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Avalanche training grounds open to public

Backcountry skiers, snowboarders and snowshoers can practice the safety skill of locating beacons buried beneath snowpack at Ouray Mountain Rescue Tea...

January 15, 2025

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BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS

In the shadows of the Uncompaghre Gorge, Sonya Wilson carefully swung her ice axe and kicked her crampons up a frosty pitch. Hooked into belayers watc...

January 8, 2025

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Blasting project resumes above Ouray

Blasting for a private homeowner’s garage project resumed Tuesday in the side of a mountain above Ouray, with operations paused for the upcoming Ouray...

January 8, 2025

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Governments playing waiting game for housing dollars

Ouray County’s local governments and developers are still working to draw from the state’s first stream of dedicated affordable housing dollars mainly...

January 8, 2025

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Ice Park on precipice of fundraising goal

More than two years after securing conditional rights to access water from Canyon Creek, the Ouray Ice Park is about $200,000 away from finishing its ...

January 8, 2025

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Top story of 2024: What will become of Red Mountain reservoir?

The future of Crystal Reservoir, the shallow body of water atop Red Mountain Pass prized for its scenic values and water rights, is very much up in th...

January 1, 2025

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Top story of 2024: Record rain triggers destructive flooding

Record August rainfall caused extensive countywide destruction, at least $5 million in damages and triggered emergency disaster declarations at the lo...

January 1, 2025

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Top story of 2024: With housing, progress for some, uncertainty for others

Gains in planning and constructing deed-restricted housing in 2024 were matched by struggles to preserve one of Ouray County’s largest existing afford...

January 1, 2025

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Top story of 2024: Feds affirm plan to limit hikers, campers

Hikers and campers will need permits to visit Blue Lakes southwest of Ridgway as soon as the summer of 2025 as part of a larger wilderness management ...

January 1, 2025

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Ouray business owner touts benefits of work visa program

For the past five high-tourism seasons, university students from Brazil to Malaysia came to work at Ouray Grocery on work exchange visas.Owner Tom Fed...

December 25, 2024

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SADDLE UP AND RIDE

January 15, 2025

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Report: Padgett likely treated workers poorly

Commissioner apologizes; county plans to adopt code of conduct

By By Deb Hurley Brobst and Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

January 15, 2025

Ouray County commissioners will develop a conduct policy for both elected county leaders and staff in the wake of a final report on an investigation of Road and Bridge Superintendent Ty Barger’s compl...

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An adventurer of ‘considerable abilities’

Whether he was testing his own athletic limits or mentoring others, avalanche victim Don Moden Jr. was passionate about the outdoors

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

January 15, 2025

It was a workout day for Don Moden Jr. For the 57-year-old Ridgway athlete and adventurer, that could take many forms — a gravel bike ride along County Road 24, a run on one of the countless ribbons o...

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Niece handed board leadership over Padgett

Commissioners break tradition of taking turns, drawing objections from public

By By Lia Salvatierra and Erin McIntyre lia@ouraynews.com erin@ouraynews.com

January 15, 2025

A routine change in leadership roles on the Board of County Commissioners attracted attention this week when Commissioner Lynn Padgett was not chosen as chairperson, a position that instead went to Co...

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Ridgway deputy receives lifesaving award

Brannon Hasler pulled Ridgway resident from burning car after wreck

By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com

January 15, 2025

Sue Stern doesn't remember much about the day her life was saved. She and her husband, Burt, were on their way back home after a trip to Montrose. They had taken their dog, Spencer, to a grooming appo...

Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines