Author - News

Columns, Opinion

Rain helps, but region still mired in drought

Two weeks ago, the southwest monsoon arrived, bringing relief to these parched landscapes and their residents. Most afternoons since then, Ouray has h...

July 29, 2026

Columns, Opinion

Drought persists, but relief may be en route

Ouray County remains in serious drought, as it was last month. Most of Colorado’s mountains are in extreme/ exceptional drought; the northern San Juan...

June 24, 2026

Columns, Opinion

Will Super El Niño boost winter snow? Stay tuned

A “9,000 mile “freight train of warm water” — a Kelvin wave — “hundreds of feet deep” in the Pacific Ocean has surged eastward toward Peru since April...

May 27, 2026

Columns, Opinion

Super El Niño could be boon for parched area

After three months of desperately dry Colorado weather, there’s finally good news. ENSO-neutral conditions are now present and favored from April-June...

April 29, 2026

Columns, Opinion

Is there relief for brutally warm, dry March?

Early this month, spring 2026 seemed to be yet another hot, droughty season across the West. Since then, March has been abysmally dry and scarily warm...

March 25, 2026

Columns, Opinion

Wet snow, later sunsets mark spring’s approach

Thanks to warming sun, wet snow showers, spells of shirtsleeve weather, earlier sunrises and later sunsets, meteorological spring (March 1) is upon us...

February 25, 2026

Main, News...

Flood ravages homes

County deems trio of Ponderosa Village properties uninhabitable, as residents fear more debris flows imminent

By Erin McIntyre, Chart Riggall and Mike Wiggins

August 5, 2026

When the fire raged above them on the mountain, the evacuated residents of Ponderosa Village hoped for rain. They wished for anything to help the firefighters get control of the blaze so it wouldn't b...

Main, News...

County floats disaster relief sales tax

By Chart Riggall

August 5, 2026

Draft ballot language proposes half-cent tax, with revenue split between county, city, town Ouray County commissioners are in talks to put a half-penny sales tax increase question to voters this fall ...

News

Log Hill won’t join fire authority

Board: No benefit to cost, operational structure

By James Hanlon

August 5, 2026

The Log Hill Volunteer Fire Department will not join the proposed consolidated fire and emergency medical services authority in Ouray County. Board members of the Log Hill Mesa Fire Protection Distric...

News

Crews near full containment on fire

By James Hanlon

August 5, 2026

Firefighters who are closing in on fully containing the Gold Mountain Fire have shifted their work to undoing firelines that are no longer needed to prevent erosion. “We've moved out of the suppressio...

News

‘We were in a panic’

Flooding relocates part of Dexter Creek, forces couple to seek help with pigs

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

August 5, 2026

Hank and Betsy Nicholson were watching TV at home the night of July 26 when the skies opened up and filled Dexter Creek with rainwater, mud and debris. The creek, which serves as the Nicholsons’ only ...

Karen Risch

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines