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Feature

Ouray Ice Park’s 30th Ice Festival doubles as a four-day long birthday party that is equal parts celebration and reflection of three decades as a keys...

January 22, 2025

News

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

Feature, Main

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

Ridgway council votes to explore all-electric rules with grant money

By LIA SALVATIERRA

June 12, 2026

The Ridgway Town Council has decided it’s willing to take a chance on a grant-funded public process in pursuit of an all-electric building code for new construction. Councilors unanimously voted on We...

News

County hires finance director

By Plaindealer Staff

June 10, 2026

An economist and finance strategist has been hired as Ouray County's chief financial officer. Ouray County announced this week it has hired Jason Schrock for the position and he will start in July. Ou...

News

County to provide free reproductive health services

By LIA SALVATIERRA

June 10, 2026

Ouray County Public Health will now provide free reproductive health services for patients under 25 years old, under new agreements approved by county commissioners Tuesday. The yearlong program calle...

News

Primary ballots mailed to voters

By Plaindealer Staff

June 10, 2026

Ouray County voters should begin receiving ballots in the mail this week in advance of the June 30 primary election. Most of the competition for the primary election is at the state and federal level....

Main, News...

A well-deserved honor

June 10, 2026

Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines