foot school bus. It was a steel-and-rubber vessel for a life measured in experience, not square footage. That life had its own sensory symphony. Freedom was the low, resonant rumble of the diesel engine vibrating up through the soles of my feet. It was the percussive rattle of our tin coffee cups in the cupboard as we rounded a sharp corner on a mountain pass. It tasted of grit and frozen pizzas and the clean, metallic tang of icy water from a backcountry stream. It smelled of campfire smoke woven into the fabric of my favorite sunshirt.

Some of you may still remember that for a few years, we lived entirely on the wind, returning to the valley for the summers, working and reconnecting, before the first frost signaled it was time to move again. Yet, a life of constant instability eventually wears you down and can grind you to a halt. The relentless calculus of fuel costs and the search for a safe place to park for the night began to erode the passion that had initially propelled us. By 2018, the exhilarating freedom had started to fray at the edges, revealing a deeper truth: I was a person who had not

After assuming leadership of The Crystal Valley Echo, Gentrye Houghton sits atop the first printed copies she produced in September 2019. Photograph by Ryan Kenney.

February 2026 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • Page 9

True North Continued. yet learned to be comfortable in the profound stillness of my own soul.

Our decision to finally lay down roots in this tiny mountain hamlet was not a surrender, but a conscious, deliberate trade. We came seeking a new equilibrium. I moved through this community in a collection of roles: A friendly face behind a bar, a pair of healing hands in a quiet massage room, a storyteller leading trail rides. Then, in 2019, an opportunity fell into my lap.

The Crystal Valley Echo was started in 2003 by Alyssa Ohnmacht, funded through a grant from the Marble Charter School. For over 16 years, Ohnmacht captured the ebbs and flows of the Crystal River. When she signaled it was time for her to move on to other projects, I made an offer. Buying the local chronicle wasn't a calculated business decision; it was a quiet leap of faith. It became the crucible in which my character was forged.

To become the keeper of a community’s stories is a profound and dizzying honor. I became a public figure here not by seeking a title, but by being present.

My daily walks with my dog became my moving office, a confessional booth on legs. The sound of my trail runners on the Coal Basin Road would be met with the familiar rumble of a pickup

truck slowing down, a window rolling down, and a head leaning out, “Gentrye, you won’t believe this…”

In this role, I found a voice I didn't know I possessed. I became an integral member of a community where gossip is more than currency, but neighbors confided their deepest fears and asked for advice on navigating the complex systems that govern our lives. Through this, I learned the power — and the absolute necessity — of involvement in the democratic system.

I was invited into rooms I never dreamed I’d witness. I sat in meetings with governmental officials, including federal representatives, watching the gears of power turn from a front-row seat. I saw how a single voice, backed by the weight of a community's trust, could act as a fulcrum for change. The responsibility was a weight I learned to carry in my marrow.

It was in those solitary moments, often under the pale blue glow of my monitor at 2 a.m., that I discovered the true quality of my integrity. I took calculated risks, publishing stories that were vital for the public to know, even if they threatened the financial bottom line.

I learned that my primary obligation would always be to the reader. In those crucibles of choice, the insecure person who first arrived in 2013 burned away.

She was replaced by someone stronger,

Are you curious about the Crystal River Wild & Scenic and Other Alternatives Committee?

For information, including minutes and webinars, visit: thecrystalvalleyecho.com/wild-scenic­stakeholder

someone who had been tested and had not bent.

I have watched this community redefine itself over and over again. I’ve seen it weather grief, celebrate hard-won victories, and adapt to the changing seasons of the high country. Now, I am taking a page from that very book. I am choosing to reinvent myself once again.

I am immensely grateful for the leadership I found here, but in the process, I traded away pieces of my spirit that I am now ready to reclaim. This departure is not an escape, but a reclamation.

Last fall, my husband and I purchased a 1980 Defever 48 motor yacht, currently docked in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington. Our intention is to live aboard and travel full-time. The anchor has been pulled, and I'm ready to feel the swell of the open sea and reincorporate the thrill of movement, but this time, I carry with me the wisdom and self-knowledge I gained in the shadow of these mountains.

It is my privilege to introduce the man who will carry this legacy forward: Tucker Farris.

Farris is a fifth-generation local whose roots in the Crystal Valley go deeper than the piñons and junipers of Prince Creek. He is a scholar with a PhD in sociology, a weekly late-night community radio DJ, and a man who understands

that it takes a village.

In a beautiful, full-circle moment of cosmic symmetry, Farris’ path also began with Sue McEvoy, a story in which he will share with you in the following pages.

Farris is a man of this soil, and I firmly believe the residents of the Crystal River Valley are in capable, dedicated hands. He understands that this newspaper is not solely a commercial venture, but a community treasure. In the words of my late, dear friend, Diane Owens, this publication functions with a foundation in "community, not commodity."

As I prepare to head toward the Pacific, I feel a rising tide of exhilarating anticipation. For the first time in nearly a decade, my primary responsibility will be to the story waiting to be written within me.

To all of you who are reading this, the community and my neighbors of the Crystal River Valley: Thank you for the gift of this discovery. Thank you for trusting me with your stories, your secrets, and your history; it has been the honor of my life, thus far. By telling your stories, I found my own, and I cannot wait to see what my own voice has to say about the trail within.

Page 10 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • February 2026

Letter from the [New] Editor Dear readers of The Crystal Valley Echo, It is with great pride that I am writing these words as my first introduction to each of you as I take over the operations of The Echo from Gentrye Houghton. My name is Tucker Farris; I am a fifth-generation local of the Crystal Valley, and so I am very aware of how special The Echo is to each of us who call this wonderful place home. I’m also very aware of the monumental responsibility placed on my shoulders with this undertaking, and want to assure you all that I do not take this assignment lightly, nor have I done so as any kind of commercial venture.

As we are all aware, local, independent publications like The Echo are cornerstones of our communities here, and this is a legacy that I plan to continue cherishing as I begin the work as your new editor-in-chief.

To introduce myself further, I grew up outside Carbondale, Colo., among the piñons and junipers of Prince Creek. I attended Carbondale Community School and Roaring Fork High School before stepping beyond the valley for college, a route that eventually led me to complete a PhD in sociology at the University of Victoria in British Columbia. Throughout my schooling adventures, our valley has always been my home, my port in the storm, the place that my heart has always felt most at ease. The communities here have always embodied the sense of “it takes a village to raise a child” in my eyes, where in growing up here, so many of you aided me in some way or another on my journeys. For this, I have been and always will be grateful in ways words cannot express.

Redstone Senior Days

At the Redstone Inn | RSVP: (970)920-5432

FEBRUARY 10 & 24

11:00 a.m. – Yoga ($5)

When I returned home in 2022, I slowly became more involved in various projects and groups that were and continue to be very important to me. I stepped back into the KDNK station that I had grown up in, and I have been very thankful to be our regular weekly latenight classic rock DJ (11 p.m. — 1 a.m. every Sunday). Last year, I was invited to join the Redstone Historical Society, where I have been very proud to have helped with our recent project to purchase and convert a cottage along the Boulevard into a new history museum for Redstone. Being so involved in the Historical Society has meant rediscovering my love for Redstone and the Crystal Valley, and ever since I have been back, the welcome and kindness of Redstone has kindled within me a deep love of this community, our history, and all of you.

In my decision to take over The Echo, I have thought extensively about what it means to our community to have this space to share our voices, to be informed, and to keep a journal of our time here. Before I reached out to Houghton to inquire, I asked my grandmother, Dorothea Farris, for her advice, as I have done so for many steps in life. She encouraged me to pursue it, speaking of her deep love of Redstone and the Crystal River Valley, and fondly of her time helping to run The Valley Journal

back in the day.

It is my primary goal to preserve the community treasure that is The Echo and take inspiration from past custodians, Alyssa Ohnmacht and Houghton, to ensure that we continue to share and grow together. In the coming months, I plan to hopefully expand The Echo in terms of published content, to include new writers and voices, and artists and photographers in the magic of a local newspaper. There will not be any major or drastic changes, The Echo remains dedicated to our original mission statement: “To provide a voice for Crystal Valleyites; to bring attention to the individuals and local businesses that are the fabric of the Crystal Valley region; and to contribute to the vitality of our small town life.”

My earliest memory of The Echo comes from my sophomore year of high school at RFHS, where, in a photography class we were assigned to photograph Redstone’s winter art scene. My grandparents took me up the river that weekend, and we walked up and down the Boulevard. I listened to stories from my grandfather about hauling logs up to Coal Basin, and my grandmother showed me the cottage she lived in when she first moved to the valley in

FALL IN LOVE WITH A GOOD READ Your local home for all the books you love from romance to hiking.

With Anna Raphael. Open to all ages and abilities.

12:00 p.m. – Lunch ($10)

RSVP by noon the Friday prior – space is limited.

Plated lunch served. Gluten-free option available.

12:45 p.m. – Program • February 10: Candle-Making

Join Nicole Farrell in a fun winter craft project.

Each participant will create 2 candles to bring home. Space is limited, sign up required. It will take a couple of hours for the candles to set. You can either wait and bring them home or return to pick them up the following day.

• February 24: Hotel Jerome History

The Hotel Jerome was the center of community life in Aspen dating back to 1889. Enjoy a historical slideshow and learn fascinating facts with Christi Couch from The Aspen Historical Society.

WANT TO BE KEPT IN THE LOOP?

Send us your email address: (970) 920-5432 • seniors@pitkincounty.com

65B N. 2ND ST. CARBONDALE 970-340-4503 | @whiteriverbooks

OPEN Tues-Sat: 10-5, Sun: 10-2, Mon: Closed

February 2026 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • Page 11

[New] Editor Continued. . . the 1950s to teach English at Carbondale Union High School. As we walked back to the historic Redstone Inn for a hot chocolate, my grandmother asked me if I would like to see The Castle, since she had worked with Ken Johnson for some time up there; she knew the building like the back of her hand.

A quick call up the road from The Inn and she and I were whisked together up the drive in the horse-drawn sleigh. We stopped at the gate and walked the rest of the way to the courtyard to meet the warm greetings of Sue McEvoy standing under the archway. What followed was a solo walk through the grand estate with my grandmother as she pointed to all the details and showed me the closet that was once her bookkeeper’s office. When we left a few hours later, Sue handed me her business card for The Crystal Valley Echo and asked that I submit a few photos. I did, and that was the first time I had ever been published anywhere.

strong reverence for the people who have been here in this valley for me as I have grown up, and in this moment of coming full-circle back to The Echo, I do so with a continued dedication to my communities and to all of you who have helped me along life’s journey.

It is also my solemn pride to dedicate my tenure at The Echo to Sue McEvoy, whose dedication to Redstone and the Crystal Valley was unmatched, and whose kindness in that one moment all those years ago has led me back home again.

Finally, I want to thank each and every one of you who reads The Echo, who cares about the work we do, and who cherish this treasure as much as I do. It would not be possible to write a local newspaper without the locals, and so as I move into this role, please know that I do so with infinite gratitude to each of you for your past, present, and future support.

Sincerely, Tucker D. Farris Editor-in-Chief The Crystal Valley Echo

This memory has stayed with me all these years, and I am proud to take on the responsibility of The Echo so that I can continue the tradition of creating that very special kind of reality wherein one’s voice has a platform to be heard. I have always felt a very

G N I D L I U REB TONE’S S D E R R O O D T E N G O D I R R B F DSTONE DATE RE JECT UP PRO

The Redstone South Bridge replacement begins construction in mid-February 2026, with the bridge closing in early March. The result will be a safer, more resilient and longer-lasting connection for the community with new bike and pedestrian facilities.

This hand-drawn portrait serves as a visual record of Farris’s time spent in France, reflecting Ondrea Vicklund’s signature focus on presence and the human form.

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Detours and updates: pitkincounty.com/RedstoneSouth-Bridge-Replacement Marketing & Graphic Design in Redstone, Colorado 970-718-5848 | ElephantMountainCreative.com

Page 12 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • February 2026

Redstone Historical Society's Vintage Valley:

Redstone Booms and Busts: 1956 – 1992

by Deb Strom

Frank Kistler at the piano. Photograph from the Sue McEvoy collection.

By 1956, Frank Kistler, having sold off his assets, including the Hotel Colorado and Glenwood Hot Springs Pool, purchased the Redstone Inn, Redstone Castle, and surrounding acreage with 30 silent partners. His stepson, Tony Antonides, a trained architect, moved to Redstone with his family to head the design of Kistler’s Grand Redstone Resort. Antonides’ signature was on the entire resort, with its ski area, a nine-hole golf course on the Castle lawn, two subdivisions, and several Swiss-style chalet homes for second homeowners.

The Castle’s 155-acre parcel redevelopment included a nine-hole golf course on the estate’s lawn as well as on the west side of the Crystal River. A subdivision was established on “the Mesa,” formerly the Osgood Game Preserve, with a few Swiss-style summer resort homes surrounding a planned, but never developed, additional nine holes for the golf course.

All content sponsored and provided by the Redstone Historical Society.

A centerpiece of the resort was the Redstone Inn expansion that doubled the size of the dining room and added the infamous Moosehead Saloon on the first floor in what is now the Lady Bountiful room. On the second floor and lower level, 12 more lodging accommodations were added.

A glass enclosed pool complex was constructed on the south lawn on the footprint of the Inn’s current summer canopy. Always flamboyant, Antonides and his wife, Flo, were at the hub of Redstone’s social life and were instrumental in the revival of Redstone from a boarded-up ghost town into a thriving community, and Kistler himself was the financier and promoter.

Country Ski Area), Dave House and Bill Whitman (The Whitman House), Ken Johnson (Redstone Castle), and Ann Van Dis (Redstone Inn).

Coats and ties for men and dresses for women were required to dine in the Inn’s formal dining room, all entreés were served tableside “under cover’ and Frank Kistler would visit each table personally and ask about their meals and, of course, do a little promotion of his “Country Club” and the availability of home sites and memberships. Unfortunately, Kistler died in 1960, just four years into his Grand Resort plan.

Meanwhile, Redstone was again a coal town when Mid-Continent reopened the Coal Basin mine in 1956. In the next two decades, Mid-Continent would grow due to the demand from the Korean war and then the Vietnam war. The mine expanded to six portals, and Mid-Continent removed 28 million tons of the high-grade bituminous coal over the next 35 years, compared to one ton during the CF&I period, from 1899 to 1909.

Notably, between Mid-Continent’s Redstone Coal Basin mine, running up to three shifts per day, and its Castle Creek Iron Ore operation, it was the largest employer in Pitkin County.

Without his leadership, the partnership slowly dissolved. The properties were sold off individually, the golf course closed, and the ski area, failing United States Forest Service certification, only operated for a single winter. The Redstone Inn faced several failed managements and was sent spiraling into severe disrepair. Although the expansion projects were performed rather swiftly, much of the workmanship from the 1950’s was pretty shoddy.

In 1971, both the Castle and Redstone Inn were auctioned off at the Pitkin County Courthouse to James Denman of Missouri for $631,410. Locals recall truckloads of valuables being carted off by the Denman group. Other than the Inn’s Bar, now decorated with a saddle and cowboy gear catering to the growing miner crowd, it was pretty quiet.

Kevin Kelly rolled into the township to develop their outdoor program, but little came of it.

A nine-hole golf course was built on the Castle acreage with vacation homes surrounding, and another nine holes were planned on “the mesa” (aka Crystal River Park subdivision) for the west side of the Crystal River. Photograph from the McCormick collection.

On the upside, bargain property prices brought new young blood to the village, including Sylvia and Bob Morrison (The Nostalgia Shop), Clark Cretti and Bob McCormick (Redstone Cross

Ann Van Dis and Evertt Irwin purchased the Redstone Inn in 1976 from James Denman. Van Dis said that Denman’s young daughters were “attempting to run the Inn, but it was mostly shut down other than the bar.” She had been a star performer in Aspen’s legendary Crystal Palace Dinner Theater and used her marketing and musical talent to revive the Inn’s reputation. But, with 16 years of deferred maintenance, it was both physically and financially challenging.

In 1979, Mid-Continent saved the Redstone Inn from ruin by purchasing it for cash and closing the building in 1981 for a two-year top-down renovation. They reopened it just in time to face the bust years of the mining economy. On April 15th, 1981, 15 miners tragically died during a mining methane explosion, followed by the 1982 bust of Colorado’s Oil Shale economy. Mid-Continent reached a management agreement with the John F. Gilmore limited partnership in 1988 to operate the Redstone Inn and consummated the sale in 1989. Mid-Continent declared bankruptcy just three short years later, ending the mining legacy of Coal Basin.

Author Deb Strom is the treasurer of the Redstone Historical Society and was the General Manager and partner of the Redstone Inn from 1989 – 2008.

The Redstone Historical Society

WANTS YOU to join us!

Valentine’s Day reminds us to cherish what matters most.

For us, that’s Colorado and the people who call it home. When you bank with Alpine, you’re supporting a community-focused bank that reinvests in the neighborhoods we all love.

www.historyredstone.org historyredstone@gmail.com Member FDIC

February 2026 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • Page 13

From Blueprints to Brushes: Doug Graybeal to Speak at Joy & Wylde From the Redstone Art Foundation ephemeral pursuit: the "mystical qualities" of water, pigment, and light.

On February 13th starting at 4 p.m., Joy & Wylde, the Redstone Gallery, will host an artist talk featuring Graybeal, who will pull back the curtain on his transition from the drafting table to the easel. The event offers a rare glimpse into the creative evolution of a man who spent 25 years leading his own architectural practice before surrendering to the freer flowing art of watercolor and pastels.

For decades, Doug Graybeal’s world was defined by the uncompromising precision of the hard line. As an award-winning architect and principal of a nationally recognized firm, his career was built on the steady hand required for sustainable design and structural integrity.

But these days, Graybeal is trading the rigid geometry of blueprints for a more

Graybeal’s journey to the canvas is a classic Colorado story. After graduating with an architecture degree, he arrived in the state for a single winter of skiing and simply never left. While his professional life was dedicated to the built environment, his later years have been defined by a fascination with the natural one.

Despite having no formal artistic training, Graybeal has ascended to the rank of Master Signature Member of the Pastel Society of Colorado. His sig-

nature style is a technical marriage of opposites, a dance, if you will, between the unpredictable and the defined.

"With watercolors, you have to go with the flow and let the mediums determine the outcome, working with the surprises," Graybeal said of his process.

His works typically begin with a watercolor underpainting, a fluid layer that establishes the tone, values, and atmospheric mystique of a piece. Once the water has settled, Graybeal introduces the vibrancy of pastels. This secondary layer acts as a structural guide, defining critical elements and supporting characters within the frame. It is here that his architectural roots whisper through, providing the focus and definition that anchor the ethereal watercolor wash.

The upcoming talk is designed to be as much a social gathering as an educational one. Attendees are invited to mingle with local artists and explore Graybeal’s work hanging on the gallery walls while enjoying wine, snacks, and perhaps a bit of chocolate.

The atmosphere at the cozy Joy & Wylde is expected to be informal, reflecting Graybeal’s own philosophy of taking advantage of the unique qualities of each medium to capture a fleeting moment in time.

Graybeal, who also teaches at the Art Base in Basalt, Colo., and is a frequent fixture at local plein air festivals, remains a student of the craft even as he leads others. He continues to expand his skills, proving that there is a vibrant second act for those willing to move beyond the hard lines of their past.

The event is free of charge and open to the public. Organizers encourage guests not to let the Friday the 13th date dissuade them from attending. Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP through the Redstone Art Foundation website at www.redstoneartfoundation. org under the upcoming events tab.

For those unable to attend, Graybeal’s portfolio and contact information can be found at www.douggraybeal.com.

A PITKIN COUNTY LIBRARY

RESOURCE

Please return to the Redstone Inn

Our honor Early Literacy Kits contain one book; a manipulative; Vroom Cards, and a booklet with rhymes, songs, sight words, and activities to share with your child.

120 N. Mill Street, Aspen, Colorado 81611 | 970-429-1900 | pitcolib.org

THE MARBLE TIMES

Page 14 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • February 2026

A LOOK AT LIFE AT THE MARBLE CHARTER SCHOOL

All content is provided by the Marble Charter School staff with original essays written by students and is not edited by The Crystal Valley Echo staff.

February 2026 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • Page 15

Marble Times Continued . . .

Cross Country Skiing with K-2 From Jaime Fiske

Marble Times is generously sponsored in part by

These pages are generously sponsored in part by David Parks & Laurie Farber

ADD YOUR NAME HERE

(970) 963-2504 BeaverLakeLodge.com

and help sponsor The Marble Times Contact Gentrye Houghton at gentryeh@hotmail.com

Page 16 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • February 2026

Weekend GETAWAY Start planning your escape!

Relax and indulge!

Unwind with elegant dining, bask in the tranquil waters of the Redstone Pool, and enjoy the cozy vintage charm of our historic Inn. Embark on daily adventures around the Crystal Valley and beyond!

The Ruby of the Rockies!

Call to book your stay!

(970) 963-2526

82 Redstone Blvd Redstone, CO 81623 www.redstoneinn.com

@redstoneinnco