REI, Stanley Hotel partner to offer outdoor experiences

ESTES PARK —  The REI Outdoor School and the Stanley Hotel announced on Tuesday a partnership to offer summer outings, classes and events to hotel guests, local residents and visitors to Estes Park.

REI Outdoor School instructors will guide day trips into Rocky Mountain National Park, staff an outdoor concierge called REI Basecamp, and host activities across the Stanley Hotel’s property.

Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.

More than 100,000 people stay at and visit The Stanley Hotel each summer.

John Cullen, owner of The Grand Heritage Group and The Stanley Hotel, said in a prepared statement that the partnership between Seattle-based REI and The Stanley “blends two great brands in an exciting new way to experience Estes Park and the Rocky Mountains.”

REI Outdoor School instructors will host a range of summit hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park with transportation and gourmet backcountry meals. The park is approximately 38 miles from the Stanley Hotel.

Small groups will be able to explore some of the park’s most spectacular views and trails that navigate waterfalls, crystal clear lakes and one of the park’s oldest trails through aspen, pine, spruce and fir forests.

At the hotel, REI will host classes and events, including “How to Climb a 14-er,” “Phone Photography,” “First-Aid Essentials,” and weekly s’mores and whiskey/wine pairings. Special events will include camp cooking with chefs from Estes Park, Boulder and Denver. Geocaching, outdoor games and campfire socials will be offered.

To kick off the partnership with The Stanley, the REI Village will be at the hotel from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday, June 24. Interactive features include an Instagram postcard station, customized leather keychain stamping and make-your-own sunglasses. The REI Village will be in Rocky Mountain National Park on Saturday, June 25, at the visitor center.

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