Volume 5: Telluride/ Ouray/ Ophir

These mountain towns are gems in Southwest Colorado. Telluride and tiny Ophir are in San Miguel County, and Ouray, not far away if unimproved roads aren’t a barrier, is located in Ouray County. Telluride is the most populous (about two thousand residents) and best known of the three, home to a famous ski resort, many well-known music festivals, and exclusive luxury homes. Telluride’s colorful history as a hard-rock mining town where gold, silver, and tellurium were extracted beginning in 1878 changed dramatically in the 1970s when the Telluride Ski Resort opened. Telluride’s elevation is 8,750 feet above sea level, a bit higher than Ouray’s 7,792. (source) Fewer than 1,000 people call Ouray home, but each year many thousands of tourists visit the charming village, nicknamed the “Switzerland of America.” Like most mountain towns in the region, Ouray was founded on mining (gold, in this case), made accessible by the railroad, and popular with visitors. (source) Ophir, Colorado, is the highest in elevation of these three towns at 9,695 feet. Gold was discovered in 1875, and the town was founded in 1881, but the mines decreased until there was only one resident in 1970! Telluride’s popularity in recent has allowed a few hundred residents to call Ophir home. (source)

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: Red Mountain Pass (Colo.); Photograph of a sign on summit of Red Mountain Pass on U.S. 550 between Silverton and Ouray, Colorado.

: Red Mountain and Ironton Park near Ouray, Colo.; Picture of the Million Dollar Highway passing through meadow northwest of Red Mountain near Ouray, CO

: Red Mountain and Ironton Park near Ouray, Colo.; Picture from meadow on north west slope of Red Mountain and Ironton Park near Ouray, Colorado, b/w postcard.

: Red Mountain on the Million Dollar Highway (Colo.); Photograph of Red Mountain with a cloud that on it. At the bottom of the mountain are several buildings and a road is shown on the right side

: Red Mountain, Chief Ouray Highway; Black and white photo of Red Mountain along Chief Ouray Highway.

: Red Mountain. Near Ouray, Colo.; Panoramic view of mountains south of Ouray, CO. The prominent peak is Mt Sneffels. Taken from the Dallas Divide.

: Red Mountains Uncompahgre Canon, Mt. Hayden, Canon Cr. (Ouray, Colo.); Photograph (black and white) of Red Mountains, Uncompahgre Canon, Mt. Hayden, Canon Cr. (Ouray, Colo.) taken from the mountain across the valley. The town's street grid is clearly visible.

: Red Mountains from Iron Park on Red Mountain Pass between Ouray and Silverton on U. S. 550, Colorado; Lithograph photo print of Red Mountains with snow patches on their peaks across a small lake and reflected clearly in the still waters. A few wisps of clouds float in the sky.

: Red Mt. Pass between Ouray & Silverton (Colo.); Red Mountain Pass between Ouray & Silverton

: Red Mts on Million Dollar Highway; Red Mountains on the Million Dollar Highway.

: Red mountains (Colo.); The text reads, "Red Mountains, colorful peaks of the San Juan Range, which suddenly loom into sight here at Ironton Park after the climb along The Million Dollar Highway through Uncompahgre Gorge, on the road from Ouray to Silverton, Colorado."

: Reflections, north of Rico, Colorado; Scene of mountain and its reflections in a pond or lake. Two buildings are visible on the right edge of the photo on top of a gravel ridge. The mountain above is covered by forest on the left with bare rock cliffs on the right.

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