About ALAMOSA, COLORADO
GENERAL INFORMATION OF ALAMOSA, COLORADO
This is
where the sweeping miles and pastel shades of the desert floor swell
to meet the towering 14,000 foot spires of the Sangre de Cristo and San Juan Mountain ranges.
This is
the land of the
Rio Grande
River,
Colorado's
earliest beginnings where the legends of the wild west rode among
peaceful Spanish villages.
Over a
million acres of national forest waits for you with some of the best
fishing, camping and hunting to be found in the state. And, don't
let the average 270 days of sunshine a year fool you--Wolf Creek Ski Area has more snow than any other Colorado ski resort.
When
Coronado
led Spanish explorers into
Colorado
in the early 16th century, they saw red light of dawn illuminating a
wall of spectacular mountains, and in awe, gave them the name Sangre
de Cristo, "the blood of Christ." The Sangre de Cristos form the
southeastern flank of the San Luis Valley.
Geologically, they are among the newest and sharpest mountain peaks
in North America. It is believed that they may still be
rising. To the southwest are the massive San Juan Mountains, known
as "the Alps of
America."
The floor
of this huge valley (122 miles long by 74 miles wide and bigger than Massachusetts) begins at 7,000 feet above sea
level
Sheltered by the 14,000-foot mountain giants, the Valley has
annual precipitation of less than 8 inches and enjoys an
average of 270 days of sunshine a year. The Comfort Index is
one of the best on earth.
Clean, pure water is abundant. Mountain streams cascade into
reservoirs and are absorbed into huge aquifers below ground.
Near-incredible amounts of snowfall-more than 300 inches a
year on Cumbres Pass and 363 inches on Wolf Creek Pass-are
one reason Colorado skiing is the best in the world.
Outdoor recreation is endless: golf, tennis, swimming,
fishing, boating, rafting, hunting, Alpine and Nordic
skiing... you name it; it's here. Less than an hour's drive
from Alamosa takes you to the San Juan Mountains, the Sangre
de Cristo Mountains, the San Isabel and
Rio Grande
National Forests, and the unique and
awesome Great Sand Dunes
National Monument.
Hunting & Fishing: Six species of big game animals are hunted in
the forest, including elk, mule, deer, pronghorn, antelope, black
bear, bighorn sheep and mountain lion.
Education: Alamosa is
the home of Adams State College, a state supported
co-educational college of approximately 2,000 students
It has an
airport with regularly scheduled flights to
Denver.
Shopping -Many stores including a Wal-Mart Super Center,
K-Mart, City Market Food and Pharmacy, a new Safeway and
many other stores can be found in Alamosa and is only (10)
minutes drive from property.
The cost of living is modest and both natives and newcomers
are friendly. The local economy is strong and diversified:
tourism, education, mining, logging, and a rich agriculture
noted for the quality of potatoes, beans, and onions that
the fertile valley produces.
The San Luis Valley has a rich history, written by the
famous like Zebulon Pike, John C. Fremont ("The
Pathfinder"), Kit Carson, and Chief Ouray. Including the
infamous, for example, Bob Ford who shot Jesse James in the
back and Alfred Packer, the notorious cannibal of
Colorado. Battlefields, goldmines,
forts, and trails of explorers and stage coaches are
numerous.
The San
Luis Valley
is located four hours southwest of
Denver, Colorado on U.S. Highways 285 and 160.
Alamosa, the heart of the San Luis Valley, is only 205 miles
from Albuquerque. The Valley
lies halfway between Denver
and Albuquerque. Did you
know you were that close to the next best place to Heaven?
|
Alamosa Facts
-
Location:
South Central
Colorado
-
County:
Alamosa
-
Square Miles:
3.5 Municipality - 722 County
-
Elevation:
7,544 feet
-
Population
City of Alamosa - 7,803, Alamosa
County - 14,104, San Luis Valley (6
counties) - 42,001 Population growth
rate in Alamosa County from 1980 -
1990 was 15.4%, Population growth
rate annually for Alamosa County is
1.65%, Population growth rate
annually for Colorado is 1.55%.
-
Climate
Average winter temperature 14.8 F,
Average annual precipitation 7.6
in., Average annual snowfall 41.7
in.,Number of sunshine days 350.
-
Topography
High Plains, flat valley with
mountains on east, north and west.
The
Rio Grande
river runs through the valley.
-
Wildlife
Elk, deer, antelope, coyotes, small
game and waterfowl. Moose have been
re-introduced into the area. The
climate of the San
Luis
Valley is marked by cold
winters and moderate summers, light
precipitation, and much sunshine. In
Alamosa, 80 percent of the annual
precipitation occurs from April to
October, most of it as scattered
light showers from thunderstorms
occur during July and August. Hail
frequently falls in some parts of
the valley. Winter snow, which
occurs mainly in frequent light
falls, averages less than 40 inches
per year.
|
|
|
