1/9/2015 Winter Park CO

Winter Park, Colorado

Sunrise at Beaver Village Inn

The beginning of January was spent  in Winter Park, Colorado on a fabulous ski vacation with Zoe, Jack and our Virginia friends Marcia and Bill S.  On the first night we stayed in the old section of the Beaver Village Inn which is a classic old  ski lodge.  The stairway to the third floor got darker, narrower and more crooked the higher we climbed.  Our 2 bedroom "suite" was very basically appointed with wood ceilings and walls and lighting so old and dim you could not read a book by it. When I asked how to adjust the heat in our 100 degree room I was told, "it's old, no way to adjust".  So we slept with the window open all night (no screen, but no worries, no bugs at 20 degrees).   Ask for the "newer" section next visit.  We were greeted the next morning with a breathtaking sunrise and a breakfast buffet with everything you could ever want on it; a true bulk up to ski all day feast.



Jack, John, Debra and Zoe

Sunset View of Mountains from our Ski House

We stayed at our Colorado friend's Nancy and John B.'s wonderful ski house for the rest of the trip. Talk about going from rags to riches.  This 5 bedroom, 5 bathroom house only a few minutes from the ski slopes even had a hot tub on the deck.  Winter Park is the perfect place to ski with a great mountain next to a cute hippie town.  It's far enough off I-70 that it doesn't have the massive crowds like some Colorado ski areas.   

Skate Skiing at Devil's Thumb Ranch

Zoe and I found a wonderful yoga class and checked out the coffee shops and boutiques while John and Jack drove to Breckenridge to ski with our "kinda cousins" Mark, Patty and boys.  In the feet and feet of snow we downhill skied, snowshoed and the kids and John went to Devil's Thumb Ranch to skate ski (skate style like they do in the Olympics) and loved it.  Devil's Thumb Ranch is a must visit while in Winter Park.  This upscale operating ranch has a restaurant, spa and inn.  The lounging areas were great for afternoon tea and the beef meals were excellent.

Devil's Thumb Ranch - Marcia and Bill