Vail Ice  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Elevation:  8,500' Lat, Long:  39.6459, -106.332 Map Page Views:  217,776. Good page?    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac Submitted By:  Leo Paik on Mar 19, 2006 Make this area a Favorite What's New  Printer View Add Area  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

RP going for the ice on the Fang off of Lucky. Se...

Description 

Dang those organizing types. Why couldn't we just leave this area a mess and let climbers figure it all out? Shucks, we're just being helpful 'round these parts.

This is a decidedly popular ice area. It is north-facing, so dress warmly. It is easily visible from the road. While most of the popular areas are listed here, there certainly is more ice that forms up here.

This area holds a great variety of of 1-2 pitch ice and mixed routes. If you get to climb here, you'll likely leave with a smile. This is probably the birthplace for Colorado modern mixed climbing with Jeff Lowe's ascent of Octopussy, although Alex Lowe's influence was strong, too.

Parking is a hassle since the town of Vail outlaws on-the-street parking. So, don't assume anything or you'll be made to pay.

Snow can pile up. It can even avalanche.

Access issues can be problematic. Check things out first.

Occasionally rappel trees fail. So, beware!

On the South side (E->W): Racquet Club, Firehouse, Secret Cicle, East Vail Falls, Hell's Cave, Big Gully ice, Spiral Stairs/Belfry, RD Amphitheatre, Pumphouse, 9th Hole.

On the North Side (E->W): Booth Creek, Goat Beard, Piney Lake Pillar.

Getting There 

Located approximately 100 miles W of Denver. Most folks will use I-70 to access this area. The E Vail exit is most useful for most of these climbs. Parking is a hassle. Probably, the locals know the best scoop on parking. It's best to find a legal spot and expect to walk a bit further than you'd like or just buy one of these little shacks and cough up a mil or two.

Odd tidbit for 2007: there seem to be conflicting signs posted near Pumphouse where one sign suggests climbers need to pay to cross the golf course, but other signs do not.

General Layout of Ice 

There is varying nomenclature for the ice and chutes on the north-facing areas. Here are the general areas (east->west):

A. Raquet Club area
B. Firehouse area
C. Secret Stash
D. East Vail Falls
E. Big Gully Ice aka Porzak Chute
F. Hell's Cave
G1. Spiral Staircase area
above - G2. Belfry
H. Rigid Designator Amphitheater
I. Pumphouse
J. 19th Fairway
K. 9th Hole
L. Golf Course chute - no ice
M. Golden Peak chute - no ice

On the south-facing areas (east->west):
N. Booth Creek
O. Goat's Beard
P. Piney Lake Pillar

The Classics

Featured Route For Vail Ice

Misery M8  CO : CO Ice & Mixed : ... : Pencil & Eraser area aka Be...

Just right of the The Pencil in the Belfry, the small area above Spiral Staircase. Very interesting climbing... wait til you try the crux....[more]   Browse More Classics in CO

Photos of Vail Ice Slideshow

Add Photo

Quang-Tuan Luong January 15, 1996. " /> BETA PHOTO: Image by Quang-Tuan Luong...	The Frigid Inseminator.	The Frigid Inseminator.
Climber on the Frigid Inseminator. 12/29/07.	BETA PHOTO: FireHouse area from I-70 on 01-22-10. Note that th...	BETA PHOTO: Rigid Designator Amphitheatre 12/06.
Scott E. leading East Vail Falls in December, 2006...	Nosferatu.	BETA PHOTO: Silly climber, ice is for drinks!
BETA PHOTO: Booth Creek ice climbs. Saddam Insane area.	BETA PHOTO: Clay's Pillar at Booth, lead by Brad Grohusky 12/1...	Gordo on the ice.
Reptile is pretty fun route.	This was taken a few weeks after the curtain fell ...	Somnambulist.
An unknown party (speak up so we know who you are)...	BETA PHOTO: Dragon's Teeth. The slab and ice to the right is ...	The Fang in 1996.
Climbing The Fang in 1996. Notice the top is unatt...