With my Washington season completed and back home from Ecuador, the "off" season begins! The Ouray Ice Park doesn't open until Dec. 13th and since I've been walking uphill slowly for the past four months, I should have plenty of motivation and time to get into real climbing shape. I just have to get away from this damn computer! Unfortunately this is also my time to play catch up with clients, both new and old and work on the upcoming climbing season, program expansion, upcoming calender, guide courses and exams. I guess that explains why I check the online news and YouTube every hour!
At least we have plenty of mixed climbing here in the Ouray area. Actually there is a lot of mixed climbing although at this time of the year I'm primarily just dry tooling. To keep it short we have numerous routes here to climb with crampons and ice tools in hand, its just that they never form any ice. Hence the term Dry tooling. I know its not ice climbing and yes, it is quite contrived but it's still extremely fun and gets your pump on for the upcoming season!
As the season progresses and the temperatures begin to drop, the ice does slowly begin to come in. Usually in Nov (right now) the north facing ice routes form pretty nice in and around silverton. Think of it as tropical ice climbing where one has to wake up extra early, as in the dark, to safely climb these routes and rappel back down in a dripping shower of just above freezing water. Sounds like fun ....right!!??
Well, actually it is a shit load of fun and when the snow falls too deep or the roads get too sketchy, one goes dry tooling! (but only during the sunny periods)
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