VAIL, Colo. — North of Vail, 10 miles up an unpaved path, sits a place that has drawn visitors, families and wedding parties for decades. Now, its future is uncertain.
“There's a special air about this place that everyone who came here said it was the most beautiful sight they had ever seen,” said Deborah Cole, visiting with her husband, Chuck.
“There's a certain spirituality to being here,” Chuck Cole said. “That drive up the mountain to get here. To be on the lake. To look over the lake, and look over at Mount Powell. There's something really special about it. You feel it inside you.”
Piney River Ranch has been free to the public since 1989. Monique Busold has been running the attached small retreat and wedding venue since 2012.
“For me, Piney has never truly been a job," Busold said. "There’s just so many pieces that make this place so special for me.”
But now, there's a stalemate.
Denver Water owns the land, and Busold's 15-year lease is ending. The two sides have been unable to come to a new agreement.
"I believe we were unsuccessful, because I'm sure they could attract a larger price tag for this, but again, this is a unique situation for us, as we have been the tenants for the last 15 years, and have put all of our heart and soul and love into making it what it is today," Busold said.
Denver Water addressed the situation in a statement, saying the lease expires in March 2027 and that, as standard practice when a lease is nearing expiration, the agency reviews the water-related purpose of the land. Denver Water noted the water rights associated with the property were retired in 2007.
Denver Water's full statement reads:
“The lease for this property expires in March 2027. As standard practice when a lease is nearing expiration, Denver Water reviews the water-related purpose of the land. In this case, the water rights associated with the property were retired in 2007.
Piney River Ranch, LLC, has been an excellent partner and steward of the property. We have endeavored to provide ample notice that we may not be able to provide a long-term lease renewal on the property following the current lease’s expiration. We offered the lessee an extension through March 2028 to allow the Ranch another season while we concurrently worked through the assessment for the property’s long-term future, but the lessee declined the offer and sent notice that they planned to conclude operations at the end of the 2026 season.
At this time, we will be evaluating all options for the property, and no final decisions have been made.”
Busold said she felt that she could not agree to the newly added terms on the lease, and that seasonal businesses like Piney River Ranch can’t survive on short-term leases, because they need long-term certainty to operate, invest, hire staff, and book weddings years in advance.
As it stands, Denver Water says the buildings will have to go — and the community is worried about what that means for the land.
"It feels like if this place wasn't here, or if it wasn't a part of a public land, it would feel like a part of our community was missing," said Marguerite Shipman, a Vail Valley community member.
Shipman organized the online petition "Fight for Piney," which has gathered over 5,500 signatures in less than a week. She is encouraging the community to make their voices heard at a public Denver Water meeting on July 8.
"The ultimate goal would be for the Denver Water Board to re-enter lease negotiations with the owners of Piney River Ranch,” Shipman said. “Secondary, would be… to find out what a price would be if they're going to sell this land, and if there's a way that the business could have the first right of refusal for that purchase price."
Busold said her number one goal is to keep the spirit of what she helped create there alive. She hopes that, if she has to leave, the new tenants will keep the buildings that the community has come to associate with Piney Lake.
"This could still be a public place that people could recreate to enjoy the lake, stay overnight, and for it to still remain a business open to the public as a public asset,” Busold said.
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