Everything you might wonder about before or during a stay at Ara Haus — straight answers from your hosts, Ky & Karina.
Summer (May–October): No — any vehicle handles the drive easily. The last 0.8 miles is a gently winding, county-maintained dirt road.
Winter (November–April): Yes, a 4WD or AWD vehicle is required. Storms roll in quickly at 9,000 ft and the dirt road can get slick. Snow removal is provided after 3"+ of snowfall, and there's a shovel on-site.
Ara Haus runs entirely on solar power with battery storage and a backup generator — you won't notice a difference for normal use. Two small asks: run the washer and dryer during daylight hours (when the batteries are charging), and expect the efficiency dryer to take a little longer than the one at home.
No A/C — and at 9,000 ft you genuinely won't miss it. The alpine climate cools quickly in the evenings; ceiling fans and cross-breezes keep the cabin comfortable all summer. Winter is covered by a powerful central furnace (plus a heated bathroom floor-blast for post-shower mornings).
Starlink wifi at up to 300 Mbps, with backup power to keep it running during rare outages. There's a dedicated desk with an ergonomic chair — several guests have worked full days from the cabin (video calls included).
Yes! We're dog people. One well-behaved dog is welcome, and we provide bowls, a waterproof tray, waste baggies, lint rollers, and a furniture protector blanket. Have more than one pup? Message us — we approve additional dogs case-by-case ($50/dog, which goes directly to our cleaner).
Please keep pets off the beds, use the protector blanket on furniture, and never leave pets unattended at the property.
The outdoor gas fire table is available year-round. However, Teller County occasionally issues Stage 2 or 3 fire bans during dry stretches, which can restrict its use — wood fires and open flames are never permitted. We'll always tell you the current status; you can also check the county's alert page any time.
Not at the cabin — the off-grid solar system can't support high-draw charging. Most guests top up in Woodland Park or Colorado Springs on the way in. In summer, a full charge comfortably covers the round trip from either.
Cell signal is spotty in the mountains and varies by carrier — but the cabin wifi supports wifi-calling, so you're reachable once you arrive. We recommend screenshotting your check-in instructions before the drive up.
Evergreen Station (5 min) covers basics; Florissant Mercantile is ~15 min; Divide has small markets (~20 min); Woodland Park (~30 min) has City Market and Walmart for the full shop. Most guests stop on the way in.
Yes — the well provides clean, fresh mountain water (many guests love the taste). There's also a Brita pitcher in the fridge if you prefer.
Check-in is anytime after 4:00 PM (smart lock — your code activates automatically). Checkout is 11:00 AM. Need an earlier arrival or later departure? Message us — if the cleaning schedule allows, we're happy to accommodate.
Very likely: deer, elk, foxes, eagles, wild turkeys — and occasionally a black bear. It's one of the best parts of staying here. Please don't feed wildlife and keep food and trash indoors (the bins are bear-resistant for a reason).