Telluride, Colorado Weather Cams
Mountain Village Webcam (Telluride)
Mountain Village Webcam Alpine Lodging (Telluride)
Mountain Lodge (Telluride)
Revelation Bowl Panorama
Downtown Telluride
Telluride Regional Airport via FAA
Dunton Springs Resort (Telluride)
Telluride Pow Cam
See Forever Cam
This camera is located on See Forever and overlooks terrain on Chair 5, Chair 12, Bald Mountain, and Wilson Peak.
Bon Vivant Cam
Located at Bon Vivant restaurant at the top of chair 5 and showcasing the views of Black Iron Bowl.
Hoot Brown Terrain Park
Telluride, Colorado: From Mining Boomtown to Mountain Paradise — A History of a Storied Western Outpost
Telluride, Colorado Weather Cams. Tucked into a dramatic box canyon in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, Telluride is a town where rugged frontier history meets world-class alpine culture. From its Indigenous roots and mining heyday to its reinvention as a ski and festival capital, Telluride’s story is one of boom, bust, and bold reinvention.
Ute Homelands and Early Exploration
Long before prospectors arrived, the San Juan Mountains were the seasonal home of the Ute people. They hunted elk and deer in the high country and considered the region’s peaks and rivers sacred. Spanish explorers passed through in the 1700s, naming the San Miguel River and leaving behind traces of their presence, but it wasn’t until the mid-19th century that settlers began to arrive in earnest.
Gold, Silver, and the Birth of a Boomtown
The first gold discovery in the Telluride area came in 1875, when prospector John Fallon located the Sheridan vein in Marshall Basin, high above the valley floor. By 1878, a tent camp called Columbia had formed in the valley below. The U.S. Post Office rejected the name Columbia due to duplication, so the town was renamed Telluride in 1887—likely inspired by telluride ores of gold and silver, though ironically, no such ores were found locally.
The arrival of the Rio Grande Southern Railroad in 1891 transformed Telluride from a remote outpost into a bustling mining hub. The town’s population swelled to over 5,000, and its mines produced vast quantities of gold, silver, lead, zinc, and copper. Telluride’s steep terrain and isolation made ore transport difficult, but the railroad and Otto Mears’ toll roads helped connect it to the outside world.
Outlaws and Labor Strife
Telluride’s mining boom brought not only wealth but also drama. In 1889, a young outlaw named Butch Cassidy robbed the San Miguel Valley Bank, making off with $24,580 in his first major heist. Around the same time, labor tensions flared. Miners, many of them immigrants, joined the Western Federation of Miners and fought for better wages and conditions. Strikes and violence erupted in the early 1900s, prompting intervention by the Colorado National Guard.
Bust and Decline
The Panic of 1893 and the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act devastated silver prices, triggering a slow decline in Telluride’s fortunes. World War I and the Great Depression further weakened the mining industry. By the 1950s, most of the mines had closed, and Telluride’s population had dwindled to a few hundred. The once-thriving town became a quiet relic of the Old West, its Victorian buildings weathering the elements in eerie silence.
A New Kind of Gold: The Skiing Revolution
In the 1970s, Telluride found new life—not underground, but on the slopes. Drawn by the area’s deep powder and dramatic terrain, a group of visionaries opened the Telluride Ski Resort in 1972. The resort’s terrain, ranging from beginner runs to expert steeps, quickly earned it a reputation among serious skiers.
The town’s character began to shift. Artists, hippies, and entrepreneurs moved in, drawn by the beauty and affordability. Cultural events blossomed, including the Telluride Film Festival (founded in 1974), the Bluegrass Festival, and the Telluride Jazz Festival. The town’s blend of outdoor adventure and artistic energy became its new identity.
Mountain Village and the Gondola
In the 1990s, the development of Mountain Village at the base of the ski area added luxury accommodations and expanded the resort’s footprint. A free gondola—still the only one of its kind in North America—was built to connect Telluride and Mountain Village, offering stunning views and reducing car traffic.
Today, Telluride Ski Resort boasts:
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Over 2,000 skiable acres
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148 trails and 19 lifts
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An average snowfall of 300 inches
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Summer activities including hiking, biking, and via ferrata
Preservation and Recognition
In 1961, Telluride’s historic core was designated a National Historic Landmark District, one of only five in Colorado. This recognition helped preserve the town’s Victorian architecture and mining-era charm. Strict building codes and a strong preservation ethic have ensured that Telluride retains its unique character, even as it has become a global destination.
The Surrounding Region: San Miguel County and the San Juans
Telluride is the county seat of San Miguel County, a region defined by rugged peaks, alpine lakes, and ghost towns. Nearby communities like Ophir, Placerville, and Rico share Telluride’s mining heritage. The San Juan Mountains, among the youngest and most rugged in the Rockies, offer endless opportunities for backcountry skiing, mountaineering, and exploration.
Bridal Veil Falls, Colorado’s tallest free-falling waterfall, cascades at the head of Telluride’s box canyon. Above it sits the historic Smuggler-Union Hydroelectric Power Plant, built in 1907 and still operational today.
Challenges and Resilience
Like many mountain towns, Telluride faces challenges: housing shortages, climate change, and balancing tourism with sustainability. Yet the community remains deeply engaged. Local nonprofits, environmental groups, and town leaders work to preserve open space, support the arts, and maintain Telluride’s small-town soul.
Conclusion: A Town of Reinvention
From Ute hunting grounds to mining boomtown, from near-abandonment to world-class resort, Telluride’s history is a story of reinvention. It’s a place where the past is never far from view—etched into the mountains, preserved in the architecture, and celebrated in the festivals that fill its streets.
Whether you’re skiing down Revelation Bowl, hiking to an alpine lake, or catching a film premiere under the stars, Telluride invites you to be part of a story that’s still unfolding—one chapter at a time.
For more information, visit the Alamosa, Colorado official website.