It’s a frigid winter morning in Crested Butte, Colorado, and a shower of silky snow is becoming visible in the dawn’s soft light. The smell of fresh coffee wafts through the air as an animated group of bus drivers convenes at the Mountain Express shuttle terminal, trading quips and laughing as they prepare to haul an eager mix of tourists and locals to the Crested Butte Mountain Resort.

A chorus of cheers erupts as a lanky, long-legged figure pedals his townie onto the lot, flashing mischievous smiles to his fellow drivers as he greets them one by one with a witty remark and a knowing, eye-to-eye gaze. His enthusiasm for the promise of a new day is contagious, but it’s what locals have come to expect from Don Cook, an unwavering beacon of light who many consider to be the town’s unofficial mayor.

As drivers warm the engines of their colorfully painted buses and run through their routine pre-checks, Don’s voice crackles onto the radio with his familiar refrain: “Radio check. I’ve got a clicker. I’ve got two bars of DEF. I have a full tank of motion lotion. It’s gonna be a great day with supervisor Ridgeway.”

Laughter echoes through the lot as Don winks at Scott Ridgeway, his supervisor, longtime friend, and like-minded espresso aficionado. Ridgeway can’t help but chuckle, as he does every time. The sun isn’t even up, but his day has already been made.

The bus doors hiss open and passengers pile on as Don hails each one with genuine interest and a pep talk about the prospects for first tracks. Thanks to his exuberance, there is a festive atmosphere on the ride through town and up the mountain, and by the time Don deposits everyone at the resort there’s a palpable sense of community between locals and out-of-towners alike.

Many locals make a point of choosing Don’s bus, and some have a habit of doing multiple loops with him just for the chance to chat and draw from his expertise in all things Crested Butte. After nearly 50 years of living in the Gunnison Valley and exploring the surrounding mountains by ski, bicycle, dirt bike, and ultralight plane, his knowledge is vast and his opinions are authoritative.