ouray ice park

It gets busy but that is for a reason. Climbing on steep ice can initially be a frightening undertaking, it takes time and practice to get the required skills.The beauty of the Ice Park is that you can top rope to your hearts content and so acquire those skills with a relative degree of safety. (it's still climbing though, so remember STUFF HAPPENS!)Once you have acquired your skills there are plenty of opportunities to lead climb in and around the Ice Park.It really is Ice Climbing Heaven.

This place is a must see/must do whether you climb or not. But beware, weekends are busy! Go with guide for sure.

This ice park encourages ice climbers by creating waterfalls down the cliffs not very far from town. The day we went the girls were featured. The students and others tie ropes to trees and repel down the ice cascade until they are at the bottom. Then they use their equipment of shoes and picks to pull themselves back up to the top. Great to watch. Good pictures too!

I had never done ice climbing before, and it was a lot of fun! The park and people are awesome there.

We climbed in and out of the park for two days and I was able to do about 15-20 routes. I was with a pretty experienced group so they pushed me and pretty hard. We ended up in the park doing South Park, School Room, Scottish Gullies and 5-Fingers. I would say anyone who is an average outdoor climber will be fine on just about any routes. I tried some of the mixed routes and that was a little tougher doing the dry tooling but not bad. Loved it and I am hooked for good I will be back for sure.

The Ouray Ice Park is an awesome place for ice climbers of every ability. It is free, but they do ask that you join as a member on their web site. It is only $40 for a basic membership and it gives you many discounts. World class ice here with visitors from all over the USA and the world. It is also a good place for people to watch from safe platforms. Awesome fun for families too!

Perfect for learning to climb or pushing your skills. Such a beautiful location and just loved every moment.

This was a great idea. There is some really good ice in the park, good people as well, but for me it is too reminiscent of a gym. I prefer the solitude of the backcountry ice around Ouray.

This is the only official "ice park" in the US. A must see!! The canyon ice walls are absolutely astonishing.

Great place to experience ice climbing for the first time, but there are plenty of routes to keep you interested no matter what your skill level is. There's a festival every January, with clinics and competitions and the best ice climbers around. Whenever you go it's an unforgettable experience!

My husband and I planned a trip to Ouray, Colorado in January to try ice climbing for the very first time. We had no idea what to expect and were a little nervous about what we were getting ourselves into. We booked a 2 day ice climbing course with RMI They were great! They provided their expertise and all technical equipment needed for the course. The instructors were excellent! They explained and demonstrated all skills necessary to climb safely and comfortably! The climb itself was unbelievable. Challenging and exhilarating. Sheets of ice cover the rocks, giving a breathtaking view of a frozen waterfall. After the first day was complete, we went back to our hotel room and collapsed, but after a good night's sleep, we couldn't wait to start the second day. This was an experience we shall never forget and recommend to anyone interested in ice climbing.

Hiked the Perimeter Trail and viewed the ice park. No ice at this time of the year. But this looks like a great place for ice climbing.

Ice climb till you cant hold on any more then run down to the hot springs to cool off. I think it was the greatest expierance. Don't forget any gear, the stores up here make REI look like the dollar store. Diverse skill levels and amazing sightseeing.... water flowing in the river below you makes it really exciting

It's awesome. It's free. It is such a good idea in so many ways. We really enjoyed our time climbing in Ouray.

What a fantastic experience to interact with (mostly) nature in this way, challenging oneself while surrounded in absolute beauty. WARNING--the climbing gets addictive!