Colorado Mountain Retreat: Recharging and Remembering

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A Return to Colorado, With Memories, Mountain Views, and Time to Slow Down.

My husband and I are winding through the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, on our way to Alpina Haus, a short-term rental where we’ll stay for the next four nights for a long-needed Colorado mountain retreat. The road is a little sketchy as my husband takes those curves in our rented Jeep Wrangler, but the views are incredible. I’m excited to start our week in the mountains.

The mountains are kind of my happy place. I love spending time here, taking in the trees and landscape, breathing the fresh air, and looking at the mountain peaks. Everything else, like work and the daily “have-tos,” fades away. My mind finally quiets down a little. And I find that being in the mountains allows me to reflect, recharge, and even feel inspired.

Finding Space to Breathe

After my dad passed away and I had taken care of most of his affairs, I went to the mountains with my husband, just needing some space to breathe. The last two years had been filled with hospital visits, rehab stays, and my dad living with us off and on. It was a mix of stress, love, frustration, gratitude, hurt, and sadness, all while I tried to keep up with work, clients, and family.

Honestly, I would have left for the mountains right after the funeral if I could have, but I waited. I wanted my husband with me, so we planned the trip for a little over two months later, around our anniversary. That turned out to be a good thing, since it gave me time to handle everything that comes after losing someone. You think you’ll have time to grieve, but you don’t. There are lawyers, banks, bills, and all the practical things that get in the way. Grieving ends up on the back burner.

Now I’m sitting in our short-term rental, in Black Hawk, Colorado, at the kitchen table, looking out at the mountains as the morning sunlight comes through the windows. We got to Alpina Haus on a rainy Sunday afternoon, ready and eager for some much-needed rest. I’m still trying to process the past two years and accept that my dad is really gone. I want to remember him as he always was, not just how he was at the end. I’m hoping this stay will help me do that.

Back to Colorado, Back to a Childhood Memory

My first trip to Colorado was in 1981 with my dad, mom, sister, and my mom’s cousin Stacee. I was twelve then. My parents gave me my love of travel. We drove a full-sized van and zigzagged all over the state, camping wherever we landed. My dad had tricked out the van so the passenger seats could come out, and we’d lay out sleeping bags on the floor at night. The back was a makeshift bed. I remember being cold in jackets at night and then hot in the sun during the day, switching between jackets and shorts as we moved from campsite to campsite across Colorado.

My dad had a cousin in Black Hawk, so we drove up the mountain to visit. I remember there being snow—early summer, I think? Or am I misremembering? I don’t think so. It just struck me as so weird, driving through snow in the middle of what should’ve been warmer weather. Not a blizzard or anything, just enough to make it stand out.

A Mountain Retreat in Black Hawk

Now I’m back in Colorado, in Black Hawk, thinking about my dad and that trip from my childhood. This was the first place I thought of when I needed to get away, a place to remember him. Usually, when I’m in Colorado, it’s for work, but I always make time for myself on those business trips. That often means quiet drives through the mountains. Sometimes I don’t have a plan for where I’m going, but I like it that way. Wandering helps me relax. It turns a work trip into something more—something fun, relaxing, and peaceful.

A Colorado Retreat With No Real Plan

We came to Black Hawk without much of a plan, except for a drive through Rocky Mountain National Park. Really, we just wanted to chill, do whatever sounded good in the moment, take in the mountain views, and maybe spot a moose or any other wildlife that decided to show up.

As my husband and I settled in at Alpina Haus, the regular life kept trying to intrude on my Colorado mountain retreat. Work texts, a project deadline I couldn’t ignore, and all those things kept popping up. I even met a casino client in town since they were only ten minutes away. It made sense. But whenever work tried to distract me, I’d look up at the mountains and remind myself where I was.

Dad. My mom died when she was only 51, and now I’m older than she ever was. She passed suddenly, so different from Dad’s. Actually, I don’t think I’ve fully processed it, even after almost 30 years. Maybe that’s part of why I’m here, realizing that both of my parents are now gone and needing to process that is daunting.

Slow Mornings, Smoked Wings, and Mountain Air

On our first full day in the mountain house on our Colorado mountain retreat, with those amazing views, we took it slow. We sipped coffee in front of the big windows, looked at the mountains, watched for any critters that wandered by, hung out inside, and spent time on the patio. The turkeys showed up every day and usually several times a day!  Actually, they were a riot to watch.

For lunch, we headed to Nederland and tried Busey Brews. I had read in the guest book at our mountain house that they had the best smoked wings around. They also had St. Louis-style ribs. So we ordered those too! We had to! We’re from St. Louis! Truthfully, their BBQ was pretty good, though I’m definitely biased about St. Louis having the best. But those smoked wings? Unreal. I could’ve eaten a whole plate myself. Washed it down with an Old Blue Eyes Helles, a German-style lager they brew in-house. We sat out on the patio, music playing, my type of music, like Zach Bryan and Darrell Scott, and finally, I felt myself start to unwind.

Nederland is a small town along the Peak to Peak Highway, with a handful of restaurants and shops. Down the road are Castle Rock and Middle Boulder Creek, worth a stop or a hike if you’re interested. Last time we were here, we found them by accident on our way to Boulder. Of course, we had to stop and take it all in.

Exploring Old Roads and Creating New Memories

We had plenty of time to just drive through the mountains. No matter where you go from Black Hawk, you pass through some really amazing views and those classic winding mountain roads.

One day, we took the Peak to Peak Highway up to Estes Park and entered Rocky Mountain National Park. I had bought a timed entry pass and park pass online the week before. Now, you can’t get in without them, and you only have a two-hour window to arrive. We stopped, took the top off the Jeep, and hit the road.

My husband drove us straight through to Grand Lake, where we finally stopped at the Grand Lake Lodge. Last time we came by, it was closed for the season. I actually stayed there years ago when our son was twelve and came along with me on a business trip in Black Hawk, which we made into an extended weekend. The lake views are beautiful, and my son and I had a bunk room in a cabin up the hill from the lodge. I still remember sleeping better than I had in a long time, with mountain air coming in through the cracked window.

My husband and I walked in, and right away I smelled smoke. It brought back memories instantly. The big stone fire pit in the middle of the lodge was smoldering. There’s something about that smell that always helps me relax. We wandered through the lobby of Grand Lake Lodge, stood on the porch to look at the lake, and then headed back to our place.

We went to Idaho Springs a couple of times on this trip and had Beau Jo’s Pizza, Colorado Style Pizza both times. It’s that good. They even have a cauliflower crust, which is great for us since we try to eat low-carb as much as we can.

Idaho Springs is the closest place to Black Hawk with lots of restaurants. Downtown is very walkable and has plenty of small shops, which I love. We stopped in one, and my husband found a flannel in a tall size, which is rare for him, so we bought it right away.

Idaho Springs was one of our stops back in 1981 with my dad and the rest of the family. Looking through the old scrapbook, I found pictures of us at the Argo Mine—the same place I took my son 13 years ago, when he was twelve. Moments like that really stay with me.

The Wildlife That Came to Visit

On our first night at Alpina Haus, a black fox came by. I didn’t see him myself, but the owner sent me a trailcam photo. My husband actually saw him—a streak of black fur running past the windows while he was up late. The owner said they’d never seen a black fox visit before. I joked that it was my dad stopping by to say hi.

On our second night, a gray fox came by early. We both slept through it and didn’t know until the owner sent us a trail cam photo. I was still hoping to see that moose, though.

On our third day, Chubbs the bobcat walked by in the early evening, with perfect golden sunlight. He stopped for a drink of water, started to leave, then paused and looked back at us through the window. The owners said it’s rare to see Chubbs like that. Seeing him up close was amazing.

The Same Mountains, All These Years Later

My mom put a postcard from our 1981 trip into our old family road trip scrapbook. It showed Grays and Torreys Peaks—the same peaks I see now from the windows of our place in Black Hawk at Alpina Haus. It really feels full-circle. There’s just something special about seeing those same peaks all these years later.

Life can be strange. I thought coming here would help me finally grieve my dad, but that’s not what happened. Instead, I spent time reading, watching the mountains, looking out for that stubborn moose (who never showed up, but Chubbs the bobcat made up for it), drinking good red wine, and just listening to the quiet around me. Did I get the closure I wanted? Not really. I know it takes time. But these mountains have brought me closer. Nature helps me feel grounded and lets my nervous system relax, even if it doesn’t fix everything. I remember Dad in many small ways, and that’s enough for now. Right now, it’s about that quiet, the mountain air, and being able to breathe for a moment, which is exactly what I needed.

I’ll always be grateful for the chance to spend this time with my husband. Our anniversary wasn’t fancy or dramatic, but it was perfect for us. Just being here together, enjoying the simple things, taking our time, and finding peace in these mountains on our Colorado mountain retreat.

To book the Alpina Haus in Black Hawk, Colorado, go through Airbnb.

To read more about Alpina Haus and our first stay, check out A Short Term Rental Home Offering the Best Rocky Mountain Views.

For more ideas on places to visit in Colorado.

• Colorado Wanderer: The Armstrong Hotel
• Things to do in the Rocky Mountains
• A Short-Term Rental Home Offering the Best Rocky Mountain Views
• The Oldest Hotel In Denver