Forest service concerns thwart ice park

Friday, January 15, 2010

By Ben Cannon

The new ice climbing park near Grand Targhee Resort has been ordered to cease operation while forest service officials review the operator's insurance policy.

Teton Ice Park founder Christian Santelices said this is the second time the park has been forced to close temporarily.

"The big concern with the Forest Service has been about the liability of the park," Santelices said when reached for comment Friday.

The ice climbing park is located on Caribou-Targhee National Forest land, near the parking entrance at Grand Targhee

Santelices said ice park management has implemented measures to bump up safety at the ice park, which opened Dec. 19.

Users must have the proper equipment and pass a skills assessment before attempting to ascend the man-made ice formation. For additional fees, guides are available to help inexperienced users.

Santelices said he is confident the ice park will reopen once forest service officials complete their review.

"We should be good to open back up," he said, adding that it could take as long as a week or a month.

When the ice park is open, qualified people can use it for a seasonal membership fee of $40. Guided rates range from $105 for a half-day small group lesson to $360 for a full day of one-on-one instruction.

Santelices said the ice park's business model relies mostly on revenue generated through guiding. Bookings worth several hundred dollars have already been canceled due to the closure, according to Santelices.

"In our state of operation right now, that's pretty significant," he said. -JHW



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Forest service concerns thwart ice park | Planet JH News Article: General News

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