Elite Traveler Spring 2021

Scarp Ridge Lodge CRESTED BUTTE, COLORADO, USA

This flagship spot of adventure specialists Eleven Experiences is out of this world. Cozy yet effortlessly slick, the Crested Butte-located (hailed by many as the mountain-biking mecca) exclusive lodge sits between a picture- perfect valley floor (made ever more enchanting by a series of twisting rivers), magical woods and the star attraction, Crested Butte Mountain itself. Back in the day, the hotel was the go-to spot for Butte’s vast swathe of mine workers, nods to which you will spot throughout the Wild West saloon-style space. Inside its aquamarine exterior, soothing palettes of stone, pale greens and earthy textures run through the house’s beautiful mezzanine, cozy cinema and guest rooms. The bedrooms are dreamy, decorated with heavy curtains, gargantuan cushions, brilliantly upholstered headboards, and bathrooms with shiny tiles and tubs with on-trend chrome fixtures. The rustic boudoir walls hang with moose heads, elk horns, smile-inducing pressed flowers and portraits, which all complement Scarp Ridge’s home-away-from-home vibe. Families should book the seven-bunk children’s rooms with an adjoining nanny room known as Peanut. Wrought- iron ladders and railings keep the little ones safe, and some of the room’s sofas convert into beds so the house can be packed with people. Another bonus is that the entire house is available on a buyout basis in the winter months, so all the above — plus five extra suites — are yours for as long as your ménage desires. The open-plan kitchen forms the culinary heart of the mountain retreat, where breakfast spreads featuring daily specials and continental favorites are served. Lunches are packed for days on the slopes, dinners in-house are prepared on request, and suggestions on where to dine out will be given by the exemplary staff members, one of whom is dedicated to you for your entire stay. Winter adrenaline comes in the form of cross-country, piste, backcountry and cat skiing, and ice climbing; and in the warmer months, you can work off energy with fly fishing, long hikes, mountain biking, kayaking, whitewater rafting and 14er climbing. Family fun Eleven Experience’s defining mantra is bespoke travel. Scarp Ridge offers families, perhaps, the most exclusive ski experience in the world, where you can hit 1,000+ acres of ski terrain in nearby Irwin, Colorado. Stay in one of Eleven’s mountain chalets for a few days and revel in the joys of untouched cold-smoke powder without another person in sight. From $15,711 per night for exclusive use in winter. Contact Erinn Dalton, lodge manager, reservations@elevenexperience.com, +1 970 349 7761, elevenexperience.com

Photos Francis Amiand, Eleven Experience