AUGUST 2019 Mountain Parent Magazine

MOUNTAINPARENT A U G U S T + S E P T E M B E R 2 0 19

R O A R I N G

SEASONAL SNIPPETS

F O R K

WHAT'S HAPPENING

VA L L E Y,

C O L O R A D O

EVERY AGE & STAGE

BACK TO SCHOOL BESTIES

RECREATION & OUTDOORS 1

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MOUNTAIN PARENT

AUGUST + SEPTEMBER 2019 ISSUE 14

Contents FEATURES:

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Trail Map: Mount Elbert Mountaineer Stephen Szoradi helps us plan a weekend getaway to Mount Elbert, Colorado’s highest peak.

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Find Yourself A trip to the LOST FOREST shows how adventures in nature can open up our ‘tweens and teens to a deeper sense of their authentic selves.

49

GOOD SPORTS: Wind in Your Sails Taylor Hale grew up sailing Ruedi Reservoir with Don Sheeley, who taught him how to read the wind and how to coach sailing.

Now the busy chef brings a new generation into this sport.

51 WHETHER IT’S CARDBOARD REGATTAS, swim lessons or doggie splash days, our community pools offer gallons of fun every day until school starts.

DEPARTMENTS:

Seasonal Snippets Let’s see what everyone’s doing at summer camp DIY Re-purpose an old skateboard to make a backyard swing Helping Hands Step inside the Way of Compassion Bicycle Project What’s Happening Today + August & September events Out & About "Society" snapshots from here and there Up Next A sneak peak at our annual Homelife edition

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PUBLISHER

SPECIAL SEC TION:

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BACK TO SCHOOL

BESTIES

326 students responded to our WE LOVE OUR SCHOOLS essay contest.

Find out what they think .

Director of Business Development + Advertising Lauren Suhrbier EDITOR Creative Director + Designer Kathryn Camp TA L E N T Writers, Artists, Photographers & Friendly Support: Susan Arenella, Burnham Arndt, Dan Bayer, Diana Beatz, Kelsy Been, Kyle-Leigh Berry, Kristen Booth, Véronica Boscherino, Rich Camp, Adam Carballeirra, Susan Cruz, Mary Kate Deacy, Conor Flynn, Jim Gilchrist, Bryan Gonzales, Hilary Gross, Taylor Hale, Allison Johnson, Patrick Keleher, Julie Lang, Randall Lavelle, Erika Lehmkuhl, Lorri Knaus, Kim Knol, Soozie Lindbloom, Tim Mapoles, Leigh McGown, Chris Pattillo, Autumn Rivera, Craig Rogers, Elana Royer, Lily Royer, Kendra Schipper, Matthew Stanley, Stephen Szoradi, Cindy Vacek, Tucker Vest-Burton, Eliza Voss, Marcia Villarreal, Kara Williams and Courtney Sheeley Wyckoff.

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MOUNTAIN PARENT

COVER ARTISTS

ELANA & LILY ROYER

founders of Lilybart, a local greeting card and paper-art product line created to raise awareness of Cystic Fibrosis

LOST SHEEP

“A few years ago when our Valley hosted the National Sheep Dog Trials at Strang Ranch, I chaperoned my daughter Lily’s class field trip. We watched with delight as the stunning, brilliant border collies darted across the fields, managing their sheep.

I noticed the historic Missouri Heights schoolhouse nearby, and I saw a similarity between the sheep dogs and teachers. Each works with grace and tenacity, and each must occasionally round up wayward sheep and guide them in the right direction.”

… Elana Royer

(See page 59 for details about the National Sheep Dog Trials this September at Strang Ranch.)

WEBSITE

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Find new content between issues, plus more current events on our online What’s Happening community calendar.

DISCLAIMER

The opinions and views expressed by contributors to Mountain Parent are not necessarily those of the Publisher. Mountain Parent Magazine is registered with the State of Colorado. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without permission is prohibited.

CONTACTS:

editor@mountain-parent.com kathryn@mountain-parent.com mountain-parent.com and on Facebook

SAY HELLO:

become a contributing writer + share event listings on our free online calendar

Dear Readers,

I’ve heard it said, "IF YOU'RE NOT BAREFOOT IN THE SUMMER, THEN YOU’RE OVERDRESSED." These are words to live by. My kids have been barefoot in the pool, barefoot in the mud, barefoot in the wet grass and barefoot some places that I wish they were not. My older son just had some growing pains healing from a huge gash as a result of being barefoot when it wasn't a great idea. But I think he might even say it was worth it. Barefoot in the summer, especially barefoot in the water, is the essence of summer and we are savoring every last bit of it.

Lauren Suhrbier Publisher

FOR EIGHT BLESSED DAYS THIS SUMMER, I sipped my morning tea while reading student essays.

When we imagined a Back To School essay contest, we estimated maybe 45 kids would write.

(Afterall, it was almost Maycember, just as busy as December without elves.)

Then Marty Voller of Red Rock Diner jumped on board and dangled a carrot – a chocolate, strawberry, vanilla carrot, with whipped cream and a cherry on top for every student who participated. Perhaps it was for the love of ice cream. We heard from 326 STUDENTS! They wrote to describe their favorite teacher or a field trip. They composed poetry about their playground and told us what they learned this year that they’ll never forget. 326 kids. By hand. With curlicues.

Illustrated with pencils and markers and glitter, and sometimes even folded into tight squares or triangles.

Two were typed on an actual typewriter, corrected with liquid paper. Remember liquid paper?

To hold a hand-written essay from a third grader is to behold the hard-pressed pauses in pencil lead on the page where the child stopped and thought for a second and found that perfect word. It is to decipher lickorish (licorice), braslitse (bracelets) and struck sure (structure), remembering the freedom of writing when we could expect grown-ups to sound-it-out.

To read an older elementary essay is to recognize the magical fourth or fifth grade moment when students discover the prepositional phrase “in other words,” and they start using it a lot. This is to move into middle school years when description turns into reflection, when students move inward and they find that they can write things they might not say out loud. They finish high school, weaving this tapestry of skills together into observations worthy of an audience. We feel honored to share valedictory addresses from our Valley’s top students, who are counted among 85 kids in our BTS Besties section.

Everyone should love their job this much! One screen-free hour with student essays turned into a string of screen-free mornings – started just so, with my tea at my desk. I urge you to give yourself time to read what our kids want to share with us. Get yourself a chai and sit down. No one can better teach us what is important in the classroom than our children. And right now more than ever, they need to know that we’re interested in what they’ve got to say.

All we need to do is ask. And throw in some ice cream.

Kathryn Camp Editor

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Contributors

ADAM CARBALLEIRA

Long time educator and inspirer of young writers, Adam is also a father to three boys who romp wildly in the Roaring Fork Valley. He enjoys bikes of all kinds, ultimate frisbee, hammocks and breakfast for dinner. He has worked at several schools in Carbondale and this fall begins a new adventure at Bridges High School, home of the Frogs.

His favorite color is blue.

STEPHEN SZORADI

Stephen began guiding with Aspen Alpine Guides in 2008 after moving from Switzerland where he spent the previous seven years training and working.

In the summer, Stephen guides the regional 14,000 ft peaks, day hikes, rock climbs, as well as altitude training coupled with trail running. In the winter, he is a backcountry ski and snowshoe guide, avalanche educator, and has worked for five years as a ski instructor.

85 LOCAL STUDENTS

It wasn’t easy to narrow 326 essay submissions down to the 25 originally slated for our special section. So we redesigned this edition to make the longest special section we’ve ever done, then we found a way to bring 85 students onto the page. They share their opinions on everything at school – best friends, favorite teachers, field trips, math, writing and even cellular biology. (Shown above, a small fraction of the Valley’s student population, courtesy of Glenwood Springs Middle School.)

PHOTO:

The American Lake Trail is a steep 6 mile round trip hike through aspen groves and spruce forests. Families with less experienced hikers might not make it to the lake, but the wildflowers in August and changing colors in September are well worth the venture into the woods. Start hiking with no agenda, and then as your kids get older, introduce some goal-oriented destinations. Eventually, they might be ready to hike Colorado’s highest peak. See Steve Szoradi’s suggestions, starting on page 17. (credit: Eliza Voss)

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SE A SON A L

S N I PPE T S

Fun in the SUMMER SUN There’s something for everyone in the Valley’s summer camps.

WHAT DID YOU DO THIS SUMMER? Ask around and they’ll tell you…

Rafting, galloping, dancing, singing, strumming, drumming, sailing, biking, golfing, planting, painting, swimming, sailing, sculpting, cooking, acting – and even triathlon training.

PHOTO:

Ascendigo Autism Services celebrates its 15-year anniversary of Summer Adventures Camp. Campers come to the Roaring Fork Valley from all over the country to enjoy the water, alpine, and equine sports.

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COME CELEBRATE First Friday in Carbondale Join us every month in the heart of Carbondale’s Creative District, and enjoy a wide range of local arts, galleries, shopping, award-winning restaurants and spirits, live music and entertainment.

MONTHLY THEMES AUGUST:

Rally-Palooza Car Show

SEPTEMBER:

Creative District

OCTOBER:

Homecoming

NOVEMBER:

Dia de los Muertos

PC: Michelle Smith

The first week of the CARBONDALE FARMER’S MARKET provided a perfect venue for students in

W W W . C A R B O N D A L E . C O M

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the ROARING FORK YOUTH ORCHESTRA’S BLUEGASS JAM CAMP to show off new tunes they learned, including one that inspired members of the audience to join in a contra dance. • “Center Yourself” was the theme of one week of CARBONDALE CLAY CENTER’S WHEEL THROWING CLASS, where instructor Jenn Weede helped kids not only gain skills making bowls and cups, but also created a calm, meditative environment where they could, indeed, center themselves. • Three

students in an ACES’ science-themed class practice their bow-drilling skills, while learning about how to create fire from natural materials. (credit: Tim Mapoles) • When kids have opportunities to create their own fun, you never know what will happen. Case in point – the

BACK TO SCHOOL SCHOOL STARTS FOR GRADES 1 - 12 ON

AUGUST 19

KINDERGARTEN STARTS ON

AUGUST 21

SCHOOLS WILL BE OPEN AND AVAILABLE FOR REGISTRATION ON

AUGUST 5

~ BRING BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND IMMUNIZATIONS ~

Zombies who emerged at THE SNOWMASS REC CENTER’S DAY CAMP, making the most a rainy day.

• When kids sign up for CREATIVE FLOW STUDIO’S MERMAID CAMP, they might not realize that Pam Porter can truly help transform them into mermaids. Before heading to the pool, however, she shows them how to make their own magic in her art studio • Participants in

THE SCHOOL OF ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET’S DANCE IMMERSION CAMP in Glenwood Springs share what they learned in a showcase for family and friends. • This group of musicians in ROCK AND ROLL ACADEMY’S collaboration with CARBONDALE ARTS formed a band that they called “The Bus Boys,” in honor of ROSYBELLE, the arts organization’s mobile maker space.

CONTACT

970-384-6000 www.rfschools.com 9

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HOM EL I FE

DIY

IN full SWING Give new life to an old skateboard with this easy swing design.

IS IT A FLYING SKATEBOARD? OR A STAND UP SWING? Whatever you call it, here’s a honey-do that can actually be accomplished in an afternoon.

Once it’s hanging, it will take time and practice to make this surfing swing glide, which is a good thing. Not only will mastering it bring hours of fun to your backyard, it can aid in reaching a developmental milestone of early childhood.

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GETTING THE Swing OF IT THE LINK BETWEEN SWINGING AND BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

IT’S TEMPTING to try to teach a child how to swing.

“Just pump,” you might say, doing it first, hoping they’ll catch on by seeing how you propel yourself forward and backward, tilting your head then pointing your toes.

Your child might try to copy you. Or they might look at you like you’ve grown wings. Or they might get it like magic. Don’t fret if your little one needs a bit more time than others to master this skill. Like riding a bike, there will come a moment when it clicks.

STEP BY STEP: 1. FIND A SKATEBOARD

If you don’t have an old deck leftover from your agile days of youth, you can often find inexpensive used skateboards at Replay Sports in Aspen or Ragged Mountain Sports in Carbondale.

2. PREP YOUR BOARD

Remove wheels. Take off old stickers and the black grit tape if you wish. We kept ours as we found it for more character, less work and the benefit of foot traction. Using the four holes where the trucks were mounted as a guide, drill 2 holes on each side of the board using a 5/8” drill bit.

These should be evenly spaced, roughly 4” apart.

3. MAKE HANDLES

We used a wooden closet rod to make 2 dowels the same length as the skateboard’s width. Valley Lumber in El Jebel and Builders First Source in Glenwood Springs will cut these on order with your purchase. Use a 5/8“ drill bit to make two pairs of holes on each side of both dowels.

4. HANG THE ROPE ON THE TREE.

We used a 5/8” poly rope. You might re-purpose a retired climbing rope if it has no signs of wear or stress. Cut the rope in 30’ - 40’ lengths. The two pieces of rope run over the branch with the loose ends hanging down. Trees such as cottonwoods and elms are notoriously fragile around here, so check the integrity of the branch on all sides.

5. THREAD THE HANDLES

The handles should line up evenly, positioned between the child’s waist and shoulder, allowing room for your child to grow. Thread each rope end down through one hole and up and out the other. Do this for each of the four dangling rope ends. This way it will be easy to adjust the handle height for kids and adults of all ages without untying the knots.

6. TIE SOLID KNOTS AND RIDE!

Thread the ends of the rope through the skateboard holes and tie a secure knot on the underside of the board. Take some time to level out the board and test knot stability. Give it a test run for your kid and feel the freedom of summertime surfing. {LS}

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The ability to swing emerges as part of a developmental progression, coinciding with the young child’s growing vestibular (balance) and proprioceptive (movement) systems.

This is how it works. Developmental experts believe it begins in the inner ear, in the cochlear canal, which is shaped like a snail. Imagine that the snail shell has three chambers, and each is oriented directionally along the three planes of space – front-to-back, side-to-side and up-and-down. Each chamber contains an infinitesimal amount of fluid that moves as the body moves, directly informing our sense of balance.

As we move within these three planes of space, we myelinate our brains, forming neural pathways that help us perceive our bodies. This physical sense of proprioception is mostly subconscious, though we can consciously engage it when we work with balance, mastering a skill such as swinging.

The more we do it, the more complex our neural pathways become. Experts believe that this myelination later plays a fundamental role in reading (side-to-side across the page, top-to-bottom down the page, and front-to-back as we work from blackboard to notepad). Likewise, this development plays a role in how we process information, from sensory input to complex, abstract ideas. In other words, encourage healthy development by giving kids lots of free time to simply move.* This “surfing” swing provides an opportunity for lateral, pivotal side-to-side movement, plus the up-and-down, front-to-back movements of a traditional swing. It may take more time to master, but it’s worth it. Children do not need to know it’s good for them. They can simply enjoy flying on a skateboard like the big boys and girls do at the half-pipe. {KC}

C R E D I T:

*The information provided here about developmental movement is informed by the ground-breaking work of earlychildhood experts.

Check out these books on the topic: The Well Balanced Child

by Sally Goddard Blythe The Extra Lesson

by Audrey E. McAllen The First Three Years of the Child

by Karl Konig

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H EL PI N G

H A N DS

TURNING trash INTO TREASURE The Way of Compassion Bicycle Project gives new life to old bikes and creates something unexpected in the process ADAM CARBALLEIRRA

THERE’S SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS happening at the Way of Compassion Bicycle Project in Carbondale. From the outside, it looks like a regular bicycle co-operative or bike repair shop. But go inside, and you’ll see there is something curious about it, like a paradox. Something going on behind the scenes. Something hard to describe.

PHOTOS: (right) More than 200 bikes are currently in storage, awaiting their next stage of life.

The WOCBP recently received a grant from the Aspen Skiing Company’s Environmental Foundation to pay a part-time mechanic to manage the process of taking bikes from almost-scrap to sale, with the help of volunteer mechanics. Here is an assortment of classic parts that might get another go-around on a refurbished bike. {KC} (top) This beloved bike found a home when Dad discovered it at the WOCBP and refurbished it – right in time for the BBB Camp (Big Boy Bike Camp) this summer.

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WALKING IN Walking in, you never know what to expect.

Bikes, tools and parts are ubiquitous, but not disorganized. There might be three or eight bikes up on stands, with two to twenty people fussing over them, taking them apart and fixing them up. You will hear the click of freewheels mixed with laughter and clinging tools, scents of metal, rubber, grease and people.

You might come just to see it in action.

You might come if you want to buy a used bike, have one to donate, or need one fixed. If that’s the case, you might do some of the work, but volunteer mechanics and others will be there to help. You’ll also notice it’s hard to tell who is “in charge.”

There are older and younger folks, and middle-agers like me, fixing up bikes and helping others solve issues or find parts. Everyone is a customer and an employee. It’s rare to see such a mix of people working together and alongside each other, making progress toward common, tangible goals. It’s fun to be in the mix, putting together and taking apart simple machines – people working together, making mistakes and friends and progress. True cooperation.

This is where it gets interesting. When you spend a little time in there, you start to sense something. What looks like a little bike shop becomes something more.

More than racks of tools on the walls and wheels hanging from the ceiling, more than just people wrenching bikes. You start to notice it, but it’s still hard to figure it out. Especially when you’re so focused on fixing your brakes or a flat tire or whatever you came in there for.

Eventually you’d see a lean guy with a mechanics jumpsuit and spectacles and that’s Aaron Taylor. He is an enigmatic, unassuming guy and one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. He’s also a skilled mechanic, rider, and teacher. He started the bike project but he’d be the first to tell you, it’s not his. It belongs to all of us. Actually, it’s now a certified 501c3 nonprofit under The Way of Compassion Foundation, and is now officially called The Way of Compassion Bicycle Project. And while it’s still just a little shop in the 3rd Street Center, it’s come a long way in the past ten years.

PHOTO: Neighborhood kids drop by the shop to admire the refurbished bikes, or watch and ask questions about the process. This boy has picked his dream bike from a collection of discards. He can earn “Bike Bucks” toward the purchase by volunteering in the shop. Along the way, he can learn how to repair and maintain his bike. {KC}

LEARN MORE: Visit the website:

wocbikeproject.org

Community Bike Tuning at the shop: 520 S 3rd St Suite #36, Carbondale Wednesday & Thursday 1:00 – 7:00 PM Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

FROM THE BEGINNING It was born in 2008 as The Bonedale Bike Project. The “bike pile” and all the tools were stored in a trailer parked in an alley behind Main Street. Aaron and a few others were out there in the dirt lot fixing up broken bikes and getting them back on the road. Then in 2011 they moved to Aloha Mountain Cyclery, and operated out the back door of that shop for a while. Then to a basement room in La Fontana Plaza, which was a big step up because it was inside, and the rent was $200 a month. Finally, at the start of 2018, it stopped being an “underground” operation and moved over to the Third Street Center. This move brought more exposure, higher rent, and as the organization’s website states, “It has windows, heat, running water, and bathrooms!” Not only that, but the giant bike-pile has moved to an “undisclosed location.” More and more bikes keep coming in. As Aaron says, “used and broken bikes are an almost limitless resource, so they become a really good mechanism to do some good.”

I remember many Sundays at all these locations, with cycle-fanatics wrenching mountain bikes, some older folks with older bikes, bike commuters, and tons of teens and tweens tuning their main

modes of transport. I once helped a six year-old put training wheels on her sister’s Barbie bike so she could ride it.

gets something out of it. I mean, I met my best friend in here! Plus, I mean, it’s really fun!”

It’s been remarkable watching it grow from an idea into a real community bike space. Aaron Taylor had a vision, and has showed up once or twice a week to make it a reality. That kind of perseverance is uncommon, which may be why the WOCBP feels uncommon when you’re there.

And another guy, with a red t-shirt and short gray hair said, “Yeah, what he said!” And we laughed, and he went on, “It benefits everyone. People like me, who want to give back and participate in something we think is super important. People who donate the old bikes feel good, people who fix the bikes get a satisfaction, and people who come in because they need a bike get a good deal on one.”

AN ENIGMA At first, it was just a plan to save bikes from the dump. To date, the WOCBP has completely refurbished over 500 bikes, and repaired thousands more to keep them on the road. But in the process something else has happened, but I can’t put my finger on it.

So I went in there, just to ask the question, “Besides the bikes, what’s going on in here? Why is this place so cool?”

One smiley kid, fixing an old mountain bike turned to me and said, “I mean it’s just like, how people can connect, out of a need for transportation. It’s something different for everyone. Some people just come to help, some need a bike. Everyone

That made sense to me. Everyone wins.

Which, in today’s world, feels a little weird.

Then Aaron said, ”It helps the community just having people out on bikes. But bikes need maintenance. So people learn how to fix the bikes that they ride every day, there’s a sense of pride in that.”

“And it makes the bikes happy too!” I chimed in.

“No I don’t think so, they aren’t sentient beings,” said Aaron.

“Don’t you think they have a sort of spirit? That we can be friends with them,” I asked.

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“We can project a spirit onto them, and we can be friends. But they are not alive,” he smiled.

“I think they have a spirit!,” said the kid, pumping air into his tire.

“Me too,” I said, though I wasn’t so sure anymore. Right when I started to figure it out, I found another paradox. I looked at Aaron Taylor with bewildered admiration.

For a guy who loves bikes and what they can do for us and our environment, he is clearly focused on helping people. It’s not about the bikes at all.

“

I looked at Aaron Taylor with bewildered admiration.

For a guy who loves bikes and what they can do for us and our environment, he is clearly focused on helping people.

It’s not about the bikes at all. “ …ADAM C ARBALLEIR A

That’s when it hits me. This place works.

People are working together toward a common goal. When so much of our society functions badly, it feels weird to be in a place that doesn’t. People are working together to solve simple problems with their hands and minds. People are respectful and very patient. People are learning the whole time.

Some are learning how to fix a flat. Some are learning to talk to people. It’s really fun to see and be a part of.

In its own tiny way (and every tiny bit matters) this place is making a better world, but it’s also a model for a better world.

People working together, fully invested, helping each other and the planet. It’s unsettling, and yet, extremely comforting.

A paradox worth checking out.

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MOUNTAINPARENT AUG+SEPT F E AT U R E S

MOUNT ELBERT MO UNTA IN PA R ENT TR AI L MAP

A Family Bucket-List Summer Expedition STEPHEN SZORADI Aspen Alpine Guides

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3 TH North Elbert Trailhead

1

Mt. Elbert Summit 14,439’

4

V

Winter ONLY ski route

Colorado / Continental Divide Trail

2

South Mt. Elbert Upper Trailhead

TH

3 4W D

South Mt. Elbert Lower Trailhead

roa

TH

d

2

1

Black Cloud Trailhead

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MOUNTAINPARENT

TRAIL MAP MOUNT ELBERT ELEVATION: 14,439’

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Mount Elbert

STEPHEN SZORADI Aspen Alpine Guides

YOUR CHILD’S FIRST FOURTEENER CAN ALSO BE COLORADO’S HIGHEST PEAK. Not a technical climbing route, it is one of the easier nearby mountains to climb, but don’t let this fool you.

To get safely to and from the summit, you need to be prepared for emergencies and changes in weather. Before even picking a weekend for this, you need to know that you and your kids are truly ready for prolonged exertion at altitude .

This is not a “ jump off the couch” adventure. Start with other longer hikes. Lost Man Loop and Buckskin Pass are all good warm-up hikes with less exposure, where you can make sure that your family can sustain the efficient pace needed for this kind of commitment. A kid’s bonk factor is way more noticeable and potentially problematic at altitude, so wait until your children are old enough to monitor their own fluid and calorie intake. We bring Carbondale Middle School students up Mount Elbert every September, and these kids sign up for it. They want it. My advice is to be the parent who makes this a rite of passage trip after years of fun on longer and longer trails, rather than pushing your kid, and potentially setting yourself up for a situation that isn’t easy to get out of.

The following info is not intended to replace detailed trail descriptions. It can inspire you to start planning this trip.

This map might be easier to interpret than a topo map, which you will also need. Remember – no matter which route you choose, plan an early, pre-dawn-at-trailhead start, so you can reach the peak by 11:00 AM, a mandatory turn-around time because it’s essential to descend below treeline before afternoon thunder storms typically set in.

NORTHEAST RIDGE – NORTH ELBERT TRAILHEAD 1 GREEN: 9.5 miles round trip. Class 1. Low exposure, low rock-fall potential and easy-to-follow route.

This route and its adjacent campground make it convenient to summit nearby Mount Massive on the next day. The downside? This trailhead is an hour farther away from Aspen than the other routes up Elbert. So, if you are not camping, leave your house 2-3 hours before sunrise to make it to the trailhead by dawn. Also, this is the closest route for front-range visitors wishing to bag this well-known peak – so expect heavy foot traffic during summer weekends.

HOW TO GET THERE: From Aspen, drive over Independence Pass. Go past Twin Lakes to U.S. 24, also known as the “Top of the Rockies Byway.” Drive 11 miles. Just before reaching Leadville, turn left onto State Highway 300. Cross the railroad tracks and drive 0.8 mile and take a slight right onto County Road 11, which runs along Halfmoon Creek. Drive 5 miles to the parking area.

The Halfmoon West Campground will be on your right (details below). The Mt. Elbert trailhead will be on your left.

2 GREEN: EAST RIDGE – SOUTH MOUNT ELBERT TRAILHEAD

10 miles round trip if you can drive the 4WD approach; 14 miles from the end of pavement.

Class 1. Low exposure, low rock-fall potential and easy-to-follow route.

HOW TO GET THERE: From Aspen, drive over Independence Pass. Just past Twin Lakes, turn left onto “24 Road.” Drive 1.2 miles up a paved road to the main trailhead parking. Beyond this, the 4WD stretch requires high clearance, and offers little opportunity to turn around. So, if in doubt, park it and walk up to the South Elbert Trailhead. This route follows the Colorado / Continental Divide Trail for the first .4 mile, where you go straight at the South Elbert juncture. Note that an old juncture was closed in 2017 – hike until you reach the clearly visible signage.

SOUTHEAST RIDGE – BLACK CLOUD TRAILHEAD 3 BLUE: 11 miles round trip. Class 2. Low exposure, moderate rock-fall potential and moderately hard-to-follow route.

Not recommended for less experienced hikers.

HOW TO GET THERE: From Aspen, drive over Independence Pass. Slow down when you see signs for Mount Elbert Lodge, before you get to Twin Lakes. The somewhat hidden trailhead entrance is immediately before the turn off for the lodge, with a dirt parking area with room for around a dozen cars.

BOX CREEK COULOIRS (WINTER ONLY) 4 BLACK: This is a winter-only snow route rated Difficult Class 2, with considerable exposure and rock-fall potential.

CAMPING

Here are some base-camp options perfect for getting a crack-of-dawn start, while also offering fun for other family members who are not ready to hike Mount Elbert. This way, you can make this a guilt-free all-ages getaway.

Twin Peaks Campground (1) and Parry Peak Campground (2). These are best for East Ridge and Southeast Ridge Routes.

Clear signage off of Highway 82 near Twin Lakes. First-come, first served; no reservations. Tent or trailer camping. No plug-in. Picnic tables, fire rings, drinking water, vault toilets. Look for nearby Twin Lakes Bike Trail or bring your SUP for a float after your summit.

CLEAN CRAFTED

WINE?

{NO} A DDE D S UG A R COPPER SULFATE F E R O C YA N I D E 2 5 0 C OM MON CHEMICALS

ADDED SUGAR IN MASS PRODUCED WINE:

16 grams

ze r o

SCOUT and CELLAR’S:

PAULA EATON

Halfmoon West Campground on Emerald Lake (3). Best for North Ridge Route. See directions to trailhead above. First-come, first served; no reservations. Tent or trailer camping. No plug-in. Picnic tables, fire rings and pit toilets. Note: this campground area is more shady and secluded than the areas near Twin Lakes. Emerald Lake is known for its beautiful water and fishing.

Independent Wine Consultant (970) 948-3197 scoutandcellar.com/ paulaeaton

RESOURCES

Call for a wine tasting!

U.S. Forest Service, San Isabel National Forest, Leadville District. (719) 553-1400 14ers.com offers extensive information about trails, routes and what to expect, with photos and topo maps. Created by Bill Middlebrook, this site frequently updates info about conditions with trip reports from individual climbers and hikers.

Aspen Alpine Guides With trained mountaineers guiding your group, you can learn from experts and trust their experience reading the weather, understanding the terrain, and making decisions for a successful backcountry trip.

19

10

PHOTOS:

(page 17) A good pre-req for this type of adventure is a child’s ability to carry their own essentials for the duration of a long hike.

ESSENTIALS

FOR SUMMER IN THE BACKCOUNTRY

(left) A day hike overlooking Grizzly Reservoir and Lincoln Creek Valley.

Compliments of Aspen Alpine Guides.

Provided by the U.S. National Park Service

1. NAVIGATION

Know how to use a topographical or relief map, compass and GPS before going out. Use them to plan your trip and to orient yourself during the hike.

Wear sunglasses, sunscreen, hats, and sun-protective clothing such as pants and long sleeve shirts.

Start with a pre-made kit and modify it to fit your trip and your medical needs. Check the expiration date on all items and replace them as needed.

Consider including an emergency guide in case you face an unfamiliar medical emergency.

3. INSULATION

6. FIRE

2. SUN PROTECTION

Jacket, hat, gloves, rain shell and thermal underwear.

Nature is unpredictable. Be prepared for sudden changes in weather conditions. Snow above 11,000 feet is likely during any month of the year.

4. FLASHLIGHT / HEADLAMP

(+ extra batteries and bulb) Illumination makes travel at night possible and aids in signalling when lost.

20

5. FIRST AID KIT

Waterproof matches, lighter, candle and fire starter.

Fire can be an emergency signal and a heat source for cooking and staying warm. A candle burns longer than a match, helpful if firewood is wet.

7. REPAIR KIT AND TOOLS

Duct tape, pocket knife or compact multi-tool with screwdriver and scissors. Also be sure to bring tools specific to your trip and your activity.

8. FOOD

Pack an extra day’s supply of food, preferably nocook items that have good nutritional value.

9. HYDRATION

Water + water filter or treatment supplies. Drink water often and before you feel thirsty. Be sure to identify bodies of water on your route for refills, using treatments or a filter.

10. EMERGENCY SHELTER

A tent, space blanket, tarp or bivy are all lightweight options. Shelter is important during an emergency survival situation. It can protect you from severe weather conditions and exposure to the elements.

FIND YOURSELF IN THE

LOST FOREST

YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE INHERENT RISKS – Aspen Skiing Company’s Canopy Run zipline tour in the Snowmass Ski Area opens with essential legal disclaimers covering everything from insect bites, to weather, to shoulder injuries. Our group of teen and preteen boys and girls and adults, wearing full harnesses, helmets and nifty clip-on water pouches answered with the requisite double thumbs up to show that we all understood. Then off we went, giddy.

K AT H RY N C A M P

Honestly, at the moment, the biggest concern to everyone, including we adults, was the certainty that there would be no bathroom breaks for at least three hours, no way to unstrap from our harnesses if nature called, and yet we needed to hydrate. We doubled-down on assurances that everyone had, indeed, taken care of business, and we coached the kids to sip slowly – as the reality of this endeavor kicked in.

criss-cross Snowmass. Plus swinging bridges, rappels and the only “Lateral Descent” zipline belay in North America.

This excursion, this carefully planned, expertly executed trek offers a chance to see parts of the forest that you cannot see any other way. We would soar, reaching speeds of 45 miles per hour, and this promise wowed even our fast-skiing, fast-biking, backcountry-savvy teens.

This isn’t a ride at Disney World. Of course we could “get off of the ride” if we really needed to, but if we did, there was no getting back on. Saying Yes was committing to seven, progressively faster, higher and longer ziplines that

We started with Ground School in a sun-dappled clearing above Elk Camp, where our guides, Chris Pattillo and Conor Flynn trained us on zipline trolleys, carabiner-style lanyards and leather “bear claw” mitts for controlling speed.

21

Immediately, upon watching Lost Forest Aerial Course Manager Chris Pattillo as he unlocked a gate onto a deck to a swinging rope bridge at the start of our adventure, I felt the degree of professional-yet-extreme fun underlying all of Aspen Skiing Company’s operations. Pattillo and Flynn made sure that we were locked in, secured by two or three fail-safe measures at each juncture of the course. Every feature of the design carried an equal measure of absolute safety balanced by the palm-sweat flush of perceived risk.

From the rope bridge, we reached a platform nearly 40-feet up an enormous Ponderosa pine. Imagine the tree house you dreamed of building at age 10 – part Ewok village, part Indiana Jones. The first thing we noticed was how hidden it was.

“I am in awe of the design. It blends in so well that it hides in plain sight,” Pattillo commented, sharing stories about wildlife and mountain bikers who pass by underneath, rarely aware of people in the tress right above them.

This carefully-held experience took more than ten years of planning. Aspen Skiing Company worked closely with the U.S. Forest Service and Bonsai Design, a worldclass adventure course provider – to create a program with minimal impact on the forest, a team of arborists, and a maintenance plan honed on the health of the trees upon which the course depends.

We started with a rappel, lowering twenty feet to a launch pad for the first zipline. It had been years since my last belay, and I had forgotten the feeling of that first backward step into the air – the trust fall and the quickened heart rate – a feeling that passes as soon as you feel your harness and know you’re held.

I was reminded of an adage given to me on my first day of rock climbing during my first week in Aspen: “Trust yourself. Trust your partner. Trust your gear,” words to live by when you’re making decisions at 30, 50, or 85 feet up. Before motherhood, back when I climbed all summer, that kind of mortal trust somehow felt less weighted by gravity

22

than now, and yet there I was, in complete, relaxed, certain trust while my twelveand-sixteen-year-olds launched into the unknown, not at all hesitant.

I asked outdoor educator and member of our group, “Ms. Soozie” Lindbloom, to pinpoint what made this experience unique.

“Nature,” she quickly answered. “Amusement parks are big fun, don’t get me wrong, but adventures in nature are multi-sensory. They are real. They are not protected from the weather. Just ask the kids on our tour about putting their noses right up to the bark of a Ponderosa pine and getting a big whiff of sweet vanilla. Or the way the trees swayed and how we swayed with them. Or the sound the wind made through the aspen leaves. Or the way the light turns a soothing green color in the forest.”

Respect for the forest is threaded into every detail – from platform supports designed to minimize impact on trees, to foreststewardship materials, to the layout itself.

You travel from deep evergreen woods, through aspen groves, and eventually out into a wide-open expanse of mountain meadow, quickly recognized as a favorite wintertime ski run.

The course also progresses seamlessly from the first short zip over a shallow pond to final side-by-side racing lines that run more than 1,300 feet to an observation deck nearly 100 feet above the ground.

“Just ask the kids on our tour about putting their noses right up to the bark of a Ponderosa pine and getting a big whiff of sweet vanilla. Or the way the trees swayed and how we swayed with them. Or the sound the wind made through the aspen leaves. Or the way the light turns a soothing green color in the forest.”

SOOZIE LINDBLOOM O U T D O O R E D U C AT O R

“Progression is fundamental,” said Lindbloom, whose professional experience revolves around leading groups in wilderness teambuilding exercises. “Everyone has different levels of comfort around risk, and when there is progression, people can draw on their immediate past accomplishments and use them to overcome successive challenges. Progression also sets the group up for success as we all get to bear witness to how others grow and become more willing with each challenge. As trust builds with progression, those bigger experiences at the end become even more poignant.”

Stepping up onto a footstool in order to snap the zipline trolley into place before launching can be the most daunting step of all, even more shaking than the run itself – because you’re standing a head taller than the guides, and you’re exposed. You’re in a place between knowing and not knowing, which early-childhood educator Jean Piaget described as the “liminal space where all growth and discovery lies,” because when you push past that line, the staggering edge of your own comfort, that’s when you feel your capital S Self.

In the moment, however, the big blue eyes of an eleven-year-old girl asked for less esoteric words. “You’ve got this,” our guide, Conor Flynn said to her. “I’m not worried about you. You’ve shown me that you can do this.” The unspoken truth: now you must show yourself that you can do it. And this, she did, hooting and hollering the whole way, landing with an enormous smile.

“We spend so much time building up walls in our lives,” her mother later reflected. “But these experiences break down our walls and let us tap into our true and open selves in a way that few other activities can. For this reason, I think that Colorado might just have the mostper-capita moon howlers. Our penchant to be outside and get simultaneously awed and pummelled by mother nature is really what we mean when we clink our glasses and toast to ‘Colorado living!’”

Another form of awe came over the group when we came to the element of the course called “the LD.” Ski Co has its own language of acronyms, the decoding of which can make you feel immediately like an insider. LD stands for Lateral Descent, an innovation in design that exists only here. In order to bring us from one tree stand to the next, which falls at too steep an angle over too short a distance for a zipline, the course designers came up with a belayed zip, in which a device is used, like in rappelling, to control speed. The engineering marvel of it, the ah hah experience of learning how pulley systems work by actually clipping into one – this deserves an insider name, LD. Not surprisingly, the kids were starving after seven ziplines and the final rappel. Their adolescent bodies are rarely not hungry, but their appetite afterward was remarkable.

After only a few seconds on solid ground (which felt startlingly still after an afternoon gently swaying in the trees) they raced for snacks. As they ate and chattered and ate some more, it became clear that all of this energy was meant for digesting the profound experience we had shared.

“What did we just do?” Ms. Soozie asked, drawing from her Outward Bound work. “How can this transfer into our every day lives?”

I admitted that my seemingly daring, toofast landing early in the course was not at all an example of bravery. “I was scared to use my hand to brake. I didn’t trust that I could slow myself down.” This metaphor for my busy everyday life is true and profound.

Lindbloom later went on to explain, “Most of us don’t go around having epic adventures every day, but epic adventures allow us to test our true mettle. So how can we harness these experiences to aid us on the real epic adventure that is Life? Did you take risks? Did you overcome challenge?

Did you feel supported by the group?

Do you do these things in your “other” life? Why or why not? These can be lifechanging questions.”

pitcolib.org STORYTIMES

BABY TUESDAYS / 10:30 AM Ages: 0 - 24 months Lapsit storytime for 0-24 months. Learn songs, bounces and rhymes to share with your child with a few stories thrown in. Storytime lasts about 20 minutes with stay-and-play following.

PRESCHOOL WEDNESDAYS / 10:15 - 10:45 AM Ages: 3 - 5. Storytime for preschoolers!

TODDLER WEDNESDAYS / 11:00 - 11:30 AM Ages: 2 - 3. Storytime for toddlers!

SPECIAL FOR SUMMER

AUGUST 7 & 14 / 11:00 - 11:45 AM WEDNESDAY ON THE MOUNTAIN Join us on top of Aspen Mountain for storytime and crafts! All ages welcome. Gondola ride not included.

AUGUST 9 / 4:00 PM ESCAPE ROOM Children, recommended ages 10+, will be given a challenge that will require them to work together to win a prize! Each session will provide a different puzzle to solve and a different theme.

FUN EARLY LITERACY KITS

Our Early Literacy Kits contains books, a manipulative and a booklet with rhymes, songs and activities to share with your child. Some even have a CD! WHAT IS EARLY LITERACY? Early literacy is what young children know about reading and writing before they can actuallly read and write. Research shows that children get ready to read years before they start school. The brain develops faster than at any other time between the ages of 0-3.

For 0-2 years Bathtime + Bedtime Colors Farm Animals Nursery Rhymes For 2+ years Dinosaurs + Fairy Tales Family + Friends Gardening Letters

23

“I am in awe of the design.

It blends in so well that it hides in plain sight.”

C H R I S PAT T I L L O LOST FOREST AERIAL COURSE MANAGER

FIND MORE IN THE

LOST FOREST

HOURS: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Daily through August.

Weekends in September through October 6.

WEATHER: Check the forecast.

Due to rapidly changing weather in the mountains, NO refunds are offered if conditions impact operations.

CANOPY RUN ZIPLINE TOUR The ultimate guided trek.

Reservations are required.

Group size is limited to seven.

This park feature is available through the Peak Pass, which includes two-day Lost Forest access. Suggestion: take the first day for the Challenger Ropes Course, which will help acclimate you to the gear.

The tour is physically and emotionally demanding, so set yourself up for success by not packing too much into your zipline day.

TREELINE TRIAL CHALLENGER COURSE

BREATHTAKER ALPINE COASTER

This self-guided ropes course offers nearly 60 elements to test your balance, strength and mental game. The five routes range from green to double black diamond. Ground School trainings are required; scheduled every half-hour starting at 9:15 AM. Weekend bonus: enjoy live music from the nearby Elk Camp Restaurant.

There’s nothing like festive background tunes while you push your limits, or rather, patio refreshment after showing the kids you can walk a high wire at 25 feet above deck. (photo: KC)

Who doesn’t love a selfbraking gravity-powered roller coaster through a majestic mountain forest?

It feels a bit like the Ewok chase scene in the 6th Star Wars – minus, of course, the storm troopers and crash potential. During the slow ride uphill at the start of the coaster, keep your eyes out for wild lupines, osprey and deer. Also, if you can return to your senses during the smooth, fast downhill, the smell of warm pine in the wind on your face is divine.

BACK TO SCHOOL READY? SCHOOL STARTS AUG 19!

SCHEDULE A VISION BUY ONE CHECK FOR YOUR GET ONE CHILD BEFORE

50

%

OFF

on select frames

SCHOOL STARTS Come see us earlier if you notice: • Eye rubbing • Eye turning • Squinting • Headaches

Many conditions are treatable if detected early.

Vision impacts learning and life!

Glenwood Springs & Carbondale Locations 24

970.945.2020 2020EYECARE.com

ELEVATED JOURNEY HIKING TRAIL Hiking in the U.S. Forest Service land within the Snowmass Ski Area is, of course, free. However, if you would like to skip the uphill climb and start your hike at the top of the gondola, you will need a lift ticket or Lost Forest pass. This is an accessible way for visitors to the area – or those who simply need a “day off” – to relish the midsummer wild flowers and outstanding mountain views.

RUGGED ASCENT CLIMBING WALL

AERIAL APPROACH DISK GOLF

All skill levels, from seasoned climbers to never-evers will find a fun, safe, challenging rock climbing experience.

The 14 lane man-made wall features auto belays and routes of varying difficulty up to 40 feet tall. Guides help you refine technique and gain confidence.

A fun all-ages way to explore the woods with a goal in mind – 36 goals to be precise, with two 18-hole courses spread out over lower Longshot ski run, directly East of the Elk Camp Restaurant. BYO disks, or rent at Four Mountain Sports in the Base Village next to the gondola.

(photo: Dan Bayer)

TROUT HOOK FISHING POND Stream-fed trout-stocked ponds make this catch-andrelease experience fun for all ages. You’ll need fishing poles and tackle. Find gear for reeling in your big catch at Taylor Creek Fly Shop in Basalt. (photo: Patrick Keleher)

AFTER SCHOOL

A play-based program in a positive and dynamic social atmosphere.

Kids form bands, learn songs they love & present a rock concert.

No musical experience necessary. Instruments provided.

Scholarships available.

15 WEEK PROGRAM STARTING SEPTEMBER 9 ROCKANDROLLROARINGFORK.com

(970) 379-9685

25

I F Y O U B E L I E V E I N T H E I R F U T U R E , S O W I L L T H E Y.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS!

You know that they have the potential to make their dreams come true.

The question is, do they?

As a Junior Achievement volunteer, you can help empower young people to own their economic success by sharing your experience and JA’s proven and engaging lessons. As we approach the new school year, we are in need of many volunteers to spend 1 hour per week for 6 - 9 weeks teaching JA classes in grades K - 12 - all local schools from Aspen to Parachute. No special skills are needed. The materials are turnkey for anyone to pick up and learn the material. The teacher stays in the classroom to assist as needed.

970-585-4085

www.jaroaringfork.com

nonprofit spotlight underwritten by

34 1

Umbrella’s commitment: giving back 1% of gross revenue to community organizations

(970) 704-9130

UMBRELLA-ROOFING.COM

MOUNTAINPARENT

O SCHO T K C OL A B •

SPECIAL SEC TION

•

Bestie 326 students

entered our WE LOVE OUR SCHOOLS essay contest.

Find out what they think.

2019 27

MOUNTAINPARENT

Bestie BACK TO SCHOOL

MP

• WHO

IS YOUR •

VORI TE A F

Teache ?

WHY ?

“

M S . M A RY B R I G H T

When Marty Voller at Red Rock Diner heard about our “We Love Our Schools” student essay contest, he asked, “What about ice cream for every kid who participates?”

In his next breath, he upped the ante to large handmade milkshakes or banana splits. Later, when he heard that 326 students wrote essays, he came up with “Grown-Up” milkshakes for teachers who had taken up the project.

“This is perfect – I now have an activity for my next substitute plan!” one teacher from Basalt Elementary School emailed.

“This opportunity for reflection at the end of the school year is a wonderful way to bring closure and gratitude,” Hilary Gross wrote from Aspen Community School.

Eight-year-old home-schooler Ben Dahl wrote: “Since we do school at home, we get to stay up late. We get to do school anywhere we have to go. We get to do it in our glamper, backyard, car and fort. We get to have PJ days because we homeschool.”

You’ll find quotes here from 85 students in grades 1-8, along with excerpts from high school valedictory addresses.

Visit Mountain-Parent.com to find more quotes from student essays, plus photos, artwork and a growing archive of our ongoing coverage of what’s happening on your campus.

PHOTO:

During the last week of the school year, every student who wrote an essay received a gift card from Red Rock Diner. These are good through September 1. {KC}

28

WHEN TEACHERS MAKE STUDENTS LAUGH, we automatically have fun. If jokes didn’t work, Ms. Bright would always find a way to make us laugh while teaching, even if it meant embarrassing herself.

If she gives you feedback, even about little things like periods and commas, you know it’s because she cares if you have a bright future.”

Citlali Sanchez grade 7, BMS

MS. SONYA TAYLOR MS. ANDREA HARRIS “She always helps us and makes us feel safe, the Latino kids in our school like me. She stands up for us and makes us feel welcome because this isn’t really our country.

There is a lot happening with immigration right now. Families separating at the border. It gets to us.

Ms. Andrea cares for us and makes us feel like we belong here. She always keeps our spirits up and always keeps the Mexican spirit here in the U.S.A.” Jorge Gomez-Mata grade 6, RMS

MS. ERIKA LEHMKUHL

(photo left) “Ms. Lehmkuhl is the best teacher in the whole world because she has class pets. In other words, we have two turtles, one tortoise, chicken eggs and duck eggs. We also have four baby ducks!”

Abby Dabek grade 2, SES

MS. DIANA BEATZ

“I really like Ms. Beatz because she makes all of the subjects she teaches (main lesson, language arts, book club, council and art) fun and entertaining. She is kind, enthusiastic and helpful. I know that I can trust talking with her about both physical and emotional challenges.”

Chantal Smith grade 5, WSRF

MS. MAGGIE BREEN

“I really wanted to give up, but Maggie helped me say my TH’s correctly. She also taught me to persevere. I also learned not to brag when I won the games and not to be sad when I lost.

Maggie taught me to have integrity so I don’t talk in the halls. I will remember Maggie forever!”

Parker Loeb grade 3, AES

MR. EDGAR CHAVARNIA

“Math has never been something I have loved, but Mr. Chavarnia makes math challenging and now I love it. He always

says ‘making mistakes is learning.’ He is very strict, so he can handle kids who never pay attention. He is also very funny and makes raven sounds and jokes.”

Nyla Visnic grade 3, BES

MR. TIM CONNOLLY

“Mr. Connolly is my favorite teacher because he is good at what he teaches, and he is nice. In 5th grade, we learned about square roots and geometry. He always wears a tie and sometimes plays kickball at recess. Once in a while, he brings his famous chocolate chip cookies for us.”

Emmaline Warner grade 5, WSRF

MS. RAE FULLER

“Ms. Rae is a perfect mix of fun and strict. She is very creative, and she inspires me a lot in that way. This year, I’ve had a lot of social and emotional struggles, and Ms. Rae has helped me so much. She smiles, she compliments me, she watches my card tricks, she brainstorms ways to solve conflict and she

helps me whenever I’m down. She runs a thing that we call ‘Girls Group’ where we are able to talk about our problems as girls in this society. She helps us navigate our world and encourages us to be the best possible people we can be.”

Anasophia Brown grade 5, RMS

MS. ERIN GALLIGER

“She teaches Latin, and she teaches us to read big words, and to do spelling and to write. She took us on a field trip to Redstone.

Most of all, she teaches us fun things!”

Isaiah Wano grade 2, CCA

MS. BRITTANY GUGLIELMO

“She’s been teaching us multiplication, division, fractions and how to find key details – and most of all, how to be kind to one another.”

Quincy Gabbard grade 3, BES

MR. MARTY MADSON

“Crack! Home Run! Yes! The coach of the Rams baseball team Coach Madson was also my gym teacher, and my favorite because he is so nice and plays basically every sport with us! Also, he lets me go in the dugout!!! From homers to pop flies, he is still happy.”

Miles Molvar grade 3, CRES

MR. DAVE PLUMB

“He encourages me.

Once I gave up on writing my assignment on the computer because it was too hard, but Mr.Dave said, “Try your best I believe that you can make it.’’ He is also funny. One day when we were all talking about how we don’t like the song Frozen, he put the song on and we all quickly covered our ears so the song didn’t get stuck in our heads!”

Viridiana Chimal Moreno, grade 4, CRES

“Ms. Sonya is the best person for doing art projects. For example, one time we did paper maché penguins, water lilies, sunflowers and lots more stuff.”

Grace Pinkman grade 2, RMS

MR. KENNY TEITLER

“During CREW he does magic tricks, and he taught us how to sew bean bags.

After everyone had a bean bag, we played games with them. Every time a bean bag opened, Mr. Kenny said, ‘Take it to the hospital!’ This meant he wanted you to sew it back.

It was funny and everyone laughed. He does all of this to help us connect with our CREW.” Ricardo Zavala grade 7, CMS

MS. STEPHANIE WEST “When I was in the

hospital, Ms. West asked her class to write letters so I would feel better. For example, I read my friend Lily’s card, and it made me feel happy. After my surgery, she came to my house and visited me to make sure I was okay. In fact, I was so happy to see her, she filled my heart with joy. I gave her a big hug.”

Ambreigh McKendrick grade 2, SES

MR. BRADFORD WHERRY

“Mr. Wherry just acts like an actual person instead of a teaching robot. He is always straight-forward and honest about things.

He got me interested in new things, like writing short books online.”

Avery Kampe grade 7, RS

PHOTO:

Ms. Erika Lehmkuhl, second grade teacher at Sopris Elementary School, introduces rosemary to a curious student during a visit to the Mountain Valley Developmental Services greenhouses.

The class visits the facility throughout the schoolyear as part of the school’s life sciences curriculum. {KC}

29

Leave the driving to RFTA.

MP

• WHERE

YOUR SUMMER RIDE The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) offers the perfect ride for kids by providing fun, fast and frequent public transit from Aspen to Rifle.

Kids 5 and under ride FREE Visit www.rfta.com/kids for information about kids on buses and tips on transportation for daycares, camps, preschools, schools and other groups.

ST FUN O M

Field Trip?

WHY ?

“

CAMPING AT LOST MAN

A SOUND EVERY COLORADAN KNOWS – drip, drip, splat, the sound of rain against the top of a tent. I fell asleep to the calming sounds of nature. In the morning, the rain from the night had made the sides of our tent wet. The sky was slowly rising all around us, filling our tent with grayish glow. All we did for the next hour was lay there, no one talking or moving, hearing the gentle rise and fall of our chests, the raspy sound of our breaths (until we heard) the wake-up screams and footsteps of the other kids.”

Chloe Axelman grade 5, ACS PHOTO:

www.rfta.com 970.925.8484 30

?

WAS THE •

The last week of the schoolyear brings a much-awaited rite of passage for students of Crystal River Elementary School. They bike six miles along the Rio Grande Trail from campus to Rock Bottom Ranch for an overnight camping trip. While parents and teachers escorted the students, another crew of parents and teachers set up camp and a water station along the way – where this student took a moment to catch her breath. {KC}

BOULDER PENTATHLON

“We competed in a Pentathlon against Waldorf 5th graders from schools all around the state, even from Santa Fe. We were divided into teams representing the Greek City States (Athens, Sparta, Corinthe, Ithica and Thebes), and got t-shirts in the color of our team. We did long jump, short sprint, javalin throwing, discus throwing and long run. At the end, some of us were given olive wreaths and everyone got a metal.”

Lowry Camp grade 5, WSRF

BUENA VISTA

ASPEN ART MUSEUM “It is a cool place with lots of art and cool things like ceramic stuff. And they have stuffed animals in one section.”

Azure Lindner grade 3, CRES

ASPEN HISTORY MUSEUM

“It was really fun. The teacher paired us with partners. We got to see a lot of old pictures and exhibits about what it was like to live here a long time ago.”

Dylan Forbes grade 2, RMS

“I had never been rafting or rock climbing before.

It was fun, but it was scary.

When I went climbing, I had slippery shoes, and I felt like I would fall but I did not.

The shoes had more friction than I realized, and I was safe. When I went rafting, I tried to jump to touch the bridge with the paddle and I fell into the water! I was freezing cold, but it was the best field trip ever.”

Josue Ramirez grade 7, BMS

BUTTERMILK SKI AREA

“Have you been skiing?

If not, you should go to Buttermilk. We got on a chair lift and went to the Cliff House. I got macn-cheese and a fortune cookie and a bowl of whipped cream. And then we went to the terrain park.

I did awesome jumps!”

Matthew Maher grade 1, AES

“SPLASH, I jumped in the pool ... it’s cold! You get to listen to the birds and you get to feel your feet squish in the grass. You get to play games with your friends.

For example, water tag or noodles and balls. The water slide is so fast and twisty-turny. You can do a front flip off the diving board, 5 feet high.”

Siri Bassion grade 2, AES

“We have gotten to go for all three years (grades 1-3). We got to make fun and cool things. The first year, we got to build anything we wanted.

The second year, we got to build sea life, and the third year, we got to build things people really use.”

Clutch Jochum grade 3, RMS

“Have you ever judged a book by its cover? Well I did for a field trip. I did not want to go because my best friend was not going. Well, when it was the big day, I refreshed my mind about it. We went to a simulation of the olden days. We saw things that people used. I had so much fun.”

Tiaret Loaeza grade 4, SES

CAMPING AT CHAPMAN

DOMINGUEZ CANYON

“Our principal, Mr. Jim Gilchrist, showed us that sap is very flammable.

We used rocks, sticks and other things to get it out of trees. Some of it was hard, and easy to crush into dust. When we dumped the sap powder onto the flames, the fire roared.”

Becket Deyarmond grade 5, ACS

COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT

“We got to see lizards, dinosaur fossils and cryptobiotic soil. We set up camp at Independence Monument and went on the Window Rock hike. We did a loop around camp and looked at the Kissing Couple and Praying Hands rock formations. The next day, we hiked to two waterfalls, then we went to the Devil’s Kitchen hike.”

Finn Smith grade 3, GSES

CRYSTAL RIVER CANYONLANDS

ASPEN REC CENTER

CARBONDALE CLAY CENTER

“We hiked through wildflower fields, shrublands, and over rocks under rocks, up and down old ladders.

See what I mean, how awesome is that? ... It really does change you.

The day we got home from Canyonlands, it was cold, but no one went inside... None of us wanted to go in after the trip we’d been on.”

Spencer Irvin grade 4, ACS

DENVER / COLORADO HISTORY MUSEUM

“We walk to the river, where we normally have a writing assignment, and so we find a spot on the shore. When we are finished, we can play. Sometimes, we do activities, like sharpening a real tomahawk or clearing a dam of sticks.”

Sebastien Miller grade 5, RMS

“We took a week-long backpacking trip to Dominguez Canyon. At one point, we stopped for a break. We went down a path created by run-off, making sort of a minicanyon. The rain made little pools of water where there were little froggies, and they were so cute.”

Rio Smith grade 6, WSRF

FORT UNCOMPAHGRE

“We saw what it was like for the Utes and other tribes’ way of living. We saw where people slept and lived. Creepy but ok!

And we threw tomahawks, which was fun.”

Damian Glover grade 4 CRES

FRUITA

“We slept in cabins and participated in a ropes course, team building games and a game called ‘Leap of Faith.’ We also played a huge game of gaga ball while playing on a rock climbing wall. It was an adventure every step.”

Grace Harrington grade 8, BMS

GLENWOOD HOT SPRINGS

“The water was so warm, and the air was so cold, with the steam rising in the air and snow on the ground. It was such an amazing day.”

Sophie Price grade 7, RS

ROCK BOTTOM RANCH

(photo left) “We biked all the way to Rock Bottom Ranch. We saw this small snake on the bike path, and we started to yell. We were so scared.

Later, we had to set up our tents. A parent helped us, and told us where to put the stakes. Then we made s’mores they were so good.”

Santiago Corcuera grade 4, CRES

SOL THEATRE

“We went to a theatre and saw The Wizard of Oz. It was beautiful, and we sat on tiny chairs.”

Ayla Klein grade 2, RMS

SUNLIGHT SKI AREA

“The way that the teachers and staff handled and guided the trip was amazing. There was about 8 inches of fresh pow to shred. It was very fun to hang with my fiends and ski some of my favorite runs – Primo, a very steep powder run; Dawson, a fun run for jumps, and the Terrain Park, an amazing place to show off your mad skills on a board.”

Jayden Schmidt grade 7, RS

SUSTAINABLE SETTINGS

“We got to pet a bunny and hold a baby lamb.

We got to feed the sheep and hold chickens. When I tried to hold a chicken, it slapped me in the face!

And we got to meet two dogs, Goose and Penny.”

Levi Bumgarner grade 2, RMS

WINDWALKERS

“We learned about horseback riding. We learned how horses act, and how to clean their horse shoes. I got to ride a horse named B-Gates.

It was brown and white.

There were horses named Bear and Fox. Last, we ate lunch on a saddle.”

Emily Chaires grade 3, SES

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• WHAT

IS THE •

LEST PLAC O E CO

on Campus?

WHAT HAPPENS THERE?

THE BAND CLASSROOM

IT IS A PRIVELEGE. According to Wikipedia, there are more than 8,000 schools in the U.S. without music programs. Thankfully, we have the privilege to have one. We play clarinets, trumpets, trombones, alto saxophones, tubas, bass clarinets, bass guitar and percussion. I am also very grateful for Mr. Nick Lenio, who is retiring this year. The songs he taught us made me not want to stop dancing.”

Ashley Guzman grade 7, BMS PHOTO:

The Basalt High School band – also directed by Mr. Nick Lenio, who ran programs at both BMS and BHS. Mr. Lenio has been honored by JAS Aspen as “Music Teacher of the Year – 2016.” He has also been nominated for a GRAMMY Music Educator Award.

ART ROOM

“My favorite place in school is the art room.

Because you do different things each time you go there. My favorite project was print making.”

Abraham Gutierrez Serafin grade 3, CRES “When I am making art, it makes me feel good, less stressed and relaxed about my schoolwork and homework. Art has also helped me because when I get back from art, I am able to focus on my work.”

Reed Russell grade 4, RMS

CLASSROOMS

“My classroom is my favorite thing in school. It has a lot of books, and I love books.”

Scarlett Jackson grade 1, RMS

playdate

by the ponds

FREE FAMILY FUN at ASPEN COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

canoe rides face painting gym games magic shows bubbles kids' music yummy food

Saturday September 14 10 am - 1 pm

one mile up Castle Creek Road 32

PreKindergarten to Eighth Grade www.aspencountryday.org/visit

CLASSROOMS

“If you walk into my class on a typical day, you will see children moving freely in the classroom, choosing work off shelves. You will hear lessons being taught and students interacting with other children. You will hear a calm and focussed environment.

You might find me working on a comfortable mat on the floor, or at a table with a small group. If I have finished all of my priorities for the morning, you might find me reading a book from our classroom library.

One of my favorite things about our class is that I am able to be independent.

I can set goals and learn what’s best for me in order to do my best work.

I am able to focus, ask for help when I need it, and improve my leadership, creativity and social skills.”

Caroline Cole grade 5, RMS

CONFLUENCE

“You can talk there and you can hang out because it is fun to be there.”

Kimberly Toribio grade 3, GSES

GYM

“We play Noodle Tag and Scooter Soccer. I have P.E. on Mondays and Fridays, so these are the best days.

Except for Tuesdays, when I have STEM, ACES and art.”

Brian Archibeque grade 3, BES

THE LEGO PLACE

“There are little plastic pieces of epicness with which you can create many new things. One time I build a huge mini city for fun.”

Griffin Hartley grade 6, ACS

THE LOOKOUT SEAT

“This is a built-in bench that looks out to the mountain behind our school. Whenever I am disoriented or need to calm down, I take a seat on the bench and look out at the beautiful mountain, and I think about what that mountain might have been like one hundred years ago. I also look at the birds swooping through the air, chasing each other around in the bright bluebird sky.”

Emery Zevin grade 5, GSES

THE PLAYGROUND

“The sun shines directly on the swings during recess, and the wind bounces on your face. The motion of going back and forth makes you feel like you’re flying. It gives you time to think and reflect back on the day.”

Piper Martin grade 6, ACS “It has logs and rocks. I can jump over them and play horses with my friends.

My motto is: ‘a saddle and a buckle, or a long drive home.’ I made that up with my friend because we love horses, and because we are barrel racers.”

Grace Freeman grade 4, RMS “The zipline feels like you’re on a rocketship, and it feels like you’re going to fly out into the ozone, or you might faint. That’s why I like the zipline.”

Alex Vidaurri grade 2, SES “I have wonderful moments with my besties and sometimes, I just like to sit with one friend who is injured and cannot play.”

Lexi Moebias grade 5, WSRF

IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT A WALDORF EDUCATION COULD OFFER YOUR CHILD?

The Waldorf developmental approach to education fosters joy, wonder, curiousity and exploration. We offer naturebased preschool and kindergarten programs, rigorous academic development through 8th grade and an inspiring community of support for students and their families.

OPEN ENROLLMENT & VISITS: Catherine Woolcott Catherine@waldorfschoolrf.org or call 970-963-1960

www.

waldorfSchoolrf.org 33

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“

SPRING MUSICAL

Saturday Adventures Club

WHAT

THE WHOLE SCHOOL PARTICIPATES. The musical is always based on a book. We have school activities about our characters, like writing a theory about how you play your character. It is a great way to feel challenged, have more confidence in yourself and find out things you never knew about yourself. “ Sadie Gee Grade 4, ASC

Grow?

HOW?

PHOTO:

Aspen Community School’s Spring Musical production of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling.

Carbondale, CO Ages 7-17 Individuals on the autism spectrum & all abilities Session 1: 9/21 – 10/12 Session 2: 10/19 – 11/9 SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE LIMITED SPOTS Contact Conlan McGough at cmcgough@ascendigo.org Ascendigo.org | 970-927-3143 34

BEST FRIENDS CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES

“Through my time at Aspen Country Day, I encountered some of the most challenging experiences, but even made my best friends.

I failed and succeeded, but most of all I came to understand life a little better. ... The journeys we take, in the end, are not about the destination, but about how we got there in the first place.

The memories we made and the people who held our hand while we walked through the storm.”

Natalie Wesner grade 8, ACDS

“Any time you’re feeling down, or even having trouble with a math problem, a friend can always help. Friends help people become the people they are today.

When you find a friend, you can get through anything. Hard places.

Any rock.”

Elora Dean grade 4, RMS “No matter the day, or week, or year, every day gets a hundred times better with a friend’s hug.

On stormy days, having a friend changes the mood of everything. It changes the meaning of school.”

Alivya Malcom grade 5, RMS

LEADERSHIP

“He who cannot be a good follower cannot be a good leader.” (Aristotle) “I’m in charge of what I say. I’m also in charge of my actions, and myself by being proactive. By being proactive, you are in charge of yourself. Follow what you believe in and not what others do. And do what your heart is telling you to do. So follow your heart and not the crowd. Do the right thing when no one is looking. So if you have a substitute, do the same things that you would do with your real teacher.”

Cameron Blatz grade 3, AES

Sunlight Mountain Resort

U

MULTI-WEEK

Ski & Snowboard Classes

JUST FOR KIDS!

PRACTICAL ARTS

LITTLE THINGS

“One thing I learned this year that I will always remember is the cell is the smallest unit of life.”

Micah Bays grade 7, CMS

“This class inspired me to cook more in the kitchen.

It’s fun to make things, adding something new every time, from out of my recipe book that I made in class. My favorite thing that we made was macaroons, which are basically coconut flakes and sugar.”

India Rose Smith grade 3, WSRF

PEAK

“When you walk in the door, you will hear funny language and costumes of Shakespeare. Ms. Whitehouse brings everyone in the class together to do a play.

If someone messes up on their line, we don’t judge. We have a good laugh about it. We performed Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It is a significant play, and very enjoyable to perform.”

Ellie Samantha Westphal grade 4, SES

READING

“My favorite part of school is the month of February because it is ‘I Love to Read’ month. You can read a lot of books, and you can do something to your principal, like slime him and tape him to the wall.”

Allisson Aguilar grade 3, CRES

S.T.E.P.

“S = Say the problem; T = Think of a solution; E = Explore consequences; P = Pick the best solution.

This is how GSES teaches problem solving.”

Ashlie Osorio Rivera grade 3, GSES

WRITING

“During our writing group meetings every Thursday afternoon, we learned and grew as students and writers. Some of the topics we learned and practiced writing were: résumés and cover letters, sonnets, shorts stories and plays.

When we learned about these writing skills, we would first read them, then try writing in that style ourselves. For example, we read the Shakespearian play As You Like It, then wrote an additional scene for the play. These assignments have helped me work on putting my ideas into a story, and these are skills I can use in almost all subjects.”

Hollis Serson grade 6, RMS

ch to SoM u About S mile

TWO SEMESTERS HALF-DAY OR FULL-DAY SESSIONS STARTING AT $250 SunlightMTN.com 35

ACS ASPEN COMMUNITY SCHOOL

“

ACDS

(970) 923-4080 www.DiscoverCompass.org 340 Woody Creek Mesa Woody Creek

(970) 925-1909 www.AspenCountryDay.org 85 Country Day Way, Aspen (one mile from roundabout up Castle Creek Road)

ASPEN COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

Enrollment Lottery Publicly Funded Charter Aspen School District

Application w/ testing Tuition & Financial Aid PreK, Kindergarten & Grades 1-8

“

One thing I learned this year that I will always remember: when you lose people you cherish, they are never really gone. This year, our school last lost two very important people, Annie (Teague) and Chris (Faison). They mean so much to us, and they will never really be gone. For example, on my first day of kindergarten, I was sad about my dad leaving, but Annie read us a book and my dad drew a heart on my hand, so he would be with me through that first day of kindergarten. I felt so much better. Annie always had the power to do that. Our school has come closer than ever through these tough times. When we get knocked down, we come together and rise up higher.”

Sara Kershow grade 6

Like the engineers at Apple, every teacher here had their own way of showing me new and different ways to improve. Whether it was Ginger Lewis’s 30 minute essays, or Mike Corbelle having us read the New York Times about current events. Every teacher that took the time to boost my memory, add to my features, or reorient my internal GPS, helped me become better and make the changes I needed to make, in order to push on. To be honest, there have been a few viruses in my program – times when I didn’t want to turn on, or operate as fast as I should have, but my teachers – and my parents – never stopped believing in me.”

Tanner Beazley grade 8, Class of 2019

MP

AMS

“

ASPEN MIDDLE SCHOOL

CK TO SCHOO L BA

1-8 AAS

GRADES

(970) 925-3760 www.aspenk12.net 235 High School Road, Aspen In-District Enrollment Publicly Funded Aspen School District

My teacher Brandy Keleher is a strong woman who will make anyone feel as if they are the most priceless gem in the universe. She will not start class until everyone has drawn a unicorn, so she can prove they are difficult to create. She is someone who will tell us about something she saw in the news, so excited to share the subject she teaches. She is a spirit that will not and cannot be held down, her mind flying through the sky as she makes me laugh at least once every time I see her. She is the best teacher – not because she has gotten me somewhat interested in a subject I never liked, not because I have learned in her class. She is my favorite because she cares.

She cares for everyone.”

Fatima Flores grade 8

AMBLESIDE SCHOOL AT SKYLARK

“

970-923-4080 www.DiscoverCompass.org 340 Woody Creek Mesa Woody Creek, CO 81656 Enrollment Lottery Publicly Funded Charter Aspen School District

Ambleside at Skylark is a Christ-centered K-9 school located in Glenwood Springs that applies the philosophy of British educator Charlotte Mason. We are committed to providing what Ms. Mason called a “living education.” In partnership with the family, we guide and empower each student to think with the mind of Christ and to author a life rich in relationship to God, self, others, ideas, and all of creation.”

Statement provided in lieu of student essays

MARIA WIMMER 970.274.0647

mariawimmerhomes.com JUST LISTED 875 Rose Lane, Carbondale $2,390,000 6 acres | 4,100 SF | 3 stall barn 400 ft of Roaring Fork River frontage

36

AES ASPEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

“

(970) 925-3760 www.aspenk12.net 235 High School Road, Aspen In-District Enrollment Publicly Funded Aspen School District

“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” (Ronald Reagan) At AES, we learn honesty. To have honesty, you always want to tell the truth no matter if it is hard to do. In Ms. Kerry McGonigle’s 3rd grade, she taught me integrity.

If you want to have integrity, you do the right thing even when nobody is watching.”

Reagan Ferrell grade 3

BES BASALT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

“

(970) 384-5800 www.rfsd.k12.co.us 151 Cottonwood Drive, Basalt Open Enrollment Publicly Funded RE 1 School District PreK, Kindergarten & grades 1- 4

All of my teachers at BES are nice. They all teach me fun stuff. I like them mostly because they make learning feel like playing. I especially like Ms. Brittany Webb because she does fun greetings instead of normal ones, like the crazy walk and the snake greeting.”

Emme Eads grade 3

PHOTO:

Aspen Country Day School’s Tanner Beazley receives his diploma from Head of School Josh Wolman.

Glen w Ope ood M ning ead Aug ows C ust lini 2019 c

Our Veterinary Dream Team

info@willitsvet.com | 970.510.5436 | 351 Robinson Street Suite 1014 | Basalt, CO 81621 37

PHOTO:

Basalt Elementary School first grade students gather with their teacher Ms. Hilda Bryant.

BMS

“

BASALT MIDDLE SCHOOL

(970) 384-5900 www.rfsd.k12.co.us 51 School Street, Basalt Open Enrollment Publicly Funded RE 1 School District

I learned many things this year: in Math, I learned how to decide which is the best option when buying things; in Literacy, I learned correct MLA formatting for papers; in Social Studies, I learned how to manage my money; in Science, I even learned how to tell which clouds will create storms. These are all things that I will always remember. Out of all of this, I learned something else: it doesn’t hurt to ask. Whatever it is, the worst thing that can happen is that someone will say No.” Hunter Oger grade 8

2019 FALL THEATRE EDUCATION PROGRAMS

FALL REGISTRATION www.TheatreAspen.org/education Education@TheatreAspen.org

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GRADES

1-8 CCA CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

“

(970) 927-9106 www.CornerstoneBasalt.net 20449 Highway 82, Basalt, CO 81623 Open Enrollment Tuition w/ Financial Aid Pre-K, Kindergarten + Grades 1-9 Christian Values | Academic Excellence

My favorite place on campus is where chapel is held.

During chapel, we learn all about God. I love reading the Bible. Latin class has helped me grow the most as a student because it helps me learn other languages.”

Leo Heinrich grade 2

CCS CARBONDALE COMMUNITY SCHOOL

“

(970) 963-9647 www.discovercompass.org 1505 Satank Road, Carbondale Enrollment Lottery Publicly Funded Charter Publicly Funded Free Education

One of school’s goals is to develop a curiosity-driven curriculum, which allows students to learn about the world using their own interests as the vehicle.

Students follow the standards-based curriculum in an environment that encourages self-directed study. We strive to foster a community of learners and are guided by the four points of our compass: Lifelong Learning, Community, Responsibility and Social Justice.

Statement provided in lieu of student essays

CRES CRYSTAL RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

“

(970) 384-5620 www.rfsd.k12.co.us 160 Snowmass Drive, Carbondale Open Enrollment Publicly Funded RE 1 School District PreK, Kindergarten & Grades 1-4

Ms. Maria Starceski is funny, and she is kind, and she helps me with hard work I don’t understand. She also understands me. She laughs when the joke is at an appropriate time and she also tells funny jokes. Most of the kids like her because of that reason. Even if she is having a frustrating day, she is still kind to everybody she talks to and sees. When I am stuck, she says ‘You can do it,’ which gives me confidence to do my work.”

Simon Cox grade 4

CMS CARBONDALE MIDDLE SCHOOL

“

Open Enrollment Publicly Funded RE 1 School District

Ms. Tami Wisley has now become my overall favorite teacher. I have to admit that at the beginning of the year, I was pretty scared of her, but it is because of her strict, sometimes harsh personality and her fast-paced teaching that our band has grown as much as we have this year. So I just want to thank Ms. Wisely for being the best band director I could ask for, and for inspiring me to love music even more than I did before.”

Inez Passerini-Burks grade 7

GSES GLENWOOD SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

“

(970) 384-5700 www.rfsd.k12.co.us 180 Snowmass Drive, Carbondale

(970) 384-5450 www.rfsd.k12.co.us 915 School Street, GWS Open Enrollment Publicly Funded RE 1 School District PreK, Kindergarten & Grades 1-4

The teachers here are as friendly and inspiring as they are amazing, which is to the moon and back. Our school makes sure that everyone feels welcome and safe. For example, every Wednesday, the fifth grade goes into different classes and finds problems and solutions in our community.”

Star Hernandez grade 5

39

GSMS GLENWOOD SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL

“

MCS

(970) 384-5500 www.rfsd.k12.co.us 120 Soccer Field Road, GWS Open Enrollment Publicly Funded RE 1 School District

“

GSMS is like a huge community. We talk about important topics and feel empowered. There are teachers who teach with great impact and are very honest and form great connections with students.”

Jaden Phillips grade 8

MARBLE CHARTER SCHOOL

(970) 963-9550 www.MarbleCharter.Gunnison Schools.net

418 W. Main Street, Marble

Open Enrollment Publicly Funded Charter Gunnison School District Daily Bus Service from Carbondale

Marble Charter School teaches a growth mind-set in a unique and nurturing environment while exceeding state standards. We are tuition-free, public K-8 Charter School. Our multi-age classrooms provide opportunities for students to work at their own level, often pushing beyond their grade level. We have daily bus service and provide delicious hot lunch daily.

Statement provided in lieu of student essays

MP

SES SOPRIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

“

CK TO SCHOO L BA

GRADES

1-8 SSCS

(970) 384-5400 www.rfsd.k12.co.us 1150 Mt. Sopris Drive, GWS

ST. STEPHENS CATHOLIC SCHOOL

Open Enrollment Publicly Funded RE 1 School District PreK, Kindergarten & Grades 1-4

The first day I came to this school, I was scared and worried that I would get bullied and that no one would like me as a friend. But everyone in my new class at SES wanted to be my friend. They helped me learn what they do, and they helped me understand everything. The most important thing I will always remember is that if you don’t face your fear, you will never face it. I like my new school.”

Daileen Martiez-Sandoval, grade 4, SES

WEATHER INSURANCE: If it rains or snows bring the vehicle back within 48 hours after an Ultimate Wash and we will rewash it.

“

(970) 945-7746 www.scsglenwood.org 414 Hyland Park Dr, GWS Application Process Tuition w/ Financial Aid PreK, Kindergarten & Grades 1-8

St. Stephens offers rigorous, time-tested curriculum taught by committed faculty in a faith-based and nurturing environment. This results in measurably accomplished academic achievement. Catholic teachings, faith and traditions are integral to a curriculum that reinforces what is taught at home, including virtues of discipline, respect and responsibility. These will provide guidance and inspiration as your child navigates life’s challenges.”

Statement provided in lieu of student essays

THE VALLEY’S SOURCE FOR: Car Washing Detailing Quick Lube

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745 BUGGY CIRCLE, CARBONDALE • (970) 963-8800 40

RS RIVERVIEW SCHOOL

“

RMS

(970) 928-0240 www.rfsd.k12.co.us 228 Flying M Ranch Road, GWS

ROSS MONTESSORI SCHOOL

Open Enrollment Publicly Funded RE 1 School District PreK, Kindergarten & Grades 1-8

Appreciate the real ones. Learn to see who is a real friend, and learn to care for those who care about you. Finding real friends and people who love you is wonderful, and knowing that people care about you is one of the best feelings in the world. Being grateful for everything and everyone you have will help you be more happy. This is the greatest lesson Riverview has taught me.”

Fernanda Gomez Landa grade 7

TRES TWO RIVERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

“

“

(970) 963-7199 www.RossMontessori.org 109 Lewies Lane, Carbondale Enrollment Lottery Publicly Funded Charter Kindergarten & Grades 1-8

Education is the most important part of my childhood.

But my education is much more than academic. It’s also social, emotional, philosophical and mental.

It takes place in the classroom as well as in the cafeteria and on the playground. Education is about communities. Education is the work of the future.”

Sara Kokish grade 5

WSRF

(970) 384-5200 www.TwoRivers.org 195 Center Drive, GWS

WALDORF SCHOOL ON THE ROARING FORK

Enrollment Lottery Publicly Funded Charter

Two Rivers Community School has been designated as a Distinction School. Performance Schools have the distinction of being above the 73rd percentile in performance-based academic and financial accountability measures. Every year in April, a lottery for available slots is held. Students designated low income or second-language learners are given preference. The mission, staff and culture of TRCS is what makes it unique. Come see for yourself.”

Statement provided in lieu of student essays

“

(970) 963-1960 www.WaldorfSchoolRF.com 16543 Highway 82,Carbondale Application Process Tuition w/ Financial Aid + PreK & Kindergarten

We studied the Renaissance in 7th grade. It was great to watch all of us stand in our little wax museum booths, dressed in lace, pretending to be important dead people from the past. I wonder if any of my drawings will be sought after in the future, like Leonardo DaVinci’s childhood sketch books? I also loved learning about the Age of Exploration. How people travelled through unbearable times, to one day find this land and call it home. Understanding, that if we fight through hard times just like they did, the outcome can only get better.”

Luke Beatz grade 8, Class of 2019

2019 COLORA D O

Recycler of the Year!

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C ompost C ollections for H omes & B usinesses EverGreenZeroWaste.com 970-987-3140

41

AHS

ASPEN HIGH SCHOOL (970) 925-3760 www.aspenk12.net 0235 High School Road

MP

Open Enrollment Publicly Funded Aspen School District

CK TO SCHOO L BA

MASCOT: Skier COLORS: Red & Black

GRADES

Got kids?

WE ARE FREE! If you have a rising 4th grader through 12th grader, join us for FREE a!er-school & all day summer programs!

Since 1991, Aspen Youth Center has provided a safe and supportive place where all youth in grades 4-12 connect, learn, and grow, for free.

Programs include: Top Chef Art Spot STEAM and Tech Agility Make a Difference Mondays Community Crusaders Free play and sports Outdoor Explore: Ra!ing Horseback Riding Rock Climbing Skiing and Snowboarding Hikes and Trail Work Hut Trips and more!

Aspen Youth Center is open Monday through Friday, 9am - 6pm during summer 10am - 6pm duirng the school year.

www.aspenyouthcenter.org 970.544.4130

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9-12

Cole Petersen, Valedictorian (Wearing goggles) “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swiiimmming swimming swimmming, what do we do we swim, swim. {operatically} HA HA HA HO HO HO I love to s-w-i-i-i-im when you WAAAAANT to swim, you want to swim.”

Unfortunately for you all, I am not an opera singer, but as you can probably tell, I am a swimmer. I dedicated eight years to early morning practices, drylands, meets, and thousands of hours of training. And after giving 100% effort every day for all these years to the sport that I love, I came up short in most if not all of the goals I had set for myself: I won’t be swimming in college, I never qualified for junior nationals, and I often missed time goals by significant margins. At one point I became so frustrated that I wanted nothing more than to quit. I eventually had to take a break and when I came back, I decided to try a new approach.

I stopped putting as much emphasis on achieving arbitrary goals, and started trying to appreciate the work that I was putting in.

I focused on becoming a mentor and a better teammate rather than on my own individual achievements. I didn’t stop working hard, but I stopped using the outcomes of races as the sole measure of my success as a swimmer.

“

Perseverance is not always about achieving a goal, but embracing an experience despite failure.

As Teddy Roosevelt said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again ... and who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”

“

Remember that whatever challenges you may face in the future, failure is acceptable; complacency is not. I urge you all to dare greatly and, if you fail, just keep swimming.”

Additionally, whoever this authentic self of yours is, I implore you to incorporate kindness into that person. Remember that everyone is going through more than you can see and even something as simple as a smile can make a monumental difference. Find your inner Dory and know that what counts is staying true to who you are while acting with kindness and compassion. Let go of how other people choose to see you, embarrass yourself, and no matter what, be unapologetically you.”

BHS

BRHS

BASALT HIGH SCHOOL

BRIDGES HIGH SCHOOL

(970) 384-5353 www.rfsd.k12.co.us 600 Southside Drive, Basalt

(970) 384-6160 www.rfsd.k12.co.us 455 S. 3rd Street, Carbondale

Open Enrollment Publicly Funded RE 1 School District

Open Enrollment Publicly Funded RE 1 School District

COLORS: green & white

MASCOT: Frog

MASCOT: Longhorn COLORS: purple & gold

BHS honored two valedictorians – Megan Maley & Steven Garcia-Machuca

Megan Maley, Valedictorian “I have long been a subscriber to my father’s philosophy, “Why

follow a trail when everywhere you look you can go?” But (on an off-trail climb up a waterfall), I discovered the true purpose of crazy adventures - to instill the ability to think critically, creatively, and divergently.

“

Our generation will face issues that will require nothing less than a radical deviation from the standard trail.

The environmental crisis, gun safety, spread of disease, human rights, and gender equality are just a few of the challenges in desperate need of risk-taking trailblazers. Our future relies on discovering ways not yet travelled. To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” So consider today the trailhead to your unique, uncharted path. Each one of us is about to set foot on a crazy adventure. Take each step fearlessly and with a sense of hope. Remember that the first tracks up an intimidating waterfall have the potential to become a revolutionary trail.”

Steven Garcia-Machuca, Valedictorian “I would like to start off by thanking my mother, Maria Machuca.

Gracias mamá por cruzar la frontera en busca de una mejor vida, por dejar a lado sus sueños por los míos y por siempre darme todo lo que necesité y más. You are the reason why I am on this stage today and will always be my reason to continue.

My mother is a refugee from El Salvador and works as a custodian.

Poverty and war forced her to flee her home country and find refuge in the United States. She endured the struggles of supporting a family as a single mother while adapting to a new culture and language. She has raised my little sister and me by herself, and even through all the hardship, has always kept a smile on her face.

“

I am her definition of the American Dream and a testament that one’s background does not determine what they’re capable of.

Success isn’t about making money or receiving a college degree.

Real success is gaining knowledge, acquiring peace, and feeling love in all types of situations, no matter how painful. Contentment and self-love are not things money can buy, yet are essential aspects of a truly successful life. Many people dwell on the past and let their misfortunes overpower the positives, overshadowing the real successes of their lives. Success is an ever-changing goal. It is different for everyone. I do not see my mother as an unsuccessful person because no one can define her success except her. And no one will be able to define ours, except us.”

Lilly Garret, Valedictorian 1. Temporary is okay. Temporary friends, goals, even personalities don’t, in themselves, have a negative connotation. I’m here to suggest that this is not something to be feared or to fret about, but something to be honored. Take, for example, the mustard seed. What begins as the smallest of all vegetation blossoms into the greatest of these. Before it reaches its full potential, however, it must transition into a number of stages. A few petals, a stem, some leaves--all of which appear insignificant until the end result is met. Like the tiny seed, we must be willing to accept changes in our temporary state before revealing our true capacity. Yes, this may be out of comfort zones, but how else would we grow?

2. Never judge a book by its cover. Cliché, I’ll admit, but I’ve learned it here possibly more than anywhere else. Transitioning from a traditional school to Bridges disproved so many stereotypes. To quote political scientist and psychologist Robert E. Lane, “Stereotypes are the mind’s shorthand for dealing with complexities … they are much blunter than reality; they are shaped to fit a man’s preferences or prejudgements …” I have, indeed, understood the profoundness of this statement both at Bridges, and outside of it. The kid who first intimidates you? You bond over the same taste in music. The girl who never smiles at you? You relate in your shared artistic talents.

It’s simple, I know, but it boils down to this basic rule: Give everyone a chance. What you find to be true, and what you’re proven wrong about, may surprise you.

3. You have always been living in the “real world.” What do I mean by this? Well, no doubt, you graduates and some of you in the audience have heard the expression, “You think this is hard? Wait ‘til you enter the real world!” To this, I answer,

“

You have always been living in the ‘real world.’ Every stage presents its own challenges and its own milestones. The key is to remember that it’s all relative to your circumstances, your maturity, your age, and your experience. I’m willing to bet all of you graduates can agree, high school has tested you in its own ‘special’ and very real way…

So, never let anyone invalidate your 18 or so years on this earth by calling them imaginary. You are not simply beginning your life after you walk out those doors today, but reaching a milestone relative to your senior year. Congratulations to everyone on, instead of beginning, continuing your life.

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GSHS

GLENWOOD SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL (970) 384-5555 www.rfsd.k12.co.us 1521 Grand Avenue, GWS Open Enrollment Publicly Funded RE 1 School District COLORS: red & white MASCOT: Demons

MP

CK TO SCHOO L BA

GRADES

9-12

CRMS

COLORADO ROCKY MOUNTAIN SCHOOL (970) 963-2562 www.CRMS.org 500 Holden Way Carbondale

Enrollment Application with Entrance Testing Tuition w/ Financial Aid

MASCOT: Rocky Mountain Oysters

COLORS: green & white

“

Intentionally sized at 165 students, relationships are at the core of the CRMS experience. This close-knit community resides on a 320-acre historic ranch, at the confluence of two rivers and the base of Mount Sopris, providing not only an outdoor learning laboratory but a launch point for boundless outdoor adventure. The curriculum is a perfect blend of traditional college-prep academics infused with project-based learning and teaching excellence -- your teachers will know you, engage you, and inspire you to think in ways you haven’t before.

Statement provided in lieu of student speeches

PHOTO:

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(above) The youngest students, who are just beginning their Aspen Country Day School journey, honor the graduates as they complete their time at ACDS and move on to high schools.

Meanwhile, in their graduation speeches, these rising students inspire younger children and their parents through their reflections and accomplishments. It is in this spirit that we share valedictory speeches from throughout the Roaring Fork Valley.

Isabelle Lorah, Valedictorian It wasn’t easy for everyone to get here. Some of you worked on the weekends and after school to help support your families. Some of you had to overcome anxiety in class. Some of you played sports for three seasons and sacrificed free time to keep your grades where they needed to be and stay true to your commitment to the team.

So whether you worked hard to learn English as a second language, spent your nights helping younger siblings, or had to treat leukemia you were diagnosed with in elementary school, you fought your battles, and now, you’re here today in your caps and gowns. If you think about it, we don’t really know what other people have been through.

Sometimes, people hide their problems underneath the surface.

“

The most important lesson I learned in high school wasn’t that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell, thank you AP Biology, but that we are all fighting some kind of battle, facing some daunting hurdle, or carrying a heavy burden that affects how we talk, think, and act in the world.

But it’s often a game face, something we wear, not who we are.

You already know all of the clichés: what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, don’t judge a book by its cover, and perhaps one of my favorites, if you can choose anything, choose kindness. So yeah, do that, be kind, but also choose to think.

Think about what others may be experiencing and how those experiences shape the way they move in the world. Think about whether that frown is about something you said or something that happened on the way to class. Think about whether that student who fell asleep during the math class was out partying or out working late to help buy groceries.

In my time here, I certainly faced challenges, some I could have never imagined. When I showed up on my first day, with a mouthful of braces and a streak of purple in my hair, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had these grand plans that unfolded much differently than I expected as I grew as a student, learned to study effectively and use all of the resources I had - teachers, counselors … Sal from Khan Academy. I also grew as a person, I struggled, I overcame, I conquered, I failed. Yep, all of that.

Most importantly, though, I learned. Lots of academics, for sure.

I’ll take that knowledge with me and be glad for it. But perhaps the biggest gains are these, and I hope you learned some, too. I learned to reach out to my friends when I need help. I developed methods for coping with stress. I learned to divide my energy and prioritize the things that I could handle at the moment. I grew most when I reflected on the difficult times in my life. I have found that pain and hardship can be used as the basis for growth.

RFHS

YMHS

ROARING FORK HIGH SCHOOL

YAMPAH MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL

(970) 384-5757 www.rfsd.k12.co.us 2270 Hwy 133, Carbondale

(970) 945-9463 www.YMHS.org 695 Red Mountain Dr., GWS

Open Enrollment Publicly Funded RE 1 School District

Open Enrollment Publicly Funded Charter MASCOT: Grizzlies COLORS: purple & black

COLORS: blue & gold MASCOT: Rams

RFHS honored five valedictorians – Maeve Cassetty, Lisa Kelley, Aidan Knaus, Aidan Sloan and Solana Teitler

Solana Teitler, Valedictorian: “If you look around at this graduating class, you won’t see two of the same people. You will see 86 unique individuals, each with varying views, ambitions, beliefs, and habits. Perhaps some of our uniqueness is inherent in our personalities, maybe we were each born with a few characteristics written into our DNA. However, I think that the majority of who we are and who we become is simply a product of the experiences we are given.

I believe that even small events, little fragments of memories, seemingly insignificant occurrences, can collectively impact the character of a person, and can become part of who we are, our future actions, and our self perceptions. I think that our identities are formed like a collage, with layers upon layers of memories, exposures, experiences, and the lessons learned from each. I like to imagine my life up until this point as a mountain of memories, piled up from the ground.

By subscribing to this theory, I have learned a few things.

YMHS does not choose a valedictorian so that every graduate can be honored.

Each is invited to speak at the graduation ceremony.

Rachael Eagleton: To quote, “Stitch Ohana” means family. Family mean nobody gets left behind or forgotten, and this school is my Ohana – my second family of sorts – and that’s all anybody could ask for.

If I had to pick one lesson that I have learned from being here at Yampah it would be that family isn’t just by blood. It’s the people that you choose to surround yourself with. The people that you care about people. The word family has a much bigger meaning than your blood family. It’s the people that you choose to spend your life with. Friends, family, they are all the same.

“

1. If each life is simply a mass of experiences, we are all works in progress. We never stop accumulating memories, learning lessons, and changing our perspectives. To me, this means that each terrible day or broken bone or lost game can just be thrown right into the mix of memories, and it will eventually either be covered up, eclipsed, or built upon by better things. Thinking this way gives me optimism.

2. Imagining my life as this kind of haphazard heap is comforting to me. There is no neat way to pile up a million memories. No matter what you do, it will be jumbled and messy and tumbling. No matter what, there are beautiful memories forgotten at the base, and uglier ones materializing at the crest. And no matter what, the pile doesn’t need to be perfect, because it is always being developed and improved.

3. If we are all made of memories, we are all of a common materialwe all share something. Somewhere in each one of our piles, we all store the memories we have been graced with by these years at Roaring Fork, and each one of these commonalities, however small, can be significant.

“

Somewhere in each of our memory piles is the smell of Cooper’s dissections, the sound of Hentschel ringing his cowbell, how Goodman ran down the hall in her heels, or Mr. Carb’s freshman poetry unit.

Maybe somewhere in your pile of experiences, you can locate the time when Jason performed Cheveré at the Thanksgiving Feast, one of our countless Powderpuff victories, or one of William’s epic lip sync battles. Whatever memories and experiences have helped form you in these 4 years, I guarantee that one other person here shared that same moment. I guarantee that one of the countless moments you spent at Roaring Fork High School has a place in your pile, had some impact on you. We all had so many memorable moments in these halls. And if we are all made of memories, that means that we all have so much in common.

At Yampah, you are more than just a student, you are a person. And the teachers here are not just your teachers, they are your friends. Here at Yampah, it doesn’t matter if you’re lesbian or gay, or have a disability or not. All that matters is who you are. Don’t be anything less, no matter what people say. You will always be welcomed here.

So in conclusion, I want to thank everyone, even people I have just met. Thank you for making life worth living. And congratulations to the graduating class of 2019, we did it!

Brian DeRaddo: “I never in my high school career thought that I would be standing at this podium graduating. While I was in high school I didn’t think of myself as the smart kid, and I would always self-doubt myself. I would call myself dumb and tell myself I could never graduate or do anything good in life.

“

Going to Yampah helped me get the motivation to know that I can do it.

I ended up getting accepted into college in Denver (which I thought would never happen) and finding a nice new apartment downtown.

I would self doubt myself and skip classes to use drugs in the past but I knew it needed to stop. I ended up actually going to school, and here I am today. I thank Leigh and Annalise for letting me come back to Yampah after I was in Salt Lake City for rehab, and giving me this opportunity to graduate from the best and most caring high school in the Valley. My takeaway from this is that anything is possible if you put your mind to it, and that you can achieve your dreams if you really work hard towards them.

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MOUNTAINPARENT

S SCHOOLYE E G A AR ALL

Program

LET US INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR CHILDREN’S PROGRAM ADVERTISERS

2

ACES / Rock Bottom Ranch

(970) 925-5756

Little Ranchers for pre-K, tours and educational programs in the schools.

Ascendigo

(970) 927-3143

Programs and services for those on the autism spectrum. Valley-wide.

Aspen Art Museum

(970) 925-8050

Pre-K and family creative art-making for a range of ages. Aspen.

Aspen Jewish Congregation

(970) 925-8245

Hebrew School offered during after-school hours. Carbondale. Aspen.

Aspen Rec Department

(970) 544-4100

Pre-K offerings. Sports teams and classes . After-school classes. Aspen.

Aspen Sante Fe Ballet

(970) 925-7175

Classes offered in Glenwood, Carbondale, Basalt, Aspen.

AVSC

(970) 205-5101

Fall mountain biking and dry-land ski training. Valley-wide.

Aspen Youth Center

(970) 544-4130

Drop-in. On and off-site activities. After-school. Weekdays. Free. Aspen.

Carbondale Arts

(970) 963-1680

The Mobile Maker Bus art offerings and the Launchpad hosts classes. Carbondale.

Carbondale Clay Center

(970) 963-2529

Pottery classes for kids age 5+. Carbondale.

Creative Flow Studio

(970) 963-5546

Small, creative classes. Themed art projects . Carbondale.

Eric Gross

(970) 379-9034

After-school music and voice lessons for a wide-range of ages and instruments.

Garfield County Libraries

(970) 945-5958

Pre-K storytimes and early-release Wednesday programming.

Glenwood Toys and Gifts

(970) 945-1141

Pre-K and after-school opportunities. Glenwood.

Handmakery

(970) 309-7686

Art classes for all ages – from Mini-Makers (ages 3-5) to tweens, teens and adults. Carbondale.

JAS Aspen

(970) 920-4996

Music instruction in schools , group workshops, live performances. Valley-wide.

Pitkin County Libraries

(970) 429-1900

Pre-K storytimes and early-release Wednesday programming.

Rising Crane

(970) 274-8473

Pre-K and after-school martial arts. Carbondale.

Rock and Roll Academy

(970) 379-9685

Group music instruction for kids with a concert performances. Carbondale.

Snowmass Village Parks & Rec

(970) 922-2240

Rec league after-school programs. Snowmass.

SOL Theater

(970) 274-0894

Theater classes and performances. Carbondale.

The Art Base

(970) 927-4123

Pre-K and after-school creative art-making experiences for all ages and abilities. Basalt.

Theatre Aspen

(970) 925-9313

Youth theater classes inspiring confidence and creativity. Aspen.

Town of Basalt

(970) 927.8214 x 400

Rec league soccer, basketball, baseball and other sports. Basalt.

Town of Carbondale

(970) 510-1290

Rec League sports, indoor rock climbing and Pre-K activities. Carbondale.

Wind Walkers

(970) 963-2909

Equine assisted learning and therapy center. Classes and private lessons. Carbondale.

GO O D

S PO R T S

WIND in your

SAILS

Aspen Recreation Department’s Don Sheeley Sailing School teaches nautical arts to a second generation of mountain kids.

K AT H RY N C A M P

THE AIR FEELS DEAD CALM, AND THE WATER IS AS SMOOTH AS GLASS, and it’s hard to imagine that the kids who are setting up the rigging on a small flotilla of Sunfish sailboats will be able to get their vessels moving without a big gust of wind. However, in a matter of moments, the kids are sailing steadily out of the Aspen Yacht Club harbor into the open expanse of Reudi Reservoir.

Following close behind, keeping a watchful distance, is a pontoon motor boat driven by Taylor Hale, the program director.

“You’re never stuck. You can always find some kind of wind,” Hale says, watching as his students manipulate their sails, tightening or loosening the lines until their boats begin cutting swiftly through the water.

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“Don Sheeley taught me to read the winds, which are way more unpredictable in the mountains than on the ocean,” Hale says, speaking of the man who started the Aspen Rec Department’s sailing program nearly 50 years ago in 1971. “Well, Don didn’t actually teach how to read winds, as in giving chalk time or lectures.

Instead, he gave me the ability to figure it out for myself. He trusted me to find my sense for the wind and the water.”

There are four Sunfish sailboats in the program.

Eight kids. Two on each boat. Some are return students in their second or third year. Several are in their first week, fourth day of lessons. Hale has paired them well. Experienced sailors captain each boat.

New sailors follow directions about when to duck as the boom swings from side to side, when to pull rope, how to position the rutter, and how to manage the sail so it captures the wind.

One boat has stalled, “luffing.” Hale explains what it means when a boat is steered so far windward that the sail is no longer full. He takes the support boat closer to the sailboat, gently teasing the brothers manning the vessel that their sail is flapping.

“Try to see what you can do to help it become tight,” he says. His mustache curls with the shape of his joy as a small adjustment sends the boat, as they say, sailing.

“I’m pretty much a big kid,” Hale explains. “I see these kids as equals. I don’t talk down to them, or yell. The only time I yell is to be heard. That’s how Don did it. He trusted us. He had confidence in our intelligence. He gave us the gratifying experience of learning that we could rely on ourselves. We could figure it out.”

In the early nineties, when Taylor Hale’s parents signed him up for sailing lessons with Aspen Rec, it wasn’t out of any particular interest in sailing. He had simply tried and loved nearly every rec program offered, and his mom figured he’d enjoy some summer days on the water. No one guessed that this program would help him chart his life course.

“I loved it,” Hale recalls, “Right away, I felt a kinship with Don, and it was mutual. I think I might have reminded him a little of himself.”

PHOTOS: After three years in the sailing school, Don asked him to coach, making Hale, at age 14, the youngest-ever employee of Aspen Rec. Meanwhile, Don and Jill Sheeley’s daughter Courtney grew up around sailboats, playing on the shores of Ruedi and at the Aspen Yacht Club. She was intuitively comfortable at the helm of a sailboat, but she weighed so little that she couldn’t gain a lot of speed.

So Don paired her with Taylor and the two started winning every race. They became lifelong friends.

She is now married to one of Taylor’s best friends, Chris Wyckoff, and their son is often a passenger on the support boat, along for the ride while Courtney and Taylor coach the kids.

When Don Sheeley passed away in 2017, the City of Aspen named the sailing school after him, and there was no question about who should step into Don’s role. Only thing – Hale is a career chef. He is head sushi chef and co-owner of Maru, an extraordinary foodie hub. Anyone who’s spent time in the front or back of a restaurant knows that to run a successful and innovative dining spot in the heart of downtown Aspen usually means you don’t have much time in the summer. One may assume that Hale would be too maxed to also run a rec program. Add the fact that Ruedi is a solid hour-fifteen from Aspen – but Hale

(above) Taylor Hale and his longtime friend, racing companion and fellow sailing coach Courtney Sheeley Wyckoff with her son. “My dad touched a lot of people through this program and it is so great to see his legacy live on through the program and the kids,” she says. (right) Learning to respond to changes in wind is part of keeping a sailboat upright.

Here, two sailors work together to counterbalance a gust of wind – getting a fast ride in the process.

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doesn’t seem at all weighted by work stress or the time factor as he motors around Reudi. He will later drive the van of kids back to Basalt and Aspen before heading to work for 8-10 hours. Again, none of this seems to invade Hale’s time on the water.

He pulls a wide arc around the bouys marking the sailing race posts. He talks about the tactical choices of the various teams with Spencer Perley, a fifteenyear-old graduate of the school whom Hale has tapped to start coaching.

His words of wisdom? Hale pauses for a moment, then shares something Don Sheeley used to say:

“The only time you’re completely certain that you can do something is when you’re doing it.”

This explains why the absolute chill chef and sailing coach can do so much – and it explains how he goes about teaching without teaching.

Case in point – a happy squeal from across the water tells us that a boat’s been flipped, likely on purpose.

These boats are designed to flip. The mast turns quickly underwater, pointing straight down toward the bottom of Reudi. The hull is upside down. Soon, a girl is shimmying up on top of the hull, balancing by clinging to the centerboard – which, on a Sunfish, comes in and out. Her boatmate quickly pulls himself from the water, joining her on the hull, and together they lean back on the centerboard until the hull starts to turn toward them. The sail pops up out of the water and the kids quickly step up onto the topside of the sailboat. This is how they learn how to right the boat.

This is how they learn that there’s nothing to be afraid of, nothing that they cannot figure out.

“These lessons translate into every area of my life,” Hale says. “That’s another thing that Don taught me. Everything is intertwined. If you think you can do something, you can.

If you put everything you’ve got into it – just like how it takes throwing your whole weight into righting a flipped sailboat – then you’re going to succeed.”

Join ACES for Nature & Me & Little Ranchers this fall!

This popular parent-child class will introduce your toddler, ages 1-4, to the natural world at either Hallam Lake & Rock Bottom Ranch.

Registration opens on August 1st!

aspennature.org MtnParent_1.4horiz_Summer2019 1

7/17/19 2:52 PM

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2 019

G O R A M S!

COM E SU PPORT T H E R A MS AT T H ESE HOM E OPEN I NG GA M ES!

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VO L L E Y B A L L

Sept 12th vs Aspen @ CMS field, 180 Snowmass Dr.

SOCCER

Sept 3rd vs Va il J V FOOTBA LL Sept 16th vs Meeker *All games subject to change. Check the Facebook page or Roaring Fork High School websiter for full schedules* Thank you to this school booster: RICHARD FULLER Mortgage Loan Originator | NMLS 458827 Office: 970.704.6440 | Cell: 970.618.4294 rfuller@houseloan.com www.RichardFullerCornerstone.com BRISA GARCIA Hablamos Español Loan Officer Assistant | NMLS 1700997 Office: 970.704.6440 | Fax: 866.311.6890 brisagarcia@houseloan.com 502 Main Street, Unit 11 | Carbondale, Colorado 81623

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Aspen RECREATION DEPARTMENT 0861 Maroon Creek Rd, Aspen 970.544.4100 aspenrecreation.com

SUMMER DAY CAMP

Dates: Through August 21 Ages: 5 (kindergarten) - 10 Drop off: 7:30 – 9:30 AM Pick up: 3:30 – 5:30 PM Fee: $44 online residents $66 online non-residents Where: Aspen Elementary School Days will be packed full of fun & educational activities such as swimming, skating, science, nature and weekly field trips. Children will be placed in groups based on the grade they are going into for the 2019/2020 school year. This is a State licensed program.

YOUTH BASKETBALL CLINICS

Time: 10U – 1:00-2:30 PM 14U – 2:30-4:00 PM Ages: 10 - 14 Dates: Sundays, Oct 6 – Nov 3 Fee: $15 per player per session Where: AHS Skier Dome Run by Athletic Coordinator Alex Schrempf, sign your child up for weekly Sunday clinics where players and parents alike can learn how to prepare for the upcoming Winter season!

YOUTH TENNIS

Ages: 5 - 18 Dates and Times: Varies by class.

Fee: $20 / clinic | $180 for a 10 lesson pass The Aspen Tennis Club offers a variety of tennis clinics from Mighty Mites for the littlest players to Top Guns for advanced players.

Check the website for program details at www.aspentennis.com.

Clinics run until August 16th.

CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY WITH US!

AT THE ASPEN REC CENTER Choose the Green Room or the Aspen Youth Center for older kids.

Includes pool, climbing and skating if available. Add-ons: Themes with set-up, color schemes, cakes.

AT THE RED BRICK Fee includes tables, chairs, setup and tear-down. Add-ons are available for an additional fee, including bounce houses, aerials, trampolines and more. See the website for rental fees.

GIRLS FIELD HOCKEY

FALL SOCCER

SWIM LESSONS

Volunteer coaches are needed.

Private lessons are available for kids and adults, book online.

YOUTH FLAG FOOTBALL

ADULT ACTIVITIES

Dates: September 9 – October 19 Ages: Kinder, Coed U8 U10 boys / girls Fee: Kinder $56 online U8 / U10 $99 online Where: Aspen Community Fields Join our recreational youth soccer program this fall! We emphasize inclusivity, engagement, and FUN with our fall soccer program.

Dates: Sundays, September 15 – November 3 Ages: 8 - 12 Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Fee: $94 Where: Iselin Field, ARC Sign up for the 2019 Introduction to Field Hockey Program! Led by field hockey professional Silvana Cura, this program will offer two, 2 hour sessions per week (1st hour practice, 2nd hour scrimmage) for girl’s looking for a new and engaging, female-centric activity.

Dates: September 9 – October 19 Ages: 7-8 / 9-10 Time: Practice Monday/ Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday, with games Saturday afternoons Fee: $104 Where: Aspen Community Fields Join our second consecutive year of Youth Flag Football in Aspen! After a resoundingly positive Fall 2018 Season, we are hoping to grow the program to accommodate up to 4 teams at each age group! Volunteer Coaches are needed!

AFTERSCHOOL CLUB

RED BRICK CENTER FOR THE ARTS: WEEKLY CAMPS

Dates: Aspen School District Calendar Ages: Kinder – 10 yrs old Time: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri: 3:15 – 5:30 PM, Wednesday: 1:55 – 5:30 PM Fee: $15/day, Wednesdays $20 Where: Aspen Elementary School Cafeteria The Afterschool Club is a state licensed program. The program includes homework help and lots of fun recreational activities like crafts, games & field trips on Wednesday.

Dates: Monthly Times: Days based on specific class.

Ages: Ages 6 months and up Fee: $34 / month online.

Where: The ARC Beginners learn to be safe in the water and develop basic swim skills in a fun environment with their instructor. Various levels of classes to choose from.

The Aspen Recreation Department has a variety of activities and classes for adults too. Choose from pickleball, ice hockey, swim lessons, water polo, golf clinics and more. Plus, there are over 40 fitness classes a week at our two locations.

Punch passes, monthly and annual memberships are available, see our website for more information.

Check out the Adult 4v4 Basketball League starting in September.

Time: 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM Dates: Weekly in August Fee: $275 / week Age: K - 4th grade Week-long day camps where children explore different themes each week through a variety of mediums such as papier-mâché, ceramics, mosaic, painting and collage! In addition to art making, campers will venture outside for a picnic and play in the park and enjoy weekly field trips to experience and see art in Aspen.

Register at RedBrickAspen.com

• LEARN MORE AT ASPENRECREATION.COM •

Snowmass VILLAGE PARKS, RECREATION & TRAILS

2835 Brush Creek Road, Snowmass Village – 970.922.2240 snowmassrecreation.com

RECREATION CENTER PASSES

LES MILLS BODY PUMP

FALL KIDS CAMP

SWIM LESSONS

DROP-IN PICKLEBALL

FALL FITNESS CLASSES

TINY TOT AND YOUTH TENNIS

SWIMMING POOL

DOGGIE SPLASH AT THE POOL

There are a variety of memberships available at the Snowmass Village Recreation Center. Whether you want to work out for the day or have ambitious fitness goals that may take a little longer. The Rec Center offers something for every budget. You don’t have to live in Snowmass Village to enjoy the great facility.

Options include youth and adult one-time daily visits, monthly, yearly and a 20 visit punch cards.

Here at The Snowmass Village Recreation Center we not only offer and wide range of youth group lessons but adult swim lessons. We offer either adult or youth lessons all summer long starting in June. offer only group but private swim lessons. If you are interested in signing up your children, or perhaps even for yourself call 970. 922. 2240 to set something up!

Basalt

RECREATION DEPARTMENT 101 Midland Avenue, Basalt 970.927.8214 x 400 Basalt.net/recreation

Dates: Tues/Thurs, Through August 15 Ages: 5 - 11 Time: 5 - 6 yrs old, 3:00 - 4:00 PM 7 - 11 yrs old, 4:00 - 5:00 PM Fee: $90 per session Where: Basalt Tennis Courts Engage your child with fun games and drills in these fast paced tennis classes. Your child will learn proper stance, swing and control with hitting the ball. Take one session or take them all! We are all about making sure your child has fun while learning or perfecting their tennis skills.

TOSV has partnered with Les Mills to bring Body Pump to Snowmass.

Body Pump is a barbell workout with light to moderate weights with lots of repetition to build strength, get lean, toned, and fit fast. Using bar, bench and plates.

For a full schedule of classes, visit the website. There are fitness class events once a month, so follow the Town of Snowmass Village Parks, Recreation, & Trails on Facebook for updates on fun events.

Days: Tuesdays and Thursdays Time: 9:00am – 12:00pm Dates: Year Round Fees: Members Free; non-members $10 Meet your friends and have a great time learning and playing pickleball!

Sessions will be held outdoors until November and then move to the Recreation Center Gymnasium.

Date: Until September 7th Time: Open until 6:00 PM Where: 0600 Elk Run Drive Arbaney Park Contact: (970) 927-4799 Open lap swim when kids can play, daily 1:00 - 5:00 PM. Pool Fees: Daily Rates: Child (4-7) $4, Student (8-17) $5, Adult (18-64) $8, Toddler (3 and under) Free, Senior (65 +) $4 20 punch cards: Child $60, Student $80, Adult $120, Senior $50 Season pass: Child $80, Student $100, Adult $150, Family (5) $325, Senior $60

HIKING ADVENTURES WITH BASALT RECREATION

Hike III: Deadman Lake, (9 mi round trip) Monday August 5 Hike IV: Lostman Lake, (9 mi round trip) Tuesday August 6 Ages: Boys and girls ages 8 - 15 Fee: $55 Where: Meet at Arbaney Park at 8 AM and we will return by 4:30 Hiking adventures are about encouraging children to explore some of the beauty that makes us appreciate the amazing valley we live in. Kids join our local Wild Naturalist Instructor, Lara Getz, and guide, Austin Zedak, to learn about flora and fauna and how we can take care of our beautiful natural resources. The beautiful wildflowers will keep us entertained for the whole trip up. These hikes are relatively easy and beautiful!

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Notes: Be sure to pack a comfortable backpack, preferably one with a hydration bladder. Be sure to pack a lunch and snacks for your child and a lightweight rain jacket. Good sturdy shoes and hiking poles or one pole are beneficial. A change of socks is also encouraged. Make sure your child is properly covered in sunscreen.

Time: Full day, see website.

Dates: Oct 24 - 25; 30 - 31; Nov 25 - 27 Ages: 5 - 14 Fee: $33 - $67 Join your friends for a fun filled day of recreation and adventure, utilizing the great facilities so close to home during the Fall school breaks. Activities will include but are not limited to indoor rock climbing, swimming, arts and crafts, gym games, playground and much more.

Schedules can be found online at snowmassrecreation.com.

We will be unveiling our Fall fitness class calendar soon. This schedule will include something for everyone to stay fit during the offseason and prepare for Winter! Classes will include TRX, HIIT, various yoga classes, and the always popular ski conditioning class. All classes are free for members and $15 for non members. Keep an eye on our website for the official release this fall!

Date: Saturday, September 7 Time: 10:00 AM Where: Basalt Pool Join us as our last day of pool fun includes your dog on Saturday, September 7. We will have snacks and tennis balls and your best friend is welcome to come make a final splash at the Basalt Pool! Donations are accepted for C.A.R.E.

FALL AND WINTER GUIDE OUT ON SEPTEMBER 1

Look for Basalt Recreation’s Fall and Winter schedules coming out September 1. We will have lots of fun activities for your child. Archery, K-2 Soccer and Basketball, Flag Football and more! Sign up online at basalt.net/recreation to receive our monthly newsletter to be up-todate on our activities and like Basalt Recreation on Facebook!

Carbondale RECREATION & COMMUNITY CENTER

567 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale 970.510.1278 carbondalerec.com

BANANAS FUN PARK

HOCKEY SKILLS CAMP

SK8 LESSONS

ROSYBELLE ART BUS + RECREATION MEDLEY

TRI-RACE EVENT (AGES 6 - 14)

ROCK WARRIORS CAMP

Date: August 2 Time: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Dates: June 14-July 26 Ages: 8 + Fee: $50 This trip includes 3 hours of unlimited fun at Bananas Fun Park in Grand Junction: Bumper Boats, Laser Tag, Go-Karts, Inflatable Bounce Houses, and Arcade Fun. Pizza and soda will be provided for lunch. Bring extra money for the arcade games!

Day: Monday - Thursday Dates: Aug 12 - 15 Time: 9:00 - 11:00 AM (Art) 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM (Rec) Fee: $120 Hop aboard the Rosybelle Bus for some art fun in the morning.

Then after lunch, we’ll get active!

Bring a sack lunch.

Dates: August 5 - 8 Time: 1:00 - 3:00 PM Ages: 7 - 12 Fee: $85 Play indoor floor hockey and work on passing, stick handling, shooting, and positioning. On Friday, visit the Aspen Rec Center for some ice time! Players will be divided into teams, assigned a country, and compete in the world cup of hockey Carbondale style!

Date: Saturday, August 24 Titee: 8:30 AM registration 9:30 AM race Fee: Early Registration $15 (Aug 3) Late $20 (up to Aug 24) This mini tri for kids is a great way to finish off the swim season. The swim is in the pool, the bike and run are on the grass around the perimeter of Sopris Park.

Day: Wed (Girls) Thurs (Coed) Dates: Sessions run Aug 7 - Sept 26 Visit website for information.

Time: Level 1 - 4:30 - 5:30 PM Level 2 - 5:50 - 6:30 PM Fee: $65 Ages: 5 + Whether you’ve never skated before or want a chance to perfect new tricks, join instructors Chris Johnson and Shawn Frick, at the Carbondale Skate Park. Please see definitions to find the right class for you. Must have own skateboard. Helmets required and other safety gear recommended.

Dates: Aug 12, 13, 14 Time: 1:30 - 3:30 PM (Mon-Tues) 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM (Wed) Ages: 9 + Fee: $125 An intensive day camp will get your climber ready to head outdoors with the Rock Warriors.

Participants will spend two days indoors to give them the necessary skills to effectively top rope on some real rock. The camp culminates on the third day with a trip to the great outdoors with Colorado Mountain College’s AMGA Rock Climbing Guides.

*Engaging the in *Forming the eart *Instructing the Will

Enrolling Now Ages 4.5-9th Grade

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W H AT ’ S

H A PPE N I N G

Today?

MONDAY VISIT OUR WEBSITE

WWW.MOUNTAIN-PARENT.COM Find more local activities or submit your events.

Our online calendar is a free community resource, created to connect parents with organizations and activities that enrich our parenting, nourish and entertain us, both parent and child alike.

FREE FARM TOUR AT ROCK BOTTOM RANCH

11:00 AM Rock Bottom Ranch, Willits (Monday through Saturday) Tours are appropriate for all ages and provide opportunities to interact with livestock and learn where your food comes from.

PHOTO:

There’s always something to do around here. Looking for a way to cool off? The John Denver Memorial Garden in Aspen, shown here, is a peaceful place for a picnic and a dip. (credit: Eliza Voss)

TUESDAY RISING CRANE TRAINING CENTER

9:00 AM Jumping Joeys 10:00 AM Leadership Lions Rising Crane Training Center Jumping Joeys – 18 mo - age 3.

Leadership Lions – ages 4-6 Starting September 3, these weekly classes are designed to introduce martial arts to young children. Jumping Joeys is a parent-child program.

GLENWOOD SPRINGS DOWNTOWN MARKET 4:00 – 8:00 PM Centennial Park, GWS Every Tuesday evening through September 17

ASPEN JEWISH CONGREGATION HEBREW SCHOOL

JEWISH IDENTITY FOR YOUR CHILDREN. JEWISH COMMUNITY FOR YOU. *TWO LOCATIONS*

970-216-5365 familynestcolorado.com facebook/familynestcolorado Birth & Postpartum Doula Support • Childbirth Classes • Meet the Doula Nights • Support Groups for Moms & Dads • Certified Placenta Encapsulation • Breastfeeding & Baby Care Classes • Community Gatherings

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Sima@AspenJewish.org AspenJewish.Org | 970.925.8245

WEDNESDAY ASPEN ART MUSEUM STUDIO FOR KIDS

2:30 - 4:00 PM Aspen Art Museum This after-school program for kids in Grades K–4 is held most Wednesdays during the school year at the AAM. Museum Educators lead classes that include activities in the gallery and take-home projects.

Registration encouraged.

CARBONDALE FARMER’S MARKET

10:00 AM – 3:00 PM 4th and Main St., Carbondale Every Wednesday through September 18

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

ASCENDIGO SPEAKER SERIES

5:00 - 7:00 PM August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Morgidge Commons, GWS Parents mark your calendars for this every-Thursday-in-August series of presentations given by renowned autism experts Peter Gerhardt and Matthew Goodwin. They will be discussing the topics of navigating a life with autism and the transition from childhood to adulthood.

RSVP: (970) 927-3143

AFTER WORK STORYTIME

5:30 – 6:00 PM Basalt Regional Library Can’t make it to morning storytimes with your child?

This programming is for you.

After-School Art

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

FRIDAY AFTERNOON CLUB @ GLENWOOD CAVERNS

ASHCROFT GHOST TOWN TOURS

CRAFTERNOONS @ THE ART BASE

FIRST FRIDAY CARBONDALE

ASPEN SATURDAY MARKET

BASALT SUNDAY MARKET

5:00 - 8:30 PM FREE tram ride after 4:00 PM with a coupon that appears in the Glenwood Springs Post Independent on Fridays.

Upgrade to a Funday pass for cave tours, the lighted Alpine Coaster, 4D Theater, Laser Tag and the new Haunted Mine Drop. Drink and Dinner specials at the Lookout Grille.

5:30 – 8:00 PM Main Street, Carbondale Aug. 2: Rally-Palooza Car Show Sept. 6: Creative District

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Aspen Historical Society (Daily tours with docent) Located 11 miles up Castle Creek Road, the silver mining ghost town features the restored remains of several historic buildings, including the Blue Mirror Saloon, a post office, and the View Hotel.

Please, no dogs.

Children 18 and under free.

8:30 AM – 3:00 PM E. Hopkins, S. Hunter, Hyman Every Saturday through October 5

10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Offered in conjunction with the Basalt Sunday Market, Crafternoons are held each week through the end of the Market in September.

The whole family can create something to bring home, using materials provided for a different craft each week.

10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Midland Spur Road Every Sunday through September 22

Welcome Emily Lambert!

!

Cornerstone Christian School is excited to announce Emily Lambert as their new Executive Director. Emily is recognized as a leader in education in the Roaring Fork Valley.

Trusted and valued by parents for her attention to the needs of students within a nurturing and educational environment to prepare them for challenges beyond the classroom.

ages 6-11

Summer Mermaids FALL 2019 CLASSES

• In Carbondale with Pam Porter • Wednesdays or Thursdays • 5-week Sessions, 3:30-5:00 pm • Starting in September

"I am excited to join the community at Cornerstone Christian School this new school year. This is an exceptional school of learners and educators. It is an honor to become a part of it.” -Emily Lambert!

Learn more & sign up: !

THECREATIVEFLOWSTUDIO.COM

! ! ! ! !

PIANO VOCALS PRIVATE LESSONS YOUTH AND ADULTS Lessons at convenient locations Event performances: solo, duo, trio or full band

Basalt, CO

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W H AT ’ S

H A PPE N I N G

August SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS:

M O U N TA I N - PA R E N T. C O M

AUGUST 1-4: GARFIELD COUNTY FAIR

8:00 AM - 9:30 PM Garfield County Fairgrounds, Rifle The final weekend of the Garco Fair brings the culmination of 4-H exhibits, junior livestock sales, photography shootouts, and baking contests (including apple pies, cookies and gingerbread), plus the can’t miss apple pie eating contest. Of course, there is also the beer garden, country music headliners and the carnival midway.

AUGUST 5, 12, 19: “BEING AMERICAN” AMERICANA FILM SERIES

AUGUST 7-8: SOL THEATRE’S PETER PAN JR.

AUGUST 15: PETER & THE WOLF ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL FAMILY CONCERT

AUGUST 16-18: RFOV “HAYPARK TO BUZZ BASIN”

7:30 PM The Isis Theatre, Aspen August 5: Oklahoma August 12: Singin’ in the Rain August 19: Nashville

4:00 PM Kids Notes 5:00 PM Concert Benedict Music Tent, Aspen FREE Bring your children for light refreshments and Kids Notes pre-concert activities, followed by a lively performance of Sergei Prokofiev’s classic. All ages.

6:30 PM Third Street Center, Carbondale If you’ve ever wished for a sprinkle of pixie dust so you can fly to Neverland, join Peter, Tinkerbelle, the children of the Darling family and the kids of SOL Theatre for their summer youth production.

All Day Hay Park to Buzzard Basin “Backpacking Lite” with Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers.

Camp at high elevation and work to relocate ½ mile of the multiple-use Buzzard Basin trail out of the Maroon Bells/ Snowmass Wilderness Area. A great way to introduce community service and trail responsibility to older kids.

AUGUST 1, 8, 15, 22: COLORADO PEACE INSTITUTE – MEDIATION FOR TEENS & PARENTS

Thursdays in August 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Donation-based mediation sessions for parents and teens.

Begin to resolve long-standing tensions through structured dialogue and establish a greater sense of teamwork as you embark on the school year. Schedule an appointment: Cara@coloradopeaceinstitute.com, Michelle @ (970) 618-2711

AUGUST 8: ENGLISH IN ACTION BENEFIT WITH MADELINE ALBRIGHT

6:00 PM The Hotel Jerome Celebrate 25 years of building community at the nonprofit’s annual Summer Benefit featuring Pulitzer Prize winning journalist David Sanger in conversation with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

AUGUST 17: C.A.R.E. DOG DAY 5K

8:00 AM – registration 9:00 AM – race Two Rivers Park, Glenwood Springs This fun run/walk is open to all ages and friendly, on-leash dogs are welcome and encouraged. Awesome prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place human and canine finishers, mini subs courtesy of Jimmy John’s, refreshments, and Dog Day t-shirts guaranteed to the first 100 entries.

Smile THE ANXIETY OF GOING

TO THE DENTIST

HAS VANISHED INTO THIN AIR ANESTHESIA-FREE PAIN-FREE FILLINGS

amily

Carbondale Dental Dr. Andy Nardecchia 889 Main Court, Carbondale carbondalefamilydental.com 970.963.1616

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AUGUST 3: ASPEN FILM: THE PRINCESS BRIDE

AUGUST 3 & 4: THEATRE ASPEN’S WIZARD OF OZ

AUGUST 9-11: COMPASSION FILM FESTIVAL AND SYMPOSIUM

AUG 10: NEW CASTLE RIDES & REGGAE FEST

8:00 PM The Collective, Snowmass A Movie Under The Stars screening of Rob Reiner’s 1987 romantic comedy adventure film, which tells the tale of the beautiful Buttercup and her true love Westley who become separated through the course of unfortunate events involving pirates and villains. All ages.

All-Day 3-day event, starting 3:30 PM Friday Third Street Center, Carbondale This second annual gathering combines film, yoga, speakers, workshops, music and dancing in celebration of compassion in our lives, our communities, and the world.

AUGUST 21 - 25: ASPEN MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL WHEELER OPERA HOUSE

11:00 AM – FREE family films Sunday, August 25 The Wheeler Opera House This is a 5-day film fest geared toward teens and adults, while the FREE Sunday morning show is for all ages.

Enjoy documentary films that celebrate diverse mountain cultures, travel, adventure, environmental sustainability and community. Plus music, art, food and stage.

11:00 AM – Saturday 11:00 AM & 6:00 PM Sunday The Hurst Theatre Be sure to catch the final shows of TA’s summer conservatory production. Lost in an unfamiliar land, surrounded by munchkins, flying monkeys, witches, and the Great and Powerful Oz, Dorothy Gale follows the Yellow Brick Road on a quest to find her way back home.

8:00 AM - 8:00 PM VIX Ranch Park, New Castle A Saturday full of fun including live music from local and national reggae bands, mountain bike races for all abilities, bike demos, beer garden, food and silent auction.

Kids under 12 are FREE.

AUGUST 24: C.A.R.E – DRESSED TO THE K9S 5:00 PM The Orchard, Carbondale Enjoy an evening of delicious food and libations, fourlegged friends, silent auction, and entertainment from hilarious comedian and Veterinarian extraordinaire, Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald. All proceeds benefit C.A.R.E.

THEATRE ASPEN’S WIZARD OF OZ CAST The TA Summer Conservatory offers young actors an opportunity to explore all different areas of theatre while building their confidence, empathy, and ability to collaborate. While working together on the summertime production, the actors train five-days-per-week at the Aspen Community School campus in Woody Creek, studying with industry professionals. The choreography, singing and acting workshops prepare the cast for their Hurst Theatre performances, while also supporting the students in building confidence and capability.

Here is a snapshot of this year’s Conservatory participants, the cast of Wizard of Oz.

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W H AT ’ S

H A PPE N I N G

September SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS:

M O U N TA I N - PA R E N T. C O M

SEPT 7: RALLY THE VALLEY

Two Rivers Park, Glenwood Springs Walkers and rafters raise funds to support programs to help patients at the Calaway·Young Cancer Center.

Costumes and teams encouraged! After the walk and raft, enjoy a celebration that includes lunch, live music, a beer garden and kids zone complete with petting zoo, Aspen House of Bounce and Rocky Mountain Mini Train.

SEPT 7: ANNUAL ROARING FORK RANCH ROPING

7:00 AM - 5:00 PM Gus Darien Arena, Carbondale Roping in the traditional Vaquero style (big loop ranch roping) of 3 man teams, such as used for doctoring in the pasture. Affiliated with Rocky Mountain Ranch Roping and Stockhorse Association. Go out and watch!

SEPT 5: FREE UNBRIDLED LEAD DEMO DAY

5:30 - 7:00 PM Smiling Goat Ranch, 271 Willow Lane, Carbondale Discover ways to improve your family relationships and parenting by spending time with a horse. Join Beth Hahn Shoemaker for a beautiful evening to learn how guided interactions with a horse can reveal and shift patterns in our relationship to ourselves and others. (970) 618-6635

SEPT 6: WILDERNESS WORKSHOP COMMUNITY PARTY

5:00 - 9:00 PM Sopris Park, Carbondale There will be live music by The Smuggler Mountain Boys and World’s Finest. This event is free and open to the public and replaces the environmental policy nonprofit’s previous WildFest celebration with a community oriented party.

SEPT 7: BURNING MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL PARADE

SEPT 7: DOGGIE SPLASH

SEPT 10 - 15: NATIONAL SHEEPDOG FINALS

SEPT 10: EASIER CHILDBIRTH CLASS

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Elk Creek Elementary, New Castle Sunny Yeti has his own chairlift float and he’s looking for riders! FREE tie-dye t-shirts, FREE donuts, plus a FREE bike decoration station for all who join the fun.

Strang Ranch in Missouri Hieghts Witness firsthand the amazing herding skills of the top 150 open dog and handler teams in North America. Parking and ticket proceeds benefit C.A.R.E.

10:00 AM Basalt Town Pool The pool will have snacks and tennis balls and dogs are welcome to come make a final splash at the Basalt Pool!

Donations are accepted for C.A.R.E.

4 Tuesdays, 6:00 – 8:30 PM The Family Nest, Carbondale Childbirth classes help build confidence in your body’s ability to give birth. Guidance + advice about birth helps to propel parents toward an easier birth experience.

Wednesdays 10:00 am- 3:00 pm

Wednesdays, June 12 - Sept 25

A SPOILED PET IS A HAPPY PET.

7 - 11am Saturday, Oct. 5

~Established 1995 ~ M-F 9am- 6:30 pm + Weekends 10am-5pm 970-963-1700 + RJPaddywacks.com Next to City Market in El Jebel YOUR LOCAL SOURCE FOR PET SUPPLIES 58

All ages welcome. 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk.

To benefit the Annual Fund, supporting students in the classroom today with materials, program enrichment and technology.

SEPT 6 - 8: SNOWMASS BALLOONFEST & SEPTEMBERFEST

ONE MOMENT – WALK FOR HOPE

6:30 AM - 12:00 PM daily Snowmass Town Park Balloonfest is free for all ages. 30 pilots compete in challenges and races as spectators take in the stunning sight and capture spectacular photos. Septemberfest takes place in Snowmass Base Village while Cidermass is on the Snowmass Mall.

“

WHEN THERE IS A LOSS OF AN INFANT OR CHILD, SOMETIMES THE

ONLY THING THAT HELPS IS THE COMPANY OF OTHERS WHO SHARE OUR PAIN. THIS IS WHY ONE MOMENT EXISTS.”

MARCIA VILLARREAL, founder

SEPT 7: AYC’S AETHER GAMES

ALL ARE WELCOME

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 1:00 – 3:00 PM TWO RIVERS PARK, GLENWOOD SPRINGS

11:00 AM - 4:00 PM Rio Grande Skate Park, Aspen Benefits the Aspen Youth Center and their free after-school and all-day summer programs. AYC kids will referee games while adults compete. Sponsor or join a team!

MAKE SEED PAPER NOTES (shown left) RELEASE BUTTERFLIES while each baby’s name is spoken GUEST SPEAKERS

SEPT 21: CARBONDALE CLAY TACOS ON PLATES 5:00 – 8:00 PM Carbondale Clay Center Pick out a small plate created by a local artist. Fill it with tacos made by local chefs. Enjoy dancing, music & handcrafted libations. Then take home your plate, a collectable piece of art.

MUSICIAN REMEMBRANCE T-SHIRTS

TO ACKNOWLEDGE, HONOR, AND CELEBRATE OUR BABIES WHO ARE NO LONGER WITH US.

I MILE WALK FOR HOPE ALONG THE RIVER

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED. ONE-MOMENT.ORG

A Community Event

A diverse marketplace offering access to locally-grown farm fresh food and artisan venders from around Colorado

Every Saturday

June 15 – October 5 8:30 am – 3 pm East Hopkins – South Hunter – Hyman

Charles Andrade ~ Artist Specializing in children’s murals and decorative wall finishes.

Commercial and residential commissions.

LAZURE

Custom Wall Designs Ensouling your world with color

www.aspen-saturdaymarket.com

www.lazure.com

970.309.5559

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&

A BO U T

Twelve months after the LAKE CHRISTINE FIRE burned more than 12,000 acres on Basalt Mountain, ROARING FORK OUTDOOR VOLUNTEERS partnered with the ROARING FORK CONSERVANCY and the COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND WILDLIFE to begin restoration work in the wilderness area.

This project was RFOV’s largest public project this season, with 300 volunteers who showed up to reseed 400 acres that are inaccessible to aerial and mechanical reseeding • The evening could not have been more idyllic on Hallam Lake in Aspen when ASPEN CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL

STUDIES (ACES) celebrated its 50th year at the annual An Evening on the Lake event. (credit: Burnham Arndt) • It’s always a good day for a lemonade stand, especially when the delicious treats and the stand itself are made by kids. Look for SQUEEZYS at CARBONDALE’S FIRST FRIDAY and other pop-up spots until the weather turns cold.

T H E

S C H O O L

O F

ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET TER S I G E R N OW L AL F O R F E S! S CL AS

Glenwood Springs Carbondale Basalt Aspen

PHOTO: SHAREN BRADFORD

Classes start September 3!

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PLEASE REGISTER FOR CLASSES ONLINE

www.aspensantafeballet.com or contact Melanie Doskocil at 970-925-7175 x106

The FOURTH OF JULY PARADE in downtown Carbondale is a mostly-pedal-powered event, but for these bystanders, the firetrucks at the very end are worth waiting for. • Suicide is a topic that few know how to discuss, and is deeply and powerfully explored in HONEYBEE, a play written, directed and performed by local high school students. The show created quite a buzz, presented by STAGE OF LIFE (SOL) THEATRE, written and directed by 17-year-old Brooke MacKay, with music and lyrics written by 16-year-old Jenny Henry, who also played a lead role – shown here front and center, surrounded by cast and crew

• Ever since stories started to spread about the immaculate remodel of the REDSTONE CASTLE, families in the

community have awaited a chance to see the fabled late-19th century mansion. The public was invited in July for tours, an ice-cream social and lady’s hat contest to raise funds for the REDSTONE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

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U P NEXT

OC T + N OV

OUR ANNUAL

HOMELIFE

MOUNTAINPARENT L I V I N G

EDITION

TH E D R E A M

We ARE living the dream. Outstanding schools. Clean air and water. Safe streets.

Flourishing communities. Unparalleled opportunities for work, recreation, arts and entertainment. The quality of life here is, indeed, a dream. This is why this Valley is one of our nation’s most highly-competitive housing markets. This means that for many families, the dream of home ownership is still precisely this, a dream. In our annual exploration of HOMELIFE in the Roaring Fork Valley, we will introduce you to local families, modern homesteaders, who are finding ways to stake a claim here. We will also introduce you to the professionals who can help make your dreams of Home Sweet Home a reality.

HOME DESIGN. THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX. FLOOR PLANS. INSIDE. Outside. NEIGHBORS. FIXER-UPPERS. MULTI-GENERATIONAL. TEACHER HOUSING. REALTORS. GETTING ORGANIZED. GETTING OFF THE GRID.

OPENING THE DOOR.

Advertising Reservation Deadline: Friday, September 13

Please Contact: Lauren Suhrbier, Publisher, (970) 319-3939, mountain-parent.com

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120 E. SOPRIS

623 FENDER LANE

your trusted real estate advisors.

120 E. SOPRIS

Stacey Craft | 970.445.8032 623 FENDER LANE 61 Tony Scheer | 970.379.0412

Want to save big on a new mattress?

Check out our high-quality Southerland mattresses that we purchase directly from the factory so we can offer them to you at a savings of 30% over mattresses of the same quality. They come in three levels of comfort, firmness and longevity and are so great that we’ve sold over 400 in the past year to rave reviews and not a single complaint! What are you waiting for? Come in today to find the mattress of your dreams.

For location and hours or to schedule a FREE donation pick-up, visit HabitatRFV.org

In addition to providing the construction loan for ReStore 2.0, Alpine Bank is proud to provide the construction loan and to be a preferred lender for the Basalt Vista Affordable Housing Community.

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We are happy to underwrite this ad to help Habitat make a difference in our community.