Tucked away in a narrow mountain valley is a rustic resort called Avalanche Ranch. At some point in October, we realized we needed to step away from our computers and phones. So away we went to Avalanche Ranch for a weekend retreat. And even though I became ill over the weekend (and ended up the emergency room after we got back), nothing could stop us from having the loveliest time. We built a fire, roasted marshmallows, and played Scrabble. We saw the brightest constellations you can imagine. Best of all, our phones never rang.

Dulcinea was happy to try out her distinguished new safety cape, designed to set her apart from the hunted wildlife. We probably wouldn’t have needed to dress her in orange, since we stayed close to the ranch due to my health and never did get into the back country. But she did look pretty cute.

Our cabin, titled “The Roost,” couldn’t have been cuter either. Roosters everywhere!

We fell in love with the Norwegian cast iron stove, which kept the entire cabin cozy as the temperature dropped. Now I’m really coveting a wood-burning stove of my own.

Unfortunately, Dulcinea also found the Jotul stove fascinating, which meant we couldn’t open the door to roast marshmallows without endangering our pup. So we made s’mores in the kitchen over the gas range. Authentic? No. Tasty? Oh, yes.

For a lot of people, the biggest attraction at Avalanche Ranch is the natural hot spring. We dipped our feet in and decided it was fine, but we were actually more interested in the cold, swampy waters of the nearby pond. There’s no accounting for taste, I guess.

The whole weekend, we stayed off the grid. We played Scrabble, then tackled “Forbidden Desert,” a collaborative board game. The next day, we went antiquing and met a few sheep. Best of all, our phones never rang.