winter | Western Colorado Outdoors

Lake City Ice Park

JMorgan — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 19:29:09 +0000

Located just one block south of the town of Lake City is the Lake City Ice Park. The Park gives climbers 10 to 15 routes with grades from WI3 to WI5. With land provided by the Bureau of Land Management, water furnished by Lake City, the Park is maintained by the non-profit, Lake City Ice Climbs, Inc. For climbers, a liability waiver needs to be signed before climbing in the Park. Waivers are available at the High Country Market (130 Gunnison Avenue) or the Lake City Hinsdale County Chamber of Commerce (800 Gunnison Avenue).

Lake City Ice Climbers, Inc. Link

Lake City Ice Park: The Mountain Project

Ouray Ice Park

JMorgan — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 15:01:52 +0000

Just a short distance from downtown Ouray is a man made ice park in a natural gorge. Within the Park are over 200 ice and mixed climbs. The Ouray Park was opened in 1995, and is the first park opened exclusively for ice climbing. The Park is developed to support a wide range of skill sets, providing opportunities to for beginners to experts to ice climb.

Admission to the Ouray Ice Park is free, climbers are encouraged to join the Ice Park to provide support for this excellent facility.

Hours: Monday- Friday: 8 am- 4 pm
Saturday- Sunday: 7:30 am- 4 pm.

Ouray Ice Park Maps:

South Park: Upper Bridge Area: WI2- WI5, 32 Routes
Grade Range: WI2- WI5

New Funtier: WI2 – WI4, 13 Routes
Grade Range: WI2 – WI4

Schoolroom: WI2- WI5, 17 Routes
Grade Range: WI2-WI5 & M4- M6

Trestle + Mixed Alcove: WI3/4- M9, 23 Routes
Grade Range: WI3/4 to M9 Mixed

Climbs: “Jesus Built My Finger Crack” (M4, gear)
“Easter Rising” (M8+, gear)
Lead Area – Upper Bridge: WI4/5 to M-hard, 15 Routes
Grade Range: WI4/5 to M-hard “Lead area only, no top roping”

Mixed Routes: Comp Routes Hardline (M9, gear) Fight Ckyb (M7, bolts)
Lower Bridge: WI3 to M9, 31 Routes
Grade Range: WI3 to M9 Mixed

Routes:
Sisters of Mercy (M7, bolts)
Super Dave: (M7), gear
Tic Tac (M7, bolts)
Scottish Gullies, WI2/3- WI4, 6 Routes
Grade Range: WI2/3 – WI4

Mixed Routes:
Mighty Aphrodite (M9 R/X, Small Cams and Stoppers)
Dizzy with a Vision (M7, Botls and Ice Screws)
Water Torture (M8, Bolts)
Supremacy Crack (M7/M8, Gear)

Stump Wall: WI4 – WI5 to M6, 4 Routes
Grade Range: WI4 – WI5 to M6

Five Fingers: WI4 to M7, 10 Routes” open=”false”] Grade Range: WI4 to M7

Mixed Climbs: Uddah Bruddah (M7, bolts) Salsa Lisa (M7-, bolts) Helgi’s Route (M7, bolts and gear)
Shithouse Wall: W13 – W15, 5 Routes
Grade Range: W13 – W15

Kids Climbing Park: Grade Range: WI2, 9 Routes

Cette zone est juste à l’ouest du pont supérieur et pas dans la Gorge de Uncompahgre, avec des itinéraires de niveau débutant à intermédiaire, avec une Grange de WI2 de Grade.

Ouray Ice Festival 2018

January 18- 21, 2018

Ouray Ice Park:

The Mountain Project Link

Ouray Climbing: The Mountain Project

Rifle Mountain Park

JMorgan — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 19:01:50 +0000

Rifle Mountain Park, City of Rifle, is a one of a kind climbing area in West Central Colorado. The canyon has limestone walls from the Leadville Formation, and offers over 250 bolted climbing routes in the Park. The Park gives climbers one of the largest concentrations of routes in the world (5.13- 5.14). The nature of the limestone formation does not support “moderate” routes, which effect novice and mid level climbers. At two miles long, the canyon gives climbers cooler summer days at an elevation of 7,000 feet.

Ice Climbing: the Park offers excellent ice climbing form late December until into March. Routes range from WI4+- 6

Directions: north of Rifle on Highway 13, then east of Highway 325; continue past Rifle Gap and Rifle Falls State Parks, travel past the fish hatchery to the Park.

Fees: Daily Vehicle: $5 Annual Passes are offered from $15 to $50 depending on residence location. Camping: Including the Day Pass: $15 (camping fees are discounted with proof of annual pass.) The campground is currently dry, with water available at the Rifle Falls and Rifle Gap State Parks.

Rifle Mountain Park Routes:

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Rifle Mountain Park Link

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Long Weekend: Sport Climbing in Rifle Mountain Park

Snow Biking

JMorgan — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 16:46:19 +0000

Over the last several years, snow biking has become a popular winter adaptation of the three season mountain bike here in Western Colorado. Snow bikes adapt to the winter condition with a wider tire, 3-4.5″ compared to the dry weather 2-2.5″ mountain bike tire. These wider tires are like balloon tires, using a lower pressure, like 10 psi, to enable the rider to manage riding on packed snow with traction. As snow bikes evolved to the larger tire size, the bike frame evolved to accommodate the new tire concept.

Many of the same trails used for snow shoeing and cross country skiing can be used for snow biking.

Snow Biking venus:

Crested Butte Nordic Center: the Crested Butte Nordic offers 13 kilometers of groomed trails that are open to fat biking and free to use. Trail Map

Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association Trails

Grand Mesa Snow Biking: the Unite States Forest Service (USFS) prohibits snowbikes on the Skyway, County Line, and Ward Trail Systems. Snowbikes, also known as fat bikes, are typically allowed on snow packed roads and snowmobile trails. Trail Map

Town of Telluride Valley Floor Trail Map.

Snowshoe Western Colorado Style

JMorgan — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 13:51:04 +0000

Snowshoeing in Western Colorado offers endless options to explore the back country in winter. Many of Western Colorado’s nordic centers and ski areas cater to the snowshoers, many with groomed trails and equipment rental. Snowshoeing offers a cost effective way of being out and about in the winter time. Below are links to nordic centers in ski areas, with the interactive map offering even more options for showshoeing.

What to wear:

■ Base layer: wool socks, thermal underwear (tops and bottoms)
■ Middle layer: long-sleeved shirt or fleece jacket
■ Outer layer: Waterproof jacket, gloves, snowpants and hiking shoes or boots; hat, & snowshoes
■ Other items: Polarized sunglasses; water; ski or trekking poles; gaiters, daypack with extra socks, sunscreen, first-aid kit, camera, snacks

Where to Go:

■ Check out out map guide for some of the many locations here in Western Colorado.
■ National and State Parks provide areas for snowshoeing.
Nordic Centers that offer showshoeing and cross country ski trails:
■ Aspen/ Snowmass Nordic Trail System: 80 Kilometers of groomed trails; one of the largest free cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trail system in North America (Trail Map).
■ Crested Butte Nordic Center: more than 50 kilometers of trails (Trail Map).
■ Gunnison Nordic
■ Purgatory
■ Steamboat Springs: Haymaker Nordic Center, Steamboat Springs Ski Touring Center
■ Telluride TopAlten Nordic and Snowshoe Area.
■ Vail Nordic Center: 17 kilometers of cross country ski trails, and 10 kilometers of snowshoeing trails (Trail Map).

■ A sampling of Western Colorado Snowshoe Trails:

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