The Winona Ice Park is gearing up for its seventh season, and is garnering international attention. Climbing Magazine featured the Winona Ice Park in a recent article highlighting three of the largest ice parks in the country, and dubbed Winona’s park as the “the hub for the sport in the Midwest”.
In the article, Winona resident and outdoor recreation champion Eric Barnard is credited with bringing the idea of farming ice in the Winona bluffs to fruition, with the help of the Recreation Alliance of Winona, the City of Winona, and fellow passionate climbers.
“I think this is the year it really blows up,” Barnard says of the park, which has seen more and more climbers each year. With the active Minnesota community, the park’s proximity to Chicago, and all the Iowans looking to send something besides a silo, the Winona Park is a hub for the sport in the Midwest. The park features about 100 routes, up to 110 feet in height. You’ll find a kiddie wall, lead areas, mixed routes, and “chill gullies,” according to Barnard.
The Winona Ice Park is one of only five man-made ice parks in North America, and is the 2nd largest in the country. Three thousand feet of piping from a hydrant on top of the bluffs is used to create this park each year, which features 100 different climbing routes along six walls. The farming team is hoping to have the earliest opening to date–tentatively by the end of December 2024. The Winona Ice Park and the Sugar Loaf Park are maintained by the Recreation Alliance of Winona, in partnership with the City. In addition to trail enhancements and signage, the Rec Alliance is taking on prairie restoration projects in the area, showcasing that outdoor recreation as not only an economic driver, but a channel for conservation.
Equipment can also be rented through the WSU Outdoor Education & Recreation Center. The Winona Ice Fest celebrates its second year in 2025: January 30-February 2. Huge international companies are sending professional athletes, equipment and sponsorship dollars for this annual event. Registration is capped at 400 people, which will double capacity from 2024. On the first day of the festival–Thursday, January 30–Winona residents can participate in FREE ½ day climbing sessions, with all equipment and guiding services included. During the festival, there will be free public transportation available and leaders are championing the idea of a “carless festival”, where participants can ride the Amtrak to town and be shuttled around to the various locations throughout Winona. A vendor village will be at the trailhead and each participant receives three demo cards to try specialized equipment firsthand. Local businesses are supplying discounts and deals to registered participants, encouraging additional local spending.