CULEBRA PEAK FOR SALE FOR $105M

Regional discussion and conditions reports for the U.S. Rocky Mountains. Please post partners requests and trip plans in the Colorado Climbing Partners section.
User Avatar
Aaron Johnson

 
Posts: 3647
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2002 8:49 pm
Thanked: 62 times in 21 posts

CULEBRA PEAK FOR SALE FOR $105M

by Aaron Johnson » Tue Aug 01, 2017 8:09 pm

Land that has been passed on intact through the past century is about to trade hands again. The Cielo Ranch is up for sale, which is a huge swath of land dating back to the Spanish grant days of Colorado's history. I'm guessing the ranch owners want to retire in style, and they probably deserve to. Ranch life is hard work. More than 83,000 acres encompass some of the best and last of the truly wild lands of Colorado, including 22 miles of the Sangre De Cristo mountain range, just before it enters northern New Mexico. In this portion of the vaunted range is the legendary 14er, Culebra Peak. Legendary because of its private status and the exorbitant fee the ranch has charged over the years to climbers wishing to access the land and climb the mountain, often along with Centennial 13er, Red Mountain (one of many in Colorado). Ellen climbed Culebra and Red Mountain during her 14er quest, paying (I think) $150 at the time (it is now $200). I never climbed the mountain out of protest, believing that mountains belong to everyone, as if that would make a difference. I suppose it did. They never got my money.

The big question will be what fate awaits the 14er and its neighboring 13ers. Potential buyers will need to be educated and apprised of the situation. Of course, being able to afford $105 million, one shouldn't be concerned with expenses involved with security. Shutting down the mountain might be an option to avoid the hassle, and it would relieve many climbers agonizing over access to the elusive summit. Their quest would be ended by the simple decision to bar access. Most folks like money though, especially rich folks, so making more of it is usually a good idea that is rarely refuted. So another option is not only to continue the practice of charging climbers for access, but to simply charge a higher price. Since most climbers are poor, they'll be priced out of the Culebra market, but the rich ones will gladly pay whatever the cost may be, perhaps even gleefully allowing their bank accounts to be fleeced by a greedy new owner. Collected fees will be used to cover the costs of administering the program and ongoing ranch security, and anything over that will be profit, likely reinvested in a tax-avoiding finance deal of some sort.

Then we have the pure elite rich environmentalist that has nothing better to do with their money than to keep the land all to themselves. These are the Agenda 21 types. For the uninformed, Agenda 21 was a proposal drafted during the Obama years by environmental elitists, who believe that people living out in the wilds must be evicted from their lands and confined to cities, where their efforts are to be channeled toward the greater good of building a society based on "values" like sharing and equality, where no one does better or has more than someone else (at least in theory). It's called Communism. Meanwhile, the rich folks buy up the land (or evict the less financially blessed from their own land or homesteads) in the name of returning the earth to its pristine wild environment, so that the animals can live truly free and no longer be cruely hunted, and water and natural resources are purified by the lack of man's presence. This effort in turn supports the huge resource-dependent mega-city centers where humankind has been confined, unless you have the money to avoid that scenario. These fortunate "stewards" of the environment get to enjoy the wide open spaces every human must have to survive mentally, physically and spiritually. They shut humanity out in the noble cause of conservation, while humanity itself stifles and decays in massive city centers rife with crime, short on space and productive to the earth's benefit. It's an environmentalist's wet dream.

Culebra Peak and the "central" Sangre De Cristo Range is close to falling into this fate. Very few people in this world have $105 million laying around to blow on buying a famed Colorado 14er, elk and mountain sheep herds and pristine rivers and streams. Several land conservancy organizations could band together, but in doing this, not even they can muster such a big sum of money. But mega-rich businessmen that happen to be crazy environmentalists do have such money, and managing such a purchase is no big deal. The next thing you know, Culebra Peak and that 22 miles of the Sangres is suddenly gone.

Agenda 21 will never take place. Constitution loving Americans will see to that, but this could be a taste of that desire dreamed up by ultra powerful megalomaniacs with nothing better to do other than design their own version of what the world is supposed to be. That taste is not even bittersweet. It's downright disgusting. You can count on the climbing community watching developments concerning this sale with focused interest, like never before.

What good is wilderness if no one is ever there to enjoy it, appreciate it and ultimately preserve it? It becomes the gift that no one ever benefits from. What's the sense in that? It's a long shot, but may Culebra be returned to the people, and may it remain wild and free for everyone who wants to experience it. Interesting side note: No climbing of the mountain will happen in August.

The official web site concerning the offering is HERE.

There is no mention of the sale is on the Cielo Vista web site.

User Avatar
stinkysox77

 
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu May 08, 2014 7:22 pm
Thanked: 158 times in 110 posts

Re: CULEBRA PEAK FOR SALE FOR $105M

by stinkysox77 » Tue Aug 01, 2017 9:44 pm

The elevation of private land should not affect your views on the sovereignty of private land and its owners rights. Excluding certain people from owning private land and restricting what kind of public access they can impose is also communism in another form. There is lots of private land in our country I would like to have access to, but I can't because I don't own the land. That's how private property works, and this piece of land is no different. Just because it's higher in elevation or has better forests or streams doesn't make the rules for it any different than anyone else's private property.

User Avatar
Aaron Johnson

 
Posts: 3647
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2002 8:49 pm
Thanked: 62 times in 21 posts

Re: CULEBRA PEAK FOR SALE FOR $105M

by Aaron Johnson » Mon Aug 07, 2017 9:54 pm

Agreed! If the land stays private, that's how it goes. This may result in a total shut down of access to the mountain. My original post was to alert folks to this possibility. It's not likely Agenda 21 will take place, but the possibility of this in some form is certainly a reality. The elevation issue is just my own feelings on the matter, but under the rule of law, my feelings mean nothing. Thanks for your perspective. It's pretty quiet around here.

User Avatar
brichardsson

 
Posts: 544
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2011 5:35 am
Thanked: 59 times in 46 posts

Re: CULEBRA PEAK FOR SALE FOR $105M

by brichardsson » Wed Aug 09, 2017 2:59 pm

Aaron Johnson wrote:
For the uninformed, Agenda 21 was a proposal drafted during the Obama years by environmental elitists


this is factually inaccurate.

.
.
.

in other news, the sale already happened; the ranch was supposed to change hands early this month. i was fortunate enough to get one of the last permits under the current system and got the skinny from staff. it also was discussed pretty extensively on other sites.

my sincere hope is that the new owners will continue to allow access, because it was a wonderful hike.
Don't try to argue with idiots. You aren't the dumbass whisperer.

User Avatar
mrchad9

 
Posts: 4545
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:01 am
Thanked: 1338 times in 911 posts

Re: CULEBRA PEAK FOR SALE FOR $105M

by mrchad9 » Wed Aug 09, 2017 6:59 pm

I think $105M is a big deal even for mega-rich businessmen. And I don't think anyone who can afford it would give a flying poop about earning $200 a head for mountain access.

User Avatar
Scott
Forum Moderator
 
Posts: 8548
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2003 1:03 pm
Thanked: 1211 times in 649 posts

Re: CULEBRA PEAK FOR SALE FOR $105M

by Scott » Wed Aug 09, 2017 7:43 pm

mrchad9 wrote:I think $105M is a big deal even for mega-rich businessmen. And I don't think anyone who can afford it would give a flying poop about earning $200 a head for mountain access.


True, it was mostly done out of a courtesy since so many people want to finish the 14ers. It is not known how the new owners will react to hikers.

User Avatar
brichardsson

 
Posts: 544
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2011 5:35 am
Thanked: 59 times in 46 posts

Re: CULEBRA PEAK FOR SALE FOR $105M

by brichardsson » Wed Aug 09, 2017 7:44 pm

mrchad9 wrote:I think $105M is a big deal even for mega-rich businessmen. And I don't think anyone who can afford it would give a flying poop about earning $200 a head for mountain access.


you could say as much about the current owners as well.

while i do get the general point, the ranch currently makes a chunk of money by allowing access for various wilderness endeavors: winter climbing / skiing in the winter, hunting during various hunting seasons, and hiking during the summer. no reason why the new owners could not continue that practice.

having said that, again, i know they don't *need* to do so, but i do still hope they continue to allow access. it was truly one of the most enjoyable hikes i've done, and i know a number of folks who feel the same way. would i pay $150 to do it second time? nope. but it was definitely worth it the first time around.
Don't try to argue with idiots. You aren't the dumbass whisperer.

User Avatar
mrchad9

 
Posts: 4545
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:01 am
Thanked: 1338 times in 911 posts

Re: CULEBRA PEAK FOR SALE FOR $105M

by mrchad9 » Wed Aug 09, 2017 7:48 pm

Yeah I spend $150 some weekends just on gas... people pay $90 or more for one day mountain access to ride ski lifts all the time. $150 or $200 does not sound outrageous for a trip to a sought after destination .

User Avatar
outdoorabstract

 
Posts: 81
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 6:11 pm
Thanked: 1 time in 1 post

Re: CULEBRA PEAK FOR SALE FOR $105M

by outdoorabstract » Thu Aug 10, 2017 2:26 am


User Avatar
RyanS

 
Posts: 1582
Joined: Mon May 19, 2003 9:55 am
Thanked: 5 times in 3 posts

Re: CULEBRA PEAK FOR SALE FOR $105M

by RyanS » Wed Sep 20, 2017 9:50 pm

A 30-year-old (!!) is the new owner of the Cielo Vista Ranch:

http://www.denverpost.com/2017/09/18/ci ... llionaire/


Return to Colorado

 


  • Related topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests