Originally built in 1941, the USFS cabin located in the Columbine area currently houses our Ski Patrol locker rooms. With a number of development plans on the horizon, the building must be moved. We are offering the cabin up for sale to an interested party who will commit to relocating and restoring the structure, ideally somewhere within La Plata County.
This rustic log cabin sits atop a stone foundation and includes a partial basement. The cabin will be available “as is” and is in need of structural and cosmetic repairs. We will clear out all contents prior to deconstruction.
Cabin Details:
The structure is made up of 3 interior rooms plus a foyer entrance.
Room 1 ~ 462 sq. ft.
Room 2 ~ 176 sq. ft.
Room 3 ~ 115 sq. ft.
Foyer ~ 90 sq. ft.
Storage (4 spaces) ~ 62 sq. ft.
Materials
● Logs
● Log siding
● Tongue & groove paneling
● Metal roof
● Various trim work
● Custom wood exterior window shutters
● Various hardware
● Various lighting fixtures
History
There were six forest reserves in Colorado when the forest service was formalized and charged with the management of forest reserves in 1905. Two years later the reserves became forests and numbered 16 in Colorado.
1905 – The San Juan and Montezuma Forest Reserves were created with the intent to
conserve water and manage timber and grazing lands.
1911 – the Durango National Forest was created.
1920 – the Durango and San Juan National Forests were combined and consolidated into the San Juan National Forest (SJNF) with headquarters in Durango.
1947 – Part of the former Montezuma National Forest was added to the San Juan National Forest.
1920 – 1960 – Forest districts were created within the SJNF.
1967 – The present configuration of three districts (Dolores, Columbine and Pagosa) was finalized
The forest lands in La Plata County are all within the Columbine District and include over
403,000 acres. Several ranger cabins, guard stations, and service buildings were constructed in the Columbine District for forest management including the two cabin structures that comprised the Columbine Guard Station at the base of what is now Purgatory Resort, located along US Highway 550 north of Durango.
Today, one cabin houses the resort’s Ski Patrol locker room and the other has been integrated into the Adaptive Sports Association Center. The cabins were built in 1941 to provide a presence in the north-central portion of the county to support USFS personnel in the administration of their duties including the recent addition at the time of recreation management.
Although the USFS and La Plata County Historical Commission (LPCHC) have determined the cabin does not meet the criteria for historic preservation, Purgatory Resort, the USFS and LPCHC each are supportive of seeing the cabin live on through a relocation and restoration effort of the structure, if deemed feasible, by an outside entity.
Selection of Property Recipient – Sealed Bid Process
Based on the level of interest and number of parties involved, a sealed bid process
will be used to award the property. Required documentation will include
– a proposal outlining the relocation and restoration project
– a proposed purchase price.
Bids and relocation/restoration proposals will be reviewed by resort management and
representatives of the USFS, Columbine Ranger District, and the LPCHC to award the
structure to the best-proposed project in the opinion of the reviewers.
Structure Award Date
No later than March 1, 2024
Disassembly & Relocation Process Start
No later than spring, 2024
Disassembly & Relocation Process Completion
No later than May 15, 2024
Structure Inspections
Inspections may be arranged starting immediately by contacting:
Jack Caviness, Planning & Development Manager
[email protected]
(757) 353-5631
