Meet Danni Nolz | Vacation Rental Investor, Kickin It at Kicking Horse in Granby Ranch

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danni Nolz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danni, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
One of my favorite quotes that has helped shape me as a person and my decision-making process is, “If you settle for what you don’t want, you won’t get what you do want”. It seems simple enough yet has been so profound in my life for the past 20+ years. It gives me the permission to pursue a dream. It also reminds me that if I am going to hold space and energy for it in my life, to make sure I am confident that it’s truly what I want. I work on following my intuition and going with my heart, so when I’m unsure, I take my time, sit with the decision and have empowered myself to say no if it feels wrong. There is a lot to be said about the power of saying no to the wrong things and yes to the ones that feel right. The more you follow that intuition, I have found that the more life gives you the things you want in life.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Ryan and I have had a dream to own and rent a place in Kicking Horse units in Granby Ranch, CO for years now. We’ve been going skiing up there since the boys were very little and that corner of the world is our personal slice of heaven. Recently, we made that dream a reality, shortly after a time when we thought all of our dreams were in jeopardy. Ryan was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma very suddenly two years ago in August. Chemo treatments started almost immediately, and our world was shaken to its core. He was a force to be reckoned with, while going through treatments and it was something that I will never forget as he kept his focus on health, powering through it and staying our kind and lighthearted Ryan we all love. When we found out he was in remission months later, getting our place in Granby almost became our symbol of hope, of the power Ryan held onto for so long and the dream we were one day going to fulfill. We now have our place and when we go, it is our symbol of the love we have for our family, what we have been able to get through together and capturing that dream. It feels like a gift that we now get to share with other guests that come into the space.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We love Granby for its quaint charm. There is a peaceful feeling up in the Kicking Horse units in Granby Ranch. We are tucked in our little nature nook surrounded by the Rocky Mountain views overlooking the golf course and the Kicking Horse chair lift. If we aren’t spending the day in Granby Ranch golfing, mountain biking, fishing, hiking or skiing, we also love the area because it’s smack dab in the middle of two of our other favorite spots in the surrounding area. Winter Park and Grand Lake/Rocky Mountain National Park are easy 15-20 minute drives and can fill a week or a day trip with all of the activities you crave about CO during any of its magnificent seasons.

Our perfect day usually consists of us making breakfast and a nice coffee for Ryan and an earl grey tea for me at home as we watch the sun rise over the mountains or the chair lift in front of our house start to spin. Our boys are usually up and ready, waiting for us to finish up so we can make a few turns. If it’s summer, we are ready to get out and hike or bike around the water. We have loved dropping a kayaking at the dock over by the East Inlet trailhead on Grand Lake or going for a hike around the North Inlet trail, Monarch Lake or Adams Falls. If you go on a Saturday, there is a great farmers market to walk through and the sweetest town to meander around for some shopping. We love heading back into Granby for dinner at Azteca, The tortilla soup, fajitas and Mexican pizza are some of our favorite orders. Afterwards, we like to grab a delicious fresh baked cookie at Mary’s mountain cookies.

Another must day trip for us is getting a day pass in Winter Park. Pro tip- get the tickets 48 hours in advance for a discount. You can spend the day at the alpine slide, mini golfing, using the ropes course and mountain biking. We love grabbing a bite and a discounted local beer at Pizza Pedal’r. In the winter, our trip is not complete without inner tubing at Colorado Adventure Park. Some of our other favorite spots to eat or grab a local beer include Hernando’s, Pepe Osaka’s Fish tacos, Vicious Cycle Brewing and Casa Mexico.

In the evening, we love night skiing at Granby when it’s available. They really know how to bring the new year in with fireworks and that’s easily one of our favorite nights out there. In the summer, Granby ranch has also hosted some really fun music series, called Summer Nights at Granby Ranch with lots for adults and kids to enjoy.

Some of our other favorite activities include White Water Rafting at Browns Canyon with AVA, Day trips to hot springs in Steamboat, Winding River Resort for horseback riding, Rocky Mountain Train rides, The Icebox ice skating rink in Fraser, Winter Park Adventure Quest ropes course. You can catch some live music or let the kids go to the park or skate at Rendezvous Event Center. We also love making a stop for some vintage shopping at Main Street Thrift or Fraser Flower and we always need to stop by and pet the cats at Ace hardware in Granby.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, my parents have helped shape who I am and have given me the gift of finding confidence and security in myself and my decision making. My father is a very spiritual man and my mother is the most nurturing, kind woman. Both of those aspects have helped teach me to look deeper than the superficial sides of life, to learn how to love and nurture my own family and to appreciate what I have. I learned about gratitude and how to practice it daily from them at a very early age.

My twin sister has been a rock by my side since before I can remember. She is the one who has taught me the importance of quality not quantity in the friendships and things I hold dear. There is an unspoken bond between us, she knows me without me even having to explain things. The unconditional love we carry for each other is a thing of beauty.

And most importantly, my family. My husband, Ryan and my two boys, Hudson (12) and Brecken (10) are truly the best things to ever happen to me. They are my best friends and I count my blessings that I get to live this life with them. They teach me more every day than I can ever teach them. Ryan has taught me what true love, courage and perseverance looks like. His kindness has been the thing that drew me from the start, and I see that same kindness that he has imparted into our boys.

Website: http://www.kickinitathome.com/ and https://airbnb.com/h/kickinitatkickinghorse

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kickinitatkickinghorse/

Other: https://www.airbnb.com/h/kickinitatkickinghorse

Image Credits
Jay Stewart