Venue and Travel

Arrival and Check-In:

The registration desk in the Retreat Lodge at the camp opens at 4 p.m. on Friday, May 22th.

  • Please do not arrive before 4 p.m.as we will be busy getting the camp ready!

Parking:

  • Park in the specified area outside the Retreat Lodge while you register.
    • You can move your car closer to your accommodations after registration.
  • There are two places you should not park:
    • The grass near Bear Paw Barn
    • The game field between Elkhorn and Buckhorn lodge
    • These are both sensitive leach fields

Buckhorn Camp and Retreat Center; The Retreat

Ale Site

Buckhorn Camp and Retreat Center is located high in the hills above Fort Collins. It is at the top of Rist Canyon with an altitude of 7,800 feet above sea level. It is approximately a 2 hour drive from the Denver Airport.

The camp address is 381 Old Camp Road, Bellvue, CO 80512.

The camp map is here.

For information on Colorado road conditions, check COtrip Traveler Information Homepage.

A link to Buckhorn Camp’s location on Google maps is here. The last 2.5 miles is a dirt road that is a little winding but not very steep. Don’t be fooled by the first camp you run into – keep going. Buckhorn Camp is at the end of the road. Directions from Fort Collins are below.

Driving Directions from I-25 and Harmony Road in Fort Collins

  • Head North on I-25 for 5.8 miles
  • Take exit 271 for Mountain Vista Dr and turn left onto E Co Rd 50/Mountain Vista Dr.
  • After 2 miles, turn right onto N County Rd 11/Turnberry Rd.
  • After 0.5 miles, turn left onto Country Club Road.
  • After 1.9 miles, turn left onto CO-1 S.
  • After 0.3 miles, turn right onto US-287 N.
  • After 1.7 miles, keep left to stay on US-287 N
  • At the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit onto U.S. 287 B
  • After 2.7 miles, slight left onto W County Rd 52 E/Rist Canyon Rd.
  • After 11.9 miles, turn left onto Co Rd 41.
  • After 0.7 miles, slight right onto Tip Top Rd.
  • After 1.4 miles, keep left to continue on N Co Rd 41/Old Camp Rd.
  • After 0.4 miles, slight right onto N Co Rd 41.
  • Destination will be on the left as you pull into camp.

Travel arrangements

The closest airport is Denver International Airport (DIA). On Friday, plan on about 4 hours between landing in Denver and arriving at camp. On Monday, plan on at least 3 hours between leaving camp and arriving at DIA. 

Options to get from the airport to camp:

  1. Rent your own car or van, giving you maximum flexibility and control. If several folks get together on the rental, the cost may be competitive with the shuttle option. There is ample parking at camp.
  2. We created a ride board to connect people that have access to a car with people who might need a ride from the airport to camp or other places. This will be a self-managed board. If you would like to receive a link to participate, please send an email to registrar@midwestmorrisale.org.
  3. Book a ride with an established shuttle company that goes to the Fort Collins Harmony Transfer Center. We will have our own dedicated van and driver who will do 2-3 round trips between the transfer center and the camp on Friday and again on Monday. We will finalize the schedule closer to the event.  

Right now, we plan for the last pickup on Friday at the transfer center to be between 7:30 and 7:45 pm. This means your flight should land by about 4 pm.

We plan to have the first drop-off on Monday leave the camp no earlier than 6:45 am, arriving at the transfer center around 7:30. Earliest “safe” flight time for the return flight would be about 11 am. 

Companies who offer service to Fort Collins include: 

  1. Groome Transportation 
  2. Landline Airport Shuttle

The cost for the commercial shuttle is around $30 each way, plus a $20 MWMA charge paid during registration to help cover the rental of the 15-passenger van that will run between camp and the Fort Collins Transit Center.

Items to Bring

In addition to your kit, instruments, chargers, and personal items, it is recommended that all attendees should bring the following with them to the ale:

  • Item for the silent auction – if so inclined
  • If interested in leading a workshop, any materials needed
  • Bring enough layers to be comfortable — be prepared for wet and cool weather!
  • Pillow
  • Sleeping bag (or bedding for a twin size bed)
  • If camping: tent and other desired camping items
  • Towel and washcloth
  • Flashlight or headlamp and extra batteries
  • Beer mug, coffee mug, other reusable beverage cup
  • Insect repellent
  • Sun screen
  • Water bottle
  • Optional: umbrella or large hat for shade on tour
  • Optional: power strip for sharing outlets in cabins