This famous ranch, comprised of over ten thousand acres, and perhaps as much as thirty thousand surface acres was assembled by Ranches of the West (ROW) for the owners in the early 1990’s. ROW performed all land planning for the owners, and also assisted with disposition of the ranch. The ranch derived it’s name from the almost ten miles of Ruby River thread which flowed serpentine in a myriad of oxbows through almost five miles of productive bottom-lands which were part of the ranch. The ranch also controlled almost five thousand acres of high desert, arroyo, canyon, and bench country which rose from the river bottom into the upper timbered sub-alpine portions of the property, eventually adjoining the Ruby Peak Wilderness Study area.
Aggressive on schedule/on budget management by ROW of the 1.5 million dollar resource and agricultural enhancement plan formulated by ROW for the owners produced startling simultaneous results. USDA EQIP grants were obtained by ROW for certain improvements. Irrigation, stream bank stabilization and fishery habitat projects, farming, irrigation water delivery enhancements, fence, and riparian area fence protection along with substantial improvements to five ranch headquarters and central riding arena resulted in a fifteen fold increase in recreational revenues, a surge in hay production from 2200 to 5200 tons annually, significant increase in fish populations, doubling of whitetail populations, four fold increases in antelope population, and contributed to increases in carrying capacity from 350 
animal units to 625 animal units year round.
An 800 acre crested wheat introduction at timberline, coupled with a large spring development and associated pipeline serving 5 stock tanks across the 4000 acre previously completely dry bench portion of the ranch assisted in these gains and was instrumental in increasing the resident elk population from less than 50 to 400 animals. Significant potions of the ranch were protected by conservation easements negotiated by ROW on behalf of the owners. The final portions of the ranch were sold in 2005.
Photos By Reid L Rosenthal Copyright 2008