Middle Oak Creek Falls

This beautiful, secluded pitch of blue ice is a prize for those willing and able to tromp up Oak Creek in the winter.

Climb your choice of lines on the featured flow, generally fat in midwinter, though the final stretch is a tube.

Anchor at the top of the flow (can be tricky). Options appear scant in the creek above, and two ropes and likely rock gear are required to build a suitable anchor above the climb.

Descent is by v-thread or maybe pitons. From the creek bed above the climb, it should also be possible to eventually scramble south out of the watercourse and circle back to make a long rappel off a tree at the rim. There is also an avalanche-prone walkoff.

This is a good mid-winter bet, but the approach and to a lesser extent the climb are threatened by avalanche slopes.

At the west end of Ouray, park at the small Oak Creek/Perimeter trailhead at the top of Queen Street. Don't take the trail, but rather hike south up Pinecrest, past a few residences, and up the big switchback.

In half a mile, turn right onto the signed Perimeter Trail. At the top of the hill, turn left onto the signed Oak Creek Trail. Follow the typically well-traveled trail for just under a mile to another signed junction.

Turn left onto the Oak Creek Trail, not often used in the winter. Foreknowledge of the summer trail is helpful. Follow it 1.5 miles to a meadow where the summer trail climbs up the ridge to the north.

Leave the trail here, contouring across the meadow and into the creek around 10,100'. Continue up the creek bed, through a heavy debris zone (nasty unless snowed under) and into a tight, winding canyon. Climb two steps of ice or snow to find the waterfall in a pretty amphitheater around 10,600'.

In total, this approach is 3.5 miles and has 3,200 feet of gain. Expect a full day.

Alternately, climb the possibly bootpacked Twin Peaks Trail, continue west along the ridge, and descend to the aforementioned meadow from the saddle. This route involves over 1,500 extra feet of gain.

One or two 70m ropes, ice screws, pitons, a v-thread kit, snowshoes, and avalanche gear to comfort.