The 18th Annual Ouray Ice Festival starts next week on January 10, 2013 in Ouray, Colorado, and it is promised to be the best ice climbing festival yet. This year there will be a 25-foot overhanging tower for the end of the elite mixed climbing competition route and new for this year is the Hari Berger Speed Climbing Competition, sponsored by LOWA. The festival runs from January 10-13.
Ice festival clinics and seminars that include an introduction to ice climbing, intermediate ice, steep ice, moderate mixed, advanced ice, ice footwork, Yoga for climbers, and many more are available to attendees. The clinics and seminars are filling up quick and several are sold out, so if you want to participate, take a look at availability here and register now.
The new Hari Berger Speed Climbing Competition at the Ouray Ice Festival honors the legendary climber who won three ice climbing world championships. Berger lost his life in 2006 in an accident while climbing in Austria. Some of the competitors for the Hari Berger Speed Climbing Comp include Dawn Glanc, Pierce Adams, Sam Elias, Andrea Charest, Logan Tyler, and Kyle Dempster.
Festival participants will get to demo some of the latest in gear by Asolo, LOWA, Petzl, Mammut, and many others. LOWA athlete, Ines Papert, will present her latest show, “Rock & Ice,” a thrilling journey into the world of the four-time World Ice Climbing Champion, on Friday night at the Main Street Theater.
If you’ve ever been interested in ice climbing whether it’s trying it or watching the agile athletes crush the ice and mixed routes, the Ouray Ice Festival is an ideal event to attend in order to get a glimpse into the world of ice axes and crampons. The festival is the primary fundraiser for park maintenance and operations. The Ouray Ice Park, a manmade ice climbing venue that has climbing for the beginner to the expert and brings many from around the world to witness this spectacular event, will undoubtedly amaze you with the majestic ice formations created in the Uncompahgre Gorge.
The public is welcome to all of the events, so bundle up and head to the 2013 Ouray Ice Festival next week. Be safe and enjoy the festivities!
For a schedule of events, visit the Ouray Ice Park Web site.
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