NOW OPEN: Ouray’s First Beacon Park

Every local knows Ouray County is teaming with avalanche terrain.

To promote safer backcountry travel and recreation in winter, we installed Ouray’s first avalanche beacon training park on Portland Road in February 2024.

Thanks to the generous support of the City of Ouray Tourism Fund and Ouray County, this new park is free to the public.

All you need to practice is a beacon and a probe. Snow floatation is also recommended.

PLEASE DO NOT USE SHOVELS!

See below for detailed directions and further instructions.

Directions

Our new avalanche beacon training park is located on Portland Road (aka County Road 16) in the amphitheater just above the City of Ouray. Parking is located just off Highway 550 (aka the Million Dollar Highway) on County Road 16. Please park on the left just before the bridge over Portland Creek and the Baby Bathtubs parking area. From the parking area, travel uphill on Portland Road for approximately 300 yards (less than a quarter mile).

Instructions

Numerous avalanche beacons are buried in the snow throughout the beacon park. Each beacon is permanently attached to the underside of a plywood panel. To practice a beacon search, simply activate at least one of the buried beacons and begin your search using only your personal beacon and a probe. You can stop probing whenever you strike a piece of buried plywood - you just found a buried beacon!

PLEASE DO NOT USE SHOVELS TO FULLY EXCAVATE ANY BURIED BEACONS!

All beacon controls are located in a metal box on a fixed pedestal. Instructions for using the beacon controls are printed inside the lid of the beacon control box.