Crested Butte: What's the deal?

[pikabike]

The attitude also exists in tourist towns that get deluges of other kinds of recreationists. Not just skiing, not just CO, not just mountainous or desert slickrocky.

Some seacoast towns are known as The Town Beach of [closest big city]. I lived in one for a while and saw that attitude every high season. They called the tourists Summer Complaints. The name was well deserved in at least some cases. Such as the guy who dropped in on a crowded (chairs full of waiting customers) hair salon demanding that a cutter let him and his kid cut in front immediately so they could make the next ferry sailing.

[kj1065]

I've been there a few times and have never had an experience like that. Can't imagine what would have motivated someone to speak to you that way. Hopefully just a one-off.

[klemmaniac]

In the few years I've lived in Colorado, I have noticed the "natives" can be oddly hostile on occasion - similar in the way you describe of just trying to find something (or nothing at all) to be rude or combative about. So you're not alone in running into that kind of behavior, esp. in smaller towns. As others have mentioned, the locals can be a bit difficult and there can be an undertone of hostility towards people who weren't born or grew up in their territory.

I have some sympathy for them in that if I grew up in some place with great weather, low traffic, reasonable cost of living/housing and beautiful scenery I wouldn't want a bunch of jack*sses coming in and ruining it either, but it does make for a hostile social environment. I'm sure there are many other places that have the same problem, esp these days. Just know, "it wasn't you".

[Techy02]

Originally Posted by smith99

Thought I would share my perspective as a CB local. The economy in Crested Butte from the housing market to the job market has changed drastically in the past 5 or so years mostly due to the popularity of Airbnb and Vail buying the mountain. With less housing available for workers, the demand is overwhelmingly higher than the supply. The mountain, hotels and restaurants in town are relying increasingly on seasonal workers here on a J1 visa. There is still a core community of ski bums, local business owners, and long time locals, but the demographics are changing fast as we rely more on seasonal workers and home and rental prices are driven up by remote workers and second home buyers. All of this has created a resentment of people who come into the area with money they made elsewhere and buy houses that sit empty 10 months out of the year. Most locals work in service industries catering to wealthy tourists and work 2 or 3 jobs.

All of these problems are in no way unique to Crested Butte-it is the classic story of the resort town. However, Crested Butte is still adjusting to this new normal and it is hard for locals to see their town change in this way. Crested Butte is still a great place to live and visit, but it is a different place today. Not all locals are rude and confrontational about it, and I'm sorry you had this experience, OP.

This all seems pretty accurate from my experience.

[Techy02]

Originally Posted by klemmaniac

In the few years I've lived in Colorado, I have noticed the "natives" can be oddly hostile on occasion - similar in the way you describe of just trying to find something (or nothing at all) to be rude or combative about. So you're not alone in running into that kind of behavior, esp. in smaller towns. As others have mentioned, the locals can be a bit difficult and there can be an undertone of hostility towards people who weren't born or grew up in their territory.

I have some sympathy for them in that if I grew up in some place with great weather, low traffic, reasonable cost of living/housing and beautiful scenery I wouldn't want a bunch of jack*sses coming in and ruining it either, but it does make for a hostile social environment. I'm sure there are many other places that have the same problem, esp these days. Just know, "it wasn't you".

I have run into this also. Mostly in the smaller towns that have grown extremely fast in the last 10 years.

The "I was here first" or "I'm from here" mentality can be awfully strong in some places. It's not an attitude exclusive to Colorado but it is very prevalent in Colorado and most of the rocky mountain states in my experience.