Archive for the ‘Guest Ranch News’ Category

Children and 4UR Colorado Family Dude Ranch

June 14th, 2011 by Gail

We’re in the middle of the first Two For One Kids Special week here at our Creede Colorado Dude Ranch, and it’s really fun. Everyone at the ranch enjoys the company of children, from Kids’ Counselor Kali to Andi and Becky (waitstaff). This means parents and children can relax while their here.

Damon is a man of many talents.

Our Kids Program fills 6 hours each day. Children start most days with a horseback ride, which is a central part of our Family Dude Ranch Vacations. They swim, ride bikes, hike, play games, and try their hands at fly fishing, too. Parents can spend six hours fishing on Goose Creek or take long trail rides, secure in the knowledge that their kids won’t even think to look for them.

Kids love roasting marshmallows over an open fire and listening to Damon pick a song on his guitar. They feel accomplished when their parents watch them perform in a rodeo. They make new friends, bond with siblings, and generally have a great time. The hardest part is leaving.

There will be another Two For One Kids Special at our Creede Colorado Fly Fishing Ranch the week of August 13-20, 2011, and we’ll probably offer them again next year. Contact us to learn more about it. No matter when you come, your kids will feel special.

 

 

The Fabulous 4UR Staff

May 11th, 2011 by Gail

May is always an exciting time for those of us who live and work at 4UR year round. New and returning staff arrive throughout the month, to help open our Creede Colorado Dude Ranch for the season. The first guests are scheduled to arrive on June 5, 2011. We can’t wait!

Our Fishing Guides are getting ready to help you have the experience of a lifetime.

This year, we have quite a few returning seasonal staff. If you vacationed at our family dude ranch last year, we’re sure you’ll be happy to see the following folks:

Kali Alger comes from Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she is the oldest of five. She is an Early Childhood Education Major and is pleased that she’ll be working as a Kids’ Counselor last year (although she did enjoy being Waitstaff last year).

Lindsay Gilbert grew up in Rhode Island and recently completed an internship at Roger Williams Park Zoo. She had a great time working as a Housekeeper here last year, and looks forward to spending this summer on horseback as a Wrangler.

Spencer Johnson graduates from college this year, which means he’ll have more time to train horses. He was a Wrangler at 4UR last year, and returns as Wrangler in 2011.

Jesse Robbins spent his childhood angling in rural Maine. He has fished his way around the globe, and looks forward to another season as Fishing Guide at our Colorado Fly Fishing Ranch.

Les Vance was raised in North Carolina, but he’s fallen in love with the mountains of the west. He was a Fishing Guide in 2007 & 2009, and he returns as a Fishing Guide in 2011.

Hannah Whitney came to us last year from Charleston, SC. She brings energy and enthusiasm to her work as a Housekeeper, and is thrilled to be back at 4UR as a Nanny to Cole, Kylee, Luke and Laci Christensen.

Garrett Cobarr learned the art of pastry making at the Culinary Institute of America in the Napa Valley, and has honed his skills in restaurants as diverse as five star resorts and small town steak houses. He is very pleased to be back at 4UR for another year as Pastry Chef.
We wouldn’t be able to function without our full-timers: office manager Kathy Adelman, ranch managers Aaron and Robin Christensen, Head Wrangler Damon Gibbons, our Properties Foreman Kyle Michaels, and of course, Executive Chef Wray Warner. We also depend heavily on our semi-full-timers: Kathy’s husband Jimmy Adelman leads Lost Lakes trips each summer; Kate Michaels was a housekeeper for several seasons and now Supervises Housekeeping; and Frances Kolisch creates fabulous flower arrangements for us each summer.
Next week we’ll introduce the new staff of our Creede Colorado Family Dude Ranch.

Weddings at our Colorado Guest Ranch

April 30th, 2011 by 4ur admin

From time to time, we host weddings at our Colorado Family Dude Ranch. We host them in early summer and late fall, before and after our regular season. Guests arrive from all corners of the country, stay for a few days, witness a marriage, and then leave. It is a delightful experience for all.

We can accommodate 50-60 guests for these events, so weddings at our Colorado Family Dude Ranch typically involve family and good friends. Guests partake in all the ranch activities – they go horseback riding, hike, fish Goose Creek, swim, and soak in the natural hot springs. They share meals and toast the couple repeatedly. When the weather has allowed, we have had some truly beautiful outdoor weddings here; on mountain meadows and down by the river.

We supply the wedding cake and the champagne, and happily make recommendations for with professionals for flowers, music, photography, etc.

If you’d like to host your wedding at our Colorado Vacation Ranch, please call 719-658-2202.

Adults Only Weeks in the Colorado Rockies

March 28th, 2011 by 4ur admin

Each summer, we offer two weeks for adults only at our Colorado Dude Ranch. This is not because we don’t like children; we love children, and the 4UR family includes many children, from newborns to teens. We offer two “Adults Only” weeks because we understand that sometimes adults need a little time to themselves.

The “Adults Only” weeks at our Colorado Guest Ranch are open to all adults, whether you are parents of young children or grown children, or not a parent at all. This is a time for you to go for long trail rides in the Rocky Mountains. It is a time for you to linger by the pool with a Corona in your hand. It’s a time for long soaks in our natural hot springs, and late nights gazing at stars.

Adults Only Weeks: August 18-25 & August 25-Sept 1, 2012

Please contact our Colorado Guest Ranch for more information.

Kids Weeks at the Ranch

March 20th, 2011 by 4ur admin

We still have some space available during our special Kids Weeks this summer at our Colorado Family Vacation Ranch: June 11 – 12 and August 13 – 20, 2011.

Two kids age 9 and under stay here for the price of one child during our “Two for One” Special this summer. We hope this will encourage families who have never been to our Colorado Family Vacation Ranch to give it a try. We also hope some of our returning families will take advantage of this special.

It’s amazing to watch children flourish during their stay here. Many start the week a little shy, perhaps nervous about their first time on a horse. By the end of the week, they are thrilled to show their parents what they can do in the ring, and sad to leave their new friends.

Children having fun - that's what summer is all about.

Contact our Family Dude Ranch for more information or to make a reservation.

Farewell to the Lees

March 12th, 2011 by 4ur admin

Departures are inherent in any vacation ranch. After all, we make our livelihood by welcoming guests to the ranch, helping them have a wonderful holiday, and then bidding them farewell. Since our Colorado Vacation Ranch is seasonal, we end up watching most of our staff depart at the end of each season, as well. It’s always hard to say goodbye, but we comfort ourselves with the knowledge that we’ll see many of our friends again the following year.

A few of us live on the ranch year round. Aaron and Robin Christensen and their four children, Damon and Kiera Gibbons and their new baby girl, and Andy and Sarah Lee and their two children. We’ve become a large “ranch family”, especially during the off-season, when few others are around.

2010 Fishing Guides: Andy (left), Jesse, Drew, and Boone.

Andy Lee started at 4UR Colorado Family Guest Ranch in 2001 as a member of the waitstaff team. He loved the land and the water, and after spending a great deal of time fishing on his own the following fall, winter, and spring, he returned to us in 2002 as a guide. He was hooked, so to speak. The more he fished, the more he wanted to fish, and eventually he became our Head Fishing Guide.

Sarah with Aaron Christensen

Sarah Lee’s first season at the ranch was the summer of 2002. She has worked on the waitstaff team, the housekeeping team, and as a nanny; in short, she has been invaluable. We have watched their children grow from infancy – Rowe is now 3, and Chapin 1.5.

We are very sad to see them go, but we wish them safe travels and the very best with their move. They’re heading to Henry’s Fork in Idaho, where they’ll be involved in the management of the Lodge. It’s a good move for them, and we’re happy for them, though we will miss them terribly.

Winter Update From Our Colorado Guest Ranch

March 4th, 2011 by 4ur admin

February felt like winter here at our Colorado Family Dude Ranch. The temperature dropped considerably and the snow pack increased. When that happens in this state, people head outside with their skis. In fact, several members of our staff did just that, driving to nearby Wolf Creek Ski Area (less than an hour’s drive south of Creede) for several weekends of skiing; Wolf Creek usually has the deepest snow in the state, and we’re lucky it’s so close to home.

Care to warm up in the hot springs?

Closer to home, Robin and the kids enjoyed seeing 3 big bull elk while driving into town for school one morning. They were right off the highway, and you could see their breath and the steam rising from the backs. Amazing. We’re also having fun watching a family of bald eagles that’s settled at our Colorado Vacation Ranch this winter; they roost in the cottonwoods on the compound and in the trees along the creek. It looks like fishing conditions are good, for they seem healthy and well-fed. We’ll take it as a good omen for the summer fish runs.

Hiring for the summer is in full swing. We’re pleased that many of our staff are returning, and we’ve been interviewing quite a few people to fill our openings. We anticipate a good team come opening weekend at 4UR.

Dude Ranch Association

February 28th, 2011 by 4ur admin

A few weeks ago, several of us from our Colorado Family Dude Ranch attended the Dude Ranchers’ Association Convention in Tucson. It’s always fun to get together with other people who do what we do. We attended a number of seminars and fun events, such as pigeon rolling, dancing, and the Team Penning, pictured below.

Team-Penning event at the DRA Convention

Our friend David, watching the event.

Families at Our Colorado Family Dude Ranch

February 23rd, 2011 by 4ur admin

Perhaps families feel so at ease here at our Colorado Dude Ranch because they know the ranch depends upon families to operate. We welcome children because we have children, and we know how much kids enjoy fishing, horseback riding, and exploring the Colorado Rockies.

Our Head Wrangler, Damon Gibbons, and his wife Kiera are adapting to life as new parents. Their daughter, Adelaide, was born at their home on our Colorado Family Dude Ranch. A true Colorado native, she came into the world during a snow storm.

Sweet Adelaide

Adelaide is in good company, for there are quite a few other children already living on our Family Dude Ranch in Creede, Colorado. Head Fishing Guide Andy Lee and his wife Sarah live on the ranch with their son Rowen and daughter Chapin. Sarah has worked in Housekeeping and as our Dining Room Leader. General Manager Aaron Christensen and his wife Robin, our Reservations Manager, have four children: Cole (9), Kylee (7), Luke (5) and Laci (3). The oldest three love to ride horses. Cole won the National Little Britches Rodeo All Around last year, Kylee was a runner up at the National Little Britches Rodeo, and Luke is already competing. It remains to be seen whether or not Laci will share her siblings’ passion for riding – right now she has other interests.

The children of our Office Manager Kathy Adelman are grown, but we still see them from time to time. Kathy’s husband Jimmy is a county commissioner who guides guests of our Colorado Dude Ranch on trips to Lost Lakes, up above timberline. Their oldest son, Cody, is a fishing guide at a lodge in Alaska, and their youngest son Casey married Joni last fall – a woman he met here at 4UR.

Winter Living at a Colorado Guest Ranch

January 27th, 2011 by 4ur admin

There aren’t many people at our Colorado Dude Ranch during the off season, and sometimes that can be a bit lonely. However, there are a few perks. One is soaking in Soda Creek Hot Springs, which isn’t possible during the summer.

Soaking in the Soda Creek Hot Springs.

Another is playing pond hockey. Can’t do that in the summer.

The Creede Pond Hockey Tournament.

Still another is sledding. Even in the winter, 4UR is perfect for a Family Ranch Vacation!

The Leavells, getting ready to sled down the Mine Hill.

Sometimes we wish we were open for business during the winter. Think of the fun we would all have!

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