How Alison Knapp Raised $20 Million to Build Roundup River Ranch in Dotsero

Aspen —Alison Knapp never imagined that a trip to Florida in 2004 would reshape the landscape of Eagle County’s health care infrastructure. She was invited to Camp Boggy Creek, part of the SeriousFun Children’s Network founded by Paul Newman, by David and Francie Horvitz. That single trip sparked a vision: a camp in the Rockies where children with life-changing diagnoses could simply be kids.

It became Roundup River Ranch.

The project didn’t just happen. It required $20 million to build on 85 acres along the Colorado River, nine miles north of Dotsero. Knapp scoured 35 different plots of land before settling on the stretch along Colorado River Road. The financing was a tightrope walk. In 2006, Children’s Hospital of Denver became the founding medical partner. Knapp launched the Campaign for Laughter, recruiting board members and donors while trying to hit that $20 million mark.

The deal that made it real came from Denny Sanford. Knapp brought the financier to the site. He needed to raise $14 million more. Sanford offered to match $7 million if Knapp could secure the other half. A recession was looming. Progress didn’t stop. By the fall of 2009, the money was there. The first stone was laid.

Construction began in November 2009. The camp opened its gates in July 2011.

Ruth Johnson, the founding president and CEO, remembers the first group of participants arriving. She didn’t just see children; she saw the result of community dedication.

“When our first participants arrived at the site, it was the celebration of all the dedication and hard work of this incredible community to allow children with diagnoses that change their lives to change their lives forever by allowing them to live the ordinary joys of childhood, something they cannot do without medical support around them,” Johnson said.

The camp offers archery, fishing, ropes courses, canoeing, art, singing, and show nights. The goal, echoing Newman’s original vision from 1988 in Connecticut, is to let kids take a break from their diagnosis, treatment, and condition. They get to make a little noise.

For context, this isn’t just a summer camp. It’s a specialized medical facility embedded in a recreational setting. The infrastructure supports children who need constant medical monitoring but want the freedom of a traditional camp experience. The location in Dotsero provides access to I-70 while keeping the facility secluded enough for the therapeutic environment.

The financial model relied on heavy lifting from private donors and a major institutional partner. Children’s Hospital of Denver didn’t just provide doctors; they provided the credibility that attracted the rest of the capital. The $20 million raised covered the land, the buildings, and the initial operational runway.

Today, the ranch stands as proof of that early fundraising hustle. It’s not a government project. It’s not a tax-funded initiative. It’s a private nonprofit that leveraged the reputation of its founders and the generosity of locals like the Horvitzes and Sanford to fill a specific niche in the Western Slope’s health ecosystem.

The impact on the local community is logistical and emotional. Families from the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond don’t have to drive to Colorado Springs or Denver for specialized pediatric camp experiences. They stay closer to home. The infrastructure is already built. The costs are sunk into the $20 million equity.

The bottom line is simple. Roundup River Ranch exists because Knapp, Johnson, and their backers raised $20 million to build it. It serves children who need medical support but crave normalcy. It sits on 85 acres in Dotsero. It’s been open for over a decade. And it’s still running.