Originally from Colombia — a country not exactly famous for ice climbing — Andres Marin now lives in the American hub of the sport he loves.
There’s no denying the sense of wonder the first time you drive into Ouray.
For those unfamiliar, this city that calls itself “the Switzerland of America” more than deserves the moniker. Giant, snow-covered mountains surround this tiny village, which hosts an annual ice climbing festival in its dedicated ice park.
It’s also the chosen home of Andres Marin, an elite climber of multiple disciplines. In this edit from Petzl, Marin’s contagious levels of enthusiasm spill over as he describes why he picked Ouray as his climbing playground.
“I can go ice climbing, running, rock climbing, and ski touring, all out my front door,” he says in the vid. “Nowadays, I spend most of my time pushing myself in the big mountains … putting it all together, the ice climbing, the mixed climbing, and the exploration.”
Warning: Watching this video can lead to an incurable need to drive to Ouray immediately.
Runtime: 9 minutes
