09/05/2026
Every summer, Lake City gets a little bigger — not in size, but in culture. ❤️🌎
This year, our J-1 students came to us from Romania, Kazakhstan, and Lithuania, traveling thousands of miles from home and bringing their languages, traditions, stories, and personalities to our little mountain town.
And this year, we asked a little more of them than usual.
They arrived while we were still finishing our construction project. They waited patiently alongside us as we worked toward opening. They rolled up their sleeves to clean, organize, move, prepare, and do whatever needed to be done.
And then, almost overnight, they went from construction dust and organizing shelves to jumping straight into the craziness of Fourth of July service in Lake City. 🇺🇸
They worked hard. They adapted. They showed up for us when we needed them most. Through long days, late nights, packed dining rooms, and all the unpredictability of our first season with CLIMB & The Bar operating together, they helped keep us going.
But the J-1 program is about much more than work. It’s about cultural exchange.
They came here to experience American life and a summer in a small Colorado mountain town. In return, all of us got to experience a little bit of Romania, Kazakhstan, and Lithuania right here in Lake City.
We shared food, music, languages, stories, laughs, traditions, and plenty of moments we’ll remember long after this season is over.
To our J-1 students: thank you.
Thank you for your patience when things weren’t ready. Thank you for your hard work when things got crazy. Thank you for your energy, your friendship, and for bringing a little piece of home with you to our mountains.
You came here as seasonal employees.
You’re leaving as part of our CLIMB family and part of the Lake City community. ❤️🏔️
