In 1879 the mining town of Ashcroft was founded. It boomed for eight years until in 1887, the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad bypassed the town in favor of Aspen. Ashcroft became a ghost town practically overnight. Today, many of the buildings are still standing and a popular activity is to hike from Ashcroft to the Pine Creek Cookhouse, which is ideally situated at the base of the Elk Mountain Range, in Castle Creek Valley.

 

The Pine Creek Cookhouse dishes up American Alphine cuisine, with ingredients they source locally and which are raised organically. Their menus are therefore seasonal, divided into summer and winter. Chef Chris Keating, graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York is the culinary magician doing the cooking in the Pine Creek Cookhouse.

 

The winter lunch menu offers a variety of sandwiches including the Colorado Elk bratwurst; soups and salads; river food such as ruby red rainbow trout and pan-roased salmon, and ranch food such as Emma Farms Wagyu Beef Sherpa Stew. There's also a vegetarian menu. This delicious food can be enjoyed indoors or out on the patio so guests can enjoy a spectacular view of the Elk Mountain Range.

 

The Pine Creek Cookhouse also hosts special events and weddings