“One coal-black night of a Colorado winter It snowed on Red Mountain Pass We warned ev’rybody that the Slide was runnin’ And 5-5-0h was a mess” These words from the song ‘Riverside Slide’ were written by Ouray’s singer- songwriter-mayor Bill Fries and his partner Chip Davis. Fries, who died in April, was professionally known as C.W.

McCall, and he often shared the glories and dangers of the San Juan Mountains in his music.

U.S. Highway 550, the Million Dollar Highway, has bee...