Stoneyfest vs Ouray

For many people, the second weekend in January means one thing: the Ouray Ice Fest. Axe wielding maniacs travel far and wide to party it up in the small town in southern Colorado. Some may even go to climb, although this is doubtful, as it’s probably the worst possible weekend to climb ice in Ouray. The parties, however, are good fun, and for the outdoor industry types it’s a bit of a warm up for the impending Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake a couple weeks later.

But while all this hub bub is going on there is something far more insidious occurring in the Crystal River Valley, a couple hours north of the oblivious denizens of Ouray. That’s right, it’s Stoneyfest, the underground ice climbing festival that has taken Redstone by storm for the last 6 years and counting. Usually consisting of a small but motivated crew, Stoneyfest has produced new routes every year since it began, including last year’s new 5 pitch line.

What’s this you say, you’ve never heard of Stoneyfest? Well of course not. It’s not advertised, there are no sponsors (except for the host family) and no hip parties to go to. In fact, you can usually expect long approaches, steep ice, loose rock, sketchy gear, ground falls and other shenanigans. At night we sit around and watch video of the day’s fun, drink some beers and even throw in some occasional commando bouldering. Which all adds up to fun days in a beautiful place with good friends.

So what do you get at Ouray? Lots of people, hacked up ice, gear companies trying to get you to “try” their latest equipment which of course you’ll then want to buy because it’s way better than what you already have. And parties, which apparently are a little more rowdy then I’ve been lead to believe. Witness this fellow’s outfit:

In all seriousness, Ouray is a good place to check out ice climbing and get a taste for what it’s all about. But when you’re ready for something a little more real, Stoneyfest will be there. See you next year.