Second Brake Bar & Grill - Electric Mountain Lodge Vacations
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(970) 929-5522

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Second Brake Bar & Grill

About Second Brake

At the Electric Mountain Lodge, we want you and your pack to be well fed and taken care of. The Second Brake Bar and Grill offers classic mountain fare that’s wholesome, hearty, and always striving for local. Enjoy favorites like chicken wings or sliders in the bar or lounge, or grab a quick snack to bring back to your cabin. Folks are particularly fond of our pizza pies which are made fresh in our in-house pizza oven. Our menu changes often so there's always something new to enjoy. 

Kick back and sip on a local craft beer, or enjoy one of our many classic cocktails. Pick from a sprawling list of local wines, hard seltzers, and spirits to relax and take the edge off the day.
 
Please note that the restaurant and bar will be open for limited hours to the public (those not staying in a cabin or renting a snowmobile). We will feature a limited menu until we are fully reopened. Winter public hours of operation are: 
Fridays from 11 am to 2 pm, 5 pm to 8 pm
Saturdays from 11 am to 8 pm
Holiday hours TBD  

If you are staying in a cabin, contact us directly for more information about the restaurant and bar during your stay.

Get restaurant updates and the most current public hours of operation here.

Our Backstory

So why the name Second Brake? Back in the day, early settlers with heavy wagons had to climb the steep rims and deep clefts on the Grand Mesa. Descending the steep grades required that wagons be equipped with brakes, a tall lever just behind your right shoulder. You engaged it by pulling the rope on top which wedged two blocks of wood against the iron tires of the rear wheels. The harder you pulled, the more braking you got. But sometimes the grade was so steep the back wheels slid, so you jerked into Second Brake. This was a breeching, a wide, thick strap around the horses' rumps (something like a slipped diaper). You engaged it by yanking hard on the reins.

The horses braced their legs and sat back against that breeching strap, the braking force went forward along the harness to the yoke and back along the tongue to the wheels. If the slope was too steep, a heavy wagon threatened to pile down on top of the team, so you kicked into Third Brake by cutting down a tree to drag along behind. The bigger the tree, the better the braking.

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