THE POWER OF INTANGIBLE FORCES
into the soul and invisible strengths

What shaped our great land, and certainly the small, Victorian village of Telluride , Colorado , is a unified spirit spurred on by omnipresent, omnipowerful intangible powers of thought founded on precepts of good-will and earnest efforts. Though ubiquitous in nature, viewpoints and opinions of the past are transmitted through the relics, documents and buildings left behind. True to its rough and rugged past, Telluride's present-day character reverberates with the wild and wooly flair of yesteryear as its populous is made up of diverse characters. Extreme mountaineers, rastafarians, high-powered business executives, celebrities and many people who live simply by survival wages because they appreciate the qualities of remote, high country living.

Telluride's beauty not only resonates from its stunning mountain terrain, but from the fusion of age-old principles with the intelligence of present-day culture. As a microcosm of American society, Telluride residents exemplify the essence of the American ideal in that they respect others' beliefs, cultures and ways-of-life, in fact, they are simultaneously celebrated. Like a true American's mindset, Tellurideans don't reside in the Dark Ages or carry the mantra, "I am right, you are wrong," but rather hold each person's "truth" as their sacred right of freedom. Firmly grounded in the American ideals of individualism, "Only in Telluride" (a focus of Telluride's ad campaign) will you find genuine flavors of countless personalities. You'll find Telluride's positive spiritual forces will bring you to new and great heights, both physically and mentally.

The "can do" attitude pervades the landscape here. Enjoy the thrill of skiing down slopes with unrivaled scenery; experience the warmth of giving while partaking in one or many of Telluride's charitable causes; bask or indulge in the heavenly delights of world-class pampering facilities. No matter what you do in Telluride, if you allow your "sixth sense" to engage, you'll surely take note of an indescribable type of energy exuded from its past and present populations. The energy is fundamentally American, quintessentially unbiased and undoubtedly intelligent.

invisible strengths, hope's labor, skin of their teeth
Hope sculpted the original structures and laid the foundations that make up the town of Telluride, Colorado . Around 1875 when the first significant ore claim was registered, immigrants spanning the ramparts of the European continent, the Orient and East Coast pioneers began colonizing Telluride and the San Juans in anticipation of striking it rich or at least making enough money to purchase a piece of the West. The first settlers were mostly male, dirt poor, and believed whole-heartedly in Manifest Destiny. Hope had pervaded the American landscape as news of the Gold Rush spread like wildfire. America was the land where everyone had a chance to make it big as long as they brought perseverance, hard work and some tenacity to the table.

In its mining hey-day, Telluride had thousands of men working with chisels, picks, axes, drills, saws, dynamite and mallets trying to carve out their piece of the American Dream. David Lavendar states in his book One Man's West, "In ingenuity, brawn, daring and plain brute courage, in all the tricks of dealing with evil nature and rebellious livestock, the mountain packers have no peers. Their race is fading from the earth." Many-a-life and many-a-limb were sacrificed in hopes of constructing a simple, but good life that nourished them with mere necessities. By the skin of the miners' teeth, life seemed to dangle at the threshold of death and at the economic vortex of boom or bust. Nothing was easily attainable back then. Yet there always seemed to be room for hope and dreams. In a way, Telluride was built because it was a star of hope for many. "No, it is not the rude breath of man to blow out the lamp of hope. Instead, let us hold it high, a guide by day, a pillar of fire by night, to cheer each pilgrim on his way," said Elbert Hubbard, a 19th Century philosopher. It is hope that has allowed us, and certainly the early settlers of Telluride, to aspire for more, to dream impossible dreams and to live as positive life forces striving to get better. Always better. It is the hope of Telluride's forebears that gave way to creating this lovely Victorian town that holds the status of a National Historic District, and now ranks as one of the top ski resorts in America . The mortar, bricks, stones, iron and wood found in Telluride structures, and the ghost towns that dot the higher country, are hard evidence that our American descendants had fortitude and courage to chase their rainbows.

Wholeness and Sincerity, state of being-quality, integrity's mark
Once you're in the palm of the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado , you'll find you're in a land filled with sunshine, majestic scenic backdrops and air that is spiced with scents of pine, juniper and spruce. Hawks and eagles may greet you with primal soft "Keeuk hellos," that gradually dissipate in the westerly winds. A prism of colors pervade your senses and a homey feeling of completeness saturates your mood as you drive deeper and deeper into the refuge of the San Juan Mountains . Being amidst Mother Nature is a pure and simple tonic for nearly everything. When you finally arrive in Telluride, you'll notice that feeling of completeness is further amplified as the town exudes an integrity that is welcoming.

The New World Dictionary defines integrity as being complete, whole, a state of being unimpaired, upright, honest, sincere or of perfect soundness. Many would surmise that Telluride's integrity comes from the fact that the town is rooted in the first real development of American culture. Constructed by Swedes, Finns, Irish, Italians, Germans, Native Americans, Slavs, Welsh, Chinese and others, the infrastructure that put Telluride on the map was a true melting pot of nationalities, religions and cultures. In its core, Telluride was erected through the ingenuity, will, courage, fortitude, persistence, discipline and other intangible forces the freedom of our democracy allows all to pursue. Perhaps also, in a way, the voices of Telluride's past may be heard and seen reverberating in the Victorian structures that were erected with great attention to detail. Sensations of yesteryear's inhabitants surmounting difficulties, weathering the brutality of harsh winters and the brevity of spring, summer and fall can seemingly be felt by simply seeing and feeling the textures of the historic buildings that make up Telluride. Knowing how much industry it took to construct the quaint alpine community, through HARC-Historic Architecture Review Committee, Telluride honors the works of our predecessors and maintains the charming atmosphere of the olden days. Today, Telluride offers visitors a wonderful vacation experience. From worldly dining options to pampering facilities, indoor and outdoor activities, cultural events and, of course, out-of-this-world skiing and boarding. Telluride, Colorado , has something to fit everyone's desires. Expect to be doted on here as Telluride's attitude, commitment to quality and integrity nearly guarantee an intoxicating experience.

Eternal truth and peace, sweet nectar of life, love's breath
Love of life, love of wife, love of child. Puppy love, first love, true love. Love of country, love of friends and oh, the Grand Ole Opry of them all, the love of family. Brotherly love, sisterly love, motherly love and fatherly love. Love spins the world on its axis and speckles it with gifts and mysteries of the earth. Love is seen in the compassionate ones who have given up much to help a few. Love cares for others and engenders hope. Love is what sings all songs, decorates our cultural landscape with glorious works-of-art and writes literary pieces that will be remembered throughout the ages. Love is the nectar that makes life sweet, savory and secure. It is the tie that binds us to all living things. Love, in fact, links us to our ancestors who have kindly handed off the baton of life to us, the living, saying, "Follow the Golden Rule of life. Live and love well." From its rough and rugged mining hey-day, Telluride is born-again. Keeping the earthy charms by which it was founded, Telluride's focus, ironically, is diametrically the opposite as it was in the late 1800s. Work is replaced by play. Telluride has become a recreationalist's playground as apposed to a miner's and merchant's workplace.

Love breathes its mystic qualities on Telluride, Colorado , in so many ways. First and foremost, Telluride's heart and soul beats to the nature lover's rhythm. Most everyone who dwells in this Victorian village has a huge admiration for nature. Who can help but be awed by the peaks that abruptly rise nearly a mile-and-a-half from the Valley Floor? The natural wonders that emanate from the mountains are enchanting, soothing and forever welcoming. Nature feeds the naturalist's soul and nourishes her spirit with a radiance. Telluride people are also animal lovers. While here, you may notice Telluride's residents have a fetish for dogs, horses, cats and llamas. This kindred spirit is displayed with fun winter events such as Dine with your Doggie, sled dog guides, sleigh or horseback rides. If you're an animal lover as well, visit Mountain Tails on main street. Certainly, your pet would love an edible gift from the mountains. Locals love seeing deer, elk, coyote, bear, marmot and others poke their heads out of the woodlands that meander around Telluride and Mountain Village . This last summer a mama bear and two of her cubs where found in a house on Colorado Avenue eating fruit and making sure not to leave a mess in the rest of the house. Eventually, the possé rescued the scared bears from Goldie Lock's house! Many love stories have unfolded here in Telluride as well. Some couples came here together, while others' romances where ignited here. Telluride's small-town charms keep couples flourishing as a generous handful of businesses thrive with both partners playing intricate roles. The Ying-Yang-thing seemingly adds many distinctive qualities to Telluride's commerce district. Further, Telluride's end-of-the-rainbow qualities are quickly making it a prime wedding destination for new couples to hitch their dreams to the stars.

Small town homieness, genuine lifestyle, natural law
On the broad scale of things, Telluride lives by Natural Law which is defined as man's innate moral sense that seemingly draws from the laws of nature. It's a conscious affair for the local men and women to dwell at 8,750 feet above sea level in the midst of Mother Nature's finest tapestries. It may well be a bit harder to survive at such altitude without the abundance of city amenities, but as the old adage goes, "Responsibilities are placed on those who can shoulder them." Generally speaking, Telluride's locals are a fun-loving, close-knit bunch of resilient characters who are driven and warmed by the power of friendships, culture, nature, politics, challenges and adventure. They are charmed by the high life which is a genuine consecration of freedom and self-interpretation. A sweet slice of the American pie can be experienced here as it is solely made up of small eclectic businesses and people of diverse politics, religions, economic and educational backgrounds.

Perhaps, yet another way of describing Telluride's high country residents would be to say that they have come to realize that the simple things in life are what make their lives pure and enriched. Friends, family, good times and taking care of basic needs are the essential components that flood their lives with good vibrations. Tellurideans naturally carry their heads high and ostensibly flaunt reformers, corporate attitudes and such—that is not to say they don't appreciate them. In essence, they are mavericks who don't like being fenced in. Rather they like to chase their thoughts, set their own boundaries and genuinely divulge their goodwill in their own place and time. Overall, Telluride people are confident, find joy in the fear factor and purposefully craft out cultural, athletic and literary events for everyone to enjoy. As we all know, confidence is usually built through the individual being busy at work. Thus, industry, not idleness, makes the spirit of this once sleepy town soar. Case in point, in partnership with nature, Telluride added 733 more acres into Prospect Bowl one year ago. This addition brought more wide-open bowls, challenging chutes, inviting glades and spacious bunny-hill boulevards to Telluride's already stupendous terrain selection. While visiting Telluride, you'll further notice that nearly every business establishment puts huge energy toward making your visit the best experience possible.

In Telluride, life is fluid and ever-changing. It flows and ebbs, exhales and inhales and gathers strength from the gifts of the earth. Empowered by the dazzling beauty that surrounds her, Telluride is a simple, yet special place that is always in season and doesn't buy into the erroneous belief of fixity.

The g forces Radiance
Brilliance, inner strength and happiness
Telluride's personality radiats as luminously as the carpet of stars that dot the heavens above. Her 2,700 citizens (including residents of Mountain Village ) bring their cultivated intellect to the table. Sterling minds lace the banquet of Telluride's offerings with great appreciations for fresh, clean air, the arts, education, travel, adventure, nature, athletics and so much more. On the whole, a "true local" has an admiration for those who do things from the heart. Perhaps this is why Telluride has quickly become a mecca for cultural events. The arts are a place of self discovery; a place where a soul is revealed; a place where the inner-spirit is painted on canvas or strummed on guitar strings. Genius.

If a tell-tale sign of genius is the ability to light your own fire, chase your ideas and think on your feet, then the towns of Telluride and Mountain Village are certainly whiz kids. In truth, Telluride's mindset is a far cry from that of an indoctrinated simpleton's who has to be told what to think, what to read, what to say and do; no Cliff Notes needed here. Quite conversely, nothing in Telluride is so contrived and no one in Telluride thinks they are "superior," but rather think of themselves as quite ordinary folks. In other words, Telluride's continued ingenuity and inventiveness is divergent to its intemperant state-of-mind. In fact, being productive and putting forth useful, sincere efforts toward the subtle improvements of our small society ostensibly dissolves any forms of pretense; making Telluride an authentic mountain town with true character. Genuine. Ever notice that those who are disingenuous or pretentious are a bit useless, aimless and insipid? They are the types who plagiarize things. They don't know who or what they are, so they copy other's ideas and generally align themselves with institutions that outwardly empower them. These people are usually the ones shouting from the highest mountain professing they are something they, in fact, are not. Their ignorance is of no avail. Often these hypocrites suffer from a type of psychosis which is dysfunctional. What say you? ... what is the connection between hypocrites and Telluride? Plenty. The greatest "G Force" of them all — gravity — does not tolerate the static weight of the self-absorbed. Balance under accelerated speeds can only be achieved with mutual respect and gratitude. In a small town like Telluride, you cannot hide behind skirts very long. The true colors of everyone's character quickly surfaces and the invisible strength of the G-Force is so terrific here it demands equilibrium and poise only obtained via a platform of truth. Thus, those who don't maintain a genuine spirit about themselves will likely tumble, fall and eventually dissipate into the thin air. Gravity. The confidence of doing good work has further extended Telluride to reach beyond being a cookie-cutter resort of sorts. Its confidence is the platform which allows Telluride to do things out-of-the-mold and explore out-of-the-box thinking patterns.