CatSki Backcountry Experience

Approximate Season & Availability:

Roughly late December or early January through late March or early April
snow conditions permitting

Regular Season Pricing
$600 PP

We are excited to announce that your stay at the Ranch can now include back-country Cat Skiing, along with award winning Nordic ski trails located right on property plus complimentary shuttle service and discounted trail access to the world-class downhill skiing terrain of Winter Park Resort- making the Ranch the ultimate triple threat opportunity for any ski and snowboard enthusiast!

 

 

Breathtaking views and bucket list adventures converge in this exciting experience for both Devil’s Thumb Ranch lodging guests and non-lodging guests alike with advance reservations! Access new and exclusive ski and snowboard terrain at the Ranch and all the fresh powder you can handle on 12 private trails with over 1,000 feet of vertical terrain!  Our snowcat will take you on a scenic ride to private backcountry terrain for both intermediate and advanced skiers and riders.

We invite you to sit back and enjoy the ride up, then hoot and holler the whole way down (seriously, just try not to…) through scenic, open glades and thrilling alleys. Have a warm drink and share tales of your powder shots and adrenaline-pumping turns in our warming yurt between laps. No crowds, no lift lines, just pure alpine fun.

Whether you are looking for private and exclusive adventure for a group of your more adventurous friends and savvy back country veterans or a family who would simply like to experience a pampered half-day of guided skiing on a private ski mountain all to yourselves, we can tailor the experience and terrain to suit your needs!

Each tour is 4 hours long, beginning with a convenient pickup right outside of the Ranch front door. Cruise 20 minutes on a scenic ride to our pristine, on-property terrain consisting of over a dozen distinct drop ins. Number of runs achieved in each session and vertical feet will be dictated by skier ability levels. A delicious home cooked lunch is provided midday in our warming Yurt.

The experience includes avalanche certified guides throughout the experience with a brief safety orientation before your ski day begins. State of the art avalanche safety gear and back country ski equipment rentals are also included for those not   bringing their own gear.

The Devil’s Thumb Ranch CatSki Back Country Experience is open to advanced-intermediate and expert skiers ages 12 and above. 8 people is the maximum number of participants per CatSki session. You must be an overnight lodging guest of the Ranch to participate.

Private family half-day ski experiences can be curated to skew towards more intermediate ability levels and terrain. A staff member will be happy to work with you to create the perfect custom experience for your party.

Additional Information

  • Roughly late December or early January through late March or early April snow conditions permitting:

    $600 PP

    We will be happy to quote additional cost for personal instruction packages (intermediate skiers an up). Personal instruction may not always be available, especially during peak times. The Devil’s Thumb CatSki Back Country Experience availability is limited and dependent on weather and conditions.

    Please fill out the Devil’s Thumb CatSki Back Country Experience interest form below or book online using the link provided.

    A representative will be in touch after receiving your inquiry to curate the perfect experience for your party.

Explore the Ranch

Use our interactive map to start exploring the Ranch.

More From Zach's Activity Center

DTR Map
MAIN LODGE HECK'S TAVERN HALLOWED GROUNDS CAFE BROAD AXE BARN ZACH'S MERCHANTILE RACHEL'S POOL RANCH HOUSE RESTAURANT TIMBER HOUSE JOHN L'S WINE CELLAR YAGER HOUSE & LOFT BROAD AXE BARN CEREMONY RANCH CREEK SPA, BOUTIQUE, & YOGA STUDIO HIGH LONESOME LODGE HIGH LONESOME BARN & LOFT GROTTO SURABOZA HIGH LONESOME CEREMONY AXEL’S PAVILION CABIN CREEK STABLES BLUE SKY RANCH CREEK Ouray Trapper's Cabin Creek Coyote Willow Manitou Caroga Traveler's Rest Byers Red Quill Nordic Settler Wrangler

MAIN LODGE

The Main Lodge houses a large array of amenities and a number of our lodge rooms. 

Here you will find the Front Desk, Concierge, Heck's Tavern, The Game Room, The Movie Theater, Hallowed Grounds Café, a variety of meeting spaces, and more

HECK'S TAVERN

tavern food

Casual American Ranch fare for overnight lodging guests only.

Heck’s is our favorite place for gathering, where light bites and craft beers become de rigueur. Serving up modern ranch fare in a no-frill setting, our restaurant centers around an impressive, floor-to-ceiling fireplace built from sustainable materials gathered from our pristine, natural land.

HALLOWED GROUNDS CAFE

cafe

Start your day with a double nonfat macchiato latte whip or a cuppa joe.

The friendly folks at Hallowed Grounds Café are happy to serve your favorites. They offer freshly baked breakfast pastries and bread from our bakery, a full selection of coffee, lattes, chai, juice, beer, wine, and more, plus daily selections of sandwiches. You’ll be in and out in no time and back to the trails, the pool, your book – whatever’s waiting.

BROAD AXE BARN

Our 2,900-square-foot indoor reception room, Broad Axe Barn, is built from the hand-hewn beams recovered from a Civil War-era Indiana barn. Its 25-foot high vaulted ceiling, 7×10-foot windows, and floor-to-ceiling sliding barn doors to the 2,200-square-foot outdoor deck offer stunning views of the Continental Divide.

ZACH'S MERCHANTILE

Zach's is the center of our activities and the home of our on-site merchandising and supplies. 

From the wildly unscripted to the perfectly planned, your sense of adventure has a new favorite place. From cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on blankets of snow to biking through wildflowers, catching rainbow trout, and taking aim with a bow and arrow, adventure seekers big and small will find the thrill they seek in our 6,500 acres of Rocky Mountain wilderness.

RACHEL'S POOL

Pool & Hot Tub Are Open Year-Round

Warmed by environmentally-friendly geothermal heat, the outdoor pool and hot tub are open year-round to cool off on a hot day or soothe your muscles sore after a day of mountain activities. Like everything at Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa, Rachel’s Pool is anything but ordinary.

RANCH HOUSE RESTAURANT

ranch house restaurant food

Experience Pasture-to-Fork Modern-Western Cuisine

Experience pasture-to-fork modern-western cuisine, including 100% Wagyu beef from the Ranch’s own herd. Join us for dinner with spectacular views of the Continental Divide in the original 1930s homestead at Devil’s Thumb Ranch!

Folks know that if it’s great food, great wine, and even better steak you’re hankering for, there’s really only one place to go. That’s why Ranch House Restaurant & Saloon is recipient of Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence in 2023!

TIMBER HOUSE

A perfect spot for more intimate events, Timber House is constructed of 150-year-old hand-hewn beams.

Tall windows offer 240-degree views of the scenic Ranch Creek Valley and Continental Divide. This room also opens onto our 2,200-square-foot attached outdoor deck. Ideal for luncheons, dinners, or team-building meetings of up to 40 people.

JOHN L'S WINE CELLAR

This private dining room was named in memory of the owners’ father and built from historic 150-year-old cherry trees harvested from family land in Adirondack State Park.

The beautiful cherry wine racks and beams, as well as the uncorking barrel guests walk through to enter, are crafted from this family timber, creating an intimate and elegant setting for private dinners and meetings.

YAGER HOUSE & LOFT

Built as a gathering space and named after the Yager brothers who founded the original Ranch, this meeting and event venue is ideally suited for team-building sessions, training classes, or cocktail receptions. This event space includes lounge areas, a catering service station, additional loft space, and a private patio with views of the Continental Divide.

BROAD AXE BARN CEREMONY

Outdoor Meadow Ceremony Venue

Where expansive meadows stretch endlessly, meeting the foot of the Continental Divide, this ceremony lawn is the ideal setting to make a memorable walk down the aisle.

RANCH CREEK SPA, BOUTIQUE, & YOGA STUDIO

This is not your typical spa experience.

Relaxing? Of course. The difference is in the rustic touches that allow you to disconnect and soak up the beauty that surrounds you. Our beautiful hand-hewn log spa is nestled in a quiet corner of the meadow overlooking the lush valley.

HIGH LONESOME LODGE

Have the place to yourself at High Lonesome, where privacy and intimacy are the name of the game.

Nestled into the hillside just steps from our main lodge, High Lonesome offers adjoining rooms and spacious, multi-room suites for guests looking to bunk closer together in Rocky Mountain style. The centerpiece of this striking Lodge is the High Lonesome Barn, a Civil War-era, hand-hewn post and beam structure that was moved piece by piece from Findlay, Ohio.

HIGH LONESOME BARN & LOFT

A 4,200-square-foot Civil War-era Barn. Moved here piece-by-piece from Ohio

The Barn features a wall of windows facing unparalleled views of the Continental Divide and Ranch Creek Valley. The Barn is ideal for meetings and banquets of up to 250 people, while the Loft above adds 900 more square feet ideal for up to 100 people.

GROTTO SURABOZA

We named Grotto Suraboza using the first two initials of members of our owner’s family, a fitting tribute to a dining space built to bring people together. This intimate dining experience seats up to 40 and offers a chance to dine in a seductive, European-inspired style, surrounded by dark, richly hewn wood, relaxing lighting, and custom ironwork.

HIGH LONESOME CEREMONY

Outdoor Terrace Ceremony Venue

Just steps from your exclusive guest lodge and connected to the High Lonesome Barn reception venue, this beautiful outdoor ceremony site is perched up on the hillside for a breathtaking vantage point. Say “I Do” under blue skies, surrounded by lush landscaping, and peering at the Colorado Rocky Mountains perfectly framed behind you.

AXEL’S PAVILION

With 2,600 square feet of outdoor terrace space, Axel’s Pavilion is ideal for open-air gatherings for events of up to 230 persons. Complete with fire pit and Adirondack chairs, you won’t want to be anywhere else in the summertime watching the sun cast its alpenglow against the Continental Divide.

CABIN CREEK STABLES

No Ranch stay would be complete without getting to know a few of our full-time residents—our horse herd! We pride ourselves on fostering a healthy and happy environment for our horses and love to let their individual personalities shine. Year-round, we invite you to stop by Cabin Creek Stables to explore our breathtaking ranch on horseback, enjoy a wagon ride, or just to say hi.

BLUE SKY

At 2,200 square feet, Blue Sky is a four-bedroom cabin expertly designed and perfect for family gatherings or small groups.

RANCH CREEK

two-bedroom cabin

Our 1,050 square foot 2-bedroom cabin sleeps up to 4 people with 2 king-sized beds, one of which can be converted into 2 twin-sized beds.

Ouray

one-bedroom cabin

Ouray cabin is a spacious 675-foot 1-bedroom cabin. Ideal for 2 adults, the cabin contains a butler kitchen and has been crafted with your comfort in mind.

Trapper's

two-bedroom cabin

Our 1,050 square foot 2-bedroom cabin sleeps up to 4 people with 2 king-sized beds, one of which can be converted into 2 twin-sized beds.

Cabin Creek

cabin

Our 1,050 square foot 2-bedroom cabin sleeps up to 4 people with 2 king-sized beds. The cabin is equipped with a modified kitchen, 2 walk-in shower bathrooms, and a wood-burning fireplace perfect for a cozy night in to relax and enjoy the picturesque views.

Coyote

cabin

Our 1,050 square foot 2-bedroom cabin sleeps up to 4 people with 2 king-sized beds, one of which can be converted into 2 twin-sized beds.

Willow

one-bedroom cabin

Willow cabin is a spacious 675-foot 1-bedroom cabin. Ideal for 2 adults, the cabin contains a butler kitchen and has been crafted with your comfort in mind.

Manitou

two-bedroom cabin

Our 1,050-square-foot 2-bedroom cabin sleeps up to 4 people with 2 king-sized beds. The cabin is equipped with a modified kitchen, a spacious walk-in shower bathroom, and a wood-burning fireplace perfect for a cozy night in to relax and enjoy the picturesque views.

Caroga

cabin

At 2,200 square feet, Caroga is a four-bedroom cabin expertly designed and perfect for family gatherings or small groups. With a full kitchen and an 8-plus person dining setup, there is plenty of space to relax and connect with your traveling partners at the end of the day.

Traveler's Rest

two-bedroom cabin

Our 1,050 square foot 2-bedroom cabin sleeps up to 4 people with 2 king-sized beds. The cabin is equipped with a modified kitchen, a spacious walk-in shower bathroom, and a wood-burning fireplace perfect for a cozy night in to relax and enjoy the picturesque views.

Byers

cabin

Byers cabin is a spacious 675-foot 1-bedroom cabin. Ideal for 2 adults, the cabin contains a butler kitchen and has been crafted with your comfort in mind.

Red Quill

one-bedroom cabin

Red Quill cabin is a spacious 675-foot 1-bedroom cabin. Ideal for 2 adults, the cabin contains a butler kitchen and has been crafted with your comfort in mind.

Nordic

two-bedroom cabin

Our 1,050 square foot 2-bedroom cabin sleeps up to 4 people with 2 king-sized beds. The cabin is equipped with a modified kitchen, 2 spacious walk-in shower bathrooms, and a wood-burning fireplace perfect for a cozy night in to relax and enjoy the picturesque views.

Settler

one-bedroom cabin

Settler cabin is a spacious 675-foot 1-bedroom cabin. Ideal for 2 adults, the cabin contains a butler kitchen and has been crafted with your comfort in mind.

Wrangler

one-bedroom cabin

Wrangler cabin is a spacious 675-foot 1-bedroom cabin. Ideal for 2 adults, the cabin contains a butler kitchen and has been crafted with your comfort in mind.