Posts Tagged ‘guest ranch’

More Fabulous 4UR Staff

May 18th, 2011 by Gail

In our last blog, we featured men and women who have worked at our Creede Colorado Dude Ranch in past years and are returning for the 2011 season.

Read on to learn a bit about the new staff of our Colorado Fly Fishing Ranch.

Looking forward to the 2011 season at our Colorado Dude Ranch!

Our Kids’ Counselors are an integral part of our team:
Zachary Hall comes to us from St. Petersburg, Florida. In summers past he has worked for a youth hiking and backpacking ministry on Virginia’s Appalachian Trail. He loves to be outside and to keep kids active and engaged.

We welcome two new Fishing Guides this season:
Drew Hoffman has fished his whole life. He’s angled in small Midwestern creeks and roaring rivers in Montana. He is excited to guide guests of 4UR.

A.J. Kemsley has been fishing the lakes and streams of Michigan since he was in diapers. He looks forward to a summer on Goose Creek.

We welcome one new Wrangler this season:
Portia Corsetti hails from New Hampshire, where she is an Equine Science Major at UNH. She has been riding for more than ten years, is an EMT-B and a Wilderness First Responder, and she loves being out in the the mountains.

We have two new Ranch Hands at our Southern Colorado Dude Ranch this summer:
Preston Buntz loves spending time outdoors hunting, fishing, and hiking. His motto is “No opportunity wasted!”

Spencer Cooper was raised in a small farming and ranching community in central California. He once worked on a farming/sheep outfit in a town of 23 people, and he looks forward to meeting the guests of 4UR Guest Ranch.

We would be lost – and hungry – without our Kitchen staff:
Blake Bond is our new Sous Chef and a graduate of the Texas Culinary Academy Le Cordon Bleu in Austin. This is his first season with us, but his second season at a guest ranch.

Dean Parker is a Line Cook. He grew up surfing, diving, and fishing in Florida and fell in love with the mountains of Colorado in the ’90s. He will travel anywhere in order to surf and snowboard.

John Whitmore was raised down the street in Creede. He is excited to be working as a Line Cook under Chef Wray Warner this summer.

The food wouldn’t reach our tables without our fabulous Waitstaff:
Tess Almgren is a Team Leader. She is originally from western Massachusetts and grew up hiking, camping, fishing, and snowboarding throughout New England.

Josh Shumaker is a Team Leader. He is a  native of Bristol, TN, and hopes to eventually have a career in Washington, DC. He holds a deep appreciation for the outdoors and looks forward to a summer of exploration on the Colorado terrain.

Mary Charles Abbott was raised in a small town in middle Tennessee. She has a passion for music and dance and sports, and a strong desire to serve others.

Andi Carpenter is a Colorado native. She is passionate about the outdoors and is excited to share this beautiful state with you.

Michael Collins was born in West Virginia and raised outside of Philadelphia, PA. He is a recent college graduate and plans to apply to graduate school in the fall, after a great summer working and being outside at 4UR.

Aisling Daly is a university student from Ireland.  She is very excited to spend the summer at the 4UR Ranch, meeting new people and experiencing a totally different landscape and way of life.

Becky Ford grew up in NJ but is a country girl at heart. She fell in love with the guest ranch way of life this past winter, and is excited to spend the summer under the Colorado sky with the 4UR family!

Sarah Horn was born and raised right outside Denver, CO. She’ll be a junior at William Jewell College in Liberty, MO, where she studies Economics.  She enjoys running and any outside adventures.
Things would get pretty messy around here without our Housekeepers:
Heather Brower was raised on a sheep farm in Kennewick Washington. She loves being outdoors and working with animals, and is looking forward to spending the summer in Southwestern Colorado.

Brittney Deale recently graduated from college and has lived in Virginia her whole life. She loves to ride horses and is thrilled to be spending the summer at our Colorado Dude Ranch.

Danielle Johnson was raised in a small town in Maine. She is an avid athlete and enjoys hiking, biking, running, swimming, skiing, and yoga. Her summer at 4UR is part of a greater exploration of the country.

Korey Kimball is a senior in college and plans to become an elementary teacher. She looks forward to meeting the amazing guests of 4UR.

Kaydi Newborn comes from a tiny town in Georgia. She is a nursing student and looks forward to a great summer working at the ranch and being outside.

Sarah O’Neill is from Dublin, Ireland. She spent last summer working as a teaching assistant in Nairobi, Kenya, and is looking forward to working at 4UR Ranch this summer.

Georgia Ann Paul grew up in North Carolina. She loves to travel, play the piano, tell stories, and have great outdoor adventures. Ask her why roosters terrify her

Last but not least, our Massage Therapists keep us all relaxed and happy:
Chelsea Heersink looks forward to working at our Creede Colorado Dude Ranch.

Joanne Kaufman has traveled around the world doing service work, and now makes her home in Del Norte with her husband, Steve Brigham, and two small girls, Kaitlyn (4) and Brianna (4 months). She loves her “calling” of massage therapy.

Judith Penrose Mattingly graduated from the Boulder School of Massage Therapy in 1989 and has practicing Swedish Massage in private practice and at Mineral Hot Springs ever since. She has trained with Bruno Chikly in Lymphatic Drainage, and lives with her husband, a retired farmer, in Creede.

We’re excited for our guests to meet everyone this summer at our Dude Ranch South Fork Colorado!

Why Fly Fish?

July 19th, 2010 by 4ur admin

The fly fishing at our Colorado guest ranch is catch and release, so we’re not fishing for food. Why, then, do we fish? Why do people come to our Guest Ranch in Colorado with dreams fly rods in their heads? Why indeed.

Fly fishing is an art.

The first mention of fly fishing in recorded history is said to be by the Roman Claudius Aelianus, in the second century. He had heard of Macedonians luring fish to the surface with colorful imitation flies attached to a line and rod. They apparently took the idea from watching fish surface to consume strange flies that hovered over the water. Undoubtedly they did so for food, as people have been doing for thousands of years.

In the Treatyse on Fysshynge with an Angle, written at the end of the 15th century, the author firmly states the fishing with an angle is the best form of sport – the least uncomfortable and the most pleasurable (when compared with hunting, hawking and trapping). The author goes on to discuss crafting the ideal rods, hooks, floats and lines for various waters and fish.

Fly fishing may not be too taxing, but it certainly requires skill and knowledge, from creating the proper equipment to understanding the fish and fishing conditions in each location. This, perhaps, is why it appeals to so many. Each minute spent on the water with rod in hand is a chance to better oneself. Each cast is a new start.

The guides at our guest ranch, lead by Andy Lee, know the waters and the fish that dwell in them well. They are expert teachers, adept in the art of bringing forth the angler in every man and woman. That said, fly fishing is ultimately a private sport. Only you can catch the fish.

We think that’s why people come here to fish. They want to stand in a gloriously beautiful setting and rise to the challenge of each minute. They feel that somehow, no matter the outcome, just being here and trying their best makes them a little bit better.

Family Ranch Vacations in Colorado

August 19th, 2009 by 4ur admin

Fall has arrived at the 4UR Guest Ranch, and the morning temps are hovering around the freezing point already. That’s what happens when you sit at over 8,000 feet elevation! It gives you some smokin’ hot and sunny days and cool nights and early mornings. Great for the tan, we always tell our young lady guests – just don’t get burned!

We aren’t seeing any changing leaves or fall colors yet – but that is just one reason to take your fly fishing vacation later on in our season. The fish are still biting, with some nice plump big boys being caught! Our varied waters hold an abounding array of trout: rainbows, browns, snake river cutts, cutt-bow hybrids and even brookies.

We are starting some renovations and construction on our Cabin at Lost Lake, one of our more secluded lodging options here at the dude ranch. Couples seem to really enjoy that cabin during their rocky mountain vacation.

Thw Wildflowers have been hanging in - it was a nice wet summer

The Wildflowers have been hanging in - it was a nice wet summer

We continue to have some exciting wildlife sightings. One of our fisherman saw four bull elk swimming across the lower lake. He was really excited about it, I think it must have been quite a sight! We have also continued to see our friendly black bear, and some guests have seen moose. It was been a wonderfully full and busy summer. Lots of families enjoying horseback riding and the kids especially have been doing a great job in their horsemanship and riding classes. Lots of kids have been in fly fishing school as well this summer.

The first of our staff is heading back to the “real world”: medical school, nursing programs and accounting studies. We will miss them, we had such a great group this year!

Next month we are looking forward to hosting an undersheriff convention, it should be a great time!

Rocky Mountain Vacation

August 11th, 2009 by 4ur admin

August in the Rockies is a glorious thing! The weather is pleasantly hot during the day. It’s a great time to take a dip in the pool after a morning ride, or enjoy a cool drink in the shade.

August is also one of the nicest times of the year at 4UR ranch for your family ranch vacation. The fly fishing crowds start to thin out, and you can really feel like you’ve got the run of the ranch. We have a great kids program, and also a lot of spaces on the ranch that we have dedicated to a family experience, like our pool.

Come and explore Southern Colorado

Come and explore Southern Colorado

Come to the pool every Wednesday for a Mexican food fiesta. Our talented chef Wray Warner makes amazing guacamole, delicious sizzling fajitas and fresh grilled veggies. We also serve ice cold beers, margaritas, lemonade and tea. This little party is a great time to meet some of the other guests at 4UR as well as have a relaxing lunch by the water. It is these kind of small niceties that have kept some of our guests coming back for years, some of our guests have been coming to our family dude ranch since they were small children, and now they bring their own children to the ranch. It is these stories that we feel makes our guest ranch the most unique place to vacation in Colorado.

We still have plenty of time in the summer and into September for you and your family to become part of the tradition at 4UR. Visit the contact page for our Colorado Dude ranch to inquire about becoming part of the 4UR family!

Family Dude Ranch Is Open For The Season

June 16th, 2009 by 4ur admin

family fun

family fun

The past weeks have been devoted to preparation: mending fences and giving our guest ranch its annual spring face-lift. We came out of winter hibernation and invited members of our greater community to come to the ranch and celebrate a new season. Now we have opened our doors to our guests.

We are really excited to welcome people to the ranch this year, especially families. We love living on the ranch and raising our kids here, even part of the time. They thrive on the fresh air and sunshine, and they are challenged by their experiences: the first horseback ride, lead by an adult; the first solo ride; their first time out on the trail; their first fish. They will remember their time on this Colorado Guest Ranch, and so will your kids. Days are full, and evenings afford relaxing and fun times to gather around a fire pit, roast marshmallows and swap tales.

We look forward to seeing you out at our family dude ranch this summer.

Family Rocky Mountain Vacation

May 16th, 2009 by 4ur admin

4UR is perfect for a family ranch vacation

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.

Family Dude Ranch Hosts Women

April 21st, 2009 by 4ur admin

Women Fish

Women Fish

We here at 4UR Ranch know that women love the outdoors as much as men, and that there are some fine fisherwomen out there. That’s one reason this is the twelfth year we are hosting the annual Women’s Only “Wine and Waders” retreat. Our historic guest ranch in Creede, Colorado is the perfect spot for a week that encompasses fly fishing, outdoor adventures and luxurious spa treatments. From June 14 – 20, women will have the ranch to themselves, complete with women-only certified fly fishing instructors. Everyone from novices to expert anglers are invited to participate in workshops and enjoy miles of pure water in the southern Rockies; tailor your vacation to your own skill level and needs. There will also be time to explore other aspects of 4UR Ranch, such as miles of trails for horseback riding, a hot springs spa, massages and yoga. Oh, and don’t forget the good food and wine.

We hope that once you’ve experienced the ranch by yourself or with girlfriends, you’ll want to come back with your families and have a family ranch vacation. There is so much to do here on the ranch, for the whole family. The southern Rockies are breathtakingly beautiful, and draw you into the wilderness; there are miles of trails to hike or explore by horseback. Your children may venture out with you, enroll in our Kids Program, or do both. You will be amazed to see your children riding like real cowboys and cowgirls by the end of your stay, and even more pleased to see how confident they feel thanks to their accomplishments.

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