The Swinging 70s Vibes Live On At Colorado's Grooviest New Ski Resort

From its humble beginnings as a mode of transport in snowy mountains, skiing has evolved into a high-profile, sometimes ostentatious affair. For those old enough to know, the 1950s to the 1970s are fondly remembered as the golden age of American skiing, when the focus was more on opening up the sport to a diverse crowd and a burgeoning counterculture movement centered on "ski-bums" and powder skiing. For those who bemoan the end of that era, worry not! The groovy vibes of 1970s ski culture are "stayin' alive, stayin' alive" at a new ski resort in Winter Park, Colorado.

The A-Frame Club is a new resort by Zeppelin Development that capitalizes on a growing call for 'the old ways' of skiing. In stark contrast to the mansions and towers of today, A-Frame Club features — you guessed it — 31 A-frame cabins, harkening back to the popular ski resorts of the '70s, when simple wooden constructions dominated. Even though Colorado has established itself as a top destination for luxurious winter vacations, many wish to return to the days when skiing was a simpler affair, without the fuss and frills of today. "A-Frame Club is taking mountain hospitality back to the heyday for skiing in the '70s and '80's that I grew up with," says Kyle Zeppelin, founder of Zeppelin Hospitality (via Colorado Homes and Lifestyles)

With cabins clustered in a serene locale, the A-Frame Club is a great way to see why Colorado became known as the premier skiing destination in America. It sits right next to Winter Park Ski Resort, so the gondola is only a short ride away. The resort also features a restaurant and bar set up in a historic saloon building and a patio with mountain views for some après ski mingling.

The A-Frame Club doesn't believe in going halfway in their recreation of 1970s ski resorts. Everything from the design and layout of the cabins to the colors and accents of the interiors mirrors the ski cabins of the '70s and '80s. Wunder Werkz, the brain behind the cabins' interior design, mentions on their website that "classic ads, 1950s-70s lodge design, and mid-century typographic motifs drove [their] design decisions."

Stepping into the large A-Frame cabins is like stepping 50 years into the past, with a hint of modernization in the amenities and service. The ground floor of each 475-square-foot cabin features a living room, a kitchenette, a bathroom, and an outdoor deck. Climb up a steep set of stairs to the loft bedroom featuring a king-size bed and freestanding porcelain soaking tub, complete with a set of tall, floor-to-ceiling windows for natural sunlight. Skylab Architecture, the designers of the project, also constructed the cabins with materials reminiscent of 1970s ski lodges, featuring warm cedar and birch panels, custom millwork, and metal roofs. They then complemented the wood tones with orange and green accents, geometric patterned carpets, and vintage furnishings, including a Malm fireplace, bringing back the vivid pops of color that characterized the '70s.

The cabins are arranged on a series of boardwalks connected to the central Saloon and in-house restaurant, The Grill, serving delicious French cuisine. Embracing the spirit of a winter wonderland escape, the boardwalks are also arranged in geometric patterns that resemble snowflakes. A review from Glamptuary mentioned the A-Frame Club often brings in a DJ on the weekends, leading to "an impromptu dance party" at the Saloon and outdoor patio.

Perhaps the best thing about the A-Frame Club is its location. While it isn't a ski-in ski-out resort, it's still easy for guests to get to Winter Park Ski Resort nearby. The gondola is less than a mile from the A-Frame Club, but regular skiers know that it's a pain to walk in heavy skis. Instead, the easier option is to take the shuttle that picks you up from right outside the resort. The resort also offers ski tune-ups, and there's a ski rental shop next door to the Saloon.

Getting to the A-Frame Club is also less of a hassle than you might expect. While Interstate 70 is always crowded during the ski season, you can skip the traffic by taking the Amtrak Winter Park Express ski train from Denver (66 miles away), which brings you right to the base of Winter Park Ski Resort, next to the gondola. From the Amtrak station, it's approximately half a mile to the A-Frame Club. You can check in any time after 4 p.m., and checkout is at 11 a.m.

While the A-Frame Club isn't affiliated with Winter Park Ski Resort, visitors with an Ikon Pass can still hit the slopes during their stay. Once the slopes close in the evening, the A-Frame Club's restaurant and patio become packed with guests enjoying themselves and getting to know each other after a long day of skiing. Afterwards, you can head back to your cabin and curl up near the cozy fireplace with your pets, or sink into the king-sized bed to sleep. The A-Frame club even has boot heaters in each cabin, so hang up your boots to get them warm and toasty for the next day's ski trip.