Boulder Mountain Cabin Getaway

A winter getaway for wonderful cross country skiing and adventurous snowshoeing. This is a special home in a special town. You'll have an unforgettable experience, I assure you! Ward is a hamlet on the edge of the Continental Divide, a feature you'll fully understand once you've visited. You'll find a winter wonderland just 1/2hr from vibrant Boulder, CO. The cabin has all you need but is just a bit different. A work of art, a refuge, a place to forget about the rest of the world. The space This is a step into another world. Ward sits at 9,200ft elevation, 20' from Nederland and 1/2hr from Boulder. Ward is a historic mining town and this cabin is a modern and artistic celebration of that time. This home has been in my family for 40 years. We've put a lot of love into everything in this cabin and it shines! You'll enjoy all the artistic details from the stenciled kitchen floor to the mosaic tiled tub surround. The setting is totally unique and the views amazing. You can walk the hills of town to admire the other unique homes and people or hike off into the woods in about any direction. You'll be just 10 minutes from the winter gate of Brainard Lake Rec Area and all it has to offer from great snowshoeing, XC and backcountry skiing, or just walking to enjoy spectacular views of the Divide. Or you may just stand at the window with a cup of coffee taking in the 50mile view. This is a small house with lots of little details and creative use of space. It is not a party house or town which tends to go dark before 10PM. It is really ideal for two adults and a kid or two. A third adult can work but it will start to get small. At this time there is one queen sized bed in the master bedroom. There's also a fold down "twin" couch in the TV room. There's also a twin bed in the upstairs room. All the side rooms have electric space heaters as needed although I do ask that you use them sparingly and as necessary. The kitchen has all you need. I stay here often so there will be condiment basics, extra food in the fridge/freezer, and coffee/tea. There is a small store in town which I'd encourage you to check out, but the closest real shopping or restaurants are in Nederland about 20 min away or Boulder about 1/2 hour. Bring what you need so you're not feeling you've got to run off for food and feel free to use what's there. And please don't bring extra bottled water! The water from the tap is untreated, cold, and delicious. It's a town water system fed from a spring above town. You will understand the meaning of "delicious water" after enjoying it. You'll love my home for its cozy space and for the wildness of the setting. It's been a great getaway for a lots of visitors anxious to escape to something special. Guest access You'll have access to the whole house. There's also a small side yard to leave skis or other outdoor stuff, but beware the wind. Other things to note A few special notes about the house. 1) There's a propane wall heater that will take care of your basic heating. The wood stove will provide all the warmth you need though. It will require some practice to use efficiently, and be careful, you will overheat the space quickly! The stove works best with 2-3 pieces of wood so don't overpack it and consider letting it burn down an hour or two before bed otherwise you'll be opening a door. 2) The "toilet" is unique and needs to be well understood. It's actually a water-less composting vault. It's in the upstairs of the house so it's very comfortable to use. There's a fan that runs and good venting so you shouldn't notice any smells or discomfort. No flushing though, and this takes some getting used to. There's also a urinal for the boys which helps keep the system functioning better. While this will seem a little odd at first, you'll soon be appreciating the cleanliness and waste efficiency of such a system. 3) Parking is a little challenging. There is only room for 1 car in front of the house (at the base of the stairs). A 4WD (All WD at least) with good snow tires is a must this time of year. You'll need to pull way off, leaving just enough room to open your door between the car and rock wall. If you have a second car you can find other places along the road to park but you have to be VERY aware of how you park. There are many people trying to park and pass on this narrow road. You need to check and double check that you're well off the road and not in someone else's spot before settling in. I can't emphasize how important this is. 4) Cell phones & TV. The only cell carrier that works at the house is AT&T. I do have medium fast wifi which generally runs at 20-30mps. There are occasion (uncommon weather related) power outages. Make sure you have wifi calling capacity. Give family a heads up that you may be out of service for a bit and enjoy it. I have a TV that gets local channels and has an HDMI cord to connect to your laptop. 5) Be conscious of where you are. With water, there's plenty coming in, it's only a problem getting out. Please turn off the water in between uses. Please turn off the porch light when you're settled at night. It's easiest to shovel snow right away. If you wait and walk on it, it becomes much more difficult. It can be very windy here which can make sleep a bit of a challenge. I'll leave earplugs but consider bringing ones you like. I would discourage you to have too many town plans, it's not a terribly long drive but I think you'll find yourself wanting to be close and enjoy this incredibly unique place. There are many town dogs but none are threatening. Please take extra care of my home and go just a bit slower as you move through it. Please read instructions thoroughly and always feel free to contact me with questions or concerns.