Forbes Park, 1.74 Acre, $309 Down
Wendt Ln : Fort Garland, CO 81133
Costilla County, Colorado
Lot Description
Welcome to 1.748 acres of genuine Colorado mountain forest in Forbes Park - a treed, slightly sloped parcel at 9,593 to 9,635 feet above sea level in the Culebra Range foothills of Costilla County, accessed via county-maintained Wendt Lane, positioned within an established mountain community with a community center and active homeowners association. At just over 9,600 feet above sea level, this is not the open high-desert terrain that defines most of southern Colorado's rural land market. This is forest. This is canopy. This is the mountain Colorado that people from flat states have on their vision board.
This is Unit L-2, Block 165, Lot 2863 of Forbes Park - a square parcel with a 10.8% average slope, treed terrain, and the unique distinction of having power lines just 435 feet from the adjacent lot, making grid electrical service potentially connectable at this location. That places Forbes Park among a very small category of mountain Colorado lots where the entire utility package - well, septic, grid power if desired, propane - is within normal development range. No alternative power calculation required if you prefer conventional construction. The choice is yours.
Annual property taxes run $171.20. The Forbes Park LOA charges $319 per year - a reasonable fee for the community benefits the association provides, including the Forbes Park Community Center and road maintenance coordination. Estate Residential zoning supports single-family homes, manufactured homes (1976 or newer), and modular construction with no time limit to build beyond the permit window. Short-term vacation rentals are permitted.
Owner financing is available from $309 down - no credit check, no bank required. All four GPS corners are on file and confirmed.
The Mountain Cabin Basecamp - Why Forbes Park Is Different
Most Colorado rural land is open. Flat. Shrubbed. High desert. Beautiful in its own way - but not the picture that brought you to Colorado in the first place.
Forbes Park is the other Colorado. Trees. Slope. 9,600 feet. The kind of terrain where the air genuinely smells different and the light through the pines at dawn is worth the 4-hour drive from Denver. This is where mountain cabin buyers have been coming for decades - a real, established mountain community in the Sangre de Cristo foothills, with community infrastructure in place and the kind of terrain that justifies the term "mountain retreat."
For the fly fisherman planning 8 to 10 trips into the Culebra Range and Sangre de Cristo backcountry each year, this parcel replaces the motel bill with a mortgage payment - and after 7 years of Easy Financing, the mortgage payment stops and the land is yours forever. For the elk hunter who has been camping on public ground every September and October, this is the private basecamp that changes the whole experience. For the fly fishing couple from Colorado Springs or Pueblo (both under 2.5 hours away) who want a mountain retreat that grows in value rather than one they leave behind at checkout - this is it.
The Forbes Park community provides the infrastructure of mountain land ownership without the isolation of purely remote rural parcels. Roads are maintained. Community facilities are available. Neighbors exist. Power is accessible. And the homeowners association - at $319 per year - keeps the community functioning as a community rather than devolving into the fragmented, derelict condition that can afflict unmanaged rural subdivisions. For a buyer planning to use this land repeatedly and for whom the condition of the surrounding community matters, the HOA is a feature, not a liability.
Property Highlights At A Glance
Parcel: Unit L-2, Block 165, Lot 2863 - Forbes Park
Apn: 70127840
Legal Description: F.P. Unit L-2 Blk 165 Lot 2863 Cont 1.748 Ac
Address: Wendt Ln, Fort Garland, CO 81133
County: Costilla County, Colorado
GPS Center: 37.432194, -105.161111
Gps NE Corner: 37.432347, -105.160417
Gps SE Corner: 37.431731, -105.160772
Gps SW Corner: 37.432056, -105.161703
Gps NW Corner: 37.432678, -105.161278
Parcel Size: 1.748 acres
Shape: Square
Slope: 10.8% average (slightly sloped)
Elevation: 9,592.9 ft - 9,635.3 ft above sea level
Terrain: Slightly sloped, treed mountain terrain
Flood Zone: Zone X - outside mapped floodplain
Creek/Wetlands: Minor creek along western property boundary - buyers verify setback requirements with Costilla County planning prior to development
Road Access: Wendt Ln - dirt, county-maintained, legal access confirmed
Power: Power lines at adjacent lot, approximately 435 ft away - grid connection potentially feasible
Zoning: ER - Estate Residential, Costilla County
Single-Family Home: Yes - 600 sq ft minimum
Manufactured Home: Yes - 1976 or newer, Hud-Certified
Modular Home: Yes
Mobile Home: Yes - 1976 or newer, county-compliant
Tiny Home: No - 600 sq ft minimum applies
Time Limit to Build: 3 years from permit issuance
Camping: 14 days per year without permit; longer with construction permit and installed septic
RV: 14 days per year without permit; longer with permit and septic
Full-Time RV: Not permitted
Solar: Permitted (also grid-connectable if desired)
Wind Generator: Permitted - small residential
Propane: Permitted - portable or buried
Short-Term Rentals: Yes - permitted per county
HOA: Forbes Park LOA - active mandatory association; $319/Year ($26.58/Month) includes community center and road coordination
Annual Taxes: $171.20 (2025) - current, no back taxes, no liens
Fort Garland, CO: 39 min / 23.3 miles
Blanca, CO: 44 min / 27.6 miles
La Veta, CO: 57 min / 37.4 miles
Pueblo, CO: 1 hr 52 min / 99.5 miles
Colorado Springs: 2 hr 28 min / 143 miles
Great Sand Dunes National Park: 1 hr 3 min / 49.4 miles
Zapata Falls: 1 hr 7 min / 47.5 miles
Cash Sale Price: $16,499 (reduced from $24,999)
Owner Financing: From $309 down - no credit check, no bank required
Location And Setting
Forbes Park - An Established Mountain Community at 9,600 Feet: Forbes Park is not a frontier subdivision. It is a long-established mountain community in the Sangre de Cristo foothills of Costilla County, east of the San Luis Valley floor, with an active homeowners association, a community center, maintained roads, and a consistent community identity built around mountain recreation and mountain living. Buyers who have been looking at raw, unimproved rural land without community infrastructure will notice the difference immediately. Forbes Park has neighbors. It has amenities. It has the feel of a mountain community rather than an isolated parcel on a blank map.
La Veta Pass-Uptop Historic District - 40 Minutes: The La Veta Pass corridor and the Uptop Historic District are among the most scenically spectacular highways in Colorado - the original route of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad through the Sangre de Cristos. The pass itself, at 9,413 feet, is a historic and visually extraordinary mountain corridor that defines the eastern character of this region of Costilla County.
Fort Garland - 39 Minutes: The nearest full-service hub for Forbes Park landowners. Gas (Conoco 13 min / 8.3 miles from the property), grocery, post office, and the Fort Garland Museum. Note that Forbes Park's more remote position - further east into the Culebra Range - is part of its character as genuine mountain land rather than valley-floor acreage.
La Veta - 57 Minutes: The small arts community of La Veta, tucked beneath the Spanish Peaks at the base of La Veta Pass, offers galleries, restaurants, local character, and one of the most beautiful small-town settings in southern Colorado. For Forbes Park residents who want a cultural and culinary day trip without driving to a major city, La Veta is the answer.
Walsenburg - Approximately 1 Hour: The Huerfano County seat on I-25 provides a full-service connection to the national highway network, additional retail, and the southernmost reach of the Front Range urban corridor.
Pueblo - 1 Hour 52 Minutes / 99.5 Miles: The closest major city, and the closest metropolitan connection for Forbes Park property owners. Colorado Springs at 2 hours 28 minutes and Denver at 4 hours complete the urban access picture.
Major Recreation Access:
Great Sand Dunes National Park - 1 hr 3 min / 49.4 miles
Zapata Falls - 1 hr 7 min / 47.5 miles
Zoning And Permitted Uses
Estate Residential (Er) - Costilla County: ER zoning supports the full range of residential structures and uses appropriate to a mountain cabin, weekend retreat, or primary mountain residence. No county-wide architectural review committee. No mandatory county-imposed aesthetic restrictions beyond those of the Forbes Park Loa.
Single-Family Home: Build a site-built home of 600 square feet or larger. No maximum size. A 600-Square-Foot mountain cabin and a 2,000-Square-Foot mountain home are both permitted.
Manufactured Home: Permitted - 1976 or newer, Hud-Certified. A quality manufactured home is a fast, cost-effective path to habitable mountain property.
Modular Home: Permitted. Factory-built quality with site-built design latitude.
Mobile Home: Permitted - 1976 or newer, county-compliant.
Time Limit: Three years from permit issuance. Plan your build at the pace that works for your project and budget.
Camping and RV: Permitted for 14 days per year without a permit. Extended stays available with construction permit and installed septic - practical for buyers who want to camp on the property during the build phase.
Short-Term Vacation Rentals: Permitted per Costilla County. The Forbes Park community setting and proximity to the Culebra Range and Sangre de Cristo backcountry creates consistent demand from outdoor recreation travelers seeking mountain accommodation.
Forbes Park LOA - What the HOA Provides: The Forbes Park Landowners Association maintains community roads, operates the Forbes Park Community Center, and provides organizational structure for the community. Annual dues are $319 ($26.58/Month). Unlike the voluntary $25/Year associations in other parts of Costilla County, Forbes Park LOA membership is mandatory. For buyers who intend to use this property actively and repeatedly, the community infrastructure the LOA provides is a genuine benefit - maintained access roads, a community gathering space, and neighborhood accountability. Verify current amenities, bylaws, and any use restrictions directly with the Forbes Park LOA prior to purchase.
Recreation - The Culebra Range And Sangre De Cristo Backcountry
Culebra Range Fishing and Backcountry Access: Forbes Park sits in the Culebra Range foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains - one of Colorado's most remote and least crowded mountain ranges. The creeks, lakes, and high country drainage systems in the Culebra Range and surrounding Sangre de Cristo terrain are the domain of serious backcountry anglers and hunters who have been escaping the Front Range crowds for decades. Cutthroat and brook trout in high-country streams above 10,000 feet - within day-hiking or horseback range from a Forbes Park basecamp - provide a fishing experience fundamentally different from the Gold Medal tailwaters that draw crowds to the San Luis Valley.
GMU 83 - Elk, Mule Deer, and Upland Birds: This parcel sits within Game Management Unit 83, home to the Trinchera elk herd of approximately 7,000 animals. Over-the-counter bull elk licenses are available for the second and third rifle seasons without a draw. The forested terrain of Forbes Park and the surrounding Culebra Range is preferred elk habitat at this elevation - dense timber for bedding, open parks for feeding, and migration corridors that bring animals through the community seasonally. For a hunter seeking a permanent private basecamp inside proven elk country, Forbes Park at 9,600 feet is as positioned as it gets.
Great Sand Dunes National Park - 1 Hour 3 Minutes: One of the most extraordinary natural landscapes in the United States. From Forbes Park, the drive to the dunes crosses La Veta Pass and descends into the San Luis Valley - a road trip in itself. Pack a day bag, hit the highway, and arrive at North America's tallest dunes with a private mountain cabin to return to.
Zapata Falls - 1 Hour 7 Minutes: A 30-foot waterfall through a narrow volcanic canyon, one of the San Luis Valley's finest day-hike destinations. Worth the drive regardless of the destination.
Sangre de Cristo Wilderness: The Sangre de Cristo Wilderness encompasses 220,000 acres of pristine backcountry immediately accessible from Forbes Park's position in the Culebra Range foothills. Over 100 miles of maintained trails lead to alpine lakes, wilderness ridgelines, and high country terrain that sees a fraction of the traffic common on Colorado's more publicized wilderness areas.
La Veta Pass and Walsenburg Area: The La Veta Pass corridor is among southern Colorado's most scenic mountain drives. The Spanish Peaks, visible from the La Veta area, are volcanic igneous formations that dominate the landscape from Walsenburg south - one of the most visually distinctive mountain profiles in the state. Local hiking trails on the Spanish Peaks, the 12,683-Foot West Spanish Peak among them, are within range of a Forbes Park basecamp.
Wolf Creek Ski Area: Approximately 2.5 hours via Us-160 west, Wolf Creek is Colorado's snowiest ski resort - 430 inches of annual snowfall at a price point that feels increasingly rare in today's Colorado ski economy.
Dark Sky Stargazing: At 9,600 feet in Costilla County, well east of the San Luis Valley floor and deep in the Culebra Range foothills, this parcel benefits from the exceptional dark sky conditions that define the entire county. Light pollution at this elevation is minimal; the Milky Way is a nightly presence.
Wildlife And Natural Environment
A Forested Ecosystem at 9,600 Feet: Forbes Park's treed terrain - ponderosa, piñon, juniper, and the transition species of the Sangre de Cristo foothills - supports a wildlife community distinct from the open high-desert parcels lower in the valley. This is forest habitat. The species that use it are forest species: elk bedding in the timber, mule deer browsing the forest edge, black bear and mountain lion maintaining their territories through the canopy, and a diverse avian community centered on the forest rather than the open grasslands below.
Elk at Forest Elevation: At 9,600 feet, this parcel sits squarely in the summer range for the Trinchera elk herd. Elk use the timber at this elevation for thermoregulation and security cover during the warm months - moving down to valley feeding grounds as winter hardens. Seeing elk on or immediately adjacent to a Forbes Park parcel is not unusual.
Mountain Birds and Raptors: Steller's jays, Clark's nutcrackers, mountain bluebirds, and the various woodpecker species common to ponderosa pine forest are regulars at this elevation. Golden eagle and Cooper's hawk patrol the forest edge. The Culebra Range foothills also attract migratory songbirds in spring and fall that are uncommon at valley elevations.
Black Bear: Black bear are documented throughout the Forbes Park area and the Culebra Range foothills. Their presence is a routine feature of mountain living in this community - not alarming, but requiring the standard awareness and food-storage practices of any mountain Colorado community.
Creek Wildlife: The minor creek along the western property boundary concentrates wildlife year-round - deer and elk return to it reliably, and small mammals, migratory birds, and raptors use the riparian corridor as a movement avenue through the forested terrain.
Utilities - The Most Connected Parcel In This Portfolio
Power - Grid Available at Adjacent Lot: This is the most significant utility differentiator in Wild Domain Land's current Colorado inventory. Power lines are located on the lot adjacent to this property - approximately 435 feet away. Grid electrical connection at that distance is potentially feasible, making Forbes Park one of the very few raw land parcels in Costilla County where a buyer can choose between grid-connected and off-grid power solutions rather than being limited to off-grid only. Buyers who plan to build a full-time or part-time residence and prefer the simplicity of grid power should verify connection feasibility and cost with the local utility provider before purchase - but the proximity of existing infrastructure represents a genuine advantage over parcels where grid connection would require miles of line extension. Off-grid solar and small residential wind generators are also permitted for buyers who prefer energy independence.
Water - Well Drilling: No water source on site. Well drilling is permitted. Area depths run 150 to 350 feet. Complete installation at area depths - pump, pressure tank, electrical - approximately $10,000 to $15,000. Water hauling to a cistern provides an interim solution during the permitting process.
Sewer - Septic System: Required for permanent occupancy. Costilla County evaluation and permit required. Creek-adjacent placement on the western edge should be verified for riparian setback compliance before finalizing septic design.
Propane - Heating and Cooking: No natural gas service available. Portable or buried propane tanks are permitted. At 9,600 feet, a well-insulated structure with propane heating provides comfortable year-round occupancy through Colorado's high-country winters.
Internet - Starlink: Consistent broadband throughout Costilla County at this elevation. Unobstructed sky in forested mountain terrain may require strategic antenna placement - confirm sightline access on the specific parcel.
Waste: Owner responsibility - private hauler or transfer station.
Investment And Hold Value
Treed Mountain Land - The Premium Subcategory: Treed parcels in established Colorado mountain communities at above-9,000-foot elevation command premiums over comparable acreage on the open valley floor. The visual character of forest land, the implied privacy of tree cover, and the experiential quality of mountain forest terrain are attributes that buyers consistently pay more for - both in initial purchase price and in future resale. This is the premium subcategory within Costilla County's rural land market, and it is priced accordingly at $16,499 cash.
Community Infrastructure as Value Anchor: The Forbes Park Loa's active management of community roads and community facilities reduces the deterioration risk that affects unmanaged rural subdivisions over time. Maintained roads, an active HOA, and community infrastructure are value anchors that protect the parcel's position in the market relative to comparable land in communities without active management.
Grid Power Access as Development Premium: The proximity of existing power infrastructure adds development optionality that most Colorado raw land parcels cannot offer. A buyer who wants a grid-connected cabin - a simple, conventional development with no battery bank, no solar array sizing, no backup generator - has a realistic pathway at this location. That pathway adds to the parcel's appeal and value relative to parcels where it does not exist.
$171.20 in Annual Property Taxes, $319 in HOA Dues: Total annual holding cost on vacant land - taxes plus LOA dues plus minimal insurance - runs approximately $530 per year. Compared to the mountain land premiums in Summit, Eagle, or San Miguel counties, this is a negligible cost to maintain a position in genuine Colorado mountain country.
Your Three Paths To Ownership - No Credit Check, No Bank Required
Option 1 - Cash Purchase
Best Total Value - Immediate Full Ownership
Cash Sale Price: $16,499 (reduced from $24,999)
Down Payment: $499
Documentation Fee: $250
Total Due Today: $749
Conveyance: Recorded Warranty Deed after closing
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Option 2 - Super Saver Financing
Best Value With Financing - Fastest Path to Full Ownership
Monthly Payment: $798
Loan Term: 2.5-Year Super Saver Plan
Total Monthly Payments: $749 x 30 months
Down Payment: $749
Documentation Fee: $250
Total Due Today: $999
Own your Colorado mountain land free and clear in 2.5 years.
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Option 3 - Easy Financing
Lowest Entry Point - Start for $559 Today
Monthly Payment: $358
Loan Term: 7-Year Easy Financing Plan
Total Monthly Payments: $309 x 84 months
Down Payment: $309
Documentation Fee: $250
Total Due Today: $559
Treed mountain land at 9,600 feet. $309 down.
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All Three Plans Include:
No Credit Check - Your credit history is not a factor.
No Bank Involvement - No applications, no appraisals, no denials.
No Prepayment Penalties - Pay it off early at any time at no extra cost.
Simple Process - Reserve today. Ownership transfers in 1-2 business days.
Perfect For Buyers Who Want
A Private Mountain Cabin Basecamp: 1.748 acres of treed terrain at 9,600 feet in an established mountain community - stop paying for motels and start building equity.
Culebra Range Fishing and Hunting Access: High-country cutthroat and brook trout above 10,000 feet. GMU 83 elk with OTC bull licenses. Mule deer at forest elevation. A private base inside the hunting and fishing country.
Colorado Mountain Forest Land - The Premium Aesthetic: Trees. Slope. 9,600 feet. The picture most buyers carry in their heads when they say "Colorado mountain land." Not the open high desert - the forest.
Grid Power Within Reach: Power lines 435 feet from the adjacent lot - the only parcel in this portfolio where grid connection is genuinely feasible. Build conventional or off-grid, your choice.
An Active Community with Infrastructure: Forbes Park LOA maintains roads, operates a community center, and keeps the community functioning. For buyers who will use this property repeatedly, that infrastructure has real day-to-day value.
Great Sand Dunes Road Trip: An hour from Forbes Park puts you at the most visually extraordinary natural landscape in Colorado. Mountain forest in the morning, towering dunes in the afternoon, back to the cabin for the dark sky evening.
Elk Hunting Private Ground: The Culebra Range foothills at 9,600 feet is among the most productive elk terrain in GMU 83. A private square lot inside that country ends the public ground scramble for good.
Short-Term Rental Mountain Retreat: STRs permitted, treed privacy, mountain community setting, outdoor recreation in all directions - a compelling alternative accommodation offering for Culebra Range travelers.
Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Gateway: 220,000 acres of pristine backcountry accessible from a Forbes Park basecamp - 100-Plus miles of trails and genuine alpine solitude a short drive away.
Take Action - Your Colorado Mountain Forest Cabin Starts At $559
What You Are Getting: 1.748 treed, slightly sloped acres in the Forbes Park community of Costilla County, Colorado. Elevation 9,593 to 9,635 feet - the highest parcel in Wild Domain Land's current Colorado inventory. ER zoning - manufactured homes allowed (1976+), no time limit beyond permit window. Legal road access via Wendt Lane. Grid power within 435 feet of adjacent lot. Annual taxes $171.20. Forbes Park LOA at $319/Year with community center. No back taxes, no liens. Four GPS corners confirmed. Culebra Range fishing and hunting access. GMU 83 elk. Great Sand Dunes one hour away. Sangre de Cristo Wilderness within reach. Mountain forest, slope, canopy, and the experience of genuinely high Colorado land. Owner financing from $309 down - no credit check, no bank required.
Why This Will Not Wait: Treed, forested parcels in established Costilla County mountain communities at above-9,500-foot elevation with grid power proximity represent a fundamentally different - and more scarce - product than the flat high-desert land that defines most of the southern Colorado rural market. At $16,499 cash, this parcel is priced as Costilla County land despite carrying the characteristics of mountain land in counties where five-figure entry points have not existed for years. That pricing discrepancy will not hold indefinitely.
Your Next Move: Drop 37.432194, -105.161111 into your Gps. Drive to Wendt Lane. Walk through the trees at 9,600 feet. Breathe the air. Look up through the canopy. This is the land you had in your head. It is available now.
100-Day No-Nonsense Guarantee
When you purchase this property and change your mind within 100 days of your down payment, let us know. We will either refund your principal payment or exchange it for another property in our inventory that better suits your needs. This guarantee allows you to secure the property confidently before visiting in person. On owner financing, we refund principal paid excluding fees (closing costs, doc fees, note maintenance fees, and taxes). Any late or missed payments during the guarantee period will automatically void the guarantee.
Trees. Slope. 9,600 feet. The land is yours for $559.
Start living wild - your Colorado mountain forest life begins today.
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Note: Information presented in this listing is deemed accurate but not guaranteed. Buyers are advised to conduct their own due diligence and verify all details independently. Property is sold as-is where-is.
Annual Ownership Costs
Property Taxes: $171.20/Year (2025) - approximately $14.27/Month
Forbes Park LOA Dues: $319/Year ($26.58/Month) - mandatory; includes community center and road coordination
Special Assessments: $0 (verify with Forbes Park Loa)
Metro District Taxes: $0
Transfer Fees: $0
Mandatory Road Maintenance Fees: $0 (covered by LOA dues)
Total Annual Holding Cost (vacant land): Approximately $490/Year
Lot Maps & Attachments
Directions to Lot
Directions To Apn 70127840
Forbes Park, Unit L-2, Block 165, Lot 2863
Wendt Ln, Fort Garland, CO 81133
GPS Center: 37.432194, -105.161111
Gps Corner Coordinates
Center: 37.432194, -105.161111
NE Corner: 37.432347, -105.160417
SE Corner: 37.431731, -105.160772
SW Corner: 37.432056, -105.161703
NW Corner: 37.432678, -105.161278
DIRECTIONS FROM FORT GARLAND, CO (39 min / 23.3 miles)
1. Start at the intersection of US-160 and CO-159 in Fort Garland, Colorado.
2. Head EAST on US-160 toward La Veta Pass for approximately 18 miles.
3. Take the Forbes Park / CO-12 area exit or turn south toward the Forbes Park subdivision. (Confirm the exact turn from Forbes Park community road maps or GPS navigation to Wendt Ln.)
4. Navigate into Forbes Park subdivision to Wendt Lane.
5. Continue on Wendt Lane to Unit L-2, Block 165, Lot 2863.
6. Confirm arrival: GPS 37.432194, -105.161111.
Note: Forbes Park is accessed from the US-160 corridor east of Fort Garland toward La Veta Pass. The property is 39 minutes from Fort Garland and approximately 40 minutes from La Veta Pass-Uptop area. Wendt Lane is a county-maintained dirt road. High-clearance vehicle recommended; four-wheel drive may be required in winter or after significant rainfall.
Nearest fuel: Conoco, approximately 13 min / 8.3 miles from the property. Fuel up before entering the subdivision.
Note On Access
Forbes Park is a mountain subdivision at 9,600 feet. Internal roads are steeper and more challenging than the flat-terrain SDCR subdivisions in the San Luis Valley. A capable vehicle with adequate clearance is strongly recommended. In winter, four-wheel drive and chains may be required. Verify current road conditions with the Forbes Park LOA before visiting during or after snow events.
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