A fun week in the San Juans…some good ski tours in Ophir and Bear Creek, and then an exciting weekend event just over the hills in Ouray. A group of us drove over to enjoy various aspects of the 2010 Ice Festival these past few days with great slideshows, impressive competition performances, an excellent super hero dance party, and once again meeting some interesting and talented new friends.

On Sunday, it was time to hit the snow again..and this time it was a lap in Bear Creek with Outside Magazine’s Justin Nyberg. Though variable conditions reign, it was a gorgeous day and a fun tour.

The San Juans are in need of some more snow right now. Still some fun ski adventures to be had. But, in the meantime, it is feeling like a better time then usual to get in some ice climbing mileage.

Here some photos from the Ouray IceFest exhibition competition on Saturday- route set by the uber talented Vince Anderson. The featured climber is Ines Papert, who was fast, smooth and committed, as well as riveting to watch: