I heard a fella at the trailhead the other day complaining that his morning latte cost twelve dollars. He was pretty worked up about it, waving his car keys around like he’d been personally robbed by the barista. Honestly, I think people need to start looking at the bigger picture here.

If you consider that you’re not just buying coffee, but also paying for the aesthetic of an exposed-brick building that used to be a saddlery in 1920, the price makes perfect sense. You’re essentially renting a piece of local history for twenty minutes while you scroll through your phone. That’s a steal when you think about what it costs to actually own one of these old buildings.

I work two jobs—one at the rental shop and one waiting tables—and I’ve never seen a twelve-dollar coffee as a burden. It’s just fuel. If I skip lunch and maybe park a few blocks further away to avoid the paid zones, I can easily afford three of them a day. It keeps me sharp for the lift line, and honestly, the caffeine helps me keep my mind off the fact that my truck payment is roughly the same as a mortgage in Belgrade.

People say things are getting expensive, but I think the town is just getting more premium. We’re all living in a luxury, high-altitude resort, and you can’t expect mountain-town prices to stay stuck in the nineties. If we want to keep the vibe right, we have to support the local economy, one twelve-dollar cup at a time. It’s a small price to pay to keep living the dream.

Rick Tailgate works two jobs, skis 60 days a year, and believes strongly that his lifestyle is sustainable. His truck payment suggests otherwise.