Legal Battles Emerge Over Moonshot Ranch Sale Near Aspen
The recent auction of Moonshot Ranch, a six-bedroom, eight-bathroom estate on White Star Drive between Aspen and Woody Creek, has drawn legal attention as creditors pursue potential proceeds. The 5-acre property once connected to Silverpeak’s cannabis operations is now at the center of both state and federal court disputes involving Ducote and his companies. Judges have so far declined to freeze assets, but litigation continues on multiple fronts.
Key Points:
Moonshot Ranch reportedly sold at auction for $20 million from Sept. 10–17, though the deal has not yet closed.
Two separate lawsuits—filed by Basalt Real Estate Co. and investor Orland Mark Brown—seek to claim potential proceeds from the sale.
A Pitkin County judge denied one motion to freeze assets, calling fraud allegations “speculative.”
Federal proceedings continue over a 20-year lease dispute involving a former cannabis cultivation site on Highway 82.
As legal proceedings unfold, both cases highlight the complex ties between Aspen’s luxury real estate and Colorado’s evolving cannabis industry. The outcome could determine how creditors recover investments tied to cannabis ventures in transition.
By: Rick Carroll | Aspen Daily News | October 9, 2025
Photo: Jason Charme/Aspen Daily News