Wildfire Risk to Fire Ready Roofs: The Wildhorse at Prospect Transformation

When your neighborhood sits in the hills above Crested Butte with wilderness in each direction, wildfire risk is not theoretical, it is personal. That was the reality at Wildhorse at Prospect, where aging cedar shake roofs were pushing the community toward a serious problem. Insurance carriers started raising flags and coverage was at risk.

Homeowners had a choice. Keep a rustic but vulnerable roof system, or invest in a fire-ready solution that would protect property value for decades. That is where Axtell Mtn Construction stepped in.

Why Cedar Shake Became a Liability

Cedar shake is classic mountain style, but in modern wildfire country it comes with big tradeoffs.

Key risks of cedar shake in Wildhorse:

• High fuel load in a high risk zone
• Accelerated weathering at elevation, especially without regular maintenance
• Increasing scrutiny from insurance companies
• Higher likelihood of embers igniting roofs during a fire event

For Wildhorse homeowners, keeping cedar shake was no longer just a design decision, it was an insurance and safety issue.

The Shift to Class A Fire Ready Metal Roofs

Wildhorse needed a roofing system that would satisfy design review, meet strict fire code expectations, and stand up to snow, wind and sun at elevation.

Axtell Mtn Construction worked with the HOA Design Review Committee to establish a metal standard that was both beautiful and fire ready.

System highlights:

• 24 gauge standing seam metal with Class A fire resistance and Class 4 impact resistance
• S-5! snow retention to control snow shed and protect walkways, decks and parking areas
• Striated panels to mitigate oil canning and maintain a premium look over time
  

The HOA approved two Ultra Low Gloss colors from the Coated Metals Group catalog, Dark Bronze and Carbon. The low sheen finish fits the landscape and keeps glare down in bright alpine sun.

Every Roof, A Custom Take Sheet

On paper, Wildhorse had three original home models. In reality, 25 years of additions and modifications turned that into six distinct styles.

For Axtell Mtn Construction, that meant:

• Custom take sheets for each home
• Adjustments for small but critical differences in framing
• Precise measurements where neighboring houses varied by only a few inches

This level of detail is what turns a neighborhood project into a true transformation, not just a simple re-roof.

Fire Ready Roofs, Protected Coverage

As of Fall 2025, Axtell Mtn Construction has completed more than a dozen metal roof replacements across Wildhorse at Prospect, with more on the schedule.

The result:

• A community that is far better prepared for wildfire exposure
• Roofs designed for heavy snow loads and long term performance
• Homeowners who can speak confidently with insurance carriers about their fire mitigation efforts
  

Unique Attributes

On paper there were three different models of homes. However, in the past 25 years some homes have built unique additions, and the original framers had their own unique take on each home. Today, there are six different styles of homes with every home requiring a unique take-sheet for roof measurements. Some houses have differences as little as three inches from its “identical” neighbor. 

Specifications

• Wildhorse HOA approved two Ultra-Low Gloss color choices from our CMG catalog: ULG Dark Bronze & ULG Carbon. 
• Striations added in panels to mitigate metal oil-canning.
• S-5! Snow Retention. Axtell Mtn Construction is also managing necessary roof snow removal throughout the community.