Explore The Ouray Ice Park

The Ouray Ice Park located in the uncompahgre Gorge in Ouray, first opened in 1995 and was the world's very first park devoted exclusively to the sport of ice climbing.

Ice climbing enthusiasts clad in leather boots, wool stocking caps and gloves with wood shafted ice axes, and flexible crampons, came to climb in Ouray long before the park opened back in the 1970's. Back then, the park looked dramatically different than it does today. It wasn't until the 1990's that some enterprising local climbers came upon the idea to manipulate a nearby water source and start spraying it over the edges of the mile long gorge that the Ouray ice climbing scene began to evolve into its present state.

In 1992, the part of the ice park that lies on privately owned property was leased to the county by a very nice land owner for a mere $1.00 a year for recreational use. Then in 1994 a couple of local visionaries laid out some half inch pvc pipe and the odd assortment of garden hose and sprinkler heads and began to farm ice in the gorge. The results surprised everyone: long steep flows of crystal blue ice on previously blank rock; the Ouray Ice Park had arrived.

Word spread quickly and In January of 1997, Ouray Ice Park Inc. (OIPI) was formed in order to provide some formal organization to what had previously been a loosely organized grassroots effort. Thanks to donations, the park has continued to flourish and in 2001 the park installed a new plumbing system, tapped into the City of Ouray's water resevoir and expanded in size many times over. Today the park is the greatest ice climbing facility in the world.

Ouray is ranked as one of the most popular locations in the world for ice climbing. Not only is the Ice park free, safe, and within walking distance from town, but the surrounding mountains provide numerous spectacular longer and more remote ice-climbing routes as well.

There are a number of world-class outfitters who live in the Ouray area who can teach you how to ice climb if you are interested but not experienced.

The San Juan Mountain Guides and Mountain Madness are just a couple worth checking out.

The Ouray Ice Festival, held each year in January, is the premiere international gathering of its kind, with professionals flying in form all over the world year after year to compete, climb, socialize and test out the latest equipment. The festival draws an eclectic gathering of visitors each year from those who climb ice, to those who manufacture gear and those who simply want to watch at a safe distance. The festival was first held in January of 1996 and is 100% locally owned and operated by Ouray Ice Park Inc. It is a major source of funding for the Ouray Ice Park. Proceeds raised from our auctions, slideshows and dinners directly contribute to the operation and maintenance of the facility.

This years festival, to be held Jan 7 - 10, 2010 we will host over 70+ interactive climbing clinics, including 12 extended length climbing seminars of six hours each. Nightly slideshows will feature outstanding world class mountaineers and climbers, great auctions, parties, fundraisers and meals.

Here is a list of the guest speakers announced for 2010 Ice Festival:
Thursday Januray 8: Caroline George
Friday Januray 9: Steve House and Majka Burkart
Saturday Januray 10: Timmy O'Neill
Sunday Januray 11: Dave Nettle

For more information, visit the official Ouray Ice Festival Home page by clicking here

Ouray, often called the Switzerland of America, is situated in a river valley at 7,700 ft. in the heart of the Rocky Mountains

Offering magestic peaks, cascading waterfalls, natural hot springs, and small town charm in addition to the world class ice park, Ouray is a magical vacation destination and well worth a visit.

Getting its start as a mining town, many of the buildings in Ouray are historic having been built between 1880-1900. For example, the beautifully restored Beaumont Hotel & Spa (built 1886), the St. Elmo Hotel (1898), the Miners Hospital (1887), now the Ouray County Historical Museum, and the Walsh Library (1899), to the un-restored Livery Barn (1883) and the Historic Western Hotel Saloon Restaurant (1881). Ouray presents a variety of remarkable old Victorian architecture. On the side streets, classic examples of Victorian homes abound, most of them beautifully restored. In 1983, both the Colorado and National Historic Authorities honored the City of Ouray as a National Historic District.

Ouray is an outdoor enthusiast's dream and the winter months are enchanting. At night when the lights meet the formations of ice and snow they shimmer and glow. This is a beautiful sight to behold while soaking in the natural hot springs after a day out on the ice. There are quite a few hotels which boast their own natural hot springs and there are two community hot springs to enjoy, one in Ouray proper- The Ouray Hot Springs Pool and one just a little ways outside of town -Orvis Hot Springs
photo from: widerange.org