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OURAY, COLORADO - USA
Ouray is a city located in Ouray County, Colorado. As of the 2000 census,
the city had a total population of 813. It is the county seat of Ouray
County.
Geography
Ouray is located at 38°1'24" North, 107°40'20" West (38.023217,
-107.672178).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
2.2 km˛ (0.8 mi˛). 2.2 km˛ (0.8 mi˛) of it is land and none of it is covered
by water.
Ouray is located in the San Juan Mountains of
south-western Colorado. It is about 40 miles south of Montrose. It is only
10 miles NE of Telluride but due to the severity of the landscape, the drive
is about 50 miles. Ouray is connected to Silverton and then Durango to the
south by Red Mountain Pass which crests at just over 11,000 feet. The scenic
drive along the Uncompahgre River and over the pass is nicknamed the Million
Dollar Highway, although the exact origin of the name is disputed.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 813 people, 374 households, and 225
families residing in the city. The population density is 373.7/km˛ (965.3/mi˛).
There are 583 housing units at an average density of 268.0/km˛ (692.2/mi˛).
The racial makeup of the city is 97.54% White, 0.37% African American, 0.12%
Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races,
and 0.74% from two or more races. 6.40% of the population are Hispanic or
Latino of any race.
There are 374 households out of which 25.1% have children under the age of
18 living with them, 52.7% are married couples living together, 5.3% have a
female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% are non-families.
34.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.2% have someone
living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is
2.15 and the average family size is 2.76.
In the city the population is spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18,
5.2% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who
are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 42 years. For every 100
females there are 103.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
are 104.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $36,094, and the median
income for a family is $45,313. Males have a median income of $35,217 versus
$27,083 for females. The per capita income for the city is $23,127. 8.1% of
the population and 9.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the
total people living in poverty, 7.1% are under the age of 18 and 6.4% are 65
or older.
Industry
The entire present-day economy of Ouray is based on tourism. Ouray bills
itself as the "Switzerland of America" because of its setting at the narrow
head of a valley, enclosed on two sides by steep mountains. A visitor can
float on the Ouray Hot Springs swimming pool (open all year) and gaze at the
slopes above, drive or tour over a 4wd road to Telluride or to Yankee Boy
Basin with its wildflower display, visit Box Canyon Falls (similar to a
European klamm, unusual in America), or just drive the highway up the gorge
toward Durango. The main street is lined with trendy shops. Probably because
of repeat visitors and no local ski area, it has remarkably little kitsch
compared to many tourist towns. Personal opinion from 2001: The glass blower
and one ice cream parlor are exceptional.
Like most towns in the Colorado mountains, Ouray was originally a mining
town. Fortunately the evidence does not dominate the town. The largest and
most famous mine is the Camp Bird Mine, the second largest gold mine in
Colorado and still in operation. It can be seen on the steep 2wd road
leading to the 4wd roads to Yankee Boy Basin and Imogene Pass.
In the summer, much of the tourism is focused on hiking and four wheel drive
expeditions into the San Juan Mountains. 4WD vehicles, often called 'jeeps'
regardless of make, can be rented from a number of outfitters downtown.
Popular destinations include Yankee Boy Basin, Engineer Mountain, and Black
Bear Road. The latter, connecting Ouray to nearby Telluride, is all but
impassible. Recording artist C.W. McCall helped make the road famous in the
area. His song 'Black Bear Road' borrowed the phrase 'You don't have to be
crazy to drive this road, but it helps' from a sign once posted on nearby
Engineer Mountain Road.
Ouray has recently become renowned among climbers and mountaineers as host
to the world's first artificial ice climbing park. Expanding on a few
popular natural falls, the park consists of dozens of frozen waterfalls from
80 to 200 feet high farmed along more than a mile of Box Canyon. The water
is supplied by a sprinkler system developed and maintained by a volunteer
organization and supported by donations from local businesses, gear
manufacturers and climbers. The Ouray Ice Park is free and attracts climbers
from around the world. The annual Ice Festival is a weekend-long
extravaganza of contests, exhibitions and instruction with many of the
world's top ice climbers. Ice climbing has been a boon to the local economy
as well, with hotels and restaurants that previously closed through the
winter months now staying open to accommodate climbers.
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