Intermediate Ice Climbing Course

Description

Take Your Ice Climbing to the Next Level

Climbing Lower Cottonwood Canyon Falls (WI4) during an Intermediate Ice Climbing Course

Overview:

Our intermediate ice climbing course helps you gain the skills needed to progress through the grades and do so more safely.  The first priority of this course is to build on fundamental movement skills learned in our introductory course and then focus on developing techniques for climbing vertical ice.  The course also has introduces best practice safety systems for ice climbing including ice screw placement, anchor building in ice, advanced belay and rappel techniques, and basic self-rescue systems. 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.

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.

Dates:

Our Intermediate Ice Climbing Courses are available 15 November – 1 April upon request.  Please select from available dates directly on our website or you can use the email contact form below to arrange dates for your course.

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.

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 systems including ice screw placement, anchor building, rappel and belay techniques, and basic self-rescue
• 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

Sample 2 day itinerary:

Day 1:

• 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

Day 2:

• 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

Course guides:

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.

Booking and payment:

You can view each of our guide’s availability on the calendar above.  To book your course directly via our website, you need to first select a guide and choose from available dates.  To finalize your booking we require you to pay a 25% deposit, which is non-refundable.  The remainder is to be paid two weeks before the course 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.

Contact Us:

Interested in taking an intermediate ice climbing course?  Please contact us via the form below: