Anchors at Ouray Ice Park?

What's the deal with anchors at the Ouray Ice Park? I'm planning to head out in a few weeks and I've seen comments about the janky anchors used by many in the park. I have anchor building experience, but am a beginner ice climber and this is my first time to the park. I will certainly be top roping and want to be well prepared, but want to carry a minimal amount of gear.

Are there bolted anchors in some areas? How much natural anchor building? - off of trees? other types of natural protection? Any tips, tricks, hints, etc.? Anything in general for the first timer to Ouray is really helpful as well. Thanks!

I think the janky anchors is mostly in reference to people building non-SERENE rigging. Like a single loop of webbing tied around a single tree and the rope running through a single non-locking carabiner.

The anchors themselves are mostly bolts in giant concrete blocks or trees, or bolts and trees.

My guide used a 15-20m chunk of 8mm static cord to build all our TR anchors. I didn't have that myself, so I used a number of my regular cordelettes and slings to extend the MP over the lip. Many of the anchors can be 15-20ft back from the cliff edge.

To second that. The bolted anchors are fine. bring a long cordellette 35ft plus to extend over the route. Bring appropriate gear for unbolted or man made anchors.

Have fun!

Anchors are bomber at Ouray, but depending on where you climb, some anchors need to be extended 30+ feet to get from a tree to the lip of the ice. If my two standard cordelettes don't work then I have a section of webbing that is 120 ft, I double it, and after extending over the lip will put in two screws mostly to get the TR in just the right spot and equalize the long webbing with the two screws. Pending ice at the top which sometimes isn't that good right next to where the sprinkler head is, but it always works out one way or the other and is always super bomber. This scenario is not the norm though, most of the anchors are quick two lockers ( on chains) with long cordelettes or webbing to two more lockers, drop rope, and climb. Should be obvious, but the things I've seen at Ouray never cease to amaze me, make sure there is no movement/friction on any of the bark on the trees. Always be sure to peak over the edge before tossing down a line too. I've been leading a number of times and people up top think, "hey look two sprinkler heads, tonz of trees, and no anchors, lets climb here and set up, toss down a rope and kick down ice before checking.

Sometimes the ice funnels down to a single spot, so up top, it looks like there is room for 4 routes, but b/c the way the river bends or the way the ice has formed, when you get to the bottom really only one or two lines is safe before falling climbers with crampons on and falling ice become a hazard to any neighbors.

That's my 0.02 cents. Have fun! Learn to embrace the screaming puckie barffies, they're your friend, not your enemy.

Redundancy is a pretty good idea -- I've seen enough people trip (in crampons) over a single line of cordlette there that I would be pretty hesitant to rely on a single 8mm cordlette crossing fairly busy trails.

Don't bother, ice park n sorry shape. Not much open, and it's a zoo.

Ben Stabley wrote: My guide used a 15-20m chunk of 8mm static cord to build all our TR anchors