Wildhorse Meadows Storyline

Foreword:

"Tell me and I will forget, show me and I will remember, involve me and I will understand." – Confucius

 

Telling a compelling story is where it begins. Story and personality drive emotional connections with customers. Without emotional connections, a brand can never have the power it needs to hold the customer. Our job is to make sure Wildhorse Meadows makes an emotional connection with the customer. How do we aim to do this? By being effective in communicating a compelling and memorable story. By ensuring the name Wildhorse Meadows, the icon and design are all representatives of the story. Another important factor is - a unified brand voice. Every member of the Wildhorse Meadows team must have an intimate understanding of the ‘story.’

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Overview:

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Picture a small town sequestered in the shadow of massive mountains. Its quaint main street, houses and the ranches that pepper its immediate surroundings are dwarfed by the huge dimensions of these mountain peaks, but their beauty and severity bring the townspeople closer together. It helps them form a cohesive community, one filled with neighbourliness and a spirit of cooperation.

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Together, this community braves harsh storms and heavy rains. They help to rebuild each other’s homes and give comfort, support and encouragement when it’s required. In short, they create a community that allows them to survive in their surroundings. And in so doing, they flourish.

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There are many towns and cities in Colorado – but they’re not all that they seem. Some try to be more and build their image on a dream with no foundation. Others hope bright lights and tall, thin skyscrapers will lure residents and visitors blinded by commercial beauty.

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Steamboat Springs is entirely different, in that it’s one of the last real places in Colorado. Real, in that, it’s all about authenticity.

Here, what you see is, quite simply, what you get.

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Inspiring topography. Mountain caps are shrouded in clouds and carpeted by pure, soft, powder- like snow in the winter. Rivers chortle over the rocks, promising kayakers a bumpy, exhilarating journey over their churning white water. And a town filled with honest, hard-working people who came here equipped with a strong survival instinct, - and never surrendered it.

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Far from being a one-horse town, this is a destination that brims with activity. A wide variety of musical, artistic and theatrical entertainment keeps locals and an increasing number of visitors coming back each year for world-class performances. Those white-capped mountain peaks hide an abundance of ski and snowboard trails, which is why so many Olympic skiers call Steamboat Springs home. Here, they can pursue their sport with a passion, away from the frenzy of crowds, reporters and paparazzi that fame inevitably bring with it.

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Steamboat attracts a certain kind of visitor. Usually, they’re looking for peace and quiet, and have no patience for pretensions or facades. They come to liberate pent-up spirits of adventure, be it on the river, on horseback, on skis or on mountain bikes. They come to play in a town where the Western way is still intact, one filled with real people who pursue real relationships. And they leave invigorated, inspired and encouraged, planning their next visits even as they say farewell.

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Now there’s a new reason to visit Steamboat Springs, and its name is Wildhorse Meadows.

 

 

The setting

 

Historical Richness

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Steamboat Springs is a place with a long, rich history.

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The first to journey here were the Yampatika Utes, who spent their summers hunting in the fertile Colorado basin. It was French trappers that coined the name Steamboat Springs; thinking that the mysterious chugging sound that filled their ears was a steamboat’s engine. In fact, it was the movement of water through a natural mineral spring. The chugging ceased in 1908, but the name remained.

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By the late 1800s, white settlers took up residence at Steamboat Springs, eking out a living by ranching and mining, and skiing to ease their wintertime commutes.

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That changed in 1913, when Carol Howelsen came to town. Armed with a sense of outrageous fun, he built the town’s first ski jump and hurled himself off it. Later, he initiated the first Winter Carnival to celebrate the season, and introduced the town’s residents to competitive skiing. Some 92 years later, the carnival is still an integral part of Steamboat Springs, and Howelsen’s spirit of adventure and fun remains intrinsic to the town’s personality.

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Today, Steamboat Springs is home to 7,000 year- round residents, who farm, mine and ranch on the land. They also play host to the millions of visitors who come to experience their dynamic hideaway annually, reveling in the warmth of small-town hospitality and the authentic Western character that prevails here.

 

A Place of Four Seasons Adventure

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The majesty of the timeless Rocky Mountains. The adrenaline thrill of dauntingly high ski jumps. The wind in your hair on a long, fast canter over the hills on horseback.

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Visit Steamboat Springs and your sense of adventure bounds to life, pulsating with energy and excitement at the many opportunities to explore the area’s boundless offerings.

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The Rocky Mountains come to life in Spring, their green trails promising invigorating hikes and bike rides. The local ranches can always use a hand this time of year, encouraging locals and visitors to don their cowboy gear for a day and join the cattle drive.

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In summer, the Yampa River beckons, promising a thrilling journey down the white-water rapids on kayak. Colorado’s last undimmed, major river, the Yampa is swollen with spring runoff in May and June, its 60-plus rapids swirling furiously. In calmer months, it’s a place where children hunt for fish in the shallows, while fly fishermen cast their lines in a graceful arabesque, in search of rainbow trout.

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Come winter, Steamboat Springs becomes a wonderland of ice and snow, its cottonwood trees embraced by frost. The tall mountain peaks of the Rockies are decked in fine powder, offering 128 trails and close to 3,000 acres of perfect ski terrain.

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Some explore these routes by dog sled, driving a team of energetic Alaskan Huskies along backcountry trails. Others choose to race down the hills on snowboards, to tread gingerly on snowshoes or to test their mettle with a ski jump at Howelsen Hill.

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Whatever the contours of your sense of adventure, Steamboat Springs is a place brimming with possibility, one that knows no lethargy.

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A culture of excellence

Home to a thriving artistic and musical community, Steamboat Springs is a town devoid of pretentiousness and exclusivity. Here, culture is a way of life, the joy of music and the arts is something to be relished and shared, and world- class performances pepper the calendar year- round.

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The many cultural offerings at Steamboat Springs offer locals and residents a way of experiencing the proud traditions of ranching and the Western way of life, while fully appreciating the beauty of many genres of culture, from classical to ballet, history to literature and opera to dramatic theatre.

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Some come for the Strings in the Mountains Music Festival, an annual summer event that inspires thousands of listeners with spellbinding, world-class performances featuring the country’s top maestros.

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Visit the galleries or take in an art show and see how the magnificence of Steamboat Springs and its mountainous surroundings have inspired the town’s talented artistic community.

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Meet the author of your favorite book at the annual literary sojourn, or treat yourself to an artistic retreat in the fall, where you can pursue your passion for art, writing or music in the shadow of the Rockies.

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Take in a performance from the Steamboat Dance Theatre, or the local Springs Chamber Orchestra, or witness a production by the Steamboat Community Players.

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Whatever your cultural preference, Steamboat Springs caters effortlessly to the arts. Its setting provides the inspiration, while its locals offer their talent. The result is a unique, unrivalled cultural experience performed with finesse.

 

 

THEMES

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The place: its buildings and landscapes; its people and soul.

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Each structure has a story to tell. Though the community at Wildhorse Meadows is a new addition to Steamboat Springs, its architects determined their story would be woven into the very fabric of the development’s design, marrying old with new and preserving the town’s rich history and distinctly Western way of life.

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A rustic bridge forms the entry to the community of Wildhorse Meadows, its well-worn, rugged appearance suggesting that this is a place of real life, rather than a fairy-tale resort.

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The historical railroad of Steamboat Springs, as well as the town’s legacy of ranching and mining, have been carefully incorporated into the architectural massing and detail of Wildhorse Meadows. And the old barn and general store, located on the development site, have been meticulously preserved and integrated into the new development.

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The result is a unique synthesis of style that pays tribute to Steamboat Springs’ history. At the same time, Wildhorse Meadows enhances the town’s very composition, creating a cohesive, integrated residential community with a unique language of Colorado alpine architecture.

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TENSION:

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How many times does our buyer say, "I just need to get away from it all?" This phrase is one of great importance to them. What is it saying? It is conveying a desire for privacy, rejuvenation and family time. It could range from any one of the common pressures of everyday life, stress from work, daily responsibilities, in fact any kind they experience.

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Our buyers want to invest in the places and products that promise family togetherness, personal enrichment and well-rounded living. They fear anything that will lead them a stray.

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RESOLUTION:

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Wildhorse Meadows is a much-needed retreat

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Nothing brings a family closer together than taking them far away. Something amazing happens when families spend time together. Bonds are built. Secrets are shared. Passions are pursued. It's the opportunity to reconnect as a family and savor the most primal relationships we have. These are the memories that last a lifetime.

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Wildhorse Meadows way of life.

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Hours away from busy, urban life our buyer will discover Wildhorse Meadows, a secluded refuge, a haven of natural tranquility in which to relax and recharge. Here they’ll surrender to this sanctuary of personal comfort and escape from the hectic pace of everyday living. The wealth of beautiful, natural surroundings and the warm environment of Wildhorse Meadows will only add to the pleasure of living here.

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Simple, uncomplicated life.

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It may be a family barbecue in the backyard of their magnificent Wildhorse Meadows home, enjoying the champagne powder on Mount Werner, fishing in the Yampa River or galloping through the open fields on a silver stallion, family vacations strengthen bonds and give future generations a legacy to build on.

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