The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch

Private powder is what many skiers dream of but the fact is that there are just a handful of private ski mountains in the United States. The Yellowstone Club in Montana, a ski and golf community getaway for high rollers, is probably the most famous. The Cimarron Mountain Club opened in Colorado just last year and has space for a few privileged families. Up in Vermont, the quietly luxurious Twin Farms has six groomed ski slopes on its property that are reserved for guests.

Green Mountain The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch

Now it’s Wyoming’s turn. The Brush Creek Ranch Luxury Collection, which is the name of a rarefied collection of historic guest ranches set on a 30,000-acre working cattle ranch outside of Saratoga, has acquired a private mountain retreat called Green Mountain that will open exclusively for Brush Creek Ranch guests in December.

The Bar at the Lodge The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch

Brush Creek Ranch has become something of a celebrity haven and is located in the Platte River Valley, set between the Sierra Madre Mountain Range and the million-acre Medicine Bow National Forest. It is Wyoming writ large and luxury writ even larger. The property, which opened in 2010 and has slowly expanded ever since, consists of several ranches, created as all-inclusive and designed to appeal to those who like their Western retreats impeccably outfitted. It starts with The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch, a family-oriented luxury lodge. Magee Homestead has just 12 residences and suites, a Relais & Châteaux property designed for adults-only romantic and wellness vacations. The French Creek Sportsmen’s Club is for Wyoming hunting and fishing experiences. This summer, The Farm at Brush Creek opened, offering nine immersive culinary experiences steeped in a seed-to-table philosophy.

Green Mountain is located about 25 minutes from The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch, which was just named the No. 2 Hotel in the World and No. 1 Resort in the U.S. in the 2019 Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards.

Green Mountain is a private mountain retreat, surrounded by National Forest lands. To access Green Mountain, guests must take a snowcat the last four miles of the journey.

To be sure, it is not destination skiing. What the owners say is that it makes the Brush Creek experience truly four seasons.

Cross-county skiing at Green Mountain Jack Schroeder/ The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch

Ownership of the mountain allows the resort to offer downhill skiing and snowboarding, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and tubing. The Green Mountain experience will include round-trip transfers, instruction/guide, lunch and après ski. Equipment rental will be available as well.  

Crowds will not be an issue. There will be a maximum of 30 skiers/snowboarders allowed on the mountain at a given time. Lift lines are also not a problem, since guests will ascend the 1,100 feet of vertical via snowcat. There’s both groomed and backcountry terrain to explore, with beginner’s terrain and double black diamonds. Note that there are also four surface lifts in the planning stages.

Green Mountain also features more than 20 miles of cross-country skiing and snowmobiling trails, and endless snowshoeing. For younger visitors, there’s snow tubing and there will be four yurts erected for après ski enjoyment. Green Mountain is expected to open, assuming the snow is decent, on December 20, 2019.

Given the new winter options, The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch will be open for winter guests from December 19, 2019 through January 5, 2020; and from February 13 through April 12, 2020. The all-inclusive winter rates at The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch bundle accommodations, gourmet meals, Brush Creek Ranch-crafted beers, spirits and wines and on-ranch experiences. Pricing is exclusive of spa treatments, private lessons, a la carte excursions and select experiences, reserve list of alcohol and special menu offerings at The Farm. A two-night minimum stay is required. Rates are subject to a 23% Ranch Fee that covers all applicable taxes and gratuities.