If Durango, Colorado is one of your favorite places, then the stunning red cliffs of the Animas River Valley are surely forefront in your memories of this famous mountain town among its many awe-inspiring and breathtaking views. The Animas River and its glacial valley are singular in their capacity to transition your senses from the high-desert of the southwest to the cool high-Alpine and rugged peaks of the San Juan Mountains. For many, this river valley has come to symbolize the totality of feeling and spirit that make up "life in the mountains." And this home has the most coveted front-row seat to the Animas Valley you're likely to ever witness. Though blended into the landscape by its Telluride-style natural materials made famous in Durango's neighboring town, it is perched carefully hundreds of feet above the valley floor in a setting that gives the word "panorama" its full scope and portent. Over 3,000 square feet of carefully designed deck space are blended with water-scaping and meticulously planned landscaping to beckon you outside closer to the incomparable views in all seasons. If there is a chill in the air, a stone encased spa is placed to maximize its views. Or try the outdoor sauna overlooking the waterfall, pond, gas firepit and the entire valley below. As twilight encases the valley, a natural wood fireplace glows as the centerpiece to a glass encased "sunroom"/indoor patio so you can easily keep an eye on the emergence of a galaxy-worth of unimpeded stars.
This home was originally constructed by a locally famous family whose passions and businesses were art and architecture. Each room is carefully crafted to bring the outdoors in. The path of the sun during all its seasons was accounted for in the placement of the home's windows. It would be difficult to find a single place to stand in the home without a view of the valley or the surrounding cliffs in your immediate sightline. And though the home feels open to the natural world, its end-of-the-road sense of solitude and privacy are uncompromising.
In the words of the current owner:
"There are binoculars lying around the house so you can quickly catch whatever is happening. (As I write this, a fawn just passed by my west facing office window). The raptors-Eagle, Red-tailed hawk and turkey vulture-love to hunt for prey in pairs, often at or below eye-level. We watch the migration of a large elk herd seasonally. We've seen a stray elk fend off a pack of coyotes just off Church Camp Trail. We woke up on Thanksgiving weekend to a gobbling rafter of turkeys making their way across the front yard.
Each season delivers more natural beauty than the last. Winter brings snow that lights up in the flood lamps. The sunroom has been the scene of many family gatherings. Holiday meals are served in front of a roaring fire and evoke visions of life in a snow globe.
Other features of the home include: Wide-plank Virginia Pine solid hardwood flooring throughout, Trex decking, glass balusters for unimpeded views below the railings, an 8-person Cal Spa with pop-up speaker system, Large Cal Heat outdoor sauna, extensive landscaping with recirculating water features utilizing three 1,800 gallon cisterns, flagstone patio island with exterior gas firepit, 8 drip irrigation zones servicing over 300 plants, 1,700 newly planted trees on the property and adjoining common space, three-car temperature controlled garage (A/C and heat), security system, four temperature zones for heating and cooling, 1,000 gallon buried propane tank, solid slate countertops in master and guest baths, nursery in master bedroom, Queen Murphy bed in guest room/office, acoustically-lined theatre room with surround-sound, movie screen and Sony projector and Blu-Ray DVD player, speakers and sound-system .throughout the home.
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Luxury Estate - Durango Colorado real estate, Cottonwood Springs Ranchby dgoinmotion929 views
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