the
SKIER SCRIBBLER November 2022
Volume 2
Aspen High School
The Abstract Culture of Carbondale for the mom and pop shops and things like that,” Jonathan Kelly, an AHS junior said. Even if the way the two towns prioritize their economy is different they both prioritize the outdoors. Every town in the Roaring Fork Valley recognizes that we have these breathtaking wild
Beau Toepfer, News Editor
Carbondale, Colorado, sits smack in the middle of the Roaring Fork Valley and hosts some of the best small town community and most interesting culture the valley has to offer. Carbondale’s rich culture started in 1888, as ranching and mining dominated the town’s industry. With Aspen’s silver mining boom, the fertile pastures around Carbondale began to develop, and soon after the dense coal reserves near Redstone began to be tapped. The potatoes being cultivated at the time fed the miners of Aspen; this history continues to be celebrated today at Carbondale’s annual Potato Days. The coal mines eventually closed in 1991, but as Aspen’s ski industry exploded and brought with it luxury real estate, Carbondale became a safe haven for Roaring Fork locals looking for cheaper real estate and generally relatively lowcost living. Many of these so-to-speak immigrants were a part of the more hippy, outdoor community, and they began to shape Carbondale’s world-class outdoor amenities. Superlative backcountry skiing and mountain biking surround Carbondale as well as excellent climbing, including God Mode (5.14b), one of Colorado’s hardest sport climbs located just outside of Redstone. At the same time, the ranching community was
protect them. Carbondale’s ranching and tect the Thompson Divide, and Aspen
Photo by Beau Toepfer Mount Sopris, as seen from the CRMS farm on Monday, November 1, 2022.
dichotomy of the very different lifestyles, a powerful bond began to form in the community. The government of Carbondale hopes to continue to foster this bond among its citizens through events like Dandelion Days and First Friday. “Carbondale’s history is not about people from the outside coming for short-term stays and then leaving, it’s really about people who work here and live here and add to the community,” Ben Bohmfalk, the Mayor of Carbondale said.
With fewer tourists coming to Carbondale than the other towns in the valley, there aren’t as many shops selling high priced goods as often as in Aspen or Basalt. Alongside having less luxury retailers than Aspen, Carbondale’s sales tax is also almost a full percent lower. Less tax revenue leads to the government being more constrained, as well as a lot of the tax-funded amenities that Aspen has such as RFTA aren’t as robust. Unfortunately, less developed public services lead to some resentment within Carbondale’s population towards the city government; however, Bohmfalk states that this is largely unfair. The town does its best with what budget it has, and in
almost all cases, does better at caring for its locals than Aspen. The events Carbondale hosts are for its locals, and they do not cater to rich tourists who want luxury accommodations and food. Even if Carbondale locals envy some of the amenities Aspen provides, they still recognize their town as better than Aspen. Carbondale locals voice how Carbondale is better than Aspen, but an Aspenite will never say the opposite. The fact is, Aspen doesn’t value their local community as Carbondale does; it doesn’t support local businesses to the same extent. “There has been over-commercialization of Aspen, Colorado…it’s terrible
News
Opinion
A&E
Room Service in the Commons
Why Everyone Should Go to Therapy
New Decade, Not So New Music
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The stigma around therapy is the main reason for the lack of therapy. Research shows that people from ethnic minorities are less likely to seek help compared to white people. The stigma around mental health also stems from the idea that the need for therapy is a weakness... (Page 6)
It is nearly impossible to discuss a
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through programs like Give a Flake. A dividing point, as noted by a variety of Carbondale residents can be seen through who attends the aforementioned festivals. Bohmfalk and other town council members are trying to work to unite the Latinx community more into Carbondale culture through their festivals, outdoors, and arts. There is still a long way to go to incorporate other languages and cultures into the Carbondale government. Makai Yllanes, a CRMS senior, feels as though the valley lacks diversity. “Carbondale tends to feel almost very segregated in the sense that you have a lot of white people and a lot of Latino people, the interactions aren’t always the greatest,” Yllanes said. However, for the most part, Carbondale is a close-knit community, which bonds between the citizens come from the many festivals they hold as well as popular, local businesses like Peppino’s Pizza. Cameron Hermes, an RFHS senior who worked at Peppino’s, notes that not only did he know most of the town, but that close knit community also made Carbondale feel safer. Festivals like Potato Day and First Friday are attended by almost all locals, and that further tightens the community. (Continued on page 3)