Day 3: Shit House Wall

We got an early start on this day anticipating some paralyzing soreness from a full day of skiing at Telluride and walked to the nearest climbing area from the hotel- The shithouse wall. This area is most WI5 with only a few WI4 that we had set up with long static lines to trees and then do a heinous down climb to the bottom.

Day 2: Unexpected REST Day

In Previous years, after 3-4 days of swinging ice tools, we resign to taking a break from climbing ice and go skiing. In the last 30 minutes of climbing the day before we saw a front roll through and snow start to fall. Lee offered to drive to Telluride so we rolled out the next morning at 7am.

Skiing at Telluride is best when there is at least 18" of fresh pow-pow that has been my experience in years gone by, so we settled for 8". Skiing at Telluride is not cheap. The lift ticket was $115 and the ski rental was $64.

Hmmmm Did I also rent boots that I didn't need? Oh well. So our rest day involved skiing in the country's premiere ski area with vistas worth more than money could buy.

photo by Lee Jenkins

Day One : Just off the Couch in Ouray 2016

The 2015-2016 Ouray season finally started and the ice was farmed 3-4 weeks late due the warm temperatures but just in time for the 2016 Ouray Ice Festival and Competition.  Then of course there was the burst penstock during the festival which an over the top incident that was of concern and sht down park of the park. The Ouray Ice Park is under  a new managment style that affects everything from the work force farming the ice to the purchasing of ice park memberships through the Ouray Ice Park Website which now affects the validation process for the 20% lodging discounts from participating local merchants.

This is the School room

The burst penstocks further exascerbates affects the warm weather by the water diverted by the electric company upstream which has a volume of water flowing through the ice park at unprecedented levels which affects where you can belay from. Many of the climbs in South Park have to be belayed from the top.

Fast forward to January 20th first day off the couch. The same song is playing in Ouray, blue bird skies , hero ice and an insane 33 degrees of weather that terribly spoils eastern climbers.

We climbed in the School Room on the first day and met some friendly Aussies who gave us pointers on how to speak Aussie....JACINTA & BRAIDEN, Lee Jenkins, Greg Cristopolus,Cort Zabel, James PAsterchek, Stevie Macay, Marty Comiskey & John Penrose.

Day One: off the couch.

For some of us, this first day in the park would be the first swings of the year. Since it was pretty cold we hike to the far end of the park and had our way with the climbs at South Park with hopes of playing in the sun this day. It was kinda cold with the wind coming up the gorge. You couldnt ask for better conditions really. Good ice and good friends!!  Bluebird skies!!

Piotr	Doug	Doug
Lee and James	Marty	Scott
	Greg and Vincent	Wait for it
Lee

Travel day january 21

After about the 2 or 3rd year,  the trip become rather routine . wait for the best flight and buy a ticket. [only to pay way extra for 2nd and 3rd piece of luggage] pack, arrive in Montrose, climb the next morning. This is like the 5th or 6th year and we have ( I have) never been delayed or bumped coming here.

Fast forward 2015. The forecast for January 21 was a snow event by mid morning in Alexandria. By the time I left DCA, my Chicago connection was delayed which pushed back my arrival into MTJ.  This snow event delayed flights across our area of travel. I contacted my travel mates with modern technology and everyone was delayed to different degrees of delyaness.....After all that, we roll in at 4pm and Greg at 7pm. Everyone in Good spirits: Lee jenkins, Marty Comisky, Doug Halonen, Scott Hatrsock, James Pasterchek, Greg Christopulus, Stephen MaCay, Piotr , Peter Smith from AK, Karl Slinginger, Ian,  and me. Going down to a crip 4 above.

Ouray 2015

Happy New Year of climbing Ice.

I know it's only September 2014 but I have already priced tickets from DCA to MJT is $465. I heard you may get a better deal actually calling the airlines.

I am planning on arriving at the same time, just after MLK weekend, on Wednesday and staying for at least a week.

This is a club trip that's not really a club trip because there aint no deposits, no schedules, no puissant race for the best bunk ( well unless you rent a house or something I suppose), no requirement for membershit, and especially, no stinkin badges.

Comes as  you are, climb your ass off, make new friends.

The are new climber clinics provided by San Juan Guides that you'd take for a day or 2 gear provided for the clinic, then you can simply join the group and climb in the park. Newbies come every year, who are now ice mongers. You can arrange gear rental with the shops or guide service for the remainder of your stay....You can find all this info somewhere on this website; you don't need a car. Many hotels will pick you up and drop you off at the airport in Montrose if you stay with them...the ice park is a leisurely 10 minute walk and so on.

SO,  WEDNESDAY January 21th-2015 is when the fun can begin YMMV.

We someties forget to get everyone together for a group picture until people have left and at the last possible minute.

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Day 5: Back to the Shool Room

John wanted to lead something so we returned to School Room on this day. Ryan Jones joined us this morning who hooked up with us through Mark Eldon who joined our last year. Ryan is a guide in Washington and we were fortunate to climb with him and pick his brain for tips and tricks. Another wonderful session in the park. Chicks with Picks had a few clinics going on and the empty rope police began hounding us as they should for hogging climbing lines that no one was climbing.