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Gufstafson: True to my words

Britta Gufstafson
Guest Commentary
Britta Gustafson leads in the race for Snowmass Town Council after 50% of votes.
Courtesy photo

Snowmass Village is part of the very fabric of who I am. Born and raised here, I have spent my life observing, listening to, and writing about all things Snowmass. And, it’s not hyperbolic; my genuine wish for Snowmass Village is, and always has been, that we remain aggressively aware of our priceless natural connections, of our unique character, and that we respect the magnitude of our human impact on this valley. And, that we do it together. 

If you have read stories preserved in The Story of Snowmass (Our history book that I helped to co-create) or any of the years of columns I have penned in the Snowmass Sun, then you may have some idea of where I stand on many Snowmass Village issues. My beliefs and values have held fast. If it’s worth saying, it has probably been said.

And, in my own written words over the past seven years, I submit from the Snowmass Sun:



“In the midst of change, these grand vistas hold fast: Mt Daly, shrouded in mist on a bluebird day or backlit by an intense gradient of hot pink and burgundy hues, the early morning blue-gray shadows sculpting the landscape across a crystalline carpet of fresh white snow, and the unparalleled panorama of peaks that swaddle our valley.

So many of us live for that beauty.”




Think big, stay small

Feb. 17, 2021

*****

“For many of us, our immediate natural connections are the very reason to forge ahead and work way too much. That work-life imbalance has always been offset here by wide-open spaces and exceptional recreation opportunities.”

Tectonic shifts

May 2020

*****

“For me, the questions remain: Are we staying in concert with our original vision, our own mission statement? Cautiously eyeing our roots as we look forward, I hope we will remain aware of the scale and character of our small village.”

Back and forth

Dec. 19, 2018

*****

“We ought to continue fostering an authentic small-town atmosphere of boutique businesses and local restaurants rather than adding more glamorous offerings for an indulgent luxury lifestyle.”

Tourism’s footprints

March 16, 2022

****

“Aspen was born in the age of mining, while Snowmass Village has the raw roots of a ranching community.”

Rodeo our timeless western tradition

June 23, 2021

*****

“History, coupled with innovation, determines the new paths on which we will someday find ourselves.”

It’s OK to reinvent the wheel

Sept. 19, 2017

*****

“The connections that our collective memory creates lay the true foundation for what we endlessly strive to become.”

These are the good old days

July 25, 2017

*****

These sounds, these feelings, this energy; it’s all about the context of our relationship to our environment. Perhaps an urban solution is not needed to solve a simple, small-town problem.”

A little more conversation, a little less action

May 30, 2018

*****

“Once that building goes up, or that sidewalk is laid down, it’s not going away.  We must remind ourselves that, every time we add something, we take something else away. Let’s tread lightly; we don’t want to pave paradise.”

Where the sidewalk starts

July 24, 2019

*****

“People are drawn to fun, the genuine kind that you can’t contrive, plan, market, or schedule. Let’s pay homage to our roots, and have fun — for fun’s sake.”

Those days of fun for fun’s sake

Jan. 19, 2022

*****

“The late John Bemis, namesake and founder of our Thanksgiving Community Potluck, left a legacy that stretches far beyond our annual tradition. He recultivated a piece of our thriving sense of community, as we join together, sharing each other’s company, food, and ideas.”

Giving thanks 

Nov. 14, 2017

*****

“A human story is unfolding on our rocky, snow-covered mountain every day. What lies within — we’ll call it our heart, our essence — is not confined by our physical body.”

Challenge Aspen: The heart of Snowmass

January 2016

*****

“What will Snowmass Village look like one day? Will we miss the mark and obstruct the landscape, or settle in harmony within the vast natural beauty that surrounds us?”

Scaffolding our future

Feb. 13, 2018

*****

“Like the mistakes of yesterday, the mistakes of tomorrow will belong to all of us.”

Do it once and do it right 

Aug. 17, 2022

*****

“If development is done with mindful consideration, our human impact can blend into our environment and come to even feel in harmony.”

Call it a facelift?

Sept. 25, 2019

*****

“Character is an intangible thing, but we know it when we see it, when we feel it; and, as long as it exists here in Snowmass, it is our job to preserve the magic, the dream, the vision.”

It’s the “Vision Thing”

Aug. 10, 2016

****

“Well done is better than well said.” Those are not my words, that was Benjamin Franklin, but I agree; so, please help me put my own words into action. It would be an honor to represent our community voice on council.

Britta Gufstafson is running for the Snowmass Village Town Council in the Nov. 8 election.