Conditions and Weather
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It’s time to climb! Conditions in the Ouray Ice Park are awesome. The Park is 100% open, and the ice is fat. We have been experiencing mild temperatures during the day, and cold temperatures at night. This equates to absolutely perfect ice making and climbing conditions. We will continue spray water most nights, as long as conditions allow.
We often receive concerned inquiries when the forecast includes mild temps. What makes the Ouray Ice Park a perfect place for an ice park is that it is situated in a deep and shady gorge. It can be 50-degrees and sunny in Ouray, but we’ll have absolutely perfect ice climbing conditions in the depths of the Ice Park. At this point, it would take a meteorite strike to wipe out all of the ice we have in the Park.
When you are in the bottom of the Uncompahgre Gorge, please keep in mind that you are walking around an active river bed. Water levels in the river may vary from day-to-day, or even on any given day. Much of the water that normally flows in the Uncompahgre is diverted through the penstock that you see at the top of the Gorge, so that it can be used for the Ouray Hydroelectric plant. That penstock is almost 100 years old, and requires repairs from time-to-time. Water levels in the river will rise during these repairs, so stay alert! Always use designated crossings. Please also respect repair work areas and equipment. Crews working on the penstock will work as quickly, and safely, as possible.