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- Jan 28, 2015
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If the Skiing is Bad, Go Ice Climbing
Marc RipĀpergĀer vetĀerĀan ice climbĀing guide reportĀing in from Ouray, ColĀorado. Despite a slow start to the snow year in the NorthĀwest and RockĀies there is always good ice here in Ouray, ColĀorado. While the turns in the backĀcounĀtry and on piste are less then ideĀal, it is a great time to break out the ice tools and swing them here in Ouray.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2822.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=888d33861f4ca61ec11eb07e8ca94a0b 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2822.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=01a5655881a0e9ff8d4282cfe188ea90 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2822.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=f48fe76ecadc6c55770c4793becd0158 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2822.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=ece320fb750da86d40d923ae4d6865e8 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2822.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=a48be130b73790950c886736ac2fa428 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2822.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=0f960d29c2250b794a6f22f332ab7ca9 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2822.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=4609d8c55b43c1111f09fae4c3681fea 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2822.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=6b3c22c306d5c9b2f8231c441fb5eedd 1024w)
Marc RipĀpergĀer photo
Jake CarĀman and I had a great sevĀerĀal days here in Ouray. We enjoyed some of the high presĀsure I think everyĀone is expeĀriĀencĀing. Lucky for the cold night here in ColĀorado the ice was in perĀfect conĀdiĀtion. Jake and I ticked off many of the clasĀsics here in Ouray. We visĀitĀed the famed Ouray Ice Park to get warmed up then took our refreshed skills up on CampĀbird road. The highĀlight of our trip being our ascent of the San Juan test piece Bird Brain BouleĀvard, with over 1,200 feet of physĀiĀcal ice and mixed climbĀing this climb is truĀly a big underĀtakĀing and proud accomĀplishĀment for any alpine climber. ConĀgrats Jake!
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2833.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=12b9a5a33c07728c4662b33896dabb12 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2833.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=aaabb1f24bbba77ff6ffb2190a7568b4 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2833.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=58aaeeac13d2fc3fa7f3e6802ef17e4f 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2833.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=8dcf5a8883a396a5b05d60e34c803575 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2833.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=17952b8311e6d1272188d3ffeb214997 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2833.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=05c9ea13aaa4dd50bc130464e7910893 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2833.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=8fec7b024475979869ae481f3bf6ac90 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2833.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=8bf804e2c195d3bc02c53c81ef0f0b85 1024w)
Marc RipĀpergĀer photo
ClimbĀing is always the highĀlight here in Ouray but the addiĀtion of hot springs and good food is always an added bonus to the climbĀing. Not everyĀbody will have their sights set on Bird Brain but there are plenĀty of backĀcounĀtry ice climbs and ice park climbĀing action here for beginĀner to advanced climbers.
~ MM Guide Marc Ripperger
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2846.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=37a5b6025677625fb40c0d1b9b1eb02a 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2846.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=4db3d06336c8c30228611c678a16d31f 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2846.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=f079f5fe46f03ce0da46fe02d44217dd 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2846.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=2a22de77027a659af9cd7ca08e5571b7 768w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2846.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=10603d9d3b6cff3fa1ed83c52978ed22 768w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2846.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=39771ffbc624412e0058323cca736ca0 768w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2846.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=b83080b871428f5dcc0925f770a12976 768w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2846.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=cf8ac3e17e7897fe76e67c7b7fb4a49c 768w)
Marc RipĀpergĀer photo