A claim owner can camp for free on the claim or set up a base camp at the parking area before the trail.

Buena Vista is a fun mountain town, centrally located in the Rocky Mountains. It's close enough to the Front Range for an easy weekend trip, and a convenient base for nearby activities.

National Forests remained open at all times during the virus with a televised invitation by the Director for families to visit them as safe places for family recreation, making our mining claims some of the safest places for your family to enjoy and get away from all the nonsense.

San Isabel National Forest where the claim is located, contains 19 of the state's 53 fourteeners, peaks over 14,000 feet (4,267 m) high, including Mount Elbert, the highest point in Colorado.

It is one of eleven national forests in the state of Colorado and contains the Sawatch Range, the Collegiate Peaks, and Sangre de Cristo Range.

There are also 7 designated Wilderness Areas for your exploration,

A total of 127 different minerals have been identified in Chaffee County.

The best known of the valley's gem fields is Mount Antero where prospectors have found aquamarine, crystals, bright blue beryl, smoky quartz and topaz, among others.

The Weather Channels TV show, Prospectors was filmed in Chaffee County on Mount Antero.

While most people were searching for hidden gold and silver, old time prospectors stumbled across a more precious treasure, Aquamarine. From sea green to sky blue coloring, these stones come from pockets or bubbles in the granite known by scientists as Miarolitic cavities. Other associated minerals include white feldspar, colorless quartz, smoky quartz, fluorite, and more rarely found orange to sherry topaz crystals as well as the beryllium mineral Bertrandite.

Mount Antero is renowned in the world of gems and minerals, because it produces some of the highest concentrations of crystals and minerals to be found anywhere.

Mt. Antero is the 3rd highest gem field in the world and is the highest in North America with findings well above the timberline.

It is known as the top producing gem mountain in North America.

Being part of the San Isabel National Forest, Mt. Antero is known by many as a great place for recreation, not just by rock hounds, but by hikers, campers, climbers, and off-road enthusiasts as well. There are three main trail-heads to the mountain; Baldwin Gulch, Cascade, and Browns Creek Trail-head. All three are accessible by four wheel drive to the trails, and unless you are afraid of heights, Mt. Antero is not a hard trail to complete if take your time. With a 4x4 vehicle, the rough, rocky switchbacks and occasional stream crossings can be maneuvered.

4 WD is necessary on the dirt roads leading to the claim trial, where you need to hike in to the claim on the Little Browns Creek Trail for 1/2 mile,

Prospecting on Mt. Antero is for the hardy soul who is in good physical condition.

The hardest and most beautiful part of the climb to the claim is maneuvering the switchbacks shown on 2 maps on the listing. Access along the Mt. Antero Road is slow due to the rough road and many switchbacks. It should be attempted only in a high clearance, 4WD vehicle. Making this trip and climbing to the summit leaves little time for collecting, so start early. Carry emergency supplies and proper clothing. Sudden, dramatic weather changes and thunderstorms are common. Get off the summit in the event of a storm.

Mount Antero is practically covered with prospecting claims. You are not allowed to dig on somebody else's claim, so a handheld GPS devide is a must to be able to properly locate your claim.

BUYING PROCESS:

To purchase my claim, the process would be, I would need your name(s) and mailing address, where I would then scan and email you a signed contract.

Total price of $3500, paid in one full payment where your ownership is then transferred after receiving payment.

A $199 deed processing fee is paid with payment, total = $3699.

After receiving your payment, your ownership of the 20 acre claim will be legally recorded with the local Bureau of Land Management and Chaffee County.

You will also receive a free Gem Prospecting Kit once you have paid for your claim that includes,

a Rockhounding Geology Hammer Tool, Rock Pick Axe, 3 PCS Digging Chisels Kit, with Musette Bag, and a Compass. See picture of that kit with the listing pictures.

I am a retired teacher, and got into prospecting as a hobby with my family.

I am 74 and my wife 72, and we have gained the experience to select the best areas to locate claims.

We feel we are selling more than the minerals on beautiful land.

You would be acquiring an experience that will give you a good feel for what the old time prospectors must have felt during the days of the original Colorado Gold Rush and subsequent gem explorations.

A mining claim is an affordable way to enjoy the beauty of the land combined with the adventure of searching for gems.

If within one year you are not satisfied with your claim, you can trade for another comparable claim, just paying the BLM and County transfer fees which will be about $125.

Mining Claims as an investment: if you purchase a claim from us, at no charge, I would help you if you ever decided to sell in the future.

Mining Claims are a great investment, as claims go up in value over time, just as land does.

Gems discovered in our own prospecting along with the beauty of the area, makes for an awesome outdoor experience,

This area is all claimed up with no more accessible spots to locate a claim on Mount Antero,

Owning a mining claim is having access to a lifetime of great family fun and recreation, in a very beautiful, natural setting.

This is a 20 acre unpatented, gem mining placer claim, the Mount Antero #1, on Mount Antero in the Sawatch Mountain Range of the Rocky Mountains and the San Isabel National Forest.

The claim is legally registered with the Bureau of Land Management out of Lakewood, CO and Chaffee County. You own the mineral rights, not sharing with others, on the 20 acres, and use your 20 acres recreationally for prospecting in an awesome, beautiful area.

Current usage, is what the BLM calls, Casual Use: panning, shovel, rock hammer, metal detector, creek powered sluice box, where no permission nor permit is needed to camp and prospect.

Now that we have located the claim, you never have to declare to the BLM any gems you find.

You can prospect as little or as much as you choose.

For any building, you need to file a Plan of Operation with the BLM for approval, though you cannot just build or put anything to live in on a claim.

On our visits to the claim, we gathered on the mountain, a number of specimens of Aquamarine, Quartz Crystals, Fluorite, and Amethyst to name several. As the BLM does not specify the amount of gems to be found to locate a claim other than a valuable mineral needs to be discovered, what we found is a good projection for good gem potential. Someone with more time may find more. Though we could never guarantee what you will find, we did locate this claim in what is the top gem producing area in the US.

You are allowed to post No Trespassing for Prospecting signs in and around the claim.

A mining claim owner may limit or restrict public recreational use of/or public access across claims or portions of claims that are actively used for prospecting, mining, or processing operations where public recreational use of a claim would endanger or materially interfere with legitimate mining pursuits.

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20 acres = parcel size of 660 ft. x 1320 ft.

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80% of Chaffee County is BLM, Public Land making for wonderful pristine nature.

Hikers come from around the world to climb the many 14,000 foot peaks.

OHV enthusiasts enjoy the 100,000 acres of the Fourmile Recreation Area.

The Arkansas River is the most popular whitewater in Colorado.

Hundreds of miles of mountain biking trails can be enjoyed year-round.

Fall, winter, and spring are unique times of the year. The upper Arkansas River Valley sits at an elevation between 7,000-8,000 feet above sea level. The Continental Divide to the west rises to 14,420 above sea level.

This offers amazing views throughout the valley and a unique weather pattern. With such a drastic elevation change you can often experience the best of both worlds, almost all year. Winter conditions in the high alpine and dry conditions in the valley below. This allows you to explore the back-country on snow in the morning and fish, bike, or hike in the afternoon.

What better way to complete your day of adventuring than soaking in one of the three public hot springs. Each is unique and is fed by natural spring water that is non sulfurous, so they dont stink.

Evenings in these small towns are postcard perfect with plenty of outdoor dining or amazing places to eat takeout, watching the sunset or river. Find live music or just enjoy the art and architecture of these historic downtowns.

Chaffee County has the feeling of the Old West and is away from all the crowds, noise, and traffic jams of large cities.

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A transfer of ownership is a sale of legal, exclusive ownership of a mining claim site. To be a legally recorded claim, a valuable mineral had to be found on the claim, which was completed by me, as we are the original claim locators.

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Your ownership is legally conveyed via a Quit Claim deed, and legally recorded with the BLM and Chaffee County. A Quit Claim deed is the required legal document per the BLM. Each year, on or before September 1st, you need to file a simple form with the Bureau of Land Management, along with 200. By doing this, you keep the claim forever.

You can also pay the fee online with the BLM by credit card.

I have paid the fee, due again September 1, 2025.

There are no taxes on mining claims in Chaffee County.

You must be a current US citizen with a US address to own a mining claim in the US.

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An unpatented mining claim is a specific parcel of federal land, valuable for a specific mineral deposit or deposits. It is a parcel for which an individual has asserted a legal right of possession and the right to develop and extract a discovered, valuable, mineral deposit.

Mining claims are real property that you can buy, sell, or inherit. After proving the existence of valuable minerals on the land, the claim is legally recorded with the Bureau of Land Management and Chaffee County.

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Your 20 acres is the West 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 17, Township 51 North, Range 7 East, 23rd Prime Meridian, known as the Mount Antero #1 mining claim.

BLM claim number: CO106391578

DRIVING DIRECTIONS:

Located in between the towns of Buena Vista and Salida, about 20 miles to each.

From Buena Vista, take 306 out of town West, to then 321 South.

Continue on 321 to where becomes 162 West.

Continue on 162 to the lake, Alpine Lake, where you will see the Mt. Antero Trailhead Road,

that is also 277, taking a left/South on 277, that will continue going South thru a number of switchbacks, then leading to the claim trail, the Little Browns Creek Trail,

Is about 17 miles from Buena Vista to Alpine Lake and about 10 miles to the claim from Alpine Lake.

The beginning of the claim trail to the claim is about 1/2 mile. Hiking in only.

Use the GPS coordinates, maps, and satellite views on the listing to pinpoint the claim.

The road at the base of the mountain is 2-WD Accessible.

The 2-WD turns into a 4-WD so good tires/clearance is a must as you head up the hill that leads to the claim trail.

GPS Coordinates:

Mount Antero #1

NW 38.6701, -106.2223

NE 38.6701, -106.2200

SW 38.6665, -106.2223

SE 38.6665, -106.2200

There are a number of nice campgrounds in the area including in the San Isabel National Forest where the claim is located or park and camp at the trailhead leading up to the claim.

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The Federal Government owns the land.

You are purchasing the mineral rights.

You own the mineral rights, including gold and gems on the claim, as real property, being the same legal ownership as for land and homes.

Prospect, explore, on the whole 20 acres.

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BUYING PROCESS:

To purchase my claim, the process would be, I would need your name(s) and mailing address, where I would then scan and email you a signed contract.

Total price of $3500, paid in one full payment where your ownership is then transferred after receiving payment.

A $199 deed processing fee is paid with payment, total = $3699.

After receiving your payment, your ownership of the 20 acre claim will be legally recorded with the local Bureau of Land Management and Chaffee County. The quit claim deed is the correct document to be recorded for a mining claim, as stated by the BLM. This is not a sharing with others of your 20 acre claim.

We live in Ohio. Our connection to Colorado is our daughter lives in Denver, though she is not involved with our claims. We visited her in September, then went to prospect and locate mining claims, as we have been doing for a number of years.

And just a note of encouragement for you if purchase:

My wife and I have located, prospected on, and sold mining claims in

California, Colorado, & Arizona, for 30 years.

You can trust we will process your notarized deeds correctly and quickly.

In that mining claims are processed thru the Bureau of Land Management, a Federal Govt. agency, not following thru per our legally signed contract, would be a federal crime. I certainly will do what I say, and would never put myself nor my wife in any legal jeopardy.

Also, we have sold properties on 3 sites online for over 25 years:

Landwatch, Landcom, and LandandFarm.

Our continued good status on these sites is due to our always following thru, as just one time we would not, we would not be allowed to sell on these sites ever again.

COMMENTS FROM SATISFIED CLAIM BUYERS:

"Living in Colorado, the purchase of our mining claim from you has been great for family fun and recreation. We have camped overnight a number of times, and panned for gold in the creek. We were even able to find gold flakes on several of our attempts. Thank you so much!."

I'm looking forward to having some time on the mining claim.

We used to go camping 4-6 weeks out of the year.

Even though I realize this is a retirement business for you. I wanted to say thank you for giving so many people over the years the opportunity to purchase your claims. I've seen them available for a long time, but never had the opportunity to purchase anything. They have probably brought many smiles to so many people. It will be the same for us.

"We purchased 2 mining claims from Michael Leu over the last 2 years, one in California, and one In Colorado. We have been to our claims on several occasions, and we could not be happier! They are exactly as described, and our camping on our claims and prospecting in the creek on each claim is the highlight of our vacations. You can trust Mr. Leu. If you are looking for a great time in the awesome beauty of the west, buying a mining claim from Mr. Leu will be a blessing."