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fire_or_retire
Jan 31, 2007, 6:41 PM
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So maybe it's me but every time I climb in the park in Ouray I get more and more bummed out with the whole scene. I love the park and think it's the greatest thing ever. I'm just an everyman climber scratching my way up WI4 but it seems like the ice park is building a group of people who have no connection to the mountains. The place is great if you're new to the sport or want to get a lot of climbing done in a short amount of time but every weekend the place is packed with lazy geeks. You see them at the bottom of the gorge in groups of ten getting pelted with ice and then acting concerned when it happens. Here's a clue brosef did you ever think of belaying from the top so that you wouldn't get hit with ice? That doesn't happen because they're there to socialize. They climb on the same topropes all day long never even thinking that somebody else might want a shot at the line. They all have quarks and the latest clothing. The next time someone in a southern accent says to me "this warm weather makes for great climbing" I'm gonna push him off the bridge. It's the middle of winter it shouldn't be 50 degrees out when you're climbing ice. there's an ever growing number of climbers out there who only climb in the park driving the rest of us crazy. my rant is over. flame on
Chris
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natec
Jan 31, 2007, 6:49 PM
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Never been to Ouray but it sounds like a bummer.
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reno
Jan 31, 2007, 7:04 PM
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natec wrote: Never been to Ouray but it sounds like a bummer.
There are worse places to be as an ice climber.
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brendodb
Jan 31, 2007, 7:07 PM
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I was there a couple of weeks ago and had a great time...
Only on the first day did we run into top ropers that weren't "cool"... and that was in the Schoolroom so go figure...
Met some really cool guys from Salt Lake that I ended up climbing with when my partner got a wicked hangover/sickness from too much 1554!
I can definitally see how the area lends itself towards that sort of behaviour... but then again it is kinda like a gym outside! It was quite a bit different to climbing ice in the Daks, where it's easy to escape crowds and noobs just by doing a bit o' hiking...
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lemon_boy
Jan 31, 2007, 7:11 PM
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ouray rhymes with gay.
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natec
Jan 31, 2007, 7:24 PM
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reno wrote: natec wrote: Never been to Ouray but it sounds like a bummer. There are worse places to be as an ice climber.
I should clarify. Ouray sounds awesome. Crowds sound like a bummer. Too much like sport climbing.
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sparky
Jan 31, 2007, 8:11 PM
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The ice park is the gym version of ice climbing.
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iceisnice
Jan 31, 2007, 11:26 PM
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some of the park sucks, some is good. the lead only area is usually still fun. the rest gets too hacked out. its a fun place to be before xmas and in march. everyone gets tired of the place and its much better. in the end, the ice park is what it is.....a good place to learn, start out, and get a good pump. the gumby factor does get old, but i'm glad all of these people are focus at the ice park and not in the backcountry and trashing those climbs.
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chacal
Feb 1, 2007, 12:42 AM
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The place is fucking great, hard mixed routes to easy-peazy ice with all in between. Sure the joint is full of poseurs, so who cares, just create your own energy.
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mr8615
Feb 1, 2007, 12:46 AM
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chacal wrote: The place is fucking great, hard mixed routes to easy-peazy ice with all in between. Sure the joint is full of poseurs, so who cares, just create your own energy.
Seriously, get over it, enjoy yourself. Your state of mind is something you can control.
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chacal
Feb 1, 2007, 4:36 PM
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Look, a rope left unattended as a TR is not a dinner reservation, either just use it to TR or pull the thing, coil it neatly and leave it where the owner can find it. Don't let people push you around or intrude on your climbing, be firm but polite. The other day these blokes saw me mate and me get on a mixed route, HEY WE WERE GOING TO DO THAT NEXT! Really? TOUGH! After I send it and my mate falls off he wants another try, so along comes one of these guys to try again, HEY MAN, MIND IF WE GIVE IT A TRY? Sure, as soon as we're done you can try it till your cocks fall off but until my friend is done SOD OFF! I tell my mate, Take as much time as you need with them all standing there so they all get the picture. When he's good and worked and had enough we pull our draws and go do something else but I don't let those fools dictate my climbing, they had all morning to get on it and they were too chicken, if they wanted to do the route they should have got on it straight away.
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redpointron
Feb 1, 2007, 5:11 PM
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reno wrote: natec wrote: Never been to Ouray but it sounds like a bummer. There are worse places to be as an ice climber.
maybe like living near peyton manning's team maybe...
regards.
r.r.
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bob_54b
Feb 1, 2007, 5:49 PM
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Ouray sounds sort of cool, but just not what I look for ice climbing. For myself, I'm glad there's a place like Ouray so all those people don't come to Wyoming and get in the way. Sport ice, definetely, but that's cool for those that don't mind the crowds.
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roy_hinkley_jr
Feb 1, 2007, 5:56 PM
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Only posers complain about Ouray.
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kricir
Feb 1, 2007, 6:23 PM
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I know man, I know. It is the closest thing there is to an ice climbing gym (except for that blasphemous Scottish ice gym) so it will attract those who would fit in better indoors. Some where in a previous post I explained how I deal with these people, but I will reiterate here.
Often times in Ouray, the best way to go is solo. Find a group of bumblers from a state where their “mountains” reach 4,000 ft and began soloing the lines around them. Unless you’re in the lead area (which you won’t be) there will be many WI2+ for you to solo with ease. Slowly close in on them, soloing closer and closer. As you do, start knocking down ridiculous amounts of ice. If anyone speaks up, say something about the fact that you are soloing, so you have to make 1 handed belay anchors, even if it means chopping down half of the climb. The best offence is to wait for a break between climbers, and say, mind if I take a quick lap on this? (more statement than question). Then poach their climb, solo, to show how much better you are then them.
If you already have a rope up and are with partner, this might not be an option. Your best bet now is to beat them at their own game. Always take a pack of stinky smokes or cigarillos for the ice park, and light up while belaying. This usually keeps you from having to talk to that southern guy about his new tools. Have the climber climb with one or no tools, (to work on footwork) and knock down a lot of ice. This has worked for me before.
If you see a group of noobs setting up a toprope, there is a third option. Get right below them on their route and get ready to lead up. If they are noobs, then they will take 30-40 min to get their TR set up so this should be no problem. As soon as they throw their rope down, you and your belayer start yelling “HEY! WE GOT SOMEONE LEADING THIS!” 9 out of 10 times someone will look over the edge, see your angry face and pull their rope, apologizing profusely as they do so. When you get to the top you can lecture them about how leaders and soloists have the right of way here, and you better be more considerate in the future.
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brendodb
Feb 1, 2007, 7:38 PM
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kricir wrote: bumblers from a state where their “mountains” reach 4,000 ft
Currently living in NJ and still can't call the hills mountains... But come on... not everyone that travels there is a "flatlander"...
I mean seriously, some of us drive five hours to get on vertical ice every weekend... and you would be suprised the quality of ice you can find in Eastern PA!!!
There are probably just as many "bumblers" from CO that go there to try ice as there are from WY and other "Mountain" states!
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natec
Feb 1, 2007, 7:40 PM
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brendodb wrote: kricir wrote: bumblers from a state where their “mountains” reach 4,000 ft Currently living in NJ and still can't call the hills mountains... But come on... not everyone that travels there is a "flatlander"... I mean seriously, some of us drive five hours to get on vertical ice every weekend... and you would be suprised the quality of ice you can find in Eastern PA!!! There are probably just as many "bumblers" from CO that go there to try ice as there are from WY and other "Mountain" states!
I knew he was going to ruffle someone's feathers with that post. I thought it was funny though.
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brendodb
Feb 1, 2007, 8:20 PM
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Yeah... I thought it was funny too, just didn't want all of us who are stuck at sea-level to be placed in the "bumbler" catagory...
An alternative to cigs (if you don't smoke) is to load up on protien and 1554 each night! Of course really that's only a good idea if your belayer has a cold or you are soloing
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fire_or_retire
Feb 1, 2007, 10:18 PM
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I got no beef with where people are from who climb in the park but I can't stand the way people treat the place like it's a carnival. I climbed today with three other groups in the area and we switched out climbs when we finished them no problem. None of the lame sit at the bottom of the gorge s*** and talk for an hour in between burns. Those people need to be run out of town on a rail. I don't care how convenient it is the gorge shouldn't be treated like a climbing gym.
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euroford
Feb 1, 2007, 10:34 PM
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great, so in march we are going to be driving all that way to find the ice version of the devils lake scene?
oh well, at least we are well practiced in coping with it.
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anykineclimb
Feb 1, 2007, 10:45 PM
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I see Ouray as the Shelf Road of Ice climbing. I accpet that. I know there'll be crowds and groups parked on the easy stuff. Just about everyone is friendly and willing to let you ride on their lines so its all good.
If you need to be alone, there PLENTY of places in the backcountry.
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big_red
Feb 2, 2007, 12:38 AM
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Any other bumblers in here? I am a proud bumbler from a state where the mountains reach 20,000ft. Maybe the problem is that I have way too much fun when I'm climbing in a place where it's convenient and easy
Just chill out and cheer for the guy who struggles up WI2. Share some stories, share some ice, share some beer... what Ouray's all about.
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