By Steph
This year we tried something new for the ranch. With so much demand for the fall ranch stays in September, we decided to extend our season a couple weeks into October. It was an experiment to see if we could get guests to come visit us in October– a time when the chance of weather is a bit higher, but also a time that can be one of the most stunning months of the year.
Success! Or, at least by our count it was a great success. We had a really nice number of guests who came to try out this new season. Many of them got two seasons for the price of one, as guest Traci told me with a laugh. We had days of blue skies, warm sunshine and a forest full of golden aspens. And then we had snow–magical, fluffy, amazing snow like nothing we’ve seen in October before. As you can see from this photo, we didn’t let the weather stop us, and the contrast of the snow with the golden aspens was off the charts. Many of the guests came for our standard week-long stay, but some tried out the shorter stays we were offering during these two weeks.
Will we do it again? Absolutely! It was a great time to celebrate the transition of the seasons, enjoy cozy-ing up to the fire each evening and share this time of year with some wonderful people.
Now the ranch is closed until mid-December. It’s a time for gathering up as a team and hashing out what worked and what didn’t, what we want to change for next year, and what we want to keep the same. The bikes are being put away and the skis hung up on the racks. The saddles are getting cleaned and oiled. Horses are getting some extra training and projects are getting checked off the list. The scaffolding is up in the Great room for dusting those magnificent beams and changing those very hard to reach light bulbs. Through all this we’re still answering the phones and emails and getting folks booked for this winter and next summer. We thank everyone who made this past summer and fall so amazing, and look forward to playing with those of you who are planning your winter stays soon!