Rock Climbing and Ice Climbing Course Descriptions, Schedule, and Rates for Ouray Ice Climbing & Tower Guides

NOTE: You can book any course, guided climb, or trip at any available time. You are not limited to this schedule.
We are the only Guide Service & Climbing School located in Ouray with a Perfect Safety Record.

BASIC ICE KRAFT
For those who wish to begin pursuing or experience ice climbing, this is the first course in our series. Join us in beautiful Ouray Colorado to learn the methods and techniques of this exhilarating sport. Ouray has abundant accessible ice, and is nothing short of perfect for introductory as well as advanced instructional purposes. We'll concentrate on the theory as well as the practical components of ice kraft including ice tool and crampon maintenance. You'll learn the fundamentals of knots, equipment, rope signals, belaying, rappelling, and rope handling techniques, as well as the class and grade system used to rate the difficulty of ice routes. From the start, we emphasize the development of your analytical judgement skills. Gain confidence as you become familiar with the variations of stance, balance, and the general principals of movement on ice with the use of crampons and ice tools. We'll guide you through ice climbing techniques to include, but not limited to, French (flat footed), Austrian (front pointing) and American (combination) crampon techniques while learning the balance, swing and placement performance of various axes and hammers. This course is a fun and educational experience for all winter outdoor enthusiasts. You can book this or any course, guided climb, or trip at any available time. You are not limited to the schedule to the right. Cost

BASIC ICE KRAFT COURSE SCHEDULE 2024/25

SATURDAY SUNDAY LOCATION COST

DEC 2, 2024 DEC 3, 2024 OURAY/SAN JUAN MTNS Cost

DEC 23, 2024 DEC 24, 2024 OURAY/SAN JUAN MTNS Cost

JAN 13, 2025 JAN 14, 2025 OURAY/SAN JUAN MTNS Cost

FEB 3, 2025 FEB 4, 2025 OURAY/SAN JUAN MTNS Cost

FEB 24, 2025 FEB 25, 2025 OURAY/SAN JUAN MTNS Cost

If you can't find Ice Kraft course dates on our schedule that will work with your schedule, you can schedule any Ice Kraft course or guided climb at ANY appropriate available time not listed on our course schedule. Your booking options are not limited to the above list of courses.
Please contact us at 307.756.3516 for our current rates, registration, location, itinerary, date availability, bookings & equipment list. Click here to request rate information.
Early registration is recommended to guarantee your place in any course, and courses are filled on a first come first serve basis.
All technical ice climbing equipment including boots (if we have your size - so please inquire on size availability prior to your course as we don't guarantee we will have your size) is provided by us.
For complete equipment and clothing list, please complete the following information request form and select the appropriate check boxes. You will be mailed and/or emailed additional information immediately.
Course participants are responsible for appropriate clothing, food, water, and transportation.

INTERMEDIATE ICE KRAFT
This action-packed course is for those who have

acquired the basic ice kraft skills. Refine the fundamentals of ice kraft while adding to your repertoire of techniques including multi-pitch succession on ice. You'll learn more about ice anchors including natural, ice screws, ice pitons, ice tools, rock gear, and rock gear in ice. More sophisticated use of slings, additional knots and hitches, along with the mechanical belay are introduced in a consociated evolution of the "safety system" on ice. We highlight route finding skills with a focus on routefinding skills applicable to the character and topography of the ice presented. Objective and subjective hazard evaluation is stressed as we tackle single and multi-pitch ice climbs. Cost

INTERMEDIATE ICE KRAFT COURSE SCHEDULE 2024/25
SATURDAY	SUNDAY	LOCATION	COST
NOV 18, 2024	NOV 19, 2024	OURAY/SAN JUAN MTNS	Cost
DEC 9, 2024	DEC 10, 2024	OURAY/SAN JUAN MTNS	Cost
DEC 30, 2024	DEC 31, 2024	OURAY/SAN JUAN MTNS	Cost
JAN 20, 2025	JAN 21, 2025	OURAY/SAN JUAN MTNS	Cost
FEB 10, 2025	FEB 11, 2025	OURAY/SAN JUAN MTNS	Cost
If you can't find Ice Kraft course dates on our schedule that will work with your schedule, you can schedule any Ice Kraft course or guided climb at ANY appropriate available time not listed on our course schedule. Your booking options are not limited to the above list of courses. Please contact us at 307.756.3516 for our current rates, registration, location, itinerary, date availability, bookings & equipment list. Click here to request rate information. Early registration is recommended to guarantee your place in any course, and courses are filled on a first come first serve basis. All technical ice climbing equipment including boots (if we have your size - so please inquire on size availability prior to your course as we don't guarantee we will have your size) is provided by us. For complete equipment and clothing list, please complete the following information request form and select the appropriate check boxes. You will be mailed and/or emailed additional information immediately. Course participants are responsible for appropriate clothing, food, water, and transportation.

ADVANCED ICE KRAFT
Our advanced class is tailored to meet, challenge, and extend your abilities. You'll learn the application of sophisticated belay concepts such as directionality and force, and explore minimal stances. Nuances of anchor placement and removal in conjunction with equalization techniques are presented. We'll show you the resting techniques you need to break into new grades. Common self-rescue problems and their solutions are demonstrated. Considerations unique to winter mountaineering environment are layered with basic avalanche awareness fundamentals and rescue procedure. We'll give you training and conditioning tips together with information you'll need to continue on your own. Cost

ICE LEADER SYMPOSIUM
Learning to lead is the most challenging step of your climbing career. Our two-day leader symposium is your opportunity to prepare yourself to meet the challenge responsibly. We'll go into extensive detail concerning various aspects of equipment use and the strategies employed in leading. Instruction will encompass advanced protection techniques and the use of slings and runners to minimize rope drag. We'll also deal directly with the subtle psychological aspects of the lead, enabling you to develop a personal strategy for optimizing every aspect of every pitch, from resting efficiently to utilizing the best protection features. We've developed some innovative methods to establish your confidence on the top end of the rope. Cost

SELF-RESCUE COURSE ON ICE
Our ice self-rescue course contains the same ciriculum as our rock self rescue course outlined in the rock kraft course descriptions, but is taught in an vertical ice and winter environment using techical ice equipment instead of rock. Cost

PRIVATE ICE GUIDING
Guiding is an exacting science and creative art. We provide the highest quality professional services of the most capable guides in the country. The sensitivity, discretion, and skill of a qualified guide enable you to experience the best the mountains and deserts have to offer. From personalized instruction to extreme routes, we approach each situation as a fresh new challenge. Cost

ICE LEADER SYMPOSIUM, ADVANCED ICE KRAFT, or SELF RESCUE 2024/25
SATURDAY	SUNDAY	LOCATION	COST
NOV 25, 2024	NOV 26, 2024	OURAY/SAN JUAN MTNS	Cost
DEC 16, 2024	DEC 17, 2024	OURAY/SAN JUAN MTNS	Cost
JAN 6, 2025	JAN 7, 2025	OURAY/SAN JUAN MTNS	Cost
JAN 27, 2025	JAN 28, 2025	OURAY/SAN JUAN MTNS	Cost
FEB 17, 2025	FEB 18, 2025	OURAY/SAN JUAN MTNS	Cost
If you can't find Ice Kraft course dates on our schedule that will work with your schedule, you can schedule any Ice Kraft course or guided climb at ANY appropriate available time not listed on our course schedule. Your booking options are not limited to the above list of courses. Please contact us at 307.756.3516 for our current rates, registration, location, itinerary, date availability, bookings & equipment list. Click here to request rate information. Early registration is recommended to guarantee your place in any course, and courses are filled on a first come first serve basis. All technical ice climbing equipment including boots (if we have your size - so please inquire on size availability prior to your course as we don't guarantee we will have your size) is provided by us. For complete equipment and clothing list, please complete the following information request form and select the appropriate check boxes. You will be mailed and/or emailed additional information immediately. Course participants are responsible for appropriate clothing, food, water, and transportation.