Not often is it possible for a mother and daughter to have a chat on the chairlift and still be fifteen seconds from the comfort of their great room fireplace. That’s totally the case here. Same goes for being creekside one moment and in the kitchen seconds later. This 3,529-square-foot Martis Camp home immediately invites those kinds of moments and connections. It welcomes you with a quad chair hoisted beside the front door with direct views of Northstar California’s slopes. You could also opt for the creek that runs beside the west-facing patios that open to the great room and dining room. The covered barbecue and dining area on the deck do nothing to diminish that power of connection, where burgers and sunsets complement the setting. The great room fireplace is an impressive stretch of stone, one part of it carved out to accommodate a large screen tv. The kitchen commands a view of this whole scene, its tall ceilings a blend of light woods and a stout metal beam. Just beyond the kitchen is a media room that provides an ideal retreat for those in search of games and movies. The downstairs master bedroom’s oversized bath calls for an entirely different (and more soothing) form of retreat. Upstairs are three bedrooms, including a master suite with views of ski runs one direction and – in the other direction – the pond that marks the border of Martis Camp. And to cap off this 4-bedroom, 5-bathroom home’s power to connect people, there’s always the option of enjoying a stroll to the Springs Pavilion and tennis courts and, further on, forested paths that lead to a secluded meadow.