Delaware North celebrated a first in its 100-plus year history last week, hosting the inaugural Wellderness festival at the company-owned-and-operated Ridgeline Hotel in Estes Park, Colo.
Wellderness – short for “Wellness in the Wilderness” – included 6K and 10K trail runs, a health expo and wellness seminars, and a post-party with live music and food prepared by Executive Chef Jacob Tew of the onsite Latitude 105 Alehouse.
More than 100 runners took part in the races, including participants from seven states and three countries. A highlight was the course scenery, which included a trip around Lake Estes and views of the nearby peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Seminars were led by Jeremy Bloom, a Colorado native and former Olympic skier and NFL player; Juli Rathke, founder and publisher of YOGA+Life Magazine; Jenni Nettik, competitive runner and highly regarded running coach; and Brittany Charboneau, an elite marathoner and standup comedian.
The event also featured beer sampling by local breweries Rock Cut Brewing Company, Odell Brewing Company and Lumpy Ridge Brewing Company, and about a dozen additional vendors taking part in the health expo.