A Magical Birthday Celebration: Wendy Steele’s Unforgettable Visit to Ted Turner’s Vermejo Ranch
In the heart of the American Southwest, where the rugged beauty of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains meets endless prairie skies, lies a place so extraordinary that it seems to exist beyond the bounds of ordinary reality. Ted Turner’s Vermejo Ranch, spanning over 558,000 acres of pristine wilderness in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, served as the enchanted backdrop for a birthday celebration that would forever be etched in memory—that of Wendy Steele, the remarkable woman whose journey from corporate executive to conservation advocate embodies the transformative power of this magical landscape.
The Extraordinary Guest of Honor
Wendy Steele’s story reads like a modern fairy tale of reinvention and resilience. Once a high-powered Vice President at The Coca-Cola Company, Wendy’s life took a dramatic turn when she met Bob Root at an executive team-building session in the mountains outside Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1993 at Larry Wilson’s Pecos River Ranch. Their chance encounter was so profound that both left their corporate careers—Bob as a high-tech CEO from Silicon Valley and Wendy from her executive position—to pursue a simpler, more meaningful life together. It was so profound a meeting that Larry featured Bob & Wendy in his book, Play To Win.”
But Wendy’s journey held deeper challenges. As a melanoma survivor, she understands the preciousness of life and the importance of living each day to its fullest. Her battle with cancer led to the creation of Keys Care, a chemical-free skincare company that emerged from her need for products that wouldn’t further damage her sensitive post-treatment skin. Today, Wendy and Bob are known as the “Chill Travelers,” embodying a philosophy of travel and life that values experiences over possessions, and connection over consumption.
Vermejo Ranch: A Conservation Paradise Unlike Any Other
To understand why Vermejo Ranch provided the perfect setting for such a momentous celebration, one must first appreciate what makes this place truly magical. When Ted Turner purchased the property in 1996, his vision was clear: “to manage Turner lands in an economically sustainable and ecologically sensitive manner while promoting native species and habitat”. What emerged from this commitment is nothing short of miraculous—a living testament to the power of conservation and restoration.
The ranch’s crown jewel, Casa Grande, stands as a monument to both historical grandeur and modern conservation values. This renovated 25,000-square-foot stone mansion, once Ted Turner’s private quarters, blends Southwestern accents with 1900s elegance, creating an atmosphere that transports guests to an era of timeless luxury. Designed by Joseph Lyman Silsbee, the renowned architect who mentored Frank Lloyd Wright, Casa Grande represents the perfect fusion of human artistry and natural splendor.
A Birthday Celebration in Paradise
As the sun began its descent behind the towering peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Wendy birthday celebration commenced in the Great Room of the Turner House. The massive stone firepit crackled with warmth, casting dancing shadows across the walls adorned with Native American artifacts and Western art. The marble column hallways echoed with the laughter of friends who had gathered from across the country.
The celebration seamlessly flowed from the mansion’s grand interior to the Casa Grande courtyard, where dinner was served under a canopy of stars that seemed to shine more brightly in the unpolluted skies of this remote paradise. Executive Chef Giovanni Lanzante had crafted a menu that celebrated both the land’s bounty and Wendy’s adventurous spirit—featuring ranch-raised bison, fresh trout, and vegetables grown in Vermejo’s own greenhouse.
The Magic of Conservation in Action
What makes Vermejo truly magical isn’t just its stunning beauty, but the incredible conservation success story that unfolds across its vast expanse. The ranch is home to over 1,200 American wild bison, descendants of the Castle Rock herd that has roamed these lands since the 1920s. These genetically pure bison represent one of the most important conservation achievements in American history, helping to bring back a species that once teetered on the brink of extinction.
This ranch provides the perfect opportunity for guests to witness firsthand the remarkable restoration work that has transformed this landscape. Rio Grande cutthroat trout, once nearly extinct, now thrive in 120 miles of restored streams throughout the property. These native fish, with their distinctive orange and red hues, represent a conservation triumph that has captured the attention of biologists worldwide.
A Sanctuary for Endangered Species
Vermejo’s commitment to conservation extends far beyond its most visible successes. The ranch has served as a crucial habitat for the endangered black-footed ferret, with releases conducted in 2008 and 2012 as part of a collaborative effort with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Over 8,000 acres of prairie dog colonies provide the foundation for this recovery program, demonstrating how large-scale ecosystem restoration can benefit multiple species simultaneously.
The Turner Endangered Species Fund, with its motto “Save Everything,” has made Vermejo a living laboratory for conservation science. During her birthday celebration, Wendy and Bob had the opportunity to meet with the ranch’s guides, staff and land managers, learning about ongoing projects that are literally saving species from extinction.
A Landscape That Inspires Transformation
As the evening progressed and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains were bathed in the ethereal glow of alpenglow, it became clear why this place had such a profound effect on everyone who experienced it. The ranch’s 560,000 acres encompass an incredible diversity of habitats, from shortgrass prairie at 5,867 feet to alpine tundra at 12,931 feet. This remarkable elevation range creates a tapestry of ecosystems that support over 180 species of birds, large herds of elk and deer, and predators like mountain lions and black bears.
For Wendy, whose own journey has been marked by transformation and resilience, Vermejo Ranch represented the perfect embodiment of her life philosophy. Just as she and Bob had chosen to leave their corporate careers to pursue a more meaningful existence, the ranch itself had been transformed from damaged, overworked land into a thriving ecosystem that serves as a model for conservation worldwide.
The Legacy of a Magical Evening
As guests gathered around the Turner Campfire Ring, sharing stories and reflecting on the extraordinary day. The clear mountain air carried the sounds of the wilderness—the haunting call of elk, the rustle of wind through aspen leaves, and the distant howl of coyotes. In this moment, surrounded by the vastness of the American West and the success of conservation efforts that had brought the land back to life, Wendy birthday celebration became more than just a party—it became a testament to the power of vision, commitment, and the belief that we can heal the world around us.
The magic of Vermejo Ranch lies not just in its stunning beauty or its luxury amenities, but in its representation of what is possible when we choose to be stewards rather than simply consumers of the natural world. For Wendy, whose own life has been dedicated to creating products that heal rather than harm, and whose philosophy of “chill traveling” embraces the transformative power of authentic experiences, there could have been no more perfect place to celebrate another year of life well-lived.
A Place Like No Other
Ted Turner’s Vermejo Ranch stands as proof that there are still places on Earth where magic exists—where the impossible becomes possible, where extinct species return from the brink, and where the human spirit can soar as freely as the golden eagles that circle above its peaks. Wendy birthday celebration in this extraordinary place served as a reminder that sometimes, the most precious gifts in life cannot be purchased or manufactured—they can only be experienced in places where the boundary between the natural and the supernatural seems to dissolve, leaving us forever changed by the encounter.
In a world increasingly dominated by artificial experiences and digital connections, Vermejo Ranch offers something that no technology can replicate: the opportunity to witness the miraculous healing of the land and to be part of a conservation story that will inspire generations to come. For Wendy and Bob, this birthday celebration was more than just a milestone—it was a glimpse into what paradise might look like when humanity chooses to work in harmony with the natural world rather than against it.
We’ll be back!
Thanks Ted
Wendy’s Birthday Video Log
Video and Music by Bob Root, Chilltravelers
Link to Vermejo
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