Grasping onto ice is no easy feat, but it can be one heck of an exhilarating experience. The Canadian Rockies provide some of the best ice climbing around thanks to cold temperatures for months at a time. Some of the best spots to stick a pick to the ice are around Banff.
OnTop Mountaineering is a full-service mountaineering company that offers waterfall ice climbing around the Canmore and Banff areas. Trips are scheduled all throughout November to April, the premiere ice climbing season, and are open to groups as small as two and as large as six. Equipment and rides are included in the price. They also offer ice climbing courses for beginners and custom ice climbing trips for the more seasoned alpinists.
Stemming out of the Belay Cave © Laurel F | Flickr
Canadian Rockies Alpine Guides offers four different courses lasting between two to five days. There’s one for every skill level so you don’t have to worry about having no experience. Courses usually occur on the weekends and are based out of places like Banff and Canmore. They also offer multi-pitch and lead climbing lessons for people looking to advance their skills.
Banff Adventures offers full and half-day trips to conveniently fit your schedule. They also cater to climbers of every skill level and include the cost of all technical gear needed to climb. BA doesn’t provide transportation, so look for a hotel close to Canmore for the shortest trip to your climbing destination. The price of each course goes down the more people who sign up, so get a group together and make it a fun outing for everyone.
Yamnuska Mountain Adventures claims 10 different ice climbing courses on their site, five for beginners and five for intermediate or advanced climbers. The best part is they have semester-long courses for anyone interested in becoming a master at the sport. The three-month program will subject you to intensive mountaineer training and you’ll come out a true ice climbing pro.
Ice Climber Will Gadd at the Upper Falls of Johnston Canyon © Meisterphotos | Dreamstime
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