We were there a couple of weeks ago and once again fell in love with Ouray.

Ouray Overlook

There are a couple of old buildings there, and while not the quintessential rustic Colorado mine buildings we all love, the old equipment left there is still interesting. Both buildings (an equipment shed and a bunkhouse) are light gray in color, so it’s easy to pick them out from the town below.

Yup, it's that far

So near and yet so far. Park at the Amphitheater Campground on the southeast side of Ouray. Trail head parking is available, along with a pit toilet (it’s the last one you’ll see on this hike). The trail presents only a slight climb the first half mile.

And then, hang onto your lungs. Two miles of continuous switchbacks take you around the back side of a mountain and test your resolve and thigh muscles. Eventually you emerge within sight of Ouray, and my, doesn’t it seem small? This hike is listed as strenuous and it is. Bring water and plan to take at least two hours to get to the top. Three if you’re a flatlander.

Two and a half miles in you’ll come to a very strange and stubborn tree, a conifer that will not give up. It looks like a bald man’s comb-over with pine needles on top. Rejoice, because the trail levels off.

Another quarter mile and you are at Upper Cascade Falls, worth the trip by itself if the run-off is high. And very nice even when there isn’t much water.

Upper Cascade Falls

Another quarter mile past the creek and you have arrived at the mine. As always respect the old mine stuff and stay away from the hole. But by all means, enjoy the view.

Looking down on Ouray

Normally the trip back is a breeze, but not this time. The trail is so steep your knees will pay for your adventure.

It takes nearly as long to get down as to get up. And the pit toilet at the trail head is a welcome sight.

But this trip was booked a month ago and generally Colorado’s bears are pretty docile. Unless, apparently, you feed them. Take a gander at the article below:

Bear killed elderly Ouray County woman.

By PAUL SHOCKLEY/The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel

Monday, August 10, 2009

A Ouray County woman was killed by a 394-pound adult male bear, which investigators believe attacked the woman as she was standing on her back porch, dragged her under a wire fence and started eating her body, authorities said Monday.

With this knowledge far in the back of my mind I arrived at our hotel in Ouray and around dusk went to take a look at the on-site, spring-fed hot tubs. As I reached tub number three and stuck my hand in it I saw a bear running away under the deck I was standing on. Since he was small, maybe 200 pounds, and since he was running I didn’t think much about it. I continued on my quest when suddenly he appeared again, this time crossing straight in front of me at a distance of about 15 feet. And then he stopped and we looked at each other.

I froze. He froze.  And time stopped.  I have long known that A fed bear is a dead bear. But I also know that An eaten Greg is a dead Greg.

And then as time resumed, he took off again.

Our stay has just begin in Ouray, so I may see him again. I’ll try to get a picture.

Pacu caught in a pond near Runyon Lake in Pueblo

Elaine Sheridan:

I understand they think there are more in there?

James Muller:
How would they know?  Drop in a cow?

Subject: Large, carnivorous pacu found in a Pueblo pond and featured on News First.

Wild Catch