Raven’s Nest Is Hands-Down the Coolest Airbnb in Colorado

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Here’s what you need to know about Raven’s Nest, a cozy, no-frills hut that’s rented out via Airbnb in the Front Range of Colorado: it’s the most magical place to spend the night, and it’s not at all easy to get to. Sure, it’s less than an hour drive west of Denver to reach the former mining town of Silver Plume, on the edge of Interstate 70. But in the wintertime, you’ll ditch your car at an I-70 exit and either ski tour, snowshoe, or ride in a vintage snowcat three miles on a snow-covered road to reach your overnight destination. In the summer months, you can drive a rugged U.S. Forest Service road in a four-wheel-drive vehicle to reach the cabin.

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Raven’s Nest Provides a Front-Row Approach to Stunning Terrain

📍 The Location: Raven’s Nest is situated at the base of two iconic Colorado 14ers, Grays and Torreys, with summertime trail access just out the door. In the winter, ski touring or snowshoeing into the surrounding backcountry is your best bet. Mid-winter, there’s low-angle tree skiing around the hut. Come springtime, depending on conditions, you can push into the high alpine terrain, with 3,000-vertical-foot lines on some of Colorado’s most notable descents, like the Dead Dog Couloir or the Emperor Couloir, both off 14,267-foot Torreys Peak.

“We get some guests who ask if they can drive out and ski Keystone for the day, but that’s really not doable,” says Darcee Mond, your Airbnb host who owns the hut with her husband, Eben. Eben and Darcee, both avid backcountry skiers, are the founders and head coaches for the freeride program at Loveland ski area, just 15 minutes up the highway, and they will be the first to tell you where to find the best snow in the area.

Why Is This Colorado Cabin So Special?

I’ve stayed at Eben and Darcee’s other properties—they manage several Airbnbs nearby—and I appreciate their personal yet no-nonsense approach to Airbnb hosting. Everything in their homes is handmade, thoughtfully designed, and built with purpose. The Raven’s Nest—named after their youngest son—is no different, though it’s much more minimalist and off-the-grid than their other lodging offerings. I’ve got a booking to stay at Raven’s Nest this winter to take my kids on their first-ever hut trip into the backcountry. (Eben will take you and your gear up to the hut via snowcat for an additional fee.)

Rustic Features Lead to a Super-Cozy Stay

⭐ The Specs: This is not a fancy, full-service kind of place. “We send two full pages of information about checking in and instructions,” Darcee says. “We try to make it very clear what you’re getting into.” You pack in your own sleeping bag. You clean up when you leave. You’ll cook on a classic cast-iron stove or patio grill, use a simple tank toilet, and you’ll need to boil water from the neighboring creek for drinking water. The hut has two bedrooms, and you can sleep up to nine in bunks and beds. These are cozy quarters; consider that when you’re planning your guest list. There is no electricity, no running water, definitely no WiFi.

It’s got the same ethos as Colorado’s better-known 10th Mountain Division Huts: Chop your own firewood for the wood-burning stove, clean up after yourself, and enjoy the hard work it takes to get there because the view from the front porch is glorious. The difference between this place and a 10th Mountain Division hut is that you’ll have it all to yourself and it’s considerably easier to score a booking.

🔍 The History: The hut itself used to be a bare-bones cabin made of plywood. Eben would ski tour into the area and he noticed these run-down structures and thought, this could be something. So, he found the owner of the cabin, offered to buy the place, and in 2021, the Monds began rebuilding. From their own travels as lifelong skiers, Eben and Darcee designed their hut modeled after an Italian refugio or a Canadian alpine hut. Since they wanted to share the backcountry experience with others, they opened it as an Airbnb last year.

Why We Think This is the Coolest Airbnb in Colorado

🏆 The Winner: Don’t stay here if you want luxury accommodations, spacious quarters, or a coffee shop next door. But if you’re looking for a true getaway—the kind of quiet, out-there spot where stories are made, where hard work is rewarded, and where the backyard is literally a pair of mountains that reach toward the stars—then you won’t find a better spot in Colorado.

❓Know Before You Go: Raven’s Nest rents starting at $300 a night and has a two-night minimum.

Book Raven’s Nest Now

Contributing editor Megan Michelson is an award-winning journalist who covers travel and the outdoors. She recently helped us compile our list of travel hacks you can’t live without, as well as the best outdoor festivals, and how to find last-minute campsite reservations.