Ouray Ice Park (I & II)
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• Statistics:
  • Date Hiked:  February 18-19, 2006
  • Miles Hiked:  1.0 (Estimate.  The ice park is basically right next to Ouray.)
  • Elevation Gain:  400' (Estimate)
  • Hiking Partner(s):  Brian Kooienga, Kevin Smith
  • Routes:  WI2 - WI4 (11 Pitches)
• Description:
  • Brian invited me to join him and Kevin for a weekend of ice climbing at the Ouray Ice Park in Ouray, Colorado.  Both Brian and myself were ice climbing virgins while Kevin has a decent amount of experience on ice.  The Ice Park is a great place for beginners since there is little to no approach, most everything can be top roped, and there is a wide variety of routes in terms of difficulty.
  • Since we were driving a fair distance, we wanted to get an early start on Saturday.  I left my house at 1:30 am, was at Brian's by 2:00 am, picked up Kevin shortly after, and were on the road by 2:30 am.  Brian got us all the way to Delta where we ate breakfast and the Stockyard.  Kevin finished the drive to Ouray and we were climbing by about 9:30 am.
  • We started out on some easier WI2 so Brian and I could get a feel for the ice climbing.  We set up three different top ropes on Saturday.  I had to rely on Brian and Kevin's gear since I don't have any.  I particularly liked Brian's Black Diamond Rage ice tools.  Kevin climbed with his Trango Madame Leashless tools all weekend.  We took turns climbing, belaying, and resting.  Saturday night we had a few beers and ate dinner at Outlaws.
  • As the weekend progressed, we pushed it harder and ended on some WI5.  By Sunday afternoon, we were all pretty much shredded wheat.  Everyone's knees, shoulders, and hands ached in some way.  We had a beer in the parking lot of the Vic as we changed clothes and packed up for the drive home.  We got gas and Mexican food in Delta before starting the long drive back to Denver.  I think I was home around midnight.  We ended up climbing in New Funtier, South Park, Lower Bridge, and on the Gazebo Wall.  It was very busy with a rope on almost every route both days.
• Maps:
  • No map available.
• Photographs:
  • Brian starting us out on some easier routes.
  • Me stemming across a bulge.
  • Kevin pulling the right side of the bulge.
  • Brian trying out some more vertical ice at our third anchor position on Saturday.
  • Kevin belaying Brian above.
  • Kevin on our most difficult and sustained route of the weekend.
  • Me on the same route with Brian belaying from above.
  • Brian stretching out for a big step on the same route.
  • Kevin, Brian, and myself calling it a weekend in Ouray.
  • Climbing on the final route of the weekend.
  • Pulling the lip of the route.
  • Brian on the final route of the weekend.
  • Kevin climbing from the top of one of our routes.

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