Hidden Mine Ranch · Crested Butte, Colorado
Whetstone Retreat
An all-electric modern alpine retreat tucked into spruce and aspen at the base of Whetstone Mountain.
Built for a Front Range couple chasing a deeper tie to nature and family, this retreat sits at the end of a quiet road with trail access out the door. A small footprint that lives large, designed for calm.
A walk through the home and its setting at the base of Whetstone Mountain.
Vaulted Great Room
South-facing glass frames aspen meadows and the rocky peaks beyond from a soaring central living space.
Indoor and Outdoor Living
Operable glazing and forest-facing patios dissolve the line between the great room and the woods.
All-Electric, High Performance
Air-to-water heat pumps, a solar array, and thermally broken windows keep it comfortable year round.
The plan is linear and light-filled, stepping up with the slope of the land. It carries you from shared gathering spaces toward quiet private rooms at the far end, with a vaulted central living area anchoring the home and opening south to aspen meadows and rugged peaks. Calm, connection, and unbroken mountain sightlines drive every decision.
Performance is built into the bones. A detached solar array and thermally broken window assemblies do the quiet work, while light glulam beams and dark cedar siding play off the contrast of the forest. Stone columns root the house firmly to its setting.
A clever double-column structural system pulls columns off the wall so the glass can run unbroken. A dedicated listening room doubles as an office with a seamless step out to a work patio, and tucked-away meditation spaces leave room for solitude in the trees. A modern alpine retreat that reflects how its owners actually want to live.
The Details
What Makes It Special
Site and Form
- Linear plan that follows the natural slope of the site
- Vaulted great room with panoramic Whetstone Mountain views
- Double-column structure that frees the glass to run unbroken
Living
- Seamless indoor and outdoor flow through operable glazing and forest patios
- Listening room and home office with direct access to an outdoor workspace
Performance
- All-electric heating with air-to-water heat pumps
- Adjacent photovoltaic array supplies the home's power
- A grounding palette of glulam, stone, and cedar
The Project
Specs and Credits
The Architect
Freestyle Architects
Freestyle Architects is an architecture firm that combines a passion for enduring beauty with a deep understanding of high-performance building design. Our inspiration is our breathtaking mountain landscape, and our mission is to design spaces that deepen your connection to it.
Crested Butte Based · Residential and Commercial · LEED Accredited
Karen (970) 596-9586
Jim (970) 596-8126