Welcome to another Colorado Sunday, friends.
As an avid reader growing up in Appleton, Wis., collecting books was for me an obsession as much as a hobby, fed by weekend afternoons of silent browsing at used book stores and frequent trips to a local Big Box retailer. My growing library became a bit of a burden, I’ll admit, during the years I schlepped it from state to state while chasing newspaper jobs.
Then my primary tie to my once-loved books involved packing them up in cardboard boxes to be loaded onto a U-Haul truck for transport, or shipped by FedEx to my next address — a costly, time-consuming and dusty venture that made me envious of friends’ e-readers. Now that my roots are firmly planted, I’m just grateful I went to the trouble, because these volumes, for however much I cursed them while criss-crossing the country, helped turn Colorado into home, reminding me where I came from and creating a sense of continuity with the ever-changing present.
In this week’s Colorado Sunday, writer Kevin Simpson and our talented team of designers present The Sun’s 2024 Holiday Book Guide — illustrated, animated and chock full of well-chosen picks to complement any home library. Please take a look as you plan your gift-giving season to end 2024 and look ahead to 2025. These could be the books that end up sticking with you.
Team Editor
The Cover Story
A guide to assist with that mutual anticipation of book-giving
Is there ever a bad time to give, or receive, the gift of a book? This Colorado Sunday the featured story is actually our annual Holiday Book Guide, a “sweet sixteen” collection of titles from a variety of categories, offered by award-winning authors who know their genres. But the holidays are just a convenient reason for doing something that always has the potential to delight us — on either end of the exchange — in a way that’s different from almost any other gift.
For instance, a few weeks ago, amid a gift-giving no-man’s land on the calendar, a package arrived from my sister. Its shape and heft left little doubt as to what waited beneath the packaging, but that certainty only heightened the anticipation. What had she chosen, knowing me as well as a sister does? That the delivery couldn’t wait for a birthday or some other traditional celebration added to the vibe.
We hope these 16 suggestions from Colorado authors pique your interest, and perhaps introduce you to the perfect match for someone on your list, or invite you to acquire a well-deserved gift to yourself. (If you’re wondering what my sister sent me, it was “There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension” — which, for me, made the connection to a time when my professional and personal life was very hoop-centric. A perfect gift in any season.)
READ THIS WEEK’S COLORADO SUNDAY FEATURE
Flavor of the Week
How to sleep in a snow trench, and other winter survival tips
It was around this time last year I enrolled in a class I’d never thought of taking. But before I knew it, I found myself inside a classroom taking notes on hypothermia, insulating layers and why some people have a better chance of surviving in the face of deadly emergencies.
I was among a group of about eight other curious minds who signed up for a course through Colorado Mountain Club looking to learn more about what some argue is one of the most challenging, yet rewarding, outdoor activities: winter camping.
To be honest, I had no interest in camping when there’s snow on the ground (and I still don’t), but I did want to learn how to stay alive in case I was forced to stay overnight in the backcountry with only the gear in my day pack.
That evening, I left the classroom, in the basement of a Colorado Springs church, wondering how small our group would shrink come the weekend, when we had to put our knowledge to the test by spending a night outside near Kenosha Pass.
In a way, signing up for the class was a way of facing my fears. In the summer, you can find me inside a tent exploring the mountains most weekends, while the winter has me crawling inside seeking warmth. Winter camping scared me, so I decided to learn how to build a snow trench and sleep in it.
At 10,115 feet, I learned to build different types of snow shelters (like a quinzee), create a compass using the sun and pinecones, and how to start a fire in the snow, before hunkering down in my snow trench for the night. As I crawled out at the day’s first light, my eyes felt heavy and my body was sore from all the shoveling. But sometimes, it’s all worth it knowing you did something you weren’t sure you could do.
Whether you are a cold-weather enthusiast or more of a snow scrooge like me (but still love to explore outside year-round), this winter survival skills class is sure to push you outside of your comfort zone and give you a few new tools to stay safe.
Registration opens today for the 2025 class (which is limited in size). For members, it is $75; nonmembers, $175. If any other of Colorado Mountain Club’s courses or events interest you, becoming a member is a wise choice. Membership is $85 yearly and $125 for a family, which includes two adults, plus all kids 18-younger. (But even if you just take this one class, you save money by becoming a member.)
Olivia Prentzel | Reporter
SunLit: Sneak Peek
In “WYONATION,” an environmental group makes the case to transform a state
EXCERPT: In an imagined Senate hearing, author Dallas Jones envisages an environmental group arguing to essentially depopulate Wyoming so its vast lands can return to their natural state and benefit a greater good. Can the U.S. really expel a state from the Union? Jones uses the book’s theoretical effort to drive a narrative featuring a diminishing fossil fuel industry and fictitious forces advancing a reimagined nation without the Cowboy State as we know it.
THE SUNLIT INTERVIEW: Amid an economic downturn in 2019, Jones pondered just how much his sparsely populated home state could endure. That led him to the question of whether Wyoming — or any state — could be booted out of the Union. Here’s a portion of his Q&A:
SunLit: What makes “WYONATION” unique?
Jones: In American history, there are instances where secession has been attempted (e.g., the Civil War) or considered as a possibility (e.g., the current situation in Oregon). Secession is initiated by a political/geographical entity seeking to split from a larger piece, whether that larger piece is a state or an entire country.
“WYONATION” is not a story of secession, rather it’s a story of expulsion. Wyoming doesn’t want to leave the Union; it is being forced out. I had never heard about state expulsion as a possibility, so I decided to write a story about it.
READ THE INTERVIEW WITH DALLAS JONES
Kevin Simpson | Writer
Sunday Reading List
A curated list of what you may have missed from The Colorado Sun this week.
🌞 Members of the Free Land Holders group consulted no one before fencing off 1,400 acres of national forest land near Durango, claiming ownership. While community members already tore the fence down, federal authorities last week filed a lawsuit to prevent further encroachments on a popular recreational area. Olivia Prentzel and Jason Blevins have the details.
🌞Passions run high in the debate over mountain lion hunting in the Rocky Mountains, and now Tracy Ross reports that Colorado Parks and Wildlife is asking the public to keep it civil as the agency lays out a new plan that will slightly reduce the number of big cats that can be hunted east of the Continental Divide.
🌞 Speaking of divisive topics, Jesse Paul writes that Gov. Jared Polis is again pooh-poohing a labor bill that is a major priority for 2025 for unions and top Democrats at the Colorado Capitol. The budding standoff comes after Polis vetoed three union bills that passed in 2024.
🌞 Dog walkers, bicycle commuters and runners stand to benefit if Boulder County succeeds in constructing a trail linking it with Erie. The path would run along an 8.5-mile former railroad bed with priceless views of the Flat Irons and Rockies, Michael Booth writes — if leaders can just find the money to build it.
🌞 President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly vowed to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education. Erica Breunlin captures the sense of uncertainty facing Colorado school districts as they consider how funding will reach their most vulnerable students if the federal department gets the axe.
🌞 Residents of Sterling Ranch in Douglas County use about 30% less water than most urban homes, drawing praise from environmentalists even as the community is set to double in size. The enviro take: New home construction is inevitable in Colorado, and these set a high standard for waterwise development as the state looks to minimize water waste in an uncertain future. Get the full story from Jerd Smith.
🌞 After Powdr announced plans to sell Eldora Mountain Resort, the residents of nearby Nederland — population 1,500 — stepped forward with an ambitious plan to purchase the resort. Now, Jason Blevins says, they’re brainstorming ways to come up with between $100 million and $200 million to cover the likely sale price.
🌞 With the November election barely in the rearview, a second Democratic leader has announced she is stepping down weeks after winning a new term in office. State Sen. Janet Buckner, D-Aurora, said she will resign Jan. 9 to focus on her family and her health. She joins State Sen. Chris Hansen, D-Denver, who also plans to resign Jan. 9 as he becomes CEO of the La Plata Energy Association. Jesse Paul reports their replacements will be selected by Democratic party insiders.
Lance Benzel | Team Editor
Thanks so much for sticking with us through another Colorado Sunday, and please enjoy the rest of your weekend. May we suggest settling down with a good book?
— Lance & the whole staff of The Sun
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