"Ridgway - my home for half a year!" Ridgway by tremendopunto

Ridgway Travel Guide: 20 reviews and 49 photos

Welcome to Ridgway!

Ridgway is a laid-back small town in the middle of Colorado. I was lucky to live a beautiful half year with the great Coulter family here in 1994 - Thank you sooo much, Larry, Jeanne, Kelly, Tate, Chad and Jake for the beautiful time you gave me!!!
So it is a long time ago and the pics are from the pre-digital age.

Well, my first thought when I heard I would stay in Ridgway was - where is it? I couldnt find it on the map ;-) Why not LA or NY?

Mountain range around Mt.Sneffles-can you see me?

So what is Ridgway all about?
It turned out to be a fantastic place to be with the nicest guest-family I could imagine!
Ridgway is right in the Rockies on the road between Montrose and Durango. It offers an amazing mountainside with Mt.Sneffels and a rich wildlife full of Deer and Elk, which make it a popular hunting area. Combined with the neighbouring places like Ouray you find sparkling waterfalls, soothing natural springs (the hot springs are especially nice during snowfall!!!!), charming victorian architecture, more than 500 miles of trails for hikers, bikers and 4-wheel-drivers.....I wasnt into road cycling during this time, but if I ever get there again, Ill take my race cycle with me to try of these challenging montain passes - they are made for cycling!
Plus the Ridgway reservoir offers great fishing and boating.

In winter you have plenty opportunities for cross country skiing, snow shoeing, snowmobiling and so on.
It is surrounded by ski resorts like Telluride (nordic, alpine and telemark skiing) and national parks like the Uncompahgre National Forest. There must be a reason if people like Ralph Lauren and others choose this area for their holiday lodges.......

This area is famous for deer and elk - and hunting

Another thing Ridgway is proud of is the setting for John Waynes "The True Grit". For example the hanging scene takes place right in the town park. Most of the buildings you see in the movie are real and can still be seen in Ridgway. There is a cafe named after the movie, too ;-)

The second big thing in Ridgway during my time was Highschool basketball. Coach Hill (a living legend over here) formed an extraordinary team that went for the back-to-back class 1A state champions - UNBEATEN in two years from 1994 to 1995. You could see it everywhere: Demon pride! Go Demons Go!!!
Even the referees where amazed by the huge variety of tactics after the game - saying, I never thought to see the "weave" again.... Do you know the movie "Hoosiers" - Rigway was a cinderella story just like that, except we didnt play with chucks anymore ;-)

Pros and Cons

Pros:Amazing countryside, wildlife, warmhearted people, John Wayne, Demon Pride,.....
Cons:Small town life - but that offers a special charme, too!
In a nutshell:I had the best time during my half year stay in Ridgway!

Last visit to Ridgway: Dec 1993
Intro Updated Oct 19, 2006
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Reviews (13)

Telluride Things to Do (13)

I Tell-u-ride away: this is a great mountain hideaway and a fantastic ski resort for nordic, alpine and telemark skiing... more travel advice

Ouray - the Switzerland of America Things to Do (13)

Ouray was named one of the most pittoresque cities by the Sunset Magazine, calling it the "Gem of the Rockies". Another... more travel advice

steam powered railway connection Silverton-Durango - Ridgway

Famous steam powered Silverton-Durango... Things to Do (13)

This is a famous steam powered narrow gauge railway connecting Silverton with Durango. These 45 miles through... more travel advice

Jeanne, Chad, Jake and me grill some marshmellows - Ridgway

Camping Things to Do (13)

This wonderful countryside just calls you for camping - and what can be better than a nice fire at night and some burned... more travel advice

Travelogues (2)

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Comments (6)

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Ina22Marina Jul 31, 2010 at 9:28 PM

Wow, must have been quite the time for you with all the hiking, riding, skiing and hunting... it was a fascinating return to the past for me... :-)))
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feag Oct 27, 2007 at 11:42 AM

interesting to read about Ridgeway as not heard of it before. hope you still keep in touch with your guest family you stayed with. have they ever visited you & where you live?
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KiKitC Oct 8, 2007 at 2:51 AM

Yeah, we went through Ridgeway a couple of times...we didn't get on the trail the rally took up to Mt. Sneffels...next time though...must've been a blast to stay there.
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iris2002 Nov 21, 2006 at 1:53 PM

OMG - bist dass DU auf dem Pferd????????? Haha, das ist ja echt ein tolles Foto...!!!
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Hui-Hui Oct 18, 2006 at 7:00 AM

Ridgway was an unknown town for me before. But after reading your great page I find it so lovely with pretty nature, marvelous wild life and friendly people!
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Luchonda Oct 13, 2006 at 5:58 AM

Nice little page so far Greetz from Ghent