It’s that time of year when groups are readying plans for holiday events, and employers are looking at how to celebrate their teams. In the fall 2022 issue of Colorado Meetings + Events, we looked at the state of holiday gatherings and found that they indeed are on the rebound. Some gatherings are going big after two years of not getting together or generally scaling back, while others are opting for in-office parties, small dinners, or community service projects.
After writing the article, I received additional information from YMCA of the Rockies that is worthy of mention. The organization’s Estes Park Center hosts a variety of groups during the holiday season, ranging from 100-person corporate gatherings with catered meals, dancing in the banquet room, and socializing next to cozy fireplaces in the Assembly Hall to smaller business and nonprofit groups.
While there are several lodging options, eight-bedroom retreat cabins have proven popular for smaller functions. Individuals have their own private bedrooms and in-room bathrooms alongside a fully equipped kitchen and the comforts of large living and dining areas with picture windows facing Rocky Mountain National Park.
Groups also can participate in fun winter activities such as a guided snowshoe hike into Rocky Mountain National Park, ice skating on a frozen natural pond, and booking an outdoor fire ring for a s’mores party. The Estes Park Center even hosts a monthlong holiday celebration with self-guided evening tours of festively decorated cabins, Santa sightings, and a hands-on Santa’s Workshop, where guests can create handmade gifts, decorate cookies, and more.
A variety of meeting and event space and lodging options also are available at YMCA of the Rockies’ Snow Mountain Ranch near Granby, which offers a holiday tree-cutting experience. Purchase a tree-cutting ticket that also includes two holiday crafts and head out on a winter adventure to find the perfect Christmas tree. Overnight guests can select and cut a tree for free. Snow Mountain Ranch also hosts other festive happenings such as holiday story times and horse-drawn sleigh rides.
For winter fun, check out the 120 kilometers of groomed trails at Snow Mountain Ranch for Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, and fat biking. On the resort’s 5,100s acres, also find plenty of other options like snow tubing, dog sledding, ice skating, and sledding as well as indoor rock climbing, swimming, roller skating, and more.