OUTWEST GUIDES ANNOUNCES NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM, LOCATION
In 2007, OutWest Guides underwent an ownership and management change. Gary and Doris Hubbell, owners and founders of OutWest Guides, LLC, sold a majority ownership of the company to a Texas consortium headed by Marble landowner and frequent visitor Ken Good.
Mr. Good, who purchased several hundred acres of the defunct Marble Ski Area in the early 1990's, built a private residence on the property and has kept much of the land from development, including deeding several hundred acres back to the U.S. Forest Service. The ski area property is a good location to pasture the horses, but Mr. Good and his partners plan to build a business office, tack building, and corrals on property in the Marble valley floor. The business is no longer located at the ranch on Mile Marker 3 on County Road 3. "When we get all our permits and have some facilities ready, we'll make an announcement," says Ken Good.
"We were really happy to place the business in good hands," said Gary Hubbell. "It was time for us to take on new challenges, and Ken has an outstanding reputation as a quality businessman who will carry on the same traditions that we started here--'the best horses, the best guides, and above all, the best scenery!' Actually, we're excited that Ken approaches the business from an environmentally conscious perspective and his goals are to do the best for the environment first, with a profit motive coming in second place."
Nate May, a 32-year-old wilderness guide, horse trainer, packer, and farrier, completed the picture. Originally from Oregon, Nate spent several years on the Front Range, working as a farrier in Conifer and Elizabeth. Hired by Gary and Doris Hubbell, Nate folded right into running the operations in Marble. "It was a big job to learn all the trails, build fences and corrals, hire staff, and run the programs, but it was a good learning year," Nate says. "We're really looking forward to 2008. Bookings are really looking good, and we think we'll be profitable in our first year."
"Eventually Nate plans to buy out our remaining share in the business," remarked Gary Hubbell. "He's a great fit for OutWest Guides. It's not often that you can find a guy with all his talents. He's a good horseman, an excellent packer, a top-notch hunting guide, and an expert fly-fishing guide. There are not too many people with all those talents in one package."
In 2007, OutWest Guides gained national recognition for helping Gary Hubbell, who is a location scout for photo shoots, films, and commercials, host Bushnell Optics for a 5-day photo shoot for Bushnell, Stoney Point, Hoppe's, Uncle Mike's, and several other branches of the outdoor giant. "The cover photo on the front and back of the accessories catalogue is our good old Ruby truck," says Nate, "and the inside front cover is a double-page spread of us packing out a bull elk near Marble. When I went to the sportsman's shows, people asked me where we were. I just pulled out the Bushnell catalogue, and said, 'Right there!'"
So where are Gary and Doris now, and what are they doing? "I'm starting my ranch real estate career," explains Gary, "helping people buy Colorado cattle ranches, horse properties, mountain land, and hunting and fishing properties. I also do location scouting for movies, photo shoots, and commercials, and I wrangle horses for movies and photo shoots. And, of course, I still write and photograph for magazines, and I'm a regular columnist for The Aspen Times. Doris is training trail horses and performance horses for sale to the public, and we grow grass horse hay for sale on our ranch in Crawford. I will continue to guide blue grouse and ptarmigan hunts for OutWest Guides, and perhaps the occasional fly-fishing trip or horseback ride on special request. Reed and Jake are doing great in school, winning all kinds of academic awards and playing football, wrestling, running track, and playing baseball. They play in the school band and in the school plays. We're doing great here, so click on one of those links above and give us a call sometime if you're an old friend or client!"
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