Learn to Lead Ice Climbing

The Skyward Mountaineering Learn To Lead Ice Climbing curriculum has been honed and customized based on decades of experience among our guide staff to share modern strategies for leading multipitch ice climbs. Learn techniques to improve your overall ice climbing movement efficiency and feel confident with the technical systems to manage single and multitpitch ice climbing routes. The clinic is based primarily in the Ouray Ice Park where we can focus on instruction in a more controlled and accessible environment. We may also opt to go into the backcountry on the final day for application of skills on a backcountry multipitch route.

During the 3-day Learn To Lead Ice Climbing clinic, climbers will learn:

  • Risk management

  • Increase security with restful and stable movement

  • Routefinding: how to read the ice from a macro and micro perspective with considerations for a leader

  • How to place ice screws and build ice anchors

  • How to belay from above and manage multipitch transitions

  • V-threads and other ice specific descent strategies

  • Introduction to rescue technique

  • Improve your confidence on lead

Ice axe icon, depicting the type of guided climbing for this trip.

Intermediate/advanced ice climbing course

Icon of a mountain, depicting the prerequisites required for the guided trip.

Previous toprope ice climbing experience required. Climbers must be comfortable on WI4

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3 full days (8 hours each)
See open enrollment dates below or choose custom dates

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Ouray, Colorado

Security. Efficiency. Strategy.
Learn to Lead Ice Climbing routes safely and proficiently

  • Your guide will discuss course logistics, your goals, learning outcomes and conditions updates in the days prior to the course. Our itineraries are flexible based on current conditions and individual goals, below is an example itinerary of what you may expect:

    07:00 Meet your guide and fellow course participants at a local bakery in Ouray for a meet and greet with a quick breakfast and coffee before heading out for the Learn To Lead Ice Climbing course.
    07:30 A short drive up the road to the Ouray Ice Park. We’ll begin with a short hike into the Ice Park where we’ll put on our equipment.
    08:00 We will review ice climbing movement techniques and top-rope a few pitches for a warm up and to provide instruction before launching into more complex leading topics.
    10:00 We will then spend some time covering foundational skills for leading ice, practicing them with the security of a toprope. Climbers will receive personalized feedback and coaching throughout the day.
    15:30 Wrap up the day and hike out of the Ouray Ice Park. Drive back to Ouray and finish the course for the day. We highly recommend relaxing with an après-climb soak in the town’s hot springs.

  • 07:30 Meet your guide at the Ouray Ice Park parking lot and gear up for day.
    08:00 After setting up anchors and reviewing skills from the previous day, we’ll focus on mock leading, where students will practice evaluating the macro and micro routefinding and placing ice screws while still benefiting from the security of a toprope.
    11:00 If appropriate, climbers will take the sharp end after demonstrating solid movement and grasp of ice screw placements. Climbers will lead routes with a guide climbing nearby to actively coach along the way.
    15:30 We’ll wrap up the climbing and walk back to the cars, plan for the following day.

  • This may take place at the Ouray Ice Park or a backcountry route in Silverton or Ouray backcountry, climbers will spend the day leading, building anchors, belaying followers from above and transitioning at stations on a multi-pitch route.

Two ice climbers ascending a multipitch frozen waterfall in the Ouray Ice Park. Steep blue daggers of ice surround them as the leader swings his tools above him.
Woman with a green jacket, red pants and a pink hood is ice climbing in the Ouray Ice Park. She is practicing lead climbing with icy rocks in the background.
A climber in a red jacket and white helmet is leading a route above two belayers in Silverton, Colorado.
A woman in a green jacket is lead climbing a steep frozen waterfall in the Ouray Ice Park. She is swinging her arm to place her ice tool.
Climber in red jacket and ice climbing a deep blue frozen waterfall with a rope above him.
A woman is lead climbing a multipitch backcountry ice climb with a wide frozen slab of ice and bright sun and blue skies above.
A climber in a yellow jacket is leading an ice climb with an overhanging start. He is being belayed from a woman in a blue jacket below.
A climber in a yellow jacket in the foreground is belaying a lead ice climber with ice screws in the anchor.
An ice climber wearing a red helmet, teal jacket, and orange pants is leading an ice climb in the Ouray Ice Park. She is practicing lead climbing during a course.

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Two ice climbers ascending a frozen multipitch waterfall in the Ouray Ice Park. The lower climber is belaying the lead climber.
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Questions?

Our office staff are guides, climbers and skiers - we’re here to help!