Who We Are
Our family’s history in Elk Country began at Pine Rock Camp on the banks of Trout Run where Bryan’s love for the area was fostered by his dad, Ed. With his dad by his side, Bryan learned how to read streams and catch native trout, build fires in the wood stove, and live cooperatively with the rhythms of nature. This early, fertile era of Bryan’s life inspired as an avid hunter, a dedicated fisherman, and as a father. When his own children were born, Bryan committed to teaching them the skills, and demonstrating the fruits, of an outdoor life. Catching a fish and feeling a sense of appreciation for the stream. Hiking to an overlook and having stillness settle a stormy heart. Harvesting a buck and offering gratitude for the experience and the sustenance. Sharing and listening to stories around a campfire and forging lifetime bonds. In short, living a genuinely connected life.
In 2013, this family philosophy took on new life when we opened up our mountain home as “Camp Can’t Keep Up.” In the years that followed, four other properties found their way to us, each with its own story and particular feel, each one allowing us to appreciate Elk Country in a unique way. Renovations at creek-side Camp Eagle’s Nest were routinely paused when mergansers were fishing out front, or the bald eagle perched in a dead snag across the river. Our spacious town cottage, The Elk Grove, holds memories of our kids and their friends watching a cow elk eat apples in the front yard. Just down the road, The Elk Antler Inn has a back porch swing that is a cozy spot to enjoy a cup of freshly brewed coffee and a warm blanket while you watch for elk behind the cabin. The pavilion next door at Buck Haven Lodge was a scarf-dying and fabric printing workshop one summer.
As these same years passed that changed our accommodation offerings, each of us continued following our own ways to connect with each other and with nature. Taven’s favorite memories include learning how to fish Hicks Run with his dad and scaling mountains in the early spring looking for elk sheds. I became a certified yoga and meditation instructor and taught my first class at sunrise at Bucktail Overlook in 2022. In 2021, we lost Bryan’s dad, Ed; and we all used our memories of him in the mountains as a balm for our grief.
Elk Country is a place that our hearts have found connection, love, and healing. That is what we seek to share with others: the places and practices on our journeys that have helped us the very most. We hope that our family is able to facilitate an experience for you that will allow you to take refuge from daily challenges in order to connect with what is most important: who is around us, and who is within us.