Known for its stunning scenery, Central Colorado’s soaring mountains and postcard-worthy natural settings can make for an especially memorable backdrop for group events and activities, thanks to an abundance of unique off-site venues.
“Central Colorado provides the complete rustic mountain experience for guests,” said Gaby Strnad, program coordinator for creative development at ACCESS Colorado, a Denver-based DMC and Pacific World affiliate. “These locations also add an ‘elevated’ feel to the meeting—no pun intended—by showcasing the state’s unparalleled beauty. In our experience, some of our most productive meetings have been held in Central Colorado. Attendees are more receptive, network more and overall enjoy the experience differently.”
Strnad said the region’s appeal as a vacation destination makes it all the more attractive for meetings and events.
“It feels more upscale, more like an incentive, because those destinations are so sought after,” she explained. “Planners also seem more open to the idea of Central Colorado for future meetings as well because of how positive the experience is.”
Adam Wilson, senior director of sales for Vail Resorts, concurred about the region’s allure.
“The mountains are the exact type of destination that truly inspire attendees, and there are plenty of options at each mountain destination that cater to groups of all sizes, whether that’s an incentive group of 10 or a conference of 2,000,” he said. “No matter the season, these Colorado destinations boast an unlimited source of thrilling alpine experiences, high-altitude inspiration and unforgettable meetings memories. Summer offers sun-drenched breakout sessions, outdoor hikes, alfresco mountain-top dining and scavenger hunts in wildflower meadows, while winter offers some of the world’s best skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and more.”
Planners looking for memorable venues won’t have to look far in Central Colorado. Following are a few examples.
Aspen/Snowmass
The Aspen Snowmass winter resort complex, owned and operated by Aspen Skiing Company, includes Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk Ski Area as well as Snowmass, which is located in Snowmass Village.
“The incredible Rocky Mountains provide the most awe-inspiring backdrop for any activity,” said Eva Pekkala, Aspen Skiing Company’s director of catering and events. “All of our venues provide incredible views of the mountains and the natural landscape. We have venues on Snowmass that can be planned to include mountain biking, fishing, hiking and even camping.”
Among the unique places for meetings and events is Lynn Britt Cabin, according to Pekkala, who described it as “a mid-mountain gem on Snowmass with scenic views, which lends itself as a hub for top-of-the-mountain Jeep tours, farm-to-table dinners in the cabin, and teambuilding exercises by the fire pit, with s’mores.”
She added that the “expansive lawns allow for team games at our venues at both Buttermilk and Snowmass.”
Briana Scarcelli, group sales manager for the Limelight Hotel Aspen, praised the destination’s diversity.
“In Aspen, you can set up any type of off-site,” she said. “You can take a chairlift or gondola ride to the top of Aspen Mountain, with stunning views of the Rockies any time of year. You can also build a tent in a field with views of Maroon Bells for a summer off-site. Corporate incentive groups looking to host an unforgettable dinner can pick numerous settings and have world-class chefs prepare any meal imaginable.”
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Copper Mountain/Breckenridge
Copper Mountain Resort offers an opportunity to connect with the area’s surroundings and get intimate with the resort’s outdoor setting, according to Carol Schmidt, Copper Mountain’s senior conference sales manager.
“Groups can enjoy reflection sessions at the nature center, scenic lift rides and picnics at the top of the mountain, dining by moonlight on the mountain, savoring grilled sandwiches at the base of Sierra and Rendezvous lifts and treating themselves to on-mountain dining at Solitude Station,” she said.
Breckenridge and Keystone also offer plenty of opportunities, according to Carrie Babet, the conference services director for both properties.
“At Keystone, we have corporate events for 500 to 2,000 people, with a street fair-style event we typically call ‘Taste of Keystone,’” Babet said. “We set this up around Keystone Lake or in the River Run Village. We have also done fireworks during these events.”
In addition, she said, “We have corporate events for up to 1,500 at the Keystone Stables, where we have a barn dance, line dancing, steer roping and a ‘Colorado Cookout.’ Participants love the Taste of Keystone with the fireworks. The mountains are an incredible backdrop as the sun sets during the fair. And the stables are true Colorado. Everyone enjoys the Western laid-back atmosphere.”
Crested Butte
Accommodations and facilities in Crested Butte tend to be smaller scale, which is part of the destination’s charm.
“Crested Butte Mountain Resort provides the services and amenities that meeting planners and attendees expect, but in an authentic and unpretentious mountain environment,” said Alicia Hein, the property’s national sales manager. “It is easy to get around, and everything that guests want to explore is right out the back door.”
Crested Butte recently debuted some eye-catching new group venues, according to Hein.
“Our newest on-mountain venues, Ten Peaks and the Umbrella Bar, are surrounded by expansive meadows of wildflowers and offer 360-degree, gorgeous mountain vistas,” she said.
“Both venues have outdoor patios for cocktails and mingling as you overlook Gothic Valley and the town of Crested Butte. The on-site 40-foot-by-75-foot tent is a great spot for a unique group meal, memorable awards dinner or group presentation.”
Steamboat Springs
“Rocky Mountain venues provide an excellent reprieve for corporate groups, with cool nights, sun-filled days and inspiring views,” said Jennifer Shea, director of sales for Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation and the Steamboat Grand Hotel. “At the Steamboat Grand, we suggest experiences to our groups that they may not have available to them at their home sites.”
Steamboat offers options like group gondola rides for mountaintop events on the Thunderhead Sundeck, which features scenic views of 10,000-foot Storm Peak mountain and Yampa Valley. Additional possibilities include the Thunderhead lawn and the Vista Overlook, which also offers postcard-worthy views for outdoor receptions and events.
The Cabin, meanwhile, accommodates 100 and blends contemporary features with a traditional ambiance, complete with handmade wooden tables and oil paintings that depict the region’s beauty. Groups can also warm up in front of the stone fireplace at the Steamboat Base Club, set in the mountain village.
Golf aficionados can also use the facilities at the Haymaker Clubhouse, which overlooks the golf course of the same name. The clubhouse, set on a 233-acre public facility, features a wraparound veranda with outside seating and a fireplace.
Vail/Avon/Beaver Creek
The legendary ski destination of Vail holds pleasant surprises for groups, according to Terri Hanley Reichert, the resort director of event services. During a recent celebratory event, Vail staff worked with a meeting planner to incorporate both a local restaurant as well as The Lodge at Vail, A Rock Resort, which is home to a deck at the top of Vail Mountain as well as the
Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, which is billed as the world’s highest botanical garden.
During the recent event, “the guests displayed a real connection to Vail,” she said. “The overall feel of the party was celebratory but also a bit nostalgic.”
At Beaver Creek Resort, close to the town of Avon, options include Allie’s Cabin, a log cabin set among the summer aspens, and Beano’s Cabin, which has a large, open lawn and wraparound deck at the foot of Grouse Mountain.
Also in the area is the luxurious Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, where staff can organize events at Anderson’s Cabin, which was home to one of the region’s first settlers in the early 1900s.
Now one of the newest additions to the Ritz-Carlton’s offerings, the venue accommodates 50 guests in the summer months and features family-style culinary options.
Groups looking for more space can opt for the hotel’s Grand Lawn, which offers picturesque views of the hillside and the Rocky Mountains, with space for up to 400.
