Multipitch and Backcountry Ice

If you are an experienced ice climber who is confident in your technique and ability to lead here is what you can expect to learn during this ice climbing course:

• Anchor building and station management.
• Avalanche assessment as it relates to backcountry ice climbs and descents.
• Efficient transitions for ascents and descents.
• How to descend large climbs
• Skills for deciding the best line when many options exist.
• Approach techniques and risk management for remote climbs.
• After taking this climbing course participants should feel more confident in planning more committing backcountry and multipitch ice climbs.

Climbers should have experience leading ice climbs for a few seasons. Climbs often take place in remote and dangerous terrain and climbers should be confident leading for the best experience.

Lake City Ice Park
With so many ice routes to choose from this is an excellent location for a day or a weekend to really dive deep into the basics of ice climbing and learn everything to climb ice on your own.

Clear Creek Canyon
There are several easier ice climbs that generally form in the canyon and with short approaches they can make an excellent climbing venue for beginners to learn ice climbing skills.

North Cheyenne Canyon
With a couple good areas with moderate ice this is an excellent location to work on technique and for beginner climbers to learn the basics.

Best Places to Learn Basic Ice Climbing Skills
There are several locations that work well for this course due to reliable, high quality ice with minimal approaches. The venues we recommend are:

Like many skills it can take minutes to learn and years to master. Learning to lead ice is no different. It takes years to learn to recognize the qualities of ice and how they'll affect the security of ice screw placements and anchors. The head space for leading ice is also something that can be difficult to learn. But without the skill there are many climbs that are just off limits for those without the ability to lead ice climbs.