Standing Tall: Late and legendary guide Bean Bowers takes in the view from atop Sneffels.
Ouray has developed a well-deserved reputation for its ice—for good reason. But, beyond that, the little mountain town is also transforming into an American Alps. That’s not because you will find kitschy Bavarian-style homes and wiener schnitzel here, but rather because of the guiding experience. San Juan Mountain Guides, who work closely with the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) deliver the type of experience you would expect in Austria rather than Southwest Colorado. That’s thanks in a big part to the AMGA’s dedication to raising the standard of guiding in the U.S,, requiring guides to not just be certified the way they are across the pond but also to understand how to deliver a trip that suits their customers. The translation? Get out with these guys and you won’t feel like a “guide” is dragging you around.
Of course, San Juan Mountain Guides can show you all the ice you can swing a pick at in the winter, but the real Euro experience to be had here is in the summer, when the high peaks open up for adventure. The crown jewel is 14,150-foot Mount Sneffels, which is easy to access via a jeep road and offers up routes for all ability levels. The standard class 2 trip up from Yankee Boy Basin is a scramble/walk-up that’s suitable for adventure-keen older children. More fun is the class 3 Southwest Ridge, which gets away from the crowds and offers a few beautifully exposed moments on the way to the top. And when there is snow, the Snake Couloir is the most fun way to scale this 14er.
The most Euro experience the guides offer in the summer, though, comes from going down the mountain. The sport of canyoneering consists of following water from its source, rappelling into waterfalls and squeezing into narrow slots along the way. Further shedding its ice-only stereotype, Ouray will host a Canyoneering Festival this August 16–19.
For information, go to meetup.com/Ouray-Canyon-Festival
