High Kicker Ranch - 81 Acres; Log Home; Natl Forest border
High Kicker Ranch is 81 acres of ranch and recreational land in the Wet Mountains of Westcliffe, Custer County, Colorado. The ranch is bordered by the San Isabel National Forest with private foot and horseback access to thousands of acres of hiking and trophy elk, mule deer, and turkey hunting literally just outside the door. Access from outsiders to this area of the National Forest is extremely difficult, providing year-around quietness and privacy. The majestic peaks of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains provide a panoramic view from nearly all parts of the property. The Log House sleeps 10 comfortably inside its 3,600 square foot log structure with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, and 4 additional custom made log bunk beds (each with their own built-in reading light) in the basement parlor. The entire house is decorated in a luxury western theme with tooled leather and axis hide fur...
High Kicker Ranch is 81 acres of ranch and recreational land in the Wet Mountains of Westcliffe, Custer County, Colorado. The ranch is bordered by the San Isabel National Forest with private foot and horseback access to thousands of acres of hiking and trophy elk, mule deer, and turkey hunting literally just outside the door. Access from outsiders to this area of the National Forest is extremely difficult, providing year-around quietness and privacy. The majestic peaks of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains provide a panoramic view from nearly all parts of the property. The Log House sleeps 10 comfortably inside its 3,600 square foot log structure with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, and 4 additional custom made log bunk beds (each with their own built-in reading light) in the basement parlor. The entire house is decorated in a luxury western theme with tooled leather and axis hide furniture, hardwood and slate floors, persian rugs, antler chandeliers and floor lamps, and western artwork. The fully equipped kitchen includes a gas stove/oven, Viking convection/microwave, Bode western themed dishes, and steel hand twisted western flatware.
The home was built by John Comerford, the premier builder in Custer County, and served as the Comerfords personal home & ranch for several years. It is extremely well built and the level of detail and construction quality is readily evident. It has 3 levels - The top level is the master suite with a king sized Aspen log bed with cowhide cover and leather pillows and hand painted nightstand lamps. For business or pleasure, there is also a horn leg desk, reading area, and private deck with teak furniture and log railing for a little quite time, and an exercise loft with weight bench, free weights, and exercise ball and mats. The main level has 2 additional bedrooms: one with a queen sized Aspen log bed and matching log furniture, and the other with an elegant cast iron queen sized bed and hand painted furniture. The basement level is 1,000 square feet just completely remodeled in 2008 and has four log bunk beds, a hand made log pool table, stone propane fireplace with remote control thermostat, leather covered card/game table with twisted willow chairs, a 42 HD TV with the Wii game system, a dry sauna, and its own bathroom with shower. An abundance of ceiling, art and wall sconce lighting, all on dimmers, provide any kind of ambiance.
On the main level, the Great Room and outside decks that wrap two sides of the house provide gathering places for family and friends. The Great Room has a native stone fireplace, a second wood burning stove for the winter, cathedral wood ceilings, elegant western decor and artwork, 42 HD TV with satellite, teak bar stools/table, 5 kitchen bar stools made with horn legs and cowhide seats, a huge round wood dining table with conchos and 6 tooled leather chairs. The house is a WiFi hotspot with unlimited high-speed broadband internet provide by DD Wireless, and the house also receives excellent AT&T 3G/4G service for iPads and iPhones.
From the huge chalet windows of the Great Room one enjoys the breathtaking panoramic views of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains, including 5 of Colorados highest 14ers: the Crestone Needles, Crestone Peak, Kit Carson Peak, Challenger Point, and Humbolt Peak. Step out onto the upper Rocking Chair Deck and enjoy the same view relaxing in log rocking chairs, or walk down a level to the lower Kiva Spa Deck. Here, enjoy the views and countless stars at night while relaxing mind, body and spirit in the Jacuzzi J365 Spa (with 5 therapy seats and 32 jets, foot massage, and brilliant LED lighting) next to the fragrant smell of the Pinyon Kiva wood fireplace. All decks are furnished with oiled teak furniture.
High Kicker Ranch is located 15 miles east of the quaint ranching community of Westcliffe, Colorado, off Hwy 96. The Colorado Springs International Airport is 1 hours 10 minutes drive door to door. Within a 45 minute drive radius is the luxurious Broadmoor Hotel/Cheyenne Mountain area, City of Pueblo, the Royal Gorge Park, or fly fishing and white water rafting on the Arkansas River. Salida is an awesome town on the Arkansas River with great restaurants and shopping....and a scenic 1:15 minute drive to get there.
HK Ranch is very private, being bordered on all sides by National Forest, a 350+ ranch and another 220+ acre ranch. The ranch entrance is 1 mile off of Hwy 96 at the dead end of CR 285. CR 285 is a private road with a remote key / keyless entry gate at the Hwy 96 entrance, providing excellent security and privacy. High Kicker is NOT in a POA or HOA nor are any of the other ranches on CR 285. HK Ranch is unique in that Custer County granted the ranch owners who use CR 285 the right to make it a private road in 2014. Additionally, all mineral rights are intact and will pass to the new owner including six mining claims (Colorado terminology for mineral rights)...the Jennie 1, 2, and 3, and the High Kicker, Wild Girl, and Joker lodes.
Water is a big issue in Colorado and the West in general. Water to the ranch is provided by its own 165' well, providing excellent tasting pure mountain filtered water and no treatment necessary. The ranch, due to its size and ownership of 6 mining claims, has the inherent right to drill at least 2 more wells and possibly 5 more if needed.
Altitude is just under 9,000 feet. There is no need for air conditioning in the summer. Summer temperatures range from the 60s and 70s during the day, and the high 30s to low 50s at night with virtually no humidity. The area averages more than 300 days a year of sunshine. Its typically 5 to 10 degrees cooler in the summer than Westcliffe which is at 7,888 feet in elevation. The propertys flora ranges from high mountain grass for horse/cattle/wildlife grazing, dark forest timber of Aspen, Ponderosa, Blue Spruce, Fir, etc, and southern facing arid exposures with huge rock outcroppings, mountain cactus and Pinyon.
The ranch borders Game Unit #69 in the San Isabel Natl. Forest, a designated trophy elk unit by the Colorado Parks & Wildlife. The timbered ridge adjacent to the home is known by the local ranch owners as the elk highway...a highly frequented path for elk to follow from feeding in the ranches lower pasture back to the dark timber and safety of the national forest. The State of Colorado started a rocky mountain sheep herd years ago and they can be seen often in the area near the house. Elk, rocky mountain sheep, mule deer, black bear, hummingbirds, trout, mountain blue jay and all of Colorados abundant wildlife live here.
Westcliffe is a warm, charming mountain valley ranching town just minutes away with activities all summer long, including a world-class blue grass festival, rodeos, July 4th parade, western days parade....practically something every week. The public schools still practice a century old tradition...the kids do not go to school on Fridays....they are off that day to help on the ranch. Since this is not a ski town, Westcliffe has avoided all the commercialization that other areas of Colorado have. For those who love spending time in the outdoors, enjoy peace and quite, horses, photography, or hunting and fishing, this is luxury high country living at its best with 3D views of the truly awesome Sangre De Cristos.
