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  • February 10: Keegan Young ice climbing in Ouray, belayed by Sam Sala. Photo by Jeff Golden. Rain was also falling.
  • February 14: Holes in the ice at Georgetown Lake. Abnormally warm for February. Photo by John J Kyler.

GEORGETOWN, Colo. — Abnormally warm February temperatures have forced the early closure of two iconic Colorado ice events.

The Ouray Ice Park in Ouray in southwest Colorado and Our Gang Ice Racing in Georgetown closed roughly a month earlier than scheduled.

“Unfortunately, Mother Nature has forced us to ‘tap out’ for the season, much earlier than we hoped for or expected,” Ouray Ice Park said in a statement.

Our Gang Ice Racing echoed similar sentiments.

“Our 2016 season has come to a close,” it said in a statement. “We canceled the Feb. 11-12 races. The warm wind in Georgetown the last few days has ‘rotted’ the ice, and opened up ice fishing holes and springs, and we have open water in several areas of the lake. The lake has changed a lot in just one week.”

If colder temperatures return, the Ouray Ice Park sait it’s possible it would reopen.

“We are not sure whether this closure is permanent or temporary,” officials said. “If cold temperatures return and we have the opportunity to get the water running again and build the ice back up to make it safe and climbable again, then please be assured that is the first thing we will do, we will try to reopen, but it is not guaranteed.”