PT Wood, on ‘skitching’ & other childhood adventures, the rise of microdistilleries post-9/11, local politics, affordable housing & the land use code

PT Wood grew up in Boulder in the ’70s, skating and skitching around town. He came to the Arkansas Valley in the ’80s, like many drawn by the river and the skiing, and has been part of the scene in Salida, Colo., since.

He and Adam talk about the resilience needed to thrive in mountain town life. For PT, that's included working as a river guide and a kayak sales rep, a housebuilder and pizza shop owner, as a whiskey distiller and entrepreneur (Wood's High Mountain Distillery). Not to mention his public service locally for many years, including as mayor of Salida and now as a Chaffee County commissioner.

They talk about the rise of microdistilleries across the U.S. and how the events of 9/11 influenced that. And about why PT got involved in local politics and the most urgent issues facing Chaffee County today.

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We Are Chaffee's Looking Upstream podcast is a collaboration with Chaffee County (Colo.) Public Health and the Chaffee Housing Authority, and is supported by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment's Office of Health Equity. 

You can see show notes, read the show transcript, and learn more about the Looking Upstream podcast at wearechaffeepod.com and on Instagram @wearechaffeepod.

We Are Chaffee (wearechaffee.org) partners with KHEN radio (khen.org) in Salida, Colo., for local broadcasting of the Looking Upstream podcast.

Credits

Adam Williams, host, producer and photographer; Jon Pray, engineer and producer; Andrea Carlstrom, Director of Chaffee County Public Health and Environment; and Lisa Martin, We Are Chaffee Community Advocacy Coordinator.