Intro To Ice Climbing Course
Learn How To Ice Climb In The Ouray Ice Park
Ready to try ice climbing for the first time? Skyward Mountaineering's Intro to Ice Climbing Course is a two-day introduction to the foundational skills of ice climbing so you can climb confidently and safely in a toprope ice climbing venue. Based in the world renowned Ouray Ice Park in southwest Colorado, this course is designed for beginners with no previous ice climbing experience. You'll spend both days climbing with a local, AMGA certified guide while learning how to use ice tools and crampons, build toprope anchors, belay your partner, and move efficiently on ice.
Schedule: 2 full days (8 hours each) of ice climbing instruction. See open enrollment dates below or choose dates for a private course.
Group Size: Small ratio course with a maximum of 4 climbers per guide.
Location: The Intro To Ice Climbing Course is based in the Ouray Ice Park, CO.
Elevation: 7,792ft / 2,375m
Pricing: $690 per climber.
Prerequisites: No previous climbing experience required.
Course Description: Introductory ice climbing course.
What You’ll Learn On The Intro To Ice Climbing Course
This is a hands on ice climbing course. You'll spend the majority of 2 days in the Ouray Ice Park climbing and practicing the skills you're learning. Before the course, your guide will discuss your experience, goals, logistics, and current conditions. We begin by reviewing ice climbing specific equipment and fundamental systems, before introducing movement techniques.
Throughout the Intro To Ice Climbing course, our instructors provide personalized coaching to help you build confidence and efficient movement techniques on progressively more challenging routes. Your guide will adjust the pace and curriculum around your ability rather than forcing every participant through the same path.
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Learn about ice climbing specific equipment selection, such as ice tools, crampons, mountaineering boots, harnesses, and ropes. Your guide will explain equipment the different options and help you understand how different gear can affect your climbing.
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Learn how to use your frontpoints and secondary points efficiently rather than relying on excessive kicking or strength. Good footwork creates a stable platform and allows you to climb with less fatigue.
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Learn how to identify good ice tool placements and swing effectively to create balanced, secure positions.
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Develop the fundamental movement skills that make ice climbing more efficient and controlled. You'll learn how to position your hips, knees, feet, and tools so you can climb with better balance and conserve energy on moderate and steeper routes.
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Learn the fundamentals of constructing toprope anchors using bolts and natural features, such as trees. The goal being for you to be a confident and capable independent ice climber.
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Review essential climbing knots and hitches, used for tying into the rope and constructing anchors.
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These skills form the foundation for becoming a capable and contributing climbing partner. Learn efficient and safe toprope belay techniques and how to rappel into a route or to descend from a multipitch route.
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Ice is a dynamic medium, learn fundamental risk management concepts that make ice climbing different from rock climbing, including terrain selection, ice conditions, equipment considerations, belayer positioning, and maintaining good communication.
Plan Your Intro To Ice Climbing Course
Who Is This Ice Climbing Course For?
This course is designed for people who want to learn how to ice climb in a supportive, hands on environment. You don't need previous ice climbing or rock climbing experience, although previous climbing experience can make some of the systems and movement concepts easier to understand.
The course is a good fit if you:
Have never ice climbed before and want to learn how
Are a rock climber interested in trying ice climbing
Want to learn the fundamentals before pursuing longer ice routes
Want to build a well-rounded mountaineering background
Prefer personalized instruction from an experienced professional guide
Why Learn to Ice Climb in Ouray?
The Ouray Ice Park is one of the best places in North America to learn how to ice climb. The park concentrates a remarkable variety of ice and mixed climbing into a relatively small area, with short approaches and routes ranging from beginner friendly terrain to steep, technical pillars.
This makes it possible to spend more time climbing and less time approaching routes. During the course, your guide will select terrain appropriate for your experience, then progress you through different styles of ice climbing and route formations as your skills develop.
The Ouray Ice Park is also an ideal place to return after your course. Once you've learned the fundamentals, you can continue practicing on moderate terrain before progressing to steeper routes and eventually longer multipitch backcountry ice climbs.
From Beginner Ice Climber to Independent Climber
The Intro to Ice Climbing Course is the first step in a longer progression. Once you've developed the fundamentals, you can continue building your skills through additional instruction and guided climbing.
The exact progression depends on your goals and experience. Some climbers may want to focus on movement and technique, while others may eventually want to lead ice or climb longer routes in the San Juan Mountains.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No, previous rock or ice climbing experience is not required for our introductory ice climbing course. If you've climbed before, some systems such as belaying and tying in will be familiar, but ice climbing introduces new equipment, movement techniques, and hazard considerations.
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Ice climbing is physically and technically demanding, but beginners can learn the fundamentals on moderate, WI3 terrain. Your guide will select routes appropriate for your experience and help you develop efficient movement before progressing to steeper ice.
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The focus of this introductory course is learning fundamental ice climbing movement, systems, and risk management. If your goal is to learn how to lead ice, we can discuss a progression toward leading skills after you've developed a solid ice climbing foundation.
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Skyward Mountaineering provides the technical group climbing equipment used during the course, including ropes and anchor materials. Personal equipment such as clothing and mountaineering boots are your responsibility to provide (boots can be rented locally from Ouray Mountain Sports). Climbing gear, including harness, helmet, crampons and ice tools can be provided by Skyward Mountaineering at no additional cost.
We'll provide an equipment list before the course and can help answer any questions about what to bring.
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The Ouray Ice Park operates each winter season, generally opening by mid December and remaining open through mid March, conditions permitting. Exact opening and closing dates depend on weather and ice conditions.
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Yes, the Intro to Ice Climbing course can be booked as a private/custom course. A private course allows your guide to tailor the curriculum, pace, and climbing objectives specifically to your experience and goals.
Contact us to sign up for a private Intro To Ice Climbing course.