Dorado Magazine - Sept/Oct 2015

|

|

DORADO NEW MEXICO’S BREW BOOM

R OA D T R I P !

PA D D L E B OA R D I N G L A K E P O W E L L

R EFIN ED LI V ING , BIG A DV EN T U R ES

CHIC AND CAREFREE

Fall Fashion THE ASPEN ART MUSEUM’S

Architecture of Sunlight

A BO LD, M O D E R N

Red Rock Retreat

S E P T/ O C T 2 0 1 5

2

D O R A D O • M AY / J U N E 2 0 1 5

M AY / J U N E 2 0 1 5 • D O R A D O

1

Avivar

verb |avi-var| to revive, enhance or heighten.

Santa Fe Properties is proud to present Show House Santa Fe 2015 at the Frank Applegate Estate.

Home redefined.

2

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

505.982.4466

|

www.santafeproperties.com

Reinventing Western Classics 29 Santa Fe interior designers will celebrate the uniqueness of Southwestern luxury and sophistication. All of this will take place under one historic roof, at the Frank Applegate Estate originally built in the 1700’s.

Proceeds will benefit Dollars for Schools, helping provide basic needs to nearly 2000 students in 18 Santa Fe schools.

fiesta

Friday, October 2 nd 6-9 pm TICKET: $100

home tour

Sat & Sunday, October 3 rd & 4 th Sat & Sunday, October 10 th & 11 th TICKET: $25

DOLLAR S

SCHOOL S SANTA FE

showhousesantafe.com

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

3

BEAUTY in many forms.

Subscribe to have the landscapes, people and culture of THE SOUTHWEST delivered to your door.

Or visit online for exclusive stories, content and inspiration for your NEXT GREAT ADVENTURE. WWW.DORADOMAGAZINE.COM

4

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

5

48

42

62

FEATURES

42

The New Beer Frontier New Mexico is quietly staking its claim as a new mecca for craft brews. Go in search of deliciously original IPAs, stouts and Pilsners.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

48

by Jen Murphy

56

The Architecture of Sunlight Aspen’s new art museum is a tour de force of dazzling natural light and sweeping views.

by Will Grant

Flip the Trip Big landscapes, bold colors and the quirky spirit of the Southwest charge our road trip from Texas to Colorado. photography by Wynn Myers

62

Alpine Oasis Fall’s casual style is right at home in Dunton Hot Springs, a hidden retreat in southwestern Colorado. photography by Emily Nathan

on t h e c ove r : Dunton River Camp, Cresto Ranch, Colorado. Photograph by Emily Nathan

6

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: EMILY NATHAN, DRESS AND SWEATER BY THE ROW, BOTH AVAILABLE AT BARNEYS. HAT BY CLYDE, AVAILABLE AT SAINT CLOUD, HOUSTON. NECKLACE BY ARIEL CLUTE, AVAILABLE AT THE PODOLLS; W YNN MYERS; DOUGLAS MERRIAM.

TABLE of CONTEN TS

LIGHTWEIGHT WARMTH Packed with a 650 fill-power layer, the Ideal Down vest warms you up without weighing you down.

©2015 Ariat International, Inc.

For more information visit Ariat.com

KNOW WHERE YOU STAND. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

7

24

26

32

36

73

DEPARTMENTS OUTDOORS

26 A Rock and a Serene Place

AT HOME

36 Arizona Modern Amid towering redrock formations, a groundbreaking architectural enclave is rising in Sedona.

Discover the off-season pleasure of stand-up paddleboarding Utah’s Lake Powell.

DORADOMAGAZINE.COM

DESTINATION

IN TOWN

32 True Blues

73 Moab

Explore the slick rock, epic canyons and Technicolor landscapes of southern Utah.

Durango’s Old Colorado Vintage offers an expertly curated trove of the Western classics.

PA N O R A M A A SNA P SHOT OF T HE SOU T HWEST ’ S EV ENTS, C U LT U R E & P E O P L E FILM

15 Check out our favorite

movies filmed in the Four Corners, including the new Hateful Eight.

18 Search out these

hunting essentials, perfect for setting up camp or tracking bucks.

20 A new confectioner is DORADO

Ra Paulette has spent the last two decades hand-carving sandstone caves throughout New Mexico into elaborate works of art.

about to conquer the chocolate world from Provo, Utah.

10 Letter from the Editor • 12 Contributors • 13 Masthead

8

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

22 From the snowy slopes

of Telluride to the streets of Santa Fe, these stylish timepieces will have you covered around the clock.

GEAR

CRAFT

80 M Y

SHOP

5 QUESTIONS

24 What does it take to

produce two worldclass rodeo stars?

Brothers Olin and Jake Hannum credit their dad and Utah roots.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: CHAD KIRKL AND, SAR AH WIGHT, ISTOCK, SWEETLY PHOTOGR APHY, BILL TIMMERMAN, HEIDI CHOWEN

20

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

9

L ET T ER FROM THE E DITOR

Better by Design For too long, Southwestern design has been defined by bad cowboy clichés and Native American kitsch. (I’m looking at you, wagon wheel coffee table and knock-off pottery.)

10

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Finally, take a design-driven road trip across the Southwest. Photographer Wynn Myers travels with her friends from the contemporary art haven Marfa, Texas, up through the small towns and high desert of New Mexico, where weavers and artists, such as Georgia O’Keeffe, have created colorful, geometric works for centuries (Flip the Trip, page 48).

There’s so much more to enjoy in this issue, from vintage clothing and chocolate shops to Western films and New Mexico’s craft beer scene — and it was all designed with our readers in mind.

RED ROCK REBORN A new breed of architects and designers is giving Southwestern style a bold new look.

Jeff Ficker e d itor in ch ie f Dorado magazine

BILL TIMMERMAN

The times, as they say, are a-changin’.

In this issue of Dorado, we spotlight the new face of Southwest style and the designers embracing the characteristics that make our region so special: its rugged landscapes, its radiant sunlight, its limitless sense of freedom and possibility.

In Sedona, for instance, architects are merging bold, modern design with indigenous materials, like Douglas fir and rammed earth, so that a stunning new housing development fits in harmony with its setting — and will age gracefully over time (Arizona Modern, page 36).

Aspen, long a destination for worldclass skiing, can now boast an equally impressive design attraction. The town’s new art museum is a work of art in itself — a sunlight-filled glass box, sheathed in a woven, wooden frame. The museum showcases an ever-changing lineup of exhibitions while delighting visitors with expansive views of the Rocky Mountains (The Architecture of Sunlight, page 56).

Also, be sure to check out this issue’s fashion spread (Alpine Oasis, page 62), which was photographed at Dunton Hot Springs in southern Colorado. The picturesque hideaway — complete with mineral-rich hot springs and hand-built log cabins in a narrow, forested valley — provides a stunning backdrop to fall’s casual, Western-inspired looks.

Yo Coecio

Our Guidance

Nedra Matteucci Galleries 1075 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, NM 87501 505-982-4631 • matteucci.com

Robert Lougheed: A Brilliant Life in Art opens November 14, 2015 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

11

ONLINE

CONTRIBUTORS

STYLE 4 chic ways to bring the Southwest home.

WATCH 10 movies you didn’t know were filmed in the Four Corners.

MAKE Feast on rocky mountain trout with smoked bacon.

ESCAPE Explore Utah’s Mighty Five in 10 days or less.

Photographer Emily Nathan (Alpine Oasis, page 62) creates dynamic imagery, infused with fresh beauty.

Her pictures specialize in natural human interaction, a love of people and color. For this issue of Dorado, she traveled to Dunton Hot Springs to shoot our fall fashion spread. She has photographed for Condé Nast Traveler, Glamour, GQ, The New Yorker, Real Simple and Travel + Leisure.

After a 10-year career as an award-winning editor in Manhattan, Erinn Morgan (True Blues, page 32) left New York, and embarked on a 2-year, motorhome road trip in search of an outdoor, freelance lifestyle. Today, she calls Durango, Colorado, home. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Outside, National Geographic Adventure, Bike and Skiing.

FAVOR I T E PL AC E I N T H E S O U T H W E ST

Professor Valley, Moab, Utah

Dunton Hot Springs, Dolores, Colorado

“Truly wild and downright jaw-dropping, this red-rock area flanks the Colorado River, Fisher Towers and Castle Valley.”

“After three days of shooting at Dunton Hot Springs, I’d have to say the bathhouse there is my new favorite place!”

FAVO R I T E PL AC E I N T H E S O U TH WEST

#MyDorado Show us everything you love about the Southwest.

Tag your photos with #MyDorado and we’ll share our favorites.

DORADOMAGAZINE.COM

@dorado_mag @doradomag

/doradomagazine /doradomagazine

editor@doradomagazine.com

12

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Douglas Merriam (The New Beer Frontier, page 42) is a photographer with a passion for anything travel and food related. He splits his time between Santa Fe and Portland, Maine, traveling frequently between the two locales and shooting everywhere in between. As a result, he has an affinity for green chile, lobsters, blueberries and piñon.

FAVOR I T E PL AC E I N T H E S O U T H W E ST Pagosa Springs, Colorado “My favorite spot? Pagosa Springs for the hot springs, the drive to get there and small cafes for great food.”

As the former travel editor at Food & Wine magazine Jen Murphy (The New Beer Frontier, page 42) has tasted her way around the globe and still thinks the U.S. holds its own when it comes to craft beer. Murphy currently lives in Boulder, Colorado, and is an editor at AFAR magazine. Her work has appeared in Outside, Departures and The Wall Street Journal.

FAVO R I T E PL AC E I N T H E S O U T H WEST Dunton Hot Springs, Dolores, Colorado “As soon as you arrive and see the log cabins and teepees, you feel transported to simpler times. There’s no better luxury than soaking in a natural hot spring under the starry Colorado sky.”

E D I TO R I A L

Editor in Chief

Jeff Ficker Creative Director

Caroline Jackson Crafton Design Director

Marc Oxborrow Associate Editor/Digital Editor

Ellen Ranta Olson Online Design

Chuck Rose, Aaron Heirtzler editorial inquiries: editor@doradomagazine.com PRODUCTION

Creative Shared Services Director

Christy Pollard Senior Design Manager

Todd Bartz Production/Pagination

Suzanne Duke Vice President of Enterprise Marketing

Kricket Lewis Subscription Services

Aani Parrish production inquiries: customerservice@doradomagazine.com ADVERTISING

Publisher

Chad Rose chadr@bcimedia.com Account Executives

Denise Janove

Lauren Reidy-Phelan

denisej@bcimedia.com

laurenrp@bcimedia.com

Theresa Monaco

Andrea Vaughan

tmonaco@bcimedia.com

avaughan@bcimedia.com

Marketing Coordinator

Brittany Cupp Chief Executive Officer

Douglas Bennett Vice President of Finance and Operations

Bob Ganley To subscribe to Dorado magazine, visit doradomagazine.com.

Dorado magazine is published by Ballantine Communications.

Creative services provided by Casual Astronaut (casualastronaut.com).

Dorado magazine will not assume any responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or materials. © 2015 Ballantine Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

This publication may not be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means without prior written permission.

1275 Main Ave., Suite 737 • Durango, CO 81301 ballantinecommunicationsinc.com

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

13

DAYDREAMS, delivered.

Get your dose of big adventures sent straight to your inbox every other week with the Dorado e-newsletter.

VISIT DORADOMAGAZINE.COM TO SIGN UP NOW.

14

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

PANORAMA ILLUSTR ATION BY SEAN MCCABE; MOUNTAINS, GEORGE BURBA /ISTOCK; SAMUEL L JACKSON, ANDREW COOPER © 2015 THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY; REMAINING PHOTOGR APHS, EVERETT COLLECTION

A S N A P S H O T O F T H E S O U T H W E S T ’ S E V E N T S , C U LT U R E & P E O P L E

FILM

Picture Perfect

The Southwest has attracted filmmakers for decades. These six movies, including one set to hit theaters in December, are our favorites filmed in the Four Corners B Y K AT E S I B E R

PLUS:

18 | Gear

20 | Craft

22 | Shopping

24 | 5

Questions

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

15

PANORAMA Stagecoach (1939) The legendary director John Ford fell in love with the titanic monoliths of Monument Valley, Utah, while filming Stagecoach, the black-and-white blockbuster starring a youthful John Wayne and Claire Trevor. The Western, complete with shootouts and scenes with Apaches (played by Navajos), helped burn these unique buttes into popular memory.

True Grit (1969) The biggest film of the 20th century to be shot in the rangeland around Ridgway, Ouray and Montrose, Colorado, True Grit is the story of a drunk, grumpy U.S. marshal and a Texas ranger who help a teenage girl track down her father’s murderer. John Wayne is at his rugged, charismatic best as Rooster Cogburn, a performance that earned him an Oscar. Today, find John Wayne and film memorabilia at Ridgway’s True Grit Cafe.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Thelma and Louise (1991) Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon play a Midwestern housewife and waitress in this film about a girls’ weekend in the mountains with Louise’s Thunderbird.

But when Louise shoots Thelma’s would-be rapist outside a bar, they opt for a different getaway and head for the Mexican border. Louise, though, is charmed by Brad Pitt, who derails their plans. Eventually (spoiler alert!) they drive straight off the spectacular cliff at Shafer Overlook near Moab, Utah.

16

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

The location list for these classic films reads like a greatest hits album of Southwest haunts.

No Country for Old Men (2007) Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem star in this Coen brothers film about a man who discovers the scene of a drug deal gone wrong — and takes $2 million in cash and runs, setting off a chain of violence in a dusty Texas town.

This movie, based on a novel by Cormac McCarthy, was filmed in some of New Mexico’s most memorable landscapes, from Santa Fe to Arroyo Hondo.

The Hateful Eight (2015) Set in Wyoming after the Civil War, this spaghetti Western, to be released on Christmas, follows eight unsavory frontier characters as they take shelter

from a blizzard in a remote haberdashery. Directed by Quentin Tarantino, the all-star cast includes Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Channing Tatum, but perhaps even more stunning is the backdrop. Much of the production was filmed outside of Telluride at the 1882 Schmid Family Ranch.

FOUR CORNERS FAVORITES

To see clips from these classic films and learn about others shot in the Southwest, visit doradomagazine.com/southwest-films.

ILLUSTR ATION BY SEAN MCCABE; PHOTOGR APHS, EVERETT COLLECTION

“I can’t swim!” says Robert Redford before he leaps off a bridge into Colorado’s Animas River in a famous scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. “Are you crazy? The fall will prob’ly kill ya,” quips Paul Newman, who plays Butch. This classic Western’s location list is like a greatest hits album of Southwest haunts, including Zion National Park, Taos, Silverton and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

17

PANORAMA

GEAR

Thrills for the Hunt

Big-game season has arrived!

Search out these hunting essentials, perfect for setting up camp or tracking bucks

BY DINA MISHEV

Stay Safe

Simms is known for fishing gear, but its Windstopper Hoody (available in orange and camo) is perfect for keeping you warm, in the woods and on the water. $250, simmsfishing.com

S LE E P E ASY

Hunting doesn’t mean you need to sleep like a cave man.

Get off the ground with one of Big Agnes’ simple and lightweight-but-strong Helinox cots. From $249, rei.com

18

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Find Yourself

Garmin’s high-res, color, touch-screen Epix mapping watch accesses both GPS and GLONASS satellites to quickly pinpoint your location. There’s also an auto-calibrating altimeter, barometer and compass tucked inside its sleek frame. $550, garmin.com

PANORAMA

A Cut Above

The Gator Premium Sheath Folder updates Gerber’s iconic made-inthe-U.S. Gator knife with a handle of glass-filled nylon wrapped in rubber and a CPM-S30V steel blade. The lifetime warranty stays the same. $146, gerbergear.com

H UNG RY H UNT E R S

You don’t need to hunt to enjoy locavore chef Jesse Griffiths’ first book, Afield, but his recipe for venison bresaola might inspire you to. $25, amazon.com

Nice Shot

Field and Street Columbia’s waterproof and breathable Silver Ridge jacket comes in camo, offering lightweight protection from the rain when you’re hunting and a stylish, slim cut when you’re out on the town. $90, columbia.com

Treasure Chest

The stock dimensions of Syren’s Elos Venti shotgun are tailored specifically for women. The beautiful engraving — a classic floral bouquet in gold — is extra credit. Starting at $2,995, syrenusa.com

A one-piece design and rotomolded construction ensure Yeti’s Tundra coolers are indestructible; 2 inches of pressure-injected poly insulation ensures contents stay cool. From $299, yeticoolers.com

Have a Look

Maven’s binoculars impress with low-light performance, edge-to-edge clarity and a silky focus mechanism.

Starting at $500, mavenbuilt.com

TAKE A HIKE

Find more great hunting, camping and hiking goods at doradomagazine.com.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

19

PANORAMA CRAFT

Domination

by Chocolate Forget France. Skip Switzerland.

A bold new confectioner is about to conquer the chocolate world from Provo, Utah B Y D AV I D P R O F F I T T PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHAD KIRKLAND

W

hen Phil Davis talks about chocolate, you’d be forgiven for thinking he’s some sort of mad scientist plotting world domination from a secure mountain lair.

Mostly because that’s not far from the truth.

Coleman & Davis Artisan Chocolate — the new Provo, Utahbased company Davis launched along with partners Morgan and Char Coleman — has what could mildly be called ambitious plans.

“We are making chocolate like it’s never been made before,” Davis says. “We want to get the full genetic flavor of the cacao.”

It is a bold claim that all three partners insist they can back up.

They began their quest for chocolate supremacy two years ago by crisscrossing South America in search of the rarest, purest cacao beans they could find. Now they source their beans directly from growers, including some in Peru who have never sold outside the country before.

And then there’s that secure mountain lair.

“After you secure the best cacao in the world, the question is, can you roast it perfectly?” Davis says. He answers his own question by pointing to the specially designed equipment that fills the facility on Provo’s historic University Avenue. The hulking stainless-steel machines would make Walter White proud. And each has a smaller version of itself sitting nearby.

The minis are used to test each step in the chocolate-making process, from roasting the beans to cooling the bars.

The smaller machines also produce Coleman & Davis’ secret ingredient: data. Lots and lots of data. Making chocolate “is not a guessing game. It’s a science,” Davis says. “No other manufacturer in the world goes through all the prototyping we do.”

To spread the word about their new wares, Coleman & Davis is recruiting a national network of chefs at Michelin threestar restaurants and high-end chocolate retailers. They also organize regular chocolate tastings at Taste, their appropriately named tasting room and store next to the production facility in downtown Provo.

20

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Chocolate: A C&D Field Guide Coleman & Davis produced its first bars this summer.

Each is made from a single variety of cacao bean sourced from the same grower. They are available nationally at artisan chocolate retailers, select restaurants and C&D’s website, havetaste.com.

MADAGASCAR Has notes of citrus and strawberry, raspberry and red currant LA BUCETA Comes from Ecuador with flavors of banana nut bread, walnut and coconut

PICHINCHA Also from Ecuador, this bean creates chocolate with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and coconut GUAINIAMO Dominated by the taste of blackberry with hints

of black currant. It is most likely to show up in pastries CHUAO Combines nutty notes of toasted almond and hazelnut with the tartness of boysenberry

PANORAMA

C&D BROWNIE 6 ounces unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (C&D recommends Pralus) 1 2⁄3 cup organic sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup King Arthur all-purpose flour ¾ cup chopped 70% chocolate bars (C&D recommends its Sambirano Madagascar bar) ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts to press on top * 1½ tablespoon of flour for high-altitude baking (above 3,500 feet) Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Generously butter sides of 8-inch square pan (C&D uses tinfoil for easier lift out).

Clockwise from top left: Bags of single-sourced cacao beans awaiting roasting at Coleman & Davis Artisan Chocolate; freshly made chocolate shavings; melted chocolate being drizzled into molds; chocolatiers Morgan Coleman, Char Coleman and Phil Davis; the final product; Taste, C&D's aptly named tasting room in downtown Provo.

BAKE OR SHAKE

For more deliciously chocolaty recipes, including iced hot chocolate, visit doradomagazine.com/chocolate.

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, add cocoa powder, whisk until smooth. Add sugar and salt until blended. Add eggs one at a time, whisking after each until blended.

Add vanilla, sprinkle flour over mixture, and stir with rubber spatula until blended. Do not over mix. Add chopped chocolate and stir softly until combined. Scrape batter into baking pan, and spread evenly.

Scatter nuts over top evenly and press in gently.

Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out with small gooey clumps of brownie stuck to the toothpick, about 33 to 38 minutes.

Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely before cutting.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

21

PANORAMA

APRÈS SKI

MORNING HIKING

MOUNTAIN BIKING

After negotiating the powdery slopes of Telluride, turn some heads at the lodge with Tag Heuer’s white ceramic-anddiamond ladies watch.

Smell the aromatic pines and explore the ancient cliff dwellings on your next scenic hike through Bandelier National Monument with this camo-inspired timepiece.

Time your bike ride through Monument Valley in style with Hublot’s lightweight carbon fiber biking watch.

Tag Heuer Formula 1 in white ceramic with diamonds; $2,750, available at Bachendorf’s, Dallas; bachendorfs.com

Movado BOLD in stainless steel with a Colorado leather strap; $395, movado.com

Hublot Classic Fusion Aero Chrono Carbon Best Buddies with rubber strap; $19,400, available at Deutsch & Deutsch; deutschjewelers.com

SHOP

The Right Place and Time From the snowy slopes of Telluride to the gallery-lined streets of Santa Fe, these stylish timepieces will have you covered around the clock

GALLERY HOPPING

STARGAZING

AUTO APPRECIATION

Make a Pop Art statement on your next stroll down Santa Fe’s Canyon Road with Dior’s bold incarnation of La Mini D timepiece.

Check out the moon’s current phase and venture to the awe-inducing stretch of road between Santa Fe and Taos for an evening star search with Ulysee Nardin’s classic timepiece for ladies.

Come September, Tucson’s Rillito Park will brim with stylish vintage automobiles at Cars Under the Stars. Mark the occasion with the apropos retro racing-striped Rambler GMT by Shinola.

Ulysse Nardin Classico Luna in steel case with alligator strap; $13,900, ulysse-nardin.com

Shinola Rambler GMT with set of three nylon straps; $850, shinola.com

La Mini D de Dior in quartz, stainless steel, mother-ofpearl and diamonds with patent calf strap; $4,500, dior.com

22

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

GEORGE MAURO STUDIO LLC (MOVADO)

BY BROOKE MAGNAGHI

W W W . W I L L I A M H E N R Y. C O M

WI LLIAM H EN RY.CO M SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

23

PANORAMA Rodeo champs Jake and Olin Hannum may occasionally disagree, but the brothers always have each other’s backs.

5 QUESTIONS

Rodeo Drive What does it take to produce two world-class rodeo stars? Brothers Olin and Jake Hannum credit their dad and deep Utah roots

BY E L L E N R A N TA O L S O N PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH WIGHT

1. What’s the coolest thing about a rodeo?

Olin: If you’ve never been to a high school rodeo in Utah, you’re missing out. People talk about the Utah rodeos all over the world — they’re always amazed that you can manage to get that many people to come together in one place without a beer stand.

24

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

2. And the most misunderstood?

Olin: That it’s inherently dangerous.

Without rules and regulations, almost anything is dangerous. If you didn’t get an owner’s manual and take classes to drive a car, driving would be dangerous too. People just go buy a horse and don’t realize that the animal can think for itself and do things on its own. They

don’t realize that knowledge is power when it comes to rodeo.

Jake: That’s why we put on clinics, so we can help people that want to be a part of it but didn’t grow up with a dad who rodeoed. Just like a football or basketball clinic, they help you learn how to ride your horse a little bit, get some understanding of what’s expected of you and how to do it quickly. When it comes to our sport, faster is better.

3. What’s your relationship like as brothers? Are you competitive with each other?

Olin: We do different events — I steer wrestle and Jake does calf roping — so we don’t really compete with each other. We grew up doing this together, with our dad [ProRodeo Hall of Fame member Jack Arnold Hannum] coaching, so we’re comfortable

together. I know how Jake will handle almost any situation.

Jake: Sometimes we argue or disagree, but as brothers we always have each other’s backs.

4. Olin, why did you pursue steer wrestling? And Jake, why calf roping?

Olin: Initially, we really just learned from our dad. I played football in high school and college, and found that steer wrestling is physical like football — it pushed me in the same ways.

Jake: Olin is a lot bigger than me, and that strength and size helps with steer wrestling. Our dad trained us to do all-around events, which allowed us to figure out which we liked best and were good at. Calf roping is more technical and doesn’t require as much strength. I had more success with that early on and success definitely drives what you’re into.

For Those Who Love The Western Lifestyle As Much As We Do

~

Fine Apparel · Hats Jewelry · Handbags Belts · Gifts

~

Simply Stated.

Classically Designed.

~

acowgirlspromise.com 530-409-5982

5. How do you deal with nerves?

Jake: After you’ve done this enough, the physical ability and muscle memory just takes over. It takes time to get to the point where it is second nature, but you gotta get there. Eight seconds is so quick, you don’t have time to think things through. It needs to become automatic.

Olin: The unique thing about our sport is that when you do have nerves, you can’t hide it. When you’re riding a live animal, they can sense the tiniest fly on their back, so you better believe they can sense your shaking legs. You just have to learn to control it.

DRESS THE PART

Visit doradomagazine.com/cowboyhat for six fresh ways to style a cowboy hat, no actual bull-riding required.

MARKETPLACE

VISIT ONLINE Shop for the products, places and experiences featured in our magazine. Products chosen by our staff and select advertisers.

WWW.DORADOMAGAZINE.COM/MARKETPLACE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

25

OUTDOORS

BE T W EEN A ROCK A ND A SER ENE PL ACE Thanks to its dubious spring break reputation, Lake Powell may not seem like an ideal destination for quiet beauty and solitude. Jayme Moye uncovers the off-season pleasure of stand-up

he mention of Lake Powell, for me anyway, conjures fond memories of a certain type of travel experience.

Let’s call it “houseboat debauchery.”

Under a wide-open, starry night sky, in command of a motorized water vessel stocked with beer, otherwise demure tourists turn into uninhibited pirates.

Forget the fact that we’re anchored on a beach, and that “walking the plank” means riding a slide off the top deck — we’re off the grid, in the middle of the desert, and things are going to get crazy.

Imagine then, my surprise when my friend Melanie, a personal trainer and outdoor

26

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

JIM COTTINGHAM/DREAMSTIME

paddleboarding this much-loved gem

LAKE WOW

A striking monolith jutting 200 feet from the middle of Lake Powell, Lone Rock dwarfs the occasional paddleboarder.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

27

CRASH AND BURN

It is a clear night with a new moon, which means the stars will be out in full force. I want to sleep beneath them, without a shelter. adventure guide, tells me that she recently started leading stand-up paddleboard (SUP) excursions on Lake Powell. Beer and boats and stand-up paddleboards?

It sounds like a death wish. At least kayakers have the protection of being halfway inside a hard plastic shell.

Melanie insists it is perfectly safe and that Lake Powell has more to offer than my limited experience of powerboats and spring break benders. Plus, it’s fall, so the summer vacationers have gone back to work. Or school. Considering she’s living 12 miles away from Lake Powell, in Page, Arizona, and I’m living in Colorado, it’s hard to prove her wrong. So I throw my camping gear into the car and drive out to see for myself.

I meet Melanie on the Utah side of Lake Powell, at an undeveloped beach on a southwest swath of shore known as Lone Rock. There, you can camp for only $10 a night anywhere along the beach — a wide, flat expanse about a half-mile long. The sand is clean and soft, with no paved boat launch, which makes it difficult to put-in a

28

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

ISTOCK

Lone Rock’s sandy, undeveloped beaches provide an ideal camping spot after a full day of paddleboarding.

powerboat. That could explain why the beach is deserted.

I have to admit — it is downright serene.

Melanie has already picked up two SUPs from Lake Powell Paddleboards in Page. The marinas also rent them, but Lake Powell Paddleboards uses higher-quality boards, which are easier to maneuver and balance. We strip down to our swimsuits in the 74-degree sunshine and carry the SUPs down to the azure water. As we glide off from shore, I remark on how glassy the surface looks. “Welcome to Lake Powell in the fall,” Melanie says.

Not only is there no wind, but there’s little risk of an afternoon thundershower, which can suddenly hit in the summer. Bonus.

The only thing visible in the water other than us is Lone Rock — a striking monolith jutting up from the center of the lake, some 200 feet tall. In the muted light of fall, it glows a photogenic orange. We turn left and hug the shoreline to access one of the nearby slot canyons. After about 15 minutes of steady paddling, we come upon a wide opening that indicates the mouth of Wiregrass Canyon.

Once we’re inside, the canyon narrows into a fun, twisty channel. Melanie, ever the guide, tells me that the towering walls were made from Entrada sandstone, dating back some 206 million years to the Jurassic era.

The color, which can range from sun-bleached tan to

NOV/DEC

WINTER ADVENTURE DESTINATION: SEDONA

JAN/FEB

THE UNDISCOVERED SOUTHWEST DESTINATION: ALBUQUERQUE

IN EVERY ISSUE REFINED LIVING · BIG ADVENTURES · LOCAL FOOD · ART & CULTURE · REAL ESTATE · HOME & DESIGN

WWW.DORADOMAGAZINE.COM/SUBSCRIBE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

29

The color of the Entrada sandstone canyon walls, which can range from sun-bleached tan to red-orange, comes from

the main boat channels en route to explore Lone Rock Canyon.

Back at the beach, we have company — a small group of kayakers from Phoenix. We exchange pleasantries and then stake out our sleeping quarters. It is a clear night with a new moon, which means the stars are going to be out in full force. I want to sleep beneath them, without a shelter. Melanie reminds me that unlike where I live in Colorado, there are scorpions and tarantulas here. I reluctantly set up my tent.

The next morning, we are greeted with a style of sunrise you see only in the desert: dark rock silhouettes against an orange sky. I know my camera wouldn’t do it justice, but I scramble for it anyway.

For day two, we plan a more aggressive paddle that will take twice as much time.

From the beach, we point our SUPs straight for Lone Rock, about a 25-minute paddle through open water. I feel a little surge of adrenaline leaving behind the comfort of GLASS SAILING the shoreline. As we approach Lone Rock, Smooth water and and storm-free afternoons make autumn a great time I marvel at its magnitude — the monolith for paddleboarding on Lake Powell. looks much larger up close. We scoot around to its backside and then veer left across open water toward Lone Rock Canyon.

After 20 more minutes of paddling, we reach the red-orange, comes from the iron content. When we pass a entryway — and a 600- to 700-foot rock wall that seems particularly idyllic knoll, Melanie giggles. “I was paddling to appear out of nowhere once we turn the corner into here in the summer and assumed I was alone, so I took the canyon. I realize we’ve just paddled right through off my top to even out my tan lines,” she says, in between the boat channel and I hadn’t even noticed — so much snickers. “I came around this corner and a kayaker was for my last shred of evidence that this may not be a good sitting on the shore reading a book with his dog.” Note to place to SUP. self: Keep bathing suit on.

Inside Lone Rock Canyon, we take our time. We watch We paddle as far into the slot as we can go, about a fish jump and bighorn sheep drink from the stream. At half-mile, before the water peters out, and then we turn one point, the canyon is so narrow that it around and paddle back to the beach. feels like I could stretch out my arms and Melanie looks smug; she knows I’m THE GREAT OUTDOORS touch both sides. On the paddle back out, convinced that the Lake Powell SUP For more of our favorite I concede that Melanie was right. There scene is, so far, fantastic. I tell her not to Southwestern adventures, visit doradomagazine.com/big-adventures. was a side to Lake Powell that I hadn’t get too cocky. The next day would be the even known existed. real test, when we’d paddle across one of

30

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

ISTOCK

their iron content.

Angel Fire

One last look and you’re enchanted forever.

866.668.7787 angelfrefun.com

Leave the Beaten Path Some of the best things that the Southwest has to offer are tucked away in small towns and remote wilderness.

OUR FAVO R I TE F IS HIN G HO LES

3 places to drop a line in Colorado

doradomagazine.com/colorado-fishing

TO T H E TOP

How one writer accidentally summited the highest peak in Arizona

A FT E R DA R K

Up the ante with a nighttime mountain biking session doradomagazine.com/mountain-biking-at-night

doradomagazine.com/mount-humphreys

DORADOMAGAZINE.COM

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

31

IN TOWN

TRUE BLUES Durango’s Old Colorado Vintage offers an expertly curated trove of the Western classics, with an eye for that most iconic fashion staple: denim. Erinn Morgan tries it on for size PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEIDI CHOWEN

ax-heavy, Swing era tunes roll off the speakers. The stairs creak ever so slightly.

Swaths of salvaged 1920s linoleum accent sections of the original wood floor.

The backdrop at Old Colorado Vintage, the Durango-based purveyor of must-have clothing and accessories, sets the stage for the shop’s perfectly curated selection of vintage denim. Stacks and racks of the pre-1970s goods are neatly arranged by color and size — and beautifully organized with just the right amount of space between each wooden hanger.

Proprietors Tom and Carrie Dragt are no less the period-specific part. She greets customers from behind the counter in a perfectly broken-in 1960s Levi’s jacket. He sports a classic 1940s Sears Hercules salt ’n’ pepper work shirt and jeans from the new 1947 Levi’s collection.

“I’ve been wearing vintage clothing for a long time,” says Tom. “We both have an eye for what’s valuable.”

Tucked away in a basement off Durango’s bustling Main Avenue, Old Colorado Vintage defines the term “hidden gem.” But it is the goods for sale here that steal the show.

Beyond the retro denim jeans and jackets, Old Colorado Vintage boasts a colossal offering of classic Old West cowboy shirts and a large selection of hipster-worthy work pants and shirts from the ’50s and ’60s. Accessories — from original, untouched vintage fabrics to kitschy pillows and quilts — fill up every remaining nook and cranny.

The shop’s well-curated and expertly displayed selections come as no surprise since Carrie Dragt holds a graduate degree in museum curatorship from the James Cook University in Queensland, Australia.

Her background also inspired her to set up a restoration and repair area located in one of the space’s purported former brothel rooms.

32

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

URBANE COWBOYS

Clockwise from left: Denim reigns at Old Colorado Vintage; owners Carrie and Tom Dragt; the basement boutique is rumored to be a former brothel; a few Southwestern gems; a pair of 1930s athletic shoes.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

33

“The big ship was when Hogan’s went out of business,” Tom says. “They were clearing out — that place had been in business since the ’30s, and some of their stuff had been in the store basement since 1918. We went in there and were buying dead stock vintage clothing for $5 apiece.”

The other big break: A lot of the clothing was in small sizes that hadn’t sold in the store. “It was great — we were selling it to people in Japan and Thailand on eBay,” says Tom. “We were so busy.”

Today, with their physical retail store in Durango — and a continuing virtual-store presence on eBay as well as a quarterly booth at the huge Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena, California — the Dragts have turned the physical task of tracking down vintage covetables into an art form. “We go to a lot of estate sales and auctions and make cold calls just knocking on doors out in the middle of nowhere in places like Wyoming,” Carrie says.

The dead giveaway? Old homes that seem to be bursting with stuff. “If we see an old farmer or rancher standing out there working on his tractor, we’ll just start chitchatting with him,” Tom says.

“Whether we get something or not, you never know, but it’s fun to connect with people.”

The focus at Old Colorado Vintage is on “anything from 1970 backward,” because “the farther you go back the more interesting it really HIPSTER HAVEN The curatorial focus of is,” says Tom. “They just don’t make clothes like Old Colorado Vintage: that anymore — 1960 and earlier is really when Western style, pre-1970. it starts to get exciting, especially postwar, when everything started to get more colorful and wild with gabardine and two-tone. It’s real classic stuff.”

“If we see an old farmer or rancher One of the Dragts’ most standout and lucrative finds was a heavy wool three-piece suit in a small size. “We standing out there working on his tractor, found it in Nebraska,” says Tom. “It was just the heaviest wool, made for the Nebraska winter. It had a letter we’ll just start chitchatting with him.” and tailor’s label from 1906. We sold it for $1,000 to someone in Japan.”

Carrie also snapped up an early Levi’s shirt in a local thrift store in Durango. “It sat in the closet and we Clothing repairs are approached with great care here — thought, ‘This is a cool shirt,’ but I never really looked at Carrie sources only period-specific fabrics and threads to it,” she says. “Turns out it was a $1,500 shirt. It was an restore each piece correctly. early Levi’s style from about 1910, but it was a different The Dragt duo caught the vintage bug in the early ’90s label that Levi’s used that didn’t say Levi’s.” when they were newlyweds living in Alaska. “We were Another slam-dunk vintage find is buckle-back hopping on quick flights into Russia and buying really pants, which were pre-belt loop and feature a cinch in unique stuff from the natives there,” says Carrie. “The first the back. “Any time we get a pair of buckle-backs we can time I went in, it was still the USSR.” They found buyers turn them,” says Carrie. “They sell no matter what kind for their goods both online and at the Indian Market Week of condition they’re in, even if they have paint spots on held yearly in Santa Fe. them or mouse holes.”

This side hobby would eventually become a full-blown In fact, according to the Dragts, vintage clothing passion for Carrie — and for Tom, who had worked as a with repairs is in demand because it reveals the core commercial fisherman and builder for decades. All it values of a different time when clothing was made to last took was a sun-seeking move to Durango where they and people stretched that quality as far as they could. stumbled upon a closing sale for the Western clothing Perhaps, in the end, this is the essence of the vintage business Hogan’s, which had been a Durango institution appeal in a nutshell: quality, style and value. since the 1930s.

34

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Give the GIFT of BIG ADVENTURES.

INTRODUCTORY OFFER

$17.99 50% OFF THE COVER PRICE 6 ISSUES PER YEAR WWW.DORADOMAGAZINE.COM/SUBSCRIBE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

35

DECKED OUT

The Perch represents a scaleddown model of The Aerie development’s progressive goals: modern design in harmony with Sedona’s otherworldly landscape.

36

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

AT HOME

ARIZONA MODERN Amid towering red-rock formations, a groundbreaking architectural enclave is rising in Sedona.

Jaime Gillin admires the view PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL TIMMERMAN

omething fresh has sprouted amid the red rocks, newage crystal shops and so-called energy vortexes of Sedona, Arizona. The Aerie is a 178-acre private development in the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness, completely encircled by national forest land. It’s perhaps the most otherworldly landscape you can find this side of Mars.

Beyond the terrain, though, what makes The Aerie so compelling is the development’s audacious plan, which aims for more than a return on investment. Its goal is nothing less than architectural greatness.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

37

SOURCE MATERIAL

Situated on a tree-covered ridgeline, The Perch was built with raw materials meant to complement the site, including roughly textured Douglas fir, steel panels, concrete floors and rammed-earth walls made with dirt excavated from the site.

The land had been slated for development into a golf course and hotel, but a bolder plan emerged. “As a team, we believed the land was too important to be graded into another ubiquitous golf course,” says John E. Sather, an architect and land planner at Swaback Partners. “We needed to create a community that celebrated the land and its world-class views through its architecture.”

Sather developed The Aerie’s master plan, identifying homesites “where the home and the land could become one, and not fight each other,” says Sather. “The topography and the trees needed to be deeply understood so in the end the land would ‘win’ and the house would sit comfortably integrated into it.” Swaback Partners also helped

38

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

draft an 83-page document that spells out the development’s architectural principles and also balances specific guidelines — such as allowed construction materials and the orientation of garages — with the goal of “inspiring the architects and owners to do their finest work.”

So far, the vision seems to resonate; all but 15 of the 42 development sites have sold to date. Six houses are complete, and one more is under construction. Immersing potential homebuyers in the beauty of The Aerie, and helping them envision its architectural potential, is The Perch, a modern, guesthouse-style sales office that offers a scaled-down model of what’s possible at The Aerie.

The 900-square-foot structure sits on a ridgeline,

“I wanted the house to appear to float above the ground, as if it was just gently set down on the lot and didn’t disturb anything.”

capturing mountain views to the north through its custom floor-to-ceiling sliding window walls. Two-foot-thick rammed-earth walls, which were made from dirt excavated from the site, are both thermally efficient and visually striking — the clearest, most literal expression of a direct connection to the land. Other materials used in the project, including the hot-rolled steel exterior panels, the roughly textured Douglas fir walls, and the slab-on-grade concrete floors, remain in their raw, natural states.

“There’s an honesty and integrity to what we’re building here,” says Andy Byrnes, co-founder of The Construction Zone, which built and designed the home.

“We’re not plopping a Santa Barbara or Tuscan house

down. We’re creating an appropriate regional architecture that makes sense.”

The material selection is in line with these values. “We tend to use natural materials that express themselves as they are,” Byrnes adds. “Unfinished steel and rammed earth are materials that will age and get their own patina, like how tree bark ages. The goal is to make it feel like it’s always been there.”

More recently, the Scottsdale firm PHX Architecture completed a modern home that takes full advantage of The Aerie’s dramatic views. The clients, empty nesters who love the outdoors and own several vacation homes, wanted “a hangout spot — a place they could entertain SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

39

FINE LINES

Another Aerie spec home employs clean, minimalist lines to frame Sedona’s changing light.

guests and get together with family,” says PHX principal Erik Peterson.

The firm responded by designing a house that lives lightly on the land, thanks to solar panels on the garage roof and architecture that hardly disturbs the site. Four pavilions — consisting of a guest wing with bedrooms, a master suite, a main living area, and an exercise suite and pool — are linked by bridges and elevated on narrow columns over the landscape, allowing water to flow beneath them when it rains. “I wanted the house to appear to float above the ground,” says Peterson, “as if it was just gently set down on the lot and didn’t disturb anything.” Each pavilion has one stone wall, one stucco wall, and two walls with floor-to-ceiling windows angled to spotlight the distant rock formations.

Four years after completing The Perch, Construction Zone returned to The Aerie to build a 5,800-square-foot, open-plan spec house. Like The Perch, it’s built from rammed earth, glass, steel and Douglas fir (and has since sold to a pair of doctors, who use it as a vacation home).

The long, linear structure needles through “As a team, we the existing piñon pines and 100-year-old oaks; believed the land it was built without tearing out a single was too important significant tree. Every room has a large sliding to be graded into or pivoting door that opens onto a deck and another ubiquitous to the panoramic views beyond. Perched atop the pool house/yoga golf course.” studio is a roof deck, offering 360-degree views of Sedona’s famous red rocks.

“When the sun moves over the top of the mountains, the rocks just come alive,” says Byrnes. “I’m not a super touchy-feely person, but the sun is a very powerful thing, and the way the mountain changes from morning to evening is incredible.”

By using the same materials and color palette in his architecture as appear in the surrounding landscape, Byrnes is simply taking a page from nature — and that’s exactly as The Aerie’s founders intended. “You can’t compete with that landscape architecturally — it’s too powerful,” Byrnes acknowledges. “The architecture needs to be in the background. You’re just fooling yourself if you think anything you build can stand up against these unbelievable cliffs.”

HOME TOURS

See more architecturally stunning houses from around the Southwest at doradomagazine.com/design-style.

40

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Embrace the adventure.

Backcountry Trails. Urban Explorations.

Come for Scottsdale’s Sonoran Desert playground. Stay for the great outdoors – go treasure hunting at our open-air shopping centers, savor innovative cuisine on sun-drenched bistro patios, indulge in a moonlight massage. Your Scottsdale adventure is waiting.

AdventureInScottsdale.com 800.309.1428

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

41

THE

NEW BEER FRONTIER

Beer lovers, take note. New Mexico is quietly staking its claim as a new mecca for craft brews. Jen Murphy goes in search of deliciously original IPAs, stouts and Pilsners PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOUGLAS MERRIAM

42

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

PINT SIZED

New Mexico’s oldest microbrewery, Santa Fe Brewing Company serves up bold beers like Chicken Killer Barley Wine and Barrel Aged Sour Porter.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

43

TASTES GREAT, AND QUITE FILLING

Clockwise from left: Sampling the goods at Santa Fe Brewing; Blue Corn Brewery’s head brewer, James Warren; many of New Mexico’s beers are crafted to stand up to the bold flavors of Southwestern cuisine; a fresh pour from Blue Corn’s tap.

44

ew Mexico is known for many things: chile peppers, Georgia O’Keeffe, Route 66, space and, more recently, the hit AMC series Breaking Bad. But in the past few years, I’d started hearing New Mexico whispered with an almost mystical reverence among my beer-geek friends. Beer pilgrims — obsessive brew fiends who travel the world visiting both cult and experimental breweries — were adding New Mexico to their destination short list, alongside popular beer spots such as Belgium, Germany, Colorado and California.

My Denver-based friend Campbell Levy is so beercrazed that he has beer “pen pals” around the world who send one another the latest, impossible-to-get craft brews. High on his wish list are the IPAs coming out of Albuquerque. “They are in a class of their own,” he tells me. “They don’t really fit into a West Coast IPA or any other mold, for that matter.”

IPAs (or India pale ales) are America’s most popular style of craft beer, and the secret is slowly getting out that brewers in New Mexico are producing some of the country’s most exciting IPAs. For the last two years, Albuquerque breweries have claimed gold in the National IPA Championship, an annual competition that pits 128 American IPAs head to head in an NCAA bracket-like contest. In 2015 Albuquerque had three breweries represented in the “Elite Eight” with Bosque Brewing’s Scale Tipper, a juicy IPA loaded with tropical and floral hops, taking home gold.

New Mexico food culture, with its strong, bold flavors, may be part of the reason local brewers have become so adept at making distinctive IPAs. It takes a bold beer style to stand up to or even enhance dishes such as green chile stew.

But IPAs aren’t the only style New Mexico brewers are getting noticed for. At the 2014 Great American Beer Festival, the world’s largest beer competition, New Mexico had the fourth-best ratio of medals to entries with six breweries taking home nine of the festival’s medals. Santa Fe’s Blue Corn Brewery won gold in the Oatmeal Stout category, Albuquerque’s Chama River Brewing Company captured gold in the Bohemian-Style Pilsener category and Albuquerque’s Marble Brewery claimed gold in both the Imperial Red Ale and Other Strong Beer categories. Perhaps most noteworthy, was that Marble Brewery took home the competition’s most prestigious award: Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year.

It seems as if the craft beer scene in New Mexico had appeared out of nowhere. Yet, with all of these

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

awards, why was it I’d still never seen a New Mexico craft beer on tap or on shelves at even the most artisanal of beer bars or shops? The reason, I soon learn, is that like many of the best things, you must go to them — they don’t come to you. “Ninety percent of the beer produced here is consumed in-state,” explains Christopher Goblet, director of the New Mexico Brewers Guild. “You can’t get your hands on it unless you visit us or you’re in a beer-trading circle and have people on the ground sending it to you.”

Part of the reason New Mexico’s craft beer scene is so exciting is that locals have gotten really into craft beer. “There’s a legit, boots-on-the-ground scene developing,” says Christian DeBenedetti, author of The Great American Ale Trail. “Breweries aren’t just popping up for the sake of satisfying tourists — they’re satisfying a curious local audience.”

Walk into any brewpub in Albuquerque, and the vibe is more like Cheers, where the bartender

NEW MEXICO FOOD CULTURE, WITH ITS STRONG, BOLD FLAVORS, MAY BE PART OF THE REASON LOCAL BREWERS HAVE BECOME SO ADEPT AT MAKING DISTINCTIVE IPAS. and even the brewmaster know everyone’s names. Jeff Erway, president and master brewer of La Cumbre Brewing Company, tells me that once-a-week regulars make up over 70 percent of his business. “It’s their watering hole,” he says. Clientele range from an afterwork crowd of young professional 20-somethings to an 80-year-old man on a corner stool with a pint and his newspaper, and weekend cyclists coming back from long rides. Erway opened the taproom in 2010, and despite its location in the industrial area on Girard Boulevard, surrounded by warehouses and parking lots, he’s created a welcoming atmosphere with yoga offered Sunday mornings and live music on Saturdays.

But make no mistake, La Cumbre is 100 percent focused on beer. The moment you walk into the taproom, doors you are smacked with the smell of hops and fresh beer being brewed. Erway, arguably one of the best hop-forward brewers in the country, is known for his signature Elevated IPA, which is aggressively hoppy, yet still incredibly drinkable with hints of pine, citrus and a sweet, malty backbone.

Ted Rice — a youthful forefather of New Mexico’s craft beer scene, and a mentor to Erway and many of the state’s other up-and-coming brewers — tells me he thinks of new brewers as comrades rather than competition. When Rice moved to New Mexico in 1999, Albuquerque had SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

45

OKTOBERFEST, NEW MEXICO STYLE In Taos, Eske’s Brew Pub is known for its festive outdoor beer garden, live music and popular Green Chile Beer.

three or four breweries. Today, there are more than a dozen. “The growth is really pushing us to evolve and brew top-notch beer,” Rice says. “Because God forbid your neighbor brews a better beer than you,” he jokes.

Perhaps no place better evokes the spirit of the state’s grass-roots brew scene than Marble. This spring, the Albuquerque brewery unveiled its expanded Westside brewpub, which boasts 50 additional seats, an indoor stage for live music and beautiful reclaimedwood community tables and large chandeliers made from old wood frames. “We didn’t want the taproom to just be a place to taste beers,” says Amberley Rice, Ted’s wife and Marble’s marketing director. “We wanted it to have all the things Ted and I love: live music, good food and a great atmosphere to be with friends.”

Like many local breweries, Marble avoided the stresses of opening a kitchen and, instead, invites the area’s best food trucks to park out front of the flagship downtown brewery and new taproom different days of the week. Regulars time their visits to eat killer burgers from Rustic Truck, real-deal Mexican street food from Chicharroneria Don Choche, and everything from shrimp and grits to Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches from the bright yellow Supper Truck.

On any day of the week, Marble is packed with locals: kids running around on the outdoor patio; dogs eating Marble’s housemade Brewery Bones, made from spent grain; and regulars seated in front of the taps waiting to try the latest releases and quirky new experiments such as the chipotle-infused Fuego or the rich, oaky, bourbon barrel-aged Reserve Ale. With more breweries popping up, beer tourists are slowly starting to find their way to Albuquerque. “It’s not an audience stumbling out of bars,” says Chris Jackson, founder and editor of the popular New Mexico beer blog, Dark Side Brew Crew. Jackson, a New Mexico native who also goes by “Stoutmeister,” has a team of seven contributors around the state who provide readers insight into the key players and personalities shaping New Mexico’s craft beer movement. The blog has become the go-to site for both local beer nerds and brewers to learn about brewery openings and new beer releases, as well what’s on tap around town.

Jackson, a sports reporter by day, can rattle off where every brewer in the state has apprenticed and the tasting notes of the latest beers on tap in Albuquerque. He’s currently excited about Hoppiness Envy, a collaboration between Bosque Brewing Company and Canteen Brewhouse, which reminds me of a liquid Creamsicle spiked with malt. The beer debuted at ABQ Beer Week, one of the many events and festivals that have emerged in the state.

Santa Fe has long been the heart of New Mexico’s tourism industry, so it makes sense that the city hosts some of the state’s most popular beer festivals, including Winter Brew in January and Outside Bike & Brew, three days of riding, craft beer and live music in May. These festivals have helped put New Mexico’s beer scene on the national radar.

“We’re a beer state up there with California, Colorado and Oregon,” says Santa Fe Brewing’s Josh Lochner. “In the next few years you’ll hear more about us.” The state’s oldest microbrewery, Santa Fe has a tasting room off Highway 14, and a taphouse in the suburb of Eldorado. Though its flagship Pale Ale is still its most popular, the brewery is far from

“BREWERIES AREN’T JUST POPPING UP FOR THE SAKE OF SATISFYING TOURISTS – THEY’RE SATISFYING A CURIOUS LOCAL AUDIENCE.”

46

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

a traditionalist, churning out boundary-pushing brews such as its Chicken Killer Barley Wine.

James Warren, the head brewer at Blue Corn Brewery in Santa Fe, came onboard just over a year ago after working on the East Coast at the New England Brewing Company. “There isn’t as big of a beer culture here as there is in the Northeast,” says Warren. “But in a way because the beer culture is so new it gives us more freedom to experiment. I came here because I wanted to be adventurous and get customers to try new things. I’m making sour beers and getting my customers to expand their palettes. ” New Mexico’s craft breweries are largely clustered in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, but there is some seriously good stuff being brewed elsewhere, and festivals make it easy for visitors to get a taste. Jackson tells me about Comanche Creek Brewing Company, a family-owned microbrewery set in a log cabin nestled at 8,500 feet in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains just outside of Eagle Nest. Those who make the trek are rewarded with stellar views from the patio and beers such as Homestead Amber Ale, which is made in the traditional German old style to give it a sweet maltiness and mellow hop flavor.

In Taos, Eske’s Brew Pub is housed in a nearly 100-year-old adobe home and has become known for its live music and Southwestern pub food — and for showcasing the state’s best craft beers alongside its own microbrews, including its popular Green Chile Beer. Road-trippers making the drive from Taos to Santa Fe are now making a point to stop at Blue Heron Brewery, which lies just 50 minutes north of Santa Fe along Highway 68 in Rinconada. Residents of Taos have been known to make the 20-minute drive just to refill growlers of the seasonal Autumn Sun, a light ale brewed with local hops, or the super smooth La Llorona Scottish ale.

And then there’s Monastery of Christ in the Desert, a Benedictine monastery in the tiny town of Abiquiu near where Georgia O’ Keeffe once lived. The monks grow their hops to brew beers under the Abbey Beverage Company, which can be sampled in the on-site taproom.

After a few days of brewery hopping, I can understand why my beer-nerd friends talk about New Mexico in whispers. Tasting the beers, talking to the brewers, you feel as if you’ve discovered a new beer frontier. There’s an energy and excitement in the craft beer community here that will only continue to grow, and I’m sure by my next visit at least a dozen new breweries will have popped up. For now, I can only savor one last pint of Marble’s Imperial Red and ponder how I’ll be able to get my hands on more of it when I get back home.

NEW MEXICO

BREWERY CRAWL

Chama River Brewing Company

The Land of Enchantment has become the land of great beer, too. Here’s a city-by-city guide:

ALBUQUERQUE La Cumbre Brewing Company Master brewer Jeff Erway is an IPA visionary, while his head brewer, Daniel Jaramillo, is a lager maestro. The warehousestyle taproom hosts live music and rotating food trucks. lacumbrebrewing.com

Chama River Brewing Company This five-barrel brewhouse produces outstanding stouts and porter-style beers. The brewery hosts beerpaired dinners. The Chama River Microbar features six rotating taps. chamariverbrewery.com

Marble Brewery Voted best small brewery in America, Marble recently renovated its Westside Tap Room, which hosts live music and the city’s best food trucks. marblebrewery.com

Canteen Brewhouse Excellent food, such as stout-marinated brats and Frito pie, that pair with award-winning microbrews. brewery.llvicino.com

RIO RANCHO

TAOS

Turtle Mountain Brewing Company

Eske’s Brew Pub

A cozy pub serving pizzas and pub bites alongside adventurous beers, such as Brohemian Pilsner and Stauffenberg Stout. They also keep a guest tap to showcase beers from friends like La Cumbre and Bosque. turtlemountainbrewing.com

SANTA FE Santa Fe Brewing Company New Mexico’s oldest microbrewery has a tasting room off Highway 14 and a taphouse in the suburb of Eldorado. Try the Pale Ale and Chicken Killer Barley Wine. santafebrewing.com

Blue Corn Café & Brewery Training ground for many of the brewers in New Mexico. Don’t miss its delicious stouts and End of the Trail Brown Ale. bluecorncafe.net

ABIQUIU Monastery of Christ in the Desert In the middle of nowhere, monks are growing hops and making solid beers. christdesert.org/abbey_ beverage_company

This pub brews its own beers, most notably its Green Chile Beer, but it also pours some of the state’s most notable craft brews alongside food and live music. eskesbrewpub.com

RINCONADA Blue Heron Brewing Company A small brewery off the side of Highway 68, Blue Heron is becoming a beer-nerd pit stop on the ride between Taos and Santa Fe. blueheronbrews.com

EAGLE NEST Comanche Creek Brewing Company A brewery in a log cabin at 8,500 feet with mountain views, live music and fresh takes on traditional beer styles. comanchecreekbrewingco.com

LAS CRUCES Bosque Brewing Company This microbrewery started in Albuquerque but recently opened a taproom in Las Cruces.

Chips with green chile stew pair well with its bold microbrews. bosquebrewing.com

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

47

FL IP TH E TR IP Bring back a bit of adventure to the great American road trip. Big landscapes, bold colors and the quirky spirit of the Southwest charge our tour from Texas to Colorado P HOTOGR APHY BY WYN N MYER S

48

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

BALMORHEA & MARFA Just an hour apart, these south Texas towns offer two very different types of oases: the Lost Horse Saloon in Marfa and Balmorhea State Park, home of the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool as well as turtles, endangered desert fish and migrating birds.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

49

1

1

1

2

4

3

1 MARFA A major destination for modern and contemporary art lovers, like Beyoncé, Marfa manages to maintain its casual, Southwestern charm despite the art world glamour.

50

2 LAS CRUCES

& MESILLA

The neighboring New Mexico towns have seen their share of cowboys and outlaws, including Billy the Kid and Pancho Villa.

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

3 WHITE SANDS Don’t forget the sunscreen! At 275 square miles, the shimmering gypsum dunefield at White Sands National Monument is a stark, mesmerizing expanse to explore.

4 CLOUDCROFT The mountain town of Cloudcroft is home to panoramic vistas and Nuckleweed Place, an off-the-radar gem that serves hearty, gourmet meals.

5 CHIMAYO

For generations, weavers — like Lisa Trujillo of Centinela Traditional Arts — have found inspiration in the sunlit, geometric landscapes of the Southwest.

“ I FOUND I COULD SAY THINGS WITH COLOR AND SHAPES THAT I COULDN’T SAY ANY OTHER WAY — THINGS I HAD NO WORDS FOR.” GEORGIA O’KEEFFE 5

4

NM

•CLOUDCROFT

TX

LAS CRUCES• •WHITE SANDS

•MARFA MX

5

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

51

GHOST RANCH Box Canyon Trail rewards hikers with epic scenery, ranging from red-rock formations to small pools and rustic Native American hogans.

52

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

OFF ROAD AND ONLINE

See more of our road trip, including art by modern masters in Marfa and a hike through Ghost Ranch’s Box Canyon at doradomagazine.com/roadtrip.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

53

6

6 PAGOSA SPRINGS•

6

AZ

•LOS OJOS GHOST RANCH• •CHIMAYO

NM

•CLOUDCROFT

CO

TX 6

“WILDERNESS IS NOT A LUXURY BUT A NECESSITY OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT.” EDWARD ABBEY

6

54

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

6 GHOST RANCH Located just

outside of Abiquiu, the dude ranch-cum-retreat was once the home of Georgia O’Keeffe.

Today, guests can still enjoy the landscape that inspired much of the artist’s work.

6

7 LOS OJOS Sourcing wool

from local Navajo-Churro sheep, Tierra Wools weaves and sells brightly colored blankets, pillows and rugs at its 100-year-old studio and showroom.

8 PAGOSA SPRINGS Travelers flock to the southern Colorado town’s year-round outdoor amenities, from mountain biking and skiing to a relaxing soak in mineral-rich, geothermal hot springs.

8

7

8

8

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

55

56

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

TH E

A RCHIT ECT UR E OF

S UNLI G H T Aspen’s new art museum is a tour de force that features dazzling natural light and sweeping views.

WILL GRANT finds its bold design is winning fans, provoking locals and tempting a few climbers PHOTOGR APH Y BY MICH AEL MOR AN

BEYOND SLOPE The design for the Aspen Art Museum opens the building to the outside so that visitors can appreciate the beauty of Aspen and its mountain slopes from the inside.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

57

LOOKING S OUTH FROM THE ROOFTOP PATIO of the Aspen Art Museum, the steeps of Aspen Mountain rise from the valley floor.

The patio is trim and modern, half-open to the crisp mountain air and views of the surrounding peaks. The other covered half of the patio houses a small cafe where a can of sparkling Pellegrino water will cost you five bucks. It’s a clean, beautifully-lit space that begs a cup of coffee and time to appreciate the view.

The museum is laid out in such a way that the architect, Japanese-born Shigeru Ban, intended viewers to begin on the top floor (the third floor) and descend through the galleries, moving downward as a skier would a mountain. As a nod to

58

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Aspen’s downhill heritage, Ban wanted the museum experience to reflect a skier’s, and Gallery 1, the museum’s largest at 4,000 square feet, is on the second floor.

The most striking feature of the museum, present almost everywhere in the building, is the incorporation of natural light into its design. Gallery 1 has almost no exterior exposure walls — the museum is essentially a building set within a glass shell — but light still filters in through walkable skylights on the rooftop patio, through an anteroom with smoked windows, and through architectural features that cater to the mountain sun.

In fact, Ban tracked the sun’s trajectory over Aspen’s Roaring Fork Valley for a full

LIGHT AND LINES Clockwise from far left: The museum’s woven façade of thin, rust-colored boards rises six stories; visitors begin on the top floor and descend through the galleries, a nod to Aspen’s neighboring ski slopes; natural light and materials fill the building; exhibits change every couple of months.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

59

year. “[Ban] really liked the mountain light, and he wanted a lot of it,” says Jeff Murcko, communications director of the museum. “He said, ‘I think you have to have a sense of natural light, and it can be done in a way that isn’t a problem.’ If you don’t do it right, you get a lot of solar gain, a lot of temperature increase, a lot of humidity. But we made it happen.”

Essentially, that meant an unconventional approach to exhibiting art because it would be getting large doses of sunlight.

But like a lot of Ban’s other works, convention was not a priority. The priority was the natural character of the site.

In the sense that the installation reflects an appreciation for its location, the Aspen Art Museum is faithful to Ban’s style. He wanted the 30,000-squarefoot museum to complement the natural features of the Roaring Fork Valley.

“I always strive for a unified relationship between the structure and its surroundings,” Ban wrote about the museum, which opened last year. “I wanted to create a site-specific sequence that took into account the mountain views and the building’s purpose as an art museum, and to open the building to the outside so visitors could appreciate the beauty of Aspen from inside the building.”

THE EXTERIOR OF THE Aspen Art Museum is a wicker-like shell of thin, rust-colored boards woven 47 feet high. The wood grid, backed by glass, encases the museum. At night, the building looks like an overturned basket with a light bulb glowing inside it. During the day, the massive exterior dwarfs the diminutive entrance. In fact, walking in the front doors feels less like entering a museum than it does like walking into the ski hill gondola, which was part of Ban’s mimicry of the skiing experience.

The art museum, partly because of its massive, bold exterior, has also been the source of controversy in town. It’s bigger than the other buildings around it, and it’s a significant variation from the Victorian architecture that dominates the area. Additionally, the building was fast-tracked through the city approval process, and many felt officials failed to

60

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

DAY TO NIGHT From top: Architectural features highlight Aspen’s mountain sunlight; at night, the building resembles a wooden basket with a light bulb glowing inside.

SOUTHWESTERN STYLE

For more of the Southwest’s best buildings, boutiques and designers, visit doradomagazine.com/design-style.

adequately involve the people of Aspen in the decision. The museum complied with building codes at the time, though they have since been changed to restrict future buildings of the same size.

One group, however small, does appreciate the museum’s size and architecture: rogue climbers. They see the woven exterior as one handhold after another, well lit at night and loosely patrolled by 24-hour security.

The museum has been climbed dozens of times, and the penalty for trespassing amounts to a citation. But the expression of poaching the museum is a fitting representation of how some locals feel about it: The museum doesn’t speak of Aspen.

To that, CEO and Director Heidi Zuckerman, throughout her fundraising and establishment of the museum, thought equally about what the museum could do for Aspen and what Aspen could for the museum. She felt that a Ban-designed building that featured a world-class cadre of contemporary artists would land the mountain town on the global art map. Along with some of the best mountain recreation and shopping in the Rocky Mountains, Aspen now had a cultural institution on the same level.

“Aspen is a unique community with a history of devotion to culture in equal measure to its reputation as a ski or resort destination,” Zuckerman says. “The Aspen Art Museum was founded 36 years

ago as a noncollecting institution for the presentation of internationally important art and a vision of broadening the artistic dialogue in Aspen.”

As a noncollecting institution, the museum rotates its exhibits every two months or so. From a practical standpoint, that frees the museum from the costs of continually buying art and the need for storage space of collected art. From a visitor’s standpoint, the installations remain relevant and contemporary.

“Since we don’t have a permanent collection it allows us to keep things fresh, and it allows us to engage with the rest of the art world,” Murcko says.

“We can bring critically acclaimed art to Aspen that you would only be able to see somewhere else.”

An example of such an installation was that of New York-based Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang. His rooftop installation, called Moving Ghost Town, featured three live African tortoises with iPads mounted on their backs, roaming a small enclosure.

The iPads showed images of local ghost towns. The exhibit drew criticism, mostly because people felt the tortoises shouldn’t be burdened with 2 pounds of electronics, but it was the kind of evocative art the museum brings to discussion.

With an ever-changing lineup of artists and without an entry fee to see the art, the museum, though hardly an organic expression of the town, contributes to the cultural depth of Aspen. It offers an attraction unrelated to season or snow depth, and it serves a community role that’s on par with the city’s high-end retailers and the mountains’ epic terrain. It also provides a communal space for locals and tourists alike to see what the rest of the art world is talking about.

“One of our primary programmatic endeavors as a museum is to connect people with art in unexpected places,” Zuckerman says, “and our environment here in Aspen allows us to do just that.”

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

61

62

D O R A D O • M AY / J U N E 2 0 1 5

ALPINE OASIS

Fall’s casual style is right at home in Dunton Hot Springs, a hidden retreat in southwestern Colorado

P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y E M I LY N AT H A N ST Y LING BY LISA MOIR

OPPOSITE

Sweater and necklace, both Ryan Roche, available at The Podolls, San Francisco. Dress, Free People, available at Free People, Houston Galleria. Horse ring, vintage, available at Metier, San Francisco.

M AY / J U N E 2 0 1 5 • D O R A D O

63

64

D O R A D O • M AY / J U N E 2 0 1 5

Dress and necklace by Ryan Roche. Poncho cardigan by Free People, available at Free People, Houston Galleria. Boots, vintage.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

65

Swimsuit by House of Tomorrow. Coat by Objects Without Meaning, available by special order at Souchi, Aspen. Hat, available at Madewell, NorthPark, Dallas. Earrings, vintage, from Metier, San Francisco.

66

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

M AY / J U N E 2 0 1 5 • D O R A D O

67

Hat by Ryan Roche, available at Metier, San Francisco. Sweater by Chloe, available at Neiman Marcus. Shirtdress by Caron Callahan, available at Kick Pleat, Austin.

Denim and boots, vintage.

68

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

69

D O R A D O • M AY / J U N E 2 0 1 5

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

Top by Chloe, available at Neiman Marcus.

Pants by Electric Feathers, available at Sunroom, Austin.

Earrings by Ursa Major.

70

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Hat, available at Madewell, NorthPark, Dallas. MIKOH Reunion Bikini Top, available by special order at Bask Boutique, Dallas. Earrings by Variance Objects, available at Metier, San Francisco.

Skirt, vintage.

Hair and makeup: Tricia Turner Model: Gabriela/ Wilhelmina LA

THIS PAGE

On her: Tank with knit pullover by Brunello Cucinelli; earrings

by Alexis Bittar; both available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Biltmore Fashion Park, Phoenix.

On him: Cashmere sweater by Barneys; available at Barneys NY, Scottsdale Fashion Square.

M AY / J U N E 2 0 1 5 • D O R A D O

71

72

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

DESTINATION T H E S O U T H W E S T ’ S B E S T S M A L L T O W N S & G E TA W AY S

Moab

CORY RICHARDS/CORBIS

Writer and environmentalist Edward Abbey called it home. Thousands of tourists seek out its slick rock, epic canyons and Technicolor landscapes every year. Vanessa Chang investigates the allure of Moab

HANG MIGHT

Braving Epitaph on the Tombstone near Kane Springs Canyon, one of Moab’s most iconic climbing spots.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

73

D EST I N AT I ON

THE WILD, WILD WEST

Clockwise from left: A mountain biker conquers Slickrock Trail at Sand Flats Recreation Area; rafting on the Colorado River through Fisher Towers; the timeless romance of the Old West at Red Cliffs Lodge.

equipment. My friend and I had already hiked Delicate Arch and Negro Bill Canyon in unshaded 90-degree heat. Others on the raft had just been on a Hummer safari to off-road this stark area.

Of course, we know there is never really any danger. The guide was more than able to make up for the fact that half the boat had never picked up an oar. And the Colorado River was swollen but gentle from the seasonal rains a week before. The only real danger was from not reapplying the sunscreen.

But for each and every one of us, it didn’t matter. We were in search of the same things pioneers, outlaws, scientists, miners and Edward Abbey came for. Abbey called this “the most beautiful place in the world.” Desolate, isolated and so severe in its dry beauty, Moab, Utah has

My rafting companions and I swing our oars furiously to our guide’s command. A family of Germans and a couple from Florida, along with my friend and me, clumsily wrestled the weight of the Colorado River with our oars. Icy cold water dribbles down onto our skin. After about 200 yards we get the OK. “All right, full stop — good job, everyone!”

A vulture circles over the east bank, and a breeze blows in between the red-rock mesas. A little over an hour ago, we were strangers, brought together because of a chance reservation at the Moab Adventure Center.

And now we applauded one another for paddling as if our lives depended on it. We put down our oars, and highfived each other for not falling overboard or losing any

74

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: ISTOCK, SORREL RIVER R ANCH, RED CLIFFS LODGE

“Paddle right! Paddle right!”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: SORREL RIVER R ANCH, SWEETLY PHOTOGR APHY, TRENT BONA , DOUG PENSINGER /GETT Y IMAGES

inspired movie directors, road-trippers and thrill-seekers who are chasing a sense of wonder and adventure. Along the way, every visitor also comes across the quirkiness of the town that serves as the launching pad for Arches National Park, slick rock trails, and the quintessential American West landscape.

Staring out onto the moonscape-like space from the cramped van of wet river rafters makes the 30-minute commute go by quickly. Soon, we decamped out onto the crowded parking lot, wished one another well in pursuit of other adventures and were left on Main Street, the artery of tourism that personifies most visitors’ Moab experience.

A constant hum of automobiles — cars packed to the gills with outdoor gear, souped-up Jeeps and rented RVs emblazoned with American flags and filled with European families — provide the soundtrack. Gasoline fills the nostrils. This stretch of road is hotter than other parts of

Moab — at least that’s what it feels like to the pedestrians who crawl along the storefronts and wildlife photography galleries looking for reprieve from the midday heat.

Some take refuge in Moab Brewery for a cold, tall glass of Johnny’s American IPA with a side of sweet-potato fries.

“It’s the best recovery meal,” a neighboring mountain biker assures me. He and his friend, both in their mid-40s and in much better shape than people 15 years their junior, wear a light dusting of red dirt. “Porcupine Rim Trail was amazing,” they coo. After about 10 minutes of their waxing poetic, I confess that I’m not much of a mountain biker — I’m in town to mostly to take in the scenery. They laugh and offer tips on their favorite climbing areas off Kane Creek and tell us about a friend in the area who could offer us a base-jumping experience, and then wish me luck among the oversized Jeeps that are bound to block my view.

ROUGH AND NOT SO TOUGH Clockwise from top left: Easy living at luxe Sorrel River Ranch; Sorrel’s farmfresh menu changes with the seasons; the suite life at Moab Under Canvas; a welcome sign for travelers.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

75

D EST I N AT I ON

BLUE MOON

Though not the most picturesque in this postcard-perfect region, the town’s main road clusters the majority of lodging. Luxury has never been Moab’s vibe. The town that Mormon pioneers built has always prided itself on resilience, not necessarily high thread count sheets. But annual visitors swear by The Gonzo Inn, inspired by Hunter S. Thompson’s journalistic stylings and the hippie vibe that permeates the yoga studios, chakra alignment services and Moonflower Community natural foods co-op. The skinny, amiable man at the register approves of my purchase of edamame hummus, artisan salami and carrots (grown in neighboring Colorado) for my snack. It would tide me over for the short drive out of town and into a new lodging experience.

Moab Under Canvas can barely be seen, though it’s right off of Highway 191. From the exit you wend your way around a dirt road to the reception cabin — a tent on a platform — to start the area’s only “glamping” experience.

76

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

On one side, teepees and larger tents are clustered together. On the other, slightly larger tents outfitted with viewing decks and personal bathrooms and showers perch over the edge of the property, looking directly into Zion National Park.

A golf cart takes our luggage to the tent, and we open the flaps to let in some air and cool down the interior.

Inside are a comfortable queen-size bed, dresser, tables and lamps. The adjacent teepee is ready for more guests with cots, high-end sleeping bags and lanterns. No climate control of any sort. Just the elements and the arrival of the cool desert night.

It is like something Teddy Roosevelt would enjoy in the middle of the Amazon. Only here, it is a friendly couple from Chicago who road-tripped in their new Audi Q7. They warned us about the rowdier groups in the teepees on the other side. We watched the sunset from our deck chairs with a bottle of wine we grabbed

SORREL RIVER R ANCH

Nightfall over the Colorado River and red-rock cliffs at Sorrel River Ranch.

For more safety tips visit SmokeyBear.com SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

77

78

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

D EST I N AT I ON from the state-run liquor store and then headed back into the more residential part of town for dinner.

Milt’s Stop & Eat is a diner. But it’s the sort of diner that serves local grass-fed burgers and fresh hand-cut fries, and braises its beef and bison for amazing chili.

It’s best to go early or late ­— otherwise, it’s a jostle with tourists and road warriors for the limited counter seating or the outdoor benches. I’m not sure if it’s this landscape or the elevation, but it’s pretty easy to down a Frito pie (house chili slathered over, you guessed it, Fritos), mushroom Swiss burger and chocolate malt without feeling overfed. It’s just what we needed to fuel the next day farther away from town.

To get to Sorrel River Ranch, you have to wind down the Colorado River on Highway 128. You drive past Red Cliffs Lodge, an expansive and beautiful property that houses a small winery and tasting room. Farther down is the smaller Sorrel River Ranch. Along with Red Cliffs, it’s the closest thing to high-end luxury Moab can speak of, but it’s incredibly charming, with cabins outlining the horse property. It has a full working farm (including some friendly pigs that guests interact with). There is a full roster of outdoor adventure activities. But we are

there to meet up with a friend who escaped Denver to get some R&R. Landscape painting lessons are followed by a helicopter tour of the red-rock spires she painted.

She knows we love good food and wants us to join her for dinner. Braised pork belly, duck breast and other seasonal produce listed on the menu make us oblige.

We congregate in the main lodge’s patio that overlooks the Colorado River. The sun is just starting to set behind the mesas on the banks of the river. Wildflowers colored the tall green grass. I sit back in the Adirondack listening to the water lap softly into the reeds. Suddenly, there is splashing and the distant sound of voices. I looked up. A raft floats past, another paddle tour. Everyone inside the boat sits back in awe of the red-rock walls. Some close their eyes and listen. A few wave at me, and I wave back.

I get up and head inside to the ranch’s new bar. The bartender promises me one of the best Manhattans I will ever have.

Follow us on Instagram @dorado_mag for snaps of Santa Fe, Durango, Sedona and other towns across the Southwest.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 • DORADO

79

M Y DOR A DO OJO CALIENTE, NEW MEXICO

These caves are designed as transformative spaces. The fact that the cave is underground and you feel the earth around you — yet the sun is pouring in — those are the juxtapositions of the two metaphors of our life … the within and the without.

R A PA U L E T T E , I N T H E A C A D E M Y A WA R D - N O M I N A T E D D O C U M E N T A R Y C A V E D I G G E R .

PA U L E T T E H A S S P E N T T H E L A S T T W O D E C A D E S H A N D - C A R V I N G S A N D S T O N E C AV E S T H R O U G H O U T N E W M E X I C O I N T O W O R K S O F A RT

Photograph by Jeffrey Karoff

/DORADOMAGAZINE

@DORADOMAG

/DORADOMAGAZINE

@DORADO_MAG

Tag your photos on social media with #MyDorado to show us what you love about the Southwest. We’ll share our favorites at doradomagazine.com.

80

DORADO • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

The easiest way to

Spectacular!

F LY COLOR A D O Why spend your time in the car?

Spend it on a train, trail, horseback or in the powder.

Easy direct flights to Durango from Denver, Phoenix and Dallas/Fort Worth with hundreds of connections to the world.

Spend your time on an adventure.

WWW.FLYDURANGO.COM

M AY / J U N E 2 0 1 5 • D O R A D O

2

Where the Rockies begin.

2

Adventure that Feeds the Soul. newmexico.org D O R A D O • M AY / J U N E 2 0 1 5