Colorado’s Landowner Preference
One of the many advantages of owning a ranch in Colorado is that landowners can receive preference when applying for hunting tags for elk, deer, and pronghorn. Colorado’s Priority Landowner Preference Program gives landowners a better chance of securing a big game tag, even in areas that are popular with the general public. Head over to the Mirr Ranch Group blog for more information:
It’s Denali Season
Back in 2008 and 2009, I spent the months of May up in Alaska, doing my best to reach the summit of Denali (aka Mt. McKinley). In 2008, terrible weather and sick teammates forced me to turn back just 1,000 feet from the summit. In 2009, our rope team was strong, the weather (mostly) cooperated, and I was fortunate enough to finally make it to the top. All told, I’ve spent somewhere around 47 days on that mountain; 47 of the most challenging and rewarding days of my life.
I just came across this well-produced video from the National Park Foundation about exploring Denali National Park, featuring many scenes of climbers making their way up the 20,320-foot mountain. The Alaska Range is an awe-inspiring landscape, and this video does a great job showing the hard-to-comprehend scale of the glaciers, mountains, and weather. Take four minutes to enjoy some scenes from the highest peak in North America:
(At the top of the page – My 2009 summit photo – From the top looking over Denali’s summit ridge, with Mt. Foraker in the background and the Kahiltna Glacier stretching out below.)
Wells and Springs
In the Rocky Mountain West, “whiskey is for drinking, and water is for fighting over.” So, to avoid finding yourself on the receiving end of a cowboy beatdown, you should fully understand the wells and springs on Colorado ranches. My new post on the Mirr Ranch Group blog shows you how:
How-To: Researching Well Permits on Colorado Ranches
Upcoming Ranching Conference
I’m very excited to attend tomorrow’s “Ranching and a West That Works” conference at Colorado State University. Mirr Ranch Group is sponsoring the event, and is free and open to the public. The agenda looks extremely interesting, so anyone involved in northern Colorado’s ranching community should definitely plan on attending. Be sure to RSVP.
A Welcomed Unbiased Opinion
When researching ranches, I’m always suspicious of bold claims of “world-class fishing!” – “blue ribbon waters!” – “trophy elk!” More times than not, the truth is being stretched, so I always make sure to verify any fishing or hunting claims with unbiased third parties such as guides, Parks & Wildlife officials, or local residents. I’m sure other experienced outdoorsmen and landowners share some of my skepticism when it comes to these ever-present “fish tales.”
That’s why I was thrilled when Freestone Outfitters, an Orvis-endorsed fly fishing guide service, entered into a lease agreement to fish one of my current listings – Three Creek Ranch. Freestone’s desire to bring paying clients to the property speaks volumes about the caliber of the fishing, and Freestone’s longterm commitment to fishery management ensures that the property will continue to remain an excellent, productive fishery for years to come.
Easy-Access Adventures
Check out my most recent post on the Mountain Khakis blog where I discuss several running, climbing, and fishing adventures that can be found only a mile or two from some of Colorado’s major thoroughfares:
An Indispensable Ranch Research Tool
A relatively dry subject, but 100% mandatory to understand when conducting due diligence on a ranch that adjoins or surrounds BLM land.
A few weeks back, the entire Mirr Ranch Group team headed out for a morning of upland bird hunting at The Bluffs, a wingshooting preserve in Colorado’s eastern plains. Since we are all usually spread out visiting ranches all over the Rockies, it was great to get everyone together for a day of outdoor fun. You can see more photos over on the Mirr Ranch Group blog.
Conservation Excellence 2014
As usual, the Colorado Coalition of Land Trust’s annual conference – Conservation Excellence – was a huge success. Every year, the event is a great opportunity for Colorado’s conservation leaders to convene in a central location and discuss the successes and failures of the previous year and plan for the opportunities and challenges of the year to come.
I had the pleasure of speaking at one of this year’s sessions with friends from the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust, and Mirr Ranch Group was a sponsor of the event. For more information, head over to the company blog:
The Farm Bill, Ranches, & Conservation
Check out my newest blog entry on the Mirr Ranch Group site, where I discuss the 2014 Farm Bill and how it will help landowners conserve over a million more acres of working, productive farms and ranches.
Colorado’s Historic Flooding – A Panel Discussion
If you’re in Boulder on Thursday (3/13) evening, be sure to stop by the Nature Conservancy’s office for an interesting panel discussion about last September’s historic flooding. The event is being presented by the Nature Conservancy’s young professional’s group, The 13ers – Emerging Leaders in Conservation. I serve on a committee that helped to plan this event, so I’m very excited with how it has come together.
We’ll be hearing from three different conservation and water professionals about not only what happened when 19 inches of rain fell in 48 hours, but also about what opportunities for conservation have been created as a result of the flooding. It’s definitely going to be an interesting and informative event.
Click the link below for more information and to register. Free burritos by Dish Gourmet and beer by Upslope Brewing!
Colorado Floods: The Conservation Community’s Response to Last September’s Historic Flooding
The Importance of Agricultural Tax Status
Head over the the Mirr Ranch Group blog to read my most recent post that covers the importance of a ranch’s agricultural tax status and the steps that must be followed to maintain that beneficial tax classification:
Jensen Ranch
Check out the new article on the Mirr Ranch Group blog about last week’s sale of the Jensen Ranch:
The Jensen Ranch is an extremely unique and private property, with a huge variety of terrain, wildlife, and rare plants, all on only 174 acres. It’s completely surrounded by Roosevelt National Forest, but only a few miles from the small village of Red Feather Lakes. I’m sure the new owners will enjoy the property for years to come!
Crested Butte’s Promontory Ranch
Be sure to head over to the Mirr Ranch Group site for more information on my newest listing – Promontory Ranch. The 255-acre property adjoins Crested Butte Mountain Resort on one side and Gunnison National Forest on the other, and the parcel accounts for approximately 1/5 of the private land in the town of Mt. Crested Butte. The ranch presents a unique opportunity for a wide range of buyers – development-focused, conservation-minded, or simple buy-and-hold investors.
Don’t hesitate to contact me if I can answer any questions.
Sneak peek of the Promontory Ranch… more info coming next week!
The Importance of Responsible Grazing
Head over to the Mirr Ranch Group blog for my latest post: The Importance of Grazing for a Healthy Ranch. In it, I discuss the evolution of grasses and grazing animals, as well as how grasses are most healthy when they receive heavy grazing and trampling followed by sufficient rest and recovery. Plus I give a great book recommendation.
Winter Solstice Running Motivation
Today, while running some of the trails over Boulder in the cold temps and falling snow, I was reminded of one of my favorite short films – The Runner in Winter. It’s a great profile of ultra runner Anton Krupicka, and it also showcases many of my favorite area trails, particularly the trails up and around Green Mountain. The film provides some great motivation to get out and enjoy the snowy trails, even on the coldest of days. Enjoy!
Ranch Marketing on the Web
A well-designed, photo-centric website is a mandatory tool for marketing high value, Rocky Mountain ranches. Check out this week’s post on the Mirr Ranch Group blog to learn more:
Boulder in the News
Excellent article in this month’s Inc. Magazine about Boulder, Colorado and its emergence as a hub of entrepreneurial activity.
Why Do Entrepreneurs Love Boulder?
“Outdoor sports lovers and entrepreneurs share a common DNA: ‘Thrill seekers are drawn to this place,’ he says. ‘Once you get out here, you want the ultimate thrill in business, too, and that’s start-ups.’”
Mapping Ranches
Despite unprecedented advances in mapping technology, I still routinely receive sloppy, crooked, hand drawn maps from brokers who are attempting to market multi-million dollar ranches. My new post on the Mirr Ranch Group blog describes some of the non-crayon mapping technologies that we use to effectively communicate the complexities of large Rocky Mountain ranches:
Ranch Marketing Tools, Part 1: Mapping
Our Gear and the Stories That Go With It
I’m a huge fan of Patagonia – the gear, the company’s mission, the company’s founder, and the lifestyle that the brand promotes. If you don’t know much about the company, I suggest reading this article about Patagonia’s founder Yvon Chouinard, reading this book, or watching this movie. Chouinard has a unique perspective on business – I actually read his book during graduate school and it had far more of a lasting effect on me than any of the finance books I studied.
For the last few years, Patagonia has been using the shopping-fighting-stampeding idiotfest known as “Black Friday” as an opportunity to promote the idea that you don’t need to buy a bunch of junk; consumers should value quality over quantity. This year, they’ve produced a film that highlights not only the high quality of their gear, but the idea that gear that has been truly used – torn, dinged, beat up, or destroyed after years of adventure and travels – is actually more valuable than anything you could buy new at a store.
And I couldn’t agree more. I bought a capiline base layer in 1999 that’s been with me through a semester of NOLS, a climbing trip to the Andes, two slogs up Denali, not to mention weekly runs, camping trips, and just working in the yard. I have a pair of Patagonia surf trunks that I literally wore 6 days a week for a year straight when I lived in Central America. I would know it was time to wash them when my wife complained that they smelled like vinegar and/or sausage. In those trunks, I surfed by first double overhead wave, was shaken down for cash by Nicaraguan police, and attended multiple “rodeos” that consisted of dozen of drunks taunting an angry bull and eventually being stomped or gored by said bull.
I could go on and on about the stories attached to my gear – particularly Patagonia gear because it lasts so dang long. Even when my trunks or capiline become too destroyed to wear, I’ll never throw them away – there are simply too many stories of fun, adventure, and craziness associated with each piece. It’s like Steve House says toward the end of the video: “To get rid of it, it would be like throwing away a journal.”
Wildlife on Ranches
Check out today’s posting on the Mirr Ranch Group blog:
Wildlife on Ranches – A Useful Research Tool
The article gives a quick overview of the Colorado Hunting Atlas, an excellent tool for researching the presence of big game anywhere in the state of Colorado. I’ve found this tool to be useful on many occasions, but particularly for double checking people’s claims of “trophy elk” on the properties they are trying to sell. While photos and stories of large elk are nice, I always like to have third party validation!
Indian Peaks Adventure
28 miles, 7,000 feet of vertical gain/loss, up & over the Continental Divide twice – Check out my new post on the Mountain Khakis blog about a late summer adventure in the Indian Peaks Wilderness:
Pawnee – Buchanan Pass Loop Trail
Beetles & Fire
Many people assume that beetle infested forests are more susceptible to destructive forest fires than healthy, green forests. Interestingly enough, scientific data is proving this assumption to be wrong.
Check out my new post over on the Mirr Ranch Group blog to learn more:
Bark Beetles & Forest Fires – A Common Misconception
