Do you enjoy strapping on a pair of ice skates (yep, even in the summer), shredding singletrack, wolfing down an Angus burger (on brioche with bacon, jack, guac, and onion rings) and a pint of local ale, and scoring front-row seats at a Robert Cray concert? How about all of those, in that order, on the same day?

Few places in the world blend nature and culture like Beaver Creek does—and, absent the occasional outdoor food and music festival, without the crowds. But the Beav is not so suave that residents can’t knock back a sublime Dusty Boot margarita (or two) or grab a slice at the Blue Moose and yodel with Helmut Fricker (the resident Austrian entertainer).

“Beaver Creek’s changed a bit from its rural beginnings,” says Dan Fitchett,
managing broker for LIV Sotheby’s International Realty. “It’s much more sophisticated, but it still maintains the good nature of a small town.”
Aspiring Beav residents have exclusive condo communities galore to choose from: McCoy Peak Lodge, the Beaver Creek Lodge, Village Hall, SaddleRidge (a Ralph Lauren–accented hideaway built for Wall Street tycoons), the Chateau (a private club with lift service out its back door).

As for sprawling single-family homes, most desirable are those fronting the golf course off of Village Road, or perhaps the $18,250,000 manse at the end of Chateau Lane. All come with perks, including free shuttle service to lifts and restaurants, membership at the Beaver Creek Club (on-mountain dining cabins, fitness center, spa, preferred tee and court times in the summer, first tracks in the winter), and the ultimate: an express “owners” lane bypassing the resort gatehouse.