For All of Your Real Estate Needs, Talk to Scott Bennett, a Telluride Native.
Our community has grown from a mining boomtown to a destination ski resort. The conception of the ski resort has changed the complexion of Telluride and the whole region. Still a wonderful place to raise a family the region offers great diversity in its colorful developments.

The Telluride Valley
The Town of Telluride is a charming little town with a wonderfully colorful history. The Victorian mining town founded in 1880 with its original name of Columbia, which later changed because of mix-ups the Postal Service had with Columbia, California, so the name changed to Telluride. The name Telluride comes from Tellurium ore, or To-Hell-U-Ride, what the stagecoach drivers called it because of the rugged roads that led them here. The booming mining town is famed for being the first bank robbed by Butch Cassidy. The first alternating current power plant was designed and built here by L.L. Nunn and George Westinghouse. The town of Telluride now offers the convenience of the best dining and night life in the region combined with many recreational possibilities all within walking distance. Town has an inviting mix of residential and accommodations with a historic commercial core that is relaxed and friendly.

The Valley Floor, is the entrance to the Town of Telluride. Once purchased by the mining company to build tailings ponds is now the most desired property by the Open Space Commission and the Telluride Town Council. In the summer of 2000, the owners, San Miguel Valley Corp., applied to be annexed in to the Town of Mountain Village, which sparked the hottest debate in thirty years. The town council started a movement to acquire the property anyway possible. SMVC quickly withdrew their application, and has been in stalemate with the town since. Only time and some good planning will tell what the ultimate future of this property will be.

Idarado is the name of the mining company that owns the property at the East of town and up into the high basins above town. The Town Council and a development group hired by the mining company had put an annexation agreement, and development plan called the Idarado Legacy Project together. A mix of employee housing and single family lots, were voted on by the electorate who turned it down in November 2001. Now the future of this large holding is uncertain. The protection of the high alpine and basins are no longer guaranteed, the access is tough and the community is not in favor of any development in those areas.

Deep Creek Mesa
Deep Creek Mesa lies north of the Telluride Valley with the Telluride Regional Airport as the anchor. This mesa has been home to the Aldasoro Sheep Ranch since the 1920's. HOGG RANCH on Deep Creek MesaThe mesa faces directly south therefore has sun that lasts longer than anywhere in the region. The Views of Wilson and Sunshine are just one focal point of the 360-degree panorama. The subdivisions of Deep Creek Mesa are in geographic order from East to West

Sunnyside is located directly to the East of the Aldasoro Ranch subdivision. Sunnyside was part of the Aldasoro Sheep Ranch then owned by a Swiss group. In 1999, it was sold to a development group from Vail, led by Mike Badger who created the ultimate high end. This exclusive subdivision of 35-acre lots offers paved roads, a central water system, and privacy with electronic gates at the entrances.

The Aldasoro Ranch eighty years ago, Joaquin and Serapio, the original Aldasoro Brothers, left their homeland in the Basque Pyrenees of Spain and traveled land and sea to awaiting jobs herding sheep in eastern Utah. Seeking summer pasture, they moved the herds up into the San Juan Mountains and discovered Telluride, where Joaquin and Serapio embarked upon their own American Dream. Their first purchase, in 1926 consisted of a small plot of land on Deep Creek Mesa. The Aldasoro Brothers as they prospered over the years acquired 11 of the surrounding homesteads that together became known as the Aldasoro Ranch. In the late 1980's, the agriculture industry became unprofitable and debt accumulated, which led Albert Aldasoro, son of Joaquin, to develop 1550 acres of the Ranch into the largest low-density developments in the region. The Aldasoro Ranch is comprised of 166 single-family lots with 620 acres of open space, the home of abundant wildlife. The Aldasoro family has made this their home for generations and they invite you to come to the tranquil side of Telluride, The Aldasoro Ranch.

Meadows at Deep Creek, located on Deep Creek Mesa this property was purchased from Albert Aldasoro for $150,000 with $25,000 in cash, yes cash in a brown bag. Later Dirk de Pagter and John Horn picked this parcel up and got into the land development business. The two had been partners on many condominium projects in the Town of Telluride, and now had picked a great spot for home sites that overlook the entire region.

Diamond Ranch is an authentic historic ranch, situated on Deep Creek Mesa that has been part of the Aldasoro Brothers Sheep Ranch since the twenties. The property was originally homesteaded by the Diamond Brothers in the Late 1800's and is now offered for sale for the first time as 35-acre single family lots. The developers of Castle Pines Village, Jack Vickers III and his partners welcome you to become a part of the history of Diamond Ranch. Bring your horses and your working dogs.

Golden Ledge, this 245-acre parcel was developed for Albert Aldasoro by Dirk de Pagter and myself. Golden Ledge conceived on the way to a river trip was platted and 70% sold out in two months. These are in my opinion the best value of any large parcel in the region.

Grayhead is a 35-acre development that was originally part of the Aldasoro Sheep Ranch. Set on the western end of Deep Creek Mesa, Grayhead offers seclusion and great views coupled with amenities. The amenities include an in town private parking lot, an owners cabin with library and barbecue, private hiking, biking and equestrian trails, and a stocked fishing pond. Grayhead is in the country but only 8.4 miles from downtown Telluride.

Turkey Creek Mesa
The mesa to the South of the Telluride Valley is Turkey Creek Mesa, which is home to the Telluride Ski Area and the Town of Mountain Village. Where Alvie Adams, and his son Gene ran cattle and cut hay, now is home to the Mountain Village and the Telluride Golf Course. This rolling ranch land is perfectly suited for the homes that reside there now.

Mountain Village, based at the western slope of the Telluride Ski Area, the Mountain Village was inspired by European mountain architecture. It encompasses the regions only golf course, offers a mix of ski-in ski-out, and golf course lifestyles. The Mountain Village built and operates the gondola as a free transportation link between the towns of Mtn. Village and Telluride. Mountain Village has a variety of real estate opportunities from fractional ownership, condominium units as well as single family residential.

Ski Ranches, the original development done by Telski's Joe Zoline, has large lots and great western exposure. The Ski Ranches has equestrian and trail easements on all lots. The Ski Ranches are the best value in the region with paved roads, underground power, telephone, natural gas and central water. Currently lots in the Ski Ranches are at the price point where Mountain Village and Aldasoro were 4 years ago.

West Meadows the original name of the hay fields of Alvie Adams. Joe Zoline purchased this magnificent property in 1972 from Gene Adams as part of the future Ski Resort. 25 years later Joanne Corzine, T.D. Smith and partners had plans for an upscale high density community, but chose a more aesthetically pleasing and ecologically friendly approach to development. The West Meadows is the first large piece of land that was developed into mostly 35 acre lots, giving up the density that was allocated for the property through TREPEC, a regional master plan. With only 12 lots on this 620-acre site the West Meadows offers the utmost privacy with equestrian easements and all the modern utilities including water from the Mountain Village.

Elk Run is located directly south of the Ski Ranches. This low-density subdivision of 30 lots was the precursor to the Mountain Village. This was the first development done by the Benchmark group led by Ron Allred. Elk Run is ten minutes from town and five minutes from the Mountain Village core and offers private tennis and large lots that average 5.3 acres.

Raspberry Patch is located 2.5 miles south of the Mountain Village entrance. Having only five lots averaging 35-acres, the Raspberry Patch is one of the southernmost developments and sits between Elk Run and the Skyline Guest Ranch. Nearly all the lots are improved, with the last home sale commanding a price of $4.4 million.

The Preserve was part of the property that the Zoline family retained when they sold the Ski Resort to Allred's Benchmark Group. The Zoline's developed this low-density neighborhood into 12 lots averaging approximately 13-acres each. One of the southernmost high-end developments, the Preserve sits on the benches below highway 145 across from Raspberry Patch and offers some of the best views on Turkey Creek Mesa with privacy that is uncompromised.




Scott Bennett, Broker Associate
Telluride Real Estate Brokers
P.O. Box 1744
126 West Colorado Ave. Suite 100B
Telluride, CO 81435
970.728.6667 · Cell - 970.729.1666
EMAIL: SBENNETT@TELLURIDECOLORADO.NET · WWW.TELLURIDENATIVE.COM
P.O. Box 1744, Telluride, CO 81435

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