Gabriel Yuri of New Operations Workshop has transformed his parents' mountain home in the Colorado Rockies, creating a stunning retreat that blends Scandinavian warmth with Japanese restraint. The project represents a dream come true for former New Yorkers Mitch and Linda Bollag, who left the chaos of city life in the 1970s seeking a slower pace of living.
The Bollags' journey westward to Colorado was motivated by their desire to escape urban life, with the Rocky Mountain landscape evoking memories of Mitch's paternal homeland in Switzerland. For Linda, who grew up in Brooklyn, the move promised an exciting escape into a world vastly different from her urban upbringing. Although Mitch's small textile recycling business eventually drew the couple to the Southeast, their connection to Colorado's mountains remained strong.
"They never lost their love for the mountains of Colorado, coming back several times each year knowing it was their dream to have a forever home there," explains their son Gabriel Yuri. This longtime dream finally materialized when they discovered a simple mountain-style house outside the tiny mining town of Montezuma, which has a population of just 47 residents.
The location of their retreat is nothing short of extraordinary, nestled at an elevation of 10,600 feet in the Rockies and situated approximately two hours west of Denver. From this remarkable vantage point, mountainscapes are visible in every direction, while a stream and waterfall flow nearby, adding to the property's natural beauty and tranquil atmosphere.
Despite the extreme elevation, which requires keeping an oxygen machine ready for visiting friends and family unaccustomed to the altitude, Mitch and Linda have fully embraced mountain living. "Despite the altitude and their age, they regularly embark on 10-mile cross-country ski tours directly from the house, and explore the surrounding peaks on foot during summer months," Yuri shares, highlighting his parents' adventurous spirit and dedication to an active mountain lifestyle.
