Ouray buys ice park land from Forest Service

The City of Ouray has purchased about 24 acres of the Ouray Ice Park, an international ice climbing destination, from the U.S. Forest Service.

It now owns the majority of the land within the park.

City officials said they have been working with the forest service for several years to acquire the land and purchased it with the help of a $193,000 grant from Great Outdoors Colorado.

Plans call for 50 new climbing routes to help address overcrowding in the ice park and expansion of other winter and summer recreational opportunities.

"We are happy to see this completed," said acting forest supervisor Sherry Hazelhurst. "The Ice Park is a very popular area and it's a great boost to the local economy and local jobs, and an added benefit to the other recreational opportunities on National Forest System lands nearby."