Steep Ice Climbing Course
Refine Your Steep Ice Climbing Technique In Ouray, Colorado
Climbing steep ice requires more than simply swinging harder and holding onto the ice tools tighter. As ice climbing routes get steeper and more challenging, efficient body positioning, precise tool placements, effective resting strategy, and deliberate movement become increasingly important. Skyward Mountaineering's two day Steep Ice Climbing course is designed for experienced ice climbers who want to climb steeper terrain with greater efficiency and control.
Based in the Ouray Ice Park, the course combines focused technical instruction with extensive climbing time on steep pillars, vertical ice, and three-dimensional formations. Your AMGA certified Alpine Guide will assess your movement, identify inefficiencies, and use specific drills and personalized feedback to help you climb harder terrain while conserving energy.
Intermediate/advanced ice climbing course, focusing on efficient ice climbing movement on steep routes, WI4 to WI5.
Previous toprope ice climbing experience required. Climbers should be comfortable climbing WI4-, at least.
2 full days (8 hours each) of instruction and ice climbing. See open enrollment dates below or choose custom dates
The Steep Ice Climbing course is held in the Ouray Ice Park, Colorado.
7,792 ft / 2,375 m
Who Is The Steep Ice Climbing Course For?
This course is designed for climbers who already have experience toproping ice and want to become more efficient and confident on steeper terrain. The Steep Ice Climbing course is best suited for climbers who:
Can comfortably climb WI4- routes but get pumped on steeper routes
Want to improve their technique on WI4 and WI5 terrain
Rely too heavily on strength and have to swing ice tools repeatedly to get a good stick
Struggle to find efficient resting positions
Want to improve their movement on pillars and three-dimensional ice
Are preparing for longer or steeper multipitch ice routes
Want professional feedback and coaching on their technique
Are beginning to work toward leading steeper ice
If you're newer to ice climbing or want to refine fundamental ice climbing techniques for moderate ice, our Intro to Ice Climbing course is a better starting point.
Plan Your Steep Ice Climbing Course
Why Learn How To Climb Steep Ice in Ouray?
The Ouray Ice Park is one of the best places in North America to develop steep ice climbing technique because of the sheer variety of terrain concentrated in a small area. The park contains more than 150 named ice and mixed climbs, ranging from moderate ice to steep pillars and technical formations.
That variety allows your guide to select terrain that targets the skills you need to improve. Rather than spending two days repeating the same style of climb, you can work on movement across vertical walls, pillars, bulges, and three-dimensional ice as conditions and your goals allow.
The short approaches also mean more time spent climbing and less time spent hiking. For a technique-focused course, that makes the Ouray Ice Park an exceptionally efficient training environment.
What’s The Next Step After The Steep Ice Course?
Our Steep Ice course is designed for climbers who have moved beyond the introductory stage but aren't yet climbing the hardest terrain efficiently. From here, your next step depends on your goals.
Learn To Lead Ice course: Develop the systems and skills needed to lead steeper routes. This 3-day day course builds solid lead climbing skills and then applies it on a backcountry multipitch route with personalized coaching.
Multipitch ice climbing: Apply efficient movement and climbing systems on longer routes with a guide in the San Juan Mountains.
If your ultimate goal is a route such as Bridal Veil Falls, a longer backcountry objective in Silverton, or even an international ice climbing trip in the Canadian Rockies or Norway, your guide can help you build a realistic progression toward that objective.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Climbers should have previous toprope ice climbing experience and be comfortable climbing approximately WI4-. This is not a beginner ice climbing course.
The course focuses on vertical and steeper terrain, including pillars, bulges, and three-dimensional ice. Exact routes depend on your ability, goals, and current ice conditions.
-
Our Steep Ice Climbing course is not primarily a lead climbing course and we don’t want to distract from the movement technique focus. Instead, the course builds solid techniques for steep ice climbing movement and efficiency, which is better learned while on toprope.
Lead climbing can potentially be incorporated for experienced climbers, but please discuss your goals with us before booking as a private course may be a better option.
-
The course is based in the Ouray Ice Park in Ouray, Colorado. The exact climbing areas and routes depend on current conditions and your goals.
The Ouray Ice Park is an excellent venue for learning steep ice climbing due to the ease of access to long, steep, and varied routes in a concentrated zone.
-
Ice climbing is a dynamic medium and conditions can change throughout the winter. Your guide will evaluate current conditions and select terrain that is appropriate and climbable. If conditions prevent the planned objectives, the itinerary may be adjusted, such as climbing at backcountry routes throughout the San Juan Mountains or relocating to the Lake City Ice Park which has more reliably cold temperatures.