A lasting reminder of a brother, son, friend

Peter Carver took “Here I Am” in the San Juan Mountains near Silverton in April 2011. A framed print of the photo will be among those auctioned Sunday at the “Hoppy Birthday Peter” event at Carver Brewing Co.

Courtesy of Bill Carver

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Peter Carver took “Here I Am” in the San Juan Mountains near Silverton in April 2011. A framed print of the photo will be among those auctioned Sunday at the “Hoppy Birthday Peter” event at Carver Brewing Co.

Courtesy of Bill Carver

Peter Carver saw this ptarmigan, despite its expert camouflage, in May 2011 and titled the photo “Incognito.”

Courtesy of Bill Carver

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Peter Carver saw this ptarmigan, despite its expert camouflage, in May 2011 and titled the photo “Incognito.”

Courtesy of Bill Carver

Waiting on Trial will provide the music for the “Hoppy Birthday Peter” event. Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Robin Davis will play some of the band’s songs on this circa-1930s Supertone Gene Autry “Round-Up” model. “My dad bought it in an antique store in Villa Grove about 30 years ago for $16,” Davis said. He bought it as a wall-hanger decoration because it was fairly seriously damaged. The neck had basically been broken off. ... There were extensive cracks in the wood on the top, back and sides, and the bridge had come almost completely off.” Davis, who has been doing instrument repair for several years, spent about two months on the restoration. “It plays and sounds just incredible,” he said. “It’s got a richness that only really old instruments possess. I think instruments should be used and enjoyed, so it’s pretty rewarding knowing this thing is being enjoyed and used to make music again.”

Courtesy of Robin Davis

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Waiting on Trial will provide the music for the “Hoppy Birthday Peter” event. Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Robin Davis will play some of the band’s songs on this circa-1930s Supertone Gene Autry “Round-Up” model. “My dad bought it in an antique store in Villa Grove about 30 years ago for $16,” Davis said. He bought it as a wall-hanger decoration because it was fairly seriously damaged. The neck had basically been broken off. ... There were extensive cracks in the wood on the top, back and sides, and the bridge had come almost completely off.” Davis, who has been doing instrument repair for several years, spent about two months on the restoration. “It plays and sounds just incredible,” he said. “It’s got a richness that only really old instruments possess. I think instruments should be used and enjoyed, so it’s pretty rewarding knowing this thing is being enjoyed and used to make music again.”

Courtesy of Robin Davis

Peter Carver loved the outdoors, and now those who loved him are rekindling that passion.

Carver was killed Feb. 2, 2013, in an avalanche north of Silverton, and his friends and family will remember him on what would have been his 25th birthday Sunday with a memorial celebration.

The restaurant that bears his family’s name will be the site of “Hoppy Birthday Peter,” which is both the name of the party and the special beer brewed for the event. Waiting on Trial will provide live music.

The event also will be a fundraiser for the planned Peter Carver Memorial Forest, which already is underway in and around Chapman Hill. Peter’s sister, Claire Carver, explained the project in an email:

“As kids in Durango, my brothers and I grew up on skis. We began telemark skiing as soon as there was gear to fit our youthful feet. Travel and time in the backcountry became a part of who we are. As we got older, Peter became our guide and teacher, showing us the places where the mountains are big and we are small.

“After losing Peter in an avalanche, I find myself feeling closest to him in the mountains. I want to share Peter’s art and to allow others to see through his lens.

“The Peter Carver Memorial Forest aims to plant trees on the Chapman Hill Ski Area where Peter learned how to ski, to provide shade for the Rim Trail and to create a sense of wilderness in town.”

Funds will be raised through the sale of Pablo James Carver Photography. Carver was an avid photographer, and a collection of his outdoor images in handmade cherry wood frames will be on display and for sale.

The total fundraising goal for the project is $100,000. Plans for the forest include planting trees along the Fort Lewis College rim, which is underway, as well as creation of a geology overlook at a high point. Completion of the project is estimated at three to five years.

ted@durangoherald.com