Steamboat Pilot & Today

South Routt — Low-density housing in a natural setting surrounded by conservation easements has its price.
As part of Catamount Ranch and Club's development project, sales begin this Saturday for the 2,800-square-foot cabins at Lake Catamount. The homes range from $795,000 to $995,000.
"We'll start breaking ground for the cabins around Aug. 15," Catamount spokeswoman Jody Patten said.
Homebuyers can also become lifelong members of Steamboat's newest golf club for $55,000 prior to Aug. 1, or $65,000 after Aug. 1.
A few cabins have already been reserved for sales, Patten said.
Road and clubhouse construction is already well underway, and Catamount partners' long-term plans for the area hardly resemble previous owners' designs for 12,000 skiers a day, 3,700 homes, 1,000 hotel rooms, and 250,000 square feet of commercial space.
The new golf course at Catamount Ranch and Club, set to open July 31, is the first course in the nation designed to protect a working cattle ranch, Patten said.
Cattle drives will continue along County Road 18 which bisects the lake property. In addition, much of the land at Lake Catamount is preserved as wildlife habitat or as hay meadow through conservation easements donated by the Catamount partnership in January of 1999.
The easements ensure that the only development that can ever happen on the land is 40 homes, 44 duplex cottages, and the Lake Clubhouse and Lake Outfitter's Center, as well as two wilderness cabins high above the lake.
After gathering community input in the late '90s, Catamount principals, including Lyman Orton, Mike Beckley, Michael Mutter, Gerry Engle, Nick Schoewe and Tim Mueller, decided that a ski area was not in the county's best interest, and proceeded to design the project currently in the works.
The revised Lake Catamount development was approved by the Routt County Board of County Commissioners last summer.
"Once we saw this spectacular setting and learned about its agricultural history, it became very clear to us how important it was to preserve those special characteristics when designing our golf course and the layout of the home sites around it," President and General Manger of Catamount Ranch and Club Mike Beckley said in a press release.
The Lake Outfitter's Center, opened in February 2000. It will be the year-round activity center for club members. Activities will include cross-country skiing on a trail system still under design, snow shoeing, sleigh rides, ice skating, winter fly-fishing, sailing, kayaking, canoeing, sculling, hiking and mountain biking.
Catamount Ranch and Club is being planned, designed and operated by the same development team responsible for Cordillera in Vail.

To reach Bonnie Nadzam call 871-4205 or e-mail bnadzam@amigo.net