Description
Take Your Ice Climbing to the Next Level
Overview:
Our intermediate ice climbing course helps you gain the skills needed to climb longer and steeper objectives. The first priority of this course is to build on fundamental movement skills learned in our introductory course and then focuses on developing techniques for climbing vertical ice. The course also has an emphasis on introducing best practice safety systems for ice climbing. We recommend participants enroll in an intro to ice climbing course beforehand or have some background in ice climbing, as this course requires a foundation in climbing safety systems and a solid base of climbing fitness.
Dates:
Our Intermediate Ice Climbing Courses are available November – March upon request. Please use our email contact form below or give us a call to arrange dates for your course.
NOTE: All of our ice climbing courses are privately arranged for individual parties – we do not mix groups of strangers for our courses unless specifically requested to do so. Our lower cost ice climbing clinics are larger group events scheduled for specific dates that are open to anyone who signs up for the clinic.
Recommended course locations:
We are fortunate to have access to several incredible ice climbing venues for our Intermediate Ice Climbing Course. When selecting a location for this course, it is important to consider not just the quality of ice climbing but also ease of access, good distribution of moderate grades, lack of crowds, minimal objective hazards, and stunning natural beauty. Each of the following venues is an excellent ice climbing classroom – which location we end up choosing will depend on your specific objectives, climbing experience, party size, and preferences regarding the kind of ice climbing you want to experience. You can learn more about the these and other areas we guide at our Ice Climbing Areas page.
-
- Five Springs Falls (WI3-5), Northern Bighorn Mountains – Five Springs Falls is undoubtedly one of the best ice cragging venues in the region with one 40m pitch of WI3+ and one 80m pitch of WI5. The short approach, long climbing season, and incredible quality of climbing makes this one of our go-to venues for our Intermediate and Steep Ice Climbing Courses.
-
- Cottonwood Canyon (WI3-4), Northern Bighorn Mountains – For those willing to hike off trail, Cottonwood Canyon has two great ice cragging venues with a wide range of difficulties set in an incredible backcountry location. We recommend this as a location for our Intro to Ice Climbing Courses in February – March as the ice is typically best in later season.
-
- Ten Sleep Canyon (WI3-4), Southern Bighorn Mountains – Ten Sleep Canyon is home to two classic ice climbs, Leigh Creek Falls (WI3-4) and Ten Sleep Falls (WI4), both of which offer excellent pitches of near vertical ice that is well suited to our Intermediate Ice Climbing Course.
-
- Carter Mountain (WI3-5), Cody area – Carter Mountain is home to several classic ice climbs that are well suited to both our Intro, Intermediate, and Multipitch Ice Climbing Courses. Carter Mountain is also notable in that its season is one of the earliest in the country with waterfall ice consistently setting up by October.
-
- Gunbarrel Creek (WI3-5), North Fork of the Shoshone – Gunbarrel Creek has some of the best ice cragging in the Cody area with a reasonable approach and a high concentration of quality moderates. This is an excellent mid season venue for both our Intro and Intermediate Ice Climbing Courses before heavy late season snows reduce access.
-
- Ishawooa Mesa and Boulder Ridge areas (WI3-5), South Fork of the Shoshone River – The South Fork is a preeminent destination for multipitch and steep ice climbing, but it also contains several quality single pitch ice climbing venues that are well suited for the objectives of our Intermediate Ice Climbing Course.
Lessons:
Our intermediate courses include personalized instruction on the following topics and techniques:
- Risk management and route selection for ice climbing
- Ice climbing safety, belay, and anchor systems
- Ice climbing movement and techniques for climbing vertical ice
- Toproping WI3-4+
- Minimal-impact ice climbing strategies to safeguard resources and heritage
- Leave No Trace and “Beyond Leave No Trace” practices
- Lessons the area’s geology, ecology, archaeology, and history
Course guides:
Our talented team of ice climbing guides includes some of the most talented ice climbers in the region who are at the forefront of ice climbing development in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. More 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 as well.
-
- Dane Steadman
-
- Zayne Hebbler
-
- Zach Lentsch
Sample 2 day itinerary:
Saturday:
- 7am: Meet and drive to ice climbing area
- 8am: Start approach hike to the crag
- 8:30am: Review risk management and safety skills for ice
- 9:30am: Steep ice climbing technique lesson
- 10am – 12pm: Toprope ice climbing
- 12-12:30pm: Lunch break
- 12:30pm: Anchor building lesson
- 1-3:30pm: Toprope ice climbing
- 3:30pm: Hike out
- 4pm: Debrief
Sunday:
- 7am: Drive to ice climbing area
- 8am: Start approach hike to the crag
- 8:30am: Route selection for ice climbing lesson
- 9:30 – 12pm: Toprope ice climbing
- 12-12:30pm: Lunch break
- 12:30pm: Foundations of multipitch safety systems lesson
- 1-3:30pm: Toprope ice climbing
- 3:30pm: Hike out
- 4pm: Debrief
Meeting location:
For all of our ice climbing courses, we prefer to meet the night before the course for equipment rentals and safety orientation at Sunlight Sports in Cody WY.
Rates:
| Size of Party | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 1 Day | $350 | $525 | $625 | $725 | $825 | $925 |
| 2 Days | $600 | $800 | $950 | $1125 | $1275 | $1375 |
Contact Us:
Interested in taking an intermediate ice climbing course? Please contact us via the form below:
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.