Seizing the Western Spirit of Telluride, Ridgway, Ouray, Montrose, Norwood and the West End

Seizing the Western Spirit of Telluride, Ridgway, Ouray, Montrose, Norwood and the West End

Between Montrose, Colorado (where most people fly in and out of when visiting this part of southwest Colorado) and just beyond Telluride up to Lizard Head Pass, you can take in some of the most spectacular scenery in the West, or rather in America. (There’s not a stoplight within about fifty miles.) In truth, here you can breathe in some of the most gorgeous vistas in the world.

The people that first settled in this area were hearty souls that left their imprint in many interesting ways. Actually, many of the people that live within the hamlets of these oh-so rugged San Juan Mountains still have to be resilient and yes, most better know how to stoke a wood stove and clear out piles of snow, sometimes day after day. night after night. In some of the highest elevations, heights that flirt with 10,000 feet in this part of San Miguel County, iris don’t bloom until July–what does that tell you?

To take in some of the best views of the region’s dense backdrop of fourteeners (summits that measure at least 14,000 feet), take the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway, an amazing route (on 145 here) that snakes along plummeting mountainsides and stretches across glorious alpine meadows. If you want to go deeper into these mountains, you can hike, bike, ski (backcountry skiing here is only for experts knowledgeable about how snow behaves) or go on a jeep tour. The latter takes you way up high to old mining camps rich in history where in some cases thousands of miners lived toward the end of the nineteenth century. Learn more about the area’s colorful mining days, tales of the Utes, the Native Americans that first settled here, and the rise of one of the world’s most renowned ski resorts founded some fifty years ago, at the Telluride Historical Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate and a must-visit for visitors and locals alike. (Ever hear of the term basket case? Well that originated because injured or deceased miners were transported down the mountain in a full-length closed basket-like casket that covered them from head to toe. That’s the kind of thing you learn here!)

When in Telluride, take a good look at the Nugget Building, a large sandstone structure on the corner of W Colorado (the main street) and N Fir. One of the top historic architectural landmarks in Colorado, this recently restored rose-colored beauty originally opened in 1892 as the First National Bank of Telluride. It’s no longer a bank, however, you can peer in and see its interior dominated by an immense safe, the site and scene of the first bank that Butch Cassidy robbed in 1884. Telluride was a rich supply town during that era and Butch and his cronies ran off with a whopping $21,000.–quite the heist indeed!

The drive between Telluride and Ridgway–along Route 62 and still on the San Juan Skyway –offers more awe-inspiring moments, particularly from atop Dallas Divide where you can admire (best to pull off) majestic views of Mt. Sneffels, another iconic fourteener of the San Juan Mountain Range. Vast ranch land, punctuated by split-rail fences, herds of grazing cattle and a handful of teepees in the distance (in summer), most of this land makes up the Double RL Ranch also known as Ralph Lauren’s place. Like a scene from a great western movie, these views show that there are still many unspoiled places in the American West. No wonder much of the beloved movie, “True Grit,” was filmed here and also down the road in Ridgway. Yes, John Wayne fell in love with this place and so will you. Ridgway now ranks as a town brimming with history, fun eateries and bars, shops and galleries–it’s no surprise that real estate has increased here as much as the number of pot shops in the area.

Just fifteen minutes up the road from Ridgway, you pass more movie-worthy ranch land as you head into Ouray. Pronounced like Your-ay, this charming little mountain town is distinguished by its amphitheater of high peaks. Here you can find a jeep tour that will take you over the mountain and down into Telluride or spend time soaking in their healing waters at two very different locales, including the Ouray Hot Springs and The Weisbaden. Orvis, in Ridgway, also stands out as a great spot for relaxing, particularly if you forgot your bathing suit at home. (Wink, wink.) Named after Chief Ouray, a great Ute Indian chief, the natives have always considered these sources to be sacred and therapeutic for the mind, body and spirit. For a different type of nurturing, plan a stay at the glorious Beaumont Hotel & Spa, an historic property that was meticulously restored to its Victorian splendor a couple of decades ago.

Go to the Ute Indian Museum at the entrance of Montrose to learn about and experience more of the history, culture and traditions of the Ute people that inhabited these lands long before white men arrived.

Instead of going right onto Route 62 from Telluride, you can go left, remaining on 145. You’ll be driving west along a curvy road that skirts the San Miguel River, making your way out to the West End. This part of your journey in the San Miguel Canyon will allow you to lose yourself within nature’s raw beauty and wildness. Keep your eyes out for deer, foxes, bears and mountain goats and know that there’s no cell service along much of this route, which is also a gift except if you end up needing some kind of assistance.

Just past Norwood Hill, the skies open up to glorious ranch land of a different sort on top of Wright’s Mesa. Here, you’re right smack dab in the middle of great Western ranches where cows and sheep graze most every day of the year. The elevation is lower in Norwood, and the drop down to some 7,000 feet means that temperatures run about fifteen degrees higher than in the mountains. Here, you experience a ruggedness of a different kind; it’s drier, hotter and often more windy, so chances are that you will see tumbleweed blowing across the road as you cruise along and gaze at the far-reaching views of mountains in the distance. Don’t let one get caught in your spokes though! That’s not much of a worry because most people do their bike riding on one of the thirty-some trails that are part of the West End Trail Alliance. You can bike, hike, do birding or other types of exploration on this vast network of trails in this arid region–it’s all good just as long as it’s not motorized. This is what you call getting away from it all. Plus, your cellphone will likely not work out here. That’s one of the bonuses of adventuring in a remote land.

Stop into High Country Bicycles, the hub for everything cycling, located on Norwood’s main street, for all your bike needs and for tapping into the inside track.

Seeing the full brilliance of the night’s sky has become another attraction for the West End communities of Norwood, Naturita and Nucla. To be designated an IDA, or International Dark-Sky Association locale has become quite the distinction for these remote communities and stargazers of all kinds are taking notice. Ridgway has also been recently recognized by the IDA. Not only does this make wishing on a star extra special but it also incentivizes the residents of these areas to maintain their status and keep light pollution at bay. This all makes it easy to stand in awe of the night sky and imagine how these same celestial bodies guided the ancestral people that came before us, how they often led the cowboys, shepherds and miners home. Some are still undoubtedly shown the way by them–as is today’s modern-day visitor. That’s all part of the wonder of the West. Now go on out and tap into it.