What makes someone a local?

[Alioops]

Coldsmoke's thread got me thinking. How long do you think it takes to actually become a "local"?

I lived in Tahoe for almost 10 years and eventually considered myself to be a true local (EDIT: Until I read KS's post-nice read!). I lived in Alaska for 2 years and did not consider myself to be a local.

Of course one should consider the guidance that anyone living in the area might give, but it is annoying to me when someone moves into a ski town and immediately becomes the "know it all".

The "know it all"...the loudmouth that is bitching about the gapers, ranting about where is the best place to ski/ride/play/party or what gear they should be doing it with. Even worse, crucifying visitors because they do not know (or they disagree). This is usually done to boast that they are a "local".

I actually had been one of those annoying geographically blessed people (to an extent). I eventually realized that one actually becomes a local once they accept the tourist, can appreciate every nook and cranny of the town/mountains they chose to live in and do their best to help “gapers” enjoy it too. At least, that is when I finally felt like a true local.

[iceman]

Well, here in Maryland, we require that you get a Maryland drivers license and switch your tags within 60 days. That's about it.

[Alioops]

Well, here in Maryland, we require that you get a Maryland drivers license and switch your tags within 60 days. That's about it.

Damn...I forgot to change my license.

And just about cried when I had to give up my AK plates.

[cj001f]

Of course one should consider the guidance that anyone living in the area might give, but it is annoying to me when someone moves into a ski town and immediately becomes the "know it all".

The "know it all"...the loudmouth that is bitching about the gapers, ranting about where is the best place to ski/ride/play/party or what gear they should be doing it with. Even worse, crucifying visitors because they do not know (or they disagree). This is usually done to boast that they are a "local".

Whether they've lived there 2, 10, 20 or 50 years those people are still lame.

As to what makes me think someone's a local? When they've got the place dialed - when to go, where to go, and a sense of the place. Some people never get there, some people get there in a year. Depends on they and the place.

[BLOODSWEATSTEEL]

When you don't want to go anywhere on vacation, because "you already live there," you're a local.

When the guy you buy beer from, the tow truck driver, half the cops, and the hot chick at the Patagonia store all know you by first name....

When you wear Lake Tahoe shirts and hats [not to represent,] but just because they go on sale so cheap sometimes....

[Artie Fufkin]

You are a local in a ski/tourist town when you bitch and moan every year when the tourist season begins even though your financial well being and the towns financial well being is based on the tourism.

[stump832]

The "know it all"...the loudmouth that is bitching about the gapers, ranting about where is the best place to ski/ride/play/party or what gear they should be doing it with. Even worse, crucifying visitors because they do not know (or they disagree). This is usually done to boast that they are a "local".

Totally.

[Son1cdeth]

You are a local in a ski/tourist town when you bitch and moan every year when the tourist season begins even though your financial well being and the towns financial well being is based on the tourism.

Exactly! I especially like the ones who've been here since late October, and were already bitching by Thanksgiving.

[powderfarmer]

When you come up with better excuses for why the snowboarder following you out of bounds to a local favorite should turn back.

Some of the better ones I have heard are:

"Its like a 6 mile flat hike out, at least chest deep man."

"I wouldn't go unless you feel comfortable hucking 70 plus to flat"

"DUUUUDE, unless you have your rope and harness, its not a good idea"


As for the distaste for tourons. I think you are a local once you can deal with them, and actually to some extent don't even notice them because you know when to be where. They do pay my bills, so they are a needed part of the deal.

[irul&ublo]

Coldsmoke's thread got me thinking. How long do you think it takes to actually become a "local"?

I lived in Tahoe for almost 10 years and eventually considered myself to be a true local. I lived in Alaska for 2 years and did not consider myself to be a local.

Of course one should consider the guidance that anyone living in the area might give, but it is annoying to me when someone moves into a ski town and immediately becomes the "know it all".

The "know it all"...the loudmouth that is bitching about the gapers, ranting about where is the best place to ski/ride/play/party or what gear they should be doing it with. Even worse, crucifying visitors because they do not know (or they disagree). This is usually done to boast that they are a "local".

I actually had been one of those annoying geographically blessed people (to an extent). I eventually realized that one actually becomes a local once they accept the tourist, can appreciate every nook and cranny of the town/mountains they chose to live in and do their best to help “gapers” enjoy it too. At least, that is when I finally felt like a true local.

Ali...what difference does it make...you live in Maryland now.

[Oarhead]

I love SBC skiers definition:

A local is techically defined as a person that has been residing in town at least one day longer than you.

[Lloyd Braun]

an old "local" here in Aspen once told me that

"if the river was here when you got to the valley, son, your not a "local"......

kinda makes sense.

[Alioops]

Ali...what difference does it make...you live in Maryland now.

Heh...bite me Blo. You are just bitter because you live in Suckymento.

[shmerham]

When the love affair with where you are wears off.

[Artie Fufkin]

I love SBC skiers definition:

A local is techically defined as a person that has been residing in town at least one day longer than you.

and after residing in the town/area for a month or two the "local" begins complaining that too many people are moving to the area.

[Oarhead]

and the after residing in the town/area for a month or two the "local" begins complaining that too many people are moving to the area.

Exactly!

A buddy once told me that Fernie was a great town until all of the locals moved there.

[Superstar Punani]

Coldsmoke's thread got me thinking. How long do you think it takes to actually become a "local"?

Someone who's been there a day longer than you.

[Karl Stall]

"The social climber's guide to Aspen"

By Roger Marolt
December 30, 2005

Believe it or not, as some have suspected, Aspen is deeply divided into social classes. Everyone who visits, lives and works in this fine burg falls into the pecking order. However, figuring out just exactly which layer of the pyramid people are perched upon is a constant source of agitation.

In order to alleviate the suffering caused by uncertain social rank, I have researched the subject thoroughly and come up with mathematically accurate descriptions of each progressive rung of this oft-slipped-off, ice-laden ladder.

Of course the noblest title belongs to the few who are connected here by birth. These are the Natives. Their privileges inure in much the same way as with royalty anywhere - through happenstance and luck. And, they protect their legacy in much the same way, too - by sitting on their imperial duffs. Even so, the title can never be taken away. It's so secure, in fact, that it is said that a tot born here, moving away even before weaning, never intending to return again, claims the designation from somewhere on Park Avenue.

Many jealous subjects like to make a point that the corn-growing Native American-Natives of Aspen have a greater claim to the title than do the late arriving ore-digging Euro-Natives. However, when the former arrived here, it was hardly a place anyone would recognize as Aspen. Ancient pictographic sales tax receipt records verify this. So, that argument is reduced to nitpicking. The fact is: if you were born here you're a Native. That's that!

The only consolation is that Natives have no power in politics. If you want to know ahead of time the outcome of any local election, ask a Native's opinion, and the issue will certainly come out the other way.

The second tier of denizens is the Locals. These are people who have called Aspen home for more than 20 years. They are detected by their unique speech patterns, manifested in exaggerating stories about wondrous things that existed 10 years before they arrived, and lamenting the loss of business establishments they never set foot in. They cry the loudest at funerals for other locals whom they didn't actually like.

Beware you who would engage a Local in an argument about anything. No matter the soundness of your logic, the Local will subtly and skillfully provide proof of his correctness by clearly stating his own longevity in town to the exact minute.

The next category is the Residents. These are Locals in waiting. They've lived here for more than two years. Some work, some don't. But, they all lie to relatives, friends and visitors about being Locals.

Many Residents try to shortcut the time-in-service requirement for the coveted Local status by giving copious amounts of money to Aspen charities that they couldn't care less about, creating boards to sit on, taking ski lessons on the sly and tipping liberally at local eating and drinking establishments. What they don't realize is that if they put as much energy into simply being here, time would pass much more quickly.

Next are the Johnny/Joanne-come-Latelys, also know as Wanabees. Their heritage is that of families who frequently made ski vacations here. They are now recent college graduates who come for the skiing, the nightlife and because they didn't get any job offers in their majors.

They have the foggy notion that living here somehow resembles a perpetual holiday. God bless them; they come with the conviction that they will call Aspen home for the rest of their lives, make a living by teaching underprivileged kids how to ski, and pay $450 a month rent for that quaint, little West End Victorian that hasn't been seen since 1972.

Eventually, however, the weekly reminders from home about the wasted college education exact a toll. In the end, they haul all of the gear they bought new at the Ute Mountaineer to sell it slightly used at Play it Again Sports, completing the buy high/sell low transaction that has just consumed seven seasons of their lives, all of their cash and a good portion of their credit.

The Tourists are next in the queue. This type fuels the dream of Aspen social climbing. If they didn't constantly pump us up about how great it must be to live here, our heads wouldn't be full of all those nonsensical fairy-tale notions. They spend so much money in town that their words become truth, despite their horrible driving habits.

For many of them, Aspen is nothing more than a bragging right, another accumulation in the trinket collection proving financial success to anyone who cares, or otherwise. Most of them look as if they are in a permanent state of adjustment and act as if they would rather be at the other end of their cell phones instead of riding up the gondola.

Finally, the lowest position in the hierarchy belongs to Time Sharers. As is common with members of low castes, they have devised a less demeaning term for their lot to foster a more optimistic outlook. "Fractional ownership" is their mantra for salvation from the stigma "Sucker," or worse yet, "Outsider." These poor souls would give anything to have a stake here as is clearly apparent in their closing statements. The telltale sign of this obedient group is that they only come to Aspen when they are told to.

Thus the oddballs are racked, a different type of people in a different kind of town. But you might notice that the strangest thing in this strange place is that we don't use wealth to separate ourselves from each other like they do in most other places. It's an old trophy-wives' tale that all you need to survive in Aspen is a pile of cash. The truth is that, while it may seem like the rats are winning the race to get here, not many people, rich, poor or in between, stick it out long enough to reach the height of Aspen status.

There are few who do have something that apparently no amount of money can buy and no real estate broker can sell. Locals call it "reasonable expectations."

Roger Marolt is an Aspen Native, a Snowmass Village Resident, and will never be a Time Sharer, anywhere. He's a Johnny-Come-Lately at roger@maroltllp.com

[WWCD]

When you can survive using mostly the barter system.

[Schmear]

At some strange point you stop asking for directions and people ask you for directions instead.

[L7]

In Banff it's if you've lived there a week or so apparently maybe less if the aussie accent is heavy enough. I had a couple of 'locals' once tell me that if it doesn't say Banff on your birth certificate you're not local. With that in mind I lived 25 years in Banff/ Lake Louise and when asked always told people I was a long term transient. Wanted nothing to do with that insecure shit.

[Arty50]

You're a "true" local when you get a 20% discount at LTD. Other "locals" only get 10.

Rumor has it that soon we will all be tourists.

[shmerham]

I remember hearing a story (perhaps on here) about a guy died at 87. His parents moved the family to Vermont when he was 2 months old and he lived there the rest of his life. The newspaper read "flatlander dies at 87".

[rossibandit]

I hate trying to define the status of locals. The other day I was going up the chair with two other people. About half way thru the conversation, they ask me if I am here for the season (since they moved here 2 years ago). I tell them that I was born in Fernie and grew up here. Then they proceed to say, oh you’re a LOCAL. My response was, "I guess so". Growing up in Fernie doesn’t 't make me any different that anyone else. I know about fifty percent of the population in Fernie so I still run into people who actually don't believe that I grew up in Fernie. I really don't know what the big deal about being local. If you really want to live in Fernie and ski, just do it without any attitude. It really bugs me when people move here and advertise that they are now locals. In my opinion it’s not a big deal.

[vtdownhiller]

The guys who are name droppers drive me nuts.....when you stop dropping names and spewing out your resume' then you are a local