The short version
Working cattle ranch first, Colorado outfitter second, family operation throughout. The math row below is the elevator pitch; the pillars after are the four things that actually matter; the long versions are linked from each.
1888
Rathke Ranch founded
1929
Family homesteaded the valley
2001
Joined as one operation
2,100
Family-owned acres
25,000+
Leased acres
59
Hunt unit (GMU)
Landscape photography · John Fielder
The four pillars
Every claim below has a long version. Click through if you want the whole story; stay here if you want the elevator pitch.
The land is the anchor, and it stays in grazing — a local rancher runs his cow-calf herd here under lease. Hunts, drives, fishing, stays, and events are how the ranch stays financially viable without subdividing or selling out. That order matters; it changes how we make decisions about everything else.
Conservation + stewardship →Guided hunts on GMU 59 across archery, muzzleloader, and all four rifle seasons. 1st and 4th rifle bull elk tags come through the CPW draw; 2nd and 3rd rifle bull elk licenses are over the counter. The hunt program funds the cattle work and the conservation partnerships in a virtuous loop.
Hunting overview →A founding 1888 cattle ranch, run by the family that homesteaded the valley in 1929 and bought the Rathke place in 2001. No private equity, no holding company, no rotating GM. Sixty percent of the guests who book come back. The person who answers the phone is the person who will be on the ranch when you arrive.
The heritage page →Guided hunts, working cattle drives, horseback rides, fly fishing on East Beaver Creek, ranch stays, family weeks, weddings, and private events. The diversified mix is what allows the ranch to survive the cycles that broke the ranches around us.
All programs →Pick a doorway
Counter-positioning
Why Elk Glade
Twelve specific differences. Read this if you’re comparing outfitters.
Heritage
Roots · Since 1888
The long version — the founding 1888 ranch, the 1929 family homestead, and the brothers who joined them in 2001.
Stewardship
Conservation
A CPW wildlife-corridor grant, land trusts, and working-lands partners. How the cattle and the wildlife coexist.
When you’re ready
We answer within one business day. Jim Johnson takes the calls personally at (303) 355-4868 — same number on every page on this site.
