Pitkin County chips in $500K for land purchase in Marble

There are 10 buildings on the Colorado Outward Bound School campus, 1.5 miles east of Beaver Lake in Marble. Aspen Valley Land Trust is set to acquire the buildings and surrounding 42 acres in October.

Pitkin County commissioners earlier this week agreed to contribute $500,000 to the purchase of the Colorado Outward Bound School campus in Marble even though the site is located in Gunnison County.

Commissioners voted 5-0 on Wednesday to purchase a conservation easement on the property, thereby helping to fund Aspen Valley Land Trust’s purchase of the 42 acres. The commissioners said they could justify spending the funds for a site outside the county line because wildlife doesn’t know boundaries and because the acquisition will benefit the environmental education of Roaring Fork Valley kids.

“We’re all in this valley together,” said Commissioner Patti Clapper. “This is further proof that we can work together to accomplish great things.”

Dale Will, acquisitions and special projects director for Pitkin County Open Space and Trails, recommended making the investment. AVLT has a contract to purchase the campus for $1.85 million on Oct. 3.

“We feel the conservation easement is easily worth about 28% of the total value of this property,” Will told the commissioners.

The relationship is unusual because AVLT is in the business of acquiring and monitoring conservation easements. However, Colorado law forbids an organization from holding an easement on land it owns. That’s why Pitkin County was approached. Will said the county’s involvement ensures that the property will remain undeveloped forever.

“As long as AVLT is owning and managing it we wouldn’t be too worried about things going awry up there, but this conservation easement that we would be acquiring runs with the land so no matter who owns that in the future, we will be able to ensure that it doesn’t turn into a commercial, off-road paradise of some kind or any other type of development that is inconsistent with the conservation values up there,” Will said.

While Pitkin County will acquire the conservation easement, it will be co-held by the Crested Butte Land Trust.

AVLT Communication and Engagement Director Carly Bolliger said after the meeting that Pitkin County’s contribution is a “massive step forward” with the acquisition. AVLT also received a $1 million grant from Great Outdoors Colorado. The city of Aspen and Aspen School District have pledged $200,000 each. Gunnison County is considering a $100,000 contribution. Private donors also have contributed.

“Pitkin County’s commitment is huge for this project, in making it possible for us,” Bolliger said.

Colorado Outward Bound School started using the Marble property in 1962 and last used it in 2019. The organization ran into tough times during the COVID-19 pandemic and decided it must sell the site. It includes 10 buildings, with bunks, a dining hall, commercial kitchen, bathhouses and staff housing. Many of the structures need repair.

AVLT already owns the Chapin Wright Marble Basecamp on 48 acres of land outside of Marble. It has been available to school and youth groups’ outdoor education since it was acquired in 2016. The Outward Bound property is adjacent to Basecamp, separated by a narrow swatch of national forest. Both properties are a couple miles east of Beaver Lake in Marble.

“As the owner of the Basecamp property, AVLT is concerned about the Colorado Outward Bound School property ending up as a commercial hunting lodge or base for ATV/snowmobile tours, commercial vacation rentals or other privatization that might cause conflicts with the Basecamp,” Will’s memo to the commissioners said.

AVLT’s purchase of the property will allow it to limit overall square footage that can be built, limits on individual buildings, future uses and potentially future ownership, according to Will. The existing buildings are contained in an envelope of about 5 acres. The conservation easement will prohibit development outside the envelope.

The properties also provide important habitat for elk during calving season and winter range.

While the purchase price is $1.85 million, AVLT aims to raise $3.2 million for its Outward Bound project to include much-needed maintenance on the existing buildings.

“We don’t know the full scope of what needs to be done,” Bolliger said.

AVLT Conservation Director Erin Quinn told commissioners that the organization will be hosting volunteer service days to help improve the property.

“The easy part is buying this property, then the difficult part begins,” Quinn said.

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