Uncrowded Ice at the Other Ouray
Climbers from around the world know Ouray, Colorado, for its impressive free ice park. But ask even local climbers about the Lake City Ice Park (lakecityiceclimbs.com) and you’ll most likely get a blank stare.
Blame it on tiny Lake City’s baby brother status—it only claims about a dozen major routes, ranging from 60 to 100 feet tall, compared to Ouray’s 200 plus. Or blame it on the fact that Lake City is remote. But if you’re looking for fat, blue ice, look no further.
The ice park came into being three years ago, thanks to the efforts of local climbers including Craig Blakemore, who sits on the board of the non-profit that manages the park. Like Ouray, climbing at Lake City is free, virtually downtown, and as in the earlier days at Ouray, the routes are maintained by volunteers. Lake City even hosts its own annual ice climbing festival in February.
Unlike Ouray, there are no route names and no guidebooks—just plenty of uncrowded routes. “We’re an isolated, small, undiscovered destination,” says Blakemore. “There’s plenty of ice for everyone. You never wait in lines at the bottom of a route.” With a tentative green light from BLM to expand the park up-canyon, that isn’t likely to change anytime soon.
