Day 47: Pranks at Baldpate Inn (April Fool’s Day)

Living and working in close quarters with a small group of people, it’s natural that friendships, and some good-natured ribbing, will result.  This April Fool’s Day, we recall with a smile some of the best pranks pulled at Baldpate. 

In the days of the Baldpate Livery, wrangler Chuck Malone rode his horse through the Baldpate Dining room, astounding all present. Legends also credit him with filling the storage tanks with whiskey!

In more modern times, Innkeeper Lois was the victim of a prank when her grandson, Mason, had the sneaky idea of waking her up early one mischievous morning, with the urgent message that she had overslept. He assures me that he has learned his lesson. I’ll just remind him that revenge is sweet, and not fattening. 

Perhaps Mason learned from the best (AKA his dad)? MacKenzie recalls startling guests with a ghostly rocking chair that seemed to rock all on its own. Only a closer inspection would reveal tied-on dental floss and a giggling MacKenzie.


When least expected, the "secret" trap doors in the Baldpate kitchen storeroom and Key Room have also brought some unexpected entrances for surprised staff.  Or there is the vague memory of a watermelon somehow propped on the girls bunkhouse door?

What pranks at The Baldpate Inn do you recall? 

Happy April Fool’s! 

Written by Liz Rodgers

Day 42: Baldpate Horses and Livery

Horses have always enthralled me! As a young girl, I spent hours dreaming of riding horses. Staring out the car widow, I’d imagine the scenery rushing by was flying under me and my trusty steed. 

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. 

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