April 2010

Editor's note: For eight years, Telluride local Ben Clark and a few friends/business colleagues have made Spring treks to the majestic mountains of the Himalayas. Follow his adventures on Telluride Inside...and Out, including links to his regular podcasts.

Benbioshotlr-254x300 "Dispatch 3: Khote/11,850.

"The world is full of intrepid explorers. Each day,  at each village we meet travelers from all over, on their way from one adventure to another. That is what makes expeditions to the Nepali Himalayas so inviting. It is a melting pot of culture and mountain-inspired endeavors.

"Some trek, some climb, there are all ages and abilities..We are the only ones with skis. It's funny how a resounding sigh of agreement and perhaps a bit of hindsight washes over each person's sun-affected face who we share this fact with. Hidden in the creases of age, we all identify with having fun.

"We were once alpinists tired of fighting our way downhill, overwhelmed by storms seiging the steep slopes and faces we had already climbed. Now, we work with the elements...It is silly to constantly challenge what you can't control. This expedition, to climb and ski 23,390' Baruntse, is especially satisfying with that philosophy in mind.

Editor's note: For eight years, Telluride local Ben Clark and a few friends/business colleagues have made Spring treks to the majestic mountains of the Himalayas. Follow his adventures on Telluride Inside... and Out, including links to his regular podcasts.

Benbioshotlr-254x300 "Dispatch 2: Thuli Kharka/13,900'.

""The hiss of stoves, songs of porters and cries of ravens fill the damp air here at 13,900'. Our team has traversed a 15,000' pass to reach a granite filled bowl and crossroad of expeditions exploring the Hunku valley. This is day three of our eight-day approach, and we are in a crude site known as Thuli Kharka.

"The trekking here has been magnificent. In addition to being immediately surrounded by jagged thrusts of granite and icy 20'000' plus summits, we are charmed by the presence of French, Dutch and Nepali accents as we ascend and descend into our approach valley, the Hunku. This year is far different from last...There are people here and we are happy to greet old friends and porters I've expeditioned with in years past.

Clashofthetitans_smallteaser2 Howtotrainyourdragon_smallfinal "How to Train Your Dragon" is the early movie all week at Telluride's Nugget Theatre. It is rated PG but viewer reviews indicate that even young kids are enjoying the movie, and the critics mostly agree. Animation, a too-smart boy, an injured dragon... Sounds like a good family evening.

Perseus has his job cut out for him: the mortals have had it with dealing with the whims of the gods on Olympus. "Clash of the Titans" (PG-13) is Homer on steroids. Zeus has given him a number of tasks, as readers of Greek mythology will remember: capturing Pegasus, dealing with Medusa, etc. Roger Ebert liked it- good enough for me.

See below for showtimes, and the Nugget website for trailers and reviews.

The Colorado Governor's Energy Office (GEO) launched a new rebate program on April 20, offering rebates for appliances, energy efficiency improvements, and renewable energy projects.  For information on this program, go to:

Through the Recharge Colorado campaign, the Governor's Energy Office, utilities, cities and counties across the state are partnering to offer money-saving rebates and programs to enable Coloradans to participate in the New Energy Economy. Rebates can be reserved through the Recharge Colorado website beginning April 19 and will be available until the money runs out.


IMG_459 Telluride's Ah Haa School for the Arts presents several special workshops throughout 2010 featuring regionally and nationally renowned artists, part of the school's popular Visiting Artist Program.

Ah Haa's Visiting Artist program offers one- to five-day workshops for aspiring and seasoned artists alike.  With one workshop nearly every month of the year, students get to hone their skills in watercolors, pastel and oil painting, mixed media, pottery, photography and writing.

DSCN2115 “People from all over the country come to Telluride to study with our Visiting Artists,” explained Rachel Loomis-Lee, Ah Haa’s program manager/executive director.  “What a privilege to get to  work with these master artists right in our own backyard. The Visiting Artist Program is one of the crown jewels of the Ah Haa School’s extensive offerings. Many of these workshops will fill quickly, so be sure to register soon.”

IMG_5475 The prestigious Telluride Film Festival ranks among the world’s best film festivals and is an annual gathering of cinema enthusiasts, filmmakers, critics and industry insiders. The annual event is considered a major launching ground for the fall season’s most talked-about films.

Co-founded in 1974 by Tom Luddy, James Card, and Bill and Stella Pence, Telluride Film Festival, nestled in the beautiful mountain town of Telluride, Colorado, is a four-day international educational event celebrating the art of film. The Telluride Film Festival’s long-standing commitment is to bring filmmakers and film connoisseurs together to experience great cinema. The exciting schedule, kept secret until Opening Day, consists of film debuts with filmmakers presenting their works, special Guest Director programs, three major Tributes to guest artists and remarkable treasures from the past. Festival headquarters are in Berkeley, California.

IMGP1140 The presence of Lama Tsultrim Allione alone is worth the price of entry to the 3rd annual Telluride Yoga Festival, July 8 – July 11, whose presenters are among the Who's Who of the world of transformative practices, including Yoga. Lama Tsultrim is the first American woman to be ordained in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and is a world renowned teacher, sought out and respected for her lucid, plainspoken explanations of Buddhist teachings.

Telluride Inside... and Out took a break from our Spring break in Denver, our home away from home, to visit Lama Tsultrim at her awe-inspring 700+ acre Tara Mandala retreat just outside Pagosa Springs. We were to there to interview the world renowned teacher on the subject of the talks she plans to give over the long Telluride Yoga Festival weekend: Prajnaparamita (prajna, transcendent wisdom, and paramita, "perfection" or "that which goes beyond") and the paradigm shifting practice she explains in her national best-seller "Feeding Your Demons."

Telluride TV announces the appointment of a new interim Executive Director, Susan Lilly, a National Emmy Award-winning former CNN producer. Lilly has more than 20 years of experience producing, writing, and supervising breaking news and feature programming for CNN, NBC, and PBS.

“Susan’s extensive television experience and her involvement with Telluride TV over the past year makes her the ideal leader for our station," said board president Barb Newby.

Just a little reminder to those of you who love hot rods, street rods, muscle cars, classic trucks and vintage automobiles. "April Action" - the Moab Classic Car Show - takes place this weekend, Apr. 23-25, in the town's downtown City Park. On Friday,...

Tia 1 "Tia Fuller’s sophomore release on Mack Avenue, "Decisive Steps," is a beautiful, musical journey. It has been a wonderful experience, watching Tia blossom from an eager music student in high school, to being known as one of the “up and coming” saxophonists and composers in the jazz world. Just like the Montgomery and Marsalis families, Denver’s Fuller Family is filled with talent and their musical roots run deep."
Susan Gatschet Reese
Assistant Program Director/On Air Host
jazz89 KUVO/KVJZ Vail

Telluride Inside... and Out has spent a whirlwind week in Denver. Friday evening we caught Tia Fuller's set at Denver jazz hotspot, Dazzle. Fuller was in town celebrating the recent release of her CD, "Decisive Steps" for the Mack Avenue label.