Last week I had the pleasure of participating in the  Mountain Ventures Summit, a three-day workshop of community leaders across fifteen mountain resort communities in the American West. Gathered in Telluride, Colorado, we discussed the economic model of mountain resort towns and how it shapes the local culture and community.

Representatives from Bend, Jackson, Sun Valley, Telluride, Truckee, South Lake Tahoe, and seven other towns, shared their community's evolution, concerns and their vision for growth and prosperity.

Much of this conversation was new to me. I've spent the better part of the last decade immersed in the science and politics of climate change and mountain areas. While I recognize that outdoor recreation and surrounding natural lands are critical economic drivers for many mountain communities both in terms of local business and quality of life for residents, I'm much more accustomed to hearing about it from a room of scientists and policy wonks, instead of one full of entrepreneurs and business leaders.

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