PHOTOS: Palantir's Alex Karp buys Colorado monastery for $120M
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St. Benedict's Monastery in Old Snowmass. Photo: Willie Fowler/Camera Head Media
An Aspen-area ranch that for decades was home to a community of Trappist monks sold this week, becoming the largest residential sale in Pitkin County history, per listing firm Mirr Ranch Group.
The intrigue: St. Benedict's Monastery, a quiet refuge tucked into Old Snowmass, has long had an air of mystery — but its new owner adds a twist. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Alex Karp, CEO of Denver-based Palantir, bought the property for $120 million.
What they're saying: Listing agent Haley Mirr declined to comment on who purchased the property, or for how much. But her father and co-broker, Ken Mirr, told the WSJ the new owner plans to use the ranch as a residence, which tracks well with the tech tycoon's love of skiing.
- Karp told Axios in 2023 that his fitness regimen includes five-plus hours a week of cross-country ski training.
The big picture: The Colorado property sits on more than 3,700 acres in a private mountain valley about 30 minutes from Aspen. It boasts three creeks, sweeping Elk Range views from Haystack Mountain to Mount Sopris, and elevations climbing from 7,400 to 9,300 feet.
- Thanks to about 70 years of the monks' meticulous stewardship, the landscape remains pristine — with irrigated meadows, wildlife-rich grazing land and well-maintained migration corridors.
Zoom in: The ranch includes a circa-1950s main monastery measuring about 24,000 square feet. It also features:
- A 6,000-square-foot retreat center added in the mid-'90s and several early-1900s houses and small cabins.
Flashback: Trappist monks established St. Benedict's in 1956 after settling in Snowmass. They embraced a life defined by silence, prayer and ranch work.
What's next: In a statement, Mirr Ranch Group said the buyer is "committed" to preserving the property's character, including keeping it a working cattle ranch and protecting wildlife habitat.
- The listing firm said the new owner also plans to work with longtime users of the land to ensure its care endures.