Sculptor Lou Wille arrived in the Roaring Fork Valley in 1950.  He came from the New York art scene and decided to go west after hearing tales of marble strewn along the banks of the Crystal River from the Yule Marble Quarry.  He founded an art school where he met his future wife, Lynne.  After they were married, they both taught art in the old miner’s house they were turning into apartments.  Next door was a vacant lot on Main Street.  They bought the land, built the Tyrolean Lodge, and started up business in 1970.  They decided to name the hotel after the Tyrol region of Austria in the Alps, where some of the first ski resorts began.  Lou, being a sculptor, added the finishing touch to the lodge with a colossal chrome car bumper eagle sculpture atop the chimney.

They had four children who were all avid ski racers and mountain adventurers.  Andre and Pierre still compete in the epic Elk Mountain Grand Traverse, a 40 mile, all night back country ski race from Crested Butte to Aspen every spring. The eldest son, Raoul, was a cross country ski coach and operated the lodge from the mid 80’s till his untimely death while climbing Mt. Burntse near Mt. Everest in Nepal in 1989.The second son Andre is a science teacher at Aspen High School.  I am Pierre, Lynne and Lou’s youngest son, and now I am the proprietor.  I have considerably upgraded the condition and quality of the Lodge and integrated a comfortable, inviting vintage ski decor.  On behalf of the Wille family, I would like to welcome you to the Tyrolean Lodge.  We have a long tradition of clean, spacious rooms for reasonable rates in a great downtown location.  The Tyrolean Lodge has a commitment to the natural environment and dedication to our local community.   Welcome to the Tyrolean Lodge.  I look forward to your visit.

— Pierre Wille