Discover Ice Climbing

Daily Ice Climbing Lesson Locations

There are several great ice climbing locations that can be readily accessed for daily lessons or trips from our office in Canmore, Alberta Canada. They include:

Grassi Lakes: “The Junkyards” 10 minutes drive from Canmore followed by a 20-minute walk. A great spot for first-time ice climbers and those wishing to brush up on skills.

King Creek: 40-minute drive from Canmore in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Good beginner location for a full day of climbing with some challenging short climbs to finish on.

Johnston Canyon: 20 minutes drive west of Banff. Good for steep ice climbing practice.

Wedge Smear: A popular roadside ice climbing area located in Kananaskis Country along Highway 40, just south of Barrier Lake and about 45 minutes from Canmore

Guides & Guide Ratios

The “Yam Ice Team” includes some of the best ice climbing guides and instructors anywhere!  Enthusiastic and extremely talented, they hold climbing certification from the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides and from other International Federation of Mountain Guide Association (IFMGA) countries. Your safety and enjoyment are paramount to them.

The maximum guide to client ratio is 1:6

Meeting Place & Time

Unless otherwise specified we will meet you at the Yamnuska classroom at 100, 50 Lincoln Park, Canmore.  See this map for location. The meeting time will be set when you make your booking.  Generally, half-day programs begin at 7:30 am and 12:00 pm.  Full-day programs begin at 7:30 am.

Transportation

Transportation is not included but may be available on certain days. Clients generally provide transportation for the guide. If there is a vehicle available, Yamnuska can provide transportation for a pick-up in Banff or Canmore for a surcharge. For larger groups requiring a 15-passenger van, transportation charges will be greater.  Please inquire with the Yamnuska office staff.

For insurance reasons, guides cannot transport clients in their personal vehicles. We suggest you rent a car while in the area. If a guide has to drive beyond Canmore to meet you for the climb additional fuel charges apply.

Park Passes

Please note that program venues may be within National Parks and/or Kananaskis Country. For programs where transportation is not provided by Yamnuska/Canadian Rockies Hiking by Yamnuska, guests will be required to purchase their own pass.

National Park passes are available both online at https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/voyage-travel/admission and in-person at National park gates and some information centres.

Kananaskis Country conservation passes are available online at https://www.alberta.ca/kananaskis-conservation-pass.aspx

Accommodation

Most people stay in Canmore if here to ice climb, this is most convenient. Otherwise, you can stay in Banff or Lake Louise. In this case, you will be charged for the guide’s gas expenses for driving to meet you.

What you need to bring

Lunch & Snacks

These are not included save by special arrangement. Make sure you bring plenty of high-energy snacks plus plenty to drink. A Thermos with a hot drink is a good idea.

Clothing & Equipment List

Technical equipment is included in the price.

There can be periods of inactivity in very cold temperatures. Don’t be afraid to bring too much! We suggest bringing light clothing of varying thicknesses that can be ‘layered’ to achieve comfort and versatility. The most important consideration for clothing is the ability to regulate temperature as you change from periods of activity to periods of rest. Cotton clothing is not appropriate as it causes rapid heat loss when wet. Skiwear works well.

We suggest you bring:

• Long underwear (top & bottom), synthetic or wool.
• Warm pants (pref. insulated or fleece)
• Warm shirt (not cotton)
• Fleece Jacket (heavyweight)
• Insulated jacket or vest
• Waterproof jacket with hood (Gore-Tex or nylon)
• Waterproof pants (Gore-Tex or nylon)
• Socks (wool outer & polypro liner)
• Wool or fleece hat that will cover ears & fit under a helmet
• Waterproof climbing gloves &/or mitts plus spares.
• Microspikes (for the approach)
• Knee-length Gaiters
• Neck tube.
• Daypack (large enough for spare clothing, your lunch & climbing gear e.g. rope & crampons).
• Sunglasses, protective eyewear and or sports sunglasses regardless of the weather conditions.
• Thermos flask and/or water bottle (full!)
• Sun cream

If bringing your own gear you will need to bring: (We will supply if you do not have your own)

• Mountaineering boots (plastic or synthetic)
• Crampons (Must fit your boots or be easily adjustable)
• Climbing Harness
• Climbing Helmet
• Ice tools

For full-day and half-day Learn to Ice Climb departures, there is no penalty for cancellation provided we receive your written notice (info@yamnuska.com) 48 hours before your scheduled departure.

Risk is an inherent part of all mountain activities. We strive to manage and reduce it however, it is impossible to totally eliminate. Learn more about our safety and risk management approach here.  Please note that you will be required to sign our waiver before commencing the program. Please view our sample waiver copy.

To book or enquire about guided climbs:

Call 1 866 678 4164 (Canada, US only) or +1 403 678 4164 (other countries) or 403 678 4164 (local)

The Simpson Group offers a wide range of travel insurance options including Trip Cancellation/Interruption, Travel Medical, and Personal Effect Loss for both Canadian and International Travelers. Other providers offer similar services and we encourage you to select an appropriate level of coverage. We highly recommend purchasing this insurance to cover and protect you against unforeseen events. The two basic types of insurance that most travellers need to consider are Medical and Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance.

Insurance Risk 
One of the ways to mitigate risk is by purchasing appropriate insurance. Simpson Group Insurance Services who are travel & health risk specialists, work with technical and high-risk insurance solutions both in medical and non-medical spheres.  We highly recommend that you review your insurance needs to cover and protect you against unforeseen events. It is wise to ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident during your trip. Simpson Group have a team standing by to answer any of your questions.

Emergency Medical Evacuation
While there is typically no charge for search & rescue in the National and Provincial Parks for active pass holders, costs such as air & ground ambulance after the rescue are not covered by your park pass. The chance of a large bill associated with this risk is a real possibility.

For Canadians
A common myth is that healthcare across provinces is fully covered. There are many things which do not carry interprovincial agreements. Ambulance services, medical evacuation, and some services which one province charges more than another you’d be responsible to pay the difference.

For Internationals
A common myth is that healthcare in Canada is free. Although it is less expensive than US healthcare, charges for non-residents can still be very high. Proper medical health insurance is essential if you were to get injured. Most coverages exclude rock climbing, mountaineering, ice climbing, backcountry skiing and the like. Simpson Group can make sure all those risks are well covered.

Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
We recognize that our guests’ schedules may change for many reasons, business, family, flight delays, injuries, and other unplanned events.  For these eventualities, Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance is a great way to protect your investment. We can assure you that circumstances do arise that prevent guests from participating in trips or courses and trip cancellation & interruption insurance is a relatively easy way to manage your level of risk of unforeseen events.

For all your travel insurance requirements we recommend Simpson Group Insurance Services.  For more information and to purchase a plan, visit Simpson Group’s website.