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Days 1-3

Kim and I arrived in Ouray last night. We spent the last two days with Kim's grandparents in Denver, and then her sister in Colorado Springs. We were able to attend a star party at the at trip to Chamberlain Observatory at Denver University Saturday night. We saw Jupiter through the 20 inch refractor. We also saw Saturn, Orion Nebulae, M81, star clusters, and multi- colored binary stars through 12.5 inch dobsonians, 14 inch Schmidt Cassegrains, and 6 inch refractors, among others. I was in 7th heaven!

Sunday we drove down to Colorado Springs and visted Kim's sister and played with her basenji and her flock/herd/gaggle/pack (?) of ferrets! They are all so much fun! That afternoon Kim and I made the very scenic and very long (6 hour) drive west through the mountains to Ouray!

We arrived just after dark and were able to watch most of the Oscars in our hotel room. The next morning we got up early, had some breakfast with some Icelanders in the Hotel's dining room, then headed off to the Ice Park! It had snowed a little the night before and we could see that we were the first to climb in the park. Kim hiked down and picked out a good line for me to set the top rope up on. It took a few minutes to set up the anchor, but it was one John Long would be proud of! I think the most treacherous part of climbing in the ice park (Schoolroom area, at least) is the scramble down from the water pipe! Very icy and steep. This is where I slipped and sliced my finger last year! This year we brought Motorola radios, so this helped out greatly in communicating while setting up the top rope. Kim was also able to give me advice for the scramble down.

Kim got the first climb, and did very well. It started steep, then turned into a 30 degree slab, then a steep 80 degree gulley for 25 feet to the top. I climbed twice, and had a ton of fun! This has got to be one of my most favorite places in the world. As Kim lowered me, another pair of climbers set up a TR next to us. Up until now, we had the whole canyon to ourselves. Kim climbed it again and then I did a "mock lead" of the climb. This was good except I only had three quickdraws to use because I had to use the carabiners from two other quickdraws for the anchor. So the lead was a bit "run out". ;)

After this Kim climbed it once more and then we broke everything down and hiked out in search of lunch!

Day 4

Today we decided to ski at trip to Telluride Ski Resort. It had just snowed 6 inches but the forecast said that the storm was going to blow itself out leaving nothing but gorgeous Colorado sunshine! So we made the hour plus drive around the mountains to Telluride. The trip was made memorable because earlier this morning while I was making bagel sandwiches I ate a handful of sprouts. Big mistake. I emember some Deli's telling me that they no longer offer sprouts on their sandwiches because sprouts are a good growth medium for E Coli if they are not refridgerated well enough. Guess what?! We didn't refridgerate ours well enough. We only had to stop five times on the 90 minute drive to Telluride, with me throwing up several times on two of those stops. But the sun was shining and the ski lifts were about to open, so we pressed on! Kim offered to turn around and once I asked her to drive us back, but thank goodness Kim doesn't know how to drive a stick, so I reconsidered and we made it to Telluride! Having emptied my ENTIRE digestive system of the evil bacterial toxins, I felt better with each run down the slopes! At lunchtime, instead of the usual BBQ on the slopes, I had to settle for two pints of milk to ease my stomach. By the time we got to dinner, I was quite hungry. The sickness had passed so I was able to enjoy an incredible Blue Bird day skiing with Kim!

Day 5

Well today we had to make a terrible decision: whether to ski another day at Telluride or to ice climb in Ouray. It broke my heart to choose. But in the end we decided to climb in the Ice Park. And it was our best day ice climbing to date. We were able to climb several routes with fun overhangs, bulges, hanging pillars, and delicate lace-like ice! I even got a lead in! The rat is definitely getting fat!