•Spring 2017

So few legacy ranches can be found in mountainous
regions that meet “true” legacy standard that discovering and
exploring one can be the experience of a lifetime. The Wolf
Springs Ranch, a high-altitude alpine ranch that lies at the
base of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range, is just such a
ranch. It backs into jagged peaks and spans from the bases of
peaks to the expansive valley floor of Colorado’s Wet Mountain
Range. My work with this ranch has given me the opportunity
to truly understand and appreciate the depth of commitment
needed to build a legacy ranch of such caliber. Over the course
of 28 years, a forward-thinking and passionate ranch owner
assembled dozens of land purchases, including land trades
with the federal government, the State of Colorado and also
lots negotiated as private land purchases. This decades-long
commitment and dedication has resulted in the amassing of
more than 55,000 deeded mountain acres, building what is
seldom found—one of the largest high elevation ranches in the
American West.
At one point, while standing on the deck of what the land
owner calls “Eagles’ Nest Cabin East,” I realized that the owner
of Wolf Springs Ranch literally owns the vista, every mesa,
peak, river and plain that could be seen from this cabin. In
Disney’s iconic animated film The Lion King, King Mufasa tells
his son Simba to look out over the African savannah, explaining
that their kingdom extends to “everything the light touches.”
Standing on that deck, viewing a western skyline of jagged
mountain peaks sprawled out before me that overlooked green
valleys dotted with blue lakes, the tremendous scale and
majesty of the 55,000-acre property overwhelms.
The plethora and vibrancy of the wildlife that roam Wolf
Creek Ranch is unparalleled, even by Colorado standards. I
was literally in awe, with the sound of dueling Elk bugles rising
from the mesa below me, and the fall Aspen colors dotting the
green of the pine-covered ridges. That evening, I saw three
bears, meadows filled with dozens of trophy-quality, rutting
bulls and some spectacular mule deer bucks. Having been a
professional outfitter for more than 20 years, with ownership
of camps in the most remote parts of Colorado, Montana
and Alaska, I typically bedded in a sleeping bag at least 100
nights a year for most of those 20 years. I am no stranger to
experiencing breathtaking landscapes and fraternizing with
trophy-caliber wildlife. Even so, experiencing first-hand the
raw power of those 55,000+ deeded and contiguous acres and
their estimated herd of more than 1,000 resident elk, for me,
bordered on the spectacular.
The Wolf Springs Ranch is so large it sets its own hunting
seasons, and its owner has the right to determine which
weapons will be used during those hunting seasons, with
guaranteed licenses for friends, clients and family. The ranch
also opens its doors each year to cow hunters who assist in
controlling the herd, all while building a relationship of respect
and appreciation with many of the local families. The ability
to hunt Wolf Creek Ranch has become so prestigious that
residents can wait a minimum of 18 years to draw the very few
and extremely coveted Ranching for Wildlife bull tags.
Certainly, a variety of legacy-class ranches exist and can
be purchased across the broad expanse of the American West.
But for those who seek unparalleled privacy, beauty, serenity,
luxury and their own piece of a rich history, ranches like Wolf
Springs Ranch provide opportunity to authentically experience
the American West. Perhaps more importantly, owning a ranch
of Wolf Springs Ranch caliber provides opportunity to own
a piece of the “Pride Lands” by become an integral part of a
living legacy. °