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Steamboat Magazine

Alpine Living

05/10/2023 04:31PM ● By Suzi Mitchell
(David and Lisa Alderson divide their time between Lubbock, Texas, and their first mountain home in Alpine Ranch & Club. Photo by Trey Mullen.)

From Steamboat Magazine Home Edition 2023

Great restaurants and the summer rodeo series lured David and Lisa Alderson to Steamboat Springs. The couple, whose primary residence is in Lubbock, Texas, considered several mountain towns and ultimately fell for the warm community feel of the Yampa Valley. 

“It felt so welcoming,” Lisa says. The Aldersons had been to Steamboat for ski vacations with their three daughters over the years and decided to take a serious look at property in 2021. Within 24 hours of viewing a speculative home in Alpine Mountain Ranch & Club on the east side of town, they knew they’d found a place to call home.  
(A casita on one side of the house includes a second primary suite and covered deck to give visiting family and friends added privacy. Photo by David Dietrich)


“The house was designed as a market home, so the interior layout was simplified,” says Dylan Cook, vice president of design  and construction for Alpine Mountain Builders. Dylan’s team, together with architects at Eric Smith and Associates, worked to maximize views of the ridgeline, ski area and gondola on the  east-to-west oriented lot. \

“Eric did an amazing job of positioning the house,” Lisa says. 

“Every room has an incredible view.” Construction was 80% complete when they bought it, which allowed the Aldersons to make a few alterations and choose some of the finishes. “We loved what we saw from the beginning,” Lisa continues. 

A glass panel by the front entry door hints at the open-plan living space and beyond through a curtain window on the opposing wall. The vertical glass feature spans the staircase between the upper and lower levels and extends the view to an expanse of greenspace. 
(A den in the lower level is a popular space for watching sports on television and offers access to a patio and firepit. Photo by David Dietrich)


Windows line the living area on one wall, which opens onto an elevated deck. “The home functions well when it’s just the two of us, but when the family is here, or we have guests, everyone can find some separation,” Lisa says. 

Lighting features afford a sense of division between the open-plan kitchen, dining and sitting area. Midway through the room, a timber and steel barge truss feature in the ceiling adds another design element to the space, while serving a functional purpose. “We wanted it to be a centerpiece and augment the modern aesthetic,” Dylan says. 
(A curtain window throws natural light on the staircase between the upper and lower levels. Photo by David Dietrich)


A laundry and mudroom accessed from the kitchen give direct access to the garage, and a hallway leads to a second primary suite the couple dubbed ‘the casita.’ The suite offers a sense of privacy for guests and benefits from its own deck. 

European white oak flooring provides a seamless transition through the upper level, where the Aldersons have their own primary suite and David’s office. “I’ve always lived in a city, so for that first month I would just lay in bed and look out at the stars at night,” David says. 
(The primary suite is located on the upper level and benefits from upward views of the ski resort. Photo by David Dietrich)


The duo chose to add a workout room with a Murphy bed and were able to incorporate more guest space in the lower level with a bunk room that sleeps six people comfortably. 

Perhaps one of David’s favorite features is the built-in wine storage, which he is “very much looking forward to filling.” A den by the bar area leads out to the ground floor patio where a built-in firepit was added. 
(European white oak flooring brings a natural flow to the open-plan  living space and complements the  Tharp Custom Cabinetry  in the kitchen. Photo by David Dietrich)


Within the ranch, 900 out of the 1,216 acres are designated as greenspace and a wildlife preserve. “This is our first home in the mountains,” David says. “It feels like such a great adventure being among all the wildlife that we get to see so much of here.” 

The Aldersons’ five-bed, five-bath home was completed in June 2022, just in time for the couple to move in for their first Fourth of July in Steamboat, and their first visit to the rodeo as residents.