Colorado Springs Style
HOME ON THE RANGE, Colorado Ranching Revisited - by Jody Patten
August 2005
As dawn breaks over the 13,000-foot snow-capped Sangre de Cristo Mountains, a lifelong cowboy rides up to find two young calves. "There's no more perfect day for me than riding with the herd and seeing all these little ones playing," says Russ Maytag, a veteran rancher of 51 years.
Each day however, has not been a ride in the sunshine for Maytag. Ranch life has involved many more days of hardscrabble work than pleasure rides. For years it has been Maytag, along with one hired hand, that mowed and baled the hay, fed the herds and mended the fences, even in the most inclement weather.
SON REDEFINES THE RANCH
For 25 years Russ and Jeannie Maytag have owned a 2,953-acre ranch in
the heart of the Wet Mountain Valley region of Colorado. During that time,
they've worked hard, pumping most of their profits into the purchase
of adjacent parcels to expand their holdings. The investment in both time
and money has paid off. Maytag has become known in the cattle industry
as an expert on rotational grazing on his ranch, a noted source for some
of the finest beef in the west.
So what prompted him to turn his acreage into a ranch preservation community? It was an old friend, Jeff Temple, who in 1997 first introduced Maytag to the concept, asking him to assist with a project in Steamboat Springs called Storm Mountain Ranch. Temple, a developer who prefers to be called a ranch preservation community builder, put Maytag in charge of designing the barns and trails, purchasing horses as well as managing the agricultural operation on the 1,063-acre property. Extremely successful in all aspects, the project was soon awarded the coveted Smart Growth Award for the state of Colorado by Governor Bill Owens.
Maytag liked what he saw and soon asked Temple to assess the viability of his ranch in Westcliffe for a similar restructuring. "The Maytag Mountain Ranch is the most beautiful property in the Wet Mountain Valley - by far," says Temple. "Lake and Duckett Creeks flow through the acreage and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains tower above the green hay meadows. It's absolutely gorgeous - a natural for the creation of a ranch preservation community."
PLAN: A NEW "OLD WEST"
From the very onset of the restructuring, Maytag saw to it that a highly
qualified team of architects, land planners, hydrologists and engineers was
assembled; the planning process alone taking well over a year. Principles
were established which formed a foundation on which the community would be
built. Agricultural production on the ranch would continue as before. Property
would be managed for increased wildlife habitat, construction would be done
in an ecologically sensitive and sustainable manner and western traditions
and architecture would be respected.
"It has to be done right," says Maytag. "The last thing I wanted to see was my 2,953-acre ranch chopped up into 35-acre parcels that were to big to mow but too small to ranch."
Each home site needed to feel like its own ranch, with minimal impact on its neighbors and the overall grazing operation. Only 27 homesteads measured up.
Dedicated to maintaining a western culture, a state-of-the-art barn was built as well as an arena, round pen and 12 miles of private trails. Lake and Duckett Creeks underwent extensive stream restoration to transform them into world-class habitats for fly fishing and ponds were constructed with an eye towards future trophy trout.
The Cookhouse, built on the edge of one of the sparkling trout ponds, became an ideal family gathering place. Additionally, fully outfitted cabins offered owners immediate enjoyment while their homes were being built and a wonderful place to entertain afterwards.
CONTENTED COWS - HAPPY PEOPLE
So, how does the ranch look now? To the naked eye, almost unchanged. More than
200 Red Angus cattle graze the meadows. The ranch garden produces vegetables
and fruit. Chickens provide fresh eggs daily and milk comes straight from
the cow. Trail horses are exercised regularly and are ready for owners to
ride. The fly fishing on the ranch and ponds - fantastic!
The difference today is that instead of Russ bucking all the bales, saddling all the horses and fixing all the fences, two full-time ranch managers handle all the chores - two people who love living the cowboy life.
"The ranch has never looked better," says Maytag. The irrigation systems has been improved and is more efficient, the cattle are rotated to the best grass and the horses are exercised on a regular basis.
"It's a real luxury for me to have two full-time managers on site who are doing such a wonderful job. They love people and enjoy taking them out on horseback or fly fishing. The nice part is our owners don't have to do all the ranch work I used to do - but they can join in if they want to," Maytag adds.
A WORKING RANCH WHERE THE WORK IS OPTIONAL
How is it working? Quite well, according to new owners Laura and Jim Johnson
of Colorado Springs. Jim owns G.E. Johnson Construction Company, one of the
largest commercial firms of its kind in the state.
"We looked for years for the perfect ranch," says Laura. "When we saw Maytag Mountain Ranch we knew we had found it. I spend a lot of time on horseback enjoying the trails and Jim loves to fly fish and hike with the kids. Although we are just now designing our new home, being able to stay in the owners' cabins allows us to spend time at our new ranch."
Like so many owners, the Johnsons can choose to partake of the hands-on activities that the ranch provides - or not. "I might want to fix a barbed wire fence," adds Laura. "But it's nice to know I have the option not to."
Maytag Mountain Ranch offers a novel approach to preserving some of Colorado's quickly disappearing ranch country. It is a ranch where open space abounds, where cowboys still ride horseback (not ATVs), where cattle still graze in wide-open meadows and where there are trout hiding beneath just about every creek bank.
At present, only 15 homesteads have been put on the market; of these, seven have been sold. If you have a hankering to learn more call 888-782-9358 or visit www.maytagmountainranch.com
