CRITIC Bloomberg Pursuits October 12, 202062
WalkintothelobbyofBreckHaus,a seven-month-oldhotel
andmembershipclubinBreckenridge,Colo.,andit canfeel
atfirstlikea naturelover’sSohoHouse.
Insteadoffashion-consciouscreativetypes,fresh-eyed,fit
thirty-andfortysomethingsdressedhead-to-toeinGore-Tex
sipcraftbeersbythefireplacewithAussieshepherdscurled
attheirfeet.Thevelvetmidcenturymoderncouchesand
benchesmadefromfur-coveredliftseatsarefilledwithjust
asmanylocalsasout-of-towners.
WhenI wentinFebruary,itsfirstmonthofoperation,the
crowdincludedplentyofskiersheadingouttoscorefirst
tracks.ByearlySeptemberit hadshiftedtoremoteworkers
hunkereddownatUnravel,a buzzycoffeeshopanchoredby
a Bellwetherzero-emissionsroaster.Theweeklyeventscalen-
dar,naturallyCovid-safe,toutedcomplimentaryguidedhikes
upGraysPeakandfreeworkshopsoncompassreading,not
airyartisttalksandgut-thumpingDJsets.
IfSohoHousewasintendedas a gatheringplacefor
urbanbusybodies,thenGravityHausInc.,BreckHaus’s
parentbrand,aimstobea magnetforoutdoorenthusiasts.
A co-workingspacecalledStarterHausallowsthework-hard,
play-hardcrowdtobounceseamlesslybetweenconference
callsandtrailruns,andDrylandFitness& Spaoffersa state-of-
the-artgymandJapanese-inspiredhottubs.Theon-sitehotel
has 60 simpleroomsplusanexpansivelockerroomforgear
storageanda supertramptopracticesnowboardingmoves. ILLUSTRATIONBYJADESCHULZTheconceptwasthebrainchildoflocalentrepreneur
JimDeters,andit bringsseveralofhisexistingventures—the
co-workingfacility,thegym,a mountain-guidingcompany—
undera singleroof.Heseesthebrandasbeingeco-conscious,
adventure-driven,anddemocraticratherthanexclusive.
Anentry-levelmembershiptoGravityHaus,for$40a
monthwitha 12-monthminimum,offersapplication-free
accesstotheclubandtheabilitytobookclassesandrent
gear.Big-cityequivalentssuchastheBatteryinSanFrancisco
ortheFitlerClubinPhiladelphiarequireinitiationfeesof
about$5,000andcancost$600a monthforthosewhose
socialcloutmakesthecut.
Untilrecently,thebrand’smostpopularmembership,the
Weekender,hadbeen$60a month,whichincludesfourgym
classes,fourevents,andfournightsofdeeplydiscountedhotel
staysevery 30 days.Add-onssuchastheHausQuiver,which
offersunlimiteddemorentalsofhigh-endskiequipmentacross
12 U.S.EpicPasslocations,run$25a month.Membersfrom
otherstatescanusethebenefitat,say,Vermont’sStoweresort,
wheredemoscostasmuchas$60a day.
Theselowpricesarewhatmakeit work.Theycreatevalue
forthosewhomayvisitonlysparingly,andkeeptheclub
accessibletolocalswhomayhavetojugglemultiplejobsto
affordtheirmountain-resortrent.Andina localewherethe
onlyinteractionsresidentshavewithtouristsareasbartender,
skiguide,orvalet,a cultureofcomminglingis a win-win.
The downsidetodemocratization,however,isover-
crowding.GravityHauscurrentlycountsabout 500 members,
with 20 morejoiningeachweek—mostlyColoradoresidents
andpeoplewithsecondhomesthere.Groupworkouts,limited
insizebecauseofCovid-19,fillupa weekinadvance.Andwith
a slopesidelocationatthebaseofPeak9,BreckHaus’shotel
rooms—startingat$135—arealreadyhardtobook.It’snaiveto
thinkpeoplewillnaturallyspreadoutaccordingtodifferent
interests,whetherweekendtrips,co-working,orthegym.
Buildingoutanall-seasonsofferingcouldpotentially
dispersethemassesbeyondthebusywinterperiod.A 2019
studyconductedbymarket-researchconsultantsLongwoods
Internationalshowedthatsummerhasconsistentlybeen
thepeakseasonforvacationers inColorado.Thepan-
demic,meanwhile,hasluredformervacationerstotakeup
permanent residence.
Rising costs, too, might thin the herd: Gravity Haus raised
the price of the Weekender package to $80 on Oct. 1. “A steady
increase in membership fees will likely take place on an
annual or a biannual basis, based on demand or an increase
in member benefits,” Deters says.
Adding more properties would be another potential
reason to raise prices, he says. And sure enough, five more
locations are in the works, including Vail in December and
Winter Park next year. The other three, some international,
will be operating by 2024. Balancing the scales of profitability
and pragmatism will be Gravity Haus’s long-term challenge.
Getting it right may be as tricky—and satisfying—as a devilish
double black. <BW>A membership club aims to
democratize mountain access
in Colorado and beyond
By Jen MurphySnoho House