The Off-Season Local knows how to live quietly in places that other people pass through. They’re the ones who stay when the tourists leave, who know the trails that don’t make maps, who find comfort in the stillness of an empty diner in January. Their lives follow the seasons, slow and deliberate, shaped by the land they live on.
When I curated this section, I thought about people who thrive in solitude and subtlety. The artists here make things that belong to that rhythm — humble, honest, and built with care. Their work feels connected to place, the kind that reminds you that beauty doesn’t need an audience.
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COLORADO SMELL GOODS
HAPPY CAMPER CANDLE | $32 | LEADVILLE
This candle captures what it feels like to stay behind when the crowds leave. The scent of pine, smoke, and cold air drifting through cracked windows makes you feel like you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. It’s for those who find peace in the off-season, when the mountains are quiet and the pace finally slows.
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PINE + EMBER
COLORADO 14ER HIKE LOG | $24 | PONCHA SPRINGS
This isn’t just a checklist, it’s a map of the moments that make up a life out here. For the ones who keep track of the trails they’ve climbed and the places that still call to them, it’s a small way to honor the habit of wandering. A notebook for the locals who stay long after summer’s gone.
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ARAE
MOD MITTENS IN ONYX SHIBORI | $62 | DENVER
Made by hand and dyed in deep tones that match winter skies, these mittens were made for the ones who keep showing up through the cold. They feel like the off-season itself — a mix of patience, craft, and quiet beauty.
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PIPER NUNN
FOUR TROUT SPECIES PRINT | $45 | EVERGREEN
These mittens are the definition of chic for mountain life. Hand-dyed in moody tones, they’re proof that practicality doesn’t have to mean plain. They’re for the kind of person who can make winter look good without even trying — steady, stylish, and perfectly at ease in the off-season.
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SMEENY MADE WILD
HANDMADE MERINO WOOL BEANIE| $88 | STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
This beanie feels like the local’s answer to winter — warm, unpretentious, and made to last. The thick merino knit keeps you cozy, but the style keeps it modern. It’s for the ones who stay long after the tourists leave, content in the rhythm of snow and quiet.
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THE BOOZY BOTANIST
‘FESTIVUS’ BITTERS | $16 | DENVER
This beanie feels like the local’s answer to winter — warm, unpretentious, and made to last. The thick merino knit keeps you cozy, but the style keeps it modern. It’s for the ones who stay long after the tourists leave, content in the rhythm of snow and quiet.
