Ice Climbing in Colorado
"Ice climbing enthusiats have been coming to Ouray, Colorado since the seventies..." -Ouray Ice Park Website
Ouray is the most well-known ice climbing venue in the world due to the existence of the mile-long Ouray Ice park where the international Ouray Ice Festival is held each January. The owners of the Ouray Victorian Inn developed the Ice park beginning with completion of the legal challenges and installation of a simple arrangement of hoses in 1994.
In subsequent years, the Park was built entirely by an enthusiastic volunteer work force as well as donated materials and capital. Ouray Ice Park, Inc. (OIPI) was formed in January of 1997 in order to provide some formal organization to what had previously been a loosely organized grassroots effort. OIPI is a nonprofit corporation that includes seven volunteer board members who are considerably skilled at ditch-digging and plumbing systems. The Ouray Ice Park as we know it today is a shining example of what a volunteer organization can accomplish with little capital but a lot of enthusiasm and vision. OIPI has continued to improve and expand the Ice Park each year through memberships, corporate sponsorships, and funds raised by the annual Ouray Ice Festival.
The Ouray Ice Festival, held each Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend in January, is an eclectic gathering of ice climbers, gear manufacturing exhibitors, and ice climbing voyeurs simply thrilled to watch at a safe distance from the precipitous edges. The festival was first held in January of 1996 and is promoted by ice climbing pioneer Jeff Lowe. The festival is now widely recognized as the premier gathering of it's kind. Be sure to watch the pro's try to scratch their way up the latest comp route. Over half of the annual operating capital needed to run the Ouray Ice Park is raised each year by the Ouray Ice Festival and it's corporate sponsors. As the Festival has grown so too has the Ice Park, and the relationship has directly resulted in the fine ice climbing venue that we are all able to enjoy each winter here in Ouray.
There is also an abundance of wilderness ice climbing in areas such as Camp Bird Road and secret stashes throughout the local mountains.
Ouray Ice Park - CR 361, Ouray
World's first ice-climbing park (1 mile of ice).
(970) 325-4288
www.ourayicepark.com
Guided Ice Climbing
Ice Climbing is something nobody should attempt without proper instruction. The Ouray Ice Park offer many areas that are user friendly for beginning climbers. There are many low angle routes ranging in height from 10 to 40 meters all with permanent top rope anchors. For guiding and ice climbing instruction contact San Juan Mountain Guides - The Local Experts at:www.ourayclimbing.com
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