East Lake Creek Retreat

Nestled among the aspens along the East Lake Creek and overlooking White River National Forest, sits a perfect family mountain retreat only minutes from Vail. East Lake Creek Retreat is a private haven with total seclusion from the rest of Eagle River Valley but only ten minutes from the amenities in Edwards. As you cross the East Lake Creek from the main entrance, you wind through a blend of aspen glades and spruce trees until the driveway opens up to the main house and adjoining pasture. The four bedroom custom home was built in 2007 and is reminiscent of homes in Santa Fe. Each room incorporates unique features, from the unobstructed panoramic views of the Holy Cross Wilderness  in the living room to the intricate tile work in the kitchen. Just outside your door sits a corral, a barn with adjoining manager’s quarters, a quarter mile of East Lake Creek river frontage, notable water rights, and a private fishing pond. The East Lake Creek Retreat is a perfect refuge for a family escaping the burgeoning metro area or for those who wish to make Colorado their second home. The unique combination of private access to a quarter of a mile of East Lake Creek, proximity to world-class skiing and shopping at Beaver Creek and Vail, 40 acres perfect for conservation or small agricultural operation and an artfully constructed home makes this legacy retreat a rare find.

Location

World class ski resort, Beaver Creek, is “just over the hill” and Vail is only a couple more miles from the gates of the property. The family retreat is only fifteen minutes up East Lake Creek from Edwards and thirty minutes from Eagle County Regional Airport, a full-service regional airport that provides both private and commercial flights. East Lake Creek is one of the most exclusive communities in Colorado’s ski country, with properties rarely coming onto the market. All along the creek one will find beautiful custom homes, but there are only a handful resting on more than a few acres.

Main Home

The main driveway winds past the private fishing pond and seven acre pasture to the main  5,415 sq ft home. This 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath home was built in 2007 and is a mixture of Santa Fe and Rocky Mountain vernacular with custom finishes throughout.

As you walk through the custom wooden front doors you are met with a home meant for the covers of Architectural Digest. The main floor of the house has walls of windows with unobstructed views of the Holy Cross Wilderness, heated stone floors, and vaulted ceilings.

Family meals are prepared in the commercial grade kitchen that shares a fireplace with the living room. The kitchen is truly the heart of the home and complete with a wall of custom tilework, granite countertops, stainless steel Wolf appliances, and custom cabinetry. There is an adjoining outdoor patio with outdoor fireplace and grill designed with the intention of hosting numerous guests for the holidays, a weekend in the mountains, or a perfect morning coffee view.

The master suite includes its own fireplace and steam shower with an attached porch for early morning coffee breaks. There are three other bedrooms, each with their own attached bathroom and individual style. There is also a finished basement to house even more friends and family.

Other Improvements

The new barn was built in 2008 and complete with an attached 620 square foot manager’s apartment. There are four horse stalls with runs, a neighboring corral for horses, and a garage for all ranching equipment. The apartment was craftily designed with vaulted ceilings and custom finishes and includes one bedroom, one bath, and a living area with attached kitchen for a manager.

The gazebo next to the private pond is another outdoor space perfect for entertaining or tying up flies.

Locale

East Lake Creek Retreat is situated underneath the Holy Cross Wilderness along a quarter acre of creek frontage. As you meander up the county road to the property, you are met with fewer and fewer homes. The entrance to the main home is on the west side of the road while the barn and managers quarters are to the east. The primary residence has unobstructed views of White River National Forest and the Eagle River Valley and an adjoining seven acre pasture for horses or a small operation.

Climate

Eagle County has some of the best skiing conditions in the country. The average snowfall at Beaver Creek is 193 inches while the average snowfall at Vail is 184 inches. During the Summer months, Eagle County is known for blue skies and moderate temperatures in the 60s and highs in the 80s. Overall Edwards sees over 243 days of sun a year, making it a haven for any type of recreation.

Recreation

This area of Colorado is a world-renowned recreational haven. The 122,000 acres of Holy Cross Wilderness is only a short walk or horseback ride away from the retreat. The surrounding thousands of acres of public lands, including the East Lake Creek trail head, only ten minutes away, provide ample opportunities for hiking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and horseback riding.

Hunting

The nearby White River National Forest is home to terrific elk and deer hunting with the largest elk herd population in North America.

World class skiing can be found only ten minutes away at Beaver Creek and only thirty minutes at Vail Resorts. Vail is home to over 5,200 acres of high alpine skiing with seven bowls, over 190 ski runs, and unencumbered views of some of the most beautiful ranges in Colorado. Beaver Creek is even closer to the property and serves fresh-baked cookies at the lift every morning  before you get ready to ski on more than 140 world-class ski runs!

Fishing

The mountain retreat has just under a quarter of a mile of East Lake Creek river frontage. It is hard to find this amount of acreage up the valley, let alone acreage with coveted river frontage. Not only are their opportunities for fishing on the creek, there is also a private fishing pond next to the main home. Although it is not currently stocked, the pond does include a pump and aerator for future fish populations and fish still find their way in from East Lake Creek. If you are looking for fishing off of the property, Eagle River is only a few minutes away and home to great dry fly fishing year round.

Wildlife

East Lake Creek Retreat is not only a retreat for the owner but also the surrounding wildlife. The property has been home to mule deer, elk, moose, mountain lion, coyote and bear. The towering spruce trees are perfect habitat for populations of eagle, hawk, owl, and a Blue Herring that frequently visits the private pond.

Retreat Potential

The full forty acres at East Lake Creek Retreat lends itself to the imagination of the owner. While it is currently owned by an equestrian lover, it could be transformed into any kind of ranch. The larger pastures and alpine meadows could become sustainable produce gardens or house  goats, bees, and other smaller animals. The aspen glades could hide teepees or smaller sheep wagons for guests or kids from the snow. Whatever you want in a retreat, East Lake Creek Retreat has the infrastructure and the acreage to make it a reality.

Ranch Operations

East Lake Creek Retreat has a quintessential layout for the equestrian buyer. The main barn includes four stalls and runs as well as a corral and multiple ditches. There are three acres of irrigated pasture on the east side of the road with potential for an additional 13 irrigated acres. Near the main home, there are seven acres of pasture fenced with post and rail fence. This pasture also has a newly installed underground irrigation system operating off a pump installed right off of East Lake Creek. As you leave the property you are only a few minutes from horseback riding trails in the neighboring Holy Cross Wilderness.

Water Rights

It is uncommon to find these water rights this close to Edwards. The East Lake Creek Retreat has historical water rights for irrigation and other uses  and a private fishing pond. All of the drinking water for the main house come from an underground spring well.

Conservation Value

Lake Creek is one of the few remaining places near Vail where you can find contiguous large parcels of land with incredible viewsheds, wildlife, and water. It is one of the sole surviving areas in the Valley that has retained its connection to the original settlers. East Lake Creek Retreat would be a great candidate for a conservation easement.  Local land trusts in the area have always deemed the Lake Creek area as one of its most important landscapes for conservation in the Valley due to its proximity to Holy Cross Wilderness and the White River National Forest. Like the nearby Knapp Ranch, conserving East Lake Creek Retreat could be your legacy as a steward of the history in this valley.