This morning Pete and I headed out to Lake City to sample some of the new ice in the Lake City Ice Park. It’s not a very large park, at least compared to Ouray, but it’s a very chill setting. When we arrived in town at about noon, there was absolutely nobody out on the ice. We had a relaxing afternoon and still managed to get at it before anyone showed up. We set up a top rope on the far right hand side of the park (climber’s perspective) and ended up placing a couple of screws for the belay as my 60-meter rope wasn’t even close to long enough to reach the bottom.
Later in the afternoon, we met up with Craig—one of the park’s main volunteers. He gave us some of the rundown regarding both the park and the town. We had a blast hanging out with some of the locals at the Packer (named for the cannibal, but sporting some number 4 memorabilia as well) Saloon. We’re thoroughly looking forward to tomorrow’s festivities.
The small but steep Lake City Ice Park. There are a few mixed lines on the climber's left, and a very chill gully climb on the climber's right. In between, the cliff averages about 60-meters tall from base to anchor, so double ropes will be necessary for a safe, full-length top rope.