Winding River Ranch Is One of These Opportunities, Offering Miles of World-Class Private Fishing, Trophy Hunting for the West’S Most Desirable Wildlife Species
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WindPARK in COUNTY, g Rive COLORADO r Ran c h PARKWind inCOUNTY, g Rive COLORADO r Ran c h Introduction: Many ranch buyers spend years looking for the property that has it all; however rarely find that one offering that fits every need or desire. The Winding River Ranch is one of these opportunities, offering miles of world-class private fishing, trophy hunting for the West’s most desirable wildlife species. In addition, the ranch enjoys year-round accessibility and proximity to resort amenities, privacy offered by miles of public land boundary, postcard mountain scenery, and turnkey improvements for immediate enjoyment. We are thrilled to bring this ranch to market and look forward to every opportunity spent on this legacy property. Brian Hartley, Associate Broker Alex Maher, President/Founding Broker Toll Free 866.734.6100 Office 303.455.1521 www.LiveWaterProperties.com Winding River Ranch - A Legacy Retreat Location: One of the many wonderful attributes of the Winding River Ranch is its ideal location. The ranch has convenient access to the resort amenities of Breckenridge in a 45-minute drive with daily commercial flights in nearby Denver and Colorado Springs airports (both 90-minute drives), and extensive backcountry recreation in the neighboring Pike National Forest. Located approximately 10 minutes south of the charming mountain community of Fairplay, Colorado, there are several excellent dining options as well as a new grocery store, library, bowling alley and an informative and friendly fly fishing shop nearby. There is year-round access to the ranch by way of US Highway 285, a well-maintained road offering a direct route to Denver while Colorado Springs is easily accessed via nearby US Highway 24. Private air travel is accommodated 25 minutes from the ranch at the 8,300-foot Buena Vista airstrip. Premier alpine skiing is available and abundant in Breckenridge via the scenic Hoosier Pass. This road is kept open throughout the year, giving the ranch owners and guests immediate access to exceptional fine dining, boutique shopping and alpine skiing. Breckenridge features over 2,300 acres of skiable terrain ranging from beginner friendly slopes to expert terrain spanning four peaks of the majestic Tenmile Mountain Range. Acreage: The Winding River Ranch lies at an elevation of 9,300 feet above sea level and consists of 3,115 deeded acres in Park County, Colorado. The lush green river meadows meld quickly into dark timber on the adjacent hillsides providing ideal cover and water for the ample big game species that frequent the ranch. The ranch has the feel of a private valley with expansive native grasslands looking up to snowcapped 14,000-foot peaks. Due to the high elevations of these peaks, the snow remains throughout the year providing picturesque panoramic views year round. The valley enjoys an average of 300 days per year of sunshine, so the blue-sky backdrop usually rounds out this scene, affording dramatic contrast and postcard quality vistas. The ranch enjoys views of Pike’s Peak to the south and Teller and Hoosier Ridges along the Continental Divide to the north. Wildflowers abound throughout this subalpine zone with mid- summer displays in the meadows and the river’s edge offering a rainbow of color. Aspen groves are scattered throughout the forest and bring forth golden bands of foliage during the fall. Approximately 1,611 acres of the 3,115 acres of total deeded ownership are protected in perpetuity by a series of conservation easements with The Nature Conservancy; the balance is unencumbered 1,504± acres). In addition to the deeded ground the current owner controls Bureau of Land Management ground totaling 354.6 acres as well as grazing and recreational leases of 1,246± acres on Black Mountain, a key elk hunting haven not accessible to the public. Improvements: This turn-key property is ready for immediate adventure, outfitted with multiple residential structures as well as several storage barns and various corrals. The manager’s home is 1,774 sqft, comprised of 3 bedrooms and 2 baths built in 1956. This home was recently upgraded with a new roof, new windows and all new wood siding. There are also two cabins, each located on separate ridges overlooking the river with views to the adjacent mountain peaks and native grasslands. The Ridge Cabin is 1,406 sqft, comprised of 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, and the View Cabin is 1,632 sqft with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. There is also a comfortable 912 sqft Bunkhouse comprised of 2 rooms, 1 bathroom. All cabins are fully furnished comfortably with phone, power and satellite. Any of these residences would be an ideal home base while an incoming owner builds their dream home or lodge on one of the many ideal building sites on the ranch. Electric, telephone and satellite television service is available into the interior of the property and is currently run to three separate residences on the ranch, which opens up the building site opportunities for a new structure. In addition to the structures on the main ranch parcel, there are several cabins on the outer perimeters of the deeded acreage which would lend themselves well to spill-over hunter lodging, staff quarters and general overflow for large gatherings at the ranch. The improvements include an off-grid A-Frame that features picturesque views of the Buffalo Peaks, a 2 bedroom, 2 bath modest home with kitchenette and wood-burning stove, as well as a 1 bedroom, 1 bath manufactured home with a walk-out basement. An important element on ranches of this size, a network of roads and bridges exist throughout the property, ensuring the owner easy access to their deeded ground, numerous fishing resources and surrounding public lands. Premier Homesite: A charming private drive leads west of the Ridge Cabin, weaving through mature timber to a level building site overlooking the river with dramatic views of the Buffalo Peaks and towering snow-capped peaks of the Mosquito Range. This site allows convenient access across the ranch and enjoys private seclusion with unparralleled site lines. Live Water: Nearly five miles of the South Fork of the South Platte River ribbon through the ranch offering exceptional private fly fishing for wild brown and rainbow trout. The habitat has been managed well and offers several different types of water to fish including deep pools in the tight bends, riffles over quality gravel and large, deeper impoundments created by the local beaver population. The resident trout populations are impressive and supplemented annually with the fall migration of trophy brown trout up from the Antero Reservoir, located 8 miles downstream of the ranch. With a very healthy food source that includes various mayflies, caddis flies, stoneflies, scuds, and terrestrial insects the numerous miles of pristine trophy fishing water offer trout the nutrients and room necessary to grow aggressively year after year. The average trout in the stream range from 12-16 inches in length, with the ever-present opportunity for much larger fish in the deeper holding water. The largest wild trout landed on the ranch have reportedly measured 29 inches and 31 inches in length. “Browns in this class also hold over from year to year because of the excellent cover and undercut banks the stream provides them”, according to the Flyfisher’s Guide to Colorado. The ranch also contains four trophy fishing lakes in which Snake River cutthroat trout, Donaldson steelhead, Kamloop rainbow, German brown and brook trout have been stocked. These lakes offer the novice an opportunity to perfect their cast with a good shot at landing a feisty trout while still providing a challenge to seasoned anglers looking to land line-ripping trophies with a well-placed midge or stripped wooly bugger. It is important to note that this ranch offers completely private fishing. Unlike other Rocky Mountain states, in Colorado the ranch owner owns the bed of the streams, and the stream on Winding River Ranch is not large enough to support any float traffic by even the smallest of floating crafts. This allows ownership to truly manage the resource by dictating fishing methods used, controlling pressure, periodic fish stocking and organizing restorations projects as desired. Both the South Fork and Rough and Tumbling Creek (which joins the South Fork) remain undammed above the ranch, bringing seasonal high waters that recharge the wetlands running through the middle of the ranch. The seasonal recharging of the wetlands, along with a discontinuation of livestock grazing along the vibrant riparian corridor have enhanced the various reaches of the river; specifically, the improvement in water quality and stream side vegetation which has produced prime fish habitat that has paid off in fish size and numbers. Nearby Live Water: For the fly fishing enthusiast who is always numerous large fish that move into the system For the stillwater angling enthusiast, Spinney hungry for more, just minutes from the ranch out of Elevenmile. This “blue ribbon” fishery Mountain Reservoir, Elevenmile Reservoir and there is public access to miles of premier trout lies 30 minutes from the ranch gate. Each fall nearby Antero Reservoir offer excellent wade water as well as several notable reservoirs nymphs drift through deep pockets producing fishing, boat and float tube access for trophy teeming with massive resident trout. The South 10+lb browns during the late season spawning trout. Spinney is the prominent fly fisherman’s Park region is renowned for its productive trout runs. target because of the excellent aquatic insect water; over 50 miles of public streams have population, the massive brown trout and the been designated Gold Medal trout fisheries by The South Platte River above the reservoirs is pods of rainbows, well over 20 inches that the Colorado Division of Wildlife.