Dear Grant,

No, this is not another of my Mountain Musings articles. These are words of love and appreciation to the residents of Lake City and to those not yet captivated by the beauty of its mountains and people.
My family found this well-hidden treasure in the early 1970’s while staying at the Black Mountain and Oleo Ranches where my daughter, Meredith, worked as a ranch hand. The highlight every summer was the scary jeep drive over the Divide and down Slum’s dirt switchbacks into Lake City. In those days when people asked me about Lake City the only words I could come up with were, “It’s like a trip into another world, like a timewarp.” In the early 1980’s we talked Bill Hall into selling us what was known as the “Blue House” on the river where the fishing and teenage skinny dipping events were a regular favorite of the locals.
Little did I know that while I was here in Oklahoma grieving deeply the loss of Sandra to Alzheimer’s my daughters and son-in-law would offer to help make living out my dream in Lake City as a yearound resident a reality. The almost four years with you were even more than I could have imagined. The friendships made were undoubtedly one of the most valued highlights of my eight-plus decades. The close friends I left in Lake City are too many to name. They know who they are and I am already missing each of them. They made my life richer and more fulfilling and the stories we shared are filed away forever in my aging brain’s archives.
Those who had never experienced the “Peak Experience” thought I was crazy to move to such a remote place at my age. But how could they know about the breathtaking San Juans or the mountain spirit of its people? Even the senior residents want no sympathy from those lowlanders asking about the long, hard winters. Of course, the high country life is challenging but you won’t hear those older than I complaining about being snowbound or hauling firewood in for the winter. They know they have each other and they don’t have to ask for help. When my drapes were closed all day my neighbors would call or show up at my front door to check on me. More than once it meant a scary trip by ambulance over the mountains to the nearest ER. When I needed help they were always there.
Finally, a best kept secret in those mountains are the amazing seniors who came together to create the “Senior Connection” with more resources and events than I could keep up with. Upon entering any of the senior events I was always met with smiles, some hugs and was soon discovering the unique stories that brought us to the great San Juan Mountains.
Just about everyone in Lake City, Colorado is a volunteer. It is said that there are more nonprofits in town than there are people. Five churches in a town of a few hundred residents and annually they gather outdoors, surrounded by fourteen-thousand-foot snowcapped peaks, to celebrate together their common faith in the Creator of their beautiful world.
Right. I’m bragging on you all. But it ain’t bragging if it’s true. Thank you for sharing yourselves so generously, as you do annually for the thousands of summer tourists, but also for each other. I know. I was one of you for a brief “Peak” at your lives together.

Gratefully,
Dan McGee
[email protected]
www.drdanmcgee.com