Inside the Hideaway of Torrence A hard place to get to and a hard place to
leave Anyone who has ever driven the backroads
to Second Life over Tomboy Pass and looked
to the left at mile marker 36 just past the
old Wishing Well Mine has seen the entrance
to the 1360 acre Roaring Fork Ranch. While
the gates may look imposing and fit for a
Hollywood Movie starlet, inside the resident
is Just Tory - the publisher of the Crystal
Magazine. While we had no intention on doing an article
on our boss, (known around the publishing
word as The Paper Dragon), letters from our
readers kept pouring in asking for more information
on the home that sits high atop Mount Torrence
near the Continental Divide - the home known
as the Roaring Fork Ranch. The road over Tomboy Pass is a twisting gravel
road with a sharp drop off to one side and
a sheer rock cliff to the other, which makes
some for scary moments when meeting a logging
truck on the narrow road. Traveling over
the pass requires a four wheel drive in Winter
and nerves of steel year round. The entrance to the Roaring Fork Ranch can
be easily overlooked as most eyes are drawn
to the 14,000 foot snowcapped peak called
Mount Torrence. But for the lucky few that
are invited for a visit to the Ranch, the
gate is an entrance to a virtual Shangri-la. The driveway from the entrance to the front
porch is a breathtaking journey through no
less than four different ecosystems. The
front porch gives the impression of a much
smaller main house with a view of the surrounding
peaks and valleys. Tory told me that the
oversized front deck with custom teak table
was where most of her gatherings take place. The front door leads to the Main Cabin,
a warm two room gathering place with fireplace
and stunning views over the Mount Torrence
Ski Area. I was greeted at the front door by Tory's
house boy, Phillipe and was led to a the
Main Cabin, a wonderful two section room
with three distinct sitting areas - a cozy
spot by the fireplace overlooking the adjoining
peaks, an area for reading offering two wonderful
oversized red leather stuffed couches and
a third area overlooking the Mount Torrence
Ski Area (still under construction). I was told by Phillipe that Tory would be
a few minutes late and offered a Latte. While I waited for Tory, I was impressed by her
collection of signed first editions in her
book case, an amazing collection of Waterford
Crystal, a collection of rare liquors, as
well as a collection of vintage antique rifles.
Tory arrived a few minutes past 10:00 A.M.
in a suede western skirt, vest and cowboy
boots. We sat in the overstuffed leather
sofas, sipped our Lattes and talked about
the construction of her Ranch and the delayed
opening of the Mount Torrence Ski Area. According to Tory. the construction of the
Roaring Fork Ranch was a difficult undertaking
due to the isolated location and her desire
to not disturb the natural surroundings.
Using helicopters and local labor, the Ranch
was built in just under five months and looks
as if it has been there for a century. When we finished our Lattes, Tory took me
by the hand and we began our tour. We started
in a small parlour off the front deck, and
Tory explained that this was one of the first
rooms completed during construction. The
room is filled with photos of Tory in a variety
of settings around the Ranch and Tory explained
that the Parlour and the Main Hall were completed
before she became an Angel which is why all
the photos are of her without her trademarked
wings. With a view from the oversized picture window
overlooking the same snow-capped peaks as her porch, the Parlour offers two exits.
One to Tory's and Angels Throne Room - a
secret room where only members of the House
of Perpetua are allowed to enter. Since I
am not a member, I was not allowed to enter. The second exit is guarded by Tory's pet
wolf, Mr. Pickles, and leads to a wooded
forest with a hidden tea room and filled
with a wonderful variety of song birds. Tory
explained that she has several hidden alcoves
where she goes to relax or visit with friends
and family. For this fashion writer, the
tea room was one of my favorite spots at
the Ranch. From the Tea Forest, we took a hidden door
into the Main Hall, the first room completed
during construction - once again photos of
Tory before the accident adorn the walls
and as with all the rooms at the Ranch, the
views are unbelievable. From the Main Hall
one can enter any room (except the private
rooms for House of Perpetua members) and
Tory asked me to choose a door, which I did. The double doors I chose led us into Tory's
Lake House which overlooks the lower section of Angel Lake. With retracting glass doors
that open to allow the sounds of the Lake
and its inhabitants to fill the room, a full
service bar and a cozy fireplace, this room
is at the lowest elevation of any room at
the Ranch and has a wonderful hidden feel
- almost like it is a seperate cabin of its
own. The floor is covered with an antique
Persian rug and the soft green velvet chairs
offer comfy relaxation for Tory's guests.
A large dance area completes the Lake House. We reentered the Main Hall and went through
another set of double doors which led us to Tory's
Alpine Viewing Deck. A simple room with a
table and two chairs, it overlooks Hummingbird
Valley (a spectacular valley) which lays
beneath Mount Elizabeth, where the Elk herd
come to feed at dusk and dawn. Tory pointed
halfway up the 12300 foot Mount Elizabeth
and explained her Ranch property extends
almost halfway up the mountain. Tory took me through another set of double
doors which led me to her hot tub deck and
upon entering I had wished I had brought
my swim suit Although Tory confided in me
that suits were not required, the thought
of getting naked with my boss for a soak
seemed inappropriate. The view from the hot
tub deck overlooks the upper portion of Angel
Lake and the Sangri De Christo (Blood of
Christ) Mountain range off in the distance.
A fireplace to warm up by sits in a corner
and Dream Catchers handcrafted by the local
Ute Indians adorn the walls. A door off the hot tub deck took us into
Torys Bedroom, a huge room sitting at the
highest point of Mount Torrence with an Eastern
view of the valleys and peaks that circle
the Ranch. This bedroom, in soft blues with
a fireplace, mirrored walls and a circle
bed offers Tory the sanctuary space she needs.
The East wall is a huge plate glass window
which allows both morning sunshine and evening
moonshine to fill the space. Tory explained
that with the exception of Angel and her
recent slumber party, this room is as private
as it gets at the Ranch. Not even members
of the House of Perpetua are allowed. Tory has one more extremely private place,
so private that I was not allowed to enter.
This being her Chapel of the 12 Wisdoms. I was
told by Tory that this Chapel was where she
often goes to offer prayers and thanks or
to simply argue her causes to what she calls,
"her buddy". Tory then asked if I wanted to see the reason
she fell in love with the 1360 acre property
before she bought it, explaining that this
portion of the Ranch was a fluke of nature.
She led me back to the Tea Forest and through
a strange but beautiful adjoing forest. As
we took the path down a hill and turned the
corner, I could not believe my eyes. It was
a winter wonderland. With snow almost up to my knees, Tory explained
that this place, officialy known as the Klondike Valley enjoys Winter year round.
Tory refers to it as her Wintry Forest -
a fluke of nature, as Tory calls it. We jumped
on two of the six snowmobiles Tory owns and
went deep into the forest. I had never been
on a snowmobile and quickly got stuck in
a snow drift, but after a few lessons, I
was speeding through the forest like a pro. We zoomed around for what felt like an hour
until Tory asked me if I was hungry. I looked
at my watch and realized it was almost 4:00
and I was actually starting to feel a bit
hungry. Tory told me to follow her and we
zipped deeper into the forest until in the
middle of nowhere we came upon a Warming
Hut. Inside the Warming Hut, I rested by the fire
while Phillipe appeared out of thin air and
set a wonderful lunch of smoked salmon, croissants,
fresh fruit and a bottle of some fancy White
Wine. I was in heaven. We exchanged our snowmobiles for two motorcycles
and I followed Tory to the Back 40 where
Tory stables her horses. It was Sunday, so
Tory's stable hands and Ranch hands were
off, so we did not go riding as I had hoped,
but Tory did extend an invitation for me
to come back during the week or on any given
Saturday. With no stable hands on duty, Tory spent
the time showing me her Ribbons and Trophys
which her thoroughbreds have won from Texas
to Alabama. With the warmth of the February sun setting
in the West, a sign of yet another blizzard
on the way,and a trecherous drive back down
the mountain awaiting me, I decided it was
time to leave. Tory and I rode her motocycles down a back
road to the front porch through the most
glorious scenery I have ever seen and after
receiveing a warm hug I began my feared drive
back over Tomboy Pass. As I drove home in the growing darkness of
the evening, I wished I had stayed the night.
There is something peaceful, warm and friendly
about that big old Ranch on the top of Mount
Torrence and I knew that if I ever had another
chance to visit, I would stay longer and
explore further. The Roaring Fork Ranch is
a rare gem of a home and perfectly fits Just
Tory, the owner of the Crystal Angel.
Copyright 2007 - TorLa Inc
This Site is an independent affiliate of
Morning Glory Industries
All Coding except where noted is owned by
TorLa or is used by permission
Telluride, Colorado 81435
Contact Us: CrystalAngelFashion@earthlink.net
Anyone who has ever driven the backroads
to Second Life over Tomboy Pass and looked
to the left at mile marker 36 just past the
old Wishing Well Mine has seen the entrance
to the 1360 acre Roaring Fork Ranch. While
the gates may look imposing and fit for a
Hollywood Movie starlet, inside the resident
is Just Tory - the publisher of the Crystal
Magazine.
I waited for Tory, I was impressed by her
collection of signed first editions in her
book case, an amazing collection of Waterford
Crystal, a collection of rare liquors, as
well as a collection of vintage antique rifles.
as her porch, the Parlour offers two exits.
One to Tory's and Angels Throne Room - a
secret room where only members of the House
of Perpetua are allowed to enter. Since I
am not a member, I was not allowed to enter.
of Angel Lake. With retracting glass doors
that open to allow the sounds of the Lake
and its inhabitants to fill the room, a full
service bar and a cozy fireplace, this room
is at the lowest elevation of any room at
the Ranch and has a wonderful hidden feel
- almost like it is a seperate cabin of its
own. The floor is covered with an antique
Persian rug and the soft green velvet chairs
offer comfy relaxation for Tory's guests.
A large dance area completes the Lake House.
set of double doors which led us to Tory's
Alpine Viewing Deck. A simple room with a
table and two chairs, it overlooks Hummingbird
Valley (a spectacular valley) which lays
beneath Mount Elizabeth, where the Elk herd
come to feed at dusk and dawn. Tory pointed
halfway up the 12300 foot Mount Elizabeth
and explained her Ranch property extends
almost halfway up the mountain.
being her Chapel of the 12 Wisdoms. I was
told by Tory that this Chapel was where she
often goes to offer prayers and thanks or
to simply argue her causes to what she calls,
"her buddy".
Klondike Valley enjoys Winter year round.
Tory refers to it as her Wintry Forest -
a fluke of nature, as Tory calls it. We jumped
on two of the six snowmobiles Tory owns and
went deep into the forest. I had never been
on a snowmobile and quickly got stuck in
a snow drift, but after a few lessons, I
was speeding through the forest like a pro.
wonderful lunch of smoked salmon, croissants,
fresh fruit and a bottle of some fancy White
Wine. I was in heaven.
