PRINT: Climb Upper Petefish Slabs, CO Ice & Mixed

Upper Petefish Slabs

WI3-4, TR, Ice, 100 ft (30 m),

Avg: 2.5 from 2 votes
FA: unknown
Colorado > CO Ice & Mixed > Ouray (Ice/Mixed) > US Highway 550

Description

These easily accessible climbs are named for former Tower Guides (now Peak Guides) owner Andy Petefish after his dismissal from the Ouray Ice Park. What is not to be dismissed is the similarities this area has to the Ice Park: quick access, toproping, (relatively) safe from avalanche exposure, and an easy, flat base from which to stage. There are two main flows with anchors on trees above that offer from WI 2-4 lines depending on conditions. In the absence of snow, there can be 15m of WI 1 at the base which can make it hard to toprope the right hand flow with a 60m or shorter rope. A 70-80m rope will alleviate this. The left hand flow offers a few steeper pillars near the top and is 10m shorter. This is a great instructional and practice area.

Location

The slabs are on the west side of the upper Uncompahgre Gorge (US Hwy 550), about 200m downstream of the Riverside Slide snowshed. They are right above the creek and below the road grade. They are easily visible when driving up the gorge from Ouray about ten minutes from town. There is a large pullout just down from the snowshed. Make sure to park as far down from the shed as possible. The snowshed is there for a reason: avalanches can run down from above and over (and around!) it. The climbs themselves are generally safe. It is a short hike down from the road and then across the creek to base of the climbs - ten minutes maximum.

Protection

Ice screws.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

The Petefish Slabs as viwed from the parking pullout along US Hwy 550.

From the road.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Caleb Bryce
Bend

Tragic icefall-triggered avalanche fatality on 1/18/2020.

Full accident report here: avalanche.state.co.us/caic/….

Our hearts go out to the family of the deceased climber, and thanks go out to the search and rescue team involved in responding and recovering the climber. Jan 24, 2020

Michael Schneiter
Glenwood Springs, CO

The Dungeon and Petefish Slabs are actually two different areas. Petefish Slabs are further south on 550 from The Dungeon. Jan 25, 2020

Vince Anderson
Grand Junction, CO

WI3-4

Just for a historical perspective on the naming: "The Dungeon and Petefish Slabs are actually two different areas." This depends on who you talk to. When Andy (Petefish; former owner of Tower, now Peak, guides) lost access to the Ice Park (around 1995 or 6?), he began taking his clients to both of these places in addition to some other spots up Camp Bird Road. Most of these places were referred to as "the Dungeon" in reference to him being ousted from the Ice Park. Both zones referenced here along HWY 550 were called the Petefish Slabs a lot. The one mentioned here, was where he most frequently was at; due to being much easier to approach and having much less of the overhead hazard present at the other spot. Hence, my referring to it as THE Petefish Slab/Dungeon. It is correct, however, that the site of the recent (January 2020) tragic accident is a different climb. If you ask around Ouray, you'll get about an equal division on which is the Petefish Slabs and which is the Dungeon, or if they are different at all. Like I mentioned, at one time both of these climbing spots were referred to as being more or less the same place. Perhaps, a Lower and Upper prefix would work better? Jan 27, 2020

mike d
Montrose, CO

Thanks, Vince. I think of this one as Petefish Slabs and the other area as The Dungeon, mainly because this one is more slabby, and the lower one feels more like a dungeon. The history is much appreciated, but why waste a perfectly good name? It sounds more fitting to bestow the Petefish name to this one anyway, given his inclination to climb here, and call the lower one something different. They're certainly distinct climbs. Aug 9, 2021