Bachelor Gulch, Colorado - Winter Ski Trip

I just want to start this off by saying if you are ever thinking of a ski trip with your friends you should book it!! I would say that Bachelor Gulch is better for an advanced beginner to intermediate skier, not as novice friendly as other destinations. However, Beaver Creek is easy to get to with Beaver Creek Connect that has multiple shuttle stops along the village.

Where we stayed…

The Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch has the ultimate mountain lodge vibe with a large fireplace in the great room. Everything about the resort gives a luxurious mountain experience that isn’t too crowded. The staff at the Ritz Carlton is always so friendly and really complements your stay. It was our anniversary and waiting for us in our room was a bottle of prosecco and a beautiful arrangement of chocolates made by the pastry chef. It’s the little things like that that make the Ritz Carlton extra special.

A major accommodation for me on a ski trip is proximity to the lift, ski-in ski-out, and a ski concierge. Basically, anything to make my life easier because this Florida girl is not used to carrying around skies and boots. The ski rental facility is located right inside the hotel, you can fill out the rental ahead of time. Once you get fitted they hand your boots to the ski concierge who will store them for you. You put your boots on inside then step outside to get your skies, and then the lift is right there. There is a magic carpet and small bunny hill as well to practice your skills if it’s been awhile. The lift line was never very long because the only resort using it is the Ritz Carlton and the residences.

If après ski is more the vibe you are looking for then the Ritz has that too!! Two outdoor bars, plenty of seating, a fire pit, heaters and a DJ create the best atmosphere!! This was definitely our afternoon highlight each day! Grab drinks from the bar and a smores kit from the front desk for the perfect post ski snack.

Where we ate…

The Ritz has three restaurants inside and a sleigh ride that takes you up to Zach’s Cabin so actually four restaurants all within the area of Bachelor Gulch. Read on to see a description and some menu options you must order.

WYLD

This is where we ate breakfast every morning and had our first dinner. I put this first because I highly recommend!! This was our favorite meal in this area and in the top 3 of the entire trip. I ordered the fish special which was a pan seared Mediterranean fish with a truffle cream sauce. It was to die for!! My friend ordered the chicken which also looked and tasted amazing. And our husbands split the duck carnitas for two. Again, it was delicious. My husband still talks about the duck to this day. All of their desserts are very unique. We ordered the Textures of Pear and Caramel Apple; both were almost too beautiful to eat, but I’m glad we did. Another night my husband and I ordered the Textures of Banana in the great room and it was the perfect amount of chocolate. None of the desserts were too heavy so that was great after the AMAZING meal we just consumed.

Zach’s Cabin

If you stay in or near Bachelor Gulch then Zach’s Cabin should be on your list. This is a total mountain dining experience. You check in in the lobby of the Ritz and a snowcat drawn sleigh will take you up the mountain to the cabin. Dress accordingly, and heels are not recommended. There is a coat check section when you arrive to hang up all your winter gear. The menu is German inspired with a Colorado mountain flare. If you’re anything like me and love to eat wild game then definitely order the elk tenderloin as your main dish. Our table started with the cheese fondue because you can’t go to the mountains and not get fondue. Two of our guests ordered the schnitzel and loved it, one got the trout and the other the pork. And my husband is a short rib lover so that’s what he ordered, he really liked it but still was obsessed with the duck from the night before. For dessert, I kept seeing something that resembled a crepe go by so I knew I needed whatever that was. It was not a crepe but instead was an apple strudel that was amazing!!

Buffalo’s

Another restaurant inside the Ritz Carlton with the entrance just off the great room. We only ate here for lunch so I can’t speak to the dinner menu, but it looked good as well. I think we ate lunch here almost every day. After the first ski day we ordered some nachos for the table and they were so good we had them again the second day. We went down for drinks and an app one night while we waited for a late dinner reservation and ordered the brussel sprouts per the bar tender’s recommendation. He said “they are life changing” and he was right!! These were so good I want to try to replicate them, but I don’t know where to begin. I could eat three orders of those just for my meal.

Sakaba

It was delicious but the portions are small, so if you are a hungry person then grab an app before. The menu is a la carte and the sushi menu isn’t as large as you might see at your favorite sushi restaurant. We ordered a few hot and cold plates to share; my husband got a sushi roll, and I ordered some nigiri. We probably spent the most money here in relation to the portions of food we got. The ramen was probably the one menu item that you got the most for the price. The Miso Eggplant was very good and I do highly recommend. Overall Sakaba was a good restaurant and convenient inside the hotel but if you’re limited on days I would skip.

Under my Vail and Beaver Creek posts you will see other restaurant recommendations.

Things to do…

Obviously, skiing in the winter rates top of the list. There is a lift right outside the back door. The ski rental shop is on the lobby level, and you can request private ski lessons that can be accessed from the hotel. For non-skiers there are some activities such as a snow shoe hiking and the concierge will be more than happy to arrange.

My two favorite non-skiing activities were the spa and shopping in Beaver Creek Village.Below I will detail the Ritz Carlton Spa and the services that we got.For Beaver Creek shopping see the Beaver Creek post.There is the Beaver Creek Connect that can take you to the village it is easy to arrange with the downloaded app.

The Ritz Carlton Spa

I go to my local Ritz spa and have always loved the whole experience, but this was my first spa visit on vacation.It will not be my last.What I love about Ritz spas is the relaxation areas that are located within the locker rooms.Within the female only area they had the lockers, a couple of relaxing pools, a sauna and steam room and a relaxation area to wait for your service with snacks and teas.This was a great place to read my book while waiting for my husband.In the co-ed area there is the grotto which is basically a pool size hot tub, waterfall and some lounge chairs.The whole room has a rock cave vibe and is warm and steamy.We visited the grotto every day after skiing.Another bonus of staying in the hotel is you have access to the spa amenities every day.For my services I chose the oxygen hydration facial where they use hyperbaric oxygen.My skin appreciated it with the dry Colorado weather.I also got the relaxation massage.This is the perfect massage for someone who likes a light pressure.Huge believer that a massage is needed after skiing all week!!My husband prefers a deeper pressure so chose the deep tissue massage.One may choose a male or female therapist.