A truly magnificant mountain picture

Here is a picture of the west peak of a twin pair called the Spanish Peaks. The picture was taken about 5 miles south of LaVeta Colorado about a mile west of highway 12. The rock wall below the peak is called a dike. When the molten magma was rising in the Earth it was also moving through vertical cracks and joints, spreading out in all directions like the spokes of a wheel. As erosion has occurred these dikes have become exposed. They vary from 1 to 100 feet wide and up to 14 miles long. The dikes are a prominent feature of the landscape around the Spanish Peaks as they eminate radially out from the center of the peaks. You can get more info and see some more pictures at www.sangres.com/mountains/spanpks.htm .
I'm lucky enough to have 35 acres in this area that I'm going to be building our retirement home on in the next year.

Here is another picture. This one is of a part of my 35 acres. It consists of a mesa which I'm standing on to take the picture and it is approx 250 feet above the hay meadow below. The Cuchara River runs through the trees that go horizontally across the picture.
I'm going to build my house on the far side of the river approximately 50 feet from the bank and will have views through the trees of the spanish peaks, the dike that is in the upper picture and the mesa that I'm standing on.
I can't wait!

Joe,

Thanks for sharing those stupendous photos. I am sure in person it is even more breathtaking, but the views even in photos are utterly beautiful.

How much does 35 acres there cost (if I'm not being too nosey)? [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

What is the altitude? How deep of a well do you need to drill?
How far is it to gas & groceries? Any neighbors? What is the growing season?

I am just curious. Really lovely. Makes me want to buy the lot next door!

Hi Hakim,
The property on the river can be pretty pricey. At the peak of the economy a couple of years ago it was going for approximately $14K per acre for river front property. The further from the river the less the price. In southern Colorado (or all of Colorado for that matter) live water comes at a very high premium. The altitude at the river is about 7400 ft. The west peak that is most prominent in the picture is approximately 13,900 elevation. The depth of water here depends very much on the exact location you drill at. Depending on whether you are up on the mesa or down by the river can make a big difference. A house to the south of me just off of the river has a well that is about 75 feet deep. I've heard of one up over the mesa that was about 300 feet deep. The nearest house to the south is a guest house and not occupied except for vacations. The owner of it will build his main residence up on the mesa that I was standing on and about 700 feet to the south of where I took the picture. I won't be able to see his house over the edge of the mesa. My nearest neighbor to the north is over 1000ft away. We are seperated by 80 acres. Don't know where the nearest neighbor is to the east (which is where the dike is from our building site) and to the west (over the mesa) I own from the edge where I took the picture and back about 300 feet. There will be a house built behind that property line probably another 200 feet, again won't be able to see it over the edge of the mesa. The mesa is visible from highway 12 which is a state designated scenic highway and there is what is called a scenic overview easement on the mesa, which means that no one is allowed to build anything on the mesa which would be visible from highway 12. In the second picture I posted highway 12 is barely visible under some telephone wires that you can make out in the middle of the picture.
LaVeta, population of about 500, is 4.5 miles to the north and has all needed facilities such as gas, groceries, diner, hardware, golf course, etc. The growing season is short. At an altitude of 7400 feet late spring frosts can come as late as May and early fall frosts happen in late september or at the latest in early october. Agriculture is a limited business here. Hay is the crop of choice in our area.
It's a wonderful area, but not what a lot of people think when they think Colorado. It is very different from Vail, Aspen, and other more well known mountain towns. We like it that way!
Joe

Thanks for asll the fascinating info. What a fantastic future ahead of you as you develop your presence on that land!. I was once on some gorgeous land owned by a friend of mine outside of Aspen, but believe your is much nicer. Thanks again for sharing the phtos and details. Just magnificent.

Had to do a double take when I saw the words Spanish Peaks.
Our area in Montana has a mountain ridge called Spanish Peaks also. Sure did bring many memories back.
Thanks for sharing your pictures.
PJ

Joe, all I can say is that it is difficult to type when consumed with uncontrolled jealousy.

<font color="green">No kiddin' Kilt! Just look at the color of my fonts!</font color>