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Catered Ski Chalets - new Economy Options in Steamboat
Check out our latest offerings to meet the challenges of the current economy
"A catered chalet ski vacation is the way to go".
But, don't take our word for it.
Check out our Video on YouTube.com and hear from some of our guests just how well this worked for them. Meet the owners and founders of Moving Mountains and hear about their vision for your next ski vacation.
Bonus Out-Take
The making of this Video produced a hilarious out-take when one of the guests we were interviewing surprised us with a little red-neck humor. We couldn't help ourselves from sharing the moment with you...
Our secret is out! The concept of the catered chalet, developed in Europe and enjoyed by thousands annually, is now freely available in the US and SKI Magazine highlighted this concept in the December 2007 issue, on the newsstands today. We are delighted that the readers of SKI magazine will finally get to find out that there is an alternative to staying in a condo and working for your entire vacation. Our catered chalet package is a great solution if you are looking for a week-long vacation with time to actually enjoy who you are with.
With the winter season just around the corner our major fall re-model projects are heading towards completion. These will significantly enhance and update two of our most popular vacation rental properties:
MOVING MOUNTAINS CHALET
To those of you who have stayed here before you will notice big changes:
Exterior:
Repaired and replaced stucco. New stone and timber finishes. New main entry door with timber roof accents.
Revised entry layout. Moved boot dryers and ski racks to garage. Created coat closet. Changed layout of rec. room. Set up movie room with 50" big screen TV and surround sound. Added fus-ball table (replaces table tennis table). Added PS-2 games system.
Main & Upper Level:
New alder wood trim throughout. New alder interior doors. New carpet, wood flooring and floor tile througout. New lighting fixtures.
Bathrooms: New tile in all bathrooms. New bathroom vanities and fixtures. Replacement of bath-tubs with walk-in showers in two bathrooms. Master bathroom rebuild with addition of a steam shower.
THUNDERHEAD CHALET
The first of a multi-phase improvement program is
Phase 1 includes: new hardwood flooring in the kitchen, dining and great room areas, new living room furniture, new dining table and chairs, new kitchen range, work surfaces replaced with solid granite countertops, new high thread-count linens and bedding upgrades.
On the horizon for next year: bathroom upgrades, new carpet, additional fixture and fittings upgrades.
We're pretty excited to be heading into our 10th winter season! From life on a busy charter yacht in the British Virgin Islands we ran aground in the Rocky Mountains in 1998. Some thought that we had crossed to the "other side" and were now working on a "Steam Boat". Others knew better... We are proud to have built up a collection of the finest vacation homes in Steamboat and with this we continue to expand the option of also enjoying our unique full-service catered chalet package as the perfect solution to your next family or group vacation. The Moving Mountains dynamic duo (Robin & Heather) grew into a team and they added a couple of kids & dogs for good measure. It's For a quick trip down memory lane here are the highlights: April 1997: Sept 1997: Dec 1997: Winter 1997/08: Winter 1998/9: Summer 2000: Winter 00/01: Winter 01/02: Summer 2002: Winter 2002/03: W The day after they break ground Heather has a second child and they welcome their son, Sebastian, "Chili", into the world. Moving Mountains is offered the management of a spectacular new home called the See Me Lodge also under construction. Robin & Heather move the office of Moving Mountains out of their home and into commercial space at the base of the mountain. Winter 2006/07: Winter 2007/08: Record $$ are committed to on mountain improvements including a new 6 passenger high-speed chairlift from the base area. Redevelopment of the entire base area will take place over the next five years bringing Steamboat to the forefront of US ski destinations. Moving Mountains appears well positioned to cater to the needs of the many new visitors that are expected in Steamboat in the coming years. We look forward to seeing you here!
been a busy 10 years!
Robin & Heather decide late on a Thursday night to spend their next week off in Steamboat Springs on Saturday. They fly out on Saturday arriving in Steamboat during the first week of mud-season. The mountain is closed, the town is deserted, and they like what they see.
Another trip to Colorado and after a week they had still found nothing. On the last afternoon they stumble upon a home with six bedrooms and 8 bathrooms that seems perfect! They fly home to put a business plan together. Many late nights on the phone and at the computer follow.
Modest rental income trickles in as the Craigens begin marketing operations for the opening of their full-service catered chalet the following winter. The website is constructed and marketing materials sent out to past guests.
Robin & Heather sell everything including their beloved J24 sailboat "Jambo!" and move to Colorado amidst clouds of uncertainty. Neighbors of the Moving Mountains Chalet protest the application for a B&B permit and they are denied by Planning Commission.
Robin & Heather are getting nervous after a summer with very low occupancy and a trickle of winter inquiries. The September issue of Ski Magazine hits the newsstands in August and suddenly they are swamped with inquiries. The review could not be better and the coming winter is suddenly selling like hot-cakes! Chocolate lab puppy "Lola" joins the MM Team.
The second winter season is a sell-out! Robin & Heather are joined in Colorado by first-mate, Kevin, and so begins the growth of the fledgling business. They survive the Millennium New Year and are kept very busy.
First season with two homes is a modest success but the rave reviews keep telling us that we're doing the right thing regarding the catered lodging packages.
Winter bookings look strong until 9/11 Terrorist attack when suddenly the whole world seems like a different place. The winter is a disaster for all in Steamboat and the business clings to life. Robin & Heather discover that their staff will grow by one in July 2002 with the arrival of a li
Summer of babies and puppies. Five weeks before the arrival of their daughter, Lola gives birth to a healthy litter of 8 chocolate lab puppies. On July 18th a beautiful daughter, Maddie, arrives changing their lives forever. One puppy stays with the family and is named Ellie.
Two crews of staff care for our guests as we begin to hand over responsibility for day-to-day chalet operations to new staff members. Business is still shaky in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks but once again guest feedback and repeat bookings inspire us to keep going.
More chalets are added including Edelweiss Chalet, one of Steamboat's premier rental homes. Our focus on luxury home rentals appears to be paying off as more guests than ever try full-service packages.
Encouraged by repeated requests and strong market research the decision is made to also offer the full-service package in Big Sky, MT. A great collection of luxury rental homes is assembled and a new program is offered. Bookings do not materialize and the program is cancelled after one season. Robin & Heather decide to keep the focus closer to home in Steamboat.
Robin & Heather begin their most ambitious project yet - the construction of a custom designed duplex that will be added to their rental properties inventory in December 2006.
Will be remembered as the third biggest winter of the last 30 years, and one of the toughest construction winters in recent memory. After a long dry fall, and good early progress, activity on the construction project grings to a halt as the contractor battles the relentless snowfall. In February the foundation slab is poured and framing of the structure finally begins.
"The longest summer of our lives". Having terminated our contractor in March after a series of delays and errors Robin & Heather took on the role of General Contractor to finish construction of the Bear Chalets - two four bedroom chalets with combined square footage of over 9000 sq.ft.
Another busy winter is ahead of us. The prospects for Steamboat look great with the sale of the ski area to Intrawest, an industry leader in resort development.
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