YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch, Part One

Whenever we head west on Interstate 70 and we reach a hill near Genesee, I see this view of the Rocky Mountains ahead, and I feel excitement, as I know we are off on another Colorado adventure! 

I received an email in September with an offer from the YMCA of the Rockies in Snow Mountain Ranch in Grand County offering a half-price sale for a lodge room which was available for a short period of time. My husband and I had heard that fall color was early this year at high elevation, and we decided to take advantage of the offer.

In the past, we've stayed at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, located very close to the eastern entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, and we know that their accommodations are clean, quiet, and full of family-style amenities. 

You can see the blog posts I wrote about the Estes Park YMCA of the Rockies location here and here.

As we continued driving west on I-70, we passed the large and long construction project, costing $905 million, being carried out by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to eventually reroute the interstate at the Floyd Hill area. This project spans an eight-mile section of the I-70 Mountain Corridor, extending from west of Evergreen to eastern Idaho Springs. It aims to enhance traffic flow and safety in one of the busiest areas of the state, acting as a crucial economic gateway for Colorado and beyond. The project began in 2023 and is expected to continue through 2029.

We saw the first glimpse of Autumn color when we turned off I-70 onto CO Route 40!

 Fall has always been my favorite season, and seeing the beautiful Colorado aspen trees turn their golden colors is always a thrill for me!

Soon, we were driving over Berthoud Pass

Berthoud Pass was discovered in 1861 and named for the chief surveyor of the Colorado Central Railroad, Edward Berthoud. After surveying the spot, it was determined that the pass would work only for wagons and not for a railroad, and now cars navigate the road up and over the mountain.

Berthoud Pass is a well-maintained four-lane alternating highway — equipped with guardrails and other safety measures, but it can still be a "white knuckle" drive, as there are many steep grades and switchbacks on both sides.

The summit of Berthoud Pass sits at 11,307 feet (3,446 meters) and is part of the Continental Divide.

Finally, after an hour-and-a-half drive from our home, we arrived at the YMCA of the Rockies at Snow Mountain Ranch.  As you can see from the signs, there are many wonderful areas and buildings to explore and things to do. The ranch sits at an almost 8,700-foot (2,650 meters) elevation, so that is a consideration as far as weather and oxygen levels.

Upon check-in, we each received a green rubber wristband door key, which was convenient to wear while at the facility.

We stayed in the Indian Peaks Lodge.

It had two queen-size beds and a pull-out couch, and there was secure wifi available, but no TV, so we read books during our stay instead. 

Accommodations at YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch range from cabins, lodges, yurts, and camping sites, depending on the season.

During the winter season, it offers opportunities for cross-country skiing, Nordic races, a tubing hill, snowshoeing, and also downhill skiing at nearby Winter Park Resort.

 In almost all seasons, it offers an indoor climbing wall, an indoor heated swimming pool, roller skating, basketball, volleyball, ping-pong, and foosball, a craft center, meeting rooms, mini golf /disc golf, a pickleball court, hiking trails, a library, a zip line, and horseback riding. 

 Some activities may depend upon the season, staffing, and some require an extra fee.

A view of the back of our Indian Peaks Lodge.

We had a ground-floor room and often sat outside because the fall weather was still warm during our visit in September. We had magnificent views of the Rocky Mountains from our chairs! 

The morning and evening alpenglow was stunning; we were also thrilled to watch the clouds rise up from the mountains in the morning.

However, we did not sit all day! :)

Come back again to my next blog post to see some of the activities we did during our stay.

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