Buena Vista Population:   2,195

About Buena Vista:  Got the big city blues?  Tired of high crime, dirty air and overcrowded schools? the 30- 90 minute commute to work every day?  Wish you didn't have to pack the car and drive 2 or 3 hours to find a quiet place to enjoy a Saturday or even a weekend?  Ever thought of spending time in some peaceful mountain community, but were sure it was only a dream?  There is a vacation destination that can make that dream a reality!  Buena Vista, Colorado.  Pay a visit, and you may decide to stay for a lifetime!

Time Zone:  Mountain Time Zone. 

Summer Average High Temperature (July)

81.4° F

Summer Average Low Temperature (July)

47.3° F

Winter Average High Temperature (January)

40.2° F

Winter Average Low Temperature (January)

10.7° F

Growing Season

113 days

Annual Rainfall

10.15"

Annual Snowfall

30.4"

Average Wind Velocity

W 10 MPH

Number of Frost Free Days

80 days

Number of Sunshine Days

300 days

Elevation

7,950 ft above sea level

Winter Weather Note When enjoying the region's back country, remember to prepare for changing weather conditions. Also, notify someone about where you plan to travel and your expected time of return. Register at forest service register boxes at trailheads when they are available. Not all trails are available for all types of users. Snowmobiles are excluded from wilderness areas. Check with the forest service before going into unfamiliar territory. Most of the trails you will find described here are marked with diamond signs by the forest service - blue diamonds designating ski and snowshoe use and orange diamonds for snowmobile use.

Elevation, Sun,  and Altitude Tips

High elevation affects your body and influences the weather. It impacts every decision made in planning for a trip: route and clothing chosen, evaluation of fitness and ability, and amount and types of liquid and food consumed.

The effects of altitude are usually felt immediately upon arriving in the mountains. All excercise is harder at first. Visitors might experience heavy breathing, rapid heartbeat, fatigue, headache, nausea, or insomnia. This is normal. At 9,000 feet, each breath takes in only 70 to 80 percent of the oxygen available at sea level.

You can minimize the effects of high altitude by drinking lots of water, avoiding alcohol, eating light, high-carbohydrate meals, increasing physical activity gradually, and rest when tired. After about four or five days, most visitors begin to feel better.

Water loss occurs rapidly when exercising at high altitude. Low humidity and direct sun cause perspiration, a potent combination. While exercising, the movement of air over your body is accelerating water loss from skin. If you are thirsty, dehydration has already begun.

Drink water or sports drinks before, during and after exercising. Try to consume no less than a pint of liquid per hour while exercising. Drink every 15 to 20 minutes even if sensation of thirst is absent. Carry a large water bottle for access to water.

Sun  

With less atmosphere to filter out the sun's harmful rays, mountain travelers are more vulnerable to sunburn. There is five times more ultraviolet light here than at sea level. Apply sunblock lotions or wear protective clothing. The intense sunshine can produce withering heat in open areas. At midday it can sap energy, deliver headaches, and contribute to dehydration. In hot weather, try to get out in the early morning or late afternoon. And drink lots of water to avoid heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

National Holidays:  

New Year's Day Jan. 1

Martin Luther King, Jr., Day 3rd Mon. in Jan.

President's Day 3rd Mon. in Feb.

Memorial Day last Mon. in May

Independence Day July 4

Labor Day 1st Mon. in Sept.

Thanksgiving Day 4th Thurs. in Nov.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dec. 24 and 25

New Year's Eve Dec. 31

Important Addresses to Know

Postal services Buena Vista Post Office is at 110 Brookdale Ave., just one block west of U.S. 24. The lobby is open 24 hours daily, seven days a week. Service window hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to noon. Phone: 395-2445.  

Nathrop Post Office, next to Nathrop General Store, about eight miles south of Buena Vista, is open from 8 a.m. to noon, and 1:00 to 4:45 p.m., Monday through Friday; 8 to 10 a.m., Saturday. Phone: 395-2720. Granite Post Office, at Granite General Store, 17 miles north of Buena Vista, is open from 8 a.m. to noon, Monday through Saturday. Phone: 486-1679.

Public library Buena Vista Public Library is at 131 Linderman Ave., next to the police station. It is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday; and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday. The library is closed Sundays and holidays. Phone: 395-8700.

Emergency services For emergency calls in Chaffee County (police, fire or health) call 911. Buena Vista Public Safety Complex is headquarters for police, sheriff and state patrol offices and volunteer fire and ambulance crews in northern Chaffee County. The complex is at 123 Linderman Ave., south of Main Street. The business office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Non-emergency calls: 395-8654

Medical Services

For health care in the area, locals utilize one or a combination of the resources listed below:

St. Vincent General Hospital (Leadville) 822 West 4th Street Leadville, CO  80461 (719) 486-0230 Provides basic medical/surgical services to all age groups, operating rooms perform elective and

emergency surgery, 24 hour emergency services and full scope radiology, respiratory, therapy, laboratory, pathology and rehab services.  Home Health Care provides care to the homebound patient.  Level IV Designated Trauma Center is fully equipped.  Hospital owned ambulance service with emergency helicopter transport service is also available. Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center (Salida) 448 E 1st Street (P.O. Box 429) Salida, CO  81201 (719) 539-6661 HRRMC is a full-service hospital with extensive surgical treatment, rehabilitation services and diagnostic capabilities.  They have a new bone densitometer and the only OPEN MRI between Durango and Colorado Springs. They have over 60 physicians practicing in specialties ranging from family practice to orthopedics to internal medicine to general surgery, just to name a few.  Their caring, highly qualified (and much-loved) nurses provide exceptional care as well as the personal attention you deserve. Their Emergency Department is a Level-IV designated trauma facility, staffed by physicians and nurses 24 hours a day, and supported by Radiology, Laboratory, and Cardio-Pulmonary services around the clock. Buena Vista Family Clinic (Buena Vista) 836 US Hwy 24 South Buena Vista, CO  81211 (719) 395-9048 Provides X-Ray, laboratory, physical therapy, 24 hour on-call service.   (Affiliated with St. Vincent's Hospital in Leadville.) Mountain Medical Clinic (Buena Vista) 36 Oak Street Buena Vista, CO  81211 (719) 395-8632 Provides total family care including obstetrics, pediatrics, adult medicine and spinal adjustments.  24 hour on-call with physical therapy on site. (Affiliated with Heart of the Rockies Medical Center in Salida). The Medical Clinic (Salida) 550 West Hwy 50

 Salida, CO  81201 (719) 539-2000 Provides urology, orthopedic surgery, radiology, podiatry, GI endoscope, internal medicine. Upper Arkansas Home Health Care/Angel of Shavano Hospice 543 E. First Street Salida, CO  81201 (719) 539-7638 (Affiliated with Heart of the Rockies Medical Center)  

Town Hall Buena Vista Town Hall, in the second block of East Main Street, is office to the town clerk and administrator. Town hall is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Phone: 395-8643.  

Chamber of Commerce Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Phone 395-6612.

The chamber office is in the white historic chapel in Forest Square Park, along the east side of U.S. 24.

Economic incentives for creating new businesses or relocating existing businesses are available in the area, as this is a state designated Enterprise Zone.  The schools are ranked well above State averages with many teachers winning State and National honors - many with Masters Degrees.  Buena Vista's area crime rate is ranked extremely low, with strong community support of its service infrastructure.