Colorado Open Lands
Gunnison Basin CCA Projects
Hidden River Ranch
Irby Ranch East
Irby Ranch West
Mill Creek
Miller Land & Cattle
Ochs Ranch
Puckett Ranch
Razor Creek Ranch I
Razor Creek Ranch II
Redden Ranch
Robbins Ranch I
Robbins Ranch II
Soap Creek Ranch
Templeton Ranch
The Reserve
Trampe Ranch, Ogden Parcel
Vader Cloverleaf Ranch
Whinnery Ranch
Whinnery Ranch II
Whinnery Ranch III
Whinnery Ranch IV
Whinnery Ranch V
Whinnery Ranch Homestead
2007
Whinnery Ranch V, Gunnison County, 88 acres (2,239 total acres preserved)
Partners: Steven Whinnery
Conservation Values: A sixth-generation ranching family, the Whinnerys have been steadily protecting their Gunnison valley ranch south of Blue Mesa Reservoir over the last few years. In 2007, Steven Whinnery protected the last piece of their ranch, bringing the final protected acreage to 2,327. This final piece is contiguous to the earlier conservation easements.
The habitat on this parcel is very similar to that already protected: upland sagebrush, montane grassland, and the steep ravine of Willow Creek. Most significant is the additional protected habitat for the Gunnison sage grouse, elk, mule deer, and black-tailed prairie dog. This year’s donation also provides more protected habitat for migratory and nesting songbirds, bears, mountain lions, coyotes, foxes, weasels, and serves as important summer livestock range.
Whinnery Homestead Ranch, Gunnison County, 440 acres
Partners: Helen Whinnery
Conservation Values: With the ink barely dry on the final conservation easement that now protects the entire family-owned Whinnery Ranch, Helen Whinnery began work to ensure the permanent protection of the Whinnery Homestead Ranch. The Homestead, where she currently lives, lies on a bench of land overlooking the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River, and abuts the Uncompaghre National Forest. Together with her son Steven, the Homestead supports year-round livestock grazing and also offers fantastic scenic views to travelers along State Highway 49.
In addition to its agricultural benefits, this easement protects outstanding diverse wildlife habitats: subalpine coniferous forest, native grass meadows, sagebrush uplands and several stream courses. Some of the wildlife that will benefit from this conservation easement includes Bald eagles, Northern leopard frog, the greater sandhill crane, and ferruginous hawk, all State of Colorado species of concern.
2006
Razor Creek Ranch II, Gunnison County, 430 acres (730 total acres preserved)
Partners: Razor Creek Ranch, LLC and Greg Peterson, with funding from Great Outdoors Colorado and the Gunnison Valley Land Preservation Board
Conservation Values: This is the second conservation easement held by Colorado Open Lands on the Razor Creek Ranch, and protects important agricultural land near the Town of Doyleville in Gunnison County. Containing upland sagebrush habitat, a diversity of natural montane grasslands, riparian vegetation, and hay meadows, the Ranch provides food, shelter, and migration corridors for several wildlife species.
Razor Creek flows through the property. In particular, the Ranch provides significant resources for populations of Gunnison sage grouse and migratory and nesting songbirds, as well year-round habitat for elk, antelope, deer, coyotes, foxes, and numerous small mammal species.
Razor Creek Ranch also possesses significant scenic qualities, and preservation will help maintain the character of the Razor Creek Valley in which the Ranch lies. More specifically, the property is visible to the general public from the Doyleville Cutoff Road (Saguache County Road 14PP), Razor Creek Road (Gunnison County Road 62) and from adjacent Bureau of Land Management lands.
Finally, with irrigated meadows, productive grazing lands, and soils designated as Farmland of Statewide Importance by the Natural Resource Conservation Service, Razor Creek Ranch possesses significant agricultural resources for the landowner and the greater region.
Robbins Ranch II, Gunnison County, 487 acres (987 total acres protected)
Partners: Harold and Robert Robbins; Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy; with funding from Great Outdoors Colorado and the Gunnison County Land Preservation Fund
Conservation Values: This year the Robbins family conveyed a second conservation easement on their working agricultural ranch in the scenic Steuben Creek Valley. The parcel lies directly adjacent to last year’s easement on its west boundary.
The ranch, located a few miles west of the town of Gunnison and a few miles north of Highway 50 and the Blue Mesa Reservoir, sits near the confluence of Steuben Creek and Sun Creek, and is surrounded on two sides by the Gunnison National Forest.
The property consists of wet meadows and riparian areas in its lower elevations, and rangelands and forested areas in its upper elevations. The sagebrush on the rangelands and the willows in the riparian areas serve as critical habitat for an abundance of wildlife species, including Gunnison sage grouse, elk, mule deer, coyotes, foxes, weasels and numerous migratory birds.
In addition to its valuable wildlife habitat, the Robbins Ranch also provides a large area of scenic open space for Gunnison County residents and members of the general public. Anyone traveling west on Highway 50 along the north shore of Blue Mesa Reservoir is treated to a stunning view of open rangeland surrounded by forest and snow-capped mountain peaks. The property on which the ranch sits was originally homesteaded in the 1870’s and has been ranched continuously since then by various families.
2005
Guerrieri Ranch, Gunnison County, 115 acres
Partners: Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy with funding from Great Outdoors Colorado, USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service, and the Gunnison County Land Preservation Fund
Conservation Values: The Guerrieri Ranch, a working agricultural ranch that lies a few miles north of the town of Gunnison, was originally homesteaded in the 1870s and has been ranched continuously since by various families.
The land consists primarily of wet meadows, willow riparian areas, and sagebrush rangelands, which provide critical habitat to various wildlife species, including waterfowl, migratory and nesting songbirds, mule deer, coyotes, foxes, and numerous small mammals.
The ranch provides spectacular scenic views to the public along State Highway 135 and County Road 10, as well as from BLM lands to the south that also serve as a buffer between the property and the town of Gunnison.
Razor Creek Ranch I, Gunnison County, 300 acres
Partners: Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy
Conservation Values: In November of 2005, Colorado Open Lands placed a conservation easement on 300 acres of the Razor Creek Ranch, which lies a few miles south of Highway 50, near the town of Doyleville, in southern Gunnison County, and extends into northern Saguache County.
The property is currently used for agriculture, primarily irrigated crop production and cattle grazing. Approximately 150 acres on the western portion of the ranch were protected last year with an easement donated to Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust. The land being protected this year comprises most of the northern portion of the ranch, and is bordered by BLM lands to the east.
Because the Ranch is clearly visible from two county roads (Gunnison CR 62 and Saguache CR 14PP), it has particularly high scenic value. In addition, a portion of Razor Creek flows through the property. With sagebrush, grasslands and riparian areas, the Razor Creek Ranch provides habitat for several wildlife species, including Gunnison sage grouse, elk, deer, coyote, pronghorn, fox and various types of raptors.
Robbins Ranch I, Gunnison County, 500 acres
Partners: Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy, with funding from Great Outdoors Colorado and the Gunnison County Land Preservation Fund
Conservation Values: In March of 2005, Colorado Open Lands placed a conservation easement on the 500-acre Robbins Ranch, a working agricultural ranch that lies within the scenic Steuben Creek Valley of Gunnison County. The ranch, located a few miles west of the town of Gunnison and a few miles north of Highway 50 and the Blue Mesa Reservoir, sits near the confluence of Steuben Creek and Sun Creek, and is surrounded on two sides by the Gunnison National Forest.
The property consists of wet meadows and riparian areas in its lower elevations, and rangelands and forested areas in its upper elevations. The sagebrush on the rangelands and the willows in the riparian areas serve as critical habitat for an abundance of wildlife species, including Gunnison sage grouse, elk, mule deer, coyotes, foxes, weasels and numerous migratory birds.
In addition to its valuable wildlife habitat, the Robbins Ranch also provides a large area of scenic open space for Gunnison County residents and members of the general public. Anyone traveling west on Highway 50 along the north shore of Blue Mesa Reservoir is treated to a stunning view of open rangeland surrounded by forest and snow-capped mountain peaks. The property on which the ranch sits was originally homesteaded in the 1870’s and has been ranched continuously since by various families.
Templeton Ranch, Saguache County, 99 acres
Partners: Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy, with funding from Great Outdoors Colorado and the USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service
Conservation Values: Located in northern Saguache County, the Templeton Ranch lies a few miles west of Sargents and east of Doyleville. The ranch is surrounded by the Gunnison National Forest to the northeast and by BLM lands to the south, tying the public lands together in one massive area of scenic open space.
Tomichi Creek flows across the property and the associated riparian ecosystem serves as critical habitat for an abundance of wildlife species. Highway 50 bisects the Ranch, and motorists traveling from Monarch Pass toward Gunnison are provided with beautiful views of the meandering Creek, open irrigated meadows, adjacent sagebrush uplands and timbered valleys, with wilderness areas in the distance.
Whinnery Ranch IV, Gunnison County, 452 acres
Partners: Helen Whinnery, Stanley Whinnery and Steven Whinnery
Conservation Values: Building upon 1,257 acres protected in previous conservation easements, the Whinnery family protected an additional 452 acres of their ranch in 2005, all of which is contiguous to their first conservation easement.
The habitat is very similar to that already protected: upland sagebrush, montane grassland, and the steep ravine of Willow Creek. Most significant is the additional protected habitat for the Gunnison sage grouse, elk, mule deer, and black-tailed prairie dog. This year’s donation also provides more protected habitat for migratory and nesting songbirds, bears, mountain lions, coyotes, foxes, weasels, and serves as important summer livestock range.
2004
Irby Ranch East Parcel, Gunnison County, 456 acres
Partners: Stan Irby, the Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy, the Gunnison Valley Land Preservation Board, and funding from Great Outdoors Colorado, the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program
Conservation Values: This is the second conservation easement on the Irby property. The property provides agricultural, open space, scenic, and wildlife habitat Conservation Values. Primary among these is the agricultural resource associated with productive grazing lands, including soils designated as being Farmland of Statewide Importance by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The Irbys have won awards for their excellent stewardship of the land.
Also, the natural habitat and open space values associated with this agricultural land provide important conservation values. The Irby Ranch lies adjacent to public lands, private land protected with conservation easements, and other private lands in the Tomichi Creek Valley. The property contains upland sagebrush habitats, wet meadows along Tomichi Creek, and a diversity of natural montane grassland. This habitat is home to migratory and nesting birds, deer, elk, coyotes, foxes, weasels and numerous small mammal species. The property also contains scenic values that can be viewed by the public from US Highway 50.
The Reserve, Gunnison County, 44 acres
Partners: CBMR Real Estate LLC, High Country Citizen’s Alliance
Conservation Values: Donated by the Crested Butte Mountain Resort as part of a larger approval of development plans by the Town of Mt. Crested Butte, The Reserve lies on a saddle between Crested Butte Mountain and Snodgrass Mountain. The East River lies northeast of the property. Located within the corporate limits of the Town of Mt. Crested Butte, the land is very scenic and visible from Gothic Road (County Road 317).
Diverse subalpine meadows with aspen woodland cover the western edge of the property and nine acres of wetlands have been identified in the perennial, intermittent and dry gulches which traverse the property. These wetland complexes are high functioning, with significant wildlife value; a beaver pond located in the northeast corner of the property adds to the high natural resource value of the land. Finally, The Reserve possesses notable value as a buffer to adjacent National Forest lands, and by offering access for outdoor recreation by the general public.
Whinnery Ranch III, Gunnison County, 600 acres
Partners: The Whinnery Family
Conservation Values: Comprised of upland sagebrush, montane grassland, and the steep ravine of Willow Creek, the property provides significant resources for populations of Gunnison sage grouse, elk, mule deer and black-tailed prairie dog. The land also provides habitat for migratory and nesting songbirds, as well as bears, mountain lions, coyotes, foxes, weasels and numerous small mammal species.
In addition the property serves as important summer livestock range and is within the viewshed of the Weminuche Wilderness Area to the south and the West Elk Wilderness Areas to the north.
2003
Irby Ranch West Parcel, Gunnison County, 197 acres
Partners: Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy, Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund, the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program, Gunnison Valley Land Preservation Board and landowners.
Conservation Values: The Irby Ranch is a significant agricultural property in Gunnison. The property provides agricultural, open space, scenic, and wildlife habitat Conservation Values. Primary among these is the agricultural resource associated with productive grazing lands, including soils designated as being Farmland of Statewide Importance by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The Irbys have won awards for their excellent stewardship of the land.
Also, the natural habitat and open space values associated with this agricultural land provide important conservation values. The Irby Ranch lies adjacent to public lands, private land protected with conservation easements, and other private lands in the Tomichi Creek Valley. The property contains upland sagebrush habitats, wet meadows along Tomichi Creek, and a diversity of natural montane grassland. This habitat is home to migratory and nesting birds, deer, elk, coyotes, foxes, weasels and numerous small mammal species.
Story: Prior to this easement, Stan Irby stated "We're third generation on Tomichi Creek. We don't want to give up, but we don't know how much longer we can hang on. With all the development pressures and the price of property, it's tough to find enough ground to support a profitable ag operation anymore." Colorado Open Lands is excited to have helped protect this property, enabling the Irbys to continue their operations and to have continued our partnerships with GRCL, GOCO, and NRCS. We look forward to protecting additional property on the Irby Ranch in 2004.
Mill Creek Ranch, Ohio Creek Parcel, Gunnison County, 320 acres
Partners: Landowner Burt Guierrieri, Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy
Conservation Values: The property is primarily open ranchland and is an important part of the productive agricultural land still remaining in the Ohio Creek Valley.
The property contains upland sagebrush habitat and a diversity of natural montane grasslands, which provide important natural resources for a variety of wildlife species, including migratory and resident birds and a variety of mammals. The open space and expansive wilderness vistas provided by the property contribute significantly to the scenic beauty of the drive from Gunnison to Ohio Creek Pass and Kebler Pass.
Miller Land and Cattle, Cunningham Gulch Parcel, Gunnison County, 360 acres
Conservation Values: The property contains agricultural, open space, scenic, and wildlife habitat values. The property is primarily open ranchland, and is an important part of the productive agricultural land still remaining in the Ohio Creek Valley.
The ranch contains upland sagebrush habitat and a diversity of natural montane grasslands, which provide important natural resources for a variety of wildlife species, including migratory and resident birds and a variety of mammals. The open space and expansive wilderness vistas provided by the property contribute significantly to the scenic beauty of the drive from Gunnison to Ohio Creek Pass and Kebler Pass.
The conservation easement on the Miller Land and Cattle property is the second trade parcel in the Ochs Ranch deal. The Millers are a sixth generation Gunnison Valley ranching family. Their easement, completed in November, protects 360 acres of land. The Cunningham Gulch Parcel of the Miller Land and Cattle ranch lies in the upper portion of the Ohio Creek Valley between Cunningham Gulch and Mill Creek, west of Ohio Creek.
Ochs Ranch, Gunnison County, 2,770 acres
Partners: Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy, Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund through the Colorado Species Conservation Partnership Project, Gunnison Valley Land Preservation Board, Division of Wildlife, Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Conservation Values: The property offers several conservation values. Among these is the agricultural resource associated with irrigated hay meadows and productive grazing uplands. The property is a critical component of the neighboring agricultural community in the Ohio Creek Valley north of Gunnison.
Also, the natural habitat and open space values associated with the agricultural lands at lower elevations and the isolated character of some higher parcels provide important conservation value. In particular, the property provides significant resources for wildlife.
The diversity of meadow vegetation and its proximity to sagebrush uplands provide important resources for the sage grouse, including leks (breeding display areas), nesting areas, brood rearing habitat, and winter range. The property also provides habitat for migratory and nesting songbirds, as well as seasonal habitat for elk and black bear and year-round habitat for coyotes, foxes, weasels and numerous small mammal species. Additionally, the property is located within 10 miles of the West Elk Wilderness Area, views of which are available throughout the property.
Story: The Ochs Ranch concept, a complex land protection project, was conceived in 1988 by Bill Trampe, the current president of Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy (GRCL), and Susan Lohr, a Board member and Founding Director of GRCL. This project protects several thousands of acres of prime agricultural land and Gunnison sage grouse habitat.
Seven neighboring ranching families incorporated the ranch into their agricultural operations, either through purchasing portions of the property or by placing a conservation easement on their property. Colorado Open Lands is excited to have helped protect a large expanse of significant agricultural lands and wildlife habitat.
Redden Ranch, O.C. Parcel, Gunnison County, 300 acres
Conservation Values: The property contains agricultural, open space, scenic, and wildlife habitat conservation values. The Redden Ranch O.C. Parcel lies in the upper portion of the beautiful Ohio Creek Valley on the southwest slope of Red Mountain. The property is entirely open ranchland and is an important part of the productive agricultural land still remaining in the Ohio Creek Valley.
The property contains upland sagebrush habitat and a diversity of natural montane grasslands, which provide important natural resources for a variety of wildlife species, including migratory and resident birds and a variety of mammals. The open space and expansive wilderness vistas provided by the property contribute significantly to the scenic beauty of the drive from Gunnison to Ohio Creek Pass and Kebler Pass from County Road 730.
As part of a trade deal with the Ochs Ranch, Colorado Open Lands and Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy closed a conservation easement on 300 acres of the Redden Ranch. This project, along with all of our Gunnison projects, contributes to a large portion of protected agricultural lands in the Gunnison Valley.
Trampe Ranch, Ogden Parcel, Gunnison County, 978 acres
Partners: Colorado Open Lands, Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy, Landowners
Conservation Values: This beautiful property provides agricultural, open space, scenic, and wildlife habitat conservation values. The Ogden parcel of the Trampe Ranch lies in the lower portion of the East River Valley, south of the Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery.
The property is primarily open ranchland and is an important part of the productive agricultural land still remaining in the East River Valley. It has 1.5 miles of river, meadows and pastures, upland sagebrush habitat, a diversity of natural montane grasslands, and forested mountain slopes which provide important natural resources for a variety of wildlife species, including migratory and resident birds and mammals.
As people drive up Hwy 135 to Crested Butte, they often see 10 or 12 eagles sitting in the trees on Trampe’s property. The open space and expansive wilderness vistas provided by the property contribute significantly to the scenic beauty of the drive from Gunnison to Crested Butte from State Highway 135.
Vader Cloverleaf Ranch, Gunnison County, 299 acres
Conservation Values: This project, like the Irby West conservation easement, continued Colorado Open Lands’ close partnership with the Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy and would not have been possible without a grant from the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund and funds from the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program. In addition, the easement was acquired with the assistance of the Gunnison Valley Land Preservation Board in recognition of its significant conservation values.
The Vader family has been ranching in the Tomichi Creek basin for more than a hundred years. The property provides agricultural, open space, scenic, and wildlife habitat conservation values. Primary among these is the agricultural resource associated with productive grazing lands, including soils designated as being Farmland of Statewide Importance by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Also, the natural habitat and open space values associated with this agricultural land provide important conservation values. The Vader Cloverleaf Ranch lies adjacent to public lands and other private ranchlands in the Quartz Creek Valley. The property contains upland sagebrush habitats, wet meadows along Quartz Creek and a diversity of natural montane grassland.
The property also includes wet native grass meadows and dry sagebrush uplands. These natural areas provide habitat for migratory and nesting songbirds, elk, coyotes, foxes, weasels, and numerous small mammal species. In particular, the maintenance of these agricultural and natural habitats in an undeveloped state provides Gunnison sage grouse populations from adjacent public lands with access to nesting and brood-rearing areas, which are important resources for the successful completion of their annual life cycle.
This conservation easement helps ensure that the Vader Cloverleaf Ranch will continue to provide a living for their family, while also benefiting wildlife and the visitors who pass through this narrow green valley.
Whinnery Ranch II, Gunnison County, 600 acres
Partners: Landowners
Conservation Values: The habitat is much the same as in the original easement done the year before: upland sagebrush, montane grassland, and the steep ravine of Willow Creek. Most significant, is the additional protected habitat for the Gunnison sage grouse, elk, mule deer, and black-tailed prairie dog. This year’s donation also provides more protected habitat for migratory and nesting songbirds, bears, mountain lions, coyotes, foxes, weasels, and serves as important summer livestock range.
2002
Puckett Ranch, Gunnison County, 811 acres
Partners: Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy
Conservation Values: Protection of the Puckett Ranch buffers BLM land to the north, and private ranches on the other three sides. The ranch also further extends the protection of nearly twelve miles of agricultural land along Tomichi Creek that have already been placed under conservation easement by the Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy.
The Puckett Ranch exhibits a number of conservation values, including agricultural productivity, natural habitat, and open space associated with the scenic character of the property. There are natural wetlands along Tomichi Creek, productive hay meadows on 320 acres of irrigated bottomland, and portions of the Ranch constitute critical winter habitat for deer, elk, antelope, and sage grouse.
Whinnery Ranch, Gunnison County, 200 acres
Partners: Colorado Open Lands, Landowner Helen Whinnery and the estate of her late husband, Robert, along with The Nature Conservancy
Conservation Values: In addition to serving as an important summer livestock range, this easement protects a variety of important conservation values. Comprised of upland sagebrush, montane grassland, and the steep ravine of Willow Creek, the property provides significant resources for populations of Gunnison sage grouse, elk, mule deer and black-tailed prairie dog. The land also provides habitat for migratory and nesting songbirds, as well as bears, mountain lions, coyotes, foxes, weasels and numerous small mammal species.
1998
Soap Creek Ranch, Gunnison County, 800 acres
Conservation Values: Imagine 800 acres high above a finger of Blue Mesa Reservoir. Standing in front of this incredible scene, Michael Durham had a dream – to preserve this gorgeous property as open space with a conservation easement and to finance the dream by creating a vacation home opportunity for three other buyers.
The ranch also offers two-legged visitors on the road to the adjacent Forest Service lands a spectacular view of the reservoir. Resident and migratory four-legged visitors find abundant grazing and sanctuary.
1996
Hidden River Ranch, Gunnison County, 171 acres
Conservation Values: Anyone driving from Gunnison to Crested Butte is acutely aware that development is booming along State Highway 135. So when the developers of Hidden River Ranch sketched out location of the 17 homesites, they tried to minimize the visual impact of the new homes by creating a 171-acre conservation easement that lies between the highway and the homesites.
Aware that they would be unable to receive any tax benefits from the donation of the easement because the easement would theoretically add value to each homesite, the developers still proceeded with the donation of the conservation easement. A portion of the land is still in productive agricultural use through a grazing lease on part of the easement by a local ranching family.