Eldo to build competition structure for 2019 Ice Climbing World Cup Finals in Denver

Eldorado Climbing Walls to build competition structure for 2019 Ice Climbing World Cup Finals in Denver

Boulder, CO, January 31, 2019—Boulder-based Eldorado Climbing Walls has designed and manufactured the climbing structure to be installed in Denver’s Civic Center Park for the UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup Finals to be held February 22-24, 2019. Elite ice climbers from around the world will scale the 50’ tall structure made of steel, scaffolding, plywood, and of course, ice. The installation is scheduled to begin Friday, February 15.

Like many large temporary installations, this project comes with huge challenges. A permanent structure of this scale would typically take 4-5 weeks to complete, but due to the setting of this event, the team will complete the installation in a single week. The installation will pull from industry professionals across the country and the world: construction crews from Colorado and California, engineers from the Midwest, and route-setters from Russia and South Korea. The walls are being manufactured in Eldorado’s facility in Boulder, Colorado.

“When we were first approached by the American Alpine Club about the idea of building a structure for the Ice Climbing World Cup in Denver, it didn’t take long to get inspired by the vision,” notes Eldorado’s Design and Creative Director, Jason Thomas. “This would be a one of a kind build in the middle of Civic Center Park. After multiple rounds of ideation and pulling from the neoclassical design of architectural features within the park, we landed on the concept of an arch. The symmetry of the design will translate not only through the form of the structure but also through the movement of the climbers. Each side of the arch will have climbing routes that mirror each other as they meander 80-90 linear feet through large features that are suspended from the structure above, ultimately summiting at the apex of the archway 50+ feet above the park.”

“We are so thrilled to be partnering with the American Alpine Club to create this unique event for Denver. Eldo’s motto is ‘Everyone should climb.’ We love the idea of being able to help expose people to climbing through watching ice climbing as well as getting to actually boulder on one of our walls in the activity area,” remarks Kevin Volz, CEO and owner of Eldorado. “What could be better than taking on a monumental design, engineering, and construction challenge to support a first-of-its-kind event for Denver and the U.S.. We live for this kind of stuff!”