Inside Colorado music sanctuary where stars flocked to record magic

Set amidst the towering evergreens of Colorado’s wilderness, a formerly lively property filled with guitar melodies and drum rhythms is now available as a peaceful retreat.

Mountain Star Studios, a hidden music sanctuary perched 9,250 feet above sea level in unincorporated Gilpin County, has hit the market. 

The asking price was initially $5.9 million but it has since been reduced to $3.5 million. 

For more than twenty years, the mountain refuge, known as Natural Moostique Ranch, offered musicians a secluded sanctuary to compose and perform their art in nature’s embrace.

Located merely 45 minutes away from Denver and Boulder, this expansive 120-acre estate turned into a notable destination for an eclectic mix of musicians, such as Tenth Mountain Division, Ian Neville, Brad Parsons, and The Hip Abduction.

Although the recording equipment has long been removed, echoes of creativity still linger in its timber beams.

For the first time in years, its gates are opening making it the ideal home for a buyer with deep pockets and dreams of mountain serenity.

Listed by Sotheby’s and located at 1460 Karlann Drive, the sprawling 4,470-square-foot residence is modeled after Costa Rica’s eco-chic Xandari Resort & Spa.

The property is nestled among the evergreens of the Colorado wilderness

The property is nestled among the evergreens of the Colorado wilderness

The great room rises with 35-foot vaulted ceilings and is anchored by a towering 27ft stone fireplace

The great room rises with 35-foot vaulted ceilings and is anchored by a towering 27ft stone fireplace

The property that was once full of the sounds guitar riffs and the banging of drums in the recording studio

The property that was once full of the sounds guitar riffs and the banging of drums in the recording studio

The main home was completed in 2006 with sustainability, elegance, and durability at its core. 

The furnishings are opulent with hand-polished Venetian plaster walls, African mahogany floors, Spanish cedar cabinetry, and hammered copper sinks.

The centerpiece is the soaring two-story great room, crowned by 35-foot vaulted ceilings, bathed in natural light from panoramic windows, anchored by a 27-foot stone fireplace. 

The home is a dream space for entertaining with the chef’s kitchen blending seamlessly into great room.

But the real magic once occurred in the detached 4,000+ square-foot barn. 

With its passive solar design, clean water access, and advanced systems, the home offers the potential for self-sufficient, off-grid living

With its passive solar design, clean water access, and advanced systems, the home offers the potential for self-sufficient, off-grid living

There are stunning views of the surrounding countryside thanks to enormous glass windows

There are stunning views of the surrounding countryside thanks to enormous glass windows

Spanish cedar cabinetry lines the kitchen and storage areas, a nod to both craftsmanship and exotic luxury

Spanish cedar cabinetry lines the kitchen and storage areas, a nod to both craftsmanship and exotic luxury

The home showcases hand-polished Venetian plaster walls that add texture and warmth to its modern mountain design

The home showcases hand-polished Venetian plaster walls that add texture and warmth to its modern mountain design

Soaring 35-foot vaulted ceilings and panoramic windows open the living space to the mountains beyond

Soaring 35-foot vaulted ceilings and panoramic windows open the living space to the mountains beyond

Panoramic windows flood the home with natural light and sweeping views of aspen groves, rolling hills, and wildlife-filled meadows

Panoramic windows flood the home with natural light and sweeping views of aspen groves, rolling hills, and wildlife-filled meadows

African mahogany flooring runs throughout the residence, adding both elegance and durability

African mahogany flooring runs throughout the residence, adding both elegance and durability

The bathroom blends rustic style with some beautiful details

The bathroom blends rustic style with some beautiful details

The bathroom has large windows, stunning wooden cabinets and solid red tiles throughout

The bathroom has large windows, stunning wooden cabinets and solid red tiles throughout

Every detail of the home is curated for beauty, sustainability and mountain serenity

Every detail of the home is curated for beauty, sustainability and mountain serenity

African mahogany floors and ceilings and Venetian plaster walls create an atmosphere of handcrafted elegance

African mahogany floors and ceilings and Venetian plaster walls create an atmosphere of handcrafted elegance

Several bands and recording artists spent time in the 4,000 sq ft recording studio at the home

Several bands and recording artists spent time in the 4,000 sq ft recording studio at the home

The group Tenth Mountain Division spent some time recording in the studio

The group Tenth Mountain Division spent some time recording in the studio 

The Hip Abduction, the vibrant St. Petersburg, Florida-based band spent time in Colorado recording

The Hip Abduction, the vibrant St. Petersburg, Florida-based band spent time in Colorado recording

Musician and songwriter Brad Parsons

Musician Ian Neville of The Neville Brothers

Musician and songwriter Brad Parsons, left, and Ian Neville of The Neville Brothers both recorded at the studio

The its mixing desks and microphones are long gone, but its spirit remains. 

As the home of Mountain Star Studios, artists once jammed through the night. 

Thanks to its passive solar design, advanced mechanical systems, and reliable year-round water from South Beaver Creek, the estate could easily be converted to be completely off-grid. 

With stunning scenery nearby, rolling hills, flowing creeks, and a meadow where moose roam freely the home feels like a world away from civilization despite being just one hour away from Denver.

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