Meet the Staff

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Marketing Director + Writer

MELODY, GROOMER

Groomers are the unsung heroes of the ski industry. They are on the trails at 4 am, guided by a golden sliver of moonlight, diesel engine clearing its throat, in the piercing cold, and on certain tense mornings, white out conditions. It requires presence, to mind the blade and tiller. The precision to sweep around trees, piloting a machine that weighs over 25,000 pounds. Mel says it’s just like mowing the lawn, which she loved to do as a kid. She’s been a groomer at Tennessee Pass for four years, and she’s been the head groomer for two years. There’s a team of 2-3 that shares the daily work of grooming.

She’s seen a three-legged coyote in Fish Flats, Pine Marten tracks, and six moose roaming together. She has seen sunrises of bright rose and peach. She says when she’s grooming she’s thinking about leaving a beautiful corduroy and safety. She makes sure there aren’t any bumps or brims on the turns. Mel analyzes the snow conditions every morning, before setting off. She drives in solitude, reading the texture of snow with great interest. The groomer is always asking: what am I leaving behind? At the same time, they are concerned with what’s coming next. Mel charges forward, up steep inclines and frozen forest alleys, she says: I put my blade down and open the wings.



CARSON, EXECUTIVE CHEF

We are pleased to introduce our new Executive Chef at the Cookhouse, Carson Mueller. If he could describe his approach to being a chef, it would be “composed.” As a leader, he wants to have mindful composure. Each plate is part of a whole. It’s carefully sourcing each ingredient. It’s like being the conductor of a symphony, each note has to land. Carson wants every chef in his kitchen to strengthen their skills together. If there’s tenderloin, everyone can learn how to break it down. There is no task above or below anyone, it’s a team effort. He describes his time in Leadville as “living in the cupped hands of the mountains.” He moved from Kansas City, Missouri, where he graduated from an ACF-accredited culinary school and was a chef’s apprentice. It’s a demanding program, working in a kitchen full-time and going to school full-time. He worked at the classic farm to table restaurant in Kansas City, Room 39. He learned how to stay organized while cooking Japanese, Italian, and South American fusion. His artistic touch was forged in The Restaurant at 1900, famous for their plating and edible art. It was Mediterranean fare, and this is where Carson began to define his own style.

His passions include winter salsa and mother sauces. He dreams of tables full of friends and home-cooked meals. He loves a pop of citrus in his dishes: “Lemon juice and lime zest finds its way into every crack of this menu.” When asked what he is looking forward to the most this season, he said: “A kitchen full of laughter and learning from other people.” The entree he is proud of on the seasonal winter menu is the duck mole. The pan-seared duck is classically prepared. “Mole is notoriously labor intensive and it’s the amount of care which makes it delicious,” he said. Another one of his favorites is the brussel sprout salad, served warm for the winter time. He finds inspiration reading fiction: Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, Langston Hughes. He can be found at the Denver Art Museum, watching live music, and traveling. He is working to organize speak easy supper clubs out of his home in Leadville: “I want to talk over good wine and make the center of the evening connection. I want to take care of myself and others.”



TY AND ROXANNE, OWNERS

Ty and Roxanne Hall were married thirty years ago on Chicago Ridge at Ski Cooper. They skied under an arch of skis and poles. Ty is from Virginia, and Roxanne is a lifelong Leadville resident. They bought the Nordic Center when it was only a trailer and a handful of dirt paths. They created the trail system, seeking Forest Service approval for the Cookhouse and sleep yurts. They were told whatever they built would need to be a temporary structure, which led to the idea for the yurts. Roxanne worked as an art teacher at the elementary school, and Ty was the handyman at a golf course. They scraped by to build their dream of making the outdoors accessible to everyone, regardless of age or ability level.

They’ve both done the Leadville 100 Bike Race twenty times. Deeply invested in the community, they work as coaches to help up-and-coming bikers train for the race. Roxanne’s number one piece of advice as a coach? Notice the flowers on Columbine Pass, enjoy what you’re doing. Take in what surrounds you.

For the last seven years, Ty has been the Dreamchaser for the Leadville Trail 100 Legacy Foundation. He starts the race in dead last, and for every person he passes, money is donated to Lake County high school students for college scholarships. He feels a special connection because some of these students are his friends’ kids. He bikes for the future.

Ty and Roxanne live in Leadville with their dog, a Landseer Newfoundland named Maybelle, who has learned to open doors at the Nordic Center.