Surrounded by mountains, the winter sun comes up late in the historic town that calls itself the Switzerland of America. Each morning a warmly-dressed group of travelers emerges from local hostels, hotels and tents in search of coffee and breakfast. Then they disappear into a box canyon on the south edge of town.
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Who are they and what are they doing? They’re ice-climbing pilgrims who’ve journeyed the world over to get to Ouray. And this could be you.
The short walk to the Uncompahgre Gorge after a warm breakfast dulls the edge of pre-ice anxiety until you reach the upper bridge. This unassuming landmark spanning the gorge signifies the beginning of the ice park. It offers the first view of the ice whose reputation spans the globe. Below the bridge is a narrow vertical corridor. The winding south wall is a hanging mass of ice that beacons and lures climbers to its shadowy depths.
Ouray, pronounced URAY not ORAY, justifiably famous for its ice, has long been a base for many of the longer and dangerous classic ice routes of the area. Then in 1994 it opened the nation’s first ice park and now offers ice climbing at all levels. Whether you are looking for the highest level of difficulty or introducing a friend to the sport this little town will dazzle your senses, feed your soul and tax your abilities. All of the routes in the ice park are less than a rope length and average 90 feet in height. Most routes are accessed with a five-minute walk from the upper bridge along the southern rim. The last section to the canyon floor is a scramble that drops into the School Room.
This area is a great place to get back into the swing of your tools or to get started with some fundamentals because it is low angle and has short routes. Top roping, running a rope from the belayer through a ring securely affixed to the top of the route and then to the climber, is encouraged in this section.
As if ice were not enough of a handful, some of the routes on the north side are a mix of ice and rock. Moving downstream, dozens of mixed and ice routes line the walls.To the experienced climber, this paradox is the essence of the sport. From the end of November to April, the ice park has consistently superb ice. While the rest of the world waits for routes to come in and thaw out, this little canyon offers an unparalleled variety of grades and a staggering amount of routes. The kicker is, it is all within 15 minutes of hot coffee or the proverbial "Chicken Fried Steak."
Outside the ice park are numerous challenging alpine routes. These beauties are usually multirope lengths long and are found in the steep terrain where the freeze-thaw cycle forms slabs and pillars of ice. The climbing can be more subject to current weather patterns but the stunning mountain setting is oblivious to icy whims. A great way to test the concentrated skills learned in the ice park is to give them a run in the high mountains with real dangers of avalanche, weather and other conditions to spice things up. The local guides rightfully refer to these as "trophy" climbs. Most days end with some food from one of the many restaurants, a stop at the watering hole and a soak in the natural hot springs. Ouray’s hot springs can go a long way to reducing the "Popeye" forearms and knotted calves of climbing for days. Several of the hotels have hot-spring-fed pools for guests and there is a big public pool on the north end of town.
To get the most out of a trip a personal guide is the best strategy. Guides are reliable partners, know the locations of the routes and keep an eye on safety. Booking the same one for the trip duration allows a familiar synchronicity to develop that results in better climbing. After a few days of climbing they can suggest routes that will most closely match your skills and motivation. Ice climbing can be a cold and arduous affair that gets the best of even the most experienced at times. But if this is not enough, know that there is skiing in Telluride and Purgatory, more ice climbing in Telluride and Silverton and even mountain biking and hiking in the deserts of Fruita—and they are all less than two hours away.
San Juan Mountain Guides, LLC - USA
San Juan Mountain Guides is the main outfitter in the Ouray Ice Park. They’ve been teaching ice climbing for nearly 15 years. San Juan Mountain Guides every year since 2001 for our ice climbing about at the Ice Park and in the surrounding backcountry areas. San Juan Mountain Guides is dedicated to offering professional instruction and guiding that will contribute to a lifetime of safe and successful climbing. Our guides not only help you get to the top of your next big climb, they also share their methods and decision making processes so you can benefit from their years of experience. During our courses and climbs, we also seek to build and maintain friendships, and we pride ourselves on securing partnerships that last for many years. This educational approach and supportive atmosphere is the foundation of all our programs. Feel the exhilaration of your first rock climb, learn to move fluidly and confidently over stone, challenge yourself in a supportive and friendly atmosphere. . . these are the hallmarks of San Juan Mountain Guides' rock climbing instruction.
San Juan Mountain Guides, LLC
PO BOX 1214 Ouray, CO 81427
Email: info@ourayclimbing.com
Web: http://www.ourayclimbing.com/