Sports & Fitness
Ice Climbing
Swing tools into a frozen waterfall, in a season only weeks long
You start with a group or a guide, because the tools, crampons and screws are expensive and judging whether the ice is sound is the safety-critical skill no guide book teaches. The window is narrow: a winter may give only a few weeks of formed ice. Movement is easier than on rock, and trusting a placed tool is the hard part.
First stepBook a guided intro day and climb one pitch of ice on a top rope.
Barriers
Cost to start
$300–2k
Going deep → $2k–10k
Alone or with people
Anyone will do
Effort
Demanding
Without a teacher?
Needs a teacher
One session takes
A full day
Where
A special place
Why people take it up
Related guides
Try a hobby before you buy the gearStarting costs $300–2kSkills
BuildsRope work, knots and belayingGrip and pulling strength