2013 Ouray Ice Festival Clinics On Sale!

2013 Ouray Ice Festival Clinics Available for Purchase! The Ouray Ice Festival Clinics are now available for purchase.  Click on this link to go to the Clinic Schedule and Shopping Cart. San Juan Mountain Guides is the Official Concessionaire of the Ouray Ice Park, and each year in collaboration with the Ouray Ice Park Inc.,…

Intro to Mountaineering

Erin came down from Boulder to learn some skills and gain some experience in the world of winter mountaineering.  Since it was only her we tweeked the itinerary to fit her needs.  We started out with a half day of ice climbing in Cascade Canyon. Then drove up the pass and hiked into our Engineer…

Ice Climbing in Cody, WY

I picked up Chris at the airport in Cody on Wednesday night.  On Thursday morning we were climbing ice in South Fork, which is a mecca for ice climbing. Chris and I climbed great multipitch ice for three days.  Below are some photos from the trip.  I look forward to doing it again next year…

Ouray Ice!

Alex, Michael, and Scott all flew out for 4 days of ice climbing in Ouray, Colorado. On day 1 we went to the Ice Park.  We refreshed some rusty skills and learned some new ones while climbing some great pitches of ice!  At the end of the day we did a short multi-pitch to get…

Brothers

Chris has been talking about how great his younger brother would be at climbing for months.  This last weekend Chris flew out with his brother Eric for some ice climbing in Ouray.  Both brothers did great!  Eric was floating up steep ice like he had been doing it for years, and Chris was leading and…

Advanced Ice Climbing in Ouray

Srdja and I spent the last four days climbing everything in sight around Ouray, CO. Day 1:We started out in the New Frontier where Srdja quickly remembered ice climbing technique, made some v-threads, mock led some routes and was leading WI3 before the day was done. Srdja climbed 10 pitches. Srdja making V-threads. Day 2:The…

Ice Climbing in Colorado

Chris came out for a three day weekend to do some ice climbing.  We spent the first day just North of Durango at Cascade Canyon getting some laps in.  Then the next 2 days at the Skylight area in Ouray doing some multi-pitch.  The backcountry ice in Southwest Colorado has formed up great this year…

Bird Brain Boulevard

Saturday we decided to take the tools for a walk on Bird Brain Boulevard up in Skylight just outside Ouray, CO. As the first rays of light lit up the tops of the peaks to the west we were just finishing our approach to the base of Bird Brain Boulevard. The Ribbon which you pass…

Eureka Ice Conditions

On Thanksgiving Day we decided to go up to Eureka and get a quick session on Whorehouse Hose and checkout the conditions in the rest of Eureka. The first pitch of Whorehouse is still thin, techy, and dripping wet. The rest of the climb is forming up beautifully. Highway 66 (Highway to Hell)- IN Stairway…

Intermediate Ice Climbing Course | Ouray, CO

February was a busy month in the San Juans, with numerous ice courses/trips, avalanche courses, and backcountry skiing days. Among those trips, was a 2 day Intermediate Ice Course that we conducted in both the Ouray Ice Park and the popular Skylight area.  Four great friends came for 2 days of ice training amidst some…

Ice Climbing in Eureka Canyon, Silverton

Last week long time client Valari W. joined us for 3 days of ice climbing in the San Juans.  We spent 2 days in Silverton’s Eureka Canyon climbing a few of the classics, most notably Whorehouse Ice Hose and Stairway to Heaven. Both climbs are in super shape, with many choices in terms of which…