Ice Cragging, Ouray, Colorado

27.12.19

Ice Cragging, Ouray, Colorado

Winter in Colorado offers a wealth of winter climbing, skiing, Nordic skiing, and snow-shoeing. We spent New Years there enjoying the Ice parks in the area. Winter temperatures give almost guaranteed conditions for Ice climbing.

Getting to Ouray from Denver Airport was a bit of a slog as a winter storm was passing through bringing white-out conditions on the roads. We hired a 4wheel drive SUV which did the job well. Essential for winters out here....

Typical vehicles of the locals - Huge!

So glad we got the SUV

Staying in Ouray we spend four days climbing in the Ice Park. With it being holiday season a 6.30am start was necessary in order to bag a route. Park ethics mean you have to occupy a top anchor in order to actually claim a line and all the lines in the popular areas of the park were taken by 8.15am!

We start in an area called the The New Funtier (short 20m routes) which had a spread of lower grades. The temperatures were very low (-20DegC) and after a couple of snow storms the ice was buried. It was also very brittle and my limited ice climbing experience was being tested. This was a lot steeper the Scottish gullies I'd bimbled up in the past.

Snow covered ice at New Funtier

Topping out in the New Funtier

Pilar on a vertical section of ice

We swiftly moved to the School Room (super busy) where the routes were almost 30m. Whilst the park has a "lead only area", top-roping is more common than leading in many sectors. It is very accessible to do this as you occupy your anchor and abseil down and therefore have a top rope anchor already in place. We had no idea what we were rapping into but in most cases we were fortunate and had good climbable ice. We were more than happy to do top-rope, at least at first, as though we improved fast I wasn't happy to lead here - the Ice was aerated and quite rotten in some places. Climbing it was fun. protecting it much more difficult!

Pilar on top rope in the School Room

Pilar on a pillar

We moved to the South Park and started to lead some routes. Here the routes were more of a slabby nature it it was was a perfect spot to get the screws out and start doing some proper climbing.

Me rapping into South Park

Me climbing in the South Park

Me following up another generic ice route

Being somewhat bored of the Ice park we sampled some of the local gorges. Here we found accessible ice (much better than in the ice park).

Ames Falls was a fun outing with a very committing abseil approach. Two small falls in the gorge ideal for playing on with only a short approach walk. Classic long multi-pitches are also in the area such as Ames Ice Hose. Something I'd love to do when more experienced.

Ames Falls - Noisy and atmospheric

Me topping out on the atmospheric Ames Falls

Leading some friendly ice

When visiting the ski resort of Telluride we checked out Bear Creek Gorge. A little crag with abseil approach it had really fat ice and was great to bag a couple of WI-3 routes.

As usual rapping in and hoping for the best

Top-roping a WI4

On a day snow-shoeing we went to checkout Eureka, a disused mining village in a stunning remote valley with ribbons of ice scattered around the hillside. In the conditions we were there the approach to most of the climbs needed snow shoes and the avalanche forecast considerable. We had our eye on Second Gully a WI-3 multi-pitch but in the conditions we decided it was too risky for us. One for next time when more experienced and in better conditions.

Pilar snow-shoeing off scoping out potential routes

The San Juan mountains offer many non climbing activities as you'd expect. Snow shoeing, and skiing is fantastic and feel really remote in contrast to the Alps. The hot springs in Ouray are ideal to relax sore muscles.