Kids Wall new addition to Ouray Ice Park

OURAY — Nine new climbs, with names like Mad Dog Mack and A&W Whipper, greeted visitors Saturday at Ouray Ice Park’s limited opening.

The beginners climbs, collectively known as the Kids Wall, are named for the children of local families who have been a huge part of the development of ice park and ice festival, said Mel Rajkowski of the Ice Park’s membership and merchandise.

The wall, with its easy access, short climb areas and moderately steep slope, is good for children and adult beginners, said Clint Cook, director at San Juan Mountain Guides.

A beginner wall was built at the ice park, but it didn’t last long because the slope was too level, said Rob Holmes, the Ice Park’s Low Temperature High Altitude Creative Irrigation Specialist or “Ice Meister.”

“They’ve been wanting (a kid’s wall) for several years ... they want to get the kids into more climbing,” Holmes said.

Everything about the ice park, from the free clinics to the kids wall, represent a community’s labor of love.

Inspiring still is how funding for the wall and a climbers’ memorial, built to remember those who lost their lives in mountaineering accidents, came to existence.

It’s a story the local ice climbing community knows well.

About five years ago, mountaineer Malcolm Daly played live auctioneer at Ouray’s Ice Festival. He was wearing a T-shirt printed with the words, “Got Stump?” The humorous motto referred to what remained of a foot Daly lost in a climbing accident several years earlier.

Daly shattered both legs and feet after falling during a descent from Thunder Mountain in Alaska in May 1999. One foot had to be amputated because of frostbite, Daly wrote in an online statement.

After Daly auctioned off all of the items, local climber Chris Folsom, who lost part of his finger in another accident, yelled, “Sell the shirt!”

Daly did — for probably $100, Rajkowski recalled of the story.

For the next two years, the shirt was auctioned off to the highest bidder as a way to raise money for the park, Rajkowski said.

At last year’s ice festival, instead of auctioning off the shirt to one person, the auctioneers asked people to come forward and donate a $100 for charity. Thousands were raised, she said. And the shirt was given to Joseph Miller, a local climber who inspired others.

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The entire park is slated to open Dec. 22, provided that the cold temperatures continue. Closed sections of the Ouray Ice Park will be clearly identified and posted with signs that say, “This Area Closed to Climbing.” Persons found climbing in areas that are closed will be asked to leave the park and will be ticketed and/or fined by the local authorities. For more information: www.ourayicepark.com

Contact Lisa Huynh via email at lisah@montrosepress.com