Today's blizzard and Denver blizzards generally remind me of the movie based on the Stephen King novel, The Shining. Many may not be aware of the strong Colorado connection to the novel, including the inspiration for the novel in Estes Park. While today would certainly not be a good day to try to make that trip (without a snow cat that is), one of the more interesting and definitely quirky day trips from Denver is the trip to Estes Park's Stanley Hotel, made famous (or perhaps infamous) by its association with The Shining. According to tour guides at the Stanley, King was inspired to write The Shining while staying at Room 217 in the Stanley one year just prior to the hotel's closing for the winter. These days the hotel is open year-round. Of course, once The Shining and King became popular the hotel was inundated with requests for reservations for Room 217. In a smart move the hotel changed all of the numbers on all of their second floor rooms, so that now, any reservation for the second floor is just as likely as any other to get Room 217. The hotel has been both blessed and cursed by it's association with a horror movie. On the one hand the Stanley goes to great pains to play up its many other non-Shiningattributes, history and amenities, including the founder of the hotel, Freelan O. Stanley, inventor of the Stanley Steamer, an early steam-powered automobile, its many famous guests including Theodore Roosevelt, the Emperor and Empress of Japan, the Unsinkable Molly Brown and many others. On the other hand the hotel has had to come to terms with the reason for its fame beyond Estes Park. Foremost amongst these accomodations is the hotel's "Ghost Tour," which while it also includes a 1900s history tour on the early days of the hotel, also includes its Shiningconnection, ghost stories and sightings, tour of its most haunted rooms and places and its very spooky underground tunnel. So spooky, in fact, that no children under 5 are allowed to come on the tour even if accompanied by an adult. The tour costs only $10 but during the tourist season its capacity of 25 is quickly booked up. The hotel strongly urges advance reservations which can be made by calling (970) 577-4110. The hotel's gift shop is a lot of fun as well, including shot glasses labeled "RedRum," and copies of the ABC miniseries The Shining, (which, unlike the movie starring Jack Nicholson, was actually filmed at the hotel). Even more memorablia, including books such as Stanley Ghost Stories, can be found down the hill at "The Stanley Hotel Museum" a small independent store run out of a strip mall called Lower Stanley Village a few blocks from the hotel itself. Here you can find a 1909 Model R Stanley Roadster as well as engine diagrams for the Steamer all of which leads one to wonder if perhaps the answer to the problem of imported oil might be solved by a revival of the Stanley Steamer. The museums website is http://www.stanleymuseum.org and is generally open throughout the summer tourist season. Directions to Stanley Hotel from Denver: Go north on I-25 to exit 243, the Lyons exit, take a left on CO-66 to Estes Park. CO-66 becomes Highway 36 W and continues into Estes Park. In Estes Park stay straight through the stoplights for St. Vrain/Hwy 7 and Elkhorn/Hwy 37. Get on E. Wonderview Ave. and take the second right to the Stanley Hotel. The address is 333 Wonderview Avenue, Estes Park,Colorado: http://www.stanleyhotel.com http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Hotel |
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Visit the inspiration for "The Shining" one hour from Denver
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