Guided Ice Climbing In The OuraY Ice Park
Learn how to ice climb with expert instruction from Skyward Mountaineering guides in the Ouray Ice Park. For over 30 years, Skyward Mountaineering has been offering guided ice climbing on multipitch backcountry routes throughout Ouray and in the world renowned Ouray Ice Park. Under the guidance of famed alpinist and IFMGA Guide, Vince Anderson, Skyward Mountaineering is the longest continuously owned and operated guide service in the San Juan mountains and we continue to be a small team of comprised of highly trained and passionate Ouray ice climbing guides.
Ice and mixed climbing in the Ouray Ice Park
Routes range from WI3 to WI6 and M4 to M10
Beginner to advanced
No previous experience required with routes for all abilities
Full day (8 hours)
Mid December - mid March
Ouray, Colorado
7,792 ft / 2,375 m
Ouray Ice Park: the epicenter of ice climbing
Located in the heart of the San Juan mountains in southwest Colorado, the old mining town of Ouray is truly the premier ice climbing destination in North America. The Ouray Ice Park, conveniently located only a 15 minute walk from downtown, extends for a 1 mile span of the Uncompahgre Gorge with a human-made gravity fed sprinkler system that creates over 150 independent ice climbs and another 50+ mixed climbs. With a heavily concentrated selection of ice climbing in a variety of styles and difficulties the Ouray Ice Park is a unique asset for climbers who want to learn how to ice climb for the first time to experienced ice climbers who want to improve their efficiency and movement techniques on steep and challenging routes.
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A full day of guided ice climbing in the Ouray Ice Park is a perfect opportunity to learn or refresh your ice climbing movement techniques. Skyward Mountaineering ice climbing guides are expert climbers and instructors, trained to be able to provide you nuanced, practical and helpful information to improve with quick strides whether you’re learning to ice climb for the first time or want to improve your efficiency on long and challenging WI5 pitches.
Most of our climbers with a private guide for ice climbing in Ouray are able to climb 5-8 classic independent pitches with some repetition on routes to hone your ice climbing technique, during a single day, ample time to get sufficient forearm pump and maximize learning opportunities.
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In addition to guided ice climbing in Ouray, we instruct several ice climbing courses in the Ouray Ice Park. Our courses are specifically designed to teach climbers to be self-sufficient rather than reliant on a guide, learn the following skills and more:
Equipment selection and details
Top rope anchor construction
Belaying (toprope, lead, and belaying a follower from above)
Movement techniques: introductory through advanced plus efficient mixed climbing
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In town for a longer trip?
Skyward Mountaineering also offers ice climbing guides for backcountry routes in Ouray, Silverton, and Telluride. Honing your ice climbing technique for a couple of days in the Ouray Ice Park and then taking those skills onto a multipitch ice climb in the backcountry routes around Ouray is an awesome well-rounded climbing vacation.
Put your ice climbing skills to the test on a backcountry ice climb!
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Established in 1994, the Ouray Ice Park originally began illegally with climbers poking holes in the penstock diverting water from a hydroelectric power plant upstream, so the water would freeze on the steep cliffs of the Uncompahgre Gorge. Legendary alpinist, Jeff Lowe was critical in the development of the Ouray Ice Park and the annual Ouray Ice Fest, along with local legends, Bill Whitt and Gary Wild.
The Nuche (meaning The People, commonly referred to as Ute), lived in Ouray and throughout the surrounding areas of the Colorado Plateau. The town of Ouray is named after Chief Ouray (meaning Arrow), leader of the Tabeguache who agreed to a controversial treaty with the US government on behalf of all the Nuche tribes.
The Ouray Ice Park is located in the Uncomphagre Gorge, which is a Nuche word meaning water that turns the rocks red, due to the high mineral content from iron oxide deposits.
Frequently asked questions
Below are answers to common questions about ice climbing in the Ouray Ice Park with Skyward Mountaineering:
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No, you do not need to have previous climbing (rock or ice) experience to enjoy climbing with a guide at the Ouray Ice Park! Skyward Mountaineering offers ice climbing courses and guided trips for all skill levels, from beginners to experts. Honestly, there are routes for every level climber with multiple styles of climbing. Our professional guides will help you through the entire process, with getting equipped with the right gear, how to build anchors, how to belay and other fundamental ice climbing techniques, and efficient ice climbing movement.
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Ice climbing difficulty grades are based on the steepness of the route. The grades typically have a WI (waterfall ice) rating from 1 - 6. 1 being a smooth low angle frozen river and 5 being vertical sustained ice. Routes in the Ouray Ice Park vary in difficulty from WI2 low angle slabs that are great for introductory ice climbing and practicing balance drills such as climbing with one ice tool. There are numerous zones with 30 meter long WI3 and WI4 routes with unique features, bulges and caves. Or even challenging and steep pillars and daggers of WI5 and 6!
Approaches in the Ouray Ice Park are around 5 - 15 minutes on slightly uphill trails, it is the most accessible concentration of ice climbing routes in North America.
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Yes! Skyward Mountaineering puts a lot of value in working with you to personalize every guided climbing trip, so details like the start time, hiking pace, photos, climbing instruction, route linkups, etc can all be adjusted to meet your specific goals. Your guide will reach out in the days before the trip to discuss these logistics, please let your guide know if you have any questions or specific requests.
Additionally, our administrative staff are climbers and guides too and we’re here to support you through the whole process. If you have any questions before booking your guided climb or before the trip starts please reach out to us and we are happy to answer your questions.
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We guide toproping in the Ouray Ice Park at a maximum ratio of 4 climbers per 1 guide. If you would like to climb together as a larger group we can add another guide to the team. Contact us if you would like to climb in the Ouray Ice Park with a group of more than 4 people.
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We have a detailed equipment list to help you prepare and pack for your trip. If you have questions about any of the gear please let us know, we’re happy to help make recommendations or clarify.
Skyward Mountaineering provides all of the technical group climbing equipment, this includes ropes, anchor material, protection, etc. Many of clients are experienced ice climbers and prefer to use their own equipment, though we do maintain a small fleet of personal gear for climbers on trips with us to borrow. We are also happy to have you use a new pair of ice tools or crampons if you’re interested in trying out different, modern tools. Please let the admin staff or your guide know ASAP if you expect to borrow personal climbing equipment such as backpacks, harness, helmet, belay device, carabiners, personal tether, etc.
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The Ouray Ice Park is reliably open from Christmas through the first week of March. It is possible with a cold start to winter that the Ice Park opens by mid December and if winter sticks around to stay open until the end of March, though it’s not a guarantee. Thankfully, there are several nearby higher elevation climbing zones that we can shift to in the event that the Ouray Ice Park closes earlier than hoped for. Ice climbing on the backcountry routes are most reliable late November through early April.
We recommend booking a guided ice climbing trip during weekdays to avoid crowding, though it’s still reasonable to climb in the Ouray Ice Park or backcountry areas with an early start during weekends or holidays.
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Sun or snow, we’re able to climb in the Ouray Ice Park during almost all weather events. Due to the nature of the terrain in the Ouray Ice Park, there is little to no avalanche hazard in the Ice Park, making it a reliable option in comparison to many of the backcountry areas around Ouray and Silverton during large snowstorms. Also, as local guides in Ouray we are able to precisely monitor conditions and weather to provide you the most up-to-date information.
In the rare event that the weather or conditions prohibit the team from ice climbing and your guide deems conditions to be unsafe/unreasonable we will work with you to reschedule your climbing trip.
For more information on our cancellation policy, please see our terms and conditions and contact us with any other questions.
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If you know what dates you want to climb in the Ouray Ice Park, you can book your trip directly on our website. You can also get in touch to discuss your goals and ask any questions, we’re happy to help and send you a custom booking.
Though we often still have availability for last minute trips in Ouray (please always reach out and ask) we highly recommend booking your trip at least 2 weeks in advance so we can guarantee your guide’s availability and ensure that you are confirmed with all the logistics.
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