Sandy Fails and Michael Garren moved to Crested Butte from Austin, Texas, as wide-eyed young adventurers in 1981. Since then, we’ve worn many hats in this amazing place, but innkeeping ranks among our favorite roles.

Sandy is a writer and editor (formerly of the newspaper, now of the Crested Butte Magazine). She wrote three local books, including Crested Butte: The Edge of Paradise and Where the Road Ends, and now plays with fiction with members of her local writers group. She’s a long-time fan of hiking, skiing and hanging out in the mountains. Her black-diamond skiing days have given way to mellow Nordic excursions with friends and Luke the dog, plus occasional forays to the ski slopes to watch son Chris jump off of large natural objects.

Through the ’80s, Michael worked at the ski resort in several capacities, from retail to accounting to running the owners’ private retreat in the mountains. Then, for five years, we co-owned the local newspaper, the Chronicle & Pilot, with Michael as business manager. An avid road bicyclist and Nordic skier, Michael discovered a new passion -- sailing-- last summer. He's also a closet musician who studies jazz scales and improvises beautifully evocative music hidden away with his keyboard.

Like most long-time locals, we’ve volunteered for a host of non-profits. Sandy is president of the Crested Butte Friends of the Library and volunteers for Hospice and Palliative Care of the Gunnison Valley. In the 1990s we helped start the Crested Butte-El Salvador Friendship Committee, which supports Crested Butte’s sister village, Izotalillo. (We occasionally serve coffee grown in Izotalillo and brought back from our visits there.)

We're delighted to have our son Chris, 22, back in Crested Butte. He graduated in June from the University of Denver with a degree in international business, then rode his bike across the country (see the staff bios for more info). You might see him around the Old Town Inn along with Luke, our gregarious golden retriever and official hotel greeter.

Here’s a quick introduction to the diverse and talented people who'll greet you at the Old Town Inn.

Chris Garren celebrated his graduation from the University of Denver last June by bicycling from Washington to Maine, camping and adventuring along the way. After 4,000 miles on the bike, he returned to Crested Butte to work at the family inn where he spent much of his childhood, and he’s now helping his parents upgrade the Old Town Inn’s technology and social networking. A strong skier, soccer player and rock climber, Chris also aced his first triathlon last summer (swim/run/bike) and hopes to tackle a half-Ironman next summer. Ask him for the inside scoop on local swimming holes, pizza joints and ski stashes.

Marilyn Mears has lived in Crested Butte for 27 years, except for a brief, ill-fated junket in the Virgin Islands (“long story…”). She owned a grocery/liquor business in her early days here and has since called people “sweetie” as a bank teller, waitress, hotelier, office manager and second-time-around college student. Marilyn has occasionally graced the local stage as a dancer, musician and actress, and biked Ride the Rockies four times. For 16 years she served as music director at the Union Congregational Church. She founded the bell choir there and also leads a bell choir in Gunnison. One of Crested Butte’s favorite characters, Marilyn is famous for her huge heart and lively sense of humor.

Laura Puckett coaches high school track, serves as assistant director of the Crested Butte Nordic Center, and recites Mongolian poetry... in French if you prefer. After growing up mostly in Minnesota, she graduated with honors from Davidson College, taught English in France, wrote for a Minnesota news/culture magazine called The Rake and a website called canoeing.com, earned a Fulbright scholarship to translate poetry in Mongolia for ten months, and led environmental ed, canoeing and backpacking adventures. In January 2009 she moved to the mountains, where she fills her high-energy days skiing, running, baking, writing, reading and coaching.

Our recent alumni and back-up crew:

Mark Abramson can discuss horses, snowmobiles, the stock market, social work... you name it. A UT Austin marketing grad, he owned a video business, remodeled homes and trained national-champion Arabians in Texas before moving to Crested Butte in 1986. Here he owned and managed businesses and honed his stock trading, taking time to earn a masters in social work. Mark also golfs, gardens, four-wheels, snowmobiles and works with his two dogs, Sabio the elder and Mackenzie the sweetheart wolf-dog.

Don’t challenge Jari Kirkland to a race of any kind unless you hunger for Humble Pie. An enthusiastic, self-described “girly girl,” Jari was a finalist for Teva’s national Everest Award in adventure racing. She has won the 24 Hours of Moab, Montezuma’s Revenge, the Elk Mountains Grand Traverse and many other triathlons, ski and bike races, and her adventure racing team ranks among the best in the world. Jari’s a moving target these days but makes occasional cameo appearances at the Old Town Inn in between exotic race venues.