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| Where I dreamed of being 24/7 |
I have always enjoyed visiting The Baldpate Inn, and I’m
still invariably drawn to the old black and white photos of the Baldpate horses
and livery. Who were these lucky folks
beaming from the saddles? What trails did they ride and what stories could they
tell?
Not much written history exists regarding the
Baldpate Livery, especially during the earliest years, but we know it was an
important part of life at the Inn. Horses were still a main method of
transportation at the inception of the Inn, gradually replaced by automobiles. Although
Baldpate no longer has stables, trail riding remains a popular attraction today
with many stables in the area for our guests.
In the days of the Baldpate Livery, guests and
tourists enjoyed trail rides into Rocky Mountain National Park, and up towards
Longs Peak.
One of the most well-known characters associated
with the stables was Chuck Malone. He ran the Baldpate
Livery and guided tours for 20 years; our best estimate is that he started in
the late 1920s. Chuck and his dog, Buster, kept things lively and entertaining,
and often a bit on the wild side. Legends circulate of his fortune-telling penchant,
and on occasion, riding horseback into the main Dining Room of the hotel!
Chuck’s name and a Baldpate brand remain carved into the Wrangler cabin’s
mantle.
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| Care to have your fortune told? |
This $1.00 lesson seems like the best buck you
could spend for an adventure!
Do you have a tale - tall or otherwise - of The Baldpate Livery or
horses? Please tell us about it in the comments below!
Written by Liz Rodgers
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