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Terry Cunningham

Downtown Ouray, Colorado

Updated: Oct 29, 2020

Ouray is the focus of much of the action in Red Mountain Pass. Tourists enjoy Ouray for its thermal hot springs, world-class ice climbing, jeep tours of rugged mountains, and picturesque beauty.



In Red Mountain Pass, Jim & Mimi Philips decide to relocate to Ouray, Colorado after a brief visit from North Carolina. I too, was captivated by this charming town, the county seat of Ouray County with a population of 1,000 residents according to the 2010 US census. Ouray has acquired the nickname of "The Switzerland of America"and I believe it's one of the most beautiful towns in the American west. When I visited in 1993 with my wife, we explored the Box Canyon, enjoyed the Hot Springs, spent time in the thermal cave at the Weisbaden Inn, toured a local mine and explored the jeep roads and mountain passes.


Ouray is named after Chief Ouray, head of the Ute tribe of native Americans. According to Wikipedia: " Ouray was a Native American chief of the Tabeguache (Uncompahgre ) band of the Ute tribe, then located in western Colorado. Because of his leadership ability, Ouray was acknowledged by the United States government as a chief of the Ute and he traveled to Washington, D.C. to negotiate for the welfare of the Utes. Raised in the culturally diverse town of Taos, Ouray learned to speak many languages that helped him in the negotiations, which were complicated by the manipulation of his grief over his five-year-old son lost during an attack by the Sioux. Ouray met with Presidents Lincoln, Grant, and Hayes and was called the man of peace because he sought to make treaties with settlers and the government.



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