Steamboat Springs, Colorado

• Interviews By
• Grace Hood
• Photos By
• Hart Van Denburg
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Johnny Spillane, owner of Steamboat Flyfisher in Steamboat Springs.

Andy Pratt and other drummers play at Little Toots Park in Steamboat Springs Aug. 8, 2018.

The Mountain Tap Brewery in Steamboat Springs.

The Mountain Tap Brewery in Steamboat Springs on Aug. 8, 2018.

The Mountain Tap Brewery on Steamboat Springs Aug. 8, 2018.

Pete Van De Carr runs a raft and kayak rental business in Steamboat Springs, but with the Yampa River off limits for large parts of the summer owing to low water, he's taken to driving for Uber to help makes ends meet.

“Conservation is extremely important. It’s everything” to him as the November elections approach, he says. “It’s my business. If I don’t protect this river with every ounce of my being, my children and their children won’t have the wonderful opp that I’ve had. When I say that, I mean that I have had the most ideal life. I have kayaked and skied and climbed pretty much all over the world. And the reason I’ve been able to do that is because I have this job and this wonderful town in a challenging but very rewarding industry. More than anything I want to have that opportunity to be able to take over my shop and enjoy life as I have.”

That means he also supports a statewide ballot measure backed by anti-fracking groups that would increase the distance required between private property, and oil and gas drilling operations: “We have to have those setbacks. I don’t think the industry has proven itself to be clean. And that’s what an industry has to do," he says.

Pete Van De Carr outside his kayak rental business, Backdoor Sports, in Steamboat Springs. Van De Carr had to pick up work as an Uber driver this past summer when the Yampa River was closed to recreation owing to drought and a heatwave.

When it comes to President Trump, “I think he’s terrible. Everyday I’m a little more disappointed. I’m trying to become as educated as I can,” Van De Carr says. “I don’t think our administration has any clue about what goes on in my life, or on our river, or our issues in this part of the country.”

Riders in the annual Honey Stinger mountain bike race in Steamboat Springs leave the start before tackling more than 50 miles of singletrack at the Howelsen Hill Ski Area on Aug. 11, 2018.

Cody Perry, who helped organize a Stand for Our Land rally in Steamboat Springs on Froday Aug. 10, 2018. Hundreds of people filled a Steamboat Springs city street next to the Routt County Courthouse for the rally in protest of a visit to the area by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. Zinke was making an appearance at a private event sponsored by the conservative Steamboat Institute’s Freedom Conference.

Horseback riders were among those protesting in Steamboat Springs against a visit by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, was making an appearance at a private event sponsored by the conservative Steamboat Institute’s Freedom Conference.

State Rep. Dylan Roberts listens to speakers at a rally Aug. 10 2018 in Steamboat Springs protesting a local appearance by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

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