Joe Ballstaedt of Park City, Utah, grew up in the state, but 20 years ago, he and his wife ventured out, hoping to settle down in a new part of the country that offered a similar lifestyle. Five years later they were back and soon had two homes, one on each side of Deer Valley Resort. The way Ballstaedt tells the story, sometimes you just need a little distance to truly appreciate the things that you have. “The people who live here have chosen to live here; they really want to be here,” he says. “So there’s a great sense of community.”
Residents of Park City may share the same love for the area, but they also share a love for something that they see in copious amounts: snow. It may be an obvious statement, but any prospective ski or mountain homeowner should relish the idea of—in some areas—an average of almost 26 feet of snow per year. Snow removal and management is rarely an issue, but, as Ballstaedt has observed, a late spring with a slow thaw can test the mettle of some residents. “It gets more challenging at the end of the season when people are anxious and ready for summer, but you have to wait for the snow to melt. It could be a nuisance to some, but again, the excitement of getting it in the fall and the anxiousness to ski trumps the negativity of it.”
In the end, Ballstaedt points to a romanticized aspect of mountain living, something that he says feels like it came straight out of Hollywood. “There is something about being in a home, it’s snowing outside, you’ve got your fireplace going, you’ve got your snowshoes and skis right by the door and you throw your skis on and run up the hill and ski down,” he says. “That’s the beauty of a mountain home. It’s movie-esque.”
Park City, Utah
Nestled among the pines not far from the summit of Deer Valley’s Flagstaff Mountain, this 9,600-square-foot home offers high-elevation peace and solitude, thanks to the gated ski-in/ski-out community known as Red Cloud. Park City may offer a diverse collection of activities, including golf, fishing, and horseback riding, but its main draw will always be skiing; and this particular home—perched on the edge of the Blue Bell ski trail—offers its residents unparalleled access to the slopes.
With a rustic appearance thanks to a reclaimed cedar exterior, this eight-bedroom, 11-bathroom home includes an outdoor entertaining area with a fire pit and built-in grill; an oversize hot tub with views of the valley; and heat coils embedded in the driveway, concrete patio, and copper roof edges. A wine cellar on the lower level holds more than 700 bottles, and a cigar room comes equipped with stone table, seating, and a humidor vault. Ownership also comes with Talisker membership, which includes spa and fitness facility access, a private restaurant, and access to a variety of members-only golf courses, among other benefits.
$16 million; Resorts West Real Estate
Mountain Village, Colorado
With 125 trails and more than 2,000 acres of skiable terrain, Telluride Ski Resort offers some of the best skiing in the United States. It’s a proclamation further confirmed by the mountain’s 4,425-foot vertical descent, 309 inches of average snowfall every year, and a wide range of trails for all abilities—from unassuming double greens to precarious double blacks.
Located near the heart of it all is this seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom estate, punctuated by a strong sense of European style and design. The main residence and guesthouse were crafted to reflect the estates of western Austria and the Alps, but with a touch of Tuscan charm. Situated on the largest ski-in/ski-out assemblage available—three lots—this home’s more than 10,000 square feet include a three-car garage, a hot tub, and plenty of fireplaces.
$19.75 million; Peaks Real Estate
Jordan’s Point, Whistler, British Columbia
For a mountain to be selected by the International Olympic Committee as the site for the Winter Games—as Whistler Mountain in British Columbia was in 2010—it has to offer an unrivaled ski experience. For avid skiers looking to the slopes as a place to call home, a former Olympic venue has understandable allure.
This five-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom mountain home in Whistler has an appeal certain to attract both skiers and nonskiers alike. With a construction resembling what has become known as the “arts and crafts” tradition of the Pacific Northwest, and with manicured, Japanese-style gardens, this 4,000-square-foot estate offers a surprising contemporary interior design. A fully furnished lower level with a media room, lounge, and bar; a vast, high-ceilinged, multi-windowed great room offering scenic views; and a two-bedroom guesthouse represent a handful of this estate’s amenities.
$7.8 million; Sea to Sky Premier Properties
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Steamboat Springs, Colo., is also known as Ski Town, USA, but in the early 20th century, the Rocky Mountain community was seen as a summer resort, with travelers making the trip to enjoy the area’s natural hot springs, as well as bountiful hunting and fishing opportunities. Steamboat is still vibrant in the summer, with three championship-quality golf courses, an indoor/outdoor tennis center, and all the other outdoor activities associated with mountain living, but the town’s greatest asset is its skiing.
This Montana log style home offers picturesque views of the Steamboat ski area and easy access to the trails. Viking appliances accent the kitchen, and a versatile gas or wood-burning stone fireplace adds warmth and ambience to the living room. Hickory wood floors run throughout the home, while outside, a heated driveway and walkway make winter snow removal a breeze.
$3.49 million; Prudential Steamboat Realty
Kadenwood, Whistler, British Columbia
Perched high above Whistler Creekside, this four-bedroom, 5.5-bathroom home incorporates picture windows throughout most of the living spaces, which take advantage of the great views of Whistler Peak and the Coast Mountains. Exposed timber is a design element that runs throughout the home, while the great room boasts vaulted ceilings and a mix of stone and local timber. The interior is a combination of basalt rock work and white oak flooring, which offers a modern feel with a rustic, alpine charm.
Set within a private community on the mountain that offers its own gondola service to Whistler Creekside, this property takes the ski-in/ski-out concept to an entirely new level. Two master bedroom suites offer versatility, and a wood-burning outdoor fireplace, private hot tub, and spa-like steam room offer a variety of ways to relax after a full day on the slopes.
$4.59 million; The Whistler Real Estate Co. Ltd.
Aspen, Colorado
First established by a group of miners in 1879, the city of Aspen, Colo., in its infancy, was defined by silver mining. It even surpassed nearby Leadville as the country’s most bountiful source of silver in 1891 and 1892. However, these days, the city is fueled by tourism, thanks to a successful ski resort and an upscale downtown area.
Built on a cul-de-sac at Aspen Highlands and only a short drive from downtown, this 8,900-square-foot stone-and-timber home features six en suite bedrooms, seven full bathrooms, and two powder rooms. A family/media room complete with a billiard table and bar, a spa area with a hot tub, and master and guest master bedroom suites with balconies are a few of the many amenities that this fully furnished home has to offer.
$11.99 million; Morris & Fyrwald Sotheby’s International Realty