Exclusive Outdoor Adventures for St. Elmo Hotel Guests
Discover Ouray’s wild side with handpicked guided experiences, from high-alpine via ferrata climbs to waterfall canyon descents – all curated specially for guests of the St. Elmo.
Book your next adventure with trusted local guides, right from the comfort of your stay.
Via Ferrata & Climbing Adventures
Gold Mountain Via Ferrata
Climb Through the Living Legacy of Ouray’s Mining Past
This isn’t just a mountain climb –– it’s a journey through the cliffs and corridors once carved by Colorado’s earliest hard rock miners. The Gold Mountain Via Ferrata traces a path along historic claim lines and ore-hauling routes, where hand-cut rock, rusted anchors, and century-old buildings still cling to the mountainside. You’ll move through the vertical story of Ouray’s mining legacy — not in a museum, but on the rock itself.
Equipped with steel safety cables and secure iron rungs, the route offers beginner-friendly exposure in a truly remote alpine setting. Along the way, AMGA-certified guides bring the terrain to life with immersive stories of 19th-century grit, geology, and frontier engineering. With no crowds and no prior experience required, this half-day experience invites you to climb not just a mountain — but into history itself.
Canyoning & Waterfall Descents
Portland Creek
Canyoning is the art of descending a mountain stream through narrow canyons in a way very few get to explore –– by hiking, scrambling, rappelling through flowing waterfalls, and swimming through sculpted rock pools.
Right in the heart of Ouray, Portland Creek offers a striking descent into a limestone canyon where towering walls, rushing water, and a 60-foot waterfall rappel set the stage for an unforgettable half-day adventure.
With expert guides and secure rigging, you’ll drop into a hidden alpine world shaped by water and time. It’s fast-paced, refreshing, and unlike anything else in the San Juans.
