Blog Archives • Page 14 of 18 • Mountain & Prairie

“Why in the hell would you choose to do that?”

That’s a question I get a lot when the topic of my interest in endurance sports comes up in conversation. Surprisingly, even after years of enjoying a triathlons, climbing big mountains, and running 50 and 100-milers through the Colorado backcountry, I still don’t have a satisfactory answer.

This recent article in the New Yorker does an excellent job presenting a few possible ideas as to why people decide to push themselves so hard and so far for “fun.” I found the second half of the article to be more applicable than the first, but it’s a quick read, so check it out:

The Spiritual Life of the Long-Distance Runner

(Unfortunately, I still don’t have a solid, succinct answer to why I choose to put myself through some of this nonsense!)

Posted on December 20, 2015 by ELR

I love high-quality documentaries. If filmed and produced correctly, the best kind of documentary will give the viewer a deep understanding and appreciation for its subject, similar to what I experience after reading a great book. But like a great book, the best documentaries can be hard to come by — if you scroll through the documentary section on Netflix, I’d say 95% aren’t worth watching. In an effort to save you some time and point you in the right direction, below are ten documentaries that I believe are definitely worth checking out. If you have an interest in ranches, conservation, history, or adventure (if you don’t, why are you reading this blog?), I think you’ll thoroughly enjoy all of the suggestions below:

Meru – One of the best films of any kind that I’ve seen in years. It follows three high-altitude mountaineers on their multi-year quest to scale the Shark’s Fin on Mt. Meru, a Himalayan peak that is one of the world’s most challenging climbing objectives. Because of my personal experience freezing my ass off on some of the Western Hemisphere’s tallest and coldest mountains, I’m generally very skeptical of “climbing” movies — they are often sensational, cheesy, or unrealistic. Meru is a real as you can get without actually being there. It captures the beauty of the high mountains, the suffering endured at high altitude, and the challenges of training for and completing such a high stakes expedition. Very, very well done.

Hanna Ranch – In less than 90 minutes, this documentary manages to effective cover many of the most pressing challenges facing ranchers and ranching in the Rocky Mountain West — increasing development pressure, the importance of land conservation, disappearance of the West’s ranching heritage, multi-generational ranching family dynamics, ranchers’ connection and love for the land, and the list goes on and on. I’ve recommend this film to my friends and family who are interested in learning more about my work and interests in the American West, so I’ll recommend it to you as well. Beautifully shot, at times heartbreaking, but a very meaningful and important film.

180 South – It’s as if the directors of this movie read my mind and made a film that hits on every subject and activity that I’m interested in: mountains, climbing, mountaineering, the ocean, surfing, sailing, adventure travel, land conservation, and visionary, sustainable business practices. 180 South follows a crew of adventurers as they retrace Yvon Chouinard’s (the founder of Patagonia) 1968 trip through South America, climbing, surfing, and sailing their way to the Patagonia region of Chile. In addition to great adventure scenes, the film explains some of the work that Doug and Kristine Tompkins are doing to create National Parks in Chile, thereby conserving very important land on one of the world’s most special regions.

Dust to Glory – I’m not sure why l love this movie so much, but it’s definitely in my top 10. In fact, my lack of interest in vehicle racing speaks to just how great this movie is. It’s directed by Dana Brown (the same guy who created another of my favorite surf movies, Step Into Liquid) and it follows several groups of competitors as they compete in the Baja 1000, a 1000-mile truck and motorcycle race down Mexico’s wild and desolate Baja Peninsula. It was filmed in the days before GoPros, drones, and other easy-access production gear, which makes some of the footage all the more spectacular. The trailer below doesn’t do it justice, but it is on Netflix, so check it out.

The Drifter – Most surf films are just endless clips of guys ripping around on shortboards, getting air and doing tricks that border on being plain silly. As much as I appreciate an acrobatic surf trick, watching them over and over for an hour gets old. (The same applies for ski movies – jumping off cliffs is cool in short doses, but excruciatingly boring for an hour.) This surf film is the exception to the rule, as it has plenty of amazing surf footage, but overlaid on the story of pro surfer Rob Machado’s rambling adventure through Southeast Asia. He cruises around on a dirtbike, takes buses, hangs with locals, and lives in a tent, all while checking out a spectacular part of the world where I’d love to personally explore and surf. Even though some of the scenes seem staged and most likely make it an “impure” documentary, I appreciate the effort to make a surf film with an interesting narrative that goes a little deeper than that the standard flip-fest video.

Bicycle Dreams – This film documents the Race Across America, a 3,000-mile bike race where riders pedal from California to Maryland as fast as possible, with winners finishing in an amazing seven or eight days. This race is the ultimate in ultra-endurace sports, where some of the top competitors are on their bikes for 20-22 hours per day. Given my experience in endurance-type sports, I consider myself fairly desensitized to what most people would consider crazy… but I think these people are nuts. I just cannot comprehend the mental fortitude that is required to put in such a non-stop physical effort for days and days on end. To give you some context, here’s a great NY Times article about one of the race’s top competitors: That Which Does Not Kill Me Makes Me Stranger

Roadhouse – Dalton has a degree in philosophy from NYU and is an advanced Tai Chi practitioner, yet he has carved out a successful career as a “Cooler,” traveling town to town, cleaning up some of the most violent bars in the United States. Roadhouse details a particularly challenging assignment in Jasper, Missouri, in which he butts heads with Brad Wesley, a successful businessman and real estate developer who also moonlights as a small-time mafia boss and general town bully. After several high profile antics by Wesley and his minions — driving a monster truck through a car dealership showroom, blowing up a local hardware store, harassing livestock with a helicopter, driving on the wrong side of the road, instigating numerous knife fights at the local bar, and one peeping tom incident — Dalton leads the citizens of Jasper in a battle to take back their town. If not so well documented on film, it would be hard to believe that such an outrageous, yet inspirational, series of events ever actually happened in 1980s middle-America.

The Roosevelts – I was off-the-charts excited when I heard that Ken Burns would be focusing his talents on my personal hero Theodore Roosevelt, and this 14-hour documentary did not disappoint. The seven episode series covers the lives of TR, Eleanor, and Franklin, and it gives an excellent overview of their wide-ranging impacts on the history of the United States. I started watching with an interest solely in TR, fully expecting to turn it off (and save myself 9 hours) when the focus switched to the other Roosevelts. However, possibly because I already know way too much about TR, I found the FDR portions to be the most interesting segments of the entire 14 hours, particularly the episode about his struggles with polio. Whether you know a little or a lot about the Roosevelts, I highly recommend this entire series.

In the High Country – Spending time in the big mountains is one of the main reasons that I choose to live out West, and this film captures the spirit of long, hard, fun days of moving quickly through the mountains. The film follows champion ultrarunner Anton Krupicka as he runs, scrambles, and climbs through some of Colorado’s most scenic alpine terrain. For anyone who has spent time exploring Colorado’s big mountains and backcountry, you will surely see some familiar sights. Rather than focus on Krupicka’s competitive running career, this film focuses on his pure love of big mountain landscapes and how he has molded his life to maximize his time spent outdoors, pushing himself hard, doing exactly what he loves. (I also really love The Runner in Winter, a short Youtube clip about Anton’s winter training in hills above Boulder.)

Long Way Round – The concept is simple: Actors Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman ride their motorcycles from London to New York…. going east. The resulting 19,000 mile adventure was made into a relatively low-budget, 10-episode British television series, which turned out to be one of my favorite adventure documentaries of all time (and I’ve watched it multiple times). Over the course of four months, Ewan and Charlie break down, get lost, are hassled by border agents, meet crazy/dangerous locals (including an apparent mafia leader who gets drunk and shoots off a machine gun), wreck their bikes, and have every other kind of adventure you’d expect on such a hardcore trip. I’ve got endless respect for anyone who can pull off an adventure likes this, particularly an A-List movie star who spends a lot of time surrounded by soft, Hollywood types. Several years later they produced Long Way Down, about another motorcycle trip from Scotland to South Africa. Not as great as Round, but still worth watching.

Do you know of any good documentaries that I should check out? If so, let me know by leaving a comment below!

Posted on December 6, 2015 by ELR

Compared to the other major resort counties in Colorado, Eagle County, home to Vail and Beaver Creek, has the largest and fastest growing population. The attractive demographics combined with a low supply of private land have created conditions ripe for significant appreciation in real estate values. Given Hardscrabble Mountain Ranch’s location just outside the county seat of Eagle, the ranch offers considerable financial upside for investment-minded buyers. Check out my new blog post to learn more:

The Upside of Ranch Investment in Eagle County

Posted on October 22, 2015 by ELR

The ability to accurately value a legacy ranch despite the inherent market inefficiencies is one of the most important, yet most poorly executed, aspects of a ranch broker’s job. My new article on LandThink.com discusses the importance of quantifiable data and reasonable assumptions when valuing one-of-a-kind, legacy ranch properties:

Valuing One-of-a-Kind Legacy Ranches

Posted on October 20, 2015 by ELR

A few weeks back, I posted an article on the Mirr Ranch Group blog about the pros and cons of ranch properties that have covenants and restrictions. While covenants on true legacy ranches are somewhat rare, they still pop up from time to time. Follow the link below to learn more:

Covenants and Restriction on Ranches

Posted on October 15, 2015 by ELR

A few weeks ago, the folks behind the popular website LandThink contacted me asking permission to republish my responsible grazing article from LinkedIn. It’s good to know that at least a few people are reading these articles! A link to the LandThink article is below, and I’m planning to write more for the site in the future, so stay tuned.

LandThink – Responsible Grazing

Posted on October 9, 2015 by ELR

We just released our new video for Hardscrabble Mountain Ranch that focuses exclusively on the ranch’s private fishing. It was a blast to film, and I think it came out well. Enjoy!

Fly-Fishing on Brush Creek

Posted on September 15, 2015 by ELR

Yesterday, I was up in Eagle County touring some clients around Hardscrabble Mountain Ranch. After the tour, I was able to spend a little over an hour on the ranch’s private water – 2.5 miles of Brush Creek- before heading back down the hill. It was perfect late summer fishing – a clear, breezy day with lots hoppers everywhere and hungry brown trout. Read the full report over on the Mirr Ranch Group blog:

Hardscrabble Fishing Report

Posted on September 9, 2015 by ELR

Posted on September 3, 2015 by ELR

It’s Why We Live Here

A short film by Palmer Land Trust showcasing the beauty of Southern Colorado

Brush Creek Fishing

I just posted an article on LinkedIn about the importance of grazing on ranches in the American West. Some non-ranching landowners and ill-informed “conservationists” believe that the best way to improve a ranch’s habitat is to remove all animals and let it grow wild. Research has proven, however, that responsible grazing is a much more effective tool for building a healthy, strong ranch ecosystem. Check out the article to learn more:

Responsible Grazing – The Foundation of a Healthy Ranch Ecosystem

Posted on August 24, 2015 by ELR

Mark your calendars for the Colorado Cattlemen Agricultural Land Trust’s 1st Annual Harvest Dinner, which will be taking place on Thursday, September 10th at the Denver Botanical Gardens at Chatfield. It is sure to be a fun evening with interesting people, all supporting a very important cause. Follow the link below for more information and to purchase tickets:

1st Annual Harvest Dinner

Posted on August 24, 2015 by ELR

Forever Colorado

It’s been a busy summer in Crested Butte: Recently announced plans to expand the ski area by 500 acres, new direct flights, and an epic wildflower season. Head over the the Mirr Ranch Group blog to read more:

Exciting Summer News from Crested Butte, Colorado

Posted on August 10, 2015 by ELR

Mountain Khakis just posted my most recent blog post, which details a few of my favorite road trips throughout the America West. Click below to give it a read, and then buy pick up a few pairs of pants… these are my favorites!

Rocky Mountain Road Trips

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Posted on August 1, 2015 by ELR

Check out Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust’s new ‪Forever Colorado‬ video, showcasing some of the ranches and open spaces that make ‪Colorado‬ such a great place to live.

I was lucky enough to be interviewed and filmed as part of the project, and, despite my southern accent, I ended up narrating a good bit of the video.

Watch it below and consider making a donation to CCALT to support their important work: https://ccalt.org/donate/forever-colorado/

Posted on July 23, 2015 by ELR

On the Mirr Ranch Group site, you can find more information on my newest listing: Flat Rock Ranch. Located just northwest of Fort Collins in the Larimer County foothills, it is a very unique and picturesque Rocky Mountain retreat. The photo above was taken from the high rocky cliffs above the ranch, which is part of the adjoining Cherokee State Wildlife area. For more information and photos, head over to the ranch webpage:

Flat Rock Ranch

Posted on July 20, 2015 by ELR

I’m excited to finally release the new promotional video for Hardscrabble Mountain Ranch! After two long days of filming, one crashed drone, dodging two intense lightening storms, and lots of false casts with my fly rod, the video is complete. Special thanks to Will Fowler at Camera Head Media for all his hard work and artistry– I think the video tells the story of the ranch perfectly!

Posted on July 16, 2015 by ELR

My most recent post on the Mirr Ranch Group blog details the hunting opportunities on Hardscrabble Mountain Ranch, specifically for the trophy mule deer that reside on and around the ranch. The ranch is located in GMU 44, a hunting unit that is carefully managed to produce very large trophy deer. And the management has been very effective– only one other area in all of North America has produced more Boone and Crockett trophy mulies. Follow the link below for detailed information and photos of monster mule deer!

North American Mule Deer Hunting at Its Finest – Hardscrabble Mountain Ranch

Posted on June 24, 2015 by ELR

I recently wrote a new post on the Mirr Ranch Group blog about access issues on ranches. It may seems like a somewhat boring and dry subject, but it is vitally important to fully understand access, especially on some of these rural, remote ranches. Failing to research it properly could be a very expensive mistake:

Ranch Due Diligence – An Overview of Access Issues

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Posted on June 12, 2015 by ELR

The folks over at the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT) recently asked me to write a blog post introducing their “Forever Colorado” campaign, and also explaining why I choose to invest my time and resources into the vital work they are doing throughout the state. Click below to learn more about the organization, and please consider supporting CCALT’s important conservation efforts.

CCALT’s “Forever Colorado”

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Posted on May 26, 2015 by ELR

My newest Mirr Ranch Group blog post digs into the details of my Centaur Meadows Ranch listing–Specifically about how the ranch strikes a perfect balance between conscientious land stewardship and profit potential through responsible development.

Centaur Meadows Ranch: Conservation & Responsible Development

Posted on May 19, 2015 by ELR

Given the amount of time I spend driving around the West, I listen to a ton of podcasts. I have a hard time paying attention to books on tape, I get bored with most of my music, and radio programing out in the middle of nowhere can be iffy and/or downright weird. Podcasts are the perfect solution, as they provide an almost unlimited selection of topics, stories, or interviewers, and I can upload multiple hours on my phone prior to a road trip.

A friend told me to check out the 99% Invisible podcast, specifically Episode 157: Devil’s Rope. The 23 minute episode gives a brief overview of the history of barbed wire– from it’s invention in the 1870s to its proliferation across the American West. I’ve written before about my fascination with barbed wire and how its impact on the settlement of the West is completely under appreciated by the general public. If you want to learn a little more about this fascinating subject, but don’t want to read a full book about it (that’s understandable), click the link below, download the episode, and enjoy!

99% Invisible – Devil’s Rope

or listen here:

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Posted on May 13, 2015 by ELR

Today’s post on the Mirr Ranch Group blog addresses another common question regarding Rocky Mountain Ranches: Who owns the mineral rights? Determining mineral rights ownership can be a surprisingly complicated process, but there are several methods landowners and buyers can use to fully understand a property’s minerals. Click below for the full article:

Who Owns the Mineral Rights?

Posted on May 6, 2015 by ELR

My latest post over on the Mirr Ranch Group blog answer one of the more common questions I receive: Should I Survey My Ranch?

Given the amazing advances in mapping technology and satellite imagery, surveys are not always a vital part of the due diligence process, as they once were. With the help of ArcGIS or similar mapping software, we are able to identify potential encroachments and determine whether or not a survey – and its tens of thousands of dollars price tag – is needed. For the full post, follow the link:

Should I Survey My Ranch?

Posted on April 29, 2015 by ELR

Head over the the Mountain Khakis blog to read my latest post: Upper Arkansas Valley To-Do List. If you’ve followed my writing for long, you know I love spending time in this 60+ mile valley that stretches from Leadville down to Salida. The valley has it all – hiking, biking, camping, fishing, paddling, climbing, and running. Has it all EXCEPT a major ski resort, which is one of the reasons it is still rather low-key and uncrowded.

In this blog post, I hit a few of the high points of interesting things to do if you’re in the area. For other information check our some of my previous posts here and here. You can also always contact me for other suggestions. I’ve been visiting the valley for over 20 years now, and love to point people in the right direction.

Upper Arkansas Valley To-Do List

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Posted on April 22, 2015 by ELR

Congrats to Crested Butte Land Trust for their recent purchase of the Snodgrass Trailhead (the northern 101 acres of my Promontory Ranch listing), which will permanently protect important wetlands, wildlife habitat, and a popular community trail. This acquisition is a perfect example of how businesses, individual donors, government entities, and non-profits can work together to conserve some of Colorado’s most important landscapes!

For more details, head over to either the Mirr Ranch Group website or the Crested Butte Land Trust website.

Posted on April 20, 2015 by ELR

We just issued a press release regarding our new listing, the 1,516-acre Hardscrabble Mountain Ranch located just south of Eagle, Colorado. There’s a great quote from Jim Daus, the Executive Director of the Eagle Valley Land Trust, about the ranch’s conservation potential.

Click the link below to read more:

One of the Vail Valley’s Last Undivided Ranches Comes to Market

Posted on April 8, 2015 by ELR

I’m very excited to announce my newest listing, the 1,516-acre Hardscrabble Mountain Ranch located just south of Eagle, Colorado. It truly is a one-of-a-kind property: 2.5 miles of private fishing, trophy hunting, hay production, and adjoining BLM land, all located 7 miles from the Eagle County Airport and a short distance from Vail and Beaver Creek.

Head over to the Mirr Ranch Group website for all the details:

Hardscrabble Mountain Ranch

Posted on April 1, 2015 by ELR