FISHING LODGES

Mical Ziegman

I’ve lived in the North Park are since 1986. I was a logger and a rafting guide, and eventually owned a whitewater rafting company. At that time, the Buffalo Creek Ranch was just this fable, the Eden of wildlife, owned by a medical invention genius. Hunters in the area knew that all the elk just loved the ranch, migrated there, and lived there year-round. It killed the local hunters to see it. And it’s impossible to miss. Drive to the top of one of the hills in the area, and pull up your binoculars, and they’re everywhere. Just resting peacefully, enjoying the fine grazing and lack of people the Buffalo Valley affords. There were rumors about the fishing, too. Big fish. Footballs. And from the top of the surrounding hills, you can spot a bright diamond resting in the middle of the valley, a beautiful 40-acre lake frosted around the edges by snowcapped peaks. Add some sparkling streamers of creeks and rivers meandering their way out of the Continental Divide and through the valley, a couple of other lakes dotting the valley, and you’ve got the Buffalo Creek Ranch.

A few years ago, I was one of those people on a ridge with the binoculars, awestruck. A friend who owned a tiny piece of heaven on the perimeter took me on a horseback ride, and we sat astride and just gaped at this beautiful valley from atop a ridge. But it was closed off.

Richard McLead, Owner

Now the owner didn't need to open this ranch up. He bought it for himself and his family and friends to enjoy. He says he was lucky in business. Blessed is the word he uses. I’ve known him for years and people who’ve known him longer roll their eyes when he talks about luck. He’s a good businessman. He’s smart and what’s even more rare is that he’s a good man. Moral. Kind.

That’s why he shares this land.

John Ziegman, General Manager

I like the story John tells me about the day he and Richard hiked Buffalo Peak together after they first bought the ranch. They sat on a rock ledge, just soaking in the sun, catching their breath. It must be a little nerve-wracking to sit on top of a mountain and realize it’s your responsibility. At least that must be what went through John’s mind when he gazed out over the valley and asked, “So, what’s it feel like to know you own this mountain?”

The new owner, and John’s long-time employer answered, “We don’t really own anything. We’re just caretakers.” And it is that philosophy that pervades throughout the management, the land, its wildlife, and the employees, right down to you. And that is why there will only be a few of you allowed at a time. Yes, we want to see that your needs are met, that your desires are catered to, to the best of our ability. But we also want this land to stay as perfect as it was formed. That is why you will never witness overgrazing here. That is why you will never find cow tracks eroding our stream borders. That is why the fish are plump. That is why the fox, elk, deer, moose, and yes, even a few mountain lions and bears, live here. And that is why, when you visit us, it will be an unforgettable experience.

You can call it luck. You can call it a blessing. But I like what the owner said on the mountain that evening as the sun started its descent behind them, streaming long shadows like a giant’s fingers across the valley. I like to think that the spirit of care-taking is evident in every single person, meadow, lake, stream, and horse that you meet. That is why I would choose to visit this place. I wish I could. I live here, that’s better I’m sure. But I’d like to discover it one more time. Be surprised by it. Be pampered and just relax and discover a natural habitat so magnificent, guided by quality people who want only one thing, for me to learn and enjoy.