Some fun and steep ice in the park below the Gazeb...
Description
This is a separate section of Colorado, since you, the user of MountainProject.com, have asked for it. To help you, find all that your icy heart desires, look here.
Though not organized by town or city, this section is organized geographically. Here, you will find the subset of climbing done with crampons & ice tools on at least some bits of ice.
In this Colorado medium, you will find amazing beauty, ethereal sculptures created by nature, and a different peace than when you don sticky rubber and dab fingers into your chalkbag. You will dig deep, you will find ascents unique to each passage, and you may find a reward for balancing mind, body, and respect for the cold, natural world.
Those of you drawn to this aspect of the sport will search far and wide for some new, undiscovered dribble of the frozen variety. You will tramp all day based upon a narrow set of topographical lines on a map, drive hours based upon a rumor, drag half your weight in gear up miles of unpacked trails just looking for that next line. You'll call friends, call friends of friends, squeeze climbing shop employees for conditions, and scan websites for updates on climbs. Hopefully, here you will find something useful, consider adding routes to the database, update conditions for your fellow ice climber, and contribute to this small but growing database. Please do not take offense to those who seek to share...for we all love this medium...it is a passion.
For those of you out there who long for the day when no one else but you and your partner were out there whacking away, please remember when this was your new found focus. Also, understand by adding to this information, we spread folks out to allow a better experience for all.
For the exploring types, there are still ice climbs to be done out there...even depicted in this database.
There will be climbs that have been done where it is unlikely that someone will post it here due to lack of legal access, promises of secrecy, and fading in aging memory banks. For those, you'll just have to root around a bit or do it the old fashion way, earn it.
In really moist winters, amazing lines will pop up all over the place, even in predominantly rock climbing areas! So, keep the mind open, the eyes on alert, and the imagination in gear.
At the moment, this is a work in progress to reorganize this database for the subset who seek out the cold.... Please be patient.
Getting There
To get there, you will search far and near, high and low. You will drive, hike, scramble, and toil towards your goal. Approaches will vary from 1 minute to 1 day.
Current Weather shows some actual weather and temperatures throughout Colorado.
Weather
You can check out the weather through NOAA and enter the city of choice.
Guidebooks/Other Info
Consider Jack Roberts' Colorado Ice and Colorado Ice Second Edition Vol. 1 Cameron Burn's Colorado Ice Climber's Guide, Charlie Fowler's San Juan Ice Jack Hunt's Life by the Drop Ben Bruestle's The Ripper, Climbing in Colorado's Wet Mountains Vince Anderson's foldout Ouray Ice Park ice guide Bill MacTiernan's older Ouray Ice Glenn Randall's inspiring Vertigo Games Richard Rossiter's Rocky Mountain National Park, High Peaks Bernard Gillett's Rocky Mountain National Park & Rocky Mountain National Park, The High Peaks.
Ice Parks
Many of you have climbed at or known of the non-profit Ouray Ice Park in the Uncompaghre Gorge. This helped create the win-win for climbers & locals with the revival of a winter economy for Ouray. Some of you have climbed on some of the fledgling, farmed, ice routes in Boulder Canyon before the days when ice aficienados attempted to create an ice park in that location. Today, there is a growing movement to create additional ice parks through the state, like the Lake City Ice Park. Who knows what the future holds?
One note, please do not ice farm within national parks.
This 2 pitch beauty can be found immediately left of Smear and Loathing several hundred yards above 'the privy' and the Gray Jay group campsite. The ice here is visible briefly from over 4 miles away where the trail meets a meadow, but not again until you enter a small, hanging amphitheater (with 3 other climbs) about 200 yards from the ice. Allow 45 minutes for the final approach as you contour up and around a prominent rock band (s...[more]
Berthoud Pass/ US 40 approximately 1/2 mile up the road from the first switchback turn (Big Bend picnic area) there is a small stream flowing down a gully. About 100 meters up the gully is a small flow 15'-20' WI 2-3. Not a lot, but good for a quick fix if you live in Grand County. Park in the small pull off area on the side of the road - watch out for traffic and snowplows. Don't think there is much of an avalance danger - this is before the Stanley zone. There is potential for more ice higher up in the gully, I just got tired before going more then 3/4 of a mile up it. Not sure if the area has a name or has evre been climbed before (probably). If no one knows if there is a name, I think I'll refer to it as "The Stash".
I am taking a survey on any mixed route in Colorado that someone has done to confirm grades in [Colorado]. Send me your email and I will send you the questionaire. Thanks rich mixed@m9ice.com
Via Mike Brumbaugh in Avon: Hidden Falls above the Shoshone Power Plant in is and fat. The Rigid Designator is in and steep! Fang isn't connected yet. Spiral Staircase is in and thin.
Officers Gulch: 12/12/02 Tony's Nighmare is in with thick, plastic ice. I climbed it yesterday. The Shroud is in, and continues to improve. I climbed it Thanksgiving. Around the Corner looks in, but I didn't hike up to the base. Silverplume looked climbable when I drove past.
By Leo Paik Administrator From: Westminster, Colorado Dec 25, 2003
Hey, anyone have any beta/info on ice at Jones Pass or an Loch Lomond? There are rumors of big blue....
Berthoud Pass area about half a mile past big bend WI 2 a ways above first fall short further up on west side of creek. Short WI4 with a pretty tight top out lots of trees. It's a fun hike if you need a fix. Avalanche danger exists. I had a 30 sq. ft. patch wumph on me last weekend. More ice possible further up
By Leo Paik Administrator From: Westminster, Colorado Apr 22, 2005
Anyone out there familiar with the Willow Lakes ice climbs? Are these in the area N of Silverthorne? Any beta, anyone?
Christmas day my bother pointed out an ice-flow coming down the north side of US Hwy 40 a few miles west of Empire. I've not noticed it prior. It is a couple hundred feet up off the road just east of the Goat Rock sport crag. I returned today and was pleasantly surprized. Soloed aprox 75 ft to top. Inital thin vertical ice, then lower angle to ~12ft curtain, then some high angle bulges. Tree at the top with slings and rings. No signs of recent climbing. Who has the FA? Does this come in consistently?
By Leo Paik Administrator From: Westminster, Colorado Mar 19, 2006
Ice & mixed climbers, please comment on if you like or do not like this reorganization...it may help determine if this remains like this or goes back to being blended in with the rest of the rock database. It only took a couple hours to do this....
Leo, Good deal. I Like it! Far superior than wading through cyber space. Now if people start to use it all will be chill. Cheers, philo
By John McNamee Administrator From: Littleton, CO Mar 20, 2006
Discussion about ice and mixed routes is also happening at this forum. Please check it out and get involved. The forum not only discusses the separation of ice and mixed routes but also the technical challenges we are facing as we try to have a simple design for all climbers and all states.
This distinction is very, very, helpful please do not change it back. It is extremely easier to find ice climbs when they are separated as such. Just scanning through I have found a ton of climbs that I probably would have never known existed.
I was also wondering if there is anyone in the Rifle/Parachute area that wants to some ice climbing. Especially locally. I have also found some new ice climbs around Parachute that I believe are different from those mentioned on a book I have. I hope this next weekend or next I can climb a few of them and get some photos posted.
Hey I lost my Canon Camera at the base fo the SouthPark Area in OURAY if any of you are going there will you please keep nad eye out for it. I believe it is as you come fof the hill by a small tree. If you find it please let me know! HTere will be a reward! THANKS
By Nick Dolecek From: Denver, Colorado Mar 26, 2007
Eureka area climbs are getting heavy sun rot, and are cracking...Stairway is cracking and also has the rot. First gully was doable with a little mixed on pitches 1 and 5. Time for the rock.
By Mario Martinez From: Colorado Springs, CO Dec 9, 2007
Any word on our favorite ice climb (HG)and its formation? Drop me a text.
For those lost souls like myself who just must climb ice until the end. I'm in Telluride at the moment and this is what I know.
Silver Pick is IN at WI4 and looking good. We punched a trail in. Coronet is gone, gone, gone. Bridalveil is looking fat and there is so much snow at the bottom the first pitch is practically buried. Ames Ice Hose is totally in shape. Again, the first pitch is really buried under snow from above but the rest of the climb is in thick shape.
Gravity's Rainbow is still very climbable but the first pitch has a hole in it. It's easy to climb around it. About easy WI4/3+
Kennedy's Gully.......the crux lower pitch has melted out. Bring a wetsuit and snorkel gear.
Skylight routes are in great shape. Killer Piller is completely formed and has an overhanging ice finish.......Yeah, baby! New M-routes rated M6 & M7.
The Ice Park has some funky ice covered in lots of fresh snow but there is still loads of good stuff to get on.
There is a ton of snow above The Ribbon. Best to leave it for another time.
The Talisman is reforming itself, getting better and better. Will probably get in peak shape next week.
BBB is still pretty thin with lots of snow in, around and above.
OH, and for a real rush.......DEEP THROAT IS IN!!!!
CO Ice & Mixed
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