CO - Ouray

Looking out the slot canyon below Box Canyon Falls, from off the catwalk to the falls view. The old equipment on the right dates from the mining days. Presumably they were using water power to run some equipment (a Pelton wheel?) for mining operations. Ouray city park, Colorado.

Looking east from the Perimeter Trail above Box Canyon Falls. Ouray is another old mining town in the Colorado Rockies, dating from the late 1800s, that has capitalized on its setting to become a tourist center. It calls itself "Colorado's Switzerland" (!); the elevation of the town itself is 7,792 ft (2375 m), with some of the surrounding peaks over 13K ft. The spoil apron from the Chief Ouray mine is visible high on the opposite slope. Precious metals (gold & silver) were the focus of the local mining operations. Ouray was a chief of the local Native American tribe, the Utes, who saw the handwriting on the wall and tried to cut the best deal he could for his people.

Looking west, above Box Canyon Falls, Ouray, Colorado, from the bridge on the Perimeter Trail.