Ranch wrangles winter thrills and luxury that cuts the chill

Pampered guests can flex muscles, then be indulged

Catherine Lutz, Special to the News

Published February 20, 2007 at midnight

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Anybody who believes cross- country skiing is not an adventure has not been to the Home Ranch.

On the first of three excursions on skinny skis at the Home Ranch in January, we chased the sunset and flew down a hair-raising piste (complete with hairpin turns) as dusk was descending and the edges of the trail weren't so obvious.

On the second, we saw a snowshoe hare - a reclusive, rarely seen animal - bounding through the snow drifts and onto the trail, nearly reaching our group before veering out of sight across the rolling meadow.

And on the third, after 4 inches of snow had fallen overnight, we took on the longest downhill pitch on the ranch's 1,500 acres - giggling like schoolgirls as our skis schussed through the untracked snow.

These kinds of adventures are not unusual at the Home Ranch, a family-operated guest ranch in the tiny community of Clark, 18 miles north of Steamboat Springs. That's because the guides, whose services come with the price of a stay, are passionate about winter sports and are willing to go to any level of adventure a guest is willing to take on.

Surrounded by the 1 million- acre Routt National Forest and just west of the Mount Zirkel Wilderness, the Home Ranch is set in a spectacular playground.

Its 1,500 acres encompass two large meadows and countless groves of aspen trees. The rolling, gentle terrain borders the Elk River, which feeds the Yampa River and, ultimately, the Colorado River, and is an ideal setting for 25 kilometers of groomed Nordic trails. Snowshoeing, telemark skiing, sleigh riding and tubing round out the slate of on-ranch winter activities.

Guests also can venture "off- ranch," guides and transportation included, with explorations ranging from casual to rigorous.

Hahn's Peak, for example, a steep, bare cone believed to be an extinct volcano, is a favorite backcountry skiing destination.

Steamboat ski area is a short ride away. And Home Peak, which rises to a gentle rounded summit above the ranch, makes for a good two-hour snowshoe workout complete with a bird's- eye view of the property.

"When we first came here, we went to the top of the ranch and I had never seen so much untouched land - it looked like a movie," said Nancy Coyne, of New York, who learned to cross-country ski at the Home Ranch. "We've never found any place like it. It's a combination of the skiing, the ski guides and the food."

One of only two properties in Colorado and only five in the Rocky Mountain region that are members of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux hospitality organization, the Home Ranch has a strict set of criteria to meet in terms of service and quality.

And the food is top notch - classic gourmet techniques mixed with cuisines from all over the world but with a decidedly Western touch. Many guests are drawn to the ranch because of the designation, which denotes a certain level of luxury. But guests say the atmosphere at the Home Ranch is not pompous or stuffy.

"We feel very at home here; it's not pretentious at all," said Lori Cantor, of Grand Rapids, Mich., who, with her husband, John, was visiting for the first time.

The Cantors usually choose warm-weather destinations for vacations but were lured by friends Jim and Betsy Bakeman to try the Home Ranch, and "it's been wonderful," Lori said.

Ranch manager Johnny Fisher describes his philosophy of running the place as simply "homey" and prides himself on making guests feel like part of the ranch family, which includes his wife and two daughters.

Fisher entertains on the piano while hors d'oeuvres are being served before dinner and the staff often join guests for meals.

"We get to know everyone; we all become friends," Fisher said.

The decor in the main ranch building - with six guest rooms, the dining room, lounge and library and eight cabins - is Western. Cabins are small and delightfully cozy, a mix of Western and modern with comfortable homesteadlike furniture, wood-burning stoves, rockers on the porch, spacious separately heated bathrooms and private hot tubs.

The Home Ranch never was a working ranch, but the barn and the ski hut are historic buildings moved onto the property from the surrounding area.

Another throwback is the ranch's policy on modern gadgets. There are no TVs or phones in the rooms, and cell phones and laptops are not allowed in common areas.

Those who must be connected can use the ranch's phones and fax or their own devices in the privacy of their rooms; wireless Internet is available free of charge.

"One of my things is to try to remove technology, keep it as far away from the guests as I possibly can" and enhance the feeling of getting away from it all, said Fisher, who jokingly describes himself as "a '60s-type guy trying to survive in 2007."

The Home Ranch can be a relaxing treat for adventure seekers, offering a touch of luxury with its blend of down-home comfort and slew of outdoor activities.

For Bruce and Sharon Johnson, of Denver, who hike and ski on all of their vacations (the couple got married on top of their 32nd Fourteener), "it's a splurge," Sharon said. "It's just a romantic getaway. Great food, good exercise - it's just getting away to a completely different place."

Check homeranch.com or call 970-879-1780.

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