When Jack Rairden first bought land in Ouray County, cars were few and far between on that part of County Road 1.

The quiet, wide open spaces were exactly what he and his wife, Barbara, were looking for as they planned to move from upstate New York.

They drove away from the subdivisions and toward the sprawling, open space on the northern end of Log Hill Mesa, when they found the Realtors’ sign for the 15 acres that became their home.

That was back in 1988.

Now, when the 91-year-old Rairden looks ...