Sam's Smokehouse - Snowmass, Colorado

At 10,600 feet, the new Sam's Knob Restaurant had plenty of construction challenges. The aggressive schedule required R.A. Nelson to find a number of innovative ways to quickly and efficiently build the structure in order to escape "old man winter" on both ends of the timetable. Work progressed rapidly: clearing the access road, blasting rock, hauling away excess dirt, and then, going vertical. The LEED project incorporated a plethora of sustainable building systems and materials to receive the "Silver" rating with the USGBC. The restaurant, with multiple decks and an indoor capacity of 160, opened in time for the 2008-2009 ski season.