Pipelines, Power, and Progress Towards Our Goal
November 2024 – Hey climbers! We’re working on getting the word out about Our Water Our Future — the ice park’s campaign to install its its own water source that will secure the future of ice farming in Ouray for decades to come.
In that vein, we wanted to share some highlights from the past year of work on the OWOF project:
Pipeline Completion: We’ve successfully finished installing the pipeline connecting the south end of the park to the northern water tank near Dick’s Chalet. This is a key benchmark because it ensures we have the necessary infrastructure to distribute water from Canyon Creek throughout the park once the new water system is operational.
Dick’s Chalet Upgrades: Electricity has been restored to Dick’s Chalet! While working on the pipeline this fall we were able to mend the electrical connection and bring power back to Dick’s. While we were at it, we also restored electricity to Dick's Chalet (YAY warmth) and finished installing a new fiber line so that Ice Park staff and climbers can now access high-speed fiber Wi-Fi throughout the park. We couldn’t have done this without the generous support of our local business partner Clearnetworx – thank you all!
Culvert Storage: Seven concrete culverts have been relocated to a storage area behind the Powder House. They will remain there during the winter season, awaiting deployment to Canyon Creek when we commence construction on the wet well!
With these systems in place, we’re poised to resume construction and tackle the final steps of the project in Spring 2025.
FUNDRAISING UPDATE: We’ve raised over $1 million, but to reach our final goal and secure our own water source for the Ice Park, we need your help to raise the remaining $250,000 by April 2025. Every donation brings us closer to securing the Ice Park for future generations. Please consider a one-time donation when you buy your 2024-2025 membership! Together, we can ensure the Ice Park’s legacy.