Mountain Lodge

Project Summary

Challenged with extreme weather, high elevation, and threats from wildlife, MGAC had to quickly adapt in order to deliver the client’s vision: a building to house culinary facilities, an office, A fitness center, and A spa to service their remote estate.

MGAC managed the design and construction of a new ancillary building on this remote mountain estate set within a private, luxury skiing community. In addition to expanding the estate’s culinary facilities for kitchen staff, building a private office, and creating a family fitness center and spa, the Client was interested in improving the redundancy and reliability of utilities, a crucial feature in the extreme conditions.

The project required procuring reclaimed heavy timber including tree trunks up to 24 inches in diameter which frame the roof trusses. Multiple loops of snow melt were required not only for sidewalks and paved surfaces, but also to prevent freezing of the building’s sewer and water lines, despite these lines being buried 10 feet below-grade. Working and building in the harsh environment, at over 10,000 feet in elevation, with winter temperatures that rarely exceed -5°F was a unique challenge. A 150 kw diesel generator and fuel storage system was installed below-grade to power the estate through utility outages. Early construction efforts were challenged by roaming bear populations, forcing construction staff to halt and seek shelter.