The five-story facade of the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa acts as an asymmetrically-designed finish line for those descending from the summit. It is a cozy Alpine hacienda that entices hardy mountain explorers and vacationing families alike. When you will find neither is the best time to come.
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The photo was taken at the Park Hyatt.
The reputation of the Park Hyatt as the most convenient conglomeration of luxury hotel and ski lodge is no secret. This is the best place to find yourself if a snowball fight breaks out. No slingshot is required to throw a lump of fresh powder at giggling attackers approaching from the base of the ski resort's Haymeadow Express Gondola. You can sip a Baileys-spiced hot cocoa near the firepit outside Brass Bear Bar and have easy aim anywhere in upper Beaver Creek Village.
What happens when the lifts stop turning is less discussed. Colorado locals affectionately refer to the period from mid-April until the start of the summer tourist season in June as "shoulder season". Water burbling over rocky creekbeds and providing a steady soundtrack for the season are some of the benefits of snowmelt in the Rockies. Kentucky bluegrass is crinkled like paper. This is a quiet time in the state's mountain communities. The shops and pubs that bustle during the winter season are empty.
During the shoulder season, you can enjoy toasting marshmallows and ritzy cocktails at the Park Hyatt. The Exhale Spa has a wide open massage table that is easy to spread out inside the soaking baths. The hotel's welcoming vibe and palatial spa were just what my wife and I needed. The past year has been a change for both of us. After welcoming baby Olivia in October of 2021, we have spent the months since adjusting to our new role as parents. We wanted to take it easy when we came to Beaver Creek.
Credit: Jim Gabriel.
If you don't experience the mountains, a trip to the mountains is not worth it. Most high-end mountain resorts don't have this fact. Not here. The Park Hyatt Beaver Creek launched a package to help aspiring summit-seekers. The state of Colorado has 58 peaks that reach above 14,000 feet in elevation. I like to ski or snowboard back down after reaching a summit. As the snow line gets higher, one can embark on mountain adventures from hiking to skiing to mountain biking.
Jim Gabriel and I were on a ski tour. Jim and I were strapped into our ski gear on the trail in the Vail Pass Winter Recreation Area by 7:30 AM after a 7 AM pick-up at the hotel. Jim pointed out several old Ute hunting trails that were dating back hundreds, if not thousands, of years, when he toured through the dense pine forest below Gore Ridge.
bison, antelope, and other wildlife were followed through the high country by the Utes as far back as 5000 BC. The Gore Range is named after Lord St. George Gore, who in the 1850s slaughtered tens of thousands of animals in a showboating expedition of disgusting destruction.
Credit: Jim Gabriel.
After climbing through the forest, we reached the top of Gore Ridge. When we started our tour, the sun was still behind the Rockies and it was the only deterrent from a blue sky. There was two inches of fresh snow overnight, which was good for our descent down the backside of the ridge. I cut fresh tracks down the open bowl, Jim followed with his own line after I reached our designated stopping point.
I am a fan of ski touring with a guide, even as an experienced snowboarder. If it weren't for Jim's knowledge of the area, I wouldn't have been able to find the runs I took with him. The fact that a traveler can have this experience set up for them by a luxury hotel in one of the state's poshest resort villages speaks to Park Hyatt's ability to think outside the box.
The photo was taken at the Park Hyatt.
The Fall Line Epicurean Market is open 24 hours a day, according to Park Hyatt. I stopped in to grab breakfast to go skiing. I met my wife and daughter at Brass Bear Bar after returning to the hotel. An impressive whiskey list, including multiple Colorado-born brands, greets patrons.
The hotel's refined dining establishment, 8100 Mountainside Bar and Grill, only serves breakfast during the shoulder season, which was the only sigh we exhaled during our stay. A good dinner is available with the bar menu at Brass Bear. We passed our evenings sipping beer on the patio under the purple gaze of the Rocky Mountain sunset, and then we watched a movie in the hotel theater, which was located in our room. Outside of peak season, it was a perfect family weekend trip to the mountain resort town.
I overheard a passerby whisper to her friend as they approached the vacant hot tub. I couldn't disagree more.
Now is the time to book.
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