The popular posters depicting mountain ranges in western Colorado have been compiled in a book authored by Delta photographer Jeff Burch and Don Paulson.

"Peaks of the Uncompahgre" features labeled images and the stories behind the names of the mountains surrounding Ouray.

With just one exception, all the photos in the book, as well as peak identification, elevations and labeling, were done by Jeff Burch. Don Paulson researched how the peaks were named. Paulson left California after a 36-year career at California State University, where he did research and taught in the field of organic chemistry. He and his wife had built a home in Ouray in 1999, and when he retired in 2006 they became full-time residents. Paulson is curator of the Ouray County Museum and serves on the board of the Ridgway Railroad Museum. He has given numerous talks on Ouray County history and has written and edited a number of articles focusing on local history.

Burch has worked for the U.S. Forest Service for 33 years, including 22 on the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests. An avid hiker, he often wondered about the names of the peaks he spotted in the distance. He came across a couple of sources which proved unreliable and said to himself, "I can do better than that." That was the beginning of a growing business called coloradothirteeners.com, a company which produces panoramic prints of sweeping vistas, with each peak clearly labeled. His first poster, "View Looking South from Montrose," was published in 2001 and still a popular seller. It is the basis for "Peaks of the Uncompahgre" and other labeled images of Colorado.

The book is divided into three geographical areas — the Sneffels Range; the peaks near Ouray, Yankee Boy Basin and Ironton Park; and the Cimarrons. The authors focus only on mountain names, elevations and how the mountains came to be named; those seeking tips on gaining access to the mountains will need to look elsewhere.

"We hope you will put this book in your car or truck, along with your maps, and refer to it as you travel the area," the authors note in the introduction. "It would be a treat for us to, someday, see you stopped along the roadside, looking up at the peaks and pointing to the pages of this book."

The book — and full-size versions of the posters contained within its pages — can be purchased at stores throughout western Colorado, including Clubb's Frame Shop and PaperWorks in Delta, or through Burch's website, www.coloradothirteeners.com.

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