About the CB Wheels of Intention

This project is about being inspired by nature, appreciating life, and giving back to our community and planet.  The Wheels of Intention is the brainchild of Caroline McLean.  While on a pilgrimage to Bhutan in 2017, Caroline’s vision of giving back to her mountain community became clear – bring Prayer Wheels to Crested Butte.

Prayer Wheels are ubiquitous in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and the mountainous regions of the Himalayas.  They come in many sizes and are usually very ornate and decorative.  They are called Prayer wheels because they spin, and inside, on the center spindle and surrounding scrolls, are community wishes that ask for things like peace and prosperity, abundance and fertility, health and wellbeing.  They are auspicious symbols of respectful abiding and good times ahead.  Most prayer Wheels are manually activated to spin.  They are like interactive prayer flags, and since prayer flags are common in Crested Butte, why not Prayer Wheels!  They are interactive, educational, and embody the interconnections between mountains and their peoples. 

Upon returning home from Bhutan, Caroline hosted three slideshows to present her travels, inspirations, and ambitions of bringing prayer wheels to Crested Butte.  The community was supportive.  Namkha Sherpa, a local resident, gifted her a beautiful prayer wheel from Nepal.  A yoga friend who heard about the project sent Caroline a hand-held wheel from Tibet.  From Ladakh, India, we also received a “Zung”- a sacred mantra scroll given to us by a Buddhist mentor, Tsering Norboo.  In 2019, Neil Windsor, a local Sculptural Artist/Designer, jumped in fully, started designing our CB wheels, and became a co-partner in bringing the CB Wheels of Intention Project to life!  Finally, in 2022, Nathan Bilow, a local videographer, launched our vision with his video “ The Crested Butte Wheels.”  Our wheel teams (artist, non-profit partner, sponsor, and host) formed quickly, and community art began in earnest.  This project has been four years in the making.  It has involved hundreds of hours and hundreds of people and is 100% volunteer-driven.  Please scroll down to learn about Phase 2: The Mother Wheel and how you can give back and participate in community fun!