Ouray Ice Climbing 2021

I am very late on this post and don’t quite recall all the details. So here is a quick summary. A long drive to Durango is where the trip started. The first day was filled with snowboarding at Purgatory. The snow was bare and the conditions were not as good as they could have been. We spent the evening hitting all the breweries through Durango. The following day we headed towards Ouray. We stayed at Twin Peaks Hot Spring resort. We enjoyed an evening soaking in the hot spring with some local craft beer. The following day we headed to Ouray Ice Climbing Park and started the trek in. Eventually we found a great first climb for the ones of us that were first time ice climbers. We set up a top rope anchor and rappelled in. The first day was filled with some good practice. Remember Kick, Kick, stick and to bring your arms below your heart every so often. The screaming barfies is definitely a real thing. My second climb of the morning I got wicked pumped and once I got back to the ground, I remember holding my hands and feeling like I was going to be sick. After everyone was burned out for the day, we made our way to the one and only Ouray Brewing Company. Heavy beers, warm food and recovery was well needed after the first day of ice climbing. We went back to the resort and sat in the hot spring for a couple of hours. The second day of climbing we went to an area called the school room. This area was much taller and steeper. We ended up on some routes that traversed some waterfalls and mixed rock. I only made three climbs before I was burned out for the day. After two days of climbing, I decided that I didn’t want to climb for a third day in a row. I broke off from the group and did a solo day trip to snowboard in Telluride. January can be a hit or miss with the snow in Colorado. I definitely was in the miss spot because Telluride had bare spots and was not good conditions. Even though the snow was not good I still had a great time exploring the mountain and the runs that were open. A long day on the slopes brought me back to the resort and we all headed out for food. Gnar Tacos, might be some of the best tacos I’ve ever had. One last night spent soaking in the mineral hot springs and enjoying everyone’s company before we headed back towards Phoenix. Overall, it was an amazing experience and how to enjoy some ice climbing again.