CMC Rifle to unveil mural honoring Ute people of the Colorado River Valley

May 16, 2025 - Colorado Mountain College Rifle will host a public ceremony to unveil a new mural honoring the Ute people of the Colorado River Valley. The event will take place at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, May 22, at CMC Rifle, 3695 Airport Road.

The large-scale mural will join more than 100 local brands displayed on campus walls representing the area’s ranching heritage, and will bring Indigenous culture to the forefront as part of the region’s layered history. The mural features the image of the late Kenny Frost (1954-2023), a respected Southern Ute cultural consultant, and recognizes the long-standing presence of Native peoples in Garfield County.

Event highlights:

• Jeremy Velasquez, Rifle-based mural artist, is known for his vibrant community-focused artwork. A former CMC GED graduate, Velasquez previously created a mural at CMC Spring Valley.
• Larry Cesspooch, filmmaker, storyteller, and spiritual leader from the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation in northeastern Utah, will share the Ute creation story and history of the Ute people in the region.
• Kenny Frost, whose image is depicted in the mural, was a longtime advocate for preserving Indigenous culture and worked with the U.S. Forest Service to honor Native histories in the region.

For more information about the May 22 unveiling, contact Lisa Girardot at lagirardot@coloradomtn.edu.