We spent a few days and a couple magical nights at the Observatory at Alta Lakes with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law. Our mountainman concierge, the unflappable and resilient "Matty Ice" was also our adventurous snowmobile tour guide, sharing remarkable and electrifying stories of human history, wildlife and mountain lore. On two of the nights he snowmobiled in Chef Patrick of Wine Geek Food Freak (great guy) for spectacular evenings of 5 course dinners with 5 wine pairings, as we stayed toasty by the crackling and roaring fire in the giant stone fireplace, while laughing, telling stories over a background of Continental Jazz and a good mix of the Argentina/France Gotan Project. Mornings were spent snowshoeing around the lake and area or with a bit of fireside reading at sunrise followed by delicious breakfasts, and afternoons at full throttle trying to keep up with my hilarious but fearless beast of a brother in law "shredding the gnar" on snowmobiles at 11,300ft+. We also had some more sublime, but absolutely magical snowglobe-like snowmobile tours through and above the treeline in a mountain snow storm. The cabin is everything you would dream of in it's rustic and quirky nature, mountain luxury, and perfect location. There is an O2 generating machine should you feel the effects of altitude or just want a bit of a boost. There is a beautiful fully functional kitchen with higher end stainless appliances and cabinets full of all the pots, pans, and utensils necessary for any meal preparation. The two bedrooms are spacious and relaxing with private decks. The master bedroom has another stone fire place. There is even a loft area with bunk beds and a couch, so there is plenty of room for a small to medium size group to spread out and have their own space. We really hope to return this summer and then again next winter for more adventure and active relaxation. Spectacular, secluded, rustic and mountain-luxurious!
Thanks Matty Ice and Nicole, talk to you soon!!!