Alamosa festival includes snow sculptures, an ice carousel and a footrace on a frozen river

By Steve Graham

If you need to boost your Colorado-tough cred, head to Alamosa for a festival with both a footrace on ice and a polar plunge into equally frigid water.

The Rio Frio Ice Fest runs Jan. 27 and 28, and brings together the community for a bonfire, beer, an ice carousel and plenty of other icy fun. In addition to heroic (or just crazy) polar swimmers, a different kind of hero will be on display in the superhero-themed professional ice sculpting contest.

A centerpiece of the festival has become Sunday’s five-kilometer running race on the frozen Rio Grande river, organized by Jeff Owsley of the San Luis Valley Small Business Development Center.

“I had tried running on the river myself because I would see people on cross-country skis on the river and I thought I could run on the river,” Owsley said. “I very gingerly got on the river and thought ‘this is really cool.’ I ran five miles up the river. It was absolutely gorgeous and I saw lots of wildlife. It was totally magical.”

There are no rapids through Alamosa, where winter air settles at the base of the San Luis Valley and creates some of the nation’s lowest January temperatures. So the Rio Grande river is like a meandering lake, covered with 5 to 14 inches of ice. A layer of snow typically covers the ice and provides enough traction for the 200 runners expected in the race.

“A frozen river runs right through town during this time of year, and without the Rio Frio Run many of us would almost completely forget the river is even there,” said Luke Yoder of Alamosa. “Instead, we get to go down onto the river in a safe and controlled environment to enjoy one of the natural amenities of our community.”

Grant Dewey of Colorado Springs races his son in the 5K.

“A couple of my sons are runners, so I invited one of them to join me in the 5K run so we could have quality time together,” Dewey said. “The atmosphere of the weekend is quirky and fun, which we all need in our lives. I look forward to talks with my son, beautiful Colorado scenery and time with a friend.”

Saturday night at the Rio Frio festival brings the Fire & Ice Bonfire, a large fire lit within a 12-foot ice tower, outside the San Luis Valley Brewing Co.

For the festival, the brewery is making 32 Below, which owner Scott Graber describes as “an English Style Winter Warmer that offers the drinker a malt-dominant, dark crimson ale made with English malts and hops, and a healthy 6.8 percent ABV.”

The SLV brewery will also release the Pathfinder Imperial Toffee Porter. “This strong, roasty, toasty dark ale offers a hint of toffee and caramel to balance the dark malts of this yummy, smooth porter,” Graber said.

He said he is thankful for this midwinter opportunity to get customers out to his brewery.

“It’s neat to see the community come together to try and get people out of hibernation for the Rio Frio event, and at a time of year where businesses need a boost,” Graber said.

Alamosa’s other brewery, the new Square Peg Brewerks, is also participating in the Grub and Pub event, where festivalgoers buy discount coupons to cruise downtown Alamosa restaurants and bars to sample their food and drink.

Saturday’s festivities also include a Finnish-style ice carousel — a pair of huge circles cut into a frozen lake that rotate in opposite directions. Local actors will stand on the inner circle re-enacting the story of John C. Fremont’s deadly expedition into the San Luis Valley, while the audience turns on the outer circle.

Steve Graham is a freelance writer and former newspaper editor who likes taking his two young boys biking, hiking and brewery-hopping in northern Colorado.

Rio Frio Festival Schedule

Saturday, January 27

All day Professional Ice Sculpting
10 a.m. Ice Carousel with Live Music and Historic Skit
11 a.m. Polar Plunge
12 p.m. Interactive Snow Carving
12 to 3 p.m. Faux Snowman Building Contest
2 p.m. Kiwanis Kids Superheroes Costume Contest
3 to 7 p.m. Grub & Pub
7 p.m. Fire & Ice Bonfire

Sunday, January 28

8 a.m. Pancake Breakfast All morning
Interactive Snow Carving
10:30 a.m. Rio Frio 5K on Ice