Description
Explore the best of ice climbing in Cody, Wyoming
We offer custom guided ice climbing trips in the South Fork of the Shoshone River Valley and surrounding areas near Cody Wyoming. The South Fork and neighboring areas are home to the one of the highest concentrations of waterfall ice climbs in the world and the quality of ice climbing in the region is second to none. The porous volcanic geology of the Absaroka Mountains produces an immense number of spring-fed flows with difficulties ranging from WI2-WI7. The nature of ice climbing in Cody is challenging with arduous approach hikes, long pitches, technical movement, and relatively stiff grades. Many of country’s top ice climbers and alpinists including Stan Price, Alex Lowe, Mark Twight, Steve House, Aaron Mulkey and others have honed their skills ice climbing in Cody. If you’re looking to push yourself in your climbing and experience some of the most aesthetic, challenging ice climbs in the country, a custom guided ice climbing trip to Cody is hard to beat.
Why climb in Cody with us:
Our ice climbing guides are experienced professionals, talented climbers, and well-trained teachers. They are also humble, personable, and overall great humans to be around in the mountains. Our guides are adept at providing safe, supportive, and inclusive climbing experiences for people of all backgrounds and ability levels.
We are also the only local, Cody-based guiding service that operates in the South Fork and surrounding areas near Cody. All of our ice climbing guides live and climb in Cody throughout the winter, which is a major advantage because they have the most experience guiding in the area and know the climbs, conditions, and hazards of the places they guide better than anyone. Being based in Cody also helps us reduce travel costs for our guides, which makes our service more affordable than our competitors and reduces our carbon footprint.
Trip Locations:
Horsetail Falls (WI4-5) in the South Fork
- South Fork of the Shoshone River Valley – The South Fork is Wyoming’s premier ice climbing destination and one of the best places to ice climb in the continental US. The central valley of the South Fork is home to over 300 pitches of waterfall ice and many more climbs can be found in the more remote parts of the drainage. South Fork ice climbs are generally challenging with 1-3 mile approaches, have multiple pitches, and range in difficulty from WI3 to WI6. Several of the most classic multipitch ice climbs in the country are located in the South Fork, including Broken Hearts (WI5-6, 9 pitches), Mean Green (WI4-5, 7 pitches), High on Boulder, (WI4, 3 pitches), and Main Vein (WI3+, 5 pitches). Conditions range from year to year, but generally the climbing season in the South Fork is one of the longest in the country and runs from early November to mid April.
Ricochet (WI5), North Fork of the Shoshone
- North Fork of the Shoshone River Valley – The North Fork is an incredibly scenic volcanic valley near the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park that contains a variety of high quality ice climbs. The scenery of the North Fork is spectacular with volcanic hoodoos, natural arches, and glaciated peaks of the North Absaroka Range towering in the distance. The North Fork contains several single pitch cragging areas that are more easily accessed than the South Fork in addition to a number of long moderate ice and mixed climbs with an alpine feel. Area classics include Ricochet (WI5, 55m), Finger on the Trigger (WI5+, 60m), and the Stank (WI4 5.6, 6 pitches). The climbing season in the North Fork generally runs from January to early April.
The Wig (WI5), Carter Mountain
- Carter Mountain – Carter Mountain is one of the region’s best early season ice climbing venues with some of the earliest ice to form in the country. With north facing aspects at high elevation, ice on Carter Mountain normally starts to set up in October and is accessible until early December. Carter Mountain has a great variety of ice climbs ranging from multipitch moderates, steep pillars, trad mixed climbs, and a long rambling alpine route that brings you to the top of the mountain. Area classics include Curtains (WI3 3 pitches), the Wig (WI5 35m), Aaron’s Gift (M6), and Reality Strikes (WI3 M3 6 pitches). The climbing season on Carter Mountain typically runs from mid to late October until late December when the road is closed for the season.
Superfly (M8), Pilot Creek
- Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River Valley – The upper Clarks Fork Valley near Pilot Peak is an excellent single pitch ice and mixed climbing venue readily accessible from the road in the early season. The limestone bands above Pilot and Index Creeks contain dozens of quality waterfall ice and bolted mixed climbs ranging from WI3-WI5 and M5-M10. Area classics include Corner Pocket (WI3 35m), the Sword of Damocles (WI5 60m), Superfly (M8), and Rocket Man (M9). The climbing season typically runs from November to March but a snowmobile or ski tour is required for access starting in early December.
Nicotine Addiction (WI4+) in the Greybull River
- Greybull River and Jack Creek, Meteetsee – The Greybull River and Jack Creek drainages near Meteetsee Wyoming contain several quality ice climbs in a beautiful, high desert setting. The area is remote but the climbing is very rewarding with waterfall ice climbs ranging from WI3-WI5 and a few trad mixed lines. Area classics include 44 Problems (WI3-4 60m) and Nicotine Addiction (WI4-5 2 pitches). The best to climb in the area is generally January – February.
Trip Itineraries and Rates:
- 1 Day Itinerary
Cost: 1 person – $450; 2 people – $700
Our 1 day custom ice climbing itinerary is a great option if you only have a single day to climb but you want to make the most of it! Your guide will work with you to select an exciting objective (typically an area classic) that is in good condition, appropriate for your skill and fitness levels, and features fun, high quality climbing. Our primary objective with this trip is providing a safe and highly rewarding ice climbing experience that you will remember for many years to come!
- 2 Day Itinerary
Cost: 1 person – $400/day; 2 people – $600/day
Our 2 day custom ice climbing itinerary is a full-value experience for those looking for an action-packed two days of guiding in one of the best ice climbing venues in the country. Your guide will coordinate with you to choose two exciting objectives that align with your climbing goals and are well-suited to your skill level. Generally people like to choose one moderate objective for day 1 to work on technique and streamline their systems followed by a more challenging objective on day 2 to push themselves on a harder climb.
- 3-4 Day Itinerary
Cost: 1 person: $350/day, 2 people: $550/day
This is our most popular custom ice climbing itinerary by far! Our 3-4 day itinerary is an excellent option if you’re looking to really progress in your climbing and explore a variety of climbs in the Cody area. Your guide will work with you to select objectives for each day that align with your climbing goals and appropriate for your skill level. We suggest climbing in multiple areas around Cody over the course of your trip in order to experience the incredible variety of terrain the region has to offer. We also highly recommend scheduling at least one rest day after two days of climbing in order to recharge for the rest of your trip.
- 5 Day or More Itinerary
Cost: 1 person: $325/day, 2 people: $500/day
Many climbers choose to work with us over a longer duration in order to make substantial gains in their climbing, knowledge of systems, decision-making, and explore the further reaches of ice climbing in the Cody region. This longer itinerary allows for a mentor-type relationship with your guide who will work with you extensively to develop in all aspects of your ice climbing progression. The amount of progress we see with climbers who choose this option is impressive and we highly recommend it if you want to really take your ice climbing to the next level. We highly recommend taking several rest days over the course of this trip in order to recover and avoid excessive fatigue. Availability for these longer trips is limited so please inquire early in the season to reserve your guide!
Trip availability:
Our custom ice climbing trips to Cody are available from early November to early April. If you want to climb in a particular area, these are typically the best times to climb in the following ice climbing venues near Cody:
- South Fork Valley – December through early April
- North Fork Valley – January through March
- Carter Mountain – November through early December
- Clarks Fork – November through early December
- Meteetsee – January through February
Guide to climber ratio:
All of our custom ice climbing trips have a 1:1 or 1:2 guide to climber ratio.
Trip logistics:
Transportation: Cody has an airport serviced by both Delta and United Airlines. You can also fly into neighboring Billings, Montana (where flights are often cheaper) and rent a car to drive to Cody.
Accommodations: We recommend staying at either a hotel or bread and breakfast in Cody rather than winter camping on your trip. Temperatures are quite frigid at night and it’s really nice to warm up and dry all of your gear after a long day of ice climbing.
Meeting location: You will meet your guide at either Sunlight Sports, Cody’s local gear shop, or Rawhide Coffee Co. in downtown Cody to start your trip.
Daily schedule: We typically will meet at 7am, drive to the climbing location, and finish climbing by 4pm, arriving back in Cody between 5-6pm.
Equipment: Many climbers choose to bring all of their own gear, but we can provide all technical ice climbing equipment including Camp-Cassin ice tools, crampons, helmets, harnesses, ice screws, etc. We do highly recommend bringing your own mountaineering boots if you own them because the approaches in Cody require extensive hiking off-trail and it’s preferable to hike in boots that are broken in to your feet.
Contact us:
Interested in booking a custom ice climbing trip to Cody with us? Please send us an email including your name, email address, phone number, climbing experience, in addition to a description of what, where, and when you’d like to climb.
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