Steamboat Pilot & Today

The phrase "born in a barn" doesn't exactly have a positive connotation.

There is one barn in Routt County, however, that some people may find suitable for more than just raising cattle.

The barn at Round Mountain Ranch, a 1,088-acre property on Routt County Road 129, has a spotless concrete floor, clean paint and is as meticulous and orderly as if it were built yesterday.

It's just one example of the flawlessness imbued in every aspect of the impressive ranch, which includes extensive equestrian facilities, several guest cabins and ranch homes as well as a renovated main house.

"Everything he does is absolutely perfect," real estate broker Dennis Kuntz said about ranch owner and Boulder businessman Dan Souders.

Perfection may be a particularly attractive quality considering the entire ranch is being offered for sale as a turnkey property, ready for the discriminating buyer looking for a dream ranch with ideal recreational opportunities.

"It's literally a turnkey deal," Kuntz said. "Everything from the ranch vehicles to the silverware."

About 20 minutes north of Steamboat Springs, Round Mountain Ranch straddles Elk River Road and includes both shores running along more than a mile of the Elk River.

Everything is state of the art at ranch headquarters, which sits west of the road and includes the enormous cattle barn renovated with the help of an expert in cattle handling facilities. The barn has numerous large stalls perfect for calving, as well as a kitchen, bathroom and office areas.

Other structures include a large shop with an extensive tool collection, as well as storage buildings for ranch vehicles, horse trailers and tractors. A newly built structure provides optimal hay storage.

"This is what every rancher would die for," Kuntz said while driving through the headquarters.

Getting dirty actually may be hard at this ranch compound, which sits on a clean swath of black pavement.

"I describe this as the only paved barnyard in Routt County," Kuntz said.

A road, lined with metal and cable fencing, takes visitors from the compound west to a picturesque guest cabin next to the Elk River.

In addition to a glass-enclosed porch, the modern, one-room cabin includes an outdoor stone barbecue. Even with a foot of snow on the ground, it's not hard to imagine the hours of leisure spent at the cabin, which is surrounded by a lush green lawn in the summer.

The main home and equestrian facilities, as well as a private lake stocked with monster trout, sit east of C.R. 129.

More than 5,000 square feet, the newly remodeled main house sits on a knoll and has a wrap-around deck taking advantage of expansive views of the Elk River Valley.

In addition to a spacious master suite, the home has two bedrooms with beds accommodating four people in each room. The home also includes a recreation or game room, exercise room with weight equipment, and a large great room and kitchen area.

The Souders lightened the interior of the home by sandblasting dark-stained beams and finishes. The home is decorated with Western-style motifs and memorabilia, and the modern kitchen has rustic country flair.

Just steps from the home is a full tennis court, outdoor riding arena and gazebo. Two fully furnished and cozy guest cabins also sit near the home. Another larger cabin houses a spacious office.

A separate entrance off C.R. 129 accesses the large indoor riding arena, a ranch manager's house and two modest homes for ranch staff. The arena includes five indoor stalls with rubber mats, as well as tack rooms, a bathroom and break room.

Extensive landscaping and pine trees provide continuity between structures and the landscape.

Consistent with several neighboring ranches and much of the land in the Elk River Valley, all 1,088 acres of Round Mountain Ranch are protected by conservation easements, which were purchased by the Colorado Cattleman's Land Trust, Kuntz said.

The easements, aimed at protecting irrigated meadows on the property, allow for more agriculture-related buildings, as well as expansion of existing homes.

The property borders Routt National Forest and U.S. Bureau of Land Management lands east of C.R. 129, offering seeming endless opportunities for hunting, hiking and other recreational activities.

Round Mountain Ranch is being offered as a turnkey property for $20 million. For more information, call Kuntz at Exceptional Properties LLC at 879-2790.

-- To reach Tamera Manzanares call 871-4204 or e-mail tmanzanares@steamboatpilot.com