Kelsey Beyerly of Boulder, Colo., climbs a route in the Ouray Ice Park on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)
People gather from all over the world for the 30th Annual Ice Festival at the Ouray Ice Park on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025.
Kelsey Beyerly of Boulder, Colo., climbs a route in the Ouray Ice Park on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Tim Foulkes competes on a mixed climbing route at the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)A climber reaches the top of a route in the Ouray Ice Park during the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. The free public park is home to more than 200 climbing routes spanning almost two miles of the Uncompahgre Gorge. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Alex Mankouski of Utah climbs at the Ouray Ice Park during the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. This year the park is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Since it’s inception it has gained national recognition, with thousands of climbers and spectators flocked to the gorge at the end of Main Street — to the venue considered one of the sport’s greatest in the world. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)A climber straps on their crampons at the Ouray Ice Park on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Troy Tadlock competes at the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Water sprayers line the ridge of the Uncompahgre Gorge to farm ice for the Ouray Ice Park. Ice farmers manually turn them on each night. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Tyler Howe reaches the top of the competition tower during the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Climbers hike into the Uncompahgre Gorge to climb in the Ouray Ice Park People on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Climbers prepare to trek into the Ouray Ice Park to climb during the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Falling snow and ice loosened by a climber is illuminated by morning sunshine as it falls into the Uncompahgre Gorge on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)The sun rises on the town of Ouray on Friday, Jan. 24. The establishment of the Ouray Ice Park has transformed the winter economy from a once sleepy, quiet place to a bustling international winter destination. In recent years, Ouray Ice Park, Inc. has estimated 20,000 climber days a season, which might last three months. A study found the ice park generated $17.8 million in spending during the 2021-’22 season. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)A climber uses ice picks to pull themselves up as the climb a route in the Ouray Ice Park during the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Tyler Howe puts one of his ice picks in his mouth as he navigates his way up the competition tower at the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)A climber makes their way up a route in the Ouray Ice park located in the Uncompahgre Gorge on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Climbers hike into the Uncompahgre Gorge to climb in the Ouray Ice Park People on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)A climber descents into the Uncompahgre Gorge during the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival at the Ouray Ice Park on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Alex Mankouski of Utah climbs at the Ouray Ice Park during the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. This year the park is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Since it’s inception it has gained national recognition, with thousands of climbers and spectators flocked to the gorge at the end of Main Street — to the venue considered one of the sport’s greatest in the world. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Daniel Laduriner climbs the mixed route that makes the competition tour in the Ouray Ice Park during the 30th Annual Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)A beam of morning light illuminates a competitor as they climb the mixed route that makes the competition tour in the Ouray Ice Park during the 30th Annual Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)The sun shines through the Uncompahgre Gorge during the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Alex Mankouski of Utah climbs at the Ouray Ice Park during the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. This year the park is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Since it’s inception it has gained national recognition, with thousands of climbers and spectators flocked to the gorge at the end of Main Street — to the venue considered one of the sport’s greatest in the world. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)A climber makes their way up a wall of ice in the Ouray Ice Park during the 30th Annual Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)The sun shines through the Uncompahgre Gorge during the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Kai McCombs puts his crampons on before hiking into the Uncompahgre Gorge to climb at the Ouray Ice Park during the 30th Annual Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)From left, Kai McCombs, Krista Snyder, Riley Kisser and their friends hike into the Uncompahgre Gorge to climb at the Ouray Ice Park during the 30th Annual Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Climbers carry picks in their backpacks as they hike into the Uncompahgre Gorge to climb at the Ouray Ice Park on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Jonathan Blackwood uses his picks on holds as he makes his way up the competition tower during 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Climbers make their way up routes in the Uncompahgre Gorge at the Ouray Ice Park during the 30th Annual Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Climbers make their way up routes in the Uncompahgre Gorge at the Ouray Ice Park during the 30th Annual Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)People from around the world gather for the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Companies offer new equipment for climbers to test and purchase during the annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. It has become a place for many companies to test out new gear. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Spectators watch as climbers make their way up routes at the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)A climber makes their way up a route in the Ouray Ice Park during the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)A climber makes their way up a route in the Ouray Ice Park at the 30th Annual Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Climbers are belayed as they make their way up the kids wall in the Ouray Ice Park at the 30th Annual Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Climbers make their way up routes in the Ouray Ice Park during the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)A climber makes their way up a route in the Ouray Ice Park during the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)Aaron Jones, top, of Ohio, is assisted as he climbs the kids wall at the 30th Annual Ouray Ice Festival on Friday, Jan. 24, in Ouray, Colo. Jones has been in a wheelchair since a surgeon made a mistake while removing a brain tumor six years ago. Before the incident he had been an avid rock climber who always wanted to try ice climbing. This year he made the trek to Ouray to give it a try. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette) (Parker Seibold)
