Summer in the San Juan Mountains

Memorial Day traditionally marks the start of summer.  Here in Ouray, we are welcoming summer in a lot of fun ways.  Everything opens up this weekend.  The flowers are out at the hotels and on Main Street.  Restaurants and shops are open.

Nearly all hiking trails are open, at least the lower ones.   The Perimeter trail, Portland trail, Baby Bathtubs and Box Canyon Park are open and dry.

The jeeping season is here. Yankee boy basin is open and the trails are calling. Get your off road vehicles in drive and check out the trails for the first time this season. We have not been out yet but we are keeping track of what is open and drivable so give us a call or check our Facebook page for current conditions.

Memorial Day kicks off the first summer festival of the season. Balloons-N- Varooms , in Ridgway, is  a weekend of free concerts, an arts and crafts fair, a classic car show and tethered balloon rides as part of this event. The weekend lineup includes:

Friday May 25– Event Open: 4pm – 9:30pm

• Car Cruise … 4-5pm
• Balloon Glow … half-hour after sunset
• Music by Ralph Dinosaur … 5:30pm-9:30pm

Saturday May 26– Event Open: 7am – 9:30pm

• Mass Balloon Lift … Ridgway U.S.A. at 7am
• Pancake Breakfast … 7:30-9:30am
• Tethered Balloon Rides … 7-10am
• Art & Craft Festival … 9am-5pm
• Car Show … 10am-4pm
• Bands throughout the day … 10:30am-8pm

Sunday May 27– Event Open: 7am-5pm

•  Mass Balloon Lift … Ridgway U.S.A. at 7am
• Car Show Cruise to Divide Ranch & Club … Brunch Noon-1pm
• Art & Craft Festival … 10am-5pm
• Live Music… 10:30am-5pm

Of course, we would like to remember the reason we celebrate Memorial Day which is the day we honor those who died while serving our country. Many people observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries and memorials. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 pm local time. Another tradition is to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. Finally, in keeping with  the tradition, Volunteers often place American flags on each grave site at national cemeteries. In Ouray the Elks will honor the day by placing American flags on the graves of veterans in the Ouray cemetery.

So make your plans to come play in Ouray and celebrate Memorial Day and the first weekend of summer.

Call us at 970 325 7222 or visit us on line to make your reservations.

Springtime on a country road near Ouray CO

Bird watching in Ouray

Bird watching  season in Ouray is underway. The air is alive with songbirds half-hidden in the trees. We saw our first Robin a couple of weeks ago and have seen tantalizing gllimpses of the bluebirds in Box Canyon. There also were supposed to be Great Blue Herons here. Everyone else had seen them striding in the river or standing in their nests, those huge stick built structures that dominate the trees along the river. So, we drove up to Cow Creek near the RidgwayState Park to look for them. Everyone had seen them from the road.

We did not.

Several trips to the promised viewing area did not produce a single sighting. Such is our luck. We saw the nests, we heard the reports but no luck in the visual department. But we were happy to hear that this herony was thriving as never before.  The newspaper reports that the population has grown dramatically, in part to the healthy river ecosystem that provides clean clear water that in turn produces lots of food. That is good news. Oh well, there is always next year.

In the meantime, the bird watching opportunities continue. We did see the Golden eagles soaring through the park but could not get any good pictures, as usual.  The Sandhill cranes should be coming through on their annual migration as well. These cranes are just as spectacular as the Herons. Like the herons, the cranes are attracted to the open water of the Ridgway reservoir and its three in-flowing streams so hopefully we can get some good photographs there. There have been reports of Kingfishers as well!  There are over 140 other species sighted in Ouray County so there is lots of bird watching to go around. Hopefully we will be more successful with the cranes, eagles or any of the other species now here.

Wish us luck.

Celebrating mud season

Ourays mud season is here. We said goodbye to the last of the ice climbers today,  a happy if soggy bunch. There is still some good ice in the park but it is getting harder to find. So, as the Ice Park gets ready to close we are getting ready to move in the quiet of the early spring and mud season.

April and May are the wettest and snowiest months of the winter. Of course we also have wonderful spring temperatures that rapidly melts that snow, resulting in mud on the streets and on the trails.

Mud season.

People seem to avoid Ouray during this time, maybe because they perceive it as a time when nothing is happening. That is simply not true.

Opportunities for wildlife sightings abound. This is the time when spring birds come back to Ouray and the mountain sheep and elks come down where they can be easily seen from the road and bears may be seen in Box Canyon Park.

Beginning April 19,The  Ouray County Historical Society  reopens on the weekends At the same time, the new  ”Otto Mears Exhibit” opens. Most Ouray County residents are familiar with the name Otto Mears. He is most famous for building toll roads and railroads. However, Otto was involved in many other endeavors including founding newspapers, mining investing, military service,Coloradopolitics, and numerous others. Visit the museum that the Smithsonian has called one of the best small museums in the west and learn about the career of this famous Colorado entrepreneur.   Another new exhibit: The Bridal Exhibit, “A sampling of Bridal Gowns 1883-1966,” also opens on April 19 and runs through June 30th.

Finally there is Mud Fest on April 27-28. It starts with a Pub Crawl on Friday in Ouray and continues on Saturday with the main stage events at the Ouray County Fairgrounds. Watch 4X4 vehicles navigating obstacle courses and race in the mud, see motorcycles doing crazy things in the mud, antique tractors pulling in the mud, and other muddy activities.  The fest concludes on Saturday night in Ouray with the Mud Ball Dance hosted by the Ouray Fire Department in the Community Center. If watching (or particpating in) sounds exciting, then this is your time to come have fun in Ouray County!

Other Mud season activities are scheduled at the Wright Opera House and Weehawken. All in all, mud season is a great time to come up and enjoy Ouray.

Book your rooms now to join us for any of these activities

or call us at 970 325 7222

It’s fun when a film crew comes to town. Sometimes it’s the chance to see someone famous, other times it’s a chance to see familiar places on a movie screen or TV.  The San Juan’s are a popular place for filming commercials, whether it is on the Million Dollar Highway between here and Silverton or in the back country over the Alpine loop.  Watching the film crews work is often puzzling, generating a lot of perplexed “Whaaaaat?” and “Why are they doing that?”    When Jeep was filming, they towed a Grand Cherokee on a trailer along with a couple of extra skid plates and a 500 gallon tank of water to the top of Engineer pass. The extra skid plates we got, but the tank of water- it was to wash the car between takes.  While  4-wheeling and dirt  kind of go together, we guess no one wants to buy a shiny new SUV after watching a mud encrusted shiny new SUV commercial.

Watching the episode of Top Gear, we laughed because it looks like they were filming footage for the Alpine Loop east to Lake City by turning South off of Highway 62 onto Last Dollar Road, then driving north on Camp Bird Road and ending up someplace without mountains. Of course, none of this matters to the finished story. The San Juan mountains ARE spectacular, you CAN drive a Jeep to the places they filmed and you CAN drive a minivan up some of the 4 wheel roads(as long as you’re prepared to pay a really expensive towing bill).

When we stopped to think about it, Ouray has an enormous amount to offer.   Without going more than 20 miles in any direction, we can provide just about any kind landscapes a film crew needs:  Mountain vistas to open range,  high desert to dense forest,  ghost towns to lively western towns,  wildflowers to autumn colors  and much more.

In short we got it all plus the infrastructure to make it work. What a great place to be. Come visit, come film.

We can provide logistical support from transportation to site selection and of course terrific lodging options so give us a call at 970 325 7222.

Upcoming Events

St. Patrick’s Day Specials and Funkdafari at O’Brien’s Pub & Grill

Saturday, March 17, 2012, 11:00 AM – 1:00 AM

Special Menu all day featuring your favorite Irish Pub plates. Irish Car Bomb’s $4 All Day, Half price Pints of Guinness All Day! The “3 Irish Men” will be playing tunes from 5-7, then starting at 10pm Funkdafari will keeping you feet dancing. Look for lots of Pub give-a-ways to help you remember this celebration.  Call us now  970 -325 7222 to reserve your rooms for St Patrick’s Day weekend or book on line

Mud Fest is taking shape: April 27-30, 2012

It starts with a Pub Crawl on Friday, continues on Saturday with the Ouray County Mud Fest activities at the Ouray County Fairgrounds on Saturday, and ends with the Mud Ball Dance hosted by the Ouray Fire Department in the Ouray Community Center that evening.

If watching (or participating in) 4X4 vehicles navigating obstacle courses and racing in the mud, motorcycles doing crazy things in the mud, antique tractors pulling in the mud, and other muddy activities sound exciting, then this is your time to come have fun in Ouray County!  Call us now  970 325 7222 to reserve your rooms for this first of its kind event in Ouray or book on line

Call for Artists & Vendors for the 28th Annual Ridgway Rendezvous Arts and Crafts Festival in Ridgway, CO – Applications Available Now!

The primary application deadline for exhibiting in this event is May 1, 2012.

Weehawken Creative Arts in Ridgway and Ouray, Colorado invites artists and craftspeople to participate in the 28th Annual Ridgway Rendezvous Arts and Crafts Festival.  This annual show is located at the junction of Highways 550 and 62 in Southwest Colorado, Gateway to the beautiful San Juan Mountains. Ridgway is just 9 miles north of Ouray, 37 miles east of Telluride and 24 miles south of Montrose.  Known as one of the most picturesque locations out there for artisans as well as shoppers, this show boasts very successful sales for the 140 vendors.

The dates for this year’s event are August 11 and 12, 2012.  Call us now to 970 325 7222 reserve your rooms for this very fun event or book on line

So those of you planning spring break trips,  if fighting for space on crowded beaches or battling long lines at the ski lifts are not your idea of a great vacation, then head this way.  No beaches but great swimming in the Hot Springs Pool;  no expensive lift tickets,  just miles of nordic ski trails on pristine snow under the bluest sky around; and no fighting for parking spots.

Enjoy our spring special: from April 1 through May 1, 2012, all single king or double queen rooms are $72.00 per night double occupancy.  One day Hot Springs pool passes available for $6.00 per ticket.  Fabulous scenery, no charge. Call us at 970 325 7222 to reserve your room. Sorry, cannot be booked on line.

Of course, some people around here call spring around here, Mud Season.  Don’t avoid the mud, embrace it.  Ouray is hosting our 1st Annual Mud Fest and Mud Ball  on April 28, 2012.  Make plans to come on out and get muddy, or watch others get muddy or both. Neat things to do for the entire family.

Also coming up:

Sneffels Half Loop backcountry Nordic race  March 10 2012

This   fundraiser for the Mount Sneffels Education fund. is a 23 mile run from Telluride into Ridgway.  The race will traverse the Alder Creek/Dallas Trail System, which connects the 5 huts of San Juan Hut Systems. Any and all types of skis are allowed: from AT ‘heavy metal’ to ‘toothpicks & tennis shoes.’

Racers are required to have an avalanche transceiver. Entry fee: $100 per racer. More information at www.sanjuanhuts.com

Wine & Whiskers V  Saturday, March 10, 2012, 5:30 PM

This Mardi-Gras themed evening includes a live and silent auction stocked with over 300 items and the sizzling and dazzling Fashion Cabaret! The Fashion Cabaret combines fashion, dance, and music for a high energy roof-raising night and is followed by dancing to the eclectic tunes of DJ Antone.

The evening starts at 5:30 PM with complimentary wine and beer for the first hour to compliment the samplers from local chefs throughout Ouray, San Miguel andMontroseCounties(which in the past included someNew Orleansfavorites such as crawfish, gumbo, and decadent bread pudding with bourbon sauce).

You don’t want to miss this evening – considered by many to be the most fun and unique entertainment in the region!

Book your rooms now for these events.

March 23  James McMurtry at the Wright Opera House.

James McMurtry’s many skills coalesce into a substantial formidable whole: the voice, the tunes, the stories, and the musicanship have become elementally interwoven to create the inimitable fabric of a distince, singular artist who’s determined to get to the heart of the matter, shake things up and do whatever it takes to make a difference.

Tickets $25.00 or 2 for 1 with a Friday night stay.  Advance reservations required.

That said, we have new  snow so we have sledding and spring cross country skiing. We have snowmobiling. We still have lots of great ice for climbing and we have hot springs.

What else do you need for a perfect spring break getaway.  So make your plans  for your  spring break trek to the San Juan mountains and beautiful, affordable Ouray.  Call us at 970 325 7222 or book your room on line.  We look forward to seeing you.

Upcoming Ouray Events you do not want to miss.

Dzi Foundation presents Mountainfilm on Tour  March 2 and 3  2012

 A presentation on the dZi’s work in eastern Nepal followed by films from  Telluride Mountainfilm finalists.  At the Ouray Comminity Center Should be very interesting. 

Sneffels Half Loop backcountry Nordic race   March 10 2012

This   fundraiser for the Mount Sneffels Education fund. is a 23 mile run from Telluride into Ridgway.  The race will traverse the Alder Creek/Dallas Trail System, which connects the 5 huts of San Juan Hut Systems. Any and all types of skis are allowed: from AT ‘heavy metal’ to ‘toothpicks & tennis shoes.’

Racers are required to have an avalanche transceiver. Entry fee: $100 per racer. More information at www.sanjuanhuts.com

Wine & Whiskers V  Saturday, March 10, 2012, 5:30 PM

This Mardi-Gras themed evening includes a live and silent auction stocked with over 300 items and the sizzling and dazzling Fashion Cabaret! The Fashion Cabaret combines fashion, dance, and music for a high energy roof-raising night and is followed by dancing to the eclectic tunes of DJ Antone.

The evening starts at 5:30 PM with complimentary wine and beer for the first hour to compliment the samplers from local chefs throughout Ouray, San Miguel andMontroseCounties(which in the past included someNew Orleansfavorites such as crawfish, gumbo, and decadent bread pudding with bourbon sauce).

You don’t want to miss this evening – considered by many to be the most fun and unique entertainment in the region!

Book your rooms now for these events.

Also on the calendar:

March 14  (3.14 in case you didn’t get it)  National Pi Day really is a whole 24 hours dedicated to celebrating Pi, the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter! Take the national pi day challenge and see how much you remember about Pi

Ice Park icicles

It snowed again yesterday and winter photography is back.  Yes, the ice in the Ice Park is still great and there are still ice climbers coming in to climb.

But the best thing about new snow is the beauty that it brings to the San Juans, making this a winter photographer’s paradise. While July and September are most popular with photography groups and classes, winter offers a greater  opportunity for the most spectacular pictures, the ones that you want to frame. Today we saw elk, deer and eagles down in Ridgway. Snow covered mountains and small wintery scenes are all around.

Bring your camera and maybe your snow shoes and go out exploring.  Let us know what you see.

To help you  out and perhaps get you an extra day or two of vacation , we are now offering The Ouray Victorian Inn Official Excused Absence  as a special service to our guests.

To use, simply print the form shown below, fill it out and present it to your boss, teachers, or other people to whom you made an ill-considered commitment.

Name:_________________________ was unable to attend:

_____Work

_____School

_____the meeting

_____Court

because of

_____we were snowed in

_____all flights were grounded

_____the GPS steered me in the wrong direction

_____the garage is waiting on parts

_____the dog ate my car

_____Continental drift made it impossible to get home

_____The Apocolypse

_____Other _____________________________

These excuses are authorized by the Ouray Victorian Inn. Please note however the small print:

These excuses are not accepted by most employers, educational institutions, courts or government agencies.  Some employers may require additional proof (ie snow, airline voucher, repair bill, teeth marks on your car, or Post Office change of address form. Apocalypses should require no additional confirmation.

Not available to guests of other hotels or lodging

Not available to employees, staff, or contractors of the Victorian Inn

Upcoming events:

Things you should celebrate this week:

Feb 3 The Day the Music Died - Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper died in a plane crash in 1959.

Feb 4 Thank a Mailman Day

Feb 7 Wave All your Fingers at Your Neighbor Day

Of course Feb 14 Valentine’s Day

Unfortunately we all missed National Bubblewrap Day on Jan 30.

Ready for Ice climbing

Seeing the backpacks lined up outside the breakfast room reminds us of elementary   school with all the school bags lined up on the playground.  Fortunately, staying in Ouray is all about recess – playing in the ice and snow with friends.

Chicks with Picks, International Mountain Guides and Southwest Adventure Guides  are all up here this week teaching great ice climbing skills to beginners and advance climbers alike.

Everyone is reporting that the ice in the Ice Park is excellent. Come see for yourself.

Other winter news, we’ve had 12 inches  of fresh snow in the past couple days with more on the way.  So for those that find climbing walls of ice a tad crazy – skiing, sledding, snowmobiling, snowcatting, ziplines, ice skating, snowmen and snowball fights are all back on the winter menu.

If you’re lucky, once you’re here,  we might have enough snow for another student favorite – a Snow Day! “Sorry Boss, I’m snowed in and can’t get to work for another day or two.”

When you’ve rediscovered muscles you didn’t know you had,  the Hot Springs Pool is open, along with our hot tubs.

Upcoming events

Valentines Day Special: The Adventures of Rodeo and Juliet  at the Wright Opera House.

Come up for the concert and stay for the night:                                    Concert Package $111.00 plus taxes

Includes: 1 night at the Victorian Inn for two, two tickets for the concert, two passes to the Ouray Hot Springs pool and special discounts at Mouse’s Chocolate and Outlaw Restaurant. Hotel stay includes hot breakfast in the morning.

Ridgway locals, Rodeo and Juliet are a classic American Roots band. Jan and Chris Harris have a smooth timeless sound reminiscent of Patsy Cline and Hank Williams with influences by Bob Dylan, Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris.

Other Valentines Day specials:  Silverton Snowmobiling Tours   February 10-19 2012

A rose for the ladies and your honey rides free

Live Music this weekend in Ouray

Saturday Jan 28, 2012:       North Fork Flyers at O’briens Pub  9:30 pm to 1:00 am

Sunday January 29, 2012  Mountaineer Opera at the Wright Opera House a Night of Lyrical Music