Yee-haw! The KBF had a hootin’ time at the Shepherd Center summer camp at STARS in Steamboat Springs, Colorado the other week!

The group consisted of 6 Shepherd Center alumni and some caregiving loved ones, coming from all of the Southeast US. Everyone got the opportunity to practice accessible travel, including one participant who drove all the way from Tennessee to Colorado so she could take her coffee maker with her! Smack-dab in the middle of the technology outage that impacted flights all over the world, participants got to practice travel-based self-advocacy and navigating unexpected speed bumps. 

The STARS Ranch is a lodging and activity hub for their adaptive program. The space includes entirely accessible rooms and bathrooms, a community kitchen, and even a fire pit. “Unlike the usual challenges I face when checking into a hotel with supposedly accessible rooms,” one participant describes, “everything at STARS was meticulously designed to cater to my specific needs.” Situated directly next to the lake specifically designed for water skiing and a short drive to town, the horse barn, and Steamboat Resort, this space was the perfect home base for the week’s adventures. 

The agenda for the week started with biking along The Yampa River Core Trail from one side of Steamboat Springs to the other. The next day was spent at the lake next to STARS where they got to lounge in a hammock, play corn hole, lounge on floats in the water, and catch some speed water skiing. Everyone found their fit by exploring the use of outriggers or not and holding the rope vs. attaching it to the ski. That night, the group set up the projector at the ranch for a movie night. The final day of activities started at Steamboat Resort where a generous donor helped the group up the gondola. “For the first time since my injury,” one participant recalls, “I ventured to the top of a mountain in a gondola, witnessing breathtaking views that filled me with awe and gratitude.” Then, the group went to the STARS Zen Equine Ranch to “indulge in the joy of grooming a horse and then riding him,” as one participant put it. To finish the trip, the group enjoyed live music at the Snow Bowl. 

Above all else, the highlight for many participants was the eclectic group of individuals that came together for the week. “Despite our different ages and abilities,” one explains, “we quickly formed a tight-knit family, supporting and helping each other every step of the way. The shared experiences and the genuine connections we formed made me feel truly at home, surrounded by people who understood and accepted each other as we were.”

We’re excited for all of the future Shepherd collaborations we get to plan!