Ever been to Ouray?

[goatboy]

I'll be visiting family in the Ouray area this January (right around new years) and am curious if anyone of you folks out there has ever ice climbed in the area?

I'm curious about the ice park, though I am a bit skeptical about it -- but I'm also curious about any recommended waterfalls in the area which might typically be in good shape in January?

I started ice climbing a few years back, and wouldn't want to get on anything harder than a WI4 -- though I'm also wondering if ice ratings change from area to area as much as rock ratings do (i.e. a Vantage 5.11 vs a Leavenworth 5.11 is quite a difference!)

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

[Lambone]

I heard that they may not open it this year due to the drought. But that is just a rumor...Have fun!

[Retrosaurus]

quote:

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Originally posted by goatboy:

I'm also wondering if ice ratings change from area to area as much as rock ratings do (i.e. a Vantage 5.11 vs a Leavenworth 5.11 is quite a difference!)

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Steve,

Don't worry about the area to area rating variations. Waterfall ice by its very nature is so much more varriable that the ratings could ever be. A WI6 can form up as a WI4 and a WI4 as a WI6. Your best resource will be a knowlegeable local at the time of your visit.

-Mitch

[Matt]

I climbed in Ouray in March 1995. It is an awesome place to climb. For beginners there are chains at the top of the climbs so top roping is super easy. It's a great place to hone your skills-- the closest thing I've ever seen to "sport" ice climbing. Have fun!

You have to check out the hot springs near by. It's a very nice way to relax after a day of bashing your knuckles!! Clothing optional!

[This message has been edited by Matt (edited 10-04-2001).]

[EV]

Horsetail Falls, WI4 and The Ribbon, WI4 are good routes. They are both outside the Ice Park.

Lots of TR'g in the park, everything from WI2 to WI6, also some M5? stuff, as well.

Go and enjoy.

[texplorer]

goatboy,

I too was thinking of heading up there about that time. I have heard it is easy to find a job in nearby telluride at one of hte resorts in the area. How long are you planning on being there?

[David_Parker]

I was in Ouray (you-ray) in 199? and it is a great place to climb. It is like "sport ice" climbing. The park is a slot canyon with an aquaduct along the rim. They tap in hoses and use shower heads to form ice all along the canyon. You cross a bridge and park and there are tons of climbs up and down river. The bridge is a great place to watch and choose your route. Most climbs you rap down and climb out. Some areas are lead only but most climbs can be done on top-belay. We did a lot of lowering/climb back up. This is fun on pillars not quite touched down. Furthest up river is the schoolroom where you can walk down into the canyon and top rope or lead. The angle is kicked back and thus the name schoolroom. As you go down river towards and past the bridge the climbs get steeper and longer. If you climb WI4 you'll be fine. Shit, you'll be cruising 5 in just a few days! If you don't have a partner, you can find one easily. The park is heavily climbed so all easy and moderate routes are almost ladders. In January maybe not so much. But the park is an awsome place to get in a lot of climbing and meet other climbers of your ability. It is avalanche free and I enjoyed climbing in "full" conditions one day. We stayed at the Victorian Inn, but you can save mega bucks by staying down in Ridgeway. Ouray is pretty dead in the winter and we found a much better bar down in Ridgeway. Even girls! There is some great climbing all around on natural falls too. But with these comes avalanche danger and south facing funky ice on some. Over towards Telluride is Ames Ice Hose and of course Bridalveil is in Telluride and now available for climbing again. It was a great road trip and you'll have lots of fun!

[AJ]

Ouray has a pretty good New Year's celebration. All the other advice posted is pretty good. The ice park is scheduled to open again this year, but there are some water rights issues. There is also another access issue brewing again - mostly as a result of a fatality and the ensuing finger pointing that happened last year. Plenty of climbs outside the park. Horsetail Falls is the closest, most reliable one. You can scout the whole line with binoculars from the road. The Ribbon was in and out last year - in a dry year (like 2000-01) expect thin to no ice for the first pitch. Plenty of other climbs by the Ribbon (up the Camp Bird Mine Road). Oh, the Ice Park expanded last year to include "South Park" about six climbs upstream from the "Schoolroom" so there is now more room for instruction/beginners. Ridgeway is less expensive, but you have to drive a lot more. Plenty of inexpensive to moderately priced places to stay in Ouray and you can walk to the park every day. Only one grocery store in town and they are closed on Sundays (?).

[freeclimb9]

The Victorian Inn in Ouray has differing rates depending on the time of year as do other hotels (actually it depends on the ski-season period). These rates may affect your planned dates as may the fact that the ice is typically thicker and more stable in January and February. check out http://www.ouraylodging.com/vicrates.htm It's often less expensive to get a cabin if you're going with a group rather than individual rooms in the hotel.

If you're going in early season when avalanche danger is usually low, there are long moderate (WI4) routes down the road near Silverton that are very worthwhile.

I've got more info at www.iceclimb.com, but the perl scripts aren't currently working (problems with the ISP that I'm in the midst of resolving). Check that site in a week, or so.

best regards,

Will McCarthy

[goatboy]

Thanks so much for all the great information and suggestions. It's good to see a thread relatively spray-free (for a change!!!)

Texplorer, I will only be there for about a week, though I'd be happy to meet up with you for a beer or to swing some tools! I will be there with my girlfriend, but it sounds like the kind of social climbing area where being a party of three could be better than a party of two, at times!

As for jobs in Telluride, I believe it's pretty easy. My brother lives in Rico (south of Telluride) and I'm sure he could help hook you up . . . now, having said that, there's a LOT more jobs in Telluride than places to live. If you're willing to tough it out car camping or whatever in the winter, that works, though the local authorities are pretty hard on people trying to live in their cars . . . such a strange little valley, with the verrrrry verrrrrry rich and the very poor all jammed together in the same place for similar reasons, but in very different living conditions.....Someone once said that there is a leisure class at either end of the socioeconomic scale. Telluride demonstrates that pretty clearly.