Cooke City – Custom Ice Climbing Trip

Description

Your local guides to ice climbing in the Cooke City area

Ice cragging at Index Creek near Cooke City

We offer custom guided ice climbing trips in the upper Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River area near Cooke City, MT.  The Cooke City area is home to a large concentration of single pitch ice and mixed climbs with relatively easy access as well as several adventurous multipitch routes in a spectacular setting at the foot of Pilot and Index Peaks.  There is an especially high concentration of vertical ice climbs, making this an excellent training venue to build fitness and improve technique on steep ice.  The Cooke City area is best to climb in the early season (November-December) as the north-facing climbs are some of the first climbs to form in the region.  Later in the season, heavy snow makes travel difficult and increases avalanche danger.   If you’re looking for an early season ice climbing venue with a high concentration of classic climbs that will get you ready for the rest of the season, we highly recommend ice climbing in the Cooke City area.

Why climb in Cooke City 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 Cooke City area.  All of our ice climbing guides live and climb in the eastern side of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem throughout the winter, which is a major advantage because they have the most experience guiding in the region 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 rates more affordable than our competitors and reduces our carbon footprint.

Trip Locations:

As a guiding company, one of our main specialties is guiding custom ice climbing trips on a wide variety of terrain.   With a transient medium like ice we need to remain flexible on location in order to take advantage of the best possible conditions. Before your climb, we will provide updated information on ice conditions and your guide will coordinate with you to determine which selection of routes is best suited to your particular climbing objectives. 

Below we’ve listed four of our favorite ice climbing areas near Cooke City that we guide.   Note that all of these are located on Shoshone National Forest in the state of Wyoming but are only a few minutes-drive from Cooke City, Montana.  Please let us know if you have any area or route preferences and we’ll do our best to craft your itinerary around those, depending on conditions of course.

Climbing on Elysium (WI4 40M) at the Valhalla Crag

• Index Creek Crags – The greatest concentration of single pitch ice climbing in the Cooke City area is near Index Creek on the east face of Index Peak.  Most climbs are spring-fed flows that emanate from conglomerate volcanic cliffs that pour over more compact limestone cliffs ranging from 100-200′ in height.  Depending on the season, there are dozens of ice climbs to choose from in the WI3-4+ range as well as several bolted mixed climbs in the M4-10 range.  The Index crags are easily approached (~1 mile hike) via a good access trail and most climbs are proximate to each other, meaning that we can get lots of mileage in a single day.  One of our favorite crags in the area is Valhalla, which is home to the classics Corner Pocket (WI3 35m), Cleopatra (WI3 35m), Elysium (WI4, 40m), and Glory (WI5 20m).  Other notable climbs nearby are the Slide (WI4, 20m), the Spaniard (WI4 35m), Fortitude (WI4 30m), Maximus (WI4+ 45m), Rocket Man (M9 WI5 50m), and the Sword of Damocles (WI5 70m).

Climbing the Hand of Fatima (M8 WI5 3 pitches) on Jim Smith Peak

• Jim Smith Peak – Jim Smith Peak, just down the road from Pilot and Index Peaks, is home to two easily accessed single pitch climbs in addition to a large concentration of challenging multipitch climbs.  Blue (WI4 30m) and Brown (WI3 30m) are moderate classics making for a great introductory or intermediate outing with a quick approach.  The Booger (WI5+, 3-4 pitches) is an area classic and offers very challenging climbing on a spectacular continuous ice flow.  Depending on the season, the upper cliffs of Jim Smith Peak are full of ice, offering multipitch ice and mixed options of all varieties.  Other standout climbs on Jim Smith include Excalibur (WI6 6 pitches), the Hand of Fatima (M8 WI5 3 pitches), the Eye of Nazar (M9 WI6 2 pitches), Election Interference (M5 WI6 2 pitches), and the Pandemic (WI5 2 pitches).

Guide Zach Lentsch mixed climbing in at the Cathedral Crag

• Cathedral Crag – Located near Crandall by the K-Z Guest Ranch, the Cathedral Crag is one of the best later season venues in the Clarks Fork area with great hard ice climbing and very little avalanche hazard.  The Howling (WI5 40m) is one of the finest pillars of steep ice in the area and the neighboring Swallowed by the Swamp (M10 WI6 2 pitches) is a great challenge to those wanting to climb on steep mixed terrain.   Several other flows ranging from WI2-5 come in at this crag depending on the season.  Nearby Corral Creek Falls (WI3 20m) is a beautiful moderate and makes for a very fun technical ski mountaineering outing when coupled with a ski descent of Windy Mountain.

Teaching technique at the Upper Weeping Wall at Upper Sunlight Falls

• Sunlight Falls Crags – Upper Sunlight Falls is the closest thing to a naturally-forming ice climbing park we have ever seen, with a continuous wall of ice extending through a slot canyon with dozens of ice and mixed lines to choose from.  The Upper and Lower Weeping Walls have over a dozen ice climbs ranging from 15m-40m in height and WI2-4+ in grade.  The nearby Bullpen is a very fun mixed crag with top access to another dozen lines ranging from M4-M9 in grade.  The approach is short but technical and due to objective hazards the area requires specific conditions to be reasonably safe to climb.

Trip Itineraries:

• 1 Day Itinerary 

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 

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

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

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 Cooke City are available from mid November to early April, but we recommend climbing in November-December for most areas to take advantage of the best conditions and to minimize exposure to avalanche hazards.

Trip logistics:

Transportation: Cody has an airport serviced by United Airlines.  You can also fly into neighboring Billings, Montana (where flights are often cheaper) and rent a car to drive to Cody.  We do not provide ride service, so you’ll need to have your own ground transportation to drive to climbing areas.

Accommodations:  We recommend staying at a hotel or bead and breakfast in Cody or Cooke City 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.  We offer a BNB rental upstairs from our office near downtown Cody that is great for 1-2 people: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1444582593911849271?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=5ae61cb0-4a65-4ac9-9e04-9bb96f0a3e02

Meeting location:  You will meet your guide at our office near downtown Cody or at Cooke City Coffee for gear checks before you head out to the climbing area.

Daily schedule:  Depending on the objective and conditions, we typically meet between 6-7am, drive to the climbing location, and finish climbing by 4-5pm, arriving back in town between 5-7pm.

Cody-based guides:

Guide Zach Lentsch mixed climbing near Cooke City

Our talented team of ice climbing guides includes some of the most prolific ice climbers in the region who are at the forefront of ice climbing development in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.  Most importantly our guides are skilled teachers who are patient, kind, and helpful to people from all walks of life as they learn new skills.  Their top priority is making you feel safe and supported as you take on a new challenge.  Feel free to request a particular guide for your course.

• Dane Steadman – Dane Steadman is a skilled multi-disciplinary guide with significant accomplishments including the first guided ascents of Pilot Peak and Stinkingwater Peak, guided ascents of Cloud Peak, Gannet Peak, Granite Peak (MT), guided ice climbs in the Cody area up to WI6 in difficulty, and aguided rock climbs across the state of Wyoming up to 5.12 in difficulty.  Dane is also a very driven and talented climber whose main focus is exploratory alpine climbing both in Wyoming and in the greater ranges.  Notable climbs of his include the first ascent of Technicolor Super Dream on Mt. Huntington in Alaska, the first ascent of the North Face of Pik Alpinist in Kyrgyzstan, the second ascent of Titanic on Torre Egger in Patagonia, and several first ascents of hard ice and mixed climbs in the South Fork of the Shoshone River Valley up to WI6+ and M10 in difficulty.  What’s more, Dane is incredibly personable, patient, professional, and really fun to be around in the mountains. 

• Zach Lentsch – Zach Lentsch is an avid climber, guide, and owner of Wyoming Mountain Guides. A Bighorn Basin native, Zach has been exploring wild parts of northern Wyoming for as long as he can remember. In addition to running the business and designing Wyoming Mountain Guides’ suite of climbing programs operating across the state, Zach works extensively in the field and guides a wide range of trips ranging from introductory programs to advanced rock, ice, and alpine trips on challenging terrain. Zach is also a passionate developer of new climbing routes with over 100 first ascents across Wyoming, including the longest ice climb in the state (Ultralight Beam WI3+ 1000m) in the Wind River Mountains, the longest sandstone rock climb in the state (The Fall of Satan 5.10 C3 250m) in the Bighorn Mountains, and a high concentration of rock, ice, and mixed climbs in the Cody area up to 5.12, WI6, and M9 in difficulty.  Zach is an experienced teacher and works hard to integrate as much technical and environmental education into the climbing experience as possible while also prioritizing safety and having a great time together.

• Andrew Lamb – Andrew Lamb is rock and ice climbing instructor, experienced alpinist, and competitive ice climber from Worland, WY.  Andrew has instructed rock and ice climbing programs in Bozeman since 2022 and has recently relocated to the Cody area.  Some of his proudest ascents include the Japanese Couloir on Alaska’s Mt. Barrill, Winter Dance and the Nutcracker in Hyalite Canyon, and significant solos throughout the Greater Yellowstone.  He is also a talented competitive dry tooler who competed with the US National Ice Climbing Team.  He considers his greatest strength as a guide is his “attitude of positivity and optimism for all the aspects of the mountains, whether that be the hauling, the patience and respect for clients, the teaching of technical skills or the grit needed to work through tough situations environmentally, physically or emotionally.”

Booking and payment:

You can view each of our guide’s availability on the calendar above.  To book your trip directly via our website, you need to first select a guide, choose from available dates, and select which trip option best suits your objectives in terms of route size and difficulty.  Then to finalize your booking we require a 25% deposit, which is non-refundable.  The remainder is to be paid two weeks before the trip and is non-refundable if you cancel within two weeks of the program.  If you do cancel last minute on your own accord and want to transfer your credit to another course or trip, we do charge an additional 30% rescheduling fee.  However in case of bad weather or a medical emergency we will waive the rescheduling fee.

Equipment:

The following is our recommended gear, listed in the order it goes into your pack (bottom to top):

• • First Aid kit
  • Gear rack:
    • 2 extra locking carabiners 
    • Plate belay device with 2 dedicated lockers
    • Emergency kit – ascending device, small knife, and v-thread tool
    • Rappel tether – double-length dyneema sling or personal anchor system
  • Gloves: thin for hard pitches, medium for climbing, thick for belay – keep your medium weight gloves out for the approach and the majority of the climbing
  • Layers: full zip mid layer, insulating layers (light insulating layer and belay layer), waterproof hard shell top and pants
  • Harness with 2 ice tool clippers – keep at the top of the pack so it’s easily accessible
  • Hot drinks – easier to drink than cold water
  • Food – Fuel up before (think “trucker’s special”) and pack lots of snacks that won’t freeze (Oreos over bananas)
  • Helmet
  • Ice tools and crampons on the outside of the pack
  • Lid of the pack: sunglasses, food, sunscreen, headlamp, emergency communication device, cell phone
• Other suggestions for your luggage:
  • Extra wool socks
  • Extra gloves
  • Extras of as many clothing articles for multiple days if they get wet/frozen
  • Boot drier to dry out boots at night

We provide the following technical ice climbing equipment for all clients to use at no extra cost:

• CAMP X-Dream Ice Tools
• CAMP Alpinist Tech OR CAMP Bladerunner Crampons
• CAMP harnesses, helmets, carabiners, and belay devices
• La Sportiva mountaineering boots

All remaining equipment you’ll need to supply yourself.

Contact us:

Interested in a custom ice climbing trip to Cody with us?  You can either book directly online or 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.