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AREA/NEIGHSORHOOD PROFILE 15
<br />The subject is located in unincorporated portions of both Delta and Gunnison Counties,
<br />Colorado, appro~datately 225 miles west of Denver, on the ~irestern slope" of the central
<br />Colorado Rocky Mountains. The subject, known es the Colorado Guest FaachlChipeta
<br />Ranch, contains 4,100± acres, of whioh 344b (1,4001 acres) are located in northwestern
<br />Gunnison County and 664'0 (2,7001 acres), are is cant-central Delta County. Specifically,
<br />the property U Iocated in the valley of the North Fork of the Gunnison River, on the south
<br />side of Colorado Highway 133, between the small coal-mining communities of Bowie and
<br />Somerset, Colorado.
<br />Delta County:
<br />Delta Covnty with a ]end area of 1,142, lies in rho west central portion of Colorado. The
<br />county reports a 1445 population of 24,700 pcrsons, which represents a 17.736 increase over
<br />the 19.90 population of 20,980. The majority of the population live in five small
<br />incorporated' cammunftles, ranging in size from 3,789 persons (Delta) to 221 persons
<br />(Crawford).
<br />Topographically, elevations within Delta County range from 4,758 feet to 11,346 feet. The
<br />eastern portion of the county consists primarily of mountainous, heavily forested terrain,
<br />while the western portion is high plateau country cut by numerous scenic canyons. Vegeta-
<br />tion ranges from mountain forests and scrub oak in the east, to sagebrush and pinion
<br />covered rolling hills and mesas is the central and western portions. A large portion of the
<br />Grand Mesa, the largest flat topped mounnin in the world, lies in the northwestern part of
<br />the county. The top of this mesa, with a peak elevation of 11,100 feet, is more than 40
<br />miles across and coataint is excess of 200 Iakra- Vegetation on the mtas includes sub-
<br />alpine foresu of spruce sad fir along with sccu6 oak, pinion, juniper and sagebrush.
<br />Historically, this area had been the winter homc of the Ute Indians until forced to relocate
<br />to Utah reservations in 1881. The mild climate, with over 300 sunny days per year made
<br />it an ideal wintering location. Following the Indians relocation, homesteaders mowed into
<br />the area and discovered the mild eiimate, with over 140 frost-free days yearly, made the area
<br />one of the prime fruit growing locations in the state. Delta County, with about 450,000
<br />apple trees, produces almost two-thirds of the state's apple crop. The eaunty ranks first in
<br />the state fn sour cherry production and second in production of both peaches and pears,
<br />Most of the orchards are located in the Gunnison Itiver'a North Fork Valley, where the
<br />subject is located, and is the Surface Creek Valley, northwest of the subject Vegetable
<br />production has also flourished, primarily is the semi-arid central part of the county around
<br />the town of Delta, where the climate is warmer.
<br />Livestock and coal production ere also important parts of the county's economy, Huge
<br />ranches once dotniaeted the southeastern portion of the county in the rolling hills bordering
<br />the mountains around the tvwa o[ Crawford. Although still important, today's ranches
<br />operate oa a smaller scale than the turn of century operations with thousands of head of
<br />cattle. ['e 1 ;ntno is o ' a*]Iv In red in the S~snnison't North F rk Yallev. near the
<br />I.ANDMAAKVAI,UA170N,INC. '
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