Fall colors in the San Juan Mountains near Ouray CO

Fall colors are here and Oktoberfest is not far off.  Right now the fall colors are exploding all over the San Juans. The aspens are turning a brilliant yellow against a backdrop of dark green pine trees. The mountains are blanketed with color.  The back country roads are the best way to experience the amazing fall color scene. We went jeeping (ok trucking) recently on our favorite part of the Alpine Loop–Corkscrew over Hurricane Pass to California Gulch into the ghost town of Animas Forks then back to Silverton.  The views were amazing, especially of Red Mountain 1 and Brown Mountain. Just when we thought we were ready to stop taking pictures, we turned a corner and found more spectacular scenery.  It was a glorious day.

Red Mountain 1 from Hurricane Pass

The fall color season in Ouray culminates with Oktoberfest which will be held this year on Saturday, October 6 at the Ouray Community Center and out on 6th Avenue. This year it will definitely be a bit more “Jeep”-y than normal. All Jeep owners and fans are invited to bring their Jeeps to park along 6th Avenue and Main Street.  Show off your stock or custom, new or old, pristine or well-traveled Jeep to welcome corporate Jeep representatives who are attending this year’s event.  Be present at an historic presentation to the City of Ouray by Jeep in recognition of our long history and love of the Jeep brand.

The Oktoberfest celebration kicks off at 5:00 PM at the Ouray Community Center and outside on 6th Avenue, with the return of the ever-popular Austrian Connection band, great German food and beer. The festivities include live music for dancing, thousands of dollars of door prizes, a traditional German costume contest, and fun children’s activities.

The anticipation of ten-thousand-plus ticket holders will come to an end at 9:00 PM, when the 2012 winner of the 48th Annual Jeep Raffle is announced. The evening ends with fireworks immediately following the Jeep Raffle drawing. There is still time to buy tickets so give us a call if you think you are destined to be the winner.

Make your plans now to attend. Call us at 970 325 7222 or visit us on line at www.ourayvictorianinn.com  to make reserve your room for the weekend and purchase your Oktoberfest tickets.

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Scene from Crooks and Skullduggery at the Wright Opera House

Summer season at the Wright Opera House is well underway.  This year leads off with the debut of an original Ouray melodrama: Crooks & Skullduggery at The Hardlife Hotel” or “Meen E. Moneybanks Stinks Up Ouray” which will be presented every Monday night from now until July 30. We are very excited about this play, not only because it is a pleasant way to spend a Monday night after a hard day of playing in Ouray but because our very own Max is part of the cast. We hope you will come out to cheer the heroine and boo the villains with the best of them (and of course clap really hard for Max).

There are a lot of other wonderful events planned for the summer season at the Wright Opera House. The whole lineup includes lots of music, music, and family entertainment.

Other summer events include:

06/22/2012 Honey Don’t Bluegrass Concert

6/27/2012 Almost Every Wednesday Movie Film Series -First movie on the schedule is ”Boy”

07/04/2012 4th of July Wright Opera House Movie E.T & Building Tours

07/06/2012 Jude Johnstone

07/21/2012 Sara Hickman  Family Concert

08/11/2012   Griffin House

08/17/2012  Vignettes in History

09/01/2012 David Wilcox

09/02/2012  David Wilcox

The Wright Opera house has been the center of Ouray’s cultural activities since it was built in 1888. Together with the Beaumont Hotel, Ouray County Court House, School House, and Miners Hospital (which now houses the Ouray County Museum), the Wright Opera House was one of the most imposing brick structures in Ouray during the late 1880s and early 1890s. This building “with its decorative iron front structural style and cast iron piers supporting the pressed metal front of the second floor was an addition the town could be proud of. Although it lay unused for many years it is in the process of being restored to its former glory albeit with modern functionality.

Summer sunrise in Ouray

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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.

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Celebrate Mothers Day in Ouray.  Make your plans now.  Come up for the weekend. On Mothers Day, take Mom or Grandma or any special lady in your life out for a special meal and a day in beautiful Ouray.  Start with a traditional brunch followed by a drive through some of the most scenic country in the Colorado. Or take a stroll up to the Box Canyon Park followed by an afternoon Salon with music that the whole family will enjoy. Either way, it will be day to remember.

Call us at 970 325 7222 ask about our Mother’s Day special or to reserve your rooms.  We will be happy to make reservations for any other event as well.

Mother’s Day Brunch at the Beaumont Hotel & Spa

Sunday, May 13, 2012, 10:30 AM – 2:00 PM

Spend Mother’s Day with us in the Historic Grand Ballroom, a quickly growing fun favorite Tradition at the Beaumont. Enjoy Prime Rib, made to order eggs & omelets,Eggs Benedict & other assorted breakfast and lunch delicacies. Complimentary Champagne or Mimosa for Mom!   Reservations Strongly Recommended 970-325-7000

Mother’s Day Salon

Sunday, May 13, 2012, 1:00 PM.

A Mother’s Day Salon at a beautiful Log Hill home on the escarpment. Luncheon will be southwestern in flavor, prepared by Secret Garden Catering of Ouray. Program will be a selection of cabaret and Broadway tunes sung by Ruth Francisco Wilson, soprano, of Cortez. This is truly a special day to treat your mom, daughter, wife, or anyone you care about. Reservations must be made ahead of time and tickets are limited. $40 per person. Call 970 626 2970 for reservations.  Sponsored by Ouray County Performing Arts Guild

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Springtime on a country road near Ouray CO

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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.

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The Ouray Mountain Air Music series is the newest free outdoor concert series on the Western Slope held in Fellin Park in Ouray, Colorado. Each Thursday in the month of June, Ouray will feature live music, along with great food, non-alcoholic beverages, and beer and wine for purchase. Each concert will be a multi-faceted family-friendly affair, with great kids’ entertainment to go along with the music.

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The Ouray Mountain Air Music series is the newest free outdoor concert series on the Western Slope held in Fellin Park in Ouray, Colorado. Each Thursday in the month of June, Ouray will feature live music, along with great food, non-alcoholic beverages, and beer and wine for purchase. Each concert will be a multi-faceted family-friendly affair, with great kids’ entertainment to go along with the music.

The post Ouray Mountain Air Music Series: Tim O’Brien and the Party of 7 featuring Tim & Molly O’Brien and an opening act by Mike Gwinn & the North Fork Flyers appeared first on Ouray Lodging.

The Ouray Mountain Air usic series is the newest free outdoor concert series on the Western Slope held in Fellin Park in Ouray, Colorado. Each Thursday in the month of June, Ouray will feature live music, along with great food, non-alcoholic beverages, and beer and wine for purchase. Each concert will be a multi-faceted family-friendly affair, with great kids’ entertainment to go along with the music.

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