Learn to Ice Climb

Learning Objectives

Core skills you can expect to develop on this camp include: 

• Selection and use of ice climbing equipment such as crampons and tools
• Introduction to effective ice climbing clothing and layering systems 
• Efficient ice movement technique
• Ice screw placements and stances
• Hazard awareness and route selection
• Ice anchors
• V-threads
• Trip preparation and planning

Climbing Objectives

Canmore is a world-class destination for ice climbing. Depending on what forms, regions that you may have a chance to sample include: 

• King Creek
• Wedge Smear 
• Evan Thomas Creek
• Haffner Creek
• Bear Spirit
• Johnston Canyon
• Junkyards (Grassi Lake)

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• Each day will begin with a meeting at the Rocky Mountain Bagel Co. on Main Street (8th St), Canmore. This will allow you to grab some breakfast and/or lunch and arrange carpooling to the day's climbing area. Climbing areas will change daily and are determined by the guide(s) with the consideration of input from participants.
• Day 1: Meet the group at the Rocky Mountain Bagel Co. at 7:00 am (MST). We'll begin the course by quickly reviewing basic skills such as belaying and fitting crampons before swiftly moving on to the course learning objectives, starting with skills like efficient ice movement, screw placements and hazard awareness.
• Day 2: Same meeting time and place. Today we'll step up the intensity of the learning and physical challenge with an option to try slightly steeper lines. The more advanced learning objectives will also be covered including skills like: resting positions, V-threads, trip planning.

Entry Level

This camp is designed for people with either no or very limited ice climbing experience. However, you should have at least basic rope handling skills from rock or indoor climbing e.g. tie-in knots, belaying methods, clipping quickdraws etc. 

You will need to provide your own personal equipment e.g. boots, crampons, tools etc. but don't worry if you haven't purchased these yet. Gear Up in Canmore can rent you everything you need and ACC members get a 10% discount!

Food

Food is not provided on this camp. So please bring along a packed lunch and some snacks for each day. 

Accommodation

As this course is offered out of Canmore, we welcome all participants to stay at the beautiful ACC Clubhouse and enjoy the remote atmosphere that surrounds our location. Located on a high bench overlooking the Three Sisters, Ha Ling and Mount Rundle, it's the perfect place to relax in the evenings after your climbing. You can reserve your room for the nights of the course during online registration. If you need additional nights please call our reservations team on 403 678 3200.

For full details on the Canmore Clubhouse accommodation click here.

Guiding

Maarten was born and raised in The Netherlands, allowing him to explore Europe through backpacking and bike touring. At the age of 18, he moved to Ontario with his family to enjoy Canada’s natural wonders and embark on a new adventure. Since moving to the Bow Valley in 2013, Maarten has been working through the ACMG program towards his IFMGA Mountain Guide certification. He is currently certified as an ACMG Alpine Guide and enjoys guiding rock climbing, mountaineering and ice climbing throughout Alberta and British Columbia. Maarten lives in Exshaw in the Bow Valley with his wife Lin and their cat Am. For recreation, he has pursued alpine, ice and mixed climbing throughout North America, usually going for long walks to seek out new climbs. His travels have taken him beyond Alberta and British Columbia, to Quebec, Alaska, Morocco and Iceland. During his latest expedition, their team spent 6 weeks in the Mount Logan area, eventually summiting via the East Ridge.

The ACC hires guides certified by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG). Visit the ACMG website to learn more about what they do!