New Owners Plan to Host Weddings, Yoga and Art Activities
Trevor Phipps
Nestled in the high mountains near the community of West Creek, the Pikes Peak Ranch ranks as a true hidden gem of the Pikes Peak region that not many people previously knew about.
However, the secret is now out, courtesy of recent ribbon cutting and grand opening, organized by the Greater Woodland Park Chamber of Commerce.
One of the ranch’s main assets, though, is the fact that it sports a remote location.
After driving on Hwy. 67 north of Woodland Park for about 30 minutes, visitors first can only see a giant wooden sign at the ranch’s entrance labeling the 160-acre property.
As visitors wind up a dirt road to the top of the hill, the cabins of the ranch can be seen along with its trophy-level mountain views. The lodge and the main event area sit on top of a small mountain that overlooks the entire valley.
The amazing amenities and scenic backdrop of Pikes Peak Ranch, which once was victimized by the devastating Hayman fire, are now receiving more attention, especially for those who like to enjoy events in spectacular, remote mountain settings.
On June 29, the Greater Woodland Park Chamber of Commerce held their official ribbon cutting ceremony to introduce the ranch’s new owners and their plans for the property. The new owners of the Pikes Peak Ranch, Jack and Mariah Hoesly, hosted a large crowd of more than 300 people, including many local business operators, civic leaders and residents.
The event festivities featured much more than just the official ribbon cutting ceremony. The grand opening was advertised by the local chamber of commerce. In addition, friends, family members and neighbors of the Hoeslys were invited to the event as well.
There were face painting booths set up for the kids, along with games, such as corn hole to play. The guests were also served a special dinner consisting of hamburgers and barbecued chicken.
During the evening, the ranch’s two owners met all the grand opening attendees. And after the ribbon was cut, adults and children enjoyed the opportunity to dance along to the live music sounds of the local band, “The Family Elephant.”
A shuttle was offered to take guests across the property, and the lodge was open for people to inspect. The owners and staff addressed questions concerning the ranch’s cabins and available lodging options.
Pikes Peak Ranch Survives the Devastating Hayman Blaze
According to ranch owner Mariah Hoesly, the new owners look forward to re-writing the ranch’s rather sad history. Local resident Gary Bieske bought the property in 1997 with big dreams to create a resort and event venue.
But before his dreams could truly culminate, the ranch was scorched during the Hayman fire in 2002, which at the time, was known as the largest blaze in Colorado’s history. “So, he had to really start from scratch,” Hoesly said. “It burned down two of the cabins and they were able to save one cabin. But he spent the last 20 years being a true steward to the land. He cleared thousands of trees that had fallen in the fire and planted thousands of trees. He built back up the five cabins and really just hustled.”
The Hoeslys bought the ranch in June 2023, with plans to use the event permits Bieske already had on the property. Moreover, they wanted to start hosting private and public gatherings. Now, the new owners plan to continue to rent the cabins on a short- term basis throughout the year. In addition, they want to host community events and special gatherings, such as weddings and family reunions.
Cozy Cabins and Mountain Beauty
The lodging accommodations at the ranch include five cabins and a spacious lodge. One added perk to staying at the ranch is that all five cabins and the lodge come with private hot tubs.
The ranch has their one-bedroom “honeymoon” Bear Den Cabin that sleeps two and has luxurious amenities, including a Jacuzzi bath tub and a double-sided fireplace. The Angler Cove, Eagle Crest and Elk Ridge Cabins all are equipped with two bedrooms and sleep six people. The ranch also has their Wilderness Cabin that features three bedrooms and can sleep eight people. Then, there is the Pikes Peak Ranch lodge that can accommodate 12.
“We can accommodate events like family reunions with up to 40 guests and everyone can kind of have their own space,” Hoesly said. “There is a mix of king beds, queen beds and twin beds. We are set up to do a lot of different events as well as year-round short term rentals for guests like families, couples and anyone who is looking to get away to connect to the mountains, to nature and to each other.”
Currently, the new owners are hosting a community yoga event once a month, and they plan on increasing that event to twice a month. Now that the final construction phase on the cabins is almost complete, the ranch looks forward to working towards hosting more community events such as art programs.
According to Hoesly, one of the main reasons they bought the ranch has to do with the Japanese philosophical concept of Ikigai (“A reason for being”). “It is a Japanese concept that is like two Venn diagrams overlapping,” Hoesly explained. “One circle is what the world needs, the next circle is what you love doing, the next circle is what you are good at and the last circle is what you can get paid for. In the center of that is your Ikigai or your purpose, so that is a big ‘why’ behind what we are doing and the way we make business decisions.”
More information on the ranch can be found at their website at Pikespeakranch.com.
