Ice Climbing
Jeep Ice Races
Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding at Terrain Parks
Ice Climbing
Ouray Ice Park
When the temperature dives to below freezing, even powerful waterfalls stop in their tracks. For some, this means two things: one, it’s the dawn of ice-climbing season and two, it's time to head to Colorado. The first place many climbers find themselves is Ouray, where they encounter the world’s first park dedicated exclusively to ice climbing.
First established in 1995, the Ouray Ice Park is the perfect host for adrenaline junkies. Ice axes can be heard during crisp Colorado days, as daredevils climb seemingly unscaleable walls of ice hundreds of feet high. The well-attended Ouray Ice Festival, held every January, is a highlight of the ice-climbing season. Dozens of adventurous souls from around the globe converge in this mountain town, where they compete against one another to summit ice faces. Because the park is for the explicit purpose of ice climbing, you'll find ample opportunity to watch these ice acrobats.
Frozen Waterfalls in Vail
Waterfalls in Vail are as ample as the adventurous souls who climb them. When the weather drops, these cascades turn into pillars of ice. Feel adrenaline course through your veins as you head up the lofty heights of a frozen waterfall. For a 120-foot, freestanding pillar of ice, try The Fang in East Vail—it has been delighting and beguiling climbers for countless winters. Routes on this climb are prime examples of technical ice climbing and should only be attempted by the knowledgeable and well-trained. If you're less experienced, sign up with a tour company for a safe, fun time. And if you'd rather stay off the ice and simply watch instead, head to East Vail, find a frozen patch, and just look up.
Climbing Routes in Telluride
Telluride is a postcard-perfect town, set at the end of a valley, and hedged in by sky-scraping mountains. Adding to its appeal, Telluride is home to some of Colorado’s largest and most spectacular waterfalls. In the winter, the cold freezes these watery torrents, creating pathways for climbers to follow. Bridalveil Falls, Ingraham Falls and the Ames Ice House are three favorites among locals and visitors. Look to the ice, and brave men and women leaving it all on the line for a quick jolt of pure, unadulterated adrenaline. If you feel like joining them, visit the town’s visitor center at 630 West Colorado Avenue for directions to climbs.
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Jeep Ice Races on Georgetown Lake
The abilities of a Jeep have long been tested and proven the world-round, but in Georgetown these machines are put to an interesting test.
Imagine a half-ton of steel, rubber and glass racing across a frozen lake, nestled high in the Rocky Mountains. Every weekend in January and February, four-wheeling Jeep racers take to the ice of the frozen Georgetown Lake and prove that these vehicles are truly all-terrain. Line the viewing area along the shore, and cheer on the intrepid drivers with other spectators. Cones mark the courses, and competitions are mainly won for bragging rights. And while the thrill for these drivers includes winning a race, it's the heart-stopping action of spinouts, donuts and loss of control that elicit the loudest cheers from spectators. Believe it or not, Jeeps aren’t the only autos on the ice. One weekend a year in January, the BMW Club of Denver also takes to the ice with races of their own.
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Terrain Parks
Breckenridge
If you like to go big and show people how it's done, enjoy these five playgrounds at Breckenridge Ski Resort. They're all about big air, slick rails and hard-packed ice-free half pipes.
Freeway Terrain Park sports five jumps and a wall ride. Reach into your bag of tricks and use these rises to make the bunny slope riders gasp in awe. But it’s the rails and boxes that define this park. With sixteen in all, you can hit nearly the whole course from rail to rail. Freeway also has a U-shaped half pipe with a transition from tabletop flats to verts.
Country Boy Terrain Park is the place to test your new tricks and even try a few new ones. It’s slightly smaller than most the other parks at Breck and showcases easier boxes and rails, along with two medium jumps for aerials.
Gold King is another smaller section, but it’s far from ordinary. It has a stellar half-pipe with shallower runs and a less severe grade for those just starting out. Drop in and have some fun while trying your grinds and 180s. This park also has two fairly straightforward rails and two smaller, groomed jumps.
Trygves has six jumps that are broken up into three groups, coupled two at time. It’s ideal for the boarder or skier who can pull off a quick-trick succession. There are also three types of rails in this area. For a smooth transition rail ride, hit the rainbow rail. This up-down rail gives you a chance to change edges at the apex. And the park’s boxes provide a wide and easy rail for beginners.
Eldorado sets up riders on a shallow pipe, perfect for feeling comfortable on a vertical wall, then transitions into hits. Six of its seven jumps are clustered so tight, you’ll need to spot your landing at the same time you’re planning your next jump. Two rails and a box round off your run as it leads up to the final kicker for your last trick.
Echo Mountain
With long rails, high walls and deep pipes to challenge your imagination, this ski area is 100 percent freestyle country. It’s where locals go to showcase their trick list and hone their skills. Only 35 miles from Denver, it is the closest ski area to Colorado’s capital. So if you’re based out of the Mile-High City, and you need a quick snow fix, head to the park. And if your urge to ride strikes after dark, you can still head up—the whole area is lit for night skiing.
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More information on
Ice Climbing
Town of Ouray
Ouray Ice Festival
Town of Vail
Town of Telluride
Town of Georgetown
Breckenridge
Ski Resorts
Other In the Snow Adventures
updated: 10/30/06