Ear to the ground:

“I landed on my purse, so I was OK.”

– Local woman relaying a harrowing fall on her way to work across a glacial side street

Social climbers

The days of sunny red rock and warm sandstone may be over temporarily, but Durango’s climbing community is not hibernating.

Next Tues., Jan 19, the Climbing Zine and Carver Brewing are sponsoring another installment of Climber’s Beer Night from 6–8 p.m. in Carver’s back pub. The evening is not just about giving climbers a chance to trade war stories over cold beers, but to connect, according to Climbing Zine editor (and Telegraph regular) Luke Mehall.

“As a sport, climbing is the underdog in the outdoor community here. Since climbing has grown in popularity in Durango the community is growing, but fragmented,” Mehall  said of deciding to start the gatherings a few years back. He also saw them as a way for climbers to give back. “The concept was simple: get a bunch of climbers together to drink beer and raise money for climbing related nonprofits.”

The events have raised a couple thousand dollars for groups ranging from the Adaptive Sports Association to the American Safe Climbing Association, a group that replaces dangerous climbing hardware.

As per usual, Climber’s Night will feature swag from Osprey and other sponsors. Carver’s is also donating $1 from every beer sold to the cause. For questions, contact Mehall at luke@climbingzine.com or 970-376-3116 or see them on Facebook.

Pearls of wisdom

The one and only Merle Haggard plays the Farmington Civic Center Sun., Jan. 31

Dust off that belt buckle, shine up the shitkickers and iron the pearl-snap shirt. A country legend is about to be in our midst as Merle Haggard brings the Bakersfield Sound to the Farmington Civic Center on Sun., Jan. 31. While Haggard needs no introduction to fans of old school country, let’s just rehash some of this 40 hits to get the foot tapping going: “Okie From Muskogee,” “Mama Tried,” “Silver Wings,” “Pancho and Lefty” and our personal anthem “The Bottle Let Me Down.”

And for those unfamiliar with Haggard’s life, he didn’t just sing about being down and out, he lived it. Born in 1937 in the appropriately destitute-sounding Oildale, Calif., outside Bakersfield, he was raised in an old box car by his parents, Jim and Flossie. And the rest, as they say, is musical history, with Haggard inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994.

The 78-year-old is still making music, with his latest album, “Django and Jimmie,” his sixth collaboration with Willie Nelson, released in 2015. The album features the single “It’s All Going to Pot” and the title track, a tribute to musicians Django Reinhardt and Jimmie Rodgers.

Tickets are $49.50/$59.50 in advance and $59.50/$69.50. They can be bought online at fmtn.org/civiccenter or by calling 505-599-1148 or 1-877-599-3331. Show starts at 7 p.m.