Here’s a quick introduction to the diverse and talented people who will greet you at the Old Town Inn.
Ben Blackwood
General Manager
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Ben made his way to Crested Butte after earning a degree from the University of Minnesota in 2001. He quickly fell in love with the town and found ways to support the community and help visitors enjoy their time, including becoming a teacher at the CB Community School and teaching skiing at the resort. This engagement with guests led to a career in hospitality and eventually resulted in working with the incredible team at the Old Town Inn. Alpine skiing is what brought Ben to Crested Butte years ago, and that passion evolved into a position judging freeride competitions for the International Freeskiers & Snowboarders Association. Along with traveling abroad when the opportunity arises, He also occupies his spare time by climbing peaks, mountain biking, and exploring the surrounding mountains, and new adventures and experiences are always on the horizon. Ben is honored to have you as a guest at the Old Town Inn, and the team strives to provide a comfortable, pleasant stay for all.
Mamie Rijks
Front Desk
Mamie was raised in Germany prior to moving to Crested Butte with her family to attend the now defunct Crested Butte Academy. Since then, Mamie has been in and out of the valley with brief stints in Korea, Japan, and Germany. She now can be found all over Crested Butte, working for the Old Town Inn, one of the local banks, the magazine, and occasionally the newspaper. She also is involved in various charities and was the original head of the Ways and Means Committee of Crested Butte’s PEO Chapter JP where she raised money for scholarships that, in part, went to further the education of local women.
Anna Claire Fenerty
Front Desk
Born and raised in Crested Butte, Anna has an explorer’s spirit – which she expresses in many realms. Spending a school year in India ignited her love for travel and openness to other cultures. She followed her family’s roots back to Ireland, lived for a while in California, and toured America’s national parks on a grand road trip. Anna also explores words and ideas as a poet, writer, thespian and student of history. A formidable soccer player, she also plays in Crested Butte’s mountains via hiking boots, ice ax and snowboard. She can tell you where to find the best wildflowers, which old Elk Avenue buildings have the most colorful pasts, and when the next poetry reading will be.
Martin Catmur
Front Desk
A British chap and long-time friend, Martin is a most over-qualified Old Town Inn staffer! After studying and working in the hospitality industry, Martin and his wife Rosie moved to Crested Butte in the early eighties to own and run the Cristiana Guesthaus. After almost three decades as local innkeepers, they recently sold it, and a few months later Martin agreed to lend a hand at the Old Town Inn. An avid runner and Nordic skier, Martin spearheaded the local Mountain Runners organization. He and Rosie also enjoy time with their grown children, Emma and Nick, son-in-law Greg and granddaughter June.
Mario DeVivo
Front Desk
Mario was raised in Maine and New Hampshire by parents who were both in the ski industry and has a deep passion for the sport and lifestyle. He was drawn to the Gunnison Valley by Crested Butte and Western Colorado University. Mario’s interests surround human nature, with degrees in psychology and anthropology, and a background of working with and leading a variety of groups, such as student orientation/engagement programs at WCU, archaeological work in Belize, and coaching skiing and soccer. Mario’s other hobbies include movies, reading, video games, good food, paddle boarding, and scenic adventures! You can ask him anything about skiing in Crested Butte or enjoying a nice day!
Brittany Barefield
Front Desk
Don’t race Brittany down the ski slopes unless you like cliffs, moguls and big speed. Growing up in Crested Butte, Brittany began excelling in big mountain freeride competitions at age 12. In high school, she took fourth in the Junior Freeride World Championships in Andorra, Spain. At the University of Colorado, Brittany coached the collegiate freeride team while studying environmental design, emphasizing product design and landscape architecture. During school breaks, she learned Spanish in Europe, scuba diving in Honduras and kite surfing in St. Lucia. The pandemic brought her back to Crested Butte, where she renewed her love of mountain biking and earned a raft guiding certification. “There’s always something to learn here,” she said.
Melanie Swaine
Front Desk
Melanie has turned her love of dogs into an avocation. She’s often accompanied by one of her four beautiful golden retrievers. Melanie grew up in St. Louis, studied accounting at the University of Missouri/St. Louis, and moved to Crested Butte in 1991. Energetic and gregarious, she held a host of jobs here (from child care to real estate), skied and climbed mountains, and nurtured her first lineage of goldens. In 2012 she returned to St. Louis to help her parents and worked in the real estate and travel industries. She also began breeding golden retrievers, showing her dogs and training them to compete in performance sports. Crested Butte lured her back in 2020. “I missed my town,” she said.
A note from the innkeepers…
We are honored to have you stay with us at the Old Town Inn, and our enthusiastic team is delighted to make you feel at home and do all we can to make your time in Crested Butte an enjoyable and special experience. Whether you are here for relaxation or excitement, we are here to help, so come say “hello” and become part of the Old Town Inn Family!