ALL ABOUT THE BACKYARD

PHOTO: COURTESY KITCHEN DOOR

The Backyard Bubble

Tips for creating a FABULOUS OUTDOOR SPACE FOR ENTERTAINING

By Heather Shoning

OH, HOW WE LOVE our outdoor living in beautiful Colorado, and this year—possibly more than ever—we can’t wait to have friends and family join us for backyard barbeques, lawn games, birthday parties, family reunions and more. But first, the entertaining space and yard must be shipshape. We’ve got tips and trends to help you create a haven for all your outdoor gatherings.

SETTING THE STAGE

Creating a backyard oasis for entertaining guests begins with great design. “An ideal outdoor hangout space has a nice seating area, a firepit and some shade from a pergola, shade sails or a gazebo,” says Adair Andre, project manager at Kitchen Door, a premier landscaping company based in Denver. “It is an extension of your house, and thus requires a keen eye for design as in any other room.”

In addition to the amenities, you’ve got to plan the function of the space. “We think about the layout and making sure that the flow makes sense,” says Jason Wissner, marketing manager at Lifescape Colorado, a Denver landscape architecture and design firm. “Make sure the design has plenty of places for people to gather and that they can easily get there. This is really important if you are doing any entertaining, so you want to make sure there is ample room for people to move around comfortably.”

MULTIPURPOSE AREAS

A recent trend in local backyards are ADUs. What’s that, you ask? Accessory dwelling unit. It might be a carriage house or tiny house or a Studio Shed. What started in Boulder as a mission to house mountain bikes, Studio Shed is now a successful ADU business selling trendy, upscale “sheds” to homeowners across the country. They are used for home offices, guest houses, art studios, yoga studios and more. So, why would you want one for outdoor entertaining? Because it offers space for guests when there’s inclement weather on your backyard barbecue day. Or because you can turn it into an outdoor bar area, dance floor or place for the band to set up.

“Having a destination in your yard allows you to create positive space and bound an entertaining space or seating area with a well-designed building as a feature,” says co-founder and creative director Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski Nova.

AMP UP YOUR URBAN SETTING

“Urban outdoor spaces have the disadvantage of being close to each other and privacy is an urgent need for many,” says Annie Huston, “Queen Bee” of Birdsall & Co. The Garden Boutique and Urban Nursery. “The use of planted containers is both esthetically pleasing and a speedy solution.” Huston suggests boxwood shrubs in a shaded and protected location to provide greenery all year long, or potted grasses in a hot and sunny area.

If you have a more traditional large grassy lawn, consider scrapping the water-hungry turf for something native that requires less of our precious resource and doesn’t need chemicals to keep it looking great. “We’re seeing a shift away from a large lawn, towards more perennial plants and color,” says Andre. “As a landscaping company, we pride ourselves in sustainable practices that include using native plants and low-water irrigation techniques. Not only is this better for the natural environment, but it also saves people time and money by no longer having to mow, fertilize and tackle weeds.” Using native and organic plants are also beneficial for our local pollinator populations.

FINISHING TOUCHES

Furniture and accessories are what will ultimately determine the level of comfort and the mood your outdoor space takes on. A comfortable sectional invites conversation. Throw in a fire pit for warmth and ambiance. Layer pillows on the sectional and/or chairs—don’t be afraid to go bold with color and pattern.

To make a smaller area feel spacious, Wissner says to place furniture in different levels and vary their heights so that there are layers to your seating and lounging areas. And don’t overlook proper lighting. It enhances the warmth and intimacy of your outdoor space after dark while also highlighting stairs to prevent falls.

PHOTOS: COURTESY LIFESCAPE COLORADO

PHOTO: COURTESY HOWARD LORTON

A curved sectional, like this one from Howard Lorton, fits great around a firepit while encouraging comfortable conversation. Woven vinyl holds up to Colorado’s sunny days, and comfortable cushions and pillows come in a wide variety of colors to coordinate with your outdoor décor. Don’t forget that even though it’s an outdoor space, you should still add plants for vibrant texture and color. “Pick fewer pots and bigger ones for a cleaner display and imagine the containers without any plants in them,” says Huston. “They should make a statement and be able to stand alone without the added structure, color and texture of the plantings.” She says for a modern space, choose matching planters in rows, but for a more traditional look, choose “the same but different” pots to cluster.

RESOURCES

Birdsall & Co. | birdsallgarden.com

Kitchen Door Landscape | kitchendoor.co

Lifescape Colorado | lifescapecolorado.com

Studio Shed | studio-shed.com

Howard Lorton Furniture & Design

howardlorton.com

Natural Wonders

Seven glamping getaways you’ll want to book right now

By Kathryn O’Shea-Evans

INDOORSY PEOPLE have good reason to balk at camping, from the omnipresent bugs to the potential for a miserable, rain-sloshed getaway. That’s where glamping—a.k.a. glamorous camping— comes in, with sumptuously outfitted “tents” (most equipped with luxe ensuite bathrooms) and amenities ranging from guided stargazing to butlers who will prep your post-hike s’mores. Yes, heaven *is* a place on earth.

Experiences that can only be described as idyllic are one reason why Denver-based Douglas Jackson, PhD, JD, booked a stay last summer with his girlfriend Dana Jacoby at The Broadmoor’s Cloud Camp (broadmoor.com), home to 11 cabins and a glamping suite in a fire tower with a private outdoor hot tub. It “turned out to be a perfect few days,” says Jackson, President and CEO of Project C.U.R.E., an international non-profit that delivers medical relief to people around the world—approximately 200 semi-truck sized containers of medical supplies and equipment every year. “It has become a favorite place of ours. And we went back two more times, bringing friends and family later in the summer and into the fall.”

THE COUNTRY CLUB AT CASTLE PINES

A WORLD CLASS TRANSFORMATION HAS BEGUN

The Country Club at Castle Pines has broken ground on their transformation project that will bring stylish new indoor and outdoor dining, bar and patio features to the clubhouse along with new cliffside amenities that showcase our views over Castle Rock and the entire Front Range. The cliffside village will include an infinity edge pool, new dining and bar, fitness and racket sports. 2021 will also bring the formal grand opening of The Crags, our one acre putting course perched at 6700 feet and literally built upon the rocky crags behind our Clubhouse. Complete with lighting, music, fire pits and a new bar, Golf Members and their guests won’t ever want to go home.

TO INQUIRE ABOUT AN INVITATION TO GOLF OR SOCIAL MEMBERSHIP, CONTACT: MARK LEWICKI, Director of Membership 303.660.6807 | mlewicki@ccatcastlepines.com

Not surprisingly, Jackson loves it so much he returns again and again. Cloud Camp sits some 3,000 feet above The Broadmoor on Cheyenne Mountain, overlooking a postcard-worthy 360-degree panorama that stretches from Pikes Peak to the fringes of Kansas. “Guests can be as active as they choose, hiking, riding the mules, practicing archery or playing pickleball,” Jackson says. He especially adores dinners in the great room. “There is a fireplace at either end of the massive hall, reminiscent of the place where [Broadmoor founder] Spencer Penrose gathered with his friends decades ago. The room is appointed in some of the best Western art and memorabilia from [the current Broadmoor owner] Phillip Anschutz’s private collection. The feeling is a blending of a homey mountain living room and a magnificent museum.”

And pack your hiking boots, because you are still interacting plenty with mother nature—as much or little as you like. “Our first trip was on the 4th of July weekend,” Jackson recalls. “As is customary in Colorado, a mountain rainstorm built over the Continental Divide and spilled down across the Front Range. It rained buckets for close to an hour. The fire was roaring

in the great room and smoke curled out of the chimney. The huge drops pounded a rhythm on the corrugated metal roofs of the cabins. Just in time for the evening flag ceremony when the huge American flag [was] slowly lowered from the giant camp flagpole, the rain subsided and the sun began to stretch out over the plains below. At that moment, an intense rainbow began to emerge and settled precisely on the Stars and Stripes. It was a good reminder for all of the campers that despite a tough year, we had much for which to be thankful.”

Turn the page for a few of AvidLifestyle’s other favorite spots that are putting the glam in glamping, from Vail to Santa Fe.

Thanks to its brand new pangolin-shaped spa complete with local creek stone massages, there’s never been a better time to indulge at Dunton River Camp, a former 19th century cattle ranch turned ultraluxe all-inclusive stay. Their collection of Mountain Tents are fitted with oversized soaking tubs, king beds, gas stoves with thermostats, and loaner mountain bikes. duntondestinations.com

The Resort at Paws Up

Greenough, Montana

Before you ask: yes, dogs are equally pampered here. (Hence the ‘paws up’ moniker). But their bipedal owners love it too, partly because of the myriad bucketlist activities—archery, cattle drives, flyfishing, hot-air ballooning and so much more. Book a Cliffside Camp One-Bedroom Tent for a sprawling 605-square-foot abode with a twinkling chandelier, copper soaking tub and doting butler. pawsup.com

Kitfox

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Newly opened on 160 private acres abutting a 10,000-acre preserve just 20 miles from downtown Santa Fe, this is a hiker’s fever dream: there are some 30 miles of trails wending through the property. Book a canvas Queen tent with a platform bed and interiors that look culled from an Anthropologie catalogue, but be prepared to rough it a little (there are no en-suite bathrooms here, but plenty of Venture Wipes). staykitfox.com

A 1,000-acre ranch? Check. Activities like zip lining, wine tasting and whitewater rafting? Check. Gratis locavore breakfasts that include dishes like avocado toast drizzled with sage oil? Check. We love that Summit Tents include downy 1,500-thread-count linens on the king beds; rainfall showers in your private bathroom; and Frette robes for lounging après-hike. collectiveretreats.com

Under Canvas

Various National Parks

If you’ve been wanting to #getoutside in America’s jaw-dropping “backyards,” but you’d rather skip the well-trammeled campgrounds, Under Canvas is for you. They pitch safari-style tents with private bathrooms, living rooms and wood burning stoves everywhere from Zion to Glacier (see their website for a full list, including available dates), and outfit them with organic bath products, daily housekeeping and curated camp activities like fireside singalongs. undercanvas.com

Conestoga Ranch

Garden City, Utah

Did you spend hours playing the Oregon Trail video game as a kid? You might opt to pass on this lakeside ranch’s tricked-outtents in favor of a covered wagon inspired by 19th-century originals and built in Bear Lake, Utah. The hearty breakfasts here (on the menu: pulled pork biscuits and pancakes with whipped Slide Ridge honey butter and maple macerated berries) are delicious. While you’re here, be sure to stop by Paris Ice Cave—where you’ll spot ice year-round. It’s the definition of cool. conestogaranch.com

Save the Date

SATURDAY, AUGUST 28

6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Vehicle Vault, 18301 Lincoln Meadows Parkway, Parker AvidLifestyle and Colorado AvidGolfer invite you to join us for an unforgettable evening of now and then. Proceeds from this event will benefit Bags of Fun with a percentage to National Jewish Health.

Explore today’s exotic cars and reminisce models from the past.

Savor specialty cocktails paired with delicious bites from renowned local chef and restaurateur Frank Bonanno.

Relax in exquisitely decorated lounges by some of Colorado’s finest purveyors such as Howard Lorton, Carla’s, A Classic Design and more.

Support Bags of Fun with silent and live auctions throughout the evening.

Enjoy entertainment and a live demonstration from Chef Andrew Forlines with Mountain High Appliance at Vehicle Vault, one of the most unique auto museums in Colorado.

Please contact Soiree Event Planning at 720.892.0200 with any inquiries.

PRESENTING SPONSORS To learn more and purchase tickets:

bagsoffun.org/events/wheels-of-dreams

Head for the

Hills

A look at historic camps in Colorado and the legacies they’ve created

By Hillary Locke Mujica

SUMMER CAMP is a rite of passage for most kids and Colorado offers up some of the country’s best. Although many are longgone, like the infamous Vagabond Camp that was lovingly illustrated in the Hi and Lois Cartoons: It was once inhabitedby the Utes, then a stagecoach stop near Granby, and later a beloved camp with a cult following among wealthy East Coast families. Some of the original building with ax-hewn logs and trapper cabins are still used today. It’s currently privately owned but the memories of happy campers still live on.

Other camps that have stood the test of time are just as vital today as they were a hundred years ago, serving thousands of campers from around the world. The same pioneer spirit is alive and well at these iconic camps, proving they’re not only fun but vital for kids of all ages. Time away from home and family, in a simple setting of natural beauty, provides unique opportunities to build confident, independent, resilient, and respectful youth. Whether it’s 1921 or 2021, kids need camp. It’s where they make new friends and find a sense of belonging. They gain enhanced confidence and independence through their accomplishments and form a personal connection with the natural world and with themselves. They leave camp refreshed, renewed, and ready to tackle the challenges of the coming year. These are the legacies of summer camp and I hope they still are in the next one hundred years.

Cheley Colorado Camps

Great things happen when youth and mountain meet.

In 1921 Frank Cheley took nine adventurous boys into the Colorado Rockies to a rustic summer camp on the shores of Bear Lake, inside the newly minted Rocky Mountain National Park. The Bear Lake Trail School – An Alpine Summer Camp for Boys was located in what in many is still a wilderness where boys could become ‘self-propelled, independent individuals with real character and personality’ according to Cheley. These leadership training summer camps became so popular that five years later, Cheley welcomed “vigorous girls” to his “vigorous camp” he named Chipeta, after the queen of the Utes, wife of Chief Ouray.

Today, the Cheley family still runs the show with fourth-generation brother and sister duo Brooke Cheley Klebe and Jeff Cheley at the helm. They offer two four-week terms and a five-night term for younger campers. “Summer camp is a chance to step out of your routine and connect with the natural world. You feel more solid, focused and engaged in life when you’re surrounded by mountain peaks, ancient rocks, and huge ponderosa pines. It’s when most of us are connected to our pure potential,” says Klebe who’s been a camper, counselor and now camp director. “We focus on character development based on a ‘code of living’ that the kids define for themselves. They all collaborate to define what’s important to them and take the code of living seriously with the goal of being better people.” 1940S

Over the 27-day terms, campers really learn into their experiences and build upon their skills. They choose their activities and take ownership of what they want to get out of their personal experiences such as horseback riding, mountain biking, river activities, archery, hiking, crafts and technical climbing. In fact, they’re the only camp in the U.S. with a via ferrata (a protected climbing route, built with a steel cable rail fixed to the rock, metal steps, ladders, suspension bridges and zip wires) at their Kent Mountain Adventure Center.

“Every summer, we see kids gain a sense of confidence and learn to trust themselves,” Klebe reports. “My heart breaks for the increase of 1928

depression in young kids, so if we can provide a safe space where they can get to really know themselves, form meaningful friendships, and disconnect from social media and social pressures, those are lessons they will hopefully carry with them outside of camp.”

Beyond the summer sessions, the Cheleys are dedicated to being good stewards of their land. They’re fully invested in forest-restoration projects and agriculture to help with fire dangers throughout Estes Park, and are broadening their view on how they can serve a larger community – think family camps, weddings, retreats and more.

Geneva Glen Camp

Cherishing the past, nurturing the present, seeding the future.

Founded in 1922 as a character development and leadership training program, Geneva Glen Camp (GG) is a private non-profit organization with more than nine decades of campers to attest to its merit. Since its inception, only three pairs of directors have been employed - through rich traditions and programs created by the original directors, Harold and Iris Gilmore, Genva Glen welcomes hundreds of second-generation through fifth-generation campers each summer. With 85 perecet of their staff were former campers, they definitely ‘grow their own’ and even have their first sixth generation camper heading to camp this summer. These deeps roots and loyal families are proof that GG has been providing a nourishing environment where young people become leaders for nearly a century.

“The ‘Magic of the Glen’ as it’s called is something kids have felt for years and that magic has been passed down through generations resulting in our strong supportive alumni who view camp as an extension of their family,” says Christa Redford. “It’s a place that transcends fashion and the pressures of daily life where kids can learn about themselves on a new, deeper level.” And it certainly seems there’s transformative power in bringing children into a natural, healthy environment that inspires inward growth, development of character, and faith in one’s own individuality. “If we can promote that power and help kids enrich their communities, that is what it’s all about.”

Something that sets Geneva Glen apart of all other camps – each session has highly curated, unique themes – American Heritage, Knighthood, World Friendship, Myths and Magic, and this year marks a new session for 1st and 2nd graders called Seedlings and Stardust. “We’ve had a lot of requests for an ‘intro’ session where kids can experience camp for two nights and three days. Covid actually allowed us the space and time to revise our typical schedule and develop a program specifically for this age group.” With the pressures of social media on top of the normal growing pains of childhood plus the stress of the pandemic, kids need camp, and offering a session for younger kids seems like a direct response to the current pressures. And let’s not forget economic pressures – GG offers over $100,000 in camper scholarships each year to kids who may not otherwise be able to attend. al and comprehensive leadership training programs with opportunities to live the values of mutual respect, honesty, and acceptance of others as well as individual responsibility, understanding of cultural differences, courage to live at one’s best, and stewardship for the natural environment. The vision of Geneva Glen’s founders is as bright and clear as it was 99 years ago, and that vision continues to guide the directors, staff and campers on their journeys through Geneva Glen summers.

Along with events and activities specific to each session, campers take part in hiking, horseback riding, overnights, swimming, drama, arts and crafts, archery, ropes course, rock climbing, repelling and nature and environmental education.

GG has survived for nearly one hundred years, and the staff, Board of Directors, seasonal staff, alum, and camp Families are determined to keep this magic alive and thriving for decades and generations to come. Geneva Glen has weathered many storms – WWII, The Great Depression, the lodge burning down the first day of camp in 1973 and, of course, COVID-19 in 2020. Through it all their spirit and magic of camp has thrived. It seems no matter the year, no matter the age, summer camp is where we grow.

Sanborn Western Camps

Creating outdoor experiences of exceptional quality and depth.

Sanborn Camps are located on 6,000 acres of privately-owned mountain meadows and forests 35 miles west of Colorado Springs near the small town of Florissant. It was founded in 1948 by Sandy and Laura Sanborn. Sandy, originally from New Hampshire, came to Colorado as a member of the Tenth Mountain Division during World War II and trained at Camp Hale near Leadville. He met Laura, a Colorado native, on a blind date and married soon after. Following the war, they wanted to create a program where children from all over could learn to live together in the out-of-doors. They bought land near Florissant and started Big Spring Ranch for Boys in 1948 and in 1962, they opened High Trails Ranch for Girls.

For 75 years, Sanborn has offered two monthlong sessions at Big Spring and High Trails for kids ages 9-17, and four two-week Junior Sanborn for 7–10-year-olds. With 700 campers coming from 42 states and a dozen countries, about 25 percent are from Colorado. And campers return because they’re proud of their accomplished, and thrive in the fun, respectful community; it’s a profound cumulative effect. “Parents are aware of the growth that occurs for their children at camp, and many have told us that camp is the most important experience they provide for their children each year because they come home happier, healthier, and more confident,” says Jane Sanborn, director of development, COEC officer and board member and program chair of the ACA National Conference.

“Research has shown that time spent in the natural world reduces stress and anxiety for children, inspires creativity, and promotes compassion for others. Social and emotional learning is the curriculum of Sanborn where campers learn collaboration skills, resilience, responsibility and many other social and emotional skills, says Jane. “And after a year of anxiety and isolation due to the pandemic, children need camp more than ever now.”

Sanborn’s focus on Western horseback riding and camping/backpacking/mountain climbing are paramount, and they even have U.S. Forest Service permits to climb 19 different mountains in central Colorado and many of our campers choose to climb at least one Fourteener during their time at camp. Additionally, campers head out on three-, four-, and five-day backpacking trips on horseback where they hone their communication skills and respect for mother nature. Older campers take part in major technical rock-climbing excursions, which are among the best in the country.

With proximity to the South Platte River and a nearby reservoir, kids swim, tube, fish and canoe daily, and learn to appreciate the natural world with crystal digging sites on the property and the neighboring Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Combine these with archery, tennis, ropes course, arts and crafts and mountain biking, there’s no shortage of fun. To top it off, they have a large telescope that offers epic stargazing.

“Sanborn Western Camps have grown and evolved for nearly 75 years, and we will continue to focus on youth development and stay abreast of the research related to what young people need. And we’ll continue to explore ways to increase and improve our program offerings.”