Ice Climbing at the Ice Park in Ouray, Colorado

Spring 1998

We stayed at the Victorial Inn in Ouray. Bill climbed in the Ouray Ice Park nearby. The park is a canyon with a water pipe running along the rim; water is released from nozzles in the pipe to ensure that the entire canyon wall is covered with ice.

This is the portion of the ice park where Bill climbed first. The canyon is about 100 feet deep. Two climbers are visible, one near the center of the picture and another below.

 

 Nearing the top of a climb on the first day.

Taking a break from climbing with a hike on showshoes on the second day.

 

Happiness is ... swinging an ice axe for a good hold near the top in a snowstorm on the third morning.

 

Climbing easier ice on the third afternoon.

This day was marred by the death of a climber who failed to tie his safety rope to his harness correctly and fell from the top of another climb.

 

Apres climb, in the Inn's hot tub ... more snow falling.

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