Day Four in the Park

The morning after the snow storm brought a beautiful stillness to the mountain setting. Every small sound was amplified 10,000 times. The sun began to peek through the clouds around 0945 and the familiar Ouray Setting was restored: Blue Bird skies. We are climbing today in a an area known as the GRAD SCHOOL. The climbs in this area of the park are 45 meters and one must belay form the top. We climbed here a couple of years ago after a similar snow storm brought about 18 inches of the white stuff. This made for a really exhaustive day climbing ice because the ice was completely covered under about a foot of snow which meant many many pick swings before reaching ice in which to gain the safety of secure purchase. It is absolutely a beautiful day.