Posts Tagged ‘Colorado Dude Ranch’
January 12th, 2012 by Gail
Each January we start the process of selecting the seasonal staff for our Colorado Guest Ranch. This is always a big task, and an interesting one.
Have the experience of a lifetime. Work at 4UR.
We always have a handful of returning staff (it could be the atmosphere that entices them to return, or it could be the food). Some folks are interested in the same job they had last season; for example, wranglers often return as wranglers. Other folks return to a different job; a housekeeper might be a Kids’ Counselor the following year.
It can be non-stop at our Colorado Family Dude Ranch in the height of the season. Our staff need to be hard workers with a good attitude. But just as we work hard, we play hard. Staff take advantage of free time to hike, fish, ride, and more.
We’re told by our staff that working here allows them to meet many interesting people they would not otherwise have met, both staff and guests. They make long-lasting friendships. They try new things. And more than one staff member has met their future spouse here!
If you’re interested in working at 4UR this summer, contact us soon.
Tags: 4UR, Colorado Dude Ranch, Colorado Fishing Ranch, Colorado guest ranch, fly fishing, hiking, hiring, Horseback Riding, seasonal staff
Posted in Dude Ranch News | No Comments »
November 29th, 2011 by Gail
If you haven’t already done so, it’s about time to start holiday shopping. If you’re like many of us here at 4UR Colorado Vacation Ranch, you may want to give something special this year – something unique.
- For the children in your life, give an unforgettable experience replete with horseback riding, fishing, swimming, and unparalleled outdoor fun.
- For the grandparents in your life, give a Colorado Family Ranch Vacation – it’s the perfect family reunion.
For someone in your life, this is a dream come true.
Don’t battle it out at the mall this year. Do your holiday shopping with us.
Tags: Colorado Dude Ranch, Colorado Fly Fishing Vacation, fly fishing, Horseback Riding, kids program
Posted in Family Ranch Vacation | Comments Off
October 17th, 2011 by Gail
It’s amazing. Ski slopes are open just one month after we’ve closed our Colorado Family Guest Ranchfor the season.
It's only a matter of time before our Colorado Family Guest Ranch looks like this.
A few weeks ago, some of our guests were standing knee deep in Goose Creek with fly rods in hand. Others were embarking on trail rides in the Colorado mountains. Were they here this weekend, they could drive 33 miles south of here to Wolf Creek Ski Area, where they could downhill ski, snowboard, and cross country ski.
Wolf Creek is not yet open during the week. It’s scheduled to fully open for the season in early November. Yet with 21 inches of snow at the summit, they are able to open about a quarter of the mountain. The skiers among us are thrilled.
Throughout much of the Colorado Rockies, life revolves around the seasons. A Fly Fishing Ranch and Family Dude Ranch, 4UR operates from the beginning of June to the end of September. By the time we finish tidying up at the end of the season, ski areas are beginning to open. They’ll start closing as we make ready to open in the spring.
We like participating in this harmonious cycle. We feel connected to nature and her whims.
Tags: Colorado Dude Ranch, Colorado Fly Fishing, Wolf Creek Ski Area
Posted in Dude Ranch News | Comments Off
July 25th, 2011 by Gail
Reunions happen every summer here at 4UR Colorado Vacation Ranch.
Some of our guests have visited our Family Dude Ranch yearly for more than 30 (even 40) years. Some came here as children with their parents and grandparents, and they return as adults, eager to share 4UR with their own children. We’ve been known to have three generations at the ranch at one time. It seems a rare and beautiful thing these days.
Reunions may have many faces. Sometimes families meet here, parents and grown children arriving from the four corners of the country. Sometimes siblings come, bringing their children so the cousins will share incredible experiences here. Sometimes old friends come together for a few days of fishing, horseback riding, and good meals.
Then there are reunions of guests who met at our Colorado Guest Ranch, people who end up staying here the same time each year. They become friends thanks to their many shared experiences here: horseback rides to cookouts of steak and wine, good days fishing Goose Creek, cheering on their children during the Kids Rodeo. These people didn’t know each other before fate brought them to 4UR, and they end up great friends. It’s wonderful to witness.
We are honored to have so many guests return year after year. They become part of our extended family. We invite you to be a part of our family, too.
Tags: Colorado Dude Ranch, Colorado family guest ranch, fly fishing Colorado
Posted in Family Ranch Vacation | Comments Off
August 10th, 2010 by 4ur admin
We love children. One of the best aspects of each season at our Colorado Guest Ranch is watching children grow and thrive: splashing in the pool, riding horses, and angling. Since many of our guests return year after year, we are able to watch young children transform into confident young adults. It’s wonderful.
Tranquility at our Colorado Guest Ranch.
That said, we understand that adults sometimes crave a little “adult-only” time; and it is with this thought in mind that we offer two “Adults Only” weeks at our Colorado Dude Ranch – the weeks of August 21 and August 28, 2010.
Whether you are parents looking for a week alone with your spouse, parents looking to reconnect with grown children, or non-parents looking for a fun retreat, you’ll find it at 4UR during the last two weeks of August.
You won’t be woken at 5 am when your children wiggle their way between you and your spouse. You won’t be caught in splash fights in the pool. You can stay up late, chatting with friends over drinks, and sleep in late. Spend the day with a book by the pool, go for a long, strenuous hike up a mountain, or lose yourself in a reverie while angling on Goose Creek. The choice is yours, and yours alone.
Tags: adults only, angling vacations, Colorado Dude Ranch
Posted in Guest Ranch News | Comments Off
November 19th, 2009 by 4ur admin
There are a lot of important things that transpire at the Guest Ranch even when the guests are away. Some of the important things we are working on include replacing mattresses in the guest rooms and staff lodging, as well as stocking up on feed for the horses. The kitchen is also getting new flooring and a new paint job. We are trying to take care of as many outdoor chores as possible before the snow and colder temperatures chase us into the shop for the cold months. Maintaining the road and cutting firewood for this winter are keeping us as busy as the horseback riding vacations do in the summer!
Fat & Happy 4UR Horses
We have had a really warm fall, beautiful days and cold clear nights. Aaron and Damon just turned the horse herd into their winter pasture yesterday. As they sprinted by us bucking and bolting, Damon said they looked as good as they felt – fat and happy.
Kiera and Damon were on vacation recently. They took a Wagon Train trip through Canyon de Chelly which they organized. It sounded fantastic. You will definitely see them on your rocky mountain vacation at 4UR, Damon is our head wrangler and Kiera is his lovely wife. They will also be visiting California this month – a great time of year to take a trip to the sunshine state and escape chilly Southern Colorado!
Tags: Colorado Dude Ranch, Damon, fall, horses, Kiera, maintenance, staff vacations
Posted in Seasons | Comments Off
June 8th, 2009 by 4ur admin
Summer has not yet arrived at this Colorado Dude Ranch, though we get hints of it from time to time. Our valley is a beautiful lush green from all the rain we have had, and the dandelions are in full bloom. Last week, windy gusts and cloudy skies greeted the arrival of our final staff, while our current staff spent a blustery week painting, staining, mowing, cleaning, cooking and cleaning up the herd of horses.
As we prepared for opening, we also were busy in the community. We hosted a skeet shoot to raise money for the Creede Chamber of Commerce. This was good fun for all who participated. In addition, we were happy to lead participants of a mining history convention on a field trip to the mine on our family dude ranch. The town of Creede is one of the last great mining boom-towns in Colorado. A high-grade silver vein was discovered on Willow Creek in 1890, drawing ten thousand miners and prospectors to the area. People still come, both with pick in hand and to learn about that fascinating portion of American history.
Creede Repertory Theater
In another area, Head Chef Wray Warner and kitchen staff donated their time and energy to preparing and serving dinner at the 2009 season opening night of the Creede Repertory Theatre. “A Wonderful Noise” is their first production, which a few of us saw and thoroughly enjoyed. We feel so fortunate to have a nationally recognized theater in our small town that we are happy to support them in any way we can. The fact that they are here means we can live on a Colorado guest ranch in a stunning, remote part of the state and still enjoy top-notch theater.
We will be hosting a benefit dinner for our local Childcare Center this week, and will open up for our 2009 summer on Saturday. We are busy, but we like it that way. Winters can be quiet here, and we always look forward to the bustle of summer.
Tags: Colorado Dude Ranch, Colorado guest ranch, Creed Chamber of Commerce, Creede Repertory Theater, family Dude ranch
Posted in Community Outreach | Comments Off
May 29th, 2009 by 4ur admin
There are many things to do at our Colorado guest ranch. While we love to spend hours in the saddle, and hope that you do too, we also enjoy cooling off in the Rio Grande. We think you will, too. So when you need a break from riding and a rest from hiking, we hope you will consider a trip down the Rio Grande. During your Colorado ranch vacation you can explore the mountains and coast through the valleys.
Okay, coast is perhaps not the most accurate term for what happens on the Rio Grande. After all, the Rio Grande in Colorado has Class 2-3 rapids. Mountain Man River Rafting, our guides of choice, will do their best to tailor a trip that meets your needs and desires, whether you want to paddle your way through the rapids or let them guide you through calmer water. No matter how exciting your trip, it is guaranteed to take you through some of the most pristine high country scenery in the country.
Those of you planning to stay at our Colorado dude ranch in early summer will find the most white water action on the river. Nonetheless, even late summer guests will find the river exciting and rewarding. Mountain Man Tours holds permits for the entire length of the Rio Grande in the state of Colorado, and uses the water levels to decide which stretch of river to travel at any given time. We have complete confidence in the knowledge and skill of Mountain Man guides.
As you plan your Rocky Mountain vacation, consider spending some time on the water.
Tags: Colorado Dude Ranch, Colorado guest ranch, Colorado ranch vacation, Family Ranch Vacation, Mountain Man River Rafting, River Rafting, Rocky Mountain vacation
Posted in Dude Ranch News | Comments Off
May 16th, 2009 by 4ur admin
4UR is perfect for a family ranch vacation
4UR Ranch is a Colorado Dude ranch that is perfect for the whole family. Our ranch managers Aaron and Robin Christensen are raising their four children on the ranch, infusing it with the energy and laughter of youth. Our staff is always delighted to have more children arrive, and are eager to help those children realize their dreams of riding their first horse or catching their first fish.
Our guest ranch also recognizes that sometimes kids and parents need to split up and engage in activities suitable for their own level of experience and energy. Our family dude ranch kids program guarantees that your children are safely engaged in a variety of fun activities from our junior wrangler program to group games; we love to help kids get dusty while their parents are off riding or fishing. In our mind, a dirty kid is a happy kid.
Of course, the best part of a family vacation is having the time to be with your family and do something fun. 4UR is all about creating opportunities appropriate for the whole family during your family ranch vacation; we can recommend trails to hike or provide guided rides, suggest spots for fossil hunting, and of course the pool is always ready for you. Most important, you will have time to be together in what we consider to be the most beautiful setting in the Colorado Rockies.
Tags: Colorado Dude Ranch, family Dude ranch, guest ranch, junior wrangler program, kids program
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