Presiding over Colorado’s dramatic landscape, this award-winning home just outside Aspen was custom-built for entertaining, and its mountain and river views promise to astound all who step over the threshold
Nestled in the Rocky Mountains, on more than six acres (2.4 ha) of stunning mountain and river landscape, Castle Creek is, somewhat surprisingly, just minutes away from the very center of Aspen.
A rare breed of woodland escape, the house is not only a mix of total seclusion and convenience, it’s also a feast for the eyes—whether you are inside looking out or outside looking in.
To the south of the home, a river runs around the property line before turning into a dramatic waterfall. To the north lies a beautiful forest of tall and imposing pines. Every angle of this glorious wilderness can be witnessed from inside the custom-built property, thanks to floor-to-ceiling steel-cased windows that span most of its exterior.
Great stone walls of schist and quartzite, as well as wooden beams and copper panels, adorn the outer walls of the home and line the interior, giving the house an inside–outside feel. As Tony DiLucia, broker at the Aspen office of Christie’s International Real Estate, puts it: “The beauty of the outdoors is truly in the space.”
Hidden from View
Reachable only by a private gated entryway, this showpiece greets visitors with an inviting foyer featuring a statement staircase and the first inside glimpse of the warm-toned stone walls. Once you step through the dining room and enter the great room, the 14-foot (4-m) high windows give the impression that you are right back outside.
The first and second floors are spectacular, with huge private patios—the possibilities for entertaining are endless
“It’s dramatic to say the least,” adds fellow broker Chris Flynn. “There’s not a compromised view from anywhere. In the winter it’s white and beautiful, in the spring it’s thawing and green, summer is magnificent and then in the fall… those golden aspen trees!”
Every guest to pass through the residence will have a memorable experience no matter the time of year, thanks in part to those views that seem to flood in from every direction. With its large number of expansive patios and two fireplaces, the five-bedroom home was custom-designed and built for a Los Angeles couple who had elegant entertaining in mind, and completely remodeled in 2010.
“The first and second floors are truly spectacular, with huge private patios—the possibilities for entertaining are endless,” says DiLucia. “And what is unique is that all of the bedrooms are en suite.”
In fact, there are five-and-a-half baths in this home—as well as a hot tub—and the guest rooms are all artfully removed from the master suite. Thanks to the meticulous design by Bill Poss and Associates, each room focuses on different architectural aspects of the property. From the sloping roof to the clean curves of the great room, it’s easy to see how this home earned its architect an AIA award.
From afar, the property looks perched upon a mountain precipice, presiding over its acreage, which is sprinkled with trails winding through the gorgeous natural features. The sprawling grounds provide the kind of leisure activities that attract nature lovers from hundreds of miles away.
“For cyclists, you can continue on for miles down Castle Creek Road,” says Flynn. “You can bike, you can fish, yet you are less than 15 minutes from having dinner at a world-class restaurant in the center of Aspen.”
There’s not a compromised view from anywhere. In the winter it’s white and beautiful, in the spring it’s thawing and green
Also just a short 12-minute drive away is the Aspen–Pitkin County Airport. If flying privately, it takes as little as three-and-a-half hours to the east coast, two hours to Los Angeles or San Francisco, and a mere 25 minutes to Denver.
Castle Creek Road may be a true mountain hideaway, but it’s equally a commuter’s dream. Tranquil, secluded, yet just a step away from the action. And if you are craving a bit of both, you can always invite the party in to join you for drinks on the patio.
