ROOTS,

HISTORY,

FOUNDATIONS

Camp Chief Ouray was founded in December of 1907 and hosted its first campers in the summer of 1908 under the leadership of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse G. Arnold. For the first 71 years of CCO’s existence, camp was located north of Granby near current-day Lake Granby along the Colorado River. Camp started as a male only endeavor, but became co-ed in 1962. In 1979, YMCA of Metropolitan Denver sold Camp Chief Ouray to YMCA of the Rockies, and since 1980 CCO has made its home at Snow Mountain Ranch southeast of Granby.

We celebrated our 100th Anniversary in 2008 and our 110th in 2018. Both celebrations took place at both the original CCO site and the present-day site. While the site may have changed, the same great programs and memories are made at camp each summer.

We unveiled our museum relics dating all the way back to that first summer. We are still collecting old camp picture albums, old letters you wrote home from camp, and your camp memories and stories.

To subscribe to the Saddlebag newsletter and hear what’s going on at camp, please call (970) 887-2648, or e-mail the camp office: chiefouray@ymcarockies.org 

Mission: YMCA of the Rockies puts Christian principles into practice through programs, staff and facilities in an environment that builds a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

Our goal is to offer challenging experiences to build leaders through life-long skill development in a safe, imaginative, natural setting. We instill confidence through independence and interpersonal skills. We challenge our campers to discover their true selves.

CARING | HONESTY | RESPECT | RESPONSIBILITY | FAITH