Hello Beth!

Your post sure sounds like the Crestone some of us know and love. Noah and Jeremiah sound very familiar. Noah has blond hair, relatively short since he cut his dreads, and an old Volvo to drive...if we're speaking of the same Noah. I couldn't quite tell from your post if you had met Noah.

Anyways, my first Crestone experience was kind of unique. I spent just under a month backpacking in the Sangre de Cristos (The North Crestone Creek, South Crestone Creek, Willow Creek, Spanish Creek, Crestone Cree, Comanche Creek and Lakes, Sand Creek, and Medano Creek drainages). By the end of the trip I had really developed a strong feeling for the land.

During my time in the mountains, I met a bunch of people up from Crestone. Many of them were locals, but a majority were random peak baggers flying up through the forest, over the tundra, and on to the summit before leaving as quickly as they came.

Everyone that I talked to, however, had good things to say about Crestone. I heard about monastaries, earthships,temples, strawbale homes, solar power, community dinners, and most intriguing, the vortex and associated aliens! I decided that I would have to check this town out. I mean, COME ON!

So, that summer I spent about a month in the town working random jobs, volunteering, and hiking. I camped up towards the South Crestone Creek campground and probably lost upwards of a pint of blood to those pesky parasitic 'skeeters (for such an arid region such as the San Luis, I am amazed at the number of 'skeeters near the creeks).

Despite the mosquitoes, I managed to have one of the best summers of my life in a very positive environment. From wilderness places to welcoming faces, it was simply magical. Crestone has it's darker moments as well, but I choose to ignore them. :-)

Anyways, how was the Healing Arts Center? I'm on the verge of another trend towards the less than main-stream and am interested in massage schools as well as some other career possibilities.

Charlie@never.satisfied

There are really plenty of places to stay while in the Crestone area.

There are 2 main campgrounds in the area. Both are located a mile or two from town itself. North Crestone Creek campground is more developed, with a water pump, a few outhouses, and campsites with picnic tables and fire rings. The other "campground" is really just campable land up towards the South Crestone Creek and Willow Creek trailheads. The better hikes can be found up these trails.

Also, bed and breakfasts abound out on the Baca. I've never actually stayed in one because I'm usually on a relatively tight budget while in the Crestone area. Give it a Google and you will undoubtably find out more.

Charlie