Get to know
The Ice Coop
The Ice Coop was founded in 2019. We are a proud nonprofit and the first ice climbing-specific training facility of our kind in North America.
Our mission is to grow the sport of ice and alpine climbing while remaining accessible to people of all backgrounds. We offer introductory lessons, community events, team training, and scholarship opportunities. Ice climbing helps us tap into our courage, strength, resilience, and love of the natural world. We are both a world-class training facility, and the local neighborhood hangout. A place where beginners can climb next to world class athletes and everyone is supported and welcomed. Come join us!
A Brief History of the Ice Coop
August 2019: Sally Gilman, with help from Colby Rickard and Tyler Kempney, opened the doors of the Ice Coop in the empty commercial space next to Rock and Resole. The team built all the climbing walls from scratch. We started with just one small plywood cave big enough for about three climbers.
February 2020: The gym expanded, more than doubling its size, thanks to construction work by Tyler and a small army of volunteers.
November 2020: We held our very first season kick-off competition, the now-legendary Sriracha Comp. It was a tiny and ridiculously fun celebration of climbing and community that has since become a treasured Ice Coop tradition.
January 2021: Ice Coopers swept the podiums at the iconic Ouray Elite Mixed Climbing Competition.
December 2021: Tyler Kempney and Lois Anne Pador-Luce Kempney took over ownership of the Ice Coop with a deeper focus on community building and gym improvements.
.September 2022: The Ice Coop reopened under the leadership of a non-profit board, which we dubbed the Mountain Access Collective. We now have an all-volunteer staff and have further cemented our community-driven mission.
October 2023: We kicked off our first full winter as an expanded nonprofit with more robust programming, teams, and offerings than ever before.
