Q: Should I buy a Ouray Ice Park Membership even though it is free to climb in the park?
A: Not unless you're ******* too poor to pay attention. The park is free yes. Your membership to the Ice park ensures that it stays that way. Money goes towards the staff that work on the ice park to maintain the plumbing and is operational to replenish the ice routes every night while you sleep. The $40 ( as of 9.5.2013) also gets you INSANE discounts all around town. The membership pays for itself on the first day in the form of 20% or more off lodging at select hotels, 10% off food at restaurants and selected SWAG at the climbing shop. You get deals at hot springs and messages. Neked belly dancers serve hot cocoa and pop tarts for breakfast....oh-kay- not really but the ice park membership is a no brainer and supports the town and ice park.
Q:Who flys to MTJ ( Montrose Colorado)
A: Continental, Frontier; Delta Canadian Geese on the way to Arizona.
Q: How far is it to Ouray from the Airport?
A: 30-40 minutes
Q: Is there a shuttle service to Ouray and Telluride?
A: Yeah. about $50 each way i guess. Google this.
Q: What do you mean you guess?
A: I mean because i stay at the comfort Inn, Betty comes by and picks me up at the airport.
Q: Who is betty?
A: She is the inn keeper along with her retired chief of police husband Ted.
Q:What other accommodations are there in Ouray?
A: There a re a number of hotels to choose from, some closer some farther from the crag. All within 3-4 blocks of town and grub!
Q: Will I need a car?
A; NO. if you can get your ass to Ouray then you are golden. The approach to the nearest crag in the gorge is 15 minutes walk from your hotel room and most hotels. You can climb, come home for lunch and a soak, and go back and climb till they turn the nozzles on around 430.
Q: Climbing shops and gear?
A: there are or there is one main climbing shop with everything you need. there is also a couple of guide services on the same block. and most of these place rent gear....don't hold me to that...someone rents gear. See San Juan Mtn Guides
Q: How about instruction?
A: yes the guide services have single or group rates for instruction and gear rental.. San Juan Mountain Guides.
Q: Can i lead in the park?
A: yes if you wanna but if parties are waiting you should share the wealth although some areas are lead only and some routes are adults only. ( pic of the Vic, mixed climbs, etc.)
Q: I don't lead.
A You might someday, but for now all routes have anchors at the top in the form of natural pro, hangers or chains. WTF could be sweeter? Just show up, set up, rap down, run laps , move the rope, run laps all day till you can 't lift your arms....then stumble home all of 15 mins. to a hot shower, depending where you climb in the park and where you are staying. You don't even really need to come with a partner, just your gear, rope and a freindly attitude. Lotsa people there to meet.
Q:why do you climb there?
A: I live in Alexandria, VA. we climb locally in the Shenandoah 1.5 hours but usually our local crag is Reigelsville 3 hours(NW of Philly) or Lake Placid 8 hours away and the approach is considerably more than 15 mins, in single digit howling eastern conditions...oooops forgot to say brutal conditions.
Anyway, the amount of climbing I can do in 7 days in Ouray is almost a seasons worth of climbing back home; you do nothing but run laps on climbs you can set up in no time.
Routes are from 20-45 meters. The approach is great. If you plan your trip you can have the park to your selves as well as the town and neked belly dancers will serve....ah just kidding. Wait I'm not through. the weather is unbelievable to climb ice: Blue-bird sky and sunshine on most days. Sure it might be in the tweens occasionally single digits, but usually lower twenties upper teens but just brilliant weather for climbing......next question.
Q: So after 6 days of climbing what else is there to do?
A: Besides skiing at Silverton, you have Telluride and what use to be called Purgatory and Wolf Creek as well as back country ice and skiing. WTF, get your ass back on the ice, you came to climb pal.
Q.: What about them neked belly dancers and pop tarts?
A: No such animal pal. Bur there are great vittles at the Bistro and the new Ouray Brewery!!!
Q: What else can you tell me?
A: Look through the archives of this blog ( people call it a blog) it is a website. People get all confused when you say blog. I digress.
Q: How can you say stuff about neked belly dancers, pop tarts and shit on the Club website?
A; Because you ding dong a derry-o, this isn't a club website? It isn't even a club trip. You don't need any stinking badges, secret handshakes or extraneous memberships to any local sewing circle. You just need to come equipped to climb some ice, relax in the hot springs and enjoy the hospitality of this small western mining town. Any other questions-pour through this blog THEN contact me...
