FREE Community Ice Park Clinics

A person wearing a red jacket and red hat climbing an icy frozen waterfall using specialized ice climbing equipment.

FREE Community

Ice Park Clinics

Intro - Advanced

Black and white icon of a mountain range with a warning triangle around it.

Ouray, Colorado

A black and white icon of a location pin or map marker.

1-Day (7 hours)

Black background with white line art of a palm tree, a mountain, and a campfire.

Smile Mountain Guides is proud to support the broader ice climbing community of Ouray by offering a free education clinic each month of the season, which supports climbers' growth and fosters connections within the community. 

Our clinic topics are selected based on the progression of an ice climber throughout their season. 

Intro to Ice | OIP Anchors: Friday, January 16th, 8:00 am - 2:30 pm 

Steep Ice and Mixed Terrain: Friday, February 13th, 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

Lead Climbing Seminar: Friday, March 6th, 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

  • Smile Mountain Guides is proud to support the broader ice climbing community of Ouray by offering a free education clinic each month of the season, which supports climbers' growth and fosters connections within the community. 

    Our clinic topics are selected based on the progression of an ice climber throughout their season. 

    Intro to Ice | OIP Anchors: Friday, January 16th, 8:00 am - 2:30 pm 

    Steep Ice and Mixed Terrain: Friday, February 13th, 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Lead Climbing Seminar: Friday, March 6th, 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

  • Ouray Ice Park Itinerary –

    Topics are broken down into teaching sessions and may be taught in a slightly different order.

    Pre-Group Google Meet or call before our clinic -

    Our team will link everyone together via Google Meet or a call at a predetermined time to introduce themselves and help answer any guest questions, providing clarity on gear and explaining what to expect when you arrive in town.

    Day – 7:30 am- 3:00 pm

    1. Day Overview at Cafe

      Move To Ice Park

    2. Movement Warm-Ups and introduction to the Ouray Ice Park facility.

    3. Fundamental skills teaching based on the clinic focus.

    Group Dinner In Town

  • Best Places to Stay:

    Ouray Main Street Inn

    Great pricing, friendly service and you can have a whole house suite.

    Twin Peaks Lodge and Hot Springs

    Great atmosphere and hot springs located just off the main street close to the Ouray Ice Park.

    Cafes and Restaurants:

    The Artisan Bakery & Cafe

    The best pastry and cafe spot in town!

    The Brickhouse 737

    High-end western Americana dining with a good wine selection.

    Ouray Brewery

    Need a good burger or sandwich? Here you go!

    Colorado Boy

    Artisan Pizza

    Grumpy Pants Brewery

    Local pub sporting a great small-town atmosphere and no-fuss beer selection.

PREPARATION FOR OUR ICE PARK ADVENTURES

Black and white image depicting a line drawing of a lion with the word "Lion" written below it.

Technical Experience

No ice climbing experience is required for the Intro to Ice Program. General climbing experience is helpful. Ice climbing experience is necessary for the Steep Ice & Mixed Seminar and the Learn to Lead Seminar.

Black silhouette of a tabletop aquarium with fish and aquatic plants

Fitness

General climbing fitness with the ability to climb and stay outside in the cold for 8 hours. Ice climbing is a physical style of climbing that requires controlled and static body movement. Any training with this style in mind, before the seminar will be helpful.

Meet The Team

  • A smiling man wearing a red jacket, sunglasses on his cap, and black pants, sitting outdoors with a rocky background. The background is blurred and in black-and-white, while the man and his clothing are in color.

    Jeffrey Mascaro

  • Smiling woman in orange Arc'teryx jacket and black backpack outdoors with mountains and cloudy sky in the background.

    Meg Nickman

  • Woman smiling outdoors, wearing sunglasses and a red shirt, with a blue climbing rope draped around her neck and over her shoulders, in front of a blurred mountainous landscape.

    Heidi Wirtz

  • Man wearing a blue mountain hiking jacket, glasses, helmet, and smiling outdoors on a rocky trail.

    Brent Smith

  • A smiling man with a beard and red hair wearing an orange Arc'teryx jacket and a black and teal cap standing in front of a gray rocky background.

    Mike O'Connor

  • A man wearing pink sunglasses, an orange hood, and a blue ARC'TERYX jacket in a black and white outdoor landscape, eating food with a bite taken out of it in his mouth.

    Jesse Selwyn

  • A woman wearing a helmet smiles while holding a climbing rope on a mountainous outdoor landscape.

    Jess Worley

  • A woman wearing sunglasses and a cap, holding a camera up to her face, sitting in front of a mountain with waterfalls.

    Suzanna Lourie

Meet The Smile Mountain Guides Team

FAQ’s

OIP Members Clinics

The answers to our most commonly asked questions.

  • ***All gear is provided except mountain boots.

    You may visit Ouray Mountain Sports upon arrival in town to pick up boots if needed.

    Provided Gear Includes:

    +Helmet

    +Harness

    +Ice Axes

    +Crampons

    +Ropes & Belay Devices

  • Smile’s Ouray Ice Park adventures have a maximum 4:1 guest-to-guide ratio.

  • Please click here to review our domestic cancellation policy.