san luis valley just south of the dunes (Blanca: squatters, landscaping)

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Just south of this photo we began to see much farming with lots of rotating arm sprinklers . . .

You mean center pivots?

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

You mean center pivots?

I guess that's a better term. Saw lots of them, the type that makes a circle or half circle.

[rickers]

Those pivots are freaking expensive, something like $90,000. or more each ! They sure are easier than messing with a wheel line, or God forbid a hand line, but they create unused areas between the circles.

[froggin4colorado]

I used to live in the valley and went to HS for a year in Saguache. When I left for COS I never looked back. Now that I am in my 30s with a family, I have had a couple friends ask me about the valley/Dunes. They drive down, do the Dunes in a matter of an hour, visit the alligator farm, and stay in Salida or Mt. Princeton for the hot springs. I don't recall many vacationing at the dunes for any length of time and with not much to do in Alamosa or Monte, it is usually a day trip and then off to somewhere else. I have known three couples who have tried to set up hotels/B&Bs in the area and all have failed.
I do miss the beautiful mountain views accompanied by the dunes. I used to live off of Rd. T off the gun barrell. I would strongly advise you to advertise the Dunes in the Springs/Denver area and accompany it with other things to do down there. I really hope you are successful and good luck to you. Otherwise, you might be stuck with your property for quite a while...properties don't sell well down there because it is so desolate. GOOD LUCK!

[Shuffler]

"Eco-conscious" and "heli-hiking", huh? Ohhhh boy....

Got your permits all sorted out?

[pinehollowgal]

There is a site that you can go to that gives all of the in's and outs of building and using property in Costilla County. It is on the Costilla County site www.costilla-county.com . I found all of my permits there. They can be downloaded . There are all types of permits required, but did not find any of them to be all that expensive. Jose Ortiz is head of the Code Enforcement Dept there and that phone number is 719 672-9109. In addition to being able to download your permits and a price list of these.. there are contractor list, all types of maps that can be purchased and just about everything you need to know. Everytime have ever called that office they have been helpful. Good luck with your venture...not everyone is looking for the same things. Just go look at the area and see if it is what you want. If it is go for it! I am an actual owner there, who actually goes there and just uses it as a base to go on day trips in lots of directions. Pinehollow Gal

[MoeAnthony]

We are out-of-staters who purchased land sight unseen. Doesn't bother us that it's desolate. We've lived in highly populated areas (Philadelphia and Silicon Valley) and are similarly looking to build without financing. I know there are benefits and drawbacks to this area and seemingly more drawbacks, but sounds like we have a bit in common michael 11747. Hope to hear how your trip went. We are requesting a physical address for the property that we purchased this coming week. Our philosophy is that we've blown money on less. We're also looking into yurts if it's truly that desolate because we don't need to worry about squatters, etc.

I hope to visit this summer to check out our chico bush and treeless property. We'll be looking into native landscaping to make maintenance easier and I am quite excited! I don't know that it'll be a retirement location for us, but we will spend some time there for sure.

If you don't mind exchanging information, it'd be nice to keep in touch with another couple who's looking to do the same. That is of course, if you decide to purchase.

Take good care and please post photos of what you find

Originally Posted by michael11747

hmmm well i think we will be ok, we are resourceful. we are definately not moving here to just start a business. i will know for sure how much we like it when we drive down to see the land. our business would be more of "something to do" and to have visitors from time to time. we will not move to slv until we have enough money to build without financing. so in the end all we would need to survive would be food and i guess random expenses. i am figuring a budget of 150k for building a 4 bed 3 bath dome with solar, and its own well. after that, if we have any business, we hope to set up another dome, or maybe some yurts. i really appreciate all the input! it is a bit discouraging, but anyone's advice on starting a business anywhere is always realistic. we do plan on making it a bit of a cushy place. we can build, make furniture, cook like gourmets, so we will make it nice enough for someone to spend hours flying or driving to visit.

i bet you didn't like the dunes because you didn't go on one of our tours. we hope to take customers sand skiing, and utilizing dune buggies and such. does anyone know if the park service would allow for permits for electric buggies in the park? i don't see why they wouldn't, they used to let 4-stroke snowmobiles idle at the yellowstone park entrance for hours until there would be a cloud of smog. our mountain tours would hopefully be interesting as well. heli-hiking at over 10,000 feet is ALWAYS popular. i have never seen an operation like this go bust. the main problem for this type of business is obtaining insurance and to keep a pilot. and guided hiking at no charge? who can beat that? families on road trips are dying for stuff to do. we have been in the seasonal business for about a decade apiece, and worked all over the world, and i have seen businesses in areas much more isolated do well, and they didn't have a national park.

well i will keep you posted on our trip. we should be headed down in mid-february. thanks again, mike.

[dragonflysharyn]

Originally Posted by michael11747

hello, i searched the forums and cannot find the exact answer i am looking for so i will go ahead and ask it! i will give you folks as much detail as i can to help with your answers.

so my partner and i are from montana. we hear the winters are cold down there, but the temperatures i am seeing you folks talking about are pretty normal here. we also live in zone 6 on the wind scale (some gov't rating) so wind isn't an issue. we both lived and worked at high altitudes, upwards of 8800 feet. i was a ski instructor and at times was at work when it was -40 (add to that a 15 mph wind plus 35 mph downhill speed), so cold is not an issue. life in the mountains is what we are used to. so now that you know a little about our background, onto the questions!!!!!

so we are buying a lot just south of san luis lake, bordering BLM land. this spot is the only one in the valley which is in the lowest rating for wind. it is rated 1 (would someone please verify if this is true). this rules out wind power for us. we are going to start an eco-adventure bread and breakfast up there. remote is not a problem, cold is not a problem, and apparently, the ground is saturated with water in this spot of the valley, so much so that the parcel floods in the low lying areas during spring. we have access to our property, but no utilities (the way we like it). our neighbors are pretty much non-existant, although surrounding parcels are bought up. there are no covenants, and it is zoned agricultural.

in your honest opinions, would a business like this do well in this area? keep in mind, we will be advertizing on the internet, targeting young, rich, and adventurous adults. we are right next to the road which leads to the park and next to zapata ranch. i believe this location is ideal.

some more about our business. we will offer guided hiking, heli-hiking, sand dune tours, rock climbing, mountaineering, getaways, family reunions, spelunking, sand skiing/boarding rentals, and pretty much ANYTHING else our customers would want to do that is outdoor oriented. we will finance this ourselves, even if it takes time, to rule out the problems of obtaining a mortgage and keeping up on payments when business is slow.

what do you think? is there any type of problem regarding surveys or easments on lots on the eastern side of the valley near zapata ranch? why are these parcels decently priced? we both know how to handle a business, and are real estate investors here in montana. will we make it? what should we add or omit? what else should i know about the area? we will also brew kombucha tea commercially and sell it via the internet to help us get by. i can't wait to hear your responses. mike.

My husband and I bought 10 acres near Blanca, sight unseen, just because. Perhaps we are part of the almost scam but it appealed to us. We don't dislike the area at all but I am fearful of the cold winters. We are "greenies" and want to live off the grid in an Earthship, somewhere. I personally would welcome someone to "upgrade" the area if it could be done, so good luck.

[stoymonkey]

I wonder if Mike ever started his bed and breakfast. i can't seem to find anything like it online...

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by michael11747

hello, i searched the forums and cannot find the exact answer i am looking for so i will go ahead and ask it! i will give you folks as much detail as i can to help with your answers.

so my partner and i are from montana. we hear the winters are cold down there, but the temperatures i am seeing you folks talking about are pretty normal here. we also live in zone 6 on the wind scale (some gov't rating) so wind isn't an issue. we both lived and worked at high altitudes, upwards of 8800 feet. i was a ski instructor and at times was at work when it was -40 (add to that a 15 mph wind plus 35 mph downhill speed), so cold is not an issue. life in the mountains is what we are used to. so now that you know a little about our background, onto the questions!!!!!

so we are buying a lot just south of san luis lake, bordering BLM land. this spot is the only one in the valley which is in the lowest rating for wind. it is rated 1 (would someone please verify if this is true). this rules out wind power for us. we are going to start an eco-adventure bread and breakfast up there. remote is not a problem, cold is not a problem, and apparently, the ground is saturated with water in this spot of the valley, so much so that the parcel floods in the low lying areas during spring. we have access to our property, but no utilities (the way we like it). our neighbors are pretty much non-existant, although surrounding parcels are bought up. there are no covenants, and it is zoned agricultural.

in your honest opinions, would a business like this do well in this area? keep in mind, we will be advertizing on the internet, targeting young, rich, and adventurous adults. we are right next to the road which leads to the park and next to zapata ranch. i believe this location is ideal.

some more about our business. we will offer guided hiking, heli-hiking, sand dune tours, rock climbing, mountaineering, getaways, family reunions, spelunking, sand skiing/boarding rentals, and pretty much ANYTHING else our customers would want to do that is outdoor oriented. we will finance this ourselves, even if it takes time, to rule out the problems of obtaining a mortgage and keeping up on payments when business is slow.

what do you think? is there any type of problem regarding surveys or easments on lots on the eastern side of the valley near zapata ranch? why are these parcels decently priced? we both know how to handle a business, and are real estate investors here in montana. will we make it? what should we add or omit? what else should i know about the area? we will also brew kombucha tea commercially and sell it via the internet to help us get by. i can't wait to hear your responses. mike.

Think like the people you will be marketing to. During the day there will be lots of "fun" things to do. But what is going to happen when they get a hankering for some "night life"? No restaurants, bars, dance clubs. Not even a movie theatre in sight? People don't go to bed at dark, so you are going to have to provide some alternative night time activities. Not to mention a WORLD CLASS restaurant with lots of gourmet choices. Are you even going to be able to GET the things that your upscale clientele will need? What about employees? Do you intend to do everything yourself? I have seen the people who live in the valley. The Minimum Tooth Requirement is not that high.

I like your idea and I sense that you really want to be "free" of restrictions on your lifestyle. I am just not sure that the two are compatible.

20yrsinBranson