We look forward to getting married where we live, here in the mountains of Colorado, with Trudi by our sides. This will be a destination wedding for most of our nearest and dearest, and we highly recommend that our guests learn more about traveling here prior to RSVPing.
We hope that you will be able to join us for our big day, and we understand that it is not always easy to get here (just ask Kristin about her East Coast travel adventures). We recognize that it may make more sense for some friends and family to celebrate with us in the future, say at a low-key “Happily Ever After” gathering in New England, or dinner the next time we come to visit. If that is the case, please let us know – we will find a way to toast to this milestone with you!
The biggest factors to keep in mind is that we live in a rural part of Colorado that is a bit more challenging to get to, and it is at high elevation.
We are fortunate to live in a beautiful place that boasts many amazing things to do, but it is a remote area with limited access to certain things that more populated areas take for granted. Life can be very different here. Carbondale and Basalt have populations of 6,000 and 4,000 people, respectively. There are only 40,000 people who live in the Roaring Fork Valley, predominately concentrated around the 40 mile stretch between Aspen and Glenwood Springs.
It is highly recommend that you bring whatever you may need for the wedding because it may not be available here (or buy it in Denver before driving up). There are only a handful of chain stores in Glenwood Springs (including a Wal-mart and a Target), but not much else. This is why we travel to Grand Junction (2 hours) or Denver (4 hours) to do any major shopping. Our saving grace is that there IS a Costco 45 minutes away in Gypsum. Balancing all of that out are amazing views of the mountains, hot springs to soak in and lots of nature.
A bit about high elevation
All of Colorado is considered high elevation, and Carbondale sits at 6,171 feet. To put that into context, Mount Washington – the tallest mountain in New England – is at 6,288 feet. The mountain in our backyard – Mount Sopris – is 12,965 feet tall (or two Mount Washington’s stacked on top of each other).
There are a few steps you can take to make your trip more enjoyable. Guests will notice a few differences while visiting the Centennial State – it is very sunny, there is little humidity, and the combination can result in wide temperature swings during the day.
There’s less air
As elevation increases, the amount of oxygen decreases, which is why the U.S. Olympic Training Center is in Colorado Springs, CO, and it seems that the majority of our valley residents are amazing athletes/super human. Some people may have trouble adjusting to the lower oxygen availability at high elevation. This is called altitude sickness. Carbondale is at a moderate elevation (below 8,000 feet), so guests may notice some symptoms, like a mild headache, tiredness or difficulty sleeping, but they will likely be manageable. It is common to feel like it takes more effort to do something, like walk up a flight of stairs. It can take a few days to adjust, and then most people are fine.
One weird thing that happens is that anything with air from a lower elevation will expand. Potato chip bags inflate into air-filled pillows, and water bottles will make a noise when initially opened due to the pressure release (similar to a soda bottle being opened). Most importantly – items like makeup, lotions and any similar quasi-liquids have a tendency to explode (or leak) out of their packaging when opened here. We recommend squeezing out as much air as possible before traveling here, so that your favorite liquid foundation doesn’t end up all over your makeup bag. You will only need to do this prior to your arrival.
Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate.
Drinking water is important for several reasons. 1. This is a dry climate with little humidity, so you will dehydrate faster than in other parts of the country. 2. Drinking water will help prevent altitude sickness. Guests should drink more water than they typically do at home. If you start feeling a headache coming on, start drinking water. 3. This is a wedding – many of you are going to be drinking while you are here (more on that below). Start drinking more water than normal a few days before traveling and remember to pack your emotional support water bottle or Stanley.
Pack Layers
Mother Nature has daily mood swings, which makes dressing for the climate a bit challenging. As one of Kristin’s former roommates put it, it is “jacket losing weather.” During October last year, it was possible to wear a puffy coat and layers in the morning, be in shorts by the afternoon, only to put the puffy jacket back on at night, because temperatures can swing 40° in a single day. The most dramatic change is when the sun goes down – the temperature will drop significantly in a short period of time. So while it may be nice and warm at the ceremony, it could be pretty chilly come the end of the night. In the same vein, October in Colorado is a crapshoot: it could be 70° and sunny, or it could snow. Or both, in the same weekend.
Be careful with alcohol
Moderate your intake of alcohol (and other substances), as the inebriating effects are stronger at higher altitudes. Yes, that will make the open bar more challenging, but please remember to take it easy. Otherwise you may end up with the worst hangover of your life.
Have lotion, lip balm and sunscreen
Colorado is a sunny state, and Carbondale gets 295 days of sunshine. The combination of an arid climate and the intense sun will dry out your skin and lips too (but on the plus side, hair dries super fast!). Be sure to pack sunscreen and wear it daily.