Colorado mountain city pushes forward with "Ice(less) Festival" as warm winter stalls ice park

With record-breaking low snow totals this winter across Colorado, mountain towns that rely on that snow are struggling. But in Ouray, the impacts go beyond the ski slopes.

The Ouray Ice Park, normally home to one of the most recognizable ice climbing destinations in the country, is struggling to build ice after weeks of warm temperatures and rain. So organizers are moving ahead with the park's biggest annual event under a new name -- the "Ice(less) Festival."

The 31st annual Ouray Ice Festival begins Jan. 22, but, in 2026, it will look very different. The park behind the festival may or may not be open for ice climbing, and there will be no on-ice clinics.

"We're calling it an 'Ice(less) Festival' because, right now, the park is not open," said Peter O'Neil, executive director of the Ouray Ice Park. "We're not doing clinics on the ice, but we've got a lot of other things going on."

The Ouray Ice Park is a free, nonprofit city park that relies on cold temperatures to farm ice along the north side of the Uncompahgre Gorge. This winter, consistent cold has been hard to come by. Rain showers have made conditions even worse, causing water to seep behind the ice and peel it off the rock.

"No one has seen anything like it, that they can remember," O'Neil said. "Water percolating behind the ice causes it to delaminate and calve off like a glacier."

The lack of ice is already being felt throughout town. O'Neil said winter weekends that are normally bustling have turned quiet, with empty sidewalks and few customers walking into businesses. He estimated the ice park typically brings about $18 million in direct and indirect revenue to the community during a normal season.

"That's not happening," O'Neil said. 

The uncertainty has also led to canceled reservations and concern from lodging operators. O'Neil said a local Airbnb manager overseeing dozens of properties recently reached out after seeing a wave of cancellations.

Despite the challenges, festival organizers are pressing forward. The "Ice(less) Festival" will still feature speakers, community gatherings, parties, and other off-ice events designed to bring climbers together and support the local economy. Some sponsors are still participating despite others having pulled out due to the lack of ice for demonstrations.

"There will still be excitement and stoke," O'Neil said. "When you bring the climbing community together, sparks happen. People love being here."

Organizers say the decision to cancel on-ice clinics was about honesty and safety.

"You can't sell a clinic if you don't know there will be enough ice," O'Neil said. "We'd rather be up front than overpromise."

Even without ice on the walls, O'Neil says the park remains a unique and serene place, and he hopes climbers and visitors will still make the trip to Ouray.

"When the going gets tough, you don't give up," O'Neil said. "If you're an alpinist or a mountaineer, you deal with the unexpected."