Sapinero, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sapinero, Colorado
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Sapinero in 2014
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 Sapinero, Colorado
Location in Colorado
Sapinero, Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Colorado |
| County | Gunnison County |
| Elevation | 7,622 ft (2,323 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
81247 (Gunnison)
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| Area code(s) | 970 |
| GNIS feature ID | 188204 |
Sapinero is a small place in Colorado, United States. It is called an unincorporated community. This means it is not officially part of a city or town. Sapinero is located in Gunnison County. You can find it along U.S. Route 50. It sits right by the beautiful Blue Mesa Reservoir. This area is part of the Curecanti National Recreation Area.
Contents
Sapinero's Story
How Sapinero Got Its Name
The community of Sapinero was named after a very important person. It honors Chief Sapinero, who was a leader of the Ute Indian people.
Moving the Town
Sapinero was not always in its current spot. Originally, it was located on the north side of the Gunnison River. This was about one mile away from where it is today.
Sapinero used to be a stop for trains. It was on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad's main line. This was a narrow gauge track. It connected the cities of Denver and Salt Lake City. The trains stopped running on this line in 1955.
Around 1963, a big change happened. The Blue Mesa Dam was built on the Gunnison River. This dam created the Blue Mesa Reservoir. To make way for the new lake, the entire town of Sapinero had to move. It was rebuilt in its current location before the old site was covered by water.
Mail Service Today
Even though Sapinero is a community, it does not have its own post office. The U.S. Post Office in Gunnison handles all the mail for Sapinero. The ZIP code for Sapinero addresses is 81247.
Sapinero's Weather
Understanding the Climate
Sapinero has a type of weather known as a "Continental Subarctic Climate." Scientists use the Köppen Climate Classification to describe this as "Dfc."
Winter in Sapinero
Winters in Sapinero are very long and cold. The days are short and usually clear. There is not much rain, but a lot of snow falls. The air is also very dry during the winter months.
