Steamboat Pilot & Today

Most residents probably have seen the glossy, fold-out announcements advertising a big land auction in the Trout Creek Valley.

On Sept. 10, the Pittsburg & Midway Coal Co. will be offering 15 parcels, or 825 acres of land, along Routt County Road 29 to the highest bidders.

It's a chance for individuals or businesses to acquire secluded pieces of Routt County property with wide-open views and hunting, fishing and agricultural opportunities.

The parcels, ranging from 37 to 160 acres, are about 16 miles from Steamboat Springs between C.R. 29 and C.R. 27.

"If they're interested in any type of tract like this in this location, they need to be there," said Warren A. Ward, president of Albert Burney, an Alabama company handling the sale.

The land will sell regardless of price, and -- barring any catastrophes -- there's no chance the sale won't happen, he said.

Twelve parcels, all about 40 acres, sit along C.R. 29. Most border Bureau of Land Management land and include part of a scenic plateau offering 360-degree views of the Steamboat Ski Area and surrounding valley.

Adjacent to several of the smaller parcels is Elk's Crossing, 160 acres of rolling hills, meadows and draws containing one-quarter mile of Middle Creek. It will be sold with one or more adjacent smaller parcels for road access.

South of the smaller tracts is Gabossi Ranch, 160 acres with three-quarters of a mile of Trout Creek, water rights to the Koll Ditch and hay-producing meadows.

A 40-acre tract, Trout Creek Meadow, is adjacent to the ranch and also includes a portion of the creek.

P&M, a subsidiary of Chevron U.S.A., purchased about 6,000 contiguous acres with the Edna Coal Mine near Oak Creek in 1961. That mine closed in 1995 and since has been reclaimed, said Bob Johnson, public affairs manager for P&M.

The company eventually plans to sell all of its 6,000 acres, P&M land manager Bob Utter said.

Officials at P&M, which typically sells large tracts, decided an auction was a good way to expose buyers to the smaller parcels available in this particular sale, he said.

Ward of Albert Burney said the auction also will allow the market to determine the value of the land.

"Right now, it's hard to put a dollar amount on the property," he said.

Ward's company has fielded a fair amount of interest, particularly from local buyers.

Real estate brokers are en-couraged to participate in the auction and, when representing buyers, will receive a commission from the sale, Ward said.

Representatives will be on site to show properties from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 31 through Sept. 10.

Registration for the sale will begin at noon, and the auction will start at 2 p.m. Bidders must place a deposit of $5,000 per tract.

For more information, call 1-800-434-1654.