Description
The name Uncompahgre comes from a Ute Indian word, which translates to "dirty water," "red lake," or "red water spring". It may refer to the many hot springs in the Ouray area. The Uncompahgre River is a 75-mile-long tributary of the Gunnison River which flows out of the San Juan Mountains at 12,215 ft Lake Como. The Uncompahgre is on the west side of the Continental Divide and flows past Ouray, Ridgway, Montrose, and Olathe, joining the Gunnison River in Delta. The Gunnison is a major tributary of the Colorado River system. In this scene, the Uncompahgre River was photographed as it passes through a narrow gorge in Ouray, Colorado, USA.