Mountainside Ski-In, Ski-Out Home In Vail, Colorado, Is On The Market For $26 Million

There’s no better way to upstage your friends and relatives quite like buying a ski-in, ski-out property as your year-round retreat. Just imagine, you could roll out of bed and get right on a chair lift. Priced at $26 million, a 7,738-square-foot, three-story home in Vail, Colorado provides that blissful feeling, whether you’re soaring down a glistening snow-packed mountain or resting in front of the cozy fireplace.

When you first drive up to the property at 375 Mill Creek Circle in Vail, Colorado, it’s a little hard to tell whether it’s a Bavarian-style chalet or ski-in, ski-out lodging. Fortunately for would-be home buyers, this warm, inviting residence is both. Surrounded by Aspen and spruce trees, the sprawling homestead renders a timeless appeal, sitting conveniently at the base of Vail Mountain and offering covetable ski-in, ski-out access.

Nestled on .43 acres, the homesite includes seven bedrooms, seven full and two half bathrooms. Listing agent Tye Stockton of LIV Sotheby’s International Realty said the home has been on the market since mid-December.

“Properties like this come along once in a great while, and I think the next homeowners — the right family — will see that and realize that if you’re fortunate enough to have the means to buy a property of this caliber and price point, it really is a legacy property,” he said. “ It’s going to be a long time before something like this becomes available again because Mill Creek Circle is the most coveted neighborhood in all of Vail, and this is the best home site.”

The current owners bought a small house on the site a little over two decades ago and tore it down to make way for a new home. The residence was conceived as a reinterpreted European chalet, blending the charms of Old World rustic elegance with new-world comforts.

Stockton said, “Vail Village was really designed and built to mimic some of the European ski villages, and so some houses really stayed with the character of that. This is one of those houses.” 

A cobblestone heated motor court leads to the two-car garage at the back of the home, which was built in 1996 with extended family in mind. The residence is suitable to sleep up to 18 people comfortably and play host to children and grandchildren.

“There are only 14 true ski-in, ski-out properties in Vail, and we believe this is the most exceptional lot of them all,” said Stockton. 

The real allure is that this property is parallel to the Riva Bahn ski lift at the base of the Golden Peak ski base area. Stockton said, “All you need to do is walk out the backyard, put on your skis, and you are directly across from the lift. There is no walking up a hill or skiing down to the lift.”

A custom ski locker room on the ground level with plenty of storage space for gear and equipment capitalizes on the lodge aesthetic. “You ski right into it and hop out of your ski boots,” said Stockton.

After unloading ski gear, a small room offers a fuss-free way to change into swimsuits and enjoy a four-season swimming pool with an indoor/outdoor entrance that allows pool-goers to forgo the cold winter air. A fire pit and hot tub aid with relaxation.

The concept was to blend the indoors into the outdoors, and with stunning views of the mountain peaks, it was a great idea. Immediately off the backyard, which backs up to the Golden Peak base area, are the Gopher Hill chairlift and Elvis Bahn magic carpet that service beginner-level skiers. “Most people count the Golden Peak access as one of the most cherished because it is a little more quiet,” said Stockton.

A few steps farther is the Riva Bahn high-speed quad, which leads to Chair 10 and Chair 14 — long-considered by locals to be the quickest, most efficient route to the unique terrain of Vail Mountain’s legendary Back Bowls. From the front of the home, Gondola One and the heart of Vail Village, with its world-class dining and nightlife, are just a few steps away. 

“What’s magical about it is the homeowners have a nice forested boundary on the parameter, but you have views of the ski slopes, the lift, the chairs, so you can see all this ski activity,” said Stockton. “And then you have this amazing Gore Range view from the great room, master bedroom and dining room. They went to great lengths to capture that view and maintain privacy because they are right next to the ski slopes. There’s a fair amount of ski activity close by. You have that activity, that view and the natural sunlight.”

The home was meticulously created to make use of every nook and cranny. Hawaiian Koa wood shows off its deep, rich colors throughout the home, including the entire main level’s floors, every four-inch door, window frames, archways and ceiling tongue-and-groove rafters and beams, wet bar and wall panels. Koa wood is recognized as one of the finest textured woods in the world as well as the most expensive. Limestone flooring and hand-trough Venetian plaster walls add to the home’s enduring appeal. 

Stockton believes the ideal buyer would appreciate how the home incorporates Old World grandeur with contemporary elements. “In a day and age of high-tech homes and sleek designs, this house will forever be unique and timeless,” he said.

Rooms are airy and intimate at the same time. The serene master suite lies on the opposite side of the great room, connected to a library. The home can sleep up to 18 people comfortably with seven en-suite bedrooms. Whether it’s hanging out on the sofa with a good book or for family movie night, let the games begin in the spacious media/game room. 

“The home was meant to be very family-oriented,” explained Stockton. “The great room has big, high ceilings and is connected directly to the dining rooms. It really lends itself to three, maybe four generations of a family to gather.”

What could be cozier than bunk beds for sleepovers? “You have all these bedrooms and really fun bunk beds, rooms that lend themselves for lots of people to visit, so the kids could bring friends,” said Stockton. “It was just meant to build a lot of great memories.”

The great room adjoins a flagstone deck for dining al fresco. The outdoor living space is perfectly positioned to peer over the treetops at the mountain scenery. Surrounding trees lend shade in the backyard, which features custom stonework, an outdoor speaker system, and most notably, the four-season swimming pool.

“It’s about hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter right out of your back door,” said Stockton, noting that there are only 14 single-family ski-in, ski-out properties in all of Vail. “It’s hard to ignore the grandeur of the snow-capped Rocky Mountains in a photograph, let alone when they loom right outside your door, he said. “That’s how rare and special these homes are. They don’t go on the market very often.”

He added, “I’m excited for the next buyer to get in and start making the same memories that this family has made. It has certainly been a wonderful experience for them, and they are looking for the next family to enjoy it the same way they have.” 

Click here to watch a video and take a 3D virtual tour of 375 Mill Creek Circle, which includes images of the luxurious interior. For more information, contact Tye Stockton at [email protected].

This post first appeared on Forbes.com. To see the original, click here.