Editing Ouray, Colorado (section)

==Economy==
[[File:Beaumont Hotel Ouray Colorado.JPG|thumb|Beaumont Hotel on Main Street]]
[[File:Ouray ca. 1890.jpeg|thumb|Stagecoach in front of the Beaumont Hotel, ca 1890]]
[[File:DowntownOurayCO.jpg|thumb|Ouray City Hall and fire station]]
[[File:Ouray Hot Springs Pool.jpg|thumb|The Ouray Hot Springs Pool, renovated in 2018]]
[[File:Ouray Ice Park.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Ice climber]]s at the Ouray Ice Park in the Uncompahgre Gorge]]

The majority of Ouray's economy is based on [[tourism]]. Ouray bills itself as the "Switzerland of America" because of its setting at the narrow head of a valley, enclosed on three and a half sides by steep mountains.

Much of the town tourism is focused on ice climbing, mountain biking, hiking, trail running and off-roading in four-wheel drive (4WD) expeditions into the [[San Juan Mountains]]. Ouray has also become a popular destination for motorcyclists, as it marks the beginning of the Million Dollar Highway. This stretch of highway connects Ouray to its neighboring cities of Silverton and Durango. The Million Dollar Highway is frequently regarded as one of the most beautiful roads in Colorado, but is also considered one of the most dangerous due to its sharp turns, steep ledges, and lack of guard rails.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.roadtripamerica.com/places/million.htm|title = RoadTrip America® - Million Dollar Highway}}</ref> Destinations include Yankee Boy Basin, Engineer Mountain, and [[Black Bear Road]]. Recording artist (and later Ouray mayor) [[C. W. McCall]] helped make Black Bear famous in the area. His song "Black Bear Road" borrowed the phrase, "you don't have to be crazy to drive this road, but it helps", from a sign once posted somewhere at the beginning of Black Bear Pass.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.silverstage.net/OurayMagazine/OurayRecreation/OurayRecreation.htm |title=Ouray County Recreation |access-date=October 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305074614/http://www.silverstage.net/OurayMagazine/OurayRecreation/OurayRecreation.htm |archive-date=March 5, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Ouray is a popular destination for ice climbing.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB120165127715226915?mod=opinion_journal_leisure_art | work=The Wall Street Journal | title=Where Ice Climbing Is King | first=Michael J. | last=Ybarra | date=January 30, 2008}}</ref> The world's first ice climbing park, expanding on previously popular natural falls, consists of dozens of frozen waterfalls from 80 to {{convert|200|ft|m}} high farmed along more than a mile of the [[Uncompahgre Gorge]]. The water is supplied by a sprinkler system developed and maintained by a volunteer organization and supported by donations from local businesses, gear manufacturers and climbers. The Ouray Ice Park is free and attracts climbers from around the world. The annual Ice Festival is a weekend-long extravaganza of contests, exhibitions and instruction with many of the world's top ice climbers. Ice climbing has been a boon to the local economy as well, with hotels and restaurants that previously closed through the winter months now staying open to accommodate climbers.

There are five developed hot springs in Ouray and nearby Ridgway. These include thermal pools and vapor caves. Ouray Hot Springs is the largest facility with numerous pools.<ref name="ouraycolorado.com" />

There are numerous waterfalls along the road from Durango to Ouray, and within the city limits there are two waterfalls within easy reach. Cascade Falls<ref>{{cite web|title=BeforeYouGo.com|url=http://beforeyougo.com/content/ouray-colorado-switzerland-america}}</ref> is a short, 1/4 mile hike accessible from a parking lot on 8th Avenue. Box Canyon Falls is at the southwest edge of Ouray.

Ouray was originally a mining town. The largest and most famous mine is the [[Camp Bird Mine]], the second-largest gold mine in Colorado, established by Thomas Walsh in 1896.<ref name="ouraycolorado.com">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ouraycolorado.com/Ghost+Towns |title=Ouray Colorado :: Ghost Towns |access-date=October 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091207164628/http://www.ouraycolorado.com/Ghost+Towns |archive-date=December 7, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Even though there was an operation permit filed in 2007, the mine still remains inactive.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.amazines.com/Camp_Bird_Mine_related.html|title=CAMP BIRD MINE Related Articles}}</ref> During its lifespan, the mine produced about 1.5 million [[Troy weight#Troy ounce (oz t)|troy ounce]]s of gold, and 4 million troy ounces of silver, from 1896 to 1990.<ref>[http://www.mindat.org/loc-8702.html Camp Bird Mine, Ouray, Sneffels District (Mount Sneffels District), Ouray Co., Colorado, USA<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In 1995 the old milling equipment "The Crusher" was disassembled and sold to a smaller mine located in Mongolia where it operated for about two years.<ref name="ouraycolorado.com"/> The vacant mine can be seen on the steep [[two-wheel drive]] road leading to the [[four-wheel drive]] roads to [[Yankee Boy Basin]] and [[Imogene Pass]].