Curecanti Ranch

Property The Curecanti Ranch, comprised of approximately 7400 deeded acres (M/L), was owned for many years by Emmett Elizondo who immigrated to the United States as a Basque sheepherder. During his lifetime of some ninety-six years, Mr. Elizondo acquired substantial ranch holdings in Colorado and Utah and became one of the largest sheep ranchers in the United States. During his later years he disposed of the bulk of his properties but chose to retain a few. This property was one of those. A spokesman for the estate said “we consider this a Pristine Jewel". The designation fits well. Location and Access The ranch lies approximately 27 miles west of Gunnison and 40 miles east of Montrose and is accessible via U. S. Highway 50. Approximately five miles of Colorado Highway 92 runs through or touches portions of the property. Both Montrose and Gunnison have daily commercial air service. The ranch is generally bounded on the south by the Curecanti National Recreation Area which includes the Blue Mesa, Morrow Point and Crystal Reservoirs and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Portions of the north and west boundaries adjoin the Gunnison National Forest. Terrain Elevations on the ranch range from about 7500 feet to 9500 feet. The ranch is naturally divided into different geographic areas. Terrain varies and includes grassy irrigated meadows, rolling hillsides, steep rocky cliffs and ledges, and heavily wooded hillsides. In some areas Aspen has been harvested to open up grazing areas while other areas are virgin timber. Part of the property is served by ranch roads while other areas are totally undisturbed and offer pure solitude to the horse rider or hiker. Current Use / Property Tax The property has historically been used for ranching and hunting purposes and is currently leased for cattle and sheep grazing and for hunting. It is assessed as agricultural land and the 1993 property taxes were $2497.55 Water for livestock and wildlife is supplied by catchment ponds, numerous springs and from creeks. Three streams are located on the property: Curecanti, Cottonwood and Haypress. The present lessee is running approximately 2,400 sheep for four months and 200 cow/calf pairs for about five months. The current lessee is guiding big game hunters. He reports a very high success ratio on Elk with a more limited harvest of Mule Deer for the 30 hunters he takes out. Black Bear and Mountain Lion also inhabit the ranch as well as many other small game species. Good access to the national forest allows for additional hunting area. Vegetation The valleys, ridges and hillsides support an abundance of many species of native grasses including Thurber and Idaho Fescues, Nodding Brome and Big, Native and Mountain Bluegrasses. Shrubbery and trees include Big and Silver Sagebrush, Aspen, Gambel Oak, Engelmann Spruce, and Sub-Alpine Fir. The range has been used conservatively and is in very good condition. Recreation Opportunities "One of the nations premier outdoor recreation areas" is a fitting description of the area surrounding the Curecanti Ranch. Excellent big game hunting abounds on the ranch and surrounding national forest as described above. The reservoirs of the Curecanti National Recreation Areas and the Gunnison River can boast of some of the finest trout fishing, boating, and other water sports anywhere. The Blue Mesa Reservoir, less than one-quarter mile off the property, is one of the largest bodies of water in Colorado. There are hiking trails just off the ranch that descend into the rugged majestic Black Canyon of the Gunnison. The ranch has some ideal areas for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. The Black Mesa portion of the nation forest, which adjoins the property on the west, has become a major location in the area for such sports. Curecanti Creek runs through the property for about 2-1/2 miles. Native trout abound in this major stream. With some habitat improvement it could become an even better fishing stream. Ranch Improvements For many years the ranch has been almost solely used as a summer grazing area so as a result the improvements are limited in nature and have utility value primarily only for the grazing operation. Large portions of the property are fenced with good to excellent fencing while other areas are a fenced but posted by the state as open range area. Two log cabins and a couple of picturesque barns are still usable. They speak of a bygone era when the summer herders spent lots of time there. While still habitable, some repair would make these buildings very useful. The corrals are adequate for the current livestock operation. Water Rights Records show 3.5 cubic feet of water from Van Tuyl Ditch # 1 deeded with the property with such water having been utilized to irrigate portions of the ranch. Sellers will transfer all water rights with the property. Many springs and ponds are located on the property and are very useful. While these have not been adjudicated, present owners are now in the process of filing for these additional water rights. Electricity A single-phase power line crosses one corner of the property but it is not used anywhere on the ranch. Since the ranch is quite large, a potential buyer would need to evaluate the cost and availability of service to a particular area or areas. Phone No service is used on the property but U.S. West lines are within one mile of the property. As with power, and individual assessment of availability would be necessary based on the needs of a potential buyer. Propane/Gas Delivery service is available both from Montrose and Gunnison. Water Current owners have not used water for domestic purposes. The state of Colorado has a permitting process for both drilling water wells and utilization of flowing surface water for domestic use. A potential buyer would need to evaluate availability, quantity and quality of water to suit their potential needs. Septic Systems No public sewage facilities are available; Gunnison County has a permitting process for rural septic systems. Summary Only rarely do properties of this quality become available. This one is priced such that it could merely be held as an investment while being used as a livestock and recreation ranch but it has excellent potential for dividing into smaller portions if a potential buyer wished to do so. There are numerous spots on the ranch to locate beautiful home sites with views of the majestic San Juan Mountains. There is also excellent commercial opportunity for various undertakings such as a year round guest ranching operation.

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