We had the good fortune of connecting with Danny Martinez and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Danny, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am from a small town called Minturn, CO that is sandwiched between the ski resorts of Vail and Beaver Creek. My family has its roots in Southern Colorado around the Trinidad area. My parents moved to Minturn just after I was born and I spent my youth exploring the surrounding mountains. Whether it be skiing, hunting, mountain biking, four wheeling or just relaxing, I love being in the mountains.
Growing up in such a small town has taught me to be patient and appreciate my surroundings. Life doesn’t move as fast and that is one thing that I cherish. Enjoying the outdoors is a big part of my life and the lives of those in my community. We live here to enjoy the benefits of having the White River National Forest just outside of our doors. Fitness and well being are very important to me and I try to take advantage of all that the forest has to offer. I feel fortunate that my wife and I are able to raise our children in the same environment.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have had many jobs throughout my time here in Eagle County. It is because of all of these experiences that I was able to create the business that I have today. From construction work to bus driving to teaching, I have taken all of my work experience and molded it into my own creation. I enjoy driving and talking to people so I created my company called Mountain Adventure Charters. I provide private transportation for my clients in and around Eagle County. The thing that sets me apart from others is that I have the experience of growing up here in the place where I work and raising the second generation in the same place. I know the history of the area and know many of the people who were part of that history.
I never thought that I would be a business owner but here I am and it’s been interesting to travel this road. I wouldn’t say that it has been easy to get to where I am today. I had to learn a lot of new skills to get this idea off of the ground. Thank goodness for the internet and those good friends and family who were patient enough to listen to me and my ideas! I am learning new things everyday about owning and running a business. I have been fortunate to have great clients and teammates that are patient with me and contribute ideas to help make what I do more streamlined and efficient. I am experiencing success and have to be flexible in the way that I think and the direction that I take the business. It is actually quite fun and rewarding solving the problems that arise. As one of my clients told me, “if something is not working, you just fix it.” Now that fix might be 10 minutes or 10 days but as long as I am working toward a solution I feel good about what I am doing.
I want people to know that I am a product of Minturn and the Vail Valley. I have created my brand/business to share what I have learned and experienced over the past 47 years with the people who come to recreate and enjoy this place that I call home. I love to give recommendations on things to do and places to see and I greatly enjoy hearing the exciting things that people experience while visiting.
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.
I would start by taking them into Vail Village and we would do a tour with the folks at the Colorado Snowsports Museum. We would have lunch at one of the many places to eat in the village, probably Sweet Basil. Next we would take a drive up to Piney Lake and hike around. We would definitely take our mountain bikes to the bike park in Minturn and have lunch at Kirby Kosmos. We would go hike up around Homestake Reservoir and visit the Camp Hale area to see where the 10th Mountain Division lived and trained. We would take a rest day and do a float trip down the Colorado River. In the evenings we would go catch a concert at one of the many venues that offer live music. There are just so many things to do that my friend would have to come back.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to give a shout out to my wife. It is with her support that I am able to do what I do. I also want to shout out to my parents for taking a chance when they moved from Denver to the Minturn and allowing me and my brothers to grow up in such a cool area. I would also like to give a shout out to my friends who have dragged me along on many adventures near and far. Finding like minded people is a blessing! Finally, I want to give a shout out to my brothers who are always there when I need them.
Website: mountainadventurecharters.com
Instagram: mountain_adventure_charters