AREA | The Eyrie

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Marbella is sited in a landscape among the finest in the world. These lands have been designated as an American national treasure . . . timeless and resplendent. It's a place full of great things to see, do, and experience. Below are just a few of the many destinations and opportunities that surround this inimitable property.

Black Canyon National Park

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park creates one of the most awe-inspiring landscapes in the world…a dramatic land of plunging canyon walls, soaring raptors and surging water. The steep canyon walls have been carved, chiseled, and etched away at by the unrelenting power of the Gunnison River for over 2 million years. With a depth the equivalent of two Empire State buildings (2,600 feet), this canyon has a visceral beauty equaled by few places in the world.

The home sits on the rim of this natural wonder, peering down into the breath-taking panorama that is the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

Watch these two clips featuring the Black Canyon National Park as produced by ABC's television show Good Morning America: NOTE: In the first of these two clips, the moderator calls this park a "hidden gem of a park" and states "It should be impossible to keep something this majestic hidden". The correspondent prepares to rappel down a Black Canyon wall. The second clips completes the storyline with a Good Morning America interview on a "porta-ledge" perched on a 2000 foot canyon wall. There are ABC commercials in the front of each clip, but well worth the wait.

Clip 1: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/gmas-epic-camp-living-portaledge-38997654

Clip 2: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/rappel-1900-feet-black-canyon-gma-correspondent-tj-39005035

"As close to paradise as you'll find in a National Park" USA TODAY

Facts

Black Canyon is home to the fastest bird in the world, the Peregrine falcon. Scientists estimate that Peregrines can reach speeds of over 200 mph in an aerial dive.
The temperature at the bottom of Black Canyon is approximately 8 degrees warmer than at the rim.
The Black Canyon is made of some of the oldest exposed rock on Earth. Precambrian, or “basement” rock, is nearly 2 billion years old.
The narrowest part of Black Canyon at river bottom is only 40 feet across.
There are no poisonous snakes at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Nighttime temperatures are too cold for many species of snakes and amphibians.

Montrose, Colorado

Montrose is the central hub of Western Colorado. The town embraces the slogan, “Stay here, play everywhere” because of it’s unique and central access to both recreation and other Western towns. Montrose Regional Airport services most of the summer and winter tourist traffic to Telluride and Crested Butte, and offers one of the best FBO’s in the region. Montrose is home to many cultural sites, fabulous food and farm-to-table efforts, and recreational activities that can entertain the most selective of travelers. Whether you like to hike, bike, fish on world-class rivers, go boating, spend your afternoons shopping, attending concerts and symphonies, camping, 4-wheeling, off-roading, or simply enjoying a morning in a quaint, local coffee shop, Montrose has what you are seeking. Montrose is an 18 minute drive from the property.

Telluride, Colorado

Telluride is known around the world as one of the top ski destinations for professional athletes, individuals, and families alike. A mere 100 minute drive away, or a 15 minute helicopter flight, Telluride is at your fingertips. While in Telluride, enjoy the 5-star ski slopes, dine at wonderful restaurants, or enjoy a cup of hot chocolate by the fire at the Mountain Village Lodge. Prefer to stay off of the slopes? Telluride offers world class shopping, spas, art galleries, and many community focused events. In the warmer months, enjoy the fabulous hiking trails, see-forever views, mountain biking excursions, jeeping, and dinners outside on the patio. Enjoy your time in town, and retreat to the Black Canyon for the ultimate combination of entertainment and exclusive privacy.

Crested Butte, Colorado

A quaint mountain town tucked into the sloping valley below Mount Crested Butte, this community offers a true Colorado experience. Known for it’s fabulous ski resort, Crested Butte also offers wonderful dining, shopping, and cultural depth. Known in the summer as the “wildflower capital of the world”, this small, beautiful town will enchant your mind and enhance your connection with the greatness of Colorado. A short 100 minute drive or 15 minute helicopter flight from the Black Canyon, one can spend their day exploring the town and then return to the privacy, security, and exclusivity of Marbella.

Ouray, Colorado

The “Switzerland of America”, this quaint and historic town is well known for it’s steep, jagged mountains that surround it, and the fantastic, therapeutic hot springs in the center of town. Also popular in the summer with Jeep extraordinaire, this town offers a historic piece of Colorado for all to explore. Ghost towns (old, abandoned mining communities) abound around Ouray, and are just waiting to be explored. Take a ride on the “Million Dollar Highway”, America’s first National Scenic Highway and Colorado’s most spectacular 70 miles. This highway provides access of Red Mountain Pass, between Ouray and the town Silverton. Ouray is quick 60 minute drive from the Black Canyon.

Silverton, Colorado

“Where the pavement ends in the heart of the high country” encompasses Silverton. Just over the Million Dollar Highway from Ouray, Silverton is a historic mining town that boasts restaurants, breweries, shopping, and world-class back country skiing. In the summer, ride the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a historic train that has been in operation since 1882, taking passengers between the two towns. The vintage steam locomotives carry passengers in style, paying homage to the history of the great mountains that the train winds through.

Ridgway, Colorado

Ridgeway sits in the valley between Ouray and Montrose, and is a 45 minute drive. Ridgeway hosts a nationally acclaimed hot-air balloon festival. Travelers from all around find solace in this small town, with it’s sprawling ranch lands, hot springs, and local festivals.

National Scenic Byways

This property's unique location in Western Colorado puts you in perfect proximity to a host of National Scenic Byways. Colorado features more national designations than any other state, and the home is within a short distance of over half of these "byways" in Colorado. Explore the Silver Thread, The West Elk Loop, The Trail of the Ancients, the Alpine Loop, the Unaweep Tabeguache, or the San Juan Skyway.

Things To Do:

Partial list of things to do from Marbella:

Use this luxury Colorado entertainment home in a perquisite/incentive program for your company employees and write it off your taxes

Hold world-class symposiums or retreats in your area of interest with unmatched exclusivity afforded by this “only one of its kind” home inside an American National Park

Convert the property into a destination culinary cooking school, or simply invite your friends and guests to cooking classes followed by exquisite dining

Operate a destination health & beauty spa in a national park setting
Read a good book in a chaise lounge on the veranda or write your own book in pristine quiet
Paint in total solitude
Practice to become a concert pianist in a perfect setting
Entertain your friends and business associates in an inimitable setting

Become a professional guitarist, or pianist, studying and practicing in supreme solitude

Become a professional fly-tier or a skilled craftsman in other art and crafts, such as quilting, knitting, pottery, etc.

Learn to become a professional photographer within one of the most challenging, demanding (wide contrast range) and stunning environments in America – The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Operate a photography school. There’s not only the never-ceasing contrast challenge of the this national park canyon environment, but also limitless photography opportunities at all points of the compass in this region of Western Colorado

Walk the numerous nature trails alongside the edge of the Black Canyon, the home of the Bighorn Sheep, Peregrine Falcons, eagles, bobcats and bears

Take your guests to the nearby Black Canyon Visitor Center and visit the wonderful overlooks that peer into this ancient abyss, a spiritual experience for many, a transformation back into millennium of geographical time for everyone else

Add to your bird-watchers list by finding the many dozens of bird species available in this wildlife refuge, including Peregrine Falcons and swallows
Attend one of the National Park Service sponsored astronomy and star-gazing events, with this venue conducted under the beautiful pitch-black star-filled nights

In less than fifteen minutes, you can drive from this home to the bottom of the Gunnison River roaring through the Black Canyon gorge, and here you can catch trout in one of Colorado’s exclusive fly-fishing, catch & release, Gold Medal streams

Or, for the strong of heart, take an adventure of a lifetime down a 2,000 foot vertical rock scree slide, ending up in a riparian paradise —- smack in the middle bottom of the Black Canyon Gunnison River Gorge, a place that few humans ever lay eyes on. Here is fly fishing of a lifetime (it is not rafted nor boat fished), hooking up with magnificent rainbow and brown trout – many that have never seen a human

As an alternative, take a Mackenzie boat just below the National Park boundary, within the Curecanti National Recreation Area, and spend an enjoyable day fly-fishing the lower river. This river is a national destination fishing spot.

Another close-by fishing venue (45 minutes down the road) is Blue Mesa Reservoir, the largest lake in Colorado. Here you can jig for 40 pound Lake Trout on 8-pound monofilament line, a hook-up that can consume an hour before you will even get a glimpse. Another nearby fishing stream, a Texas favorite, is the Taylor River, a beautiful tributary of the Gunnison River.

Within four miles of the home, as the crow flies, lies Crystal Reservoir and Morrow Point Reservoir. Both dam the mighty Gunnison River Gorge above Black Canyon National Park. Boating tours are available on these remote and restricted canyon impoundments and would rank high on any fisherman’s to-do list

Journey over to the Colorado River near Glenwood Springs, or to the Arkansas River near Salida, pile into a river raft, and hold on, as you tumble down the rapids of these famous white water rafting destinations

Go cross-country skiing or snow shoeing under moonlight along the canyon edge, an activity occasionally promoted by the National Park Service, and available to you and your guests at all times

For the bicycle enthusiast, you can try your hand on some of the most adventurous roads in America, including, for the strong of leg and heart, the 16% grade of the East Portal Road leading to the Gunnison Tunnel and the river’s edge

If you golf, there are numerous nearby beautiful layouts, including The Bridges at Montrose, Devil’s Thumb at Delta, Telluride Mountain Golf Course at Telluride, Whispering Pines at Ridgeway, and a world-class golf resort in Crested Butte.

Shop, sight see and ride the summer tram in nearby Telluride, a world-acclaimed resort mountain town

Throughout the summer, attend any number of nationally acclaimed festivals held at Telluride, including their jazz, bluegrass and film festivals

Take a day outing to nearby Ouray, the “Switzerland Of America”, with a dip in their must-experience-to-believe Ouray Hot Springs Pool. It doesn’t get any better than Ouray in the summer time, unless you’re an ice climber, when Ouray checks in with a world-renowned ice climbing venue.

Head on over to the historic mining town of Silverton, with its old bars and saloons and restaurants. This is the turn-around destination of the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad trip through the stunning Animas River Canyon of the Weminuche Wilderness Area

Durango is but a short drive from Marbella, over the “Million Dollar Highway”, one of twelve national historic highways in America. This drive is a one heart rending experience in mountain cathedrals, built by the “Pathfinder” of the Rockies, Otto Mears.

Four-wheel jeep excursions are available throughout this entire Ouray, Silverton, Lake City region – all of it not much more than an hour away from Marbella. On literally thousands of miles of breathtaking roads, this is considered the American mecca for jeep/ATV excursions.

You can shoot clays or skeet right off the veranda.

Downhill skiing in this region is unsurpassed. You can ski Telluride, voted for the 2nd straight year by Conde’Nast as the No. 1 ski area in North America. You can also ski Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Powderhorn Mountain Resort, and for the brave-of-heart, the recently completed extreme skiing mountain at Silverton. All four of these destinations are inside of two hours.

How about snowmobiling on nearby Grand Mesa, the largest flat-top mountain in America? You can crank up a 100 mph racing snowmobile and gun it across a trail that doesn’t end for 70 miles.

Summer in Colorado means it’s time to daypack or take multiple night back-packing trips into the sumptuous beauty of nearby wilderness areas, including the Weminuche Wilderness Area to the south, the Uncompahgre Wilderness Area to the east, and the West Elk Wilderness Area to the north. Replete with exercise, fresh air, wildflowers, and stunning photography opportunities, not to mention Brook Trout.

If climbing “fourteeners” is your thing, you’re going to like this region. Nearby, you can conquer 14,304 foot Uncompahgre Peak, 14,304 foot Mt. Sneffels, and down in the Weminuche . . . Windom, Sunlight and Eolus Peak.

Hunt? This property is in the epicenter of Colorado’s heralded deer and elk hunting. Trophy size mule deer and bighorn sheep live nearby, sometimes standing next to the driveway (see photos). There are mountain lions and bears, lots of bears. The gamut of hunting opportunities is unlimited, virtually in all directions of the compass. Everything from free-chase hunts on surrounding wilderness areas, to trophy-bull high fence hunts right across the canyon at Tom McLeod’s Trophy Elk Ranch (400 bulls).

Marbella At Black Canyon National Park