The 13,961-foot (4255.4 m) thirteener is located in San Isabel National Forest, 7.5 miles (12.0 km) west (bearing 270°) of Poncha Pass, Colorado, United States, on the boundary between Chaffee and Saguache counties.

[1][2][3] Mount Ouray makes up the southern tip of Sawatch Mountains, rising 7,000 feet above the Arkansas River Valley.

Starting at Marshall Pass, the route heads north along the Continental Divide until the west ridge of Mount Ouray is reached.

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Mount Ouray is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.

[4] Due to its altitude, it receives precipitation all year, as snow in winter and as thunderstorms in summer, with a dry period in late spring.