Mission Statement

“Our mission is to provide uncompromising customer service, quality accommodations and food, and educational programs that enhance a sense of self, sense of community, sense of Earth, sense of wonder, to help your sense of the future. We define customer service as a relentless pursuit of excellence in communication, follow-through and in exceeding expectations.”

Caring for the Environment: We have a long-standing history of teaching about and caring for the environment dating back to the properties original purchase in 1948.  We now own and care for 6,000 acres of land, of which 400 are used for the campus, where our staff and guests live. We continuously update and implement new techniques, technologies and ideas in order to improve our stewardship of the business and the land.

Learning from the Natural World: Our “leadership perspective” programs provide valuable perspectives by comparing the ecosystem with the human systems in which you work. These programs help your organization achieve a specific and tangible “desired state” by creating a better understanding of systems thinking, change & transition, innovation. We also offer our guests access to a full-time naturalist. We can lead general nature hikes or “activities with a focus” including: diversity of our wildflowers, birds of the ranch, search for the Elk herd and other mammals, geology of central Colorado or an astronomy session using our 17 ½ inch telescope, one of the state’s largest.

Building Construction and Remodeling: We completed remodeling all of our original studio apartments in 2016. We used tile, Shaw’s recycled content carpet and Low E windows. When older hot water heaters fail, we replace them, where appropriate, with energy efficient on demand type heaters. And through a grant from Namaste Solar we are producing a percentage of our electricity off of photovoltaic panels on the Sportsplex roof for 3 of our buildings. Early in 2017 we replaced a large building’s boiler with a very high efficiency unit and in 2018 put a new roof on the lodge. As opportunities arise, we will continue these practices.

Land and Forest Restoration: We have mitigated over 160 acres of forest since 2005 by working with the State of Colorado Forest Service, Pike National Forest and the Coalition of the Upper South Platte. This work has improved the forest health and reduced the risk of wildfire. As time allows, we are using more and more Xeriscape practices in our landscaping on campus in order to reduce our water usage and to be more sustainable.

Green Purchasing: We make environmentally conscious product purchases when we can. We applied for and were accepted to use AVEDA spa quality products by completing their very stringent facilities, environment and sustainability questionnaire.  We use their amenities in all of our bathrooms. Most of our cleaning products are non-toxic and biodegradable. Our kitchen buys organic and local foods when requested by a group and uses chlorine free products where appropriate. Our paper cups, napkins and paper towels are made of 100% recycled material. The housekeeping department uses Greenworks to clean and our commercial laundry uses 100% biodegradable detergent. All departments buy in bulk quantities to reduce the carbon footprint made by transporting these products to our facility. Most of our light bulbs are LEDs as we reduce the use of CFLs. Our exterior lights are set on timers and we purchase energy star approved appliances.

Recycling: Our ranch-wide effort recycles cardboard, aluminum and tin cans, paper, glass, and plastic #’s 1-7, computers, and scrap metal.  Worn guest towels, mattresses, blankets and linens are re-purposed when we can.