Climbers prepare for the Ouray Ice Festival
An Italian ice climber reaches the sun during a frigid ascent of Bear Creek Falls just below U.S. Highway 550 south of Ouray, Colorado. A destination for climbers, Ouray is especially visited in January, when the annual Ice Festival occurs, and ice conditions are good. Brandon Mathis/Durango Herald
Ice climbing arenas can create a surreal environment, commonplace at the Ouray Ice Park. Massive chandeliers and curtains of ice hang long from their roots, and sometimes ice does fall. It´s all part of the game to ice climbers. Brandon Mathis/Durango Herald
Durango´s Marcus Garcia is belayed by Stephanie Mahallati of Canmore, Alberta, Canada at the Stump Wall in the Ouray Ice Park. Brandon Mathis/Durango Herald
While the perception of ice climbing as an extreme sports is typical, Marcus Garcia explains that he controls his fear and calculates risk. þÄúYou climb with fear, not in it,þÄù he said. Brandon Mathis/Durango Herald
Ice climbers use specialized equipment like technical ice axes, or tools, they swing into the ice like a hammer hitting a nail. On their feet they use crampons- spiked devices fixed on their boots that they kick into the ice. Brandon Mathis/Durango Herald
Marcus Garcia, a professional climber and climbing coach, climbs an advanced route of rock and ice displaying skill and technique to his student. Stephanie Mahallati climbed the route after Garcia. Brandon Mathis/Durango Herald
Stephanie Mahallati of Canmore, Alberta, Canada said she has been returning to Ouray every winter for the last six years to meet other climbers and increase her skill level. Brandon Mathis/Durango Herald
Ouray is surrounded by natural ice formations in the mountain terrain, a blessing for ice climbers. Here, Bear Creek is climbed by a team of Italian climbers before the Ice Festival gets underway. Brandon Mathis/Durango Herald
Ice climbers use hollow ice screws as protection in the ice, to which they clip a safety rope. A lower member of the climbing party belays a leader, and can arrest a fall by deterring the rope from feeding through a belay device. Brandon Mathis/Durango Herald
