Ep. 64 Jay Prentiss | Mountaineering, Mentoring, and Long-haul Covid

Crested Butte Is Home

Jay Prentiss grew up on the East coast, and like many of the other people I've interviewed, his first visit to the Gunnison Valley was as a freshman at Western Colorado University. Already an outdoor athlete, he's taken advantage of all the Crested Butte area offers- climbing, kayaking, skiing, mountain biking and more. One of those passions is mountaineering, which included a trip to North America's highest peak, Denali. It didn't get off to a particularly auspicious start, with the pilot saying "sorry" seconds before hitting the glacier. Another mountaineering trip was cut short by bad weather high on Peru's highest peak, Huascaran. After an unplanned bivouac, Jay and his partner's adventure was just starting when they got off the mountain and then had to navigate an uprising in the country.

Jay is also involved in a number of local non-profits, including Gunnison Valley Mentors. That organization pairs youth with mentors to help them grow. Jay previously mentored kids and today, he's on their board of directors.

In late February/ early March, Jay was one of many people who caught Covid-19, as the disease quickly spread through Crested Butte and Gunnison. Now 7 months later, he's still suffering from a number of symptoms, from fatigue to a severe shortness of breath on the bad days. He's been travelling to doctors across the country looking for help so he can get back to being the mountain athlete that he's known to be

Crested Butte Real Estate Minute:

A lack of real estate inventory continues to be a problem for buyers, so if you (or someone you know) are considering selling property in Gunnison or Crested Butte, give me (Frank Konsella) a call. Stay up to date on real estate news in Crested Butte by signing up for my monthly market updates here.

Learn More:

Altitude Painting

Gunnison Valley Mentors