Wyoming's hidden gems in the form of boutique hotels and restaurants

We joined folks from Laramie, Green River, Lusk, Rawlins, Saratoga, Encampment, Medicine Bow, Chicago and Sun Valley at an event at an even more obscure place in Wyoming recently.

Does the name Elk Mountain mean anything to you?

To a wintertime traveler on Interstate 80, the name Elk Mountain conjures up fearsome, scary images.

That location in winter, which can occur from September to May, on this road is also where 16,000 semi-trailer trucks a day go blasting along, kicking up swirling snow and seemingly ignoring wintertime driving conditions.

There is a kinder, gentler side of the Elk Mount...