Anyone visiting the Ouray Ice Park during the 2nd weekend of March would have been treated to quite a sight: a group of 15 climbers and their various prosthetic limbs littering the base. It was the 3rd Annual Gimps on Ice put on by Paradox Sports - an event that takes adaptive climbing to a new level.

Chad Butrick, who lost his leg below the knee in a car accident in 2005, was the latest guest for the 6:20 Sidebar. He, along with the other disabled athletes, descended on the Uncompahgre Gorge in Ouray. Chad talked about the experience, Paradox Sports and the sense of humor this group embraces. To see the interview, visit the video link to the upper right of this article.

Paradox Sports was created by group of individuals with a common desire to integrate the physically disabled into the outdoor community by providing inspiration, opportunities, and the adaptive equipment needed to participate in human-powered outdoor sports. It is the brainchild of Army Captain DJ Skelton and professional climber Timmy O'Neill. DJ was wounded in Iraq and is still on active duty AND works as an advocate for wounded soldiers returning from Iraq. Timmy travels the world as an entertainer, climber, and ambassador for the outdoor industry. The common bond of loving the outdoors and wanting to share it with others, regardless of physical limitations, is what brought them together.

The Ouray Ice Park was opened in 1995 as the world's first park devoted exclusively to the sport of ice climbing. A small band of local volunteers and business owners developed the Park utilizing a unique set of assets found perhaps only in Ouray: a 100 foot deep, mile-long gorge that descends right into town. Over the past 14 years, the park has grown to become the largest ice climbing park in the world and attracts climbers from all over the world.

For more information on Paradox Sports, visit www.paradoxsports.org.  Donations can be made on-line to help offset expenses of events like ice climbing, kayaking and rock climbing.  In the past three years, Paradox has helped over 300 athletes, half of them vets and 25% of them women.