This Rocky Mountain oasis sits high above Estes Park, Colorado, at an elevation of 8,500 feet. Despite the gorgeous views, this landscape has suffered from poor drainage in the past, resulting in water damage to the house. In response, the owners wanted to fix the drainage and create a unique outdoor space that would reflectthe rugged beauty of the area. Fossil Creek Nursery, based in Fort Collins, was brought in to transform the property. Their efforts led to them earning a 2025 Gold Award of Excellence.
“Receiving the award is an incredible honor,” says Brandon Vannest, residential designer and project manager with Fossil Creek. “Every person who worked on this project has been extremely proud of how it has turned out. Receiving the NALP Award of Excellence is truly a testament to our crew’s dedication, craftsmanship, and ability to adapt and overcome complex site challenges.”
Access was one of those challenges. The home sits atop a narrow and winding mountain road, making it difficult to stage materials and equipment. Careful coordination allowed for smaller loads to be dropped off at the driveway base and taken to the home, while equipment was staged efficiently to maximize the limited space.
The uneven terrain also impacted the design. Shallow bedrock made excavation a more tedious and labor-intensive process.
“We had to remain flexible with the placement of key project elements,” Vannest says. “We adapted plans as work progressed on-site to work directly with the terrain.”
A core feature of the project is large boulders, which were installed from a slope above the home.
“The majority of the large boulders were set from a paved driveway high above the work area using an extendable forklift,” Vannest adds. “The narrow mountain roads limited the amount of large equipment we could bring to the jobsite.”
Each boulder was installed using small machinery or by hand for exact precision.
Drainage was the top functional priority for the landscape. Excess snowmelt is common in spring, along with unpredictable weather. Because of this, the team needed to create a system that could handle large amounts of runoff. To address future problems, Fossil Creek regraded the site and installed a subsurface drainage tile to lead water away from the home’s foundation. The 40’ water feature in the backyard also helps slow and redirect runoff. Additionally, this feature is the centerpiece of the new landscape as it symbolizes the beauty of the Rockies. Below the waterfall is a 500-gallon reservoir that recirculates 12,000 gallons of water each hour.
Weather also had an impact during the project.
“A late spring and persistent snowpack delayed our start date by three weeks,” Vannest says. “Once the snowpack cleared, our team mobilized quickly to keep momentum going. At this elevation, weather conditions change quickly, and the team had to remain flexible and maintain good communication with the homeowner regarding any late-season rain, hail, or snowstorms.”
Given the extreme terrain and weather, Fossil Creek made sure employees were ready for the safety risks. Many of their projects are in the Estes Park area, so their training program focuses on being safe in the mountains and around wildlife.
“For this project specifically, we completed comprehensive soil shoring immediately following excavation to stabilize the slope,” Vannest says. “The team strategically positioned larger equipment used to set boulders farther away, where the ground was more solid. The further distance proved its own challenge when placing large boulders in such a small space, but it provided increased safety on the slopes.”
For a long time, the pathways near the home were a safety hazard, especially in winter and spring. Standing water would form on the paths as the snow melted on warmer days. And once the temperatures dipped, the water refroze and created a slippery slope for walking. The spacing was tight on these paths as well. To alleviate these concerns, Fossil Creek installed sawn boulder steps and natural stone stairways to provide better stability and more space for walking. The natural materials fit into the slope and reinforce the most unique aspect of this property.
“The way it seamlessly blends into the surrounding Rocky Mountain environment truly sets it apart – the landscape looks as though it was always meant to be there,” Vannest says.
Interested in participating in the Awards of Excellence? Contact the NALP Awards team!
