Eagle Ridge Ranch home sells at auction for $1.677 million

A ranch-style home and 35 acres -- in Gunnison's innovative Eagle Ridge Ranch sold at auction for $1,677,500 Saturday, June 25, with J.P. King Auction Company, Gadsden, Ala., managing the sale. With the purchase, the new owner also becomes 1/15 owner of the entire 4,900+/- acre Eagle Ridge Ranch.

Bidders turned out from Colorado, Texas and Florida to bid on the home, which features its own solarium and steam room. Bidders began gathering at the ranch almost two hours before the schedule auction, enjoying refreshments and listening to live music as they took a last look around. The auction itself took about 15 minutes, with Karl Walter, of Mount Crested Butte, emerging as the high bidder.

""This is a truly unique property, and the auction allowed us to bring it to the attention of individuals who might never have noticed it in an ordinary listing,"" said Craig King, president of J.P. King. ""Mr. and Mrs. Walter got a good buy on a gorgeous property, and I expect it will bring them a lot of enjoyment for many years to come,"" he said.

Eagle Ridge Ranch is a 15 home site community that includes the 4,900 acres in the Ohio Creek Valley, near Gunnison and Crested Butte.  The owners of the home sites share the entire ranch, which provides hunting, fishing, hiking, snowmobiling and grazing land.

""Very few areas can match the unspoiled beauty, the wildlife, and the open land that you see in this area,"" said King.