21-Jul-2020 -- Five years ago I was in touch with the folks at Tercio Ranch about a potential visit to document this special site. Today it finally became a reality. Traveling southward from 38N 105W and Purgatoire Campground I met Cody Armstrong at the ranch headquarters south of Stonewall at 8:00am. We hopped in Cody’s truck, and after an impressive climb in elevation along "The Rincon" we were parked 100 yards due south of the confluence by 8:45am. The temperature was in the low 60s. The final 50 yards on foot involved a scramble down a 40-degree slope of felled trunks, rosehips, and vigorous new aspen growth after the 2002 wildfire (see 2004 visit report).

The view northward from this confluence is incredible, as is the view southward from the top of the ridge. Southern Colorado again finds itself in an exceptional level D4 drought, although the lush greenness of the aspens at the site belies the hidden danger. These aspens were carefully fenced off to prevent damage from elk herds in the area, as Cody told me. Cody, a native of the area, was a wealth of knowledge, and I enjoyed hearing about the former mining town that Tercio used to be. The sole remaining building is the abandoned Colorado Fuel and Iron Company Store (photo #8) and the cemetery, which is now the southern terminus of County Road 13.

This was my 31st of 31 total confluences in Colorado. My work is done. Thank you to Cody Armstrong, Kelly Rael, Charlie Womack, Aaron Swallow, and the rest of the crew at Tercio Ranch for making possible this updated visit to the exact integer degree confluence of 37N and 105W.

E-mail from Dan:

Hello,
I stumbled across your site while searching for a map of Vermejo Park Ranch (I can't find mine). I have hunted at VPR for the last several years and have some info that may help you, or not.

First, the people who work at VPR are some of the best you could ever hope to meet. Second, entering the property without permission would not only be illegal, it would be very, very dangerous as hunting of one form or another occurs on the property nearly year 'round. The guides know where people are supposed to be or not be and keep in touch with each other and ranch headquarters by radio. Rifle bullets carry a long way and if they don't know you're there - well you get the point. Third, El Paso Energy doesn't have legal authority to allow you on the property. El Paso employees can only enter the property for work relating to their gas wells and are not supposed to be there otherwise. (Ted turner did not/could not buy the gas rights to the property when he bought it or El Paso would not be there. The damage El Paso has done to the property is horrific. You should have seen it several years ago before they started tearing it up.) Lets see... fourth (fourthly?), Cerroso canyon is on VPR property. If I remember right, at some point the public road dead ends into a locked gate. Next, VPR extends North into Colorado a pretty good way. I think the western boundary of the ranch runs along the ridge line of the Sangre de Cristo mountains along Little Castillo Peak.

Last, to repeat myself, the people at VPR are good people. I'm sure if you ask in advance and explain your project they will try to help. Due to liability issues they may want someone to accompany/guide you. There are a lot of dead end roads on VPR, old logging and mine roads that have been closed, abandoned rail lines that have been removed, and hunting roads that just exist to get you into the middle of nowhere. I've hunted there for ten years and still don't understand how the guides find their way around. Good luck.