If you do get an itch for "civilization," the lovely world-class resort town of Breckenridge provides distinctive restaurants, shops and galleries. There is year round night life and special events include live theater, a film festival in September, jazz and classical concerts curing July and August, and in Winter Ice Carnival. At the end of the day it's back to the pristine wilderness surrounding the lodge.

What kind of men are attracted to this outpost in the Rocky Mountains? The clientele is oddly cosmopolitan. What is it about this year-round retreat that beckons so many men from different walks of life, from so many countries, year after year? Much of it, no doubt, is the affable and natural manner of their hosts, who offer them a chance to be themselves in an unaffected gay atmosphere.

The ambiance is intimate and informal. They admit that The Bunkhouse Lodge is not the vacation spot for those who require constant attention and luxurious accommodations. Travelers with six matched pieces of Mark Cross luggage might not enjoy the experience. This unique facility is strictly for the outdoorsman who wishes to shed the veneer of society and lay back for a time in a natural setting. The staff and their friends are very conscious of wilderness preservation and the fact that they are custodians of this rapidly disappearing landscape.

The Bunkhouse Lodge welcomes single men and male couples to their tranquil lifestyle, and invite them to explore the secrets of the wilderness and share the many pleasures of this extraordinary mountain retreat.

Written by Andy Matthews for "Our World."

• Breckenridge, Colorado
• Breckenridge Ski Resort