Ouray Ice(less) Fest Clinics

Join Mountain Trip and our official brand partner, Arc’teryx, for a clinic at the Ouray Ice(less) Festival from Jan. 22-25, 2026.

From the Ouray Ice Park: “This season temperatures have been uncharacteristically warm. We have been listening closely to the canyon, and right now the ice simply isn’t forming to a standard that is safe for climbing. Out of respect for the environment and the safety of our climbers, we are cancelling on-ice climbing clinics for the 2026 Ouray Ice Fest and relaunching a new line up of clinics.”

Ice(less) clinics are live!

To learn more and sign up, please click HERE.

On Wed, Jan. 21 the Ouray Ice Park officially opened for the 2026 season! We want to thank everyone at the Ouray Ice Park for all of their hard work during this unprecendented start to winter leading up to the park opening as well as the festival. We are fortunate that the park not only opened in time for the festival, but that they are also allowing us to host select “on-ice” guided courses!

Below, please find registration for Intro to Ice, Intermediate Ice, and Leard to Lead courses:

Intro to Ice Course – $199, half day (8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.), Friday-Sunday. Register HERE.

Intermediate Ice Course – $199, half day (8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.), Friday-Sunday. Register HERE.

Learn to Lead Ice Course – $299, full day (8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.), Saturday. Register HERE.

Please note: There must be a minimum of two climbers for courses to run. In the event we can’t run the course, we will contact you the day before, and you will have the opportunity to reschedule to a different date, should you still wish to attend.

If you have questions, please contact the Mountain Trip office at [email protected] or (970) 369-1153.

 

The following is a list of guide-recommended gear for Ice Climbing with Mountain Trip. In general, you’ll want a selection of warm layers that work together. Clothing designed for a day of skiing is fine; however, dedicated ice climbing clothing is better. Whatever gear you choose, please make sure it fits well so you fully enjoy your experience in the Ouray Ice Park.

We will provide all clinic participants with the necessary technical climbing equipment: ice tools, helmet, harness, crampons and mountaineering boots. (Additonal gear, such as gaiters, lightweight gloves, parkas and backpacks are available upon request based on availability). All of our equipment is top-of-the-line gear. Climbers are also welcome to demo gear from sponsored vendors and brands, as well as bring and use their own gear upon inspection by one of our guides.

In addition to what we provide and have available to rent, there is also a good selection of gear available in Ouray. If you have any specific questions about what you might need, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Mountain Trip office.

Print Equipment

Footwear

GearDescriptionGuide's Pick
Ice BootsModern, technical ice climbing boots are lightweight and warm. Fit is paramount, so find the pair that best fits your feet. Your boots need to accept wire crampon bales, so they should have well-defined toe and heel welts.
GaitersIf your pants fit tightly around your boot you do not need gaiters. Many modern boots have built in gaiters. They do help keep out water, and can prevent crampons from catching your pant legs.

Torso Layers

GearDescriptionGuide's Pick
Base Layer Top(1 or 2 sets) of Wool or Capilene light weight base layers. Long sleeve or short sleeve base layers work well.
Light Fleece HoodyLight/mid weight fleece (or wool) top with a hood. You will wear this over your light weight base layer.
Puffy Light Insulated JacketSize this layer to fit over your light fleece hoody and wind shell, and it is often layered underneath your expedition parka. Synthetic is easier to deal with and not worry about getting compared to a down filled layer. A hood on this layer in mandatory! *** Guides Tip! Use TWO lightweight puffy layers in the early season or if you are worried about being cold. A Micro or Nano Puff jacket with a Ultra Light Down Jacket or Vest allows versatile layering options.
Hard Shell JacketThis jacket should be large enough to go over your light puffy jacket layer. You do not need the burliest/heaviest Gore-Tex jacket you can find, and we prefer the lightest weight versions.
Soft Shell Wind JacketMany high alpine peaks are cold and dry. We are huge fans of very lightweight softshell wind jackets for high, dry, cold peaks. Weighing just a few ounces, these can be carried in your pocket or in the lid of your pack for rapid deployment. This layer is used in addition to your more waterproof hard shell jacket.

Leg Layers

GearDescriptionGuide's Pick
Base Layer Bottoms(1 or 2 sets) of Wool or Capilene light weight base layers.
Light Fleece BottomsAs the air thins and the wind picks up, you'll want a bit more insulation on your legs. This should be a slightly warmer layer that can go over your base layer bottoms when it gets cold.
Soft Shell PantsSoft Shell pants are the workhorse in the mountains and you'll be wearing these day in and day out on most expeditions. On peaks like Denali and Aconcagua, you can wear them in lieu of your hard shell pants for much of the expedition.

Head and Hands

GearDescriptionGuide's Pick
Heavyweight GlovesWarm, insulated gloves are the day-to-day workhorses on cold peaks or for cold days of ice climbing. We prefer gloves with removable liners for ease of drying.
Warm HatBring one warm hat or two hats of different weights. Wool or fleece are fine, but your hat must provide ear protection from the cold.
Technical Winter Climbing GlovesThese are your for when you are actively climbing, they should be warm, water proof, and give you good dexterity for climbing. They should be a snug fit, and used in tandem with your heavy gloves between climbing and belaying.

Packs and Duffels

GearDescriptionGuide's Pick
Climbing PackSuitable climbing packs will be 30 - 45 liters in volume and have the capability of easily attaching crampons, and ice axes if used for a day of ice climbing or if needed for a peak ascent. For a day climbs, any pack in the 30 - 45 liter range will work, but we recommend that you consider the weight of the pack carefully. Overnight, alpine routes require larger (45L) packs that also let you strap your sleeping pad to the outside.

Climbing Gear

GearDescriptionGuide's Pick
Climbing HelmetMake certain it fits over your warmest hat and under the hood of your shell. The super-lightweight foam helmets are great, but can get crushed in your duffel bags during travel, so protect your lid!
Ice ToolsSteep ice requires dedicated ice climbing tools. Modern, leashless, tools are the standard for climbing ice routes, as well as hard alpine climbs. Day routes are best climbed with two hammers, while longer, alpine climbs often require a hammer and an adze.
Climbing HarnessClimbing harness with a bit of padding and some good gear loops.
Belay/Rappel DeviceA plaquette style belay/rappel device.
CramponsFor ice climbing, choose a dual- or mono-point crampon.

Avalanche Safety Equipment

GearDescriptionGuide's Pick
Avalanche Transceiver for Ice ClimbingWhen traveling in avalanche terrain during the winter whether we're in the Alaska Range, or Ice Climbing in the Colorado back country, we will wear avalanche transceivers (beacons). They are not required for climbs in the Ouray Ice Park or certain other "front country" climbs.

Other

GearDescriptionGuide's Pick
Lip BalmBring a tube of quality lip balm with sun protection (SPF).
SunscreenThe sun can be intense in Colorado, so please apply high SPF sunscreen prior to your trip and bring a small tube along to reapply during the day.
Water BottleBring a bottle with water in it! 1 liter is a minimum for day trips.

Inclusions and Exclusions for Ouray Ice Fest Clinics

Included in the Trip Fee:

• Guidance of our highly experienced Mountain Trip guides.

• Ice climbing equipment: ice tools, helmet, harness, crampons and mountaineering boots.

• $40 per person contribution to the Ouray Ice Park.


Not Included in the Trip Fee:

• Travel to and from southwest Colorado.

• Personal clothing and equipment, per our equipment list. (Please, just ask us if you need anything!)

• Accommodations in Colorado.

• Travel and/or rescue insurance. (The CORSAR card is an inexpensive way to reimburse local rescue groups for costs incurred during a rescue in Colorado.)

• Costs incurred due to evacuation or unplanned departure from the area due to illness or other problems.

• Costs incurred as a result of delays beyond the control of Mountain Trip.

• Costs as a result of force majeure.

Refunds and Cancellations

Mountain Trip recognizes how difficult and disappointing it can be for guests who must cancel trips. Guests must also recognize that, due to the nature of planning trips and contracting guides for specific dates, Mountain Trip also accrues significant expenses in organizing our excursions. We must therefore adhere to a strict refund policy for all guests.

We require 100% payment at the time of booking. There are no refunds for Ice Fest Clinics, unless you notify us at least 72 hours in advance AND we can re-book your cancelled spot. If you would like to purchase travel insurance to protect yourself in case of last-minute cancellations, you can do so via Travel Guard HERE.

All requests for refunds must be made in writing and received in our Colorado office. Email us at [email protected] at least 72 hours in advance of your clinic. We will do our best to fill your spot and if we do, we will issue you a full refund less a 15% administrative fee, or we will issue you full credit toward one of our other programs. No refunds will be provided for cancellations occurring within the last three days prior to the scheduled date of a clinic.

Mountain Trip reserves the right to cancel a trip prior to the departure date for any reason. In such an event, all monies collected by Mountain Trip from trip participants shall be promptly refunded. This is the extent of our financial liability.

Weather Cancellations

We, Mountain Trip and our guides, reserve the right to make all weather-related decisions in regards to the cancellation of trips.

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