Created by wanderlustgirl on March 11, 2002
- Known locally as the "Banana Belt" of Colorado for its warm climate in all seasons, the region around Salida is teeming with activity, the arts, and history.
Surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges, Chaffee County has more peaks of 14,000 or higher than any other area in Colorado, the country around Salida is called the "Fourteener" Region.
Salida is situated below the Continental Divide with the Sawatch Range to the Northwest and the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range to the South. The ring of mountains contribute to an amazing climate in the valley, average snowfall is 43 inches, while the surrounding mountains get 400 inches or more. Annual rainfall is 9 or 10 inches resulting in a whopping 330 days of sunshine!
The town itself has roughly 5,500 people, with the largest percentage in the 25-44 age range. There's always a big influx of folks during the summer for boating and other tourism-related activites, but many like it so much they end up staying year-round.