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Property Description:
Priced over $1 mil UNDER a very recent appraisal!

The Peak Haven Ranch is located on 40 acres in the Arkansas River Valley near Buena Vista Colorado. (known as the "Bananna Belt" for it's moderate climate) This 8,715 square foot hand-crafted custom log home was built in 2002 and consists of 7 bedrooms and 5 1/2 baths, 3 oversized heated garages. Peak Haven is not only a perfect full time home, thanks to easy year round access with close proximity to both Buena Vista and Salida (Hospital, Shopping, WalMart, Restaurants etc.), but it also makes perfect sense as a 2nd home or corporate retreat with an airport just minutes down the road - the home size will accommodate a large family along with many guests and plenty of entertaining.

If Colorado had a "Mountain Parade of Homes" I am convinced that Peak Haven would certainly be the grand prize winner! The reason? It's an Aspen/Magazine worthy home that has extremely *intimate* snow capped mountain views…..better than anything else you'll find in Colorado! The location, with it's comfortable and mild climate is just far enough away from the "tourist glitch" of Colorado to make this getaway an authentic Western experience steeped in glorious beauty.

Two of THE MOST unique aspects of this home are the 4 Octagon Surround Window rooms and the varied, unique ambiance room flow. The Octagon Surround Window rooms are better experienced than explained in words! Take a look at the photos, to see these amazing structural creations that bring the granduer of the mountain peaks *inside* the home. And the unique room flow is something that needs to be experienced in person as well. For example when you first walk into the home, you will feel a grand entrance great room like nothing you have ever witnessed or felt before in your life! Your ears will first take in the bubbling brook sound of an indoor waterfall, a gigantic, walk-in, wood burning fireplace with accompanying authentic totem pole and a plethora of native animal species adorning the walls. But then wait, just a few steps into the next room, you are transported to an intimate trappers cabin with cozy low ceilings, another massive crackling fireplace that make the big hardwoods surrounding you glow. This area is just adjacent to the gourmet kitchen and circular breakfast nook. Out of almost every window you will take in the amazing sight of three distinct snow capped14 thousand foot peaks…a 3D painting, hanging in every window.

The specific details of the home and the radical attention to detail and custom nature of this home could possibly fill an entire encyclopedia. The owner, although not the general contractor, was passionately on site during the entire construction period. Ensuring not only the highest standards of work quality, but also making common sense adjustments to final design and flow elements in the home. A well-known perfectionist in his own industry, this home was his sole focus and passion for the almost three year journey of planning and construction of this artful masterpiece. Let's start with the logs…..

Unlike most logs that you will find in Colorado log homes; these logs were NOT harvested from Western Canada. Research has shown these logs tend to carry too much moisture thus resulting in shifting walls and subsequent re-chinking and structural issues. All of the 12"-18" logs in the Peak Haven home came from dead standing Lodge pole Pine trees in Montana and Idaho and have been hand chinked with state of the art elastic chinking. These logs were shipped from Victor, Montana where they were specially dried for 3 years. The home has never required any re-chinking and settling has been incredibly minimal. Due to the amazing size and distinct quality of these logs, they envelop you with a sense of structure and mass that impart a feeling of permanence. They surround you with a feeling of warmth, history and romance that make it more than just a house. The logs create a special experience of living luxuriously in the present while embracing the rustic charm of yesterday. It's true; no other building material can evoke such rich and deep emotions.

Specific Features:

*The home is serviced by natural gas and has a state of the art radiant in-floor heating system throughout including in all three floors of the garage, 18 independent thermostat zones and house-wide computerized energy management system.

Great Room: 35 feet high with a wall of picture windows (over 109 picture windows throughout the home) black granite rock, walk-in, “real" fireplace, 200 year old reclaimed southern hard pine wide plank floors, interior running water, pond and waterfall water feature, with adjacent library.


Gourmet Kitchen: Features two adjacent octagon surround window rooms - one is the dining room with massive circular table and custom snow-show handcrafted chandelier overhead. The other octagon surround room is the Kitchen Breakfast Nook also with custom table and chairs.

Brazilian slab granite countertops, Subzero refrigerator, 6 burner natural gas stove with griddle, thermador double convection ovens, huge pantry, Arizona buff rock flooring, butternut hickory custom cabinets, Colorado Moss Rock, Walk-in, "Real" Fireplace.

Master Bedroom:

Gas fireplace is Wyoming silver quartz ledge rock that has been "dry stacked", Romeo and Juliet balcony overlooking great room. The actual "BED" area is the octagon surround window room with views out of each window to three 14 thousand foot Mountains: Princeton, Yale and Antero. This octagon room has a direct access to the walk around surround deck off the master bed.

Master Bath Suite: Jetted Tub is also it's own octagon surround window room (views of the Chalk Creek and 50 miles down valley), grotto rock shower room with 6 shower heads, bidet, washer dryer, slate floors, granite counters

Dual Upstairs Executive Offices

4 Themed Guest Suites with jack-n-jill bathrooms, built in log beds, all suites have private balconies and adjacent guest sitting rooms with gas fireplaces and laundry facilities.


Walk Out Lower Level: An 1890's rendition of Buena Vista town center with wet bar, surround sound entertainment area, Colorado river rock fireplace, original Denver Rio Grande Western 1882 round house stove, and gorgeous beetle kill woodwork. 6 Bunk Beds with adjacent oversized double sink, separate show and tub bathroom for overnight guests…especially made for grandkids!

Garage: 1432 square foot 3 car/oversized/long garage features painted floors, radiant in-floor heat, workshop area, and an adjacent bedroom and bathroom with separate entrance for housekeeper or live- in chef. Three large storage areas are located next to the garage.

Outside: An outdoor entertainment area with sauna, hot tub, gas fire pit and Viking gas bar-b-q with over 4,000 square feet of decks and custom bluestone patios.

*Home has a pre-built area for an elevator shaft from garage, through pantry area by kitchen to master bedroom. All fireplaces share a common flu with separate fresh air intake and soot drop. All windows are Low-E energy efficient insulating glass that blocks harmful UV rays.

Views: The views are simply unsurpassed anywhere in the West. The open ranch land, heavily forested slopes and 14,000' snowcapped mountains surrounding the valley create and artist's palette of colors textures and topography.


The Location:

The Peak Haven Ranch is located approximately 90 miles from Colorado Springs and 120 miles southwest from Denver. It is also about 4 hours from Santa Fe, New Mexico. In the summer, when Independence Pass is open, Aspen is about 60 miles away. When Cottonwood Pass is open in the summer and fall, Taylor River/Reservoir and Crested Butte are also a relatively short drive. The property is located at 22865 Maud Lane Buena Vista, CO 81211 and at an elevation of approximately 8302 feet. The town of Buena Vista is slightly more than 9 miles away, with all basic amenities (grocery store, drug store, dry cleaners, doctors, dentists, restaurants, etc.) and was incorporated in 1879 and currently has population just over 2000 residents. With the valley, mountains and Arkansas River ‘running right through it’, you can see why this has become one of the best places to live or visit in all of Colorado. The area is also known for it's balmy temperatures and as such the weather is enough to melt the heart of any winter-weary northerner. With warm days and cool nights, Colorado mountain weather provides 330 average days of sunshine each year. Chaffee County is often referred to as the "Banana Belt," because it is not uncommon to go skiing on a January morning and play a round of golf or go bicycling in the afternoon.

The Land:

The 40 acres of the Peak Haven Ranch are truly special for a number of reasons. Not only is the parcel conveniently located to town, but also it literally sits at the base of Mt. Princeton and provides jaw-dropping views of the massive 14,000-foot peak. The property is mainly flat and provides a great setting for horses, dogs, and children, playing, grazing and riding. The property also features a ravine, which is the perfect break in weather and provides a hidey-hole for many elk and mule deer. Access to millions of acres of National Forest is just minutes from the property. The Arkansas River with its world-class fly-fishing is only 3 miles from the property.

Surrounding Area:

Buena Vista, Colorado, is nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountain's Collegiate Peaks, and is the sort of community most people only dream of! The hard working, quiet people who have always resided in this area are a large part of what has made this town a great place to live and play. Buena Vista is considered by many to be the capital of whitewater rafting for the United States. The area is also popular for snowmobiling, skiing, mountain biking, backpacking, hunting, fly-fishing and just about any other outdoor activity that comes to mind. The economy and population are steady and healthy. The beautiful scenery, tree-lined streets, year-round mild climate, clean air, and clear sparkling water are just some of the things that make Buena Vista a truly great place to live, work, and play. Mt. Princeton is part of the Collegiate Range in the southern Rocky Mountains. Located near Buena Vista, Colorado along the Arkansas River Valley, the peak rises majestically from the valley floor at 7,059 feet to 14,197 feet. Mt. Princeton rises by itself from the valley floor, unconnected to other peaks or ridgelines giving it its stately appearance. The views from the trail on the way up and from the summit are spectacular. The mountain was originally named Chalk Mountain for the "chalk cliff formations." By 1873 the name Mt. Princeton was in use and it is suspected that Henry Gannett of the Hayden geological survey renamed the mountain in keeping with the other names in the Collegiate Peaks. Several silver mines were discovered on the mountain in the early 1870's and miners were climbing the slopes. The first recorded climb to the summit was made by William Libbey, a Princeton student on a mapping field trip in Colorado on July 17, 1877. Libbey later became a professor of Geography at Princeton.




Wildlife & Recreation

Known as the white water capital of the world, the Arkansas Headwaters Recreational Area Colorado State Park provides for a variety of exciting rafting adventures. Located on the river at the east end of Buena Vista is one of the longest whitewater parks in the nation.

The AHRA features some of the best rafting and kayaking in the nation. Reaching from Leadville to Pueblo Reservoir, the park includes two white water parks and rapids up to a Glass V rating. Float fishing trips, fly-fishing, wild life viewing, historic sites, trails and camping are also available in the park.
One mile to the west is the start of the San Isabel forest and the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, with extensive hiking, trail running and mountain biking opportunities

There are over TEN 14,000-foot peaks near Buena Vista and hikers come in droves to reach the summits. Camping (both tent and RV) is also popular. Mountain bike trails abound throughout the area, and horse back riding, rock hounding, 4 wheeling and exploring historic mining towns are other favorite past times.
The Arkansas river is slightly more than three miles away and beyond that, is extensive BLM land and the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness area, offering hundreds of miles of roads and trails that generally are accessible throughout the winter season.

With the 14ers to the west, Buena Vista is in a rain shadow; the Arkansas River generally provides warmer than normal weather (it’s a “banana belt”). The average January high is almost 40 degrees and the area gets more than 300 days of sun a year.

There is a nine-hole golf course in town (with discussions underway to expand to 18); there is another 9-hole course in Salida (25 miles south) and one in Leadville (35 miles north.)

Winter allows for exciting snowmobiling with over 100 miles of groomed trails in the high peaks of the Continental Divide. Bring your own snowmobile or sign up for a tour or rental. Challenging cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, ice fishing, and close proximity to downhill skiing at Monarch Ski Area or Copper Mountain completes winter adventure opportunity. Wildlife viewing is at its peak with approximately 1,000 head of elk in their winter range just outside of town. The home is about one hour’s drive from Copper Mountain, one hour and 10 minutes from Breckenridge, one hour and 20 minutes from Vail, 45 minutes from Monarch Mountain and 45 minutes from Ski Cooper.

There is Nordic centers in Frisco, at Tennessee Pass, and at Copper Mountain. In Leadville (35 miles to the north), there is a 13 mile bike trail that, along with another 15 miles or so of trail is maintained for cross country skiing by the Colorado Community College. Access to the Leadville trails is free. Depending on snow levels, extensive backcountry cross-country skiing is available near the house.

Whatever your choice of recreation, soaking in natural, odorless hot springs is a good way to end the day…..or start it. Complete with massage therapists, Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort or Cottonwood Hot Springs offers a chance to pamper you. Several other lodging facilities have private hot spring pools or spas available. Cottonwood hot springs are 3 miles from the house (soaking pools); Mount Princeton hot springs are about 10 miles from the house and the Salida hot springs pools are about 25 miles from the house.

Art galleries have mini-events all year long and several weekend events are art oriented. The Pick & Shovel Players offer melodramas each summer. Concerts in the park, cemetery tours, and historic programs and lectures occur regularly. Stage Left and the Steam Plant Theater in Salida offer plays and musicals.

With the Continental Divide just a half hour west of Buena Vista and ten 14,000'.+ plus peaks within an hour, there are trails of all kinds in the area. In warmer months, hiking, mountain hiking, jeep and ATV trails are available. During winter, snowmobile and cross-country skiing trails are also popular.


Fishing

You don’t have to be a whitewater junkie to enjoy the Arkansas. In fact, for anglers, it is the innumerable quiet pools and eddies that lay store to the promise of the thrill and satisfaction that comes with landing a glimmering rainbow or handsome brown trout. As it tumbles to and through Buena Vista and Salida, the Arkansas River boasts 140 miles of trout stream, more than half of which is open to public access. As its reputation grows, the Arkansas is luring anglers to one of the healthiest self-sustaining wild brown trout fisheries in the country and an unparalleled consistent dry fly season from March through October. A robust fish population and relative lack of pressure means the Arkansas is also a great place for beginners to get hooked on fly-fishing. Local fly shops and fishing outfitters are more than happy to update visitors on current conditions, directions to public access and provide full-service guided trips. Fishing licenses and a free comprehensive local Fishing Guide is available at any of these shops. The Guides can also be picked up at Chamber of Commerce offices in Salida, Buena Vista and the Visitor Center in Poncha Springs.

Fishing is also available in Cottonwood Lake (5 miles to the west), Clear Creek reservoir (18 miles to the north) and in various other backcountry lakes and streams.

Hunting

The San Isabel National Forest surrounds Buena Vista and over 80% of the land in the area is public land. Less than two miles to the south are State Wildlife areas with extensive hunting. Hunting is also permitted in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness and the San Isabel National Forest. Private arrangements can also be made with the ranch owner with adjoining property to the south. All of Chaffee County is broken into special game management units. These units require applying for a license before the deadline, which is April 1. There are large herds of elk in the area and in the winter two of these herds can be observed near town almost any time during the day. There are many mule deer and the best place to observe them and see really big bucks is right in the town of Buena Vista. The largest concentrations of Mountain goats in Colorado can be found in the mountains to the west of Buena Vista. The first re-introduction of Mountain Goats was done just to the west of Buena Vista. There are 3 major herds of Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep in the Buena Vista area. These herds have been used for years in transplanting efforts to re-establish Big Horn Sheep herds in other parts of the state. These sheep can be seen walking in the area when you are sitting in the Cottonwood Hot Springs Pools. There is also a good-sized herd of Antelope in the area that can be seen in the flats below Mount Princeton. There are many different species of small game that provide great recreational opportunities for adults and kids. There are cottontail rabbits in the low country and snowshoe hares in the mountains. The snowshoe hares are especially challenging because they turn white in the winter and live where there is lots of snow. There are large flocks of Blue grouse and Ptarmigan that live in the mountains. The blue grouse live in the spruce aspen forests and the Ptarmigan live at or above timberline.
The Division of Wildlife is introducing wild Merriam turkeys into the area and there is a large resident population at the southern end of Chaffee County.